Those Dao Source Realm experts who had been drawn by the Emperor Treasure's artifact resonance and come to the Qin family — twenty or thirty of them — had by now departed almost to a man.
Only one remained, still hovering in midair.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and looked toward the figure, making out a woman dressed in the style of a young matron. She had a graceful, lithe figure, skin as fair as snow, and long black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. She wore a palace gown of deep jade green. Her bright eyes held a measure of wariness toward Yang Kai, but no trace of fear.
Her cultivation was not particularly high, yet not exactly low either — roughly at the second stage of the Dao Source Realm. From the look of things, she likely hailed from some mid-tier Sect or family clan.
"You're not leaving?" Yang Kai's expression darkened when he saw she hadn't moved an inch.
The young woman spoke. "May I ask — might you be Master Yang Kai?"
Yang Kai's brow furrowed, and inwardly he grew alert. He answered with a question of his own: "Who are you?"
The woman replied hurriedly, "This humble one is Ye Qinghan of the Thousand Leaf Sect."
"Thousand Leaf Sect!" Yang Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. The name rang a faint bell, though his impression was dim. Still, he could be certain it was no major Sect — probably on par with the Emerald Feather Sect, the sort that had no Dao Transcendence Realm powerhouse presiding over it, supported by merely a handful of Dao Source Realm experts.
Across the entire Southern Region, Sects like this numbered no fewer than eight hundred and no more than a thousand, each occupying a swatch of territory in which to breed and prosper. Perhaps their forebears had once wrought great glory, but generation after generation, their influence had waned, and the Sect's power had slowly declined.
The Emerald Feather Sect was the perfect example. The ancestor of its Sect Master, Wu Mengshan, had once been the foremost being in the Star Boundary — the Devouring Heaven Great Emperor, a man who could blot out the sky with one hand and command the winds. Yet by Wu Mengshan's generation, the man was a mere third-stage Dao Source Realm cultivator, the master of a minor Sect.
In this world, no Sect stood forever, and no family clan endured for all time. Only the Star God Palace and a scant handful of supreme-tier powers could claim a legacy of ten thousand years.
"Is it truly Master Yang?" Ye Qinghan pressed, a note of urgency entering her voice.
"You've got the wrong person." Yang Kai replied without hesitation.
Beside him, several members of the Qin family and the Eight Directions Sect Disciples all gaped at him in disbelief.
"That's not right! He really is Master Yang Kai!" The round-faced girl who had taken a fancy to Luo Yuan seemed to have lost her mind — she actually spoke up and confirmed Yang Kai's identity for him. Afterward, she even stuck her tongue out at him with a grin.
Yang Kai shot her a vicious glare.
"You truly are Master Yang!" Ye Qinghan, now certain of his identity, could not conceal a flush of excitement.
"I told you, you've got the wrong person. There are plenty of people in this world who share the same name. Now leave. If you don't go, I won't be so polite." Yang Kai waved her off with an impatient hand, shooing her away like a chicken.
Ye Qinghan bit her red lip and gazed at Yang Kai with pitiful, imploring eyes. "Master Yang, would you hear just a few words from me? I'll leave as soon as I've said my piece."
"I'm not in the mood!"
"Good grief..." The round-faced girl seemed unable to watch any longer and scolded, "She's begging you like this — what's the harm in listening to a few sentences? Don't you know the meaning of chivalry toward a lady?"
Yang Kai glared at her. "No, I don't! And she came here to steal my treasures in the first place. Now I'm supposed to listen to her little speech? If it were your precious Luo Yuan in my shoes, what would you do?"
"My precious Luo Yuan..." The round-faced girl's cheeks flushed crimson and she grew coy for a moment, but her pretty face hardened just as quickly. She snorted coldly, "Whoever dares lay a finger on Senior Brother Luo — I'll beat them to death!"
Her face blazed with killing intent, startling Yang Kai. He hadn't expected such a cold, fierce side from this young woman.
"Family Head Qin, see our guest out." Yang Kai called to Qin Chaoyang, then beckoned to Qin Yu. "Miss Qin, come with me."
"Alright." Qin Yu promptly stepped forward and walked toward Yang Kai.
Over there, Qin Chaoyang deliberated briefly, then rose into the air and approached Ye Qinghan, speaking to her in what appeared to be an effort to persuade her to leave. Ye Qinghan, however, remained unmoved, resorting only to desperate entreaties.
"Oh, right!" Yang Kai had taken several steps before he turned back to face the Eight Directions Sect group, a cold smile playing at his lips. "All of you — stay on your best behavior. If anyone acts up again, you'll answer to me."
Cold sweat beaded on the foreheads of the Eight Directions Sect disciples. Not one of them dared refuse, and they all nodded hastily in agreement. They had witnessed with their own eyes how Yang Kai had slain Qu Huairen and seized that middle-aged man's Artifact. They knew full well they were no match for him, and if they truly provoked him into striking, it would not end well for any of them.
The round-faced girl chimed in with a smile, "Relax — I'll keep an eye on them. They won't cause any trouble."
"See that they don't. Otherwise, don't blame me for not giving Luo Yuan face." Yang Kai gave a light snort, then turned and walked away.
He led Qin Yu all the way to the secret chamber. He had just instructed her to sit cross-legged when Qin Chaoyang came rushing in, apparently having finished dealing with Ye Qinghan. He fixed Yang Kai with a look brimming with hope and asked tensely, "Younger Brother Yang... the journey to the Four Seasons Realm — how did it go?"