The opponents facing Zhang Qing and his group didn't appear to be a Return Void two-layer realm cultivator at all — they looked like a genuine Void King Realm powerhouse…
Around the Domain Stone Mountain, every gaze fixed upon Yang Kai had turned grave.
They realized this was a terrifyingly formidable opponent!
Several warrior groups positioned close to Yang Kai subtly edged backward, instinctively putting distance between themselves and him, as though warding off a plague god.
A cluster of purple thunder fire emerged from the mangled remains of Zhang Qing's corpse, radiating both the searing heat of flame and the savage fury of lightning — this was a secret technique that all powerful cultivators of the Fire Radiance Sect would diligently master.
Last time inside the Emperor's Garden, the beautiful woman from Ice Heart Valley named Tan Tinghe had told Yang Kai that the Fire Radiance Sect possessed a cluster of Qiantian Thunder Flame. It was both the foundation upon which the Sect had been established and their most treasured guardian artifact, its might virtually limitless.
If a Fire Radiance Sect cultivator possessed sufficient strength, they could draw upon the power of the Qiantian Thunder Flame to cultivate the secret art of Qiantian Thunder Fire.
Zhang Qing had clearly been qualified.
The moment Zhang Qing's cluster of Qiantian Thunder Fire appeared, the fire bird artifact spirit went wild with excitement and dove straight down, snatching the thunder fire in its beak and swallowing it into its belly before letting out a cry of sheer delight.
"Come back," Yang Kai called out, and the artifact spirit immediately transformed into a streak of fire light that shot back into Yang Kai's body and vanished.
Turning to survey his surroundings, Yang Kai noticed that the others still seemed dazed from the shock, unable to snap back to their senses. Many of them were also instinctively averting his gaze, as though terrified of catching his attention.
Yang Kai chuckled and spoke in a clear, carrying voice: "Don't worry — I won't go looking for trouble if trouble doesn't come looking for me. I just want a somewhat spacious area to myself. Everyone, please carry on as you were."
Only then did the wary warriors relax slightly, their tense expressions gradually easing.
Given the overwhelming dominance Yang Kai had just demonstrated, if he set his sights on any group, that group's fate would be sealed. Zhang Qing's party of six had been annihilated in the blink of an eye without even a chance to fight back. The strongest team here numbered only nine, and no one had the confidence to withstand Yang Kai's ferocious assault or neutralize his powerful Force Field!
"Keep meditating. I don't think anyone will be interrupting us now," Yang Kai said to Qian Tong and Lin Yurao with a gesture.
The two exchanged a bewildered glance, looking almost as though they couldn't believe what had just happened. When they'd seen Yang Kai make his move, they had jumped in without hesitation, never imagining the victory would come so easily. They had braced themselves for a bitter fight — perhaps even for their own deaths.
But their opponents had been utterly powerless.
While cutting down their enemies, they had clearly felt just how helpless those enemies truly were.
So much so that even now that the battle was over, both of them still felt as though they were trapped in a dream.
"Yang Kai, you've grown considerably, haven't you? Did the Blood Prison yield great rewards?" Qian Tong asked, studying him with a curious look.
The last time he'd joined Yang Kai in attacking the three major powers of the Dark Star, Yang Kai hadn't been this terrifying. Back then, though Qian Tong had recognized Yang Kai's limitless potential, the young man hadn't fully come into his own yet, and Qian Tong had felt their strength was roughly comparable — evenly matched.
Now, however, he could only look up in awe.
The improvement in his cultivation level was only a small part of the reason. His mastery of Force Fields was Yang Kai's true greatest asset. Qian Tong vaguely suspected that this trip into the Blood Prison had yielded no small gains for Yang Kai.
"It was all right," Yang Kai replied with a faint nod, not elaborating further.
Qian Tong nodded gently, composing himself and letting the thoughts go. Just as he was about to sit cross-legged, he suddenly spoke again: "Oh, right, Yang Kai — Brother Zhao…"
"He's your call," Yang Kai said with a bright smile, settling himself cross-legged on his own.
Qian Tong nodded. After a moment's thought, he walked over to Zhao Tianze, who was still standing rooted to the spot like a statue, and spoke to him in a low voice.
It took a good while before Zhao Tianze returned with a guilty expression, found a spot, and sat down cross-legged, his gaze complex as he looked toward Yang Kai.
He was genuinely ashamed. Earlier, he had been cowardly — too afraid to stay and share in the hardships with Qian Tong and the others. Now that every enemy had been slain, he was here to reap the spoils. Zhao Tianze felt deeply embarrassed.
Had it been anything else, Zhao Tianze would very likely have refused. A man had to maintain some dignity.
But the allure of the Domain Stone Mountain was simply too great. Even feeling thoroughly ashamed, he could only stiffen his resolve and return. Now that he was seated, he could only feel his old face burning with humiliation.
"Brother Zhao, don't think too much about it. Given the situation just now, anyone who didn't know Yang Kai's true capabilities would probably have made the same choice. There's no need to feel embarrassed. Brother Zhao, I know what kind of man you are," Qian Tong consoled him.
Zhao Tianze managed a bitter, self-deprecating smile and cast several furtive glances at Yang Kai. Seeing that the young man sat motionless and showed no intention of speaking, he finally let out a long breath and said earnestly: "I, Zhao, am deeply grateful!"
He was too ashamed to say another word.
Qian Tong patted his shoulder, signaling that he should put his mind at ease and focus on his meditation.
Around the Domain Stone Mountain, over a hundred Return Void three-layer realm warriors had gathered, crowding the area so tightly that not a drop of water could seep through. Groups of all sizes had staked out their respective positions.
Yang Kai's party occupied the largest area. Despite numbering only four, no one dared encroach upon them. The corpses and bloodstains still scattered across the ground testified to the fierce battle that had taken place moments ago.
On either side of Yang Kai's small group, a wide stretch of empty ground lay vacant — and no one dared claim it.
From time to time, warriors who had heard the news arrived and joined the gathering. Each one, upon catching sight of the empty spaces on either side, would brighten with excitement, eager to occupy one — but the moment they spotted the corpses on the ground, their expressions would shift, and reluctantly they would give up the idea.
Half a day later, the Domain Stone Mountain was surrounded by a full two concentric rings of cultivators. The number of warriors who had converged on this place had already exceeded two hundred, and more continued to arrive from the distance.