After all, Xue Yue possessed a special physique — the Dragon Marrow Phoenix Body! This physique was coveted even by Void King Realm powerhouses, because any man who managed to obtain her Primordial Yin would see his cultivation soar dramatically, with absolutely no hidden drawbacks.
That was precisely why she had to live as a man, and why the Heng Luo Commerce had concealed her true gender. Across the entire Heng Luo Commerce, those who knew this secret could be counted on one hand.
Plus one more — Yang Kai.
How could Yang Kai let Xue Yue recognize him? The instant he laid eyes on the woman, he slipped away to an unnoticed corner, suppressing his aura and minimizing his presence.
Over there, Xue Yue was guarded by numerous Void Returning Realm Stage Three experts, her smile as captivating as ever — charming enough to drive any woman into a frenzy of jealousy.
"So this is the Imperial Garden?" She glanced at the towering palace and murmured the words.
"Reporting to Third Young Master, according to the intelligence we've gathered, this is indeed the Imperial Garden without question," a seductively curved beauty beside Xue Yue answered respectfully.
"Mm. Since we've arrived, let's go in." Xue Yue wasted no more words. After that brief remark, she led her retinue of Void Returning Realm Stage Three cultivators toward the main gates of the Imperial Garden.
No one dared to obstruct them!
Setting aside the sheer numbers and cultivation levels of Xue Yue's entourage, the mighty name of the Heng Luo Commerce alone was enough to give anyone pause. What death-seeking fool would dare oppose them here?
And so Xue Yue's group passed through the battlefield before the Imperial Garden with ease. In barely a dozen breaths, they vanished through the gates.
The moment their figures disappeared, the whistling sounds of cutting air erupted across the battlefield once more — others were seizing this brief window of calm to rush into the Imperial Garden at full speed.
And there were quite a few of them. At least twenty or thirty, each unleashing their movement techniques as they streaked toward the gates in streaks of multicolored light.
Yang Kai was among them. Opportunity knocked but once — how could he not seize it? Charging into the Imperial Garden now meant he might run into Xue Yue, but this was still an excellent chance. If the chaotic battle erupted again, getting through this stretch would become nearly impossible.
Besides, he wasn't alone. Others were rushing in as well, and they could all serve as cover.
In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai had reached the front gate of the Imperial Garden. Together with the other cultivators who wanted inside, he surged through the brilliantly glowing entrance in a flood of bodies.
His vision blurred. There seemed to be spatial forces acting on him as well. When his sight cleared, he found himself standing amid a vast cluster of buildings. Pavilion after pavilion, terrace after terrace, white jade pathways weaving between them in an intricate lattice.
He was in! Yang Kai was elated.
The last time he had entered the Imperial Garden's interior, what he'd seen had looked much the same as this. This was unmistakably the inside.
But before Yang Kai could even register his delight, he instinctively shrank back.
Xue Yue's group, having entered the Imperial Garden ahead of everyone else, hadn't gotten very far at all. They were standing just ahead, apparently observing something.
Since they hadn't moved, the cultivators who had pushed in under the cover of the Heng Luo Commerce's deterrent presence didn't dare act rashly either. Upon entering, they all halted, wearing expressions of uncertainty.
Yang Kai was caught right in the middle of the crowd, his heart hammering up and down as he silently prayed that Xue Yue wouldn't spot him.
Thinking this, he stayed put, not moving a muscle.
But of course, the one thing he feared most was exactly what came to pass. Xue Yue seemed to have grown somewhat bored. Her lovely eyes began drifting about, sweeping over the cultivators who had followed them in.
Yang Kai's expression darkened. He knew he could no longer hide in peace. Before those eyes could land on his face, he flickered sideways and shot off in a streak of light toward the flank.
The sudden movement instantly made him the center of everyone's attention.
Xue Yue's gaze naturally snapped over as well. The moment she caught that familiar-looking profile, a flicker of confusion crossed her face — followed immediately by wild joy, then rage. She let out a cold shout: "Stop right there for this young master!"
But how would Yang Kai listen to her? Not only did he ignore her command, he sped up even further. In the blink of an eye he had crossed a hundred zhang, leaving Xue Yue nothing but his retreating silhouette.
"Third Young Master?" The seductively curved beauty glanced at Xue Yue with a questioning look.
"Bring him back to me!" Xue Yue's face was grim as she issued the order in a frigid tone.
Though the beauty didn't understand why Xue Yue would be so intent on going after a mere Void Returning Realm Stage One cultivator, she didn't question it. Her figure blurred, and she shot off in pursuit of Yang Kai.
Only after the beauty had given chase did Xue Yue furrow her brow in thought, an odd expression flickering across her face. It had only been a fleeting glimpse, but that profile had felt undeniably familiar. It was unmistakably the profile of a man she harbored deep grudges against — the man who kept her awake at night, tossing and turning!
But the world was vast, and there were plenty of people who looked alike. Xue Yue hadn't seen his face, so she couldn't be entirely certain.
Most importantly, that man's cultivation had been at Void Returning Realm Stage One!