Over the wasteland, Yang Kai and the others rode atop a tower ship, hurtling through the sky at tremendous speed.
On board were only Yang Kai and Liu Xianyun, along with a handful of Ice Heart Valley disciples. Ling Yinqin had already parted ways with the group upon their return to the mainland. She had said she intended to take her husband's ashes back to Heavenly Wolf Valley in the Eastern Region, to lay them to rest in the place where he had been born.
Jiao Yi and the others naturally went with Ling Yinqin.
As for Yang Kai and his group, they were headed to Ice Heart Valley. Fan Xin and several junior sisters had long yearned to visit their sect. Now that they had come to the Northern Region, they naturally wanted to see it for themselves.
Ice Heart Valley was not close to the Ice Sea. Even with the tower ship artifact's impressive speed, it would take at least ten days to half a month to arrive. Fortunately, Bing Yun was something of a local here and knew the terrain of the Northern Region like the back of her hand. With her guidance, Yang Kai had no worries about losing their way.
After flying for about three to five days, Yang Kai, who had been meditating and resting in the ship's cabin, suddenly heard a commotion on the deck above. Startled, he had no idea what had happened and hurried up to the deck.
At that moment, Fan Xin and the others were all standing on the deck, their gazes fixed in one direction.
"What's going on?" Yang Kai asked with a frown.
"Senior Brother Yang!" Fan Xin saw Yang Kai arrive and immediately pointed in that direction. "Over there, people are fighting — and it's a whole group ganging up on a single woman. How utterly shameless."
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai promptly released his Divine Sense. Sure enough, he discovered that a dozen or so li away, a group of people was besieging a woman. Her cultivation was quite impressive — she was at Dao Source Stage Three — and her Source Force was incredibly abundant. The artifacts she wielded were of an equally high grade. So despite being alone, she was far from easy to take down.
Among her attackers, two were also at Dao Source Stage Three. But for reasons unknown, they seemed to be holding back and didn't press lethal attacks. They simply kept up the siege, apparently trying to wear her down and capture her alive once she was exhausted.
One glance was enough for Yang Kai to tell that this woman was undoubtedly a prodigious disciple from one of the great sects. Her strength was on par with the likes of Xia Sheng and Wuchang, whom he already knew. In a life-or-death battle, they would be closely matched.
If the great sects of the Southern Region could produce rising stars like Xia Sheng and Wuchang, the Northern Region's sects would naturally be no less impressive. This woman was the best proof of that.
Yang Kai figured the group attacking her probably recognized who she was, which was why they were hesitant and didn't dare strike to kill. They simply wanted to capture her alive.
The thought flickered through his mind, and Yang Kai said indifferently, "Traveling through the Star Boundary, this kind of thing happens every day. Why bother with it?"
A group of people bullying a woman was indeed rather unscrupulous, but such scenes were countless throughout the Star Boundary. Yang Kai had no inclination to get involved. Besides, he felt that with the woman's strength, if she truly tried to flee for her life, this group might not be able to stop her. She was only trapped because she hadn't yet steeled herself to go all out.
"But Senior Brother Yang..." Fan Xin gazed at Yang Kai anxiously. "That woman is using Ice Heart Valley's secret techniques and cultivation methods. She could very well be a senior sister from the valley!"
"From Ice Heart Valley?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you sure?"
Fan Xin said urgently, "Of course! We've always practiced the techniques and methods Master taught us. I wouldn't mistake them. Our senior sister is in trouble — we can't just stand by and do nothing!"
Yang Kai observed the woman more carefully and confirmed that she was indeed using ice-type cultivation methods and techniques. The power unleashed by her artifacts was bitterly cold as well. It seemed Fan Xin was right. This woman was indeed from Ice Heart Valley.
But Ice Heart Valley was one of the top sects in the Northern Region. Its disciples rarely encountered anyone who dared provoke them while traveling through the north. How had this woman ended up in such a predicament? And who exactly were these people attacking her?
"Senior Brother..." Liu Xianyun also looked at Yang Kai with pleading eyes, her expression begging him to intervene. She was now considered an Ice Heart Valley disciple as well. Seeing a fellow disciple besieged by so many, she could hardly bear to watch. But her cultivation was far too low, so she could only place her hope in Yang Kai, wanting him to go and lend the woman a hand.
"Fine. Since she's from Ice Heart Valley, we can't just stand by." Yang Kai nodded. He formed a hand seal, and the tower ship immediately changed course, speeding toward the battlefield.
A dozen or so li was nothing for the tower ship — they arrived in mere breaths.
Below, the two warring parties sensed someone's approach and reacted differently.
The woman's slender brows furrowed slightly, a hint of worry in her expression. The group besieging her also wore unhappy looks. But both sides simultaneously ceased fighting and looked up at the tower ship.
Now that he was closer, Yang Kai realized that this Ice Heart Valley disciple was extraordinarily beautiful. A strand of cloud-like hair drifted gently in the wind. Her willow-leaf brows were as faint as mist, and her captivating eyes gleamed with every glance. Perhaps because of the battle, her breathing was slightly quickened, and her rosy cheeks glistened with a gorgeous blush. Her skin was exquisite — flawless white, fairer than frost or snow.
Her entire aura bore some resemblance to Bing Yun's — both were extraordinarily pure. And the faint beads of perspiration on her delicate nose only added to her stunning allure.
This woman was definitely from Ice Heart Valley.
Sensing the aura on her — so similar to Bing Yun's — Yang Kai was immediately certain. Standing on the deck, he gave her a slight nod.