The leader was a pale, clean-shaven old man. Behind him stood several men and women of varying cultivation—some at the Void King Realm, others at the Dao Source Realm—all staring down in shock at the bizarre scene below.
Upon seeing the old man, Zhou Yi was overjoyed and quickly shouted, "Protector Miao, save me!"
Protector Miao? Yang Kai's expression shifted slightly as he immediately recognized the newcomer's identity.
Miao Qi—another of the Jade Azure Sect's Protectors, with a cultivation at the third level of the Dao Source Realm, equal in rank to figures like Bian Yuqing and Zhu Junshan.
A powerhouse of this caliber, if he wanted to take Yang Kai's life, Yang Kai would have no way to resist whatsoever.
Yang Kai wasn't entirely sure what attitude Miao Qi would take in handling today's affair. He silently made up his mind: if Miao Qi intended to side with Zhou Yi and posed a genuine threat to his life, he would release the demon insect broodmother and let chaos reign.
Though the broodmother could currently only muster strength around the first level of the Dao Source Realm, her foundation was still formidable. If she fought to the death, she could stall Miao Qi long enough.
That would give him the opportunity to escape with Liu Xianyun.
Whether they could actually get away would depend on his own resourcefulness.
With that thought, Yang Kai steadied his heart and looked up at Miao Qi without fear.
Miao Qi seemed to be sizing Yang Kai up as well. The bizarre scene before him had caught him off guard. After all, the gap in strength between Yang Kai and Zhou Yi was plain to see—logically, it should have been Yang Kai who was subdued. Yet from what he could see, it was Zhou Yi whose vitals were being held, his life at another's mercy. Try as he might, Miao Qi couldn't fathom how this had come about.
As for Chu Fei and the others... their appearance and behavior were simply too wretched to look at.
"Protector Miao, save us!" Chu Fei and the others clamored one after another. Miao Qi's arrival had given them hope, and they no longer cared about Yang Kai's earlier threats. Swollen-faced, they scrambled to their feet, screaming for help.
Miao Qi remained unmoved. His spiritual sense continuously swept over Yang Kai, as though trying to discern some hidden secret within.
A middle-aged warrior behind him stepped forward, looking down at the crowd from above. He spoke coldly: "What happened here?"
Chu Fei and the others clearly recognized this man. Upon hearing his words, they hastily cupped their fists and replied: "Reporting to Senior Brother Pang—earlier, we had a slight disagreement with Junior Brother Yang. Today, upon hearing he had returned from the Ice Cliff, we came specifically to offer our apologies. But Junior Brother Yang bore a grudge and refused to hear our explanations, launching an attack without warning. We were no match and suffered greatly at his hands. We ask Senior Brother Pang and Protector Miao to judge fairly for us."
Chu Fei was quick-tongued, and in the blink of an eye had crafted a perfect narrative, dumping all the blame squarely on Yang Kai's head.
Yang Kai stared in astonishment, genuinely impressed by Chu Fei's eloquence. He had never expected this fellow to be so silver-tongued.
Senior Brother Pang looked noncommittal, frowning as he asked: "And what about Junior Brother Zhou?"
Chu Fei's expression turned to righteous indignation. Pointing at Yang Kai, he shouted: "Senior Brother Pang, please see clearly! Senior Brother Zhou merely happened to pass by. Seeing us being humiliated, he tried to speak up on our behalf. But Junior Brother Yang, despite his righteous facade, feigned agreement while launching a sneak attack. Senior Brother Zhou is a kind soul—he never imagined this beast harbored such wolfish ambition. He was caught off guard... It's because of us that Senior Brother Zhou has suffered!"
Chu Fei spoke while weeping bitterly, wearing a look of deep remorse. Throughout the entire exchange, Zhou Yi said nothing, but cooperated by putting on an expression of anguished heartbreak.
"You're lying!" Liu Xianyun couldn't take it anymore. Her pretty face flushed crimson, and she said through clenched teeth: "You clearly harbored ill will and colluded with Senior Brother Zhou to cause trouble for Yang Kai. And now you actually—"
"Xianyun, no need to explain." Yang Kai cut her off, looking at Chu Fei with a cold smile. He said evenly: "Right and wrong—Protector Miao can judge for himself."
"But..." Liu Xianyun wanted to say more, but seeing the firm look in Yang Kai's eyes, she let out a long sigh and fell silent.
Both she and Yang Kai knew that if Protector Miao was siding with Chu Fei and Zhou Yi, it wouldn't matter how flimsy the story Chu Fei had fabricated was—Protector Miao wouldn't care. And if Protector Miao truly intended to be fair and impartial, there was no need to explain anything at all.
Everything hinged on Miao Qi's stance.
"No need to explain? I think you're the ones with a guilty conscience! Right now, Senior Brother Zhou's life is in your grip—he could lose it at any moment. What else could you possibly have to explain?" Chu Fei shed his earlier cowardly demeanor entirely, becoming impassioned and righteous, as though he had truly suffered the gravest injustice.
Yang Kai merely continued to smile coldly.
Senior Brother Pang frowned, a look of distaste on his face: "Shut your mouth!"
Chu Fei hurriedly obeyed and dared not speak another word.
Senior Brother Pang then turned his gaze to Yang Kai and said evenly: "So you're the new disciple who recently joined the sect?"
"Yes. Yang Kai greets all the Senior Brothers, and greets Protector Miao. Please forgive me for being unable to bow properly at this moment—I hope my discourtesy is forgiven." Yang Kai answered with neither servility nor arrogance, maintaining his previous posture.
Senior Brother Pang let out a cold laugh: "I've heard of you. You've got quite the nerve. Barely in the sect and you've already caused no end of trouble—Yan Xiuran was beaten by you, even the Treasure-Plundering Snake was bitten to death by you. Last time you made a mistake, Protector Bian locked you in confinement, and now that you've barely gotten out, you're causing unrest again?"
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow and said coldly: "The tree wishes to be still, but the wind won't stop—that's all there is to it."
"Arrogant!" Senior Brother Pang snorted. "A tiny newly-admitted disciple, ignoring Sect Rules and causing trouble everywhere—seems you're no good either!"