Cao Yang forced himself upright, staring at Yang Kai with a mixture of wariness and disbelief. By now he had no illusions—Dong Shan's injury hadn't been the result of a sneak attack. Even in a straightforward exchange, Dong Shan had been no match for this young man at all.
When had the Northern Domain produced such a monstrous youth? Which sect did he belong to? They were both at the Dao Yuan Stage Three level, yet he hadn't been able to withstand a single move. If a man like this reached the Emperor Realm, how terrifying would his strength become?
The names and faces of every promising young cultivator from the major sects flashed through his mind, but not one of them matched the young man standing before him.
"Friend, where do you come from? I'd ask that you leave your name—the Wenqing Sect will surely pay a visit in the future!" Realizing he was no match for Yang Kai, Cao Yang could only invoke his sect's name in hopes of making the young man think twice, lest the fellow develop a killing intent and none of them escaped alive.
Fan Xin let out a cold snort. "Where's the bullying bravado you had just now? Several big men ganging up on a woman—how impressive the Wenqing Sect is."
Her barbed sarcasm left the Wenqing Sect group looking thoroughly humiliated. Every last one of them wore an ugly expression, but with their strength inferior to the enemy and their two strongest fighters gravely wounded, they had no backbone left to stand on. Their faces burned with shame, and their hearts seethed with silent fury.
"It wouldn't hurt to tell you—we're—" Before Fan Xin could finish, Yang Kai waved a hand and cut her off.
He remained standing on the deck, having not moved an inch from start to finish, and gazed down at them with a flat tone. "We are simply travelers passing through."
"Passing through!" Cao Yang gritted his blood-soaked teeth, understanding that Yang Kai had no intention of revealing his origins. With inferior strength, he couldn't force the matter. He simply stared hard at Yang Kai, as if committing his face to memory, then cupped his fists and called out in a deep voice, "A fine move, friend—Cao has learned his lesson today. Since you've stepped forward, we'll withdraw. I hope you all take care!"
With those parting words, he waved a hand and led the Wenqing Sect cultivators away swiftly.
Fan Xin gritted her pearly teeth, her face tight with indignation. But seeing that Yang Kai had no intention of cutting down the grass and pulling up the roots, she held her tongue.
After the group had gone, Yang Kai spoke in his usual even tone. "The Wenqing Sect is one of the Northern Domain's top-tier powers. With our current standing, it isn't appropriate to openly fall out with them."
If they had actually killed that group, the Ice Heart Valley and the Wenqing Sect would almost certainly have gone to war. Once two top-tier sects clashed, the entire Northern Domain would be dragged into the flames.
What Yang Kai could not fathom was why the Wenqing Sect had been harassing that Ice Heart Valley disciple in the first place.
"Thank you for your help, Senior Brother. May I ask your name? Ziyu will surely repay this debt someday!" The young woman below cupped her fists toward Yang Kai and asked gratefully. If Yang Kai hadn't intervened this time, she might have escaped on her own, but it would have cost her dearly. She held a forbidden technique in her arsenal—once unleashed, Cao Yang's group would never have stopped her. But after using that technique, she wouldn't be able to draw upon her strength for three full months. At that point, fleeing the Northern Domain would be utterly impossible.
"Senior Sister, we're all family here—no need to stand on ceremony." Fan Xin smiled warmly at the girl called Ziyu, her manner brimming with friendliness.
"Family?" Ziyu's delicate brows drew together, unsure what Fan Xin meant.
Fan Xin beamed and pointed to the several women aboard the ship. "We're from the Ice Heart Valley too. From the secret techniques and cultivation methods you just used, you must be one of ours as well. So we really are all family."
They had only returned to the Northern Domain a few days ago, yet here they had already encountered a fellow disciple—one of considerable strength at that. Fan Xin was naturally delighted and made no effort to conceal it, directly revealing their own identities.
But to her surprise, the moment Ziyu heard those words, her beautiful face changed. Deep within her dark eyes, a sharp wariness arose, and without drawing attention, she took several steps backward, biting her red lip. "You've come to capture me?"
Fan Xin was stunned. "Senior Sister, what are you talking about?"
Ziyu said, "Since we are fellow disciples, I won't lay a hand on you. Go back and tell my master that Ziyu has brought trouble upon her—that Ziyu is unfilial. When the day comes that Ziyu has achieved true cultivation, I will return to the Ice Heart Valley to fulfill my duty!"
With that, her slender body swayed and she transformed into a streak of radiant light that shot into the distance, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai and the others were left exchanging bewildered glances, utterly baffled.
"What is that Senior Sister doing?" Fan Xin's brows knitted tightly. They had rescued her from danger—she hadn't even offered proper thanks, but the moment she heard they were from the Ice Heart Valley, she had grown wary and agitated, spouting a string of incomprehensible words. It made no sense at all.
"Something must have happened to the Ice Heart Valley," Yang Kai said gravely.
Fan Xin started, staring at Yang Kai in surprise. "How do you know, Senior Brother Yang?"
Yang Kai replied, "The Ice Heart Valley and the Wenqing Sect are both among the Northern Domain's foremost powers. Under normal circumstances, there shouldn't be any conflict between them. But just now, a group of Wenqing Sect cultivators was besieging this Ziyu—that alone is deeply irregular. Combine that with what Ziyu said before she left…"
Fan Xin's expression shifted again and again, and she began to understand, at least vaguely.
Why Ziyu had been attacked by the Wenqing Sect, and why she had become so guarded upon learning they were Ice Heart Valley disciples—it all pointed to one conclusion: something momentous had happened within the Ice Heart Valley.