The warriors cheered, celebrating their victory. A faint smile played at the corners of Wu Yi's lips as her beautiful eyes swept across her familiar subordinates, scrutinizing them with a penetrating gaze, as though trying to peer into the depths of their hearts and see whether they were hiding anything. A thoughtful expression lingered on her enchanting face for a moment before she finally waved her hand. "Return!"
She flew toward the warship first, with the numerous warriors following close behind. The cabin doors slowly opened, and those who had stayed behind rushed out, lining the passageway to welcome their comrades' triumphant return.
They had never experienced a battle like this. The pack of Black Rock Beasts they had encountered this time was by far the largest they had ever faced. Everyone had already given up hope of survival, yet somehow they had won in the end—and at a remarkably low cost. Only a dozen or so people had died in the battle, and the number of wounded was small as well.
Such a victory was worth celebrating!
"Yu Feng, send someone to repair the damaged parts of the warship. Gather everyone who participated in this battle in two hours. I have something to say." Wu Yi issued the instruction in a calm, detached tone.
Yu Feng, who had been grinning broadly and bragging to a companion about how brave he had been moments ago, immediately understood and nodded. "Got it."
Watching him round up a few people familiar with warship repairs and fly back out, Wu Yi headed toward her own cabin. She had won this battle in a thoroughly confusing manner, and naturally she wanted to get to the bottom of it—but before that, she needed to clean the blood off herself.
In Yang Kai's room, he sat cross-legged, his divine sense circulating through his body as he examined the hundred drops of Golden Blood. Even with his eyes closed, his face was alight with excitement and pleasant surprise.
He had never imagined that a single drop of Golden Blood would carry such tremendous power.
Earlier, when he had seen Wu Yi and the others fighting desperately, he had acted on a sudden impulse and used a single drop of Golden Blood. He had only intended to do his small part and lend a hand, while also testing the power of the Golden Blood. He never expected the result to far exceed his expectations, single-handedly resolving the crisis that Wu Yi and her people had faced.
That single drop of Golden Blood had condensed into the Heaven-Slaying Spear, one of the Nine Heavens Divine Arts. It contained the profound mysteries of spatial power, which was why Yang Kai could wield it as effortlessly as moving his own limbs, even from inside the warship.
What satisfied Yang Kai most was that although the drop of Golden Blood had separated from his body, it still felt like a part of him—an extension of himself. It was like his own hands and feet, like his own eyes. There was not the slightest obstruction in using it.
A single drop of Golden Blood was the crystallization of three months of bitter Cultivation. The Sacred Origin he had accumulated over three months could barely be converted into one drop, so it was understandable that it carried such power.
This Golden Blood was thousands upon thousands of times more precious than the Yang Liquid he had used before, and its power was incomparably greater as well.
However, every drop used was one fewer—he could not replenish it as freely as he could with Yang Liquid. That fact made Yang Kai feel a pang of reluctance.
He was very curious about what other uses the Golden Blood might have beyond combat. If the Great Demon God were still alive, perhaps he could have gleaned some insights from him—after all, the Great Demon God's research into Golden Blood would certainly have been far more profound than his own. Unfortunately, the fellow had long since perished, and now Yang Kai could only rely on himself to find the answers.
While Yang Kai was studying his Golden Blood, in a large hall within the warship, all the warriors who had previously participated in the battle had gathered. Many of them wore broad grins as they clustered together, speculating about whether the young miss would reward them with something. Their faces were full of anticipation and excitement.
Only Yu Feng and the attending elder Chang Qi, upon exchanging a glance, had guessed Wu Yi's true intention in summoning everyone here.
After a brief wait, Wu Yi arrived in a flowing green dress, her graceful figure radiating an ethereal elegance that drew everyone's gazes like magnets. The faint smile playing at the corners of her lips was mesmerizing, as though it could draw one's very soul into its depths, leaving a person lost and unable to extricate themselves.
Yu Feng made no effort to conceal the admiration in his eyes. He slapped several of his companions on the back of their heads—they had been gawking with undisguised foolishness—and hissed through gritted teeth, "Reign it in, all of you! Look at yourselves—you're a disgrace!"
"Brother Yu Feng, you're no better yourself! Why are you hitting us?" someone protested, clutching his head.
"I'm appreciating her. It's completely different from what you lot are doing. Do you even know what appreciation means?" Yu Feng snorted coldly. Even as he said this, a broad smile spread across his face. He scurried over to Wu Yi's side and said with an obsequious grin, "Miss, everyone's gathered. You may address them."
"Mm." Wu Yi gave a light nod, her beautiful eyes sweeping across this band of hopeless subordinates. Every person she looked at instinctively straightened up, composing their expressions into something dignified and imposing.
Yu Feng dutifully brought over a chair. Wu Yi took her seat, then spoke. "You all performed remarkably. How come I never noticed before? I always thought you were nothing but a bunch of freeloaders waiting to die. Now I know I was wrong—terribly, terribly wrong."
Quite a few failed to catch the edge of sarcasm in Wu Yi's words and burst out laughing, saying the young miss was too kind and flattering them, performing humility with theatrical gusto.
Wu Yi let out a soft, cold laugh as she watched them congratulate themselves and put on a show of modesty when in reality every one of them was puffing up with pride. She suddenly slapped the armrest and snarled, "Don't I know exactly what you lot are like? You think I'm actually praising you? A bunch of brainless idiots!"
Even after being berated by Wu Yi like this, everyone just continued giggling, not the slightest bit offended.
Being scolded by a beautiful woman was an honor, after all—and everyone knew that while Wu Yi said these things, she didn't really mean them at all.