Qian Tong's face was full of self-reproach. It would have been one thing if his own carelessness had led to his capture, but he never imagined that Yang Kai would be dragged into it as well.
"Heh, Elder Qian, there's no need to be so formal about it," Yang Kai grinned. "When I first came to the Dark Star over a decade ago, you looked after me in countless ways. Now that you're in trouble, I naturally can't just stand by and do nothing. Besides, this whole affair started because of me in the first place — how could I possibly walk away?"
"Good, good, good!" Fang Peng clapped his hands and laughed from the side. "Sect Master Yang is truly a man of feeling — grateful for kindness and ready to repay it. This old man is humbled by comparison!"
"Enough nonsense. You've been plotting this for a long time and mobilized an enormous force — all for me, the Sect Master. Let the people go, and I'll go with you willingly." Yang Kai's face darkened as he fixed his gaze on Fang Peng.
"Ha ha, Sect Master Yang's cooperation is deeply appreciated. Of course we'll release them, but to ensure nothing goes wrong, I'd ask that Sect Master Yang permit me to place a few restrictions on you. It's for everyone's peace of mind — prevents any... unpleasant surprises. It benefits both you and me. What does Sect Master Yang think?" Fang Peng smiled serenely at Yang Kai, though a glint of wariness flickered deep in his eyes.
Yang Kai had agreed far too readily.
Something about it nagged at him.
He had ordered the ambush that severely wounded Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu, and had them captured as a contingency — to make Yang Kai hesitate before acting. He never truly expected Yang Kai to surrender himself for their sake. Was this kid really that noble, that self-sacrificing? Fang Peng had his doubts.
If it were him, he would never do such a thing. Preserving himself was what mattered most — what did other people's lives matter in comparison?
So long as the restrictions hadn't been placed on Yang Kai, he couldn't afford to let his guard down for a single instant.
"No problem at all!" Yang Kai remained as agreeable as ever. "Come ahead, Sect Master Fang."
Fang Peng's brow furrowed slightly. He shot a meaningful glance, and two Return Void Third Stage powerhouses immediately advanced on Yang Kai from either side. Both men were clearly on their guard, wary that Yang Kai might change his mind at the last moment — yet he stood perfectly still, offering no resistance whatsoever. In fact, he regarded them with a look of open mockery.
Their faces flushed with embarrassment. They cursed themselves inwardly for being so cautious.
Acting this timid before a man who was already at their mercy — it was frankly humiliating.
Without needing any further instruction from Fang Peng, the two formed hand seals, executed a series of movements, and then each pressed a palm against Yang Kai's body.
A wave of sealing energy rippled outward. The aura radiating from Yang Kai's body instantly withered and dimmed.
Everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. No matter how extraordinary Yang Kai might be, once his Saint Power was sealed, he would be unable to stir up any trouble.
Fang Peng was elated.
Despite the heavy losses suffered during this operation, it had finally come to a successful conclusion.
But in that very moment, an anomaly erupted.
A searing surge of power suddenly burst forth from Yang Kai's location. In the next instant, a mass of pitch-black demonic flame engulfed him entirely, making him look like a burning orb of darkness.
The aura that had just been suppressed to nothingness soared back to its absolute peak in the blink of an eye.
"Impossible!" the two powerhouses who had just placed the restrictions cried out in alarm, their eyes nearly bulging from their heads.
They had held nothing back when they acted. Even a cultivator of equal standing would have found it impossible to break through internal restrictions in such a short time. Just how vast and dense was the Saint Power contained within Yang Kai's body, that the restrictions they had imposed were utterly useless against him?
Panic seized them, and they retreated rapidly, terrified that Yang Kai would strike them down where they stood.
But Yang Kai had no intention of attacking them. Instead, his body swayed slightly, as though he were about to vanish from where he stood.
"You're not the only one who commands the power of Space. This old man anticipated that you would try exactly this — stay where you are!" A furious shout rang out as Mo Xiaosheng, the Grand Elder of the Battle Sky Alliance, materialized bizarrely right beside Yang Kai. A strange wave of power emanated from his body, sweeping toward Yang Kai.
The power of Space!
While everyone else had relaxed their vigilance, Mo Xiaosheng had kept his attention locked on Yang Kai's every movement. That was why he had been able to react so quickly.
He was absolutely confident he could stop Yang Kai! Although he knew Yang Kai had cultivated the power of Space, his own comprehension in this domain had been honed over countless years. He refused to believe he could lose to some upstart brat. His pride would not permit it.
He would prove to everyone who the true master of this domain was.
Spatial power rippled outward, churning the void around Yang Kai. An invisible set of shackles bound Yang Kai's body, and the figure that had been on the verge of disappearing solidified once more.
Mo Xiaosheng smiled with pride.
But in the very next instant, that smile froze on his face, replaced by an expression of utter dumbfounded shock.
"Teaching a master how to wield an axe!" Yang Kai let out a cold snort. Before the words had even fully left his lips, his figure had already vanished.
"How is this possible?!" Mo Xiaosheng stood rooted to the spot. He didn't even know how Yang Kai had broken through his spatial seal and disappeared. A staggering thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, nearly robbing him of the ability to think.
Could this kid's comprehension of the power of Space surpass even his own?