When Yang Kai walked into the main hall, all three figures turned their gaze toward him simultaneously, carrying an air of scrutiny.
Though none of them deliberately released any aura, the natural presence radiating from their bodies was formidable enough. Had an ordinary Return Void realm cultivator set foot here, they would have found it nearly impossible to take a step forward.
Yang Kai's pace faltered for just a moment, but he quickly composed himself, his expression relaxed, and strode in as though the invisible pressure were nothing more than a gentle breeze on his face.
A glimmer of surprise flickered through the depths of all three pairs of eyes, and murmurs of wonder escaped their lips.
They had followed Ye Xiyun here specifically to see what sort of person could possibly compel her to act on his behalf. The moment they laid eyes on Yang Kai, they knew he was no ordinary figure.
The boy had potential — all three silently acknowledged as much. But that alone was far from enough to earn their genuine respect. Talented and gifted young men were a dime a dozen; the true measure of ability lay in whether one could actually grow and thrive.
Yang Kai, for his part, eyed Ye Xiyun with a trace of suspicion, unable to fathom what these three were doing here.
Where they had come from, however, he could guess.
Since they had arrived together with Ye Xiyun, it seemed things were looking rather promising.
"Please, take your seats," Yang Kai said with a mild smile. He walked directly to the seat of honor, settled into it, and only then cupped his fists politely toward the three. "This junior is Yang Kai. Greetings to the three seniors. Might I ask how I should address you?"
"Old man is Yang Xiuzhu!"
"This lady is Lin Yurao!"
"And I am Chu Hanyi!"
The three announced themselves in turn.
"They are all mainstays of the sect and quite well-connected within it," Ye Xiyun added from the side.
Yang Kai's eyes lit up, and his smile grew even brighter.
Well-connected. That meant winning these three over was tantamount to winning over a great many Star Emperor Mountain powerhouses. Ye Xiyun's words carried considerable weight, and Yang Kai saw their full meaning clearly.
"Senior Yang and this junior share the same surname — no wonder I feel such warmth upon meeting you, as though you were my own elder. I hope Senior will look after me in the future," Yang Kai said with an earnest smile.
Yang Xiuzhu showed not the slightest inclination to humor him. Even the graceful woman Lin Yurao and the scholarly middle-aged man Chu Hanyi regarded him with stern expressions.
Yang Kai felt a twinge of embarrassment.
He understood that these three were probably not the sort who could be won over by smooth talk alone. He immediately dropped that approach, his expression turning serious. "Since the three seniors have come together with the Grand Elder, you must already know what this Sect Master intends to do next. I wonder what your thoughts are?"
"Regarding the Sect Master's plans, the three of us have already heard from the Gate Master. But to put it bluntly — the Sect Master may possess a formidable warship, but that does not necessarily mean you can take our sect. And how, precisely, does the Sect Master intend to defend against a single strike from the Annihilation Thunder Bead?" Yang Xiuzhu asked in a deep voice.
"Probably can't," Yang Kai replied slowly, shaking his head.
The old man's attitude was hardly cordial, but his eye was razor-sharp, and his words struck right at the heart of the matter.
The Annihilation Thunder Bead was exactly what Yang Kai worried about. While he himself might have some confidence in dodging it, the warship was another matter entirely. It was far too large — if it took a direct hit from the Annihilation Thunder Bead, the damage could be catastrophic.
Complete destruction was entirely possible.
His greatest asset in the battle against the Battle Sky Alliance was rendered useless here at Star Emperor Mountain.
Unless he could force Star Emperor Mountain to expend the Annihilation Thunder Bead's power beforehand, the warship simply could not be brought anywhere near the mountain.
"If you can't defend against it, then does the Sect Master believe that your people alone can take our sect? Our sect has stood in the Dark Star for tens of thousands of years without falling — it is not so easily dealt with. Does the Sect Master perhaps underestimate us?" Yang Xiuzhu gave a cold snort, clearly unconvinced of Yang Kai's capabilities.
"Heh heh…" Yang Kai showed no sign of being offended. Instead, he laughed, his expression easy and amiable. "Senior speaks frankly, so let us lay everything on the table! I just heard the Senior address the Grand Elder as Gate Master. But as far as I know, the current Star Emperor Mountain Sect Master is someone else entirely. It seems that in the hearts of you three, our Grand Elder is the one truly worthy of that role!"
Yang Xiuzhu nodded openly. "Indeed! Ever since that villain took the position of Sect Master a hundred years ago, he has ruthlessly suppressed all dissent. Anyone who refused to comply was targeted. The three of us have not had an easy time these past years — even our own cultivation resources we must seek out on our own, squandering precious time that could have been spent cultivating. We had long believed the Sect Master had perished, and so we let the matter rest. But now that we know the Sect Master still lives, naturally we shall follow her lead."
"Your loyalty is admirable. This junior holds the three seniors in the highest regard," Yang Kai said with solemn respect.
"Spare us the pleasantries. The three of us came here solely because of the Gate Master — it has nothing to do with you. Let me say this plainly: even if you manage to persuade us, we will not take up arms directly. Regardless of their character, those people are still our fellow sect members. The three of us have long since laid down the sword, and we have no wish to stain our hands with blood again — least of all the blood of our own."
Lin Yurao and Chu Hanyi nodded in agreement from the side.
"Then why did you even come?" Yang Kai asked, taken aback, his expression souring.