Swoosh swoosh swoosh…
Yang Kai's figure flickered left and right, impossibly nimble. With his Space Dao bolstering his movements, he continuously executed short-range teleports.
But he still couldn't shake the halberd hurtling after him.
The weapon followed him like a maggot clinging to bone, shadowing his every move, and the distance between them only continued to shrink.
In this desperate moment, Yang Kai could no longer afford restraint. Pure soul power surged from his body, forming a violent spiritual assault that hurtled toward the incoming halberd, hoping to stall it even briefly.
BOOM…
A thunderous detonation rang out. Yang Kai's entire body shuddered, his complexion instantly paling, yet the halberd didn't so much as waver — it plunged downward at an angle through the sky.
Even this all-out strike of his had failed to slow it in the slightest.
An instant later, the halberd crashed into the ground a short distance from where Yang Kai stood. More than half of its shaft buried itself in the earth, and the moment it struck, a clearly visible ripple of energy radiated outward from the point of impact, detonating in all directions.
In the span of a single breath, an area of ten li in every direction was seized by an invisible force — bound, sealed. The power was fierce and domineering, overwhelming in its might, and it filled Yang Kai with a sense of despair at his utter inability to resist.
He tried to draw on his spatial power to teleport again, only to discover helplessly that under the influence of this mysterious force, he couldn't move at all. Even his thoughts had begun to slow.
Through his field of vision, he watched the tall, imposing figure of Zhou Dian approach at a leisurely pace, his expression cold as frost.
Before long, the man stood before Yang Kai and gazed down at him with contempt, letting out a cold snort. "The brat's got a bit of skill, but… that's all you amount to!"
As he spoke, he flicked a finger, and a beam of energy shot from his fingertip straight into Yang Kai's body.
Yang Kai went rigid. In an instant, he felt his strength thoroughly sealed away — unable to muster even a fraction of it.
It's over.
His face turned ashen. Though he had always known that escaping the notice of a Third-Order Emperor Realm powerhouse was unlikely, being actually captured drove home just how insignificant he truly was.
If not for his Space Dao, he would have lost the ability to resist long ago.
A Third-Order Emperor Realm cultivator was simply beyond anything he could contend with at his current level.
Zhou Dian raised his hand, and the halberd embedded in the ground flew back to his grasp of its own accord before being absorbed into his body.
The Grand General Protector of the Divine Wanderer Kingdom then turned his head, glancing in the direction of Tiangyou Valley. His expression shifted repeatedly before he finally let out a heavy sigh. Then, with endless regret and reluctance, he seized Yang Kai and shot off toward the outskirts of Tiangyou Mountain.
He understood that since His Majesty had personally intervened, there was no chance left for Yi Quan.
His Majesty's terror was something even he, who had followed for so many years, could never fully comprehend.
If it had been possible, Zhou Dian would naturally have preferred to be the one to defeat Yi Quan. But this time, things had not gone his way.
Still… what piqued his curiosity even more was what secret Yang Kai harbored — something so significant that it had lured His Majesty out of the palace to act personally. No matter how he looked at it, Yang Kai was merely a Third-Order Dao Source Realm warrior with nothing particularly extraordinary about him. If forced to name anything notable, it would be the exceptional escape technique the brat possessed.
Had Zhou Dian not tracked him down himself and instead sent Lian Yan, the boy might very well have slipped away entirely.
"Brat… do you have any idea why His Majesty wants you?" Zhou Dian suddenly asked.
Yang Kai was still in the depths of despair, and upon hearing the question, he shot back irritably, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"
Before he could finish the sentence, his entire body went rigid, a look of pain crossing his face. Zhou Dian had secretly struck him with a jolt — that searing agony tearing at his very soul was simply excruciating.
Realizing he was in no position to show defiance, Yang Kai restrained himself and said, "Senior, you may have the wrong person. I hear you're searching for some sort of Disaster Star. Take a good look — do I really seem like one?"
"This general's only responsibility is to make captures. Everything else is none of my concern!" Zhou Dian replied coldly. After a brief pause, he added, "Let me ask you — where is Ban Qing? You encountered him before, didn't you? Why isn't he with you?"
"Ban Qing? You mean that short, sneaky fellow?" Yang Kai feigned ignorance and blurted the first lie that came to mind. "Killed by a demon clan powerhouse."
Zhou Dian's eyes flashed with killing intent, the murderous aura almost solidifying enough to touch, sending a chill through Yang Kai's entire body.
But quickly enough, the man reined in his killing aura and snorted coldly. "That debt will be settled — one way or another."
He didn't press Yang Kai further, nor did he suspect that Ban Qing had died at Yang Kai's hands. Such a thing was simply impossible in his mind.
Only the demon clan's powerhouses would have the ability to kill Ban Qing.
Half an hour later, Zhou Dian brought Yang Kai back to their previous encampment.
By this point, nearly all the human cultivators who had entered Tiangyou Mountain with Zhou Dian had gathered here — Yu Man, Yuan Qing, and even Lian Yan, who had previously fled from Tiangyou Valley. The only one absent was Ban Qing.
Beside them clustered a miserable-looking group of captives, all wearing expressions of helplessness and resignation.
Upon Zhou Dian's return, the assembled cultivators quickly stepped forward to pay their respects.
"Bring everyone. We're heading back to the palace!" Zhou Dian ordered. The crowd responded with a roar of acknowledgment. As he spoke, he casually tossed Yang Kai into the pile of captives.
Shen Muji deftly caught Yang Kai to keep him from falling flat on his face, then gave him a subtle nod.
Yang Kai glanced around and immediately spotted several other fellow prisoners. When their eyes met, they could do nothing but share bitter smiles.
No one had imagined that a single month of training inside this Divine Wanderer Mirror world would end with them captured by the native cultivators.
The group moved swiftly. Barely ten breaths after Zhou Dian gave his orders, they were already speeding off in the direction of Divine Wanderer City.