It was a full three days before Bing Yun finally regained consciousness. The moment she woke, she had Fan Xin summon Yang Kai inside to speak with him.
After knocking, Yang Kai pushed the door open and entered the side room. Bing Yun sat cross-legged on the bed, her complexion still pale, her aura feeble. After three days of recuperation she had improved considerably, but it would clearly take more time before she made a full recovery.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, she managed a faint smile and beckoned him over with her hand. "Come here."
Yang Kai walked to the bedside and asked with concern, "Senior, how is your body?"
Bing Yun replied weakly, "Nothing serious anymore. I just need to take it slow and recover gradually. I really do have you to thank this time."
Had Yang Kai not arrived at that critical moment, she might truly have ended up buried in a sea beast's belly. That was absolutely not the way she wished to die. A powerhouse of her caliber would rather fall in battle against another strong cultivator than be swallowed whole by some oceanic demon beast.
Yang Kai shook his head. "I didn't do much. Senior's safe return is entirely thanks to your own strength." He paused, then asked with some nervousness, "Is Chi Ri alive or dead?"
Bing Yun answered flatly, "Dead."
As expected. Yang Kai had long suspected that Chi Ri's fate wouldn't be pleasant, but hearing Bing Yun personally confirm his death still brought him a measure of relief. With Chi Ri dead, no one would be able to stop them from leaving this Desolate Void Secret Realm. The only remaining dangers lay in the perils hidden within this vast ocean, and as long as they could weather those, they would reach the exit.
"This battle was won thanks to the Hundred Revolutions Emperor Essence Pill you refined." Bing Yun gazed at Yang Kai with gratitude. "Chi Ri's true strength was evenly matched with my own. Without that pill to restore my power, I would never have been able to cut him down at the final moment. So truly, I must thank you."
She expressed her thanks once more, evidently from the bottom of her heart.
Yang Kai hadn't expected that the pill he'd prepared for Bing Yun would end up being the decisive factor in the battle. At the time he'd only refined it as a precaution, but looking back now, it had clearly been the right call. Without those Hundred Revolutions Emperor Essence Pills, whether Bing Yun could have returned at all was questionable. Even if she had managed to kill Chi Ri, she would likely have been dragged down with him.
"For the time being I cannot exert my strength recklessly, otherwise I risk leaving behind hidden injuries. So you'll need to be extra vigilant for the rest of our journey. Unless it becomes absolutely necessary, I won't be able to help you." Bing Yun spoke in a serious tone.
Yang Kai nodded. "Please rest easy and focus on your recovery, Senior. I will make sure to get everyone out safely."
A faint smile of reassurance appeared on Bing Yun's ashen face. "You're a dependable one. Then I'll just wait for good news."
With Bing Yun still needing to recuperate, Yang Kai didn't linger. After chatting for a while, he excused himself and took his leave.
Two days later, when pillar-like waterspouts began appearing across the ocean's surface, Yang Kai finally brought out the Sea-Splitting Shuttle and transferred the entire ship's complement aboard.
The Sea-Splitting Shuttle was absolutely the most crucial factor in leaving the Desolate Void Secret Realm, because only with it could they reach the exit.
The shuttle had been completely refined by Yang Kai, and he was thoroughly familiar with every operational restriction and array inscribed upon it. Navigation was therefore no trouble at all.
Unlike the large sailing ship, the Sea-Splitting Shuttle traveled beneath the ocean's surface. It was precisely by sailing underwater that they could avoid the omnipresent and terrifyingly powerful waterspouts above.
The shuttle's speed was also far from slow — in fact, it was somewhat faster than Yang Kai's previous galleon.
Sang De's unnamed master had put tremendous care into crafting the Sea-Splitting Shuttle, inscribing countless practical yet simple arrays. As a result, even though they were traveling beneath the waves, the array reflections allowed everyone inside to see the surrounding scenery and wonders clearly. The only limitation was that underwater lighting wasn't great, so visibility didn't extend very far.
The schools of brightly colored fish and the sea beasts of various sizes darting back and forth kept the group entertained and studying them for days. Though Ling Yinqin and the others had spent years at sea, they had never witnessed the scenery beneath the waves before. Naturally, they found it utterly captivating.
The journey proceeded without incident, smooth and steady. Occasionally some sea beast would come looking for trouble, but the Spirit Stone Cannons mounted on the shuttle would blast them senseless. The cannons were devastatingly powerful, though their consumption was equally steep — each shot cost ten thousand mid-grade Source Crystals. But Yang Kai had no shortage of Source Crystals, so Jiao Yi, who was manning the cannons, had the time of his life. Any sea beast bold enough to approach was sent tumbling in disarray. Those slightly weaker were blasted into clouds of blood mist, their remains scattered without a trace. Even the tougher ones could only flee with their heads tucked, utterly unable to get near the shuttle.
The smooth sailing put everyone in high spirits.
They traveled underwater for an entire month. No one knew how far they'd covered, yet they still hadn't reached the exit — a fact that was beginning to breed anxiety and unease.
That day, while adjusting their course, Yang Kai suddenly heard a sharp cracking sound reach his ears. His heart lurched, and he immediately extended his Divine Sense to investigate.
Beside him, Ling Yinqin's face changed color as well. She hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother Yang, is our Sea-Splitting Shuttle... cracking? I heard something!"
Yang Kai's face was grim. "It's cracking."
Ling Yinqin was horrified. "What do we do? If the shuttle breaks apart, there's nowhere for us to escape!"
They were deep beneath the ocean. If the Sea-Splitting Shuttle was destroyed, they might not even make it to the surface. And even if they miraculously reached the surface, the omnipresent, devastatingly powerful waterspouts would become their grave — barriers that even a Third Stage Emperor Sovereign couldn't overcome. How could they, cultivators at the Dao Source Realm, possibly survive unscathed?