"Promising lad!" Yang Kai laughed heartily and patted Yuan Mo on the head as a reward.
But Yuan Mo thought Yang Kai was making a killing blow. Terrified, his whole body went rigid, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out right then and there.
"Lowlife!" Luo Jin cursed through gritted teeth.
Yang Kai turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the remaining few, his eyes sharp and cold.
Before he could even open his mouth, those few began babbling over one another: "Young Master Yang, I now fully understand how to write the character for death!"
"It is my greatest honor to have witnessed Young Master Yang's true calligraphy!"
"Young Master Yang is truly a remarkable man—using blood as ink to write such exquisite characters. I am filled with admiration!"
Each one of them flattered and groveled to the extreme. Though their mouths were spewing praise and sycophancy, the smiles they squeezed onto their faces looked worse than tears, making it abundantly clear that inwardly they were terrified beyond measure, afraid that the slightest change in Yang Kai's mood would mean their heads would roll.
The assembled guests stared at them with undisguised contempt, hearts aching at their shamelessness.
But then, upon reflection—if they themselves were in the same situation, could they really have done any better? With a blade pressed against one's throat, what did dignity matter? What did brotherhood matter? Staying alive was the only thing that counted! Many among the crowd quietly sighed inwardly, understanding that it wasn't that these few were simply cowards clinging to life—it was simply that the circumstances left them no choice.
"Now that you all know how to write the character for death, scram. Don't foul my eyes by staying here!" Yang Kai's smile vanished and he let out an impatient bark.
Those few scrambled away as if granted amnesty, fleeing back into the crowd in a panic, not daring to show their faces again.
Only then did Yang Kai turn around to face Luo Jin, his voice icy: "Hand the person over, or you know what the consequences will be!"
Luo Jin remained unmoved, giving a cold snort instead. "Is this how your elders taught you to speak to your superiors?"
Yang Kai replied: "I've always been one to respect my elders and care for the young. But if the City Lord here refuses to appreciate goodwill, then don't blame me for beating you so badly your own mother won't recognize you."
As he spoke, he walked toward Luo Jin at an unhurried pace, clearly unwilling to waste any more time—he wanted to end this quickly.
A flicker of tension crossed Luo Jin's face. Though his cultivation was one minor realm above Yang Kai's, he had witnessed everything Yang Kai just did. He knew this young man was not someone to be trifled with, and as Yang Kai drew ever closer, Luo Jin immediately turned his gaze in a certain direction and called out: "Lord Ke, I humbly request your aid. I, Luo, would be eternally grateful!"
He knew that calling upon Dao Source Realm first or second stage cultivators at this point would be meaningless, so he directly appealed to a Dao Source Realm third stage powerhouse with whom he was personally acquainted and on intimate terms. In the current situation, only a Dao Source Realm third stage expert could suppress Yang Kai.
As soon as Luo Jin finished speaking, an elderly man slowly emerged from the crowd. His hair and beard were entirely white, his aura concealed within, his eyes remarkably bright, and his complexion ruddy—he carried the bearing of a distinguished elder.
He smiled faintly. "Lord Luo has made the request, and this old man naturally must comply."
A gleam of delight flashed in Luo Jin's eyes as he nodded. "My thanks!"
Yang Kai had now also halted his steps. He turned his head to regard the old man, a smile playing on his lips. "Old sir, you intend to intervene in this matter?"
The elder, surnamed Ke, chuckled. "Enemies are better resolved than made. If this young brother doesn't mind, why don't we all sit down and have a proper conversation? This old man's body isn't what it used to be—I can't compare to you young folk. If it's possible, I'd rather not come to blows with you."
"Sure!" Yang Kai grinned. "Then just sit to the side and watch, old sir. Have some wine, enjoy some food—how about that?"
Elder Ke shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't do. Since Lord Luo has made the request, this old man cannot simply stand by and do nothing."
Yang Kai sighed. "It hasn't been easy living to such a grand age, old sir. The King of Hell still refuses to take you in—so why must you keep charging straight through the gates of death?"
Elder Ke narrowed his eyes. "Young people are indeed full of vigor, and your tone is remarkably confident. If my guess is correct, young brother, you must be the master alchemist who refined the Grand Mystery Pill, yes?"
It was hardly surprising that Elder Ke had deduced Yang Kai's identity. Over this period, Yang Kai's name had spread throughout the entire Southern Region. He had previously announced his name before the assembled crowd, which had already aroused considerable suspicion. Combined with the fact that he had just broken free from the binding formation by wielding the power of space, Elder Ke had naturally put the pieces together.
Elder Ke was far from the only one who had guessed Yang Kai's origins—merely the only one who had spoken up about it.
As for the martial cultivators in the crowd who were still in the dark, many of them cried out in shock upon hearing this, their gazes toward Yang Kai filling with astonishment and fervent desire.
Many hadn't known what the Grand Mystery Pill was before, but with the events from the Four Seasons realm having already spread far and wide, its miraculous effects were common knowledge. It was a divine pill that had been lost to the ages—something capable of helping a cultivator break through to the Emperor Realm. Aside from the few that Yang Kai had previously refined, no more could possibly exist anywhere under heaven.
"What? He's the one who refined the Grand Mystery Pill?" Luo Jin's expression shifted as the realization hit him belatedly.
Elder Ke said: "Same name, Dao Source Realm second stage cultivation, and a profound mastery of alchemy—aside from that master, this old man can think of no one else capable of such a feat."