It wasn't that the man was weaker than Xue Sun. In a straight one-on-one fight, their actual skill levels were quite comparable — roughly evenly matched.
Even if Xue Sun had a slight edge, it wouldn't be by much. At the very least, she couldn't kill her opponent on her own.
But Yang Kai's lightning-fast battle had delivered a tremendous shock to the man.
The seductive woman's screams and cries for help before her death had rattled his mind, making it impossible for him to fight with his full strength.
What's more, Yang Kai was standing not far away, watching him with predatory intent, and the man grew only more anxious and uneasy.
He simply couldn't fathom it — in the span of just a few breaths, how had his Junior Sister died?
He knew his Junior Sister's strength well. She was roughly on par with him. How could she possibly die in such a short time at the hands of a warrior at the second level of the Void Return Stage?
His mind was in complete upheaval, and he had no idea what had transpired between his Junior Sister and that young man.
The fear of the unknown had destroyed his composure. How could he possibly bring his full power to bear? Xue Sun naturally wouldn't waste the opportunity. She vented all the frustration from being chased, unleashing every secret technique and Artifact unique to the Monster Race without restraint.
The man was thoroughly suppressed, and the battle turned into a one-sided rout.
He clearly had no intention of sitting still and waiting for death. In the midst of the chaos, he bit the tip of his tongue, spat out a mouthful of essence blood, and unleashed a secret technique of tremendous power. It held Xue Sun back for just an instant before his figure blurred into an afterimage and vanished from where he stood.
He had decided to retreat, not daring to continue tangling with Xue Sun.
Before fleeing, he glanced at Yang Kai, only to find that the unfathomable young man was simply standing there in place, seemingly with no intention of stopping him. This brought him a measure of relief.
Just when he thought he had escaped with his life, the surrounding space suddenly turned viscous.
His body involuntarily came to a halt. His pupils contracted, and he let out a horrified shout: "Domain!"
He was himself a powerhouse at the third level of the Void Return Stage, and he naturally knew the mysteries and effects of Domain. The moment he stepped into this viscous space, he realized he had been caught within a powerful Domain.
This Domain's power was far denser and more solid than his own — so overwhelming it made his blood run cold. Moreover, it seemed to contain other strange and unsettling forces mixed within.
Not daring to dawdle, he quickly released his own Domain to counter it, but he could only reclaim a tiny sliver of his freedom. There was no way he could break free from this Domain in a short time.
A figure came into his field of vision. He looked up and cried out in disbelief: "How can you be here?"
In that moment, he discovered with horror that Yang Kai — who should have been watching the battle from a distance — had somehow appeared right before him, and he hadn't detected the other's movements at all.
"Why can't I be here?" Yang Kai grinned savagely, gradually increasing the power of his Domain.
The man trapped within immediately broke into a cold sweat, struggling to take even a single step.
Ssss...
Faint sounds drifted in from every direction. The man looked around in alarm, only to discover that the space around him seemed to be collapsing. One after another, pitch-black, hair-thin cracks appeared and vanished, appeared and vanished...
His courage shattered! He had never known that anyone's Domain could have such an inconceivable effect on space.
In this moment, he finally understood. His Junior Sister's swift death had not been mere coincidence — this youth at the second level of the Void Return Stage was the most terrifying enemy of all.
Without giving him a chance to resist, Yang Kai flicked his fingers repeatedly. Over a dozen pitch-black spatial blades shot out in rapid succession, effortlessly shredding the man's protective Holy Power and defensive Artifacts. His body was sliced into several pieces, and the greater portion of his flesh was banished into the boundless void.
The man collapsed with a thunderous crash, his fragmented remains scattering across the ground.
Xue Sun watched it all with trembling eyes, a chill washing through her delicate frame.
Although she knew Yang Kai's killing of this man carried a whiff of a sneak attack, his power was beyond any doubt.
No wonder Xue Lian had been taught a lesson. No wonder even Mi Tian was wary of him. There were reasons for all of it.
Judging by what he had just displayed, when he had dealt with Mi Tian and Xue Lian, he likely hadn't been using his full power. Otherwise, how could those two still be alive?
Xue Sun had always believed that, within the Void Return Stage, Xue Lian and Mi Tian were strong enough — both were figures she genuinely respected. But today, she realized she had been looking at the world from the bottom of a well.
The Void Return Stage could go even further than that!
The pride and disdain in her eyes quickly faded, and she began to reassess Yang Kai.
Perhaps... Sister Qingluo's choice hadn't been wrong after all. That thought crossed her mind.
Yang Kai's gaze drifted toward her. Xue Sun quickly looked away, somewhat afraid to meet his eyes. She didn't know why she did this, but deep in her heart, a trace of fear toward this young man was surging.
He had killed both pursuers in seconds with ease — and he could kill her just as effortlessly!
Xue Sun flickered forward, retrieved the spatial rings of the two dead cultivators, and brought them to Yang Kai, extending them toward him.
"Thanks." Yang Kai chuckled softly and didn't refuse. Without even glancing at them, he pocketed both spatial rings, then paused for a moment before asking: "So — where is this Domain Stone you mentioned?"