No one knew when the man had arrived. He might as well have been standing there all along. He wore a treasure armor that radiated powerful fluctuations, a long spear resting on his shoulder, his hair bound up in a jade crown. He cut an imposing figure—like a great general surveying the battlefield, looking down on all directions with contempt.
The aura emanating from his body made it impossible for anyone to breathe.
He had forced the entire Five Directions Trading Company group back with nothing but his presence alone, and several of them had even suffered internal injuries. Yet his attention was not on Gao Hong and the others. Instead, his grave expression was fixed on the private room where Yang Kai was staying.
"A Void King Realm expert!" Gao Hong's beautiful face drained of color as she cried out in alarm.
The aura radiating from the other party was unmistakable—this was the pressure that only a Void King Realm cultivator could exude. The realization sent her heart plummeting, and she understood that the trading company might truly be doomed this time.
"Ah!" A scream rang out as Bai Zhengchu shot out of the room like a ragdoll, his nose bruised and face swollen—far worse than how Xia Jingwu and Yao Qing had fared. His face was bloated like a pig's head, making him look utterly ridiculous.
"You trash! How dare you disturb this seat's quiet cultivation! You deserve death!" Yang Kai's displeased voice rang out from the room, brimming with arrogance.
Though Bai Zhengchu had been beaten badly, at least his life wasn't in danger. Hearing Yang Kai's words, he shuddered, scrambled to his feet, and was about to flee when a cold snort echoed from the sky.
Bai Zhengchu's body went rigid. Looking up, he saw the general-looking warrior glaring down at him with displeasure.
His expression shifted dramatically, then quickly turned to elation. He scrambled toward the man on all fours, crying out: "Commander! This humble one greets the Commander! Please, Commander, seek justice for us! There's a bastard in that room who attacked people at the city gates! This humble one came to bring him to justice, but not only did he refuse to cooperate, he attacked again! This humble one's skills are lacking and I was no match—please, Commander, uphold the glory of Purple Star City!"
"Understood." The general-clad warrior snorted coldly and waved his hand. "All of you, withdraw. This man is at the Void King Realm. Of course you're no match."
"V-Void King Realm?!" Bai Zhengchu bit his tongue, his face a mask of horror. He had already suspected as much, but hearing the Commander say it aloud still sent a chill through his spine.
He had just fought a Void King Realm expert—and walked away alive without perishing in body and soul...
The thought made him swell with a touch of smug pride.
The Five Directions Trading Company group was likewise stunned. Hua You Meng, cradled in Gao Hong's arms, widened her beautiful eyes in disbelief, as though she couldn't trust her ears...
Heavens—this young man was actually a Void King Realm expert? He didn't look that old! How could he be such a powerful cultivator?
Thinking back to how she had stood up for him at the city gates, Hua You Meng felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
He was already a Void King Realm expert, and she—blind as she was—had spoken up on his behalf and tried to stand up for him...
If she hadn't interfered, given his level of cultivation, the city gate guards and Steward Min probably wouldn't have dared provoke him. After all, a Void King Realm expert was a formidable figure anywhere, and Purple Star wouldn't wantlessly offend one.
Instead, her overreaching attempt to help had only made things worse.
The realization left Hua You Meng mortified.
Gao Hong, on the other hand, watched the private room with excitement and anticipation. She knew that whether the trading company could escape this crisis depended entirely on how formidable the man inside proved to be.
Her original plan had been to lead Bai Zhengchu and his men to Yang Kai and borrow Yang Kai's strength to deal with them.
Yang Kai had injured Steward Min in a single move, which obviously meant his strength was considerable. Bai Zhengchu and Steward Min were both at the Return to Void Stage Three—since Yang Kai could wound Steward Min, dealing with Bai Zhengchu would be no trouble at all.
If these two parties fought, regardless of who won, it would be their chance to escape.
That was why she had given Yang Kai up, and along the way, she had secretly signaled Xia Jingwu, who understood the hint immediately.
Unfortunately, though her plan was sound, a second powerful figure had appeared out of nowhere, extinguishing their hope of seizing the moment to flee.
This man... Gao Hong quietly sized up the general-clad warrior, and combined with the title Bai Zhengchu had used, she suddenly realized his identity.
The Commander of Purple Star City's Guard—Lu Tianfeng!
"Finally, someone at least somewhat decent shows up." Inside the room, Yang Kai maintained his lofty tone, as though he hadn't the slightest regard for Lu Tianfeng.
Hearing this, a flash of displeasure crossed Lu Tianfeng's face. He snorted coldly: "Somewhat decent? You've got quite the audacity, friend."
"Decent or not—you'll find out soon enough." Yang Kai chuckled.
"Just who exactly are you, and why are you causing trouble in my Purple Star City?" Lu Tianfeng furrowed his brows. Surprisingly, he didn't fly into a rage, instead asking with caution.
Someone who had cultivated to the Void King Realm was obviously no fool. The fact that he dared act arrogantly here despite knowing this was Purple Star City—and that he didn't take Lu Tianfeng seriously in the slightest—meant he either possessed formidable strength or a powerful backing.
As the Commander of the Guard, Lu Tianfeng could hardly fail to see this.
His demeanor grew more alert accordingly.
"If you want to know who I am, then get down here and talk to me properly. Standing up there—aren't you tired?"
Lu Tianfeng's face went cold. "Are you provoking me?"
"What? Does Commander Lu not have the guts?"