"Fei'er!" The old man was startled and quickly glared at her.
The girl pouted.
Yang Kai chuckled and nodded. "That's right, I am the Sect Master of Lingxiao Pavilion. It's not exactly something worth impersonating, is it?"
"I was just asking." The girl stuck out her tongue, then suddenly seemed to steel herself, biting her red lip as she said, "If you're the Sect Master of Lingxiao Pavilion, then your words should carry a lot of weight, right?"
"They should!"
"Then could you accept me into Lingxiao Pavilion?"
The moment these words left her mouth, the old man turned pale with alarm and immediately began apologizing profusely on her behalf.
He knew that Lingxiao Pavilion never took in anyone.
Even a powerhouse like Liang Yong was merely the City Lord of Zhantian City — he hadn't truly become a member of Lingxiao Pavilion. His family's Fei'er was only at the Saint Realm; what qualifications did she have to join such a sect?
Though he was frantically apologizing out of fear, the old man also harbored a glimmer of hope.
If Fei'er could truly join Lingxiao Pavilion, her future would be boundless! On the current Dark Star, Lingxiao Pavilion stood alone above all others — no sect could compete with them. How could joining such a sect be anything but advantageous?
Yang Kai silenced the old man's incessant chatter and turned his leisurely gaze to the girl. "You want to join Lingxiao Pavilion?"
The girl nodded.
"Why?" Yang Kai asked.
"It's easy to find shade under a big tree!" the girl replied without a moment's hesitation.
The old man's face twitched beside them. Yang Kai was stunned for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.
"If I become a disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion, then no one will dare bully our family's disciples anymore," the girl added with flushed cheeks.
Yang Kai laughed even more heartily. "Good. It's a bit selfish, but at least you're honest and straightforward. Since you want to join Lingxiao Pavilion so badly, then as Sect Master, I'll make the decision to take you in."
"Huh?" The girl's expression went blank, clearly not expecting happiness to arrive so suddenly. She had thought she would certainly be rejected and had already steeled herself for disappointment.
"You silly girl, why aren't you thanking the Sect Master for his great kindness!" The old man hurriedly signaled her with his eyes.
The girl finally snapped back to her senses and quickly knelt, performing a grand kowtow.
The several young people who had come with her all gazed at her with envy.
"That's enough, rise. I'll give you one day to settle your family affairs. In one day, I'll set out to return to the sect, and you'll come with me." Yang Kai waved his hand.
"Yes!" The girl bit her red lip, her face flushed crimson, and answered with excitement.
There was little Yang Kai needed to concern himself with in Bibo City, and Zhantian City didn't require his attention either. One day later, Yang Kai brought the green-clad girl through Bibo City's Spatial Teleportation Array, traveling directly to Zhantian City, and then from Zhantian City's array onward to Demon Blood City!
The current Demon Blood City had already been renamed Lingxiao City.
It served as the bridge between Lingxiao Pavilion — which lay deep within the Flowing Flame Sand Region — and the outside world, and was a city under the direct jurisdiction of Lingxiao Pavilion.
Several years ago, during the expedition to the Imperial Court, the Grand Elder of the Demon Blood Sect and that beautiful Sect Master had both perished at Yang Kai's hands. This led to constant internal strife within the Demon Blood Sect, with countless higher-ups killed or injured. Over the span of a few years, the sect had nearly collapsed entirely.
Ye Xiyun had seized the opportunity, bringing forces to occupy Demon Blood City — the closest city to the sect — and renamed it Lingxiao City.
Not only was the weakened Demon Blood Sect in no position to resist, but even during its heyday, with Lingxiao Pavilion's strength, had they wanted to claim Demon Blood City, the Demon Blood Sect would not have dared to object.
Demon Blood City had thus fallen into their hands with ease, becoming Lingxiao Pavilion's property.
All supplies and traveling cultivators now transited through Lingxiao City. Though Lingxiao Pavilion still lay within the Flowing Flame Sand Region, its connection to the outside world had become far more convenient.
The moment Yang Kai appeared on the Teleportation Array, thunderous shouts rang in his ears.
"We respectfully welcome the Sect Master back to the sect!"
The uniform voices startled Liu Fei'er, and the green-clad girl quickly scrambled to hide behind Yang Kai.
Yang Kai swept his gaze across the scene and was surprised to find that nearly all of Lingxiao Pavilion's senior leadership were present. Leading them was Grand Elder Ye Xiyun.
They had clearly received word of his return and had been waiting here.
Seeing with her own eyes that Yang Kai was intact — not missing any limbs, completely unharmed — Ye Xiyun finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After the battle at Lingjue Peak, Yang Kai, Qi Tianche, and Fang Peng had all vanished without a trace. That disappearance had lasted three years, and the entire Lingxiao Pavilion had been consumed with worry for Yang Kai, scouring every direction for news — but to no avail.
Yang Kai had simply vanished from the cultivation star as if he had never existed!
Now that he had finally returned safely, Ye Xiyun was naturally overjoyed.
But upon closer inspection, her beautiful eyes contracted sharply. She discovered with shock that Yang Kai's cultivation had actually reached the second stage of the Void Return Realm! Even someone as composed as Ye Xiyun, who had weathered countless storms, could not help but be shaken by this discovery.
It had only been a few years, and he had already advanced another stage within the Void Return Realm. Wasn't the Sect Master's cultivation speed a bit too absurd?
"Grand Elder, you've worked hard," Yang Kai said with a slight nod to Ye Xiyun. "You've all worked hard."
"The Sect Master is too kind. We haven't done anything noteworthy — it is the Sect Master who has endured these past few years." Ye Xiyun smiled gently, her beautiful eyes drifting over to Liu Fei'er with curiosity as she glanced at Yang Kai, wondering why he had brought along a girl at the Saint King Realm.