But the same could not be said for the apprentices and Alchemists of the Spirit Pill Shop.
Yang Kai had little familiarity with them, and should the secret of the Mysterious Boundary Bead slip out through their lips, it would surely attract the avarice of countless powerhouses.
The Mysterious Boundary Bead was an Emperor Treasure, and one that could form its very own world — carried on one's person at all times. In the entire Star Boundary, it was likely one of a kind!
There were, of course, other treasures in the Star Boundary that could form internal worlds. The Five Color Pagoda that Yang Kai had entered last time was one such example — the Star God Palace's most prized guardian treasure, with a self-contained world of its own. But the crucial difference between the Five Color Pagoda and the Mysterious Boundary Bead was that the Pagoda could not be carried on one's person. It could only remain stationed within the Star God Palace.
The Mysterious Boundary Bead was far too important. Unless absolutely necessary, Yang Kai would never dare reveal its existence.
"Looks like breaking through head-on is no longer an option," Yang Kai muttered. Then his expression shifted, and he asked, "Maple Leaf City should have a spatial teleportation array, shouldn't it?"
In his home Star Field, every major city had teleportation arrays of some kind. The vast and boundless Star Boundary would be no different. Maple Leaf City might not be large, but it should still have one.
"It does, but it's in the City Lord's Manor!" Kang Siran nodded in confirmation.
"Then let's go — to the City Lord's Manor!" Yang Kai replied without hesitation, immediately piloting the tower ship and sending it hurtling toward the manor.
From high above, Maple Leaf City was in complete chaos. The moment news spread that the city was surrounded by the pure demonic qi of an ancient Great Devil, the warriors who had lived here for years had naturally panicked. They feared the city's great defensive formation would be breached, and they would be dragged down with it.
And the first escape route they could think of was naturally the spatial teleportation array!
So at this moment, countless warriors were flooding toward the City Lord's Manor.
Upon realizing this, Yang Kai's expression darkened, and he drove the tower ship even faster.
Before long, the tower ship arrived above the City Lord's Manor.
But before he could even control the ship to descend, he suddenly sensed an eruption of energy belonging to a Dao Source Realm powerhouse from one of the palaces. Accompanied by a thunderous boom, that palace collapsed in an instant. Shattered stone flew in every direction, and a perfectly intact hall was reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye.
Quite a few warriors cursed and spat as they shot out from the wreckage, every last one of them wearing expressions of outrage.
Seeing this, Yang Kai's eyes narrowed. A foreboding instinct prickled at him, and he turned to Kang Siran. "Brother Kang, that place... it wouldn't happen to be where the teleportation array is located, would it?"
Kang Siran gave a pained nod.
The corner of Yang Kai's mouth twitched. His gaze settled on a disheveled figure hovering in midair.
The man was short and stocky, dressed in tattered clothes, his hair a wild, unkempt mess — looking for all the world like a beggar. Yet the aura emanating from his body was unmistakably that of a Dao Source Realm powerhouse, and a large green gourd hung at his waist.
Who else could it be but the Drunkard?
And here and now, he was the only Dao Source Realm cultivator present. It was clear that the commotion just now had been his handiwork.
Below, countless warriors glared up at the Drunkard with fury in their eyes, every one of them wearing the expression of someone who wished they could kill him on the spot.
"Vice City Lord, why did you destroy the teleportation array?! We always respected and admired you, yet who would have thought that at such a critical moment, your methods would be so vicious!"
"That's right, Drunkard! Why have you cut off our only retreat?!"
"The spatial array is destroyed — it's over! We can never escape now!"
"Drunkard, if you don't give us an explanation today, don't even think about leaving here alive!"
"Drunkard, we will be your sworn enemies!"
Cries of rage and accusation lashed toward the Drunkard like the sharpest of barbs. Those among the crowd who were most emotionally volatile had already made the first move — summoning their Artifacts, unleashing their martial techniques, and raining attacks down upon him without restraint.
The Drunkard stood there, unmoved, enduring the indictment of a thousand voices without so much as flinching. When the attacks came flying at him, he didn't even bat an eye. He simply circulated his Source Power to shield himself, showing no intention of fighting back.
"Everyone!" The Drunkard swept his gaze around the crowd, his expression stern and his voice deep and resonant. "This old man understands what you're all thinking! But today, our Maple Leaf City is surrounded by demonic qi — it hangs in the balance and could fall at any moment!"
"You old bastard, if you know that, then why did you destroy the spatial array?! Truly sinister — your heart deserves to be cut out!" a furious roar rose from the crowd.
The Drunkard turned his gaze toward the source of the voice. A deep look of apology crossed his face, and he continued, "Precisely because of that, this old man was forced to resort to this drastic measure. Our Maple Leaf City has several hundred thousand warriors. If we stand together, we may yet survive this catastrophe. But if every last one of you is only thinking about fleeing through the spatial array, the city will certainly fall — and when that happens, the land will drenched in blood and echoing with screams. It will become an inferno on earth!"
"This old man has lived in Maple Leaf City his entire life. Here I have family, friends — and all of you have loved ones of your own. I do not want to see them reduced to suffering, their minds stripped away. Would you all be willing to watch that happen? If you only think of saving yourselves, then who will protect your families and friends?"
At these words, the Drunkard's commanding eyes swept once more across the assembled crowd.
The clamor of outrage gradually subsided, and many began to lower their heads in somber thought.
"Our Maple Leaf City is but a drop in the ocean of the entire Star Boundary. Even within the Southern Region, it is unremarkable — scarcely known to anyone. But the sons and daughters of Maple Leaf City all possess a spine of unyielding steel! This old man has lived the better part of a lifetime and has witnessed hundreds of years of history in Maple Leaf City. I love this place. I do not want to see the day our city falls!"