Yang Kai couldn't imagine how the helmsman of a faction managed to oversee several Cultivation Stars, or even more. They probably didn't have time to cultivate at all — just handling the endless variety of affairs would keep their schedule packed to the brim.
"Management is done layer by layer," Shen Tu explained with a smile. "Upper management oversees middle management, middle management oversees lower management. Each layer answers to the one above it. How could they not manage? There's no need for those at the top to handle every little thing personally."
Once he put it that way, Yang Kai immediately realized he'd asked a foolish question and fell sheepishly silent.
He wasn't in that position, so he didn't need to concern himself with its responsibilities. He hadn't reached that level, which was why it all seemed inconceivable to him. But people strive upward while water flows downhill — there wasn't a single living being that didn't desperately claw its way toward the top.
There were Beast Kings among beast packs and emperors within empires. They stood at the summit, beholding a view unlike any other, and possessed the ability to command their kind and their nations. That wasn't something Yang Kai needed to worry about.
An hour later, a cluster of buildings appeared not far ahead, occupying a considerable area. Shen Tu directed Yang Kai to descend toward it.
The architecture was unlike anything Yang Kai had seen before — wildly varied in design. Some rose like slender spires, while others resembled towering edifices hundreds of zhang tall, clustered together into a sprawling complex.
"We've arrived. Within a three-thousand-li radius centered here, this is my territory." Shen Tu hopped down from the Star Shuttle, spread his arms wide, and took an exaggerated breath of the air, his face lit up with the joy of a man returned home.
Yang Kai and Bi Ya retracted their own Star Shuttles and landed behind him, surveying their surroundings.
Yang Kai extended his divine perception and took a preliminary sweep. To his surprise, several hundred warriors were gathered here. Their cultivation levels were a mixed bag — some weren't particularly strong, at most the Shenyou or Extraordinary Realm, with even a few at the Zhenyuan Realm. But several among them possessed an aura quite formidable, no weaker than Yue Xi or Lü Guichen.
Saint King Realm powerhouses!
Yang Kai understood. While the Star Field was brimming with experts — more than one could ever count — every single one of them had grown step by step. Each had passed through the Kaiyuan Realm, the Qi Movement Realm, the Separation-Union Realm, the Zhenyuan Realm, the Shenyou Realm…
They had cultivated their way forward one footprint at a time, breaking through layer after layer of realm restrictions and constraints to earn the powerful cultivation they could be proud of.
However, any warrior capable of breaking free from a Cultivation Star's pull and venturing deep into the starry sky had to be at least at the Saint Realm. That was why every person Yang Kai had encountered in the void possessed considerable strength.
Warriors below the Saint Realm wouldn't dare expose their bodies to open space, even with a Star Shuttle's protection. The merciless forces of the starry sky would tear them apart! They had to shelter inside warships to ensure their safety.
Perhaps their arrival had alerted the warriors here, because a middle-aged man in black fitted attire suddenly flickered into view from within the compound. Upon spotting Shen Tu, his face lit up with delight, and he called out: "Young Master Shen Tu, you've returned?"
"I'm back." Shen Tu gave him a slight nod and flashed a grin. "Nothing happened while I was gone, did it?"
The middle-aged man shook his head. "Nothing of note. Though President Ayo came looking for you about half a year ago. When you'd vanished without a word, he was furious for quite some time."
Shen Tu's expression shifted. He drew his neck in slightly. "Old man came looking for me? Did he say what it was about?"
The middle-aged man replied, "He didn't say. He only told me to have you go see him the moment you returned!"
Shen Tu's face fell into a grimace. He muttered, "I'm done for, I'm done for. I'm definitely going to get a beating this time."
While the two were talking, Yang Kai had been observing their expressions. He figured this middle-aged man and the several powerful auras hidden inside the compound must all be members of the Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce, dispatched to protect Shen Tu — his subordinates.
The middle-aged man was also sizing up Yang Kai and Bi Ya, though in a seemingly casual manner. When his gaze fell on Yang Kai, there was little emotional reaction. But when he looked at Bi Ya, a flicker of undisguised distaste crossed his face.
He seemed to see at a glance that Bi Ya was a loose woman, and assumed Shen Tu had been seduced and bewitched by her.
"Young Master, these two are…?" the middle-aged man inquired, glancing between Yang Kai and Bi Ya.
"Oh, this brother here is Yang Kai!" Shen Tu pulled Yang Kai to his side, draped an arm around his shoulder with familiar warmth, and introduced him with great fanfare. "He's the blood-sworn brother I made during my travels. Uncle Garon, just treat him as my benefactor."
"Young Master's benefactor?" The middle-aged man named Garon straightened, his expression turning serious. Without further questions, he cupped his fists and bowed to Yang Kai. "Thank you, young brother, for taking care of our young master out there. The young master has a wild and unruly nature — he must have caused you no small amount of trouble on this trip. Please be forgiving!"
"You're too kind, Senior. Brother Shen Tu and I simply helped each other," Yang Kai replied with a modest smile.
Garon nodded gently, a look of satisfaction surfacing in his eyes.
"This woman…" Shen Tu gestured toward Bi Ya next. "Originally from Purple Star. Now she wants to join our Chamber of Commerce and find a position. Uncle Garon, could you arrange something for her?"
"A Purple Star person?" Garon's brow furrowed. "Her strength is a bit lacking…"
"If you can grant me a place to secluded cultivation, I can break through to the Saint King Realm within half a month!" Bi Ya blurted out urgently, as though she were desperate to secure a foothold.
"Break through to the Saint King Realm in half a month?" Garon's thick eyebrows rose. "If you truly possess Saint King Realm strength, the Chamber of Commerce could certainly take you in. Very well — you may cultivate here in seclusion for the time being."
As he spoke, he gave a light clap. A guard who had been standing nearby promptly walked over.
"Take this young lady to a private cultivation chamber. Provide her with some Saint Crystals and pills," Garon instructed.
"Yes, sir."