Hua Qingsi ceased her movements, and Yang Kai didn't counterattack either. He simply stood there, waiting quietly.
After a good while, Hua Qingsi let out a soft sigh and looked up at Yang Kai.
She still had cards left to play, still had ultimate techniques unrevealed. The probing strikes and attacks she had launched just now had drawn upon only half of her true strength.
But she understood in her heart that Yang Kai hadn't been fighting at full power either.
Even if she could throw everything she had to defeat this man in his normal state, how could she possibly overcome him in his demonic form?
The memory of being subdued by a single move from that monster was still vivid in her mind. Every time she thought of it, a chill ran down her spine. That had been absolute, overwhelming power — she hadn't been able to resist in the slightest…
And so, Hua Qingsi didn't want to keep testing the waters. For someone at the first level of the Dao Source Realm to so effortlessly weather her attacks was proof enough of his terrifying strength and heaven-defying potential.
Moreover… this man actually comprehended the power of Space! And he possessed a treasure like the Myriad Borders Bead!
"Given up?" Yang Kai smiled faintly, reading the shift in her expression.
Hua Qingsi pressed her red lips together and said nothing.
"Don't make that aggrieved face — it makes one's heart ache for you!" Yang Kai chuckled. "Don't worry. In a few years, you'll realize just how wise today's decision was. Miss this opportunity, and no matter how desperately you beg to join me in the future, I won't take you in."
"Your talent for shameless boasting is truly top-notch," Hua Qingsi shot back acerbically.
"Then just wait and see," Yang Kai said with a smile. "Alright, let's not waste any more time. I still have things to do. Go on and hand over your Soul Imprint."
Hua Qingsi sighed once more, sat down cross-legged, closed her beautiful eyes, and began circulating her cultivation technique in silence.
Seeing her comply, Yang Kai's expression grew serious. He drifted down and landed a short distance in front of her.
Moments later, Hua Qingsi's body suddenly trembled, and her features twisted in what appeared to be extreme pain.
A stream of pure soul force shot out from her spiritual sea, hurtling straight toward Yang Kai.
Sensing this, Yang Kai immediately opened his own spiritual sea's defenses and accepted the incoming soul power.
He closed his eyes. His soul spirit materialized within his spiritual sea, and soon he discovered an unfamiliar force of soul power hovering inside — coiled together and forming the shape of an imprint, floating silently in mid-air.
Within that imprint was Hua Qingsi's soul signature!
Yang Kai's soul spirit formed hand seals, shifting through them in rapid succession. As he did, his spiritual sea churned and surged, gathering into a towering wave that split its maw wide and swallowed the imprint whole, like a ravenous beast devouring its prey.
At the bottom of the gorge, Hua Qingsi shuddered violently.
She slowly opened her eyes and found Yang Kai watching her with a grin. "What are you looking at?!" she snapped irritably.
"Quite the temper," Yang Kai remarked.
"Hmph!" Hua Qingsi huffed coldly, her expression somewhat awkward. "It feels… strange."
This was her first time surrendering her Soul Imprint to another person. While the act itself didn't cause her any real harm, there was still a subconscious sense of discomfort — as if something precious had been taken from her.
"You'll get used to it," Yang Kai said. "Now that we're on the same side, we're no longer outsiders. I hope we can get along well from here on."
"Don't think saying something like that will make me like you any more. I'm just being oppressed and enslaved by you, that's all," Hua Qingsi replied coldly.
"Think whatever you want." Yang Kai shrugged.
"I was meaning to ask…" Hua Qingsi changed the subject, glancing around at their surroundings. "Where is this place? How is there a Spiritual Energy Sea here?"
"So you know about Spiritual Energy Seas after all," Yang Kai said with a slight smile.
"They may be rare, but there are a few in the Star Boundary. My Star God Palace has one," Hua Qingsi said, shooting him a disdainful look.
"This is the Land of Four Seasons," Yang Kai announced.
Hua Qingsi froze. Then she exclaimed, "What? You're saying this is the Land of Four Seasons?"
"That's right!"
Hua Qingsi's elegant brows knitted together, but almost immediately, as though something had clicked, she murmured to herself, "Come to think of it, by my calculations, the Land of Four Seasons should indeed be opening around now. But… how did you qualify to enter? As far as I know, Maple City doesn't have any slots."
"It was a matter of circumstance. I entered with the people from the Azure Sun Temple," Yang Kai answered.
"Why would the Azure Sun Temple bring you along?" Hua Qingsi was even more puzzled. "Every single slot is extraordinarily precious…"