Warriors from the Battle Heaven Alliance were easy to recognize—one could tell simply from their attire. They all wore shimmering golden robes that gave them an overwhelmingly imposing air.
These warriors generally carried themselves with an air of superiority, casting only a measure of genuine regard toward the cultivators of the Leitai Sect. As for warriors from every other faction, regardless of their cultivation level, they looked upon them all with undisguised contempt and disdain.
As if the Battle Heaven Alliance were some incomparably mighty force—and these people were terrified that others might not know they hailed from it. The character for "War" stitched in gold thread across their chests was visible from a considerable distance.
Because of Qu Changfeng, Yang Kai had never had any favorable impression of Battle Heaven Alliance members. The moment he saw who was approaching, he knew things wouldn't end peacefully today. His capture of the Flowing Flame Flying Fire just moments ago must have been witnessed by these people.
The only question was how much they had seen.
In the blink of an eye, the four Battle Heaven Alliance cultivators had rushed to a spot not far from Yang Kai, their faces a mixture of astonishment and elation as they sized him up.
He had to admit that the Battle Heaven Alliance truly possessed deep reserves. All four who had come were Third-Order Holy King realm cultivators. The Holy Yuan within each of them was far more refined and abundant than that of ordinary warriors, and a pale blue barrier of light shimmered around their bodies, shrouding them in a protective dome. The barrier radiated an oppressive chill—clearly the work of ice-attribute artifacts warding off the fire venom that permeated this place.
The leader, a clean-shaven man who appeared to be in his forties, raised an eyebrow involuntarily upon discerning Yang Kai's true cultivation, his expression one of extreme surprise.
He couldn't understand how a First-Order Holy King had managed to survive in such a hostile environment. What's more, Yang Kai didn't seem to have any artifact protecting him whatsoever. This realization gave the man pause, and his gaze toward Yang Kai grew slightly grave.
Anyone who could endure the heat and fire venom here without artifacts, relying solely on their Holy Yuan, was not to be underestimated.
"Did he just capture a Flowing Flame Flying Fire?" another man nearby—lean and gaunt—exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
It seemed they had been too far away to see clearly. They had only suspected, which was why they had rushed over immediately to confirm.
"Surely not? Since when is the Flowing Flame Flying Fire something you can just capture at will? Even though the third layer has more of them, even Fang Tianzhong couldn't catch one. What would give this guy the ability?" A third warrior, sharp-faced and simian-featured, shook his head slowly, clearly unconvinced.
"Simple—just ask and we'll find out," the gaunt man said with a chuckle. He strode toward Yang Kai with a brazen air. "Kid, what did you just grab? Show us."
"None of your business." Yang Kai regarded the four of them with a flat expression, showing not a flicker of fear or intent to flee.
"Haha…" The gaunt man burst into laughter, nodding repeatedly. "Right, it really is none of our business. But kid, do you know who we are? You dare speak to us like that? How interesting."
His expression turned vicious, and he said in a cold voice: "Kid, if you want to live, hand over whatever you just collected. If I'm in a good mood, I might let you walk away alive. Otherwise… heh heh…"
The meaning behind that chuckle was unmistakable.
The clean-shaven leader, who had been studying Yang Kai, frowned slightly at this but quickly relaxed. He could tell there was something unusual about Yang Kai—the young man's composure was eerily calm—but the fact remained that he was alone. He refused to believe that four of them couldn't handle one person.
There were always martial artists in this world who thought too highly of themselves, who believed they were extraordinary simply because they possessed a bit of talent. He had seen plenty of such people. In fact, he himself had been one. But after being repeatedly humiliated by Qu Changfeng, he had come to recognize the harsh truth that there was always someone greater.
He subconsciously placed Yang Kai into that category.
Such people were destined to meet a bitter end.
He himself had been fortunate—since he and Qu Changfeng hailed from the same sect, Qu Changfeng hadn't taken his life. But after coming to that realization, he had become far more low-key in his conduct.
"You want it, so I should just hand it over? Who do you think you are?" Yang Kai replied, his eyes cold as he looked at the four of them. His expression remained utterly indifferent.
"Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The gaunt man hadn't expected Yang Kai to be this stubborn, and his face immediately darkened.
In the past, whenever he used this tactic to intimidate people, which warrior hadn't cowed into submission? He had even taken a woman from one cultivator—the man had meekly handed over the doe-eyed beauty without protest. Although he had only toyed with her for a few days before discarding her, no one had ever dared refuse his demands.
Simply because he hailed from the Battle Heaven Alliance!
Forget about the outside world—this was the Flaming Sand Lands, a desolate and remote area where no one ventured. The perfect place to kill someone and bury the body! At that thought, a cold gleam flickered in the warrior's eyes, and killing intent surged to the surface.
"Wait." Before the gaunt man could make a move, the clean-shaven middle-aged man called out to stop him.
The other two looked toward him. The man took a few steps forward, fixed his gaze on Yang Kai, and offered a slight cupped-fist salute. "Friend, my junior brother here has something of a temper. If he has given offense just now, please don't take it to heart."