The next morning, at dawn.
Hua Youmeng arrived outside the room as promised, carrying a tray with several clusters of Spirit Fruit.
The fruit was clearly no ordinary thing — it radiated rich Spirit Qi, its fragrant aroma wafting toward the nose. Even cultivators would benefit greatly from consuming such treasures.
She stood outside the door, hesitating over what to say, when the door opened on its own. Yang Kai sat cross-legged on the other side, offering her a gentle smile.
"I greet you, My Lord." Hua Youmeng straightened her expression at once and offered a graceful bow.
"President Hua, you're too kind. Please, come in." Yang Kai gestured inward with his hand.
"My apologies for the intrusion." As she spoke, Hua Youmeng stepped inside and set the tray down. "The accommodations are humble, so I've prepared a few things to eat. I hope My Lord won't find them lacking."
"Jade Blood Crystal Fruit?" Yang Kai glanced at the clusters of fruit on the tray — they resembled bunches of purple crystal grapes — and looked slightly surprised. He nodded. "You've gone to considerable trouble, President Hua."
"I'm glad you're pleased." President Hua stood off to the side, watching him warily, looking rather stiff and uneasy.
After all, even now, she still hadn't figured out who exactly he was — what his background truly was, or why even someone as formidable as Lu Tianfeng had been so wary of him. What had happened yesterday would have meant the utter destruction of any other trading company, yet here, not only had the Five Directions Trading Company come through unscathed, they had even received generous compensation, and Lu Tianfeng himself had come to apologize.
This was not something ordinary power could achieve. The depth of this young man's background was beyond imagination. How could Hua Youmeng not tread carefully?
What troubled her the most was that she didn't even know his name.
"Please sit, President Hua. There's no need to be so formal." Yang Kai smiled at her.
"In your presence, I wouldn't dare presume to be so informal." Hua Youmeng pressed her red lips together, forcing a nervous smile as she stubbornly remained standing in place.
Yang Kai rubbed his forehead, thought for a moment, then spoke with a serious tone. "President Hua, are you blaming me?"
Hua Youmeng's expression changed. She quickly waved her hands. "Why would My Lord say such a thing? If not for your intervention yesterday, our Five Directions Trading Company would surely have been destroyed, and none of us would have survived. For the debt of our lives, I am eternally grateful — how could I possibly blame you?"
"Heh. I concealed my strength, hid my identity, came here without any clear reason, and brought this calamity upon you. Does President Hua harbor no resentment whatsoever?"
Hua Youmeng's delicate brows drew together slightly, as if Yang Kai had struck a nerve, leaving her somewhat speechless.
"Not just President Hua — I suspect even those friends of yours hold some grievances against me. They simply don't dare voice them." Yang Kai chuckled.
Hua Youmeng managed a strained smile. "You see clearly, My Lord. There's an old saying: when gods fight, mortals suffer. Our Five Directions Trading Company is but a tiny force under this vast sky. Even the slightest ripple could shatter us beyond recovery."
As she spoke, she seemed to find a measure of courage. Her voice grew steadier and clearer. "We are truly grateful for what you did yesterday, My Lord, but we dare not go through such an ordeal again. And with my limited knowledge, I truly cannot fathom what about our Five Directions Trading Company could possibly attract someone like you to stay. With your status and strength, I imagine there's nowhere in Purple Star City you couldn't go."
"Indeed." Yang Kai nodded. "But if I had left yesterday, you would all have suffered for it. So I chose to stay. You, President Hua, stepped in to help me at the city gates — naturally, I couldn't simply wash my hands of it and walk away."
Hua Youmeng was taken aback, then nodded slowly.
Yang Kai smiled. "Let me introduce myself properly — I am Yang Kai. Concealing my strength was just a matter of convenience — I can't exactly announce that I'm a Void King cultivator everywhere I go. That would be far too ostentatious. As for my background... I'd rather not say more. I hope President Hua can understand."
"You must have your reasons, My Lord."
"Something like that. But don't worry too much about it. That identity I used yesterday may or may not have been real — just think of me as an ordinary Void King cultivator..."
Hua Youmeng's brows furrowed in confusion, but seeing the sincerity in Yang Kai's expression, she chose not to press the matter. After all, someone with his strength had no reason to deceive her. She straightened her posture. "I was wrong to mistrust you, My Lord. Please don't hold it against me."
"You don't need to keep calling me 'My Lord' — I'm not used to it. I just want you to know that I came here with no ulterior motive. It was purely by chance, and I have no designs on your Five Directions Trading Company." Yang Kai looked at Hua Youmeng with genuine sincerity.
"I believe you." Seeing him speak so openly and honestly, she had no reason not to trust him. She hesitated. "But if I'm not to call you 'My Lord,' then how should I address you... Senior?"
Yang Kai cleared his throat lightly. "My name will do."
"I wouldn't dare!" Hua Youmeng waved her hands quickly.
"Fine, suit yourself." Yang Kai didn't want to belabor the point. He pushed the tray of fruit back toward her. "These Jade Blood Crystal Fruits are of no use to me anymore — they're just refreshing to eat. But for you, President Hua, consuming them would help purify your Holy Yuan. Take them back."
Hua Youmeng's face brightened with joy, and she gazed at Yang Kai with gratitude. "Thank you, My Lord."
This tray of Spirit Fruit had cost her a considerable sum to acquire — they were extremely rare. Had it not been for her concern over Yang Kai's status and strength, she never would have gone to such lengths. As a frugal and diligent president in her daily life, she would never normally indulge in such extravagance.