Inside an inn room, a beautiful woman dressed in palace robes stared at Yang Kai with an icy expression. She nodded and said, "That's right — it's him! Qing Ya, you've done well finding him this time. This Elder will report your merit to the Valley Master and the Elder Council. You will certainly be rewarded!"
Less than two hours after Qing Ya sent her message, the Thirteenth Elder of Ice Heart Valley had hurried to this city and met Yang Kai inside the inn.
She had been leading disciples from the valley in search of Yang Kai for an entire year, so she naturally recognized his appearance. Finding him so easily filled her with satisfaction.
"Thank you, Elder." Qing Ya showed little joy. Instead, she asked with a hint of worry, "Elder, may this disciple ask — why are we looking for him?"
The Thirteenth Elder turned to glance at Qing Ya, her beautiful eyes glacial, and said coldly, "Do you care about him?"
Qing Ya's expression didn't change. "He once saved my life from Fire Radiance Sect's people. He's my savior, so..."
The Thirteenth Elder nodded slightly, her doubts vanishing, and said slowly, "Naturally there is a reason we're looking for him. You needn't ask about that. Since he's your savior, I can tell you this much — Ice Heart Valley will not harm him. You can rest assured."
Upon hearing this, Qing Ya breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly expressed her thanks.
Only then did the Thirteenth Elder turn her gaze to Yang Kai, studying him carefully for a moment before nodding. "Not bad strength. What's your name?"
"Yang Kai."
"You're not from Scarlet Star, are you?" The Thirteenth Elder seemed somewhat guarded toward Yang Kai.
"No. I came from Cuiwei Star."
"Cuiwei Star!" The Thirteenth Elder's eyes narrowed. She seemed to have a vague guess but wasn't confident enough to say it outright. She simply asked, "You knew both Fire Radiance Sect and Ice Heart Valley were searching for you, yet you still asked to go to Ice Heart Valley. Why?"
Yang Kai smiled faintly. "I have some grudges with Fire Radiance Sect and killed a few of their people. Now I need protection, so naturally I could only choose Ice Heart Valley."
After speaking, he added pointedly, "Does the Elder suspect I have impure motives?"
"One must always be on guard against others!" The Thirteenth Elder didn't deny it. "But your choice was correct. Right now, only Ice Heart Valley can protect you. Mm, how about this — wait here for one day while I make arrangements. After one day, I will personally escort you back to Ice Heart Valley!"
"Thank you!" Yang Kai suppressed his emotions and clasped his fists in gratitude.
Finally — finally he was going to see Su Yan! A surge of excitement in his heart was nearly impossible to contain.
He had been looking forward to this reunion with Su Yan for so long. He wanted to see with his own eyes how his beloved was doing now.
Yang Kai waited anxiously inside the inn.
As for the Thirteenth Elder, he had no idea what arrangements she was making.
That night, martial artists affiliated with Ice Heart Valley's sects and families launched attacks against Fire Radiance Sect's disciples of their own accord, as though injected with adrenaline. Battles of all sizes erupted without count, and for a time, nearly everyone's attention was drawn to the chaos.
Before dawn, the Thirteenth Elder came to the inn once more, called out to Yang Kai, and led him and Qing Ya out of the city at high speed under cover of darkness.
Thirty li outside the city, a group of roughly a dozen women were waiting quietly.
Upon seeing the Thirteenth Elder arrive, they all clasped their fists and bowed in greeting.
"Move!" The Thirteenth Elder wasted no words. With a wave of her slender hand, she took the lead and shot forward.
The dozen or so women spread out, forming a formation with Yang Kai in the center, and followed closely behind the Thirteenth Elder as they headed toward Ice Extinction Island.
Different fragrances drifted past from all sides, lingering around his nose. Yang Kai truly experienced what it meant to be surrounded by beautiful women.
Leaving aside their cultivation, every one of these Ice Heart Valley female disciples was strikingly attractive, with slender figures and distinct, unique auras.
During the journey, these disciples kept stealing glances at Yang Kai with peculiar expressions on their faces.
They had been toiling and fighting in the field for an entire year, all for the sake of this man. Now that they had finally seen him in the flesh, it was only natural to stare a little.
They were all curious — what was so special about this man that the two top sects of Scarlet Star had gone to such extraordinary lengths to find him?
Because of this man, many fellow disciples had died miserably, and many more had gone missing without a trace...
Yang Kai could feel a very distinct wave of hostility.
At least half of the dozen women assigned to protect him despised him.
Yang Kai found it baffling!
If not for the Thirteenth Elder's presence keeping them in check, Yang Kai suspected these women might have teamed up to beat him first and ask questions later.
"Sister Qing Ya, they don't seem to like me very much," Yang Kai secretly transmitted his voice to Qing Ya.
Qing Ya smiled bitterly. As a disciple of Ice Heart Valley who had participated in this operation, she naturally knew the reason, but she couldn't very well say it aloud. She could only reply, "It's normal. Most of us in Ice Heart Valley tend to... hold a grudge against men."
"Oh." Yang Kai nodded, not questioning it further.
The group pressed onward at tremendous speed.
Three days later, the party of over a dozen passed through a mountain valley.