"If it's just those people trying to recruit you, there's no need for the Sect Master to worry so much. It's a matter of mutual willingness — even if they're unhappy about it, they wouldn't dare do anything underhanded for the sake of their own reputation."
"It's not just that." Yang Kai shook his head. "Recruitment is the least of my concerns. It's something else that worries me."
"What?" Lin Yurao asked.
"I think I've been marked." Yang Kai's mouth twitched.
Various signs pointed to the fact that Luo Hai, the Star Lord of Cuiwei Star, knew something about what had happened to him in the Blood Prison. With the Void Thought Crystal at stake, Yang Kai couldn't afford to be careless.
If the Void Thought Crystal were still in his possession, things would be simple enough — he could hand it over to Luo Hai and secure everyone's safety. But the Void Thought Crystal was no longer with him at all; he had already given it to Yu Xiong.
Without that bargaining chip, how could he dare linger here?
If not for the fact that Qian Tong still needed some time, Yang Kai would have left right then and there.
He didn't go into too much detail, but from his tone and expression, Yang Xiuzhu and the others could tell the situation was serious. They didn't press further and simply deferred to Yang Kai's judgment.
Qian Tong remained standing in the distance, motionless — presumably contemplating something.
With nothing to do, Yang Xiuzhu and the others sat cross-legged in meditation, digesting the gains from their trip to the Blood Prison.
Though none of them had broken through to the Void King Realm like Qian Tong, it didn't mean they'd come away empty-handed. Quite the opposite — each of them had reaped enormous rewards. Given sufficient opportunity in the future, there was no reason they couldn't make their own push toward the Void King Realm.
Yang Kai's expression shifted as thoughts flashed through his mind at lightning speed, rehearsing every possible scenario and the countermeasures for each.
Time trickled by. Three days later, Zhao Tianze brought Qian Yue back.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, Qian Yue was overjoyed. But when she remembered that she had spent years on Cuiwei Star searching for clues about Su Yan and the others without finding a single trace, her spirits sank once more.
Zhao Tianze didn't stay long. After delivering Qian Yue, he hurried back to Green Water City.
During this opening of the Blood Prison, he had entered alongside the vice city lord of Green Water City. Sadly, that vice city lord — who had also reached the third stage of the Return Void Realm — had perished inside the Blood Prison, never to walk out again.
It was truly heartbreaking.
He needed to return to Green Water City and select a new vice city lord.
Another five days passed in the blink of an eye. Then, suddenly, Qian Tong's booming laughter rang out. All the waiting individuals perked up, turning their heads toward the sound.
In a blur, Qian Tong appeared before them, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Elder Qian," Yang Xiuzhu cupped his fists in salute.
"Elder Qian has advanced to the Void King Realm — a feat unseen in our Dark Star for tens of thousands of years. The Shadow Moon Palace will surely be thrilled, and every warrior in our Dark Star shares in the glory," Mo Yu said with a hearty laugh.
"You flatter me." Qian Tong shook his head. "This time I barely escaped with my life. If it weren't for Yang Kai, I would have perished long ago — let alone advanced."
Saying this, he turned to Yang Kai with a solemn expression. "Yang Kai, this old man owes you yet another debt!"
Back then, if not for the contents of the jade vial Yang Kai had given him — which had revived and strengthened his vitality, mending his wounds — he would never have lasted until the end.
Qian Tong knew that what Yang Kai had given him was Life Nectar! He and Fei Zhitu had used it once before.
It was one of the three great divine waters of the Star Domain, spoken of in the same breath as Soul-Washing Divine Water and Immortal Elixir, with every single drop being extraordinarily precious.
The vial Yang Kai had given him contained at least twenty drops.
It was no exaggeration to say that Yang Kai deserved the most credit for his successful breakthrough.
"Elder Qian is too kind," Yang Kai replied with a chuckle. "Now then, this isn't the place for conversation. We should leave as soon as possible."
"Leave right now?" Qian Tong raised an eyebrow.
"Right now!"
"Very well!" Qian Tong wasted no more words, content to follow Yang Kai's lead as always.
"There are too many of us to move together. Get inside!" Yang Kai produced the Mysterious World Bead with a casual wave of his hand.
Everyone knew what he intended and readily cooperated, relaxing their minds and offering no resistance. Yang Kai tossed the bead toward them, and with a flash of light, everyone vanished from where they stood — all of them swept into the Mysterious World Bead.
"This old man won't need to go inside, will he?" Qian Tong smiled. "I've just broken through — I'd like to spend some more time experiencing the Laws of Heaven and Earth here."
Hearing this, Yang Kai didn't insist. He nodded. "That's fine as well. But if you encounter any real danger..."
"I've already reached the Void King Realm — what danger could I possibly run into?" Qian Tong let out a hearty laugh, not taking it too seriously.
A trace of worry surfaced between Yang Kai's brows, but he didn't explain further. He called out to Qian Tong, and the two of them summoned their Star Shuttles and shot off toward the stars beyond.
They were still on Cuiwei Star, and Yang Kai didn't dare casually deploy a warship. Once a Void King-class warship revealed itself, it would surely alert Luo Hai immediately.
The two moved at tremendous speed. Quite unlike the worried Yang Kai, Qian Tong was brimming with exhilaration. Everything seemed to look different to him now — he gazed around as he flew, his expression turning thoughtful from time to time.
The very moment the two departed, in a city a thousand li away, within the lord's manor, Jiu Lao and other Void King Realm experts were engaged in lively conversation, exchanging tales of the bizarre and sharing their insights on Cultivation.
The reason they were gathered here was none other than to wait for Qian Tong!