Hearing this, Yang Kai said with some concern, "Is your Senior Brother Chi Xue with them? If he is, then we're in for serious trouble."
Chi Xue was a seventh-level expert in the Zhenyuan Realm and had even subdued a sixth-rank demon beast, making him very difficult to deal with.
Zi Mo sighed. "Let's hope he's not."
An hour later, the three finally reached their destination. Zi Mo slid off Yang Kai's back, gave him a grateful look, straightened her clothes and disheveled hair, then walked forward with a cold, frosty expression.
From a distance, Yang Kai saw numerous demon beasts and over a dozen figures gathered together.
As Zi Mo approached, two people stood up from the group—it was Yao He and Yao Xi from the Senluo Hall. The man and woman looked over with smirks, showing not a trace of guilt. At a command, over a hundred demon beasts spread out, completely surrounding Zi Mo's army of beasts.
"So, Senior Sister has finally arrived," Yao He said flippantly, showing no respect for Zi Mo whatsoever. He greeted her with a light laugh, and Yao Xi also giggled, looking at Zi Mo disdainfully.
"Isn't it you who called me here?" Zi Mo replied, her expression icy. She stopped about thirty feet from them.
Three disciples from the Senluo Hall faced off, the air thick with tension.
Yang Kai stood behind Zi Mo and swept his gaze across, spotting many familiar faces.
About fifty feet away, four young women from the Wanhuagong were sitting dejectedly on the ground. Ye Qingsi and Zhou Ba from the Xiuluo Gate, Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu from the Yingyue Gate—were all huddled together. Besides them, disciples from various sects like the Shuangzi Island, Shuiyue Hall, Wenxin Palace, and Feiyu Pavilion also still had survivors.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu gave him bitter smiles, sharing a silent understanding of their shared plight.
Yang Kai nodded slightly in greeting. Their group had only sixteen or seventeen left, though the original number must have been higher. Many must have died during this time.
"You two, get lost over there!" Yao He barked at Yang Kai and Leng Shan, pointing imperiously.
Zi Mo gave a slight nod.
Yang Kai then walked over with Leng Shan toward Chen Xueshu and the others.
When the groups converged, one of the Wanhuagong girls sighed softly at Yang Kai. "You didn't escape the bad luck either."
Yang Kai smiled. "No, I didn't. May I ask for your name?"
The last time they met, when Wu Chengyi was causing trouble for him, this girl from Wanhuagong had spoken up for him. Yang Kai still had a favorable impression of her. The four sisters were each uniquely beautiful, like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, sitting together making a lovely sight.
The girl gave a bitter smile. "Han Xiaoqi!"
Another girl, who looked a bit more playful, immediately pouted. "You're a prisoner, and yet you still have the mood to ask for a girl's name? Doesn't look like you're a good person."
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow at her. "Isn't there a saying that men are by nature lecherous? And I still haven't asked for your name..."
The girl pouted. "Ye Han!"
Over there, Ye Qingsi smiled coyly. "We share the same surname. If we make it back alive, I'll definitely become sworn sisters with Sister Han."
Han Xiaoqi cheerfully introduced the other two junior sisters: a quieter one named Hua Ruoyin, and a more alluring one named Liu Qingru.
All fellow travelers in misfortune. With Yang Kai as a newcomer, the others introduced themselves as well.
Feng Qianhen from the Shuiyue Hall, Zuo Fang and Li Xinyuan from the Wenxin Palace, Chu Jingshan from the Feiyu Pavilion...
Elite disciples from various sects gathered together, creating a lively scene that temporarily dispelled the worry and fear of recent days.
"Hmph, on the brink of death, and you're still in the mood for pleasantries. Talk about that after you've survived," an ill-timed voice interrupted the laughter, sounding extremely grating.
Yang Kai turned his head to look. He saw a man smirking at him mockingly.
Yang Kai's eyes flickered, but he paid it no mind.
Ye Qingsi scoffed coldly. "Bi Xiuming, ever since we were caught, you've been dumping cold water every other day. What's your point?"
Bi Xiuming sneered. "No point. Just because a piece of trash showed up, you're all this happy? Don't tell me you expect him to save us?"
Chen Xueshu frowned. "If you think there's no hope of survival, you can always end it yourself. Why rain on everyone's parade? And don't slander Brother Yang. He's just at a lower cultivation level, that's all."
Bi Xiuming didn't respond, but another person beside him chuckled. "Low level means trash! I honestly have no idea how a waste like him has survived this long. He should have died ages ago. Why bother clinging to a wretched existence?"
This person was likely from the same sect as Bi Xiuming, his senior brother, so naturally they stood on the same side.
Han Xiaoqi's voice turned cold. "You two talk too much."
Ye Han, Hua Ruoyin, and Liu Qingru also glared at him angrily.
Bi Xiuming and his companion, though they looked down on Yang Kai, didn't want to face the group's collective anger. They snorted and said nothing more.
Their disruption completely shattered the original atmosphere, leaving everyone feeling heavy-hearted.
Ye Han puffed out her cheeks to comfort him. "You're Yang Kai, right? Don't mind them. Those two are pessimistic and negative all day; they can't stand seeing others in a good mood."
Yang Kai shook his head. "I'm not bothered. Just treat it as a dog barking."