Shen Shitao had indeed brought good news. That Return to Void Realm senior who knew Shen Fanlei had returned on time the previous night, and when Shen Fanlei went to ask for his help early that morning, the man had agreed without the slightest hesitation. Everything at the Black Crow City teleportation array was now fully prepared, and Yang Kai could set out for Tianyun City at any time.
On top of that, all the costs for Yang Kai and his party of three to use the teleportation array had been covered by Shen Fanlei in advance.
This didn't surprise Yang Kai in the least. After all, both the Shen siblings were the sort to repay kindness — a handful of Holy Crystals meant nothing to them. Yang Kai didn't stand on ceremony about it either. He immediately called out to Yang Yan and Qian Yue, and under Shen Shitao's lead, made his way toward the teleportation array in Black Crow City.
Every city's teleportation array was layered with defenses and overseen by numerous powerful experts. Black Crow City was no exception.
Upon entering the grand hall that housed the array, Yang Kai instantly sensed at least four Return to Void Realm warriors concealed nearby. Beside the array itself, a scholarly middle-aged man was chatting with Shen Fanlei, wearing a warm smile and nodding from time to time, seemingly on good terms with him.
Yang Kai immediately knew this must be the senior the Shen siblings had spoken of.
When Yang Kai and the others approached, Shen Fanlei excused himself from the middle-aged scholar and hurried over with a grin: "Brother Yang, as promised — everything is arranged."
"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Shen!" Yang Kai cupped his fists politely, then followed him over to the teleportation array.
Shen Fanlei pointed at the middle-aged scholar: "This is Senior Jiang Wenjie. The reason we were able to use the teleportation array so smoothly this time is entirely thanks to Senior Jiang's assistance."
"Thank you, Senior Jiang." Yang Kai gave the scholar a slight nod.
The man looked Yang Kai up and down, then smiled faintly: "Truly, heroes emerge among the young. Nephew Yang doesn't look old at all, yet like Nephew Shen, you've already reached the second stage of the Sovereign King Realm. Given time, your future will surely be boundless."
Jiang Wenjie was only offering such praise out of deference to Shen Fanlei — he had no personal connection with Yang Kai. Still, Yang Kai naturally responded with a few modest words.
Then Jiang Wenjie ordered the teleportation array activated. After bidding farewell to the Shen siblings, Yang Kai stepped onto the array together with Yang Yan and Qian Yue.
The next moment, the array blazed with light and spatial energy rippled outward. Just as their three figures began to blur, Jiang Wenjie suddenly looked at Yang Kai, his lips moving slightly.
A glint flashed through Yang Kai's eyes. Before he could ask anything, a wave of mild dizziness washed over him.
On the other side, countless miles from Black Crow City, the three materialized on another teleportation array.
Having cultivated spatial power, Yang Kai bore the burden of long-distance teleportation easily — he could even use the transit to gain fleeting insights into the mysteries of spatial force.
But neither Yang Yan nor Qian Yue could handle it so effortlessly. After a single teleportation, their heads felt muddled. It wasn't serious, though — a brief circulation of Sacred Yuan dispelled the discomfort.
Looking around, Yang Yan's expression turned to utter confusion, while Qian Yue blurted in surprise: "This is supposed to be Tianyun City? Why is there no one here?"
"This isn't Tianyun City!" Yang Kai's face darkened as he finally understood what Jiang Wenjie's whispered words at the last moment — *be careful on the road* — had truly meant.
Looking about, the place was indeed a grand hall with a teleportation array underfoot. But it was dilapidated and decrepit, clearly not the Tianyun City he remembered. It looked more like some long-abandoned, desolate city!
"Indeed, this is not Tianyun City!" A sinister voice suddenly rang out from nearby. Qian Yue and Yang Yan both jolted, turning to look. To their shock, they saw a familiar face wearing a smirk of smug malice, strolling toward them. The man's gaze burned at Yang Kai with barely concealed fury, as though bearing some deep, seething grudge.
Seeing that face, Yang Kai understood everything. He regarded the man and grinned: "Brother Wang, what a small world after all!"
Wang Yuhan let out a sharp laugh: "I've been waiting here specifically for you. This is the burial place I chose for you, Brother Yang. Tell me — are you satisfied?"
"Not bad at all. As a burial ground, it really is quite fine. The only question is whether it'll be yours or mine!" Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly: "Steward Wang is here too, I take it? Since you've come, why skulk in the shadows? Show yourself properly."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward the ruins nearby.
From behind the rubble, a sinister-faced old man slowly emerged. Not only that — several Sovereign King Realm warriors followed behind him, all watching Yang Kai with hostile expressions. One or two of them turned their eyes to Qian Yue with gazes dripping with lewd, sinister interest.