In the forest, Yang Kai’s figure moved like a nimble ape, leaping ceaselessly among the treetops. Light as a swallow, his flight stirred only a faint breeze, not even dislodging a single leaf.
His expression solemn, Yang Kai mentally remained on guard against his surroundings while plotting his next move. His unpleasant encounter with Wu Chengyi’s group hadn’t affected him at all; he had already accomplished his objective.
However, he hadn’t expected the intelligence he gathered to be so grave.
In previous years, disciples from various sects entering the alternate dimension for training had formed their own separate camps. Even occasional alliances never merged on such a massive scale. But this time, the appearance of several martial artists from the Tianlang Kingdom had caused the Han Dynasty’s warriors to completely band together as one. This was unprecedented and had escalated into a life-or-death confrontation between the younger generations of the two nations.
The final outcome wasn’t something Yang Kai could influence, but he was still a Han Dynasty warrior, and honestly speaking, he wasn’t keen on letting the Tianlang Kingdom people run rampant here. If it weren’t for those two from the Shura Gate, and if Wu Chengyi hadn’t been so arrogant, Yang Kai might have stayed behind with Chen Xueshu and the others to contribute his part to this struggle.
Thinking about it now was pointless. Yang Kai cleared his mind of stray thoughts, but suddenly, his speeding body halted. He glanced back, a strange look crossing his face.
He stood still for a moment, then let out a cold snort. Dropping to the ground, he darted behind a large tree, suppressing his aura entirely.
A moment later, a figure swept past overhead. In a flash, Yang Kai had a clear look at the person’s face and attire.
The individual carried a long sword on his back and wore a green robe. He looked to be in his early twenties, with a stern face. He was flying directly in the direction Yang Kai had come from.
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed with killing intent! This person was the one who had earlier swept the battlefield, collecting the blood pearls. The long sword on his back clearly marked his identity—a disciple of the Nine Star Sword Sect, likely another junior brother of Wu Chengyi.
Instead of staying with the group, he had pursued Yang Kai alone. His intention was now perfectly clear.
Yang Kai’s expression turned cold. Previously, he hadn’t wanted to clash with Wu Chengyi, partly out of consideration for Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu. But now that they had sent someone to hunt him down, there was no reason to back down further.
Even a clay figure has three parts fire, let alone Yang Kai, who was no pushover.
Suddenly, the sound of flapping clothes echoed from ahead. The Nine Star Sword Sect disciple had returned. While sprinting rapidly, his eyes scanned the surroundings as he muttered, “Strange, where did he go?”
He was an expert at the Zhenyuan Realm and naturally assumed his speed far exceeded Yang Kai’s. The fact that he had managed to lose Yang Kai’s trail after chasing him all this way was frustrating. He had doubled back to search more diligently.
Yang Kai felt a flicker of doubt. This guy actually had some skill in tracking. He had been extremely careful leaving no trace, yet his opponent had still spotted something.
A short while later, the Nine Star Sword Sect disciple stopped about thirty zhang away from Yang Kai, frowning as he inspected the area.
Yang Kai didn’t panic. Concealed behind the large tree, he quietly observed the man.
After a long moment, a faint smile appeared on the man’s lips. He reached back over his shoulder. With a clear ring of steel, the long sword was drawn.
With sword in hand, the man’s aura surged dramatically, and he seemed to become as sharp and exposed as the blade itself.
A true prodigy of the Nine Star Sword Sect! That level of presence was not something an ordinary Zhenyuan Realm martial artist could muster.
“I know you’re nearby!” Qi Jianxing called out, a meaningful smile on his lips. He held his long sword, his tone certain. “Come out quietly, and I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Yang Kai frowned. He couldn’t tell if this disciple had actually detected something or was just bluffing.
Qi Jianxing spoke again, “Kid, I actually admire your guts. In this world, apart from the young masters of the Eight Great Families of Zhongdu, you’re probably the only one who dares speak to my senior brother like that. Just for that, I promise I won’t hurt you. Just hand over all the pills you have, and let me complete my senior brother’s task.”
There was no response from the surroundings. Qi Jianxing looked impatient and threatened, “Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. Once I find where you’re hiding, I won’t be this reasonable. While I’m still in a good mood, we can still negotiate.”
Still no reply. Qi Jianxing stopped wasting words. He flicked his long sword, and a crisp, pleasant hum filled the air.
Yang Kai suddenly felt a faint chill descend around him. His expression changed, and he shot upwards.
Invisible lines of sword energy crisscrossed the area. All trees within a thirty-zhang radius were instantly sliced through, their stumps perfectly smooth. They began crashing down with a clatter.
Yang Kai’s face was filled with shock. Only now did he truly understand the cunning of this Nine Star Sword Sect disciple. Earlier, when he was talking, he seemed to be stalling for time, but in reality, he had been laying a trap, striking secretly. Those invisible threads of sword energy had already spread around while he spoke. Once his setup was nearly complete, he activated the energy. If Yang Kai had still been hiding there, he would have had nowhere to run.