Four updates done for today — please spare a few monthly tickets!!
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Over the vast, boundless ocean, a figure soared at tremendous speed. On his back, a pair of wings spread wide like those of a great bird — except these wings blazed like roaring flames, and as he streaked through the air, even the atmosphere warped and shimmered from the heat.
Yang Kai had been away from the Hidden Island for a full day now. For the past day and night, he had been flying nonstop, clutching two large bundles in his hands. One was packed with natural treasures and spiritual herbs he had gathered on the Hidden Island; the other held everything from the stone shelf.
Carrying two such bulky packages through the air was far from pleasant. More than once, Yang Kai was tempted to hurl them both into the sea, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
The Yang Liquid in his dantian was depleting by the moment. The Yang Flame Wings devoured an astonishing amount of Yuan Qi — in just one day, he had burned through nearly two hundred drops of Yang Liquid. If he hadn't made thorough preparations beforehand, there was no way he could sustain the flight back to Sea City.
All those exotic insects had been left behind on the Hidden Island. Though the creatures were remarkably obedient and had proven useful in certain situations, Yang Kai simply had no idea how to transport them, so he had been forced to part with every last one.
The ocean stretched endlessly in all directions. Azure waters swelled and rippled beneath him, reflecting the crystal-clear blue sky above — a sight that instilled a quiet, primal sense of one's own insignificance.
Fortunately, the weather had held. The storms Yang Kai had worried about never materialized.
After flying for so long, Yang Kai was thoroughly exhausted. The headwinds battering his face had nearly gone numb, and his stamina was severely drained — though his mind, at least, felt no fatigue. He suspected the Warm Spirit Lotus was responsible. Having absorbed that supreme-grade treasure into his body, it continuously nourished his spirit, keeping mental weariness at bay.
He squinted ahead. About fifty li away, the faint outline of a small island appeared on the horizon. Yang Kai's spirits lifted, and he immediately veered toward it.
Before long, he arrived. With the Yang Flame Wings, travel speed was simply unmatched.
Once there, Yang Kai realized this barely qualified as an island — it was little more than a stone outcrop protruding from the sea, perhaps a few zhang in diameter. He had no idea why it jutted up from the water at all.
No time for such concerns. He hastily set down his two bundles and collapsed onto the rock like a puddle of soft mud, gulping air in great heaves.
After a good while, Yang Kai finally recovered enough to sit up, rubbing his face vigorously with both hands until feeling slowly returned.
"Heh heh, Young Master, you haven't reached the Zhenyuan Realm yet. Once you reach Zhenyuan and have true Yuan to shield your body, flying won't be nearly so unpleasant," Earth Demon offered by way of comfort.
"Now I understand why martial artists below the Zhenyuan Realm never use flying artifacts lightly, even if they have them. The sensation is absolutely miserable," Yang Kai clicked his tongue ruefully.
"Actually, Young Master, you had it better than most. If you hadn't refined those drops of Blood Essence earlier and boosted your vitality, there's no way you could have endured for this long."
After resting and regaining most of his strength, Yang Kai set off once more.
Another full day and night passed before he finally caught sight of land on the distant horizon.
The Yang Flame Wings on his back were far too conspicuous, and the two packages in his hands couldn't be seen by anyone either — doing so would invite certain death. He deliberately chose a secluded spot, confirmed that no one was around, and then landed.
Checking his dantian, only a few dozen drops of Yang Liquid remained. Over the course of more than two days, he had burned through over four hundred drops. Such expenditure would have been unsustainable without his earlier preparations.
He looked around. The area was completely unfamiliar, but Yang Kai figured he couldn't be too far from Sea City. After all, aboard the Yunxia sect's ship, he had been observing the direction every day — and when he left the Hidden Island, he had flown the same route in reverse.
He walked for a long time before finally reaching a main road.
Yang Kai was covered head to toe in dust and grime, his clothes torn and tattered in several places. He looked no different from any common pauper. The only concern was those two bundles — if he ran into bandits on the road, the contents could attract deadly trouble.
He followed the road ahead and passed a small teahouse, where he stopped to ask the tea-selling couple for directions. That was when he learned he had indeed drifted somewhat off course.
He was a full thousand li from Sea City.
Having pinned down his position, Yang Kai unfurled the Yang Flame Wings once more and flew toward Sea City.
There was still an old grudge there that needed settling.
An hour later, Yang Kai arrived near Sea City. He did not enter the city immediately but instead sought out the seaside cottage where the grandfather and granddaughter had once lived.
The ramshackle door stood wide open, and the sea breeze poured through, making the entire room bitterly cold.
Stepping inside, Yang Kai found the furnishings exactly as they had been the night he was taken away. The old man and the silent little girl were gone — they had most likely departed long ago.
On the night he left, he had given the old man a considerable amount of silver notes, enough for the two of them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. As long as the old man stayed careful, he wouldn't need to suffer any more.
Nearby, Yang Kai found a safe, hidden spot and carefully stowed both packages away. He kept only a single mid-grade earth-level spirit herb on his person to trade for some silver.
One day later, Yang Kai appeared in Sea City.
He didn't do anything dramatic — just quietly gathered useful intelligence. For several consecutive days, he scouted information from various sources, returning each night to the ruined cottage by the shore.
Three days later, he made his move. His target was the Yunxia Sect! Though the deaths of the three Jiang women had little direct connection to Yunxia, there was at least some link. More importantly, Yang Kai and the Yunxia Sect already had an irreconcilable vendetta. The parents of that silent little girl had likely perished at Yunxia's hands as well.
Under cover of night, he slipped out silently and made a few arrangements.