"Does having more people make a difference?" Xu Qing sneered, regarding Yang Kai with contempt. "How much of your strength can the two of you even muster right now?"
After all, from his perspective, Yang Kai had stood in front of Mo Xiaoqi to block the fire bird's attack earlier, which must have cost him dearly. Then he'd been struck by that black flame—surviving was already a stroke of luck.
As for Mo Xiaoqi, she had clearly exhausted herself after using that Artifact. Her current appearance was one of near collapse.
Both of them were obviously far from peak condition, and any strength they could bring to bear would be drastically diminished.
He, on the other hand, was in perfect form. There was nothing to fear.
Yang Kai chuckled lightly and said in an indifferent tone, "If Brother Xu truly thinks that way, then by all means, give it a try."
Seeing Yang Kai's completely unfazed demeanor, Xu Qing couldn't help but furrow his brow, unable to tell whether Yang Kai was bluffing or genuinely confident.
Not far away, Mo Xiaoqi still stood there with a dejected expression, staring at Xu Ruomei—whose eyes had lost all light and whose soul had been completely obliterated, turning her into a hollow shell—and murmuring to herself, "Why did you ambush me? How did it come to this?"
Yang Kai glanced at her and couldn't help but snap, "You fool. Men die for wealth, birds die for food—even such a basic truth is beyond you? Do your parents know you've run off somewhere like this to throw your life away?"
"No, they don't!" A flicker of panic appeared in Mo Xiaoqi's eyes, and she waved her hands frantically at Yang Kai. "Whatever you do, don't tell my father I'm here, or he'll beat me!"
"I don't even know your father—how would I tell him?" Yang Kai nearly coughed up blood from sheer exasperation with the girl.
"Oh, right!" Mo Xiaoqi immediately looked relieved.
"Enough!" Seeing the two of them chatting as though he didn't even exist, Xu Qing roared in fury, his voice turning savage. "Brother Yang, if you don't want to die, then leave this place immediately. You have no reason to oppose me."
Yang Kai let out a soft laugh, regarding Xu Qing with an air of serene composure. "We truly have no reason to be enemies. However… what Brother Xu is after happens to be exactly what I want as well."
Xu Qing froze. He stared at Yang Kai in surprise and blurted, "Brother Yang, you've been hiding your intentions quite well. But if that's the case, why don't we join forces? Everything we find—we split fifty-fifty."
"No, no, no." Yang Kai shook his head and raised a single finger. "I have one unfortunate trait—I've always preferred to eat alone. I'm not much for sharing. If Brother Xu has any sense, now would be the time to leave while you still can."
"Brother Yang, aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"
"My appetite is just fine!"
Mo Xiaoqi watched the two of them blankly from the side and interjected, "What are you going to eat? I have some spirit fruits here—would you like some?"
As she spoke, she actually pulled two glistening spirit fruits from her spatial ring. In an instant, a rich fragrance wafted through the air, making one's stomach rumble at the mere scent. And judging by the energy fluctuations emanating from those fruits, they were clearly no ordinary items—they could very well be exceedingly rare treasures.
"If you don't have anything to say, nobody will think you've lost your tongue," Yang Kai shot her a glare.
Mo Xiaoqi's face crumpled with grievance.
"Hmph. So Brother Yang is saying there's no room for negotiation?" Xu Qing swallowed hard, his expression gradually turning manic. The treasures Mo Xiaoqi had casually produced out of nowhere ignited his greed to a fever pitch, reinforcing his conviction that her ring was stuffed with countless riches.
The moment he imagined snatching that ring into his own hands—perhaps he'd never have to worry about cultivation resources for the rest of his life—how could Xu Qing possibly hold himself back?
"From the moment Brother Xu ambushed me, there was nothing left to discuss." Yang Kai's voice turned cold.
"Very well! Then let me, Xu, see just how capable Brother Yang truly is!" The words had barely left Xu Qing's mouth when the power inside his body erupted in a violent surge. His entire frame suddenly swelled to several times its original size.
His clothes tore with a ripping sound, shredding into strips that scattered to the ground. And on the exposed skin of his body, countless golden hairs sprouted visibly before the naked eye.
In a span of mere breaths, Xu Qing's appearance had undergone a staggering transformation.
He now stood over five zhang tall, his frame slightly hunched, his arms disproportionately long, his muscles bulging grotesquely. Fierce, indescribable savagery blazed in his eyes, and bestial growls rumbled from deep in his throat. His entire body was covered in golden fur, making him look like an enormous golden ape.
Yang Kai was momentarily stunned.
This was the first time he'd ever seen a technique like this. At the very least, back in his home Star Field, he had never encountered such a beast-mimicry art. The wonders of the Star Boundary were truly extraordinary.
Though what disgusted Yang Kai was that even in the face of that earlier danger, Xu Qing had held this trump card in reserve—yet against him, the man hadn't hesitated to use it without a second thought.
"Soul Beast Symbiosis? A golden giant ape?" Mo Xiaoqi cried out in alarm from the side, her beautiful eyes trembling slightly. Then she did something that struck Yang Kai as utterly incomprehensible.
She actually raised both hands to cover her eyes, refusing to look any longer at the nearly naked Xu Qing—though the shredded remnants of his clothing below the waist still provided adequate coverage.
This idiot girl! Yang Kai was truly at a loss for words regarding her, and he completely abandoned any lingering notion of teaming up with her.
And Xu Qing, having unleashed his trump card technique, let out a thunderous roar. He transformed into a streak of golden light and closed the distance to Yang Kai with inconceivable speed.
His fist—larger than a cooking cauldron—descended from above like a falling mountain, carrying the force to split peaks and cleave seas, blanketing the surrounding heavens and earth in its shadow.
What terrifying speed!