The market was bustling with activity, and while Yang Kai's rented shop was in a remote corner, the commotion had drawn a massive crowd of onlookers.
Those who arrived later had no idea what had transpired. All they saw was the wretched state of the martial artist surnamed Jiang and the bleak future that awaited him. Sympathetic indignation swelled in their hearts, and they glared at Yang Kai as though he truly were some incompetent pill master who had the audacity to harm a fellow disciple.
Naturally, some people realized the matter wasn't as straightforward as it appeared. But within the Jade Feather Sect, bonds between disciples were thin, and no one had any particular relationship with Yang Kai. No one was going to step forward to speak on his behalf and invite trouble for themselves.
Yang Kai studied their expressions and understood that if he didn't handle this matter well today, he'd have to give up on refining pills here to earn Source Crystals. Whether or not he continued refining pills didn't matter much — what concerned him was the possibility that the other party had further schemes up their sleeve.
"Do you... do you have any proof that Senior Brother Jiang's Qi Deviation was caused by the pills Brother Yang refined?" Liu Xianyun asked through gritted teeth, though the question sounded feeble and unconvincing.
Chu Fei let out a cold laugh. "Junior Brother Jiang is right here. What more evidence do you need?"
Liu Xianyun was rendered speechless and looked anxiously toward Yang Kai.
Yang Kai paused for a moment, then spoke: "Five days ago, this Senior Brother Jiang came to request that I refine Emperor-grade Blood Yang Pills. The function of those pills is to replenish blood and vital energy — perhaps it's related to some secret technique he cultivates. At the time, I gave him four pills. May I ask whether he still has any remaining? If there are leftover pills, have a sect alchemy master examine them, and we'll see right away whether my pills were defective or not."
Liu Xianyun's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's right! If there are leftover pills, we can just have someone verify them!"
Chu Fei snorted. "Junior Brother Jiang has already taken every last pill. Where am I supposed to find leftovers?"
Yang Kai spread his hands. "If Senior Brother Chu says that, then there's absolutely no evidence — it's pure slander. In that case, there's nothing more to discuss. Forgive this junior, but I won't be keeping you any longer. Gentlemen, take your time. Come back when you've found some evidence, and we can argue then."
As he spoke, Yang Kai turned to enter his shop.
The other party was clearly looking for a fight. Yang Kai had no patience to waste on this sort of entanglement.
"You think you can leave? Think again!" Chu Fei erupted in fury at Yang Kai's dismissive attitude and roared, "A life for a life, a debt to be repaid! You crippled Junior Brother Jiang like this and think you can just walk away? Since when has justice been that cheap?!"
Yang Kai turned back, a faint smile on his face as he regarded Chu Fei. "Then what does Senior Brother Chu think should happen?"
"Come with me to face punishment before Guardian Zhu!" Chu Fei barked.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm under Guardian Bian's jurisdiction. Even if there's punishment to be dealt, that's Guardian Bian's affair. Since when does Guardian Zhu have authority over me?"
"How dare you show such disrespect to a Guardian! You've barely joined the sect and already you're this arrogant — what will it be like in the future? Let this senior brother teach you a lesson in how to behave as a proper junior disciple!"
Chu Fei had come looking for trouble from the start, and now he finally had the excuse he needed. He couldn't hold back any longer. Mid-sentence, he flashed forward, his body moving like a serpent as he reached out to grab Yang Kai.
The might of his Void King Realm domain surged forth, enveloping Yang Kai completely, as though it could freeze the very space around him, rendering it thick and viscous, making movement nearly impossible.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and activated his own domain to counter the suppression. At the same time, golden light flickered on his hand as dozens of Gold Blood Threads materialized, coalescing into a golden blood whip that cracked straight toward Chu Fei.
Space seemed to tear apart. The violent blood energy contained within the brilliantly golden Gold Blood Threads surged forth like a venomous serpent, carrying an overwhelming momentum that made it impossible to face head-on.
Chu Fei was startled.
He had assumed his opponent was merely a newly admitted junior disciple at Void King Stage Two — dealing with him should have been effortless, given his own Void King Stage Three cultivation. He never expected that Yang Kai's very first move would be anything but ordinary.
Yang Kai's domain was not only on par with his own — it was actually more powerful and more solid, rendering his domain suppression completely useless.
And the immense power hidden in that casual strike told him that this junior disciple's internal Source Power was incredibly abundant. Otherwise, with only a single minor stage difference between them, he shouldn't have felt any pressure at all.
As the Gold Blood Whip lashed toward him, a chill shot up from the depths of Chu Fei's heart. Without a thought, he withdrew his hand and flicked a finger before him. An artifact resembling a mirror materialized instantly, bursting with light as a beam of mysterious radiance shot forth to intercept the Gold Blood Whip. Simultaneously, a cone-shaped barrier formed before him.
A crisp crack rang out as the Gold Blood Whip struck the mirror's radiance, only to be deflected to the side by a clever redirecting force, leaving Chu Fei unharmed.
This treasure mirror could redirect attacks?
But if that was all it could do...
A fierce grin crept across Yang Kai's lips.
The deflected Gold Blood Whip suddenly twisted and writhed, transforming through a dazzling series of changes into a massive golden serpent. Its eyes burned crimson, its fangs bared, and its maw gaped wide. In the blink of an eye, it coiled around Chu Fei's body seven or eight times before sinking its teeth into his neck.
Chu Fei let out a startled cry. Before he could even react, Yang Kai had already closed the distance, pressing right up against him. His right fist rose, blazing with five-colored radiance, and descended like a cataclysmic hammer crashing down toward Chu Fei's face.