The hundred-zhang gap closed rapidly. Just as Yang Kai was about to catch up with Old Man Wang, he suddenly sensed a terrifying surge of energy from behind. A streak of light shot past his side, vanishing in an instant, and slammed squarely into Old Man Wang's back.
A scream tore from the elder's throat as he crumpled to the ground. He twitched a few times, then went still.
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow and glanced back in surprise. There, clad in black robes, stood Yang Yan holding a crossbow-shaped artifact, giving him a little wave.
He recognized it immediately — a war trophy from the Flowing Flame Sand Field. He'd taken it from a member of the Xie family who had once tried to ambush him with the very same artifact. The ploy had failed, and Yang Kai had cut the man down instead. Though the artifact packed considerable power, using it required a blood sacrifice — the price was simply too steep, marking it as an evil tool. Yang Kai hadn't given it much thought after acquiring it, casually tossing it into his space ring.
He hadn't expected Yang Yan to have quietly refined and upgraded it at some point, turning it into a one-shot weapon that actually delivered.
Now that Old Man Wang was dead, that saved him a headache. Yang Kai walked over to the corpse, silently activated the Demon Eye of Annihilation, and quickly drew Old Man Wang's soul into his spiritual sea to purify it. After stripping the space ring from the body, he immediately returned.
In the ruined palace hall, Qian Yue stared at Yang Kai without blinking, as if she barely recognized him.
As for Yang Yan, she looked thoroughly drained after using the crossbow artifact, her face noticeably paler than before. Even with her refinements, the cost of a single use was still significant.
"Rest for a bit. We'll head out again soon — there shouldn't be any more ambushers here." Yang Kai handed Yang Yan a bottle of pills, then walked over to the spatial formation array on his own.
He intended to destroy it completely. Whether or not the enemy had further contingencies, he couldn't afford to leave any trail they could use to track him.
While Yang Yan hurried to recover, Qian Yue collected the spoils left behind by the other fallen Saint King Realm experts.
A short while later, everyone was ready except Yang Yan, who was still meditating. Qian Yue handed over the space rings the dead fighters had left behind, her face still carrying a dazed, shell-shocked expression. Even now, she hadn't fully processed what she'd just witnessed.
Yang Kai glanced at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking, and waved it off. "Keep them. There's probably nothing great in there, but they should suit you just fine. Don't worry about it — once we reach Dragon Cave Mountain, you'll see how wealthy they are and how freely they spend. You won't even look at these things after that."
Qian Yue blinked, then stopped protesting and answered cheerfully, "I'm looking forward to it."
She couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. Ever since arriving in the Star Field and ending up at the Joyous Harmony Tower, she hadn't met a single familiar face or found anyone to rely on. She'd felt like a tree without roots, a river without a spring — every day had been a slow torture.
But now Yang Kai had finally appeared, giving her a pillar to lean on and filling her with hope for the future. Though he was technically her junior, this junior had already surpassed her in cultivation. Leaning on him a little wouldn't hurt.
While waiting for Yang Yan to recover, Yang Kai sat cross-legged nearby, weighing the gains and losses of the battle.
This wasn't his first time fighting a Void Return Realm powerhouse, but it was his first kill at that level. Without the Soul-Devouring Worms' interference, without the elusive nature of spatial power, he never could have won.
Still, the fight had revealed something unexpected — the Golden Blood Threads he cultivated could actually break through a Domain. That was a genuine surprise. When Deng Ning of the Demon Blood Cult had handed over the Demon Blood Thread secret technique, he'd never mentioned that little detail.
Facing a first-stage Void Return elder surnamed Wang had required everything he had. What about a second-stage or third-stage one?
Yang Kai suddenly realized his cultivation was still a step behind. After returning, he needed to advance another level. Only when his own cultivation reached the Void Return Realm would he have nothing to fear on the Dark Star.
Half a day later, Yang Yan had recovered most of her strength. Only then did Yang Kai bring out the Star Shuttle, and the three of them departed the ruined city together.
They flew for two days. Passing over a small city, Yang Kai landed to ask for directions and learned that Tianyun City was only about half a month's journey away. He was overjoyed.
He'd genuinely feared the ruined city might be farther from Tianyun City than Black Crow City. It seemed their luck had held — the ambush spot Wang Yuhan had chosen wasn't in the opposite direction from Tianyun City at all.
Better yet, this was Shadow Moon Hall's territory. With his relationships with Qian Tong, Wei Guchang, and Dong Xuan'er, being here meant he was essentially safe.
Throughout the journey, Yang Kai remained silent, mapping out what he needed to do next, while Yang Yan and Qian Yue chatted now and then. Half a month flew by, and when the trio arrived at Dragon Cave Mountain, Qian Yue took an immediate liking to the place.
It couldn't compare to the grand, imposing estates of the great sects, but it had its own unique charm — verdant mountains, crystal-clear streams, a land brimming with talent and spiritual energy. It was practically a hidden paradise.
After handing Qian Yue over to Yang Yan's care, Yang Kai went to check on the Divine Tree. He was pleased to learn it had been thriving, and the transplanted Golden Sun Fruit Tree had also flourished under its nurturing energy, with no danger of withering.