The Emperor Transcendence Pill had always been an exceedingly rare commodity. Even though Feng Xi was the Young Sect Master of the Ask Love Sect, it was impossible for him to have more than one such pill in his possession. He had already used his, and without an Emperor Transcendence Pill, Feng Xi was nothing more than a sickly cat—hardly worth Yang Kai's attention.
Before ever setting foot in the Shattered Star Sea, he had been able to crush warriors of the same realm with ease, an existence virtually unrivaled among the Dao Origin Realm. And within the Shattered Star Sea, he had comprehended the Emperor of Age's divine ability and subdued the Mountain and River Bell. Both his spiritual sense and his Source Power had grown enormously.
Yang Kai believed that if he were to face that Emperor Transcendence Pill again now, things would not end as disastrously as last time.
"Senior Brother Yang, you must not let your guard down. Feng Xi is not what he used to be…" The Ice Heart Valley female disciple hurriedly warned him when she saw the dismissive look on Yang Kai's face.
But before she could finish, Yang Kai suddenly raised his head and stared toward a certain direction in the void, calling out in a low voice: "They're here!"
"They're here?" The three Ice Heart Valley female disciples exchanged startled glances, all looking in the direction he indicated. But even when they extended their spiritual senses, they could detect nothing.
Yang Kai smiled faintly. "My Star Mark is a Seven-Pointed Star Mark, so the range at which I can sense things is far greater than yours."
"Feng Xi also has a Seven-Pointed Star Mark!" One of the Ice Heart Valley disciples went pale. "If Senior Brother Yang can sense them, then Feng Xi must have sensed us too. How many are there?"
"Two," Yang Kai said. "Which means there should be three in total."
If Feng Xi bore a Seven-Pointed Star Mark, Yang Kai naturally would not be able to sense his presence. What puzzled him, however, was the fact that Feng Xi had managed to obtain a Seven-Pointed Star Mark at all. How had he done that?
Yang Kai had collected the Star Marks left behind by dozens of dead warriors in the spatial rift before he had earned his own Seven-Pointed Star Mark. Could Feng Xi have killed dozens of people? His strength was certainly nothing to scoff at, but was he really that powerful? The warriors in the Shattered Star Sea were not easy prey by any means.
While he was still puzzling over this, Yang Kai's spiritual sense swept across and caught the auras of three figures heading rapidly in their direction. One of them felt particularly familiar—undoubtedly Feng Xi himself.
In the next instant, Yang Kai's eyes widened in shock. "When did… when did Feng Xi advance to the Emperor Realm?"
He could clearly detect the unmistakable aura of an Emperor surrounding Feng Xi. Although the power within his body was not yet fully stabilized, there was no doubt—he had already broken through to the Emperor Realm.
This discovery shocked him even more than learning that Zi Yu had been attempting her breakthrough here.
He had only been inside the spatial rift for a year and a half, and yet such enormous changes had taken place in the outside world?
First Zi Yu had begun her breakthrough, and now Feng Xi had already advanced to the Emperor Realm. What about the other geniuses of the great sects? Could they have all advanced already, or were they in the process of doing so?
"Exactly because Feng Xi has already advanced to the Emperor Realm," the Ice Heart Valley disciple said with a bitter smile. "We were absolutely no match and could only flee in disarray. Fortunately, his foundation isn't fully stabilized yet—otherwise, we would have had no escape at all."
Understanding dawned on Yang Kai. Now he understood why she had said Feng Xi was not what he used to be.
The Dao Origin Realm and the Emperor Realm might be separated by only a single level, but the gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth.
"Senior Brother Yang, you should leave quickly!" the Ice Heart Valley disciple urged. "Feng Xi has a grudge against you. If he sees you, he'll definitely not let it go."
"And what happens to you if I leave?" Yang Kai glanced at her.
The woman spoke up: "Feng Xi has been chasing us all this time not because he wants to kill us. He's only trying to force Senior Sister to submit. So we're not actually in any mortal danger."
Yang Kai replied: "Even if Feng Xi doesn't intend to kill you, Zi Yu is in the middle of her breakthrough right now. Do you really think Feng Xi will just stand by and watch?"
The Ask Love Sect cultivated through the Dao of Emotion. For Feng Xi to possess Zi Yu, he needed an absolute suppression of strength. So no matter what, he would not allow Zi Yu to complete her breakthrough successfully—he would definitely interfere. Because once she broke through successfully, he would no longer have any advantage.
But at a moment this critical, how could anyone be allowed to interrupt?
If the intruder controlled their power with perfect precision, they could force Zi Yu's breakthrough to fail without taking her life. But if they miscalculated even slightly, Zi Yu would die right there beneath the heavenly tribulation.
Either outcome was something Zi Yu could not accept.
The three Ice Heart Valley female disciples had clearly considered this as well, because after Yang Kai finished speaking, all three wore expressions of deep worry, uncertain what to do.
"Perhaps… we could take Senior Sister's place and make Feng Xi back off?" one of them proposed, though her voice was laced with bitterness.
The other two went pale but said nothing.
Yang Kai snorted coldly. "Not to crush your hopes, and it's not because you aren't attractive, but consider this: Feng Xi has countless wives and concubines—what kind of beautiful woman hasn't he seen? He's set his sights on Zi Yu, and he won't give up easily. Zi Yu has become an obsession in his mind, one he feels he must overcome. None of you three can replace her in that regard."
"Then what do we do? Fight them to the death?"
Yang Kai let out a soft, cold laugh and said calmly: "Don't worry. If they really dare to come, I'll make sure they never leave."
At those words, all three women stared at Yang Kai in stunned astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief.