Earth Sword Thunder Fall was a Secret Art, and it was one owned by someone Yang Kai knew.
This Secret Art consisted of three moves — Human Sword Cyclone Annihilation, Earth Sword Thunder Fall, and Heaven Sword Star Shatter — each stronger than the last, and when all three were combined, their power was truly boundless.
The one who had mastered this Secret Art was Xiao Baiyi of the Azure Sun Temple. Back in the Years God Temple within the Four Seasons Domain, Yang Kai had fought Xiao Baiyi and experienced the might of this Secret Art firsthand, so his memory of it was still fresh.
Now, upon seeing someone actually deploy this Secret Art here in the Origin Sea, his attention was immediately captured.
He turned to look, and amid the chaotic battlefield, a figure clad in flowing white robes instantly caught his eye — who else could it be but Xiao Baiyi?
Ever since Yang Kai had known the guy, he had always worn white — dashing and cold, as was his way. But right now, he appeared to be in a bad spot, surrounded and besieged on all sides, with spots of crimson blood staining his white garments in an almost jarring display.
And there was another familiar figure fighting alongside him.
Murong Xiaoxiao!
These two elite Disciples of the Azure Sun Temple stood back to back atop a small island, each unleashing their Secret Arts to ward off attacks from every direction. The island they occupied wasn't large — just big enough for the two of them to stand on.
Both were elites among elites. After a few years apart, they had each reached the peak of the third-stage Dao Source Realm. Yet despite their impressive cultivation, they were severely outnumbered, and their situation was dire. Blood arrows sprayed from Xiao Baiyi's body at irregular intervals, while Murong Xiaoxiao's once-neat hair had become disheveled, sweat soaking her robes until they clung tightly to her slender, full figure.
When Yang Kai took in this scene, he noticed that the attackers hadn't completely sealed off their escape routes. In other words, Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao still had a chance to flee.
It was just that neither of them had any intention of running. One wore an expression of cold determination; the other burned with frustration and indignation. They held their ground, pouring everything they had into the fight.
They were fighting over territory!
Yang Kai understood at a glance. The ground that Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao occupied had clearly caught the eye of that group, so they had come to seize it. The attackers had probably intended to bully the few with their many, but after exchanging blows, they had discovered that Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao were not so easy to deal with.
And that deliberate gap in the encirclement? That was meant as an escape route for Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao. Besiege a city but leave one gate open — that was the principle at work here. The attackers didn't want a fight to the death; they just wanted to drive the two away.
Unfortunately, Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao had absolutely no intention of fleeing, and the battle had escalated to a fever pitch.
Yang Kai immediately turned and rushed toward them.
He was, after all, a registered Disciple of the Azure Sun Temple. Wen Zishan and Gao Xueting had shown him every kindness, and he had some familiarity with both Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao. How could he just walk away when he stumbled upon something like this?
As if sensing Yang Kai's movement, a long-faced elder among the besiegers called out: "This is your last chance — leave, or don't!"
Murong Xiaoxiao gritted her silver teeth and snapped: "If you want to steal our spot, you'll have to kill us first!"
Xiao Baiyi said nothing at all. His longsword bloomed with petals of sword light, and the lethal killing intent within spoke a silent answer.
"Fine. The heavenly road is wide, yet you refuse to walk it. There is no gate to hell, yet you insist on throwing yourselves in. Since that's the case, don't blame us for showing no mercy!" As he spoke, the long-faced elder made a hand signal to the others, his expression grim and ruthless — clearly, he had no intention of dragging things out any longer and wanted to finish this quickly.
The others took the hint. Their auras shifted, and their attacks grew far more decisive and vicious.
Xiao Baiyi and Murong Xiaoxiao both felt their expressions darken. The pressure was crushing.
As for the long-faced elder himself, he blurred forward to intercept Yang Kai, cupping his fists from a distance: "The Star Plucking Sect of the Western Domain is conducting business here, friend. I'd appreciate it if you'd save face and take a different path!"
"Oh? You're from the Star Plucking Sect?" Not only did Yang Kai not slow down, but he actually picked up speed, looking visibly pleased.
"That's right. And you are?" The long-faced elder's brow furrowed at Yang Kai's response. He had assumed Yang Kai might be a fellow martial artist from the Western Domain, and couldn't help studying him with suspicion, wondering which sect or school he hailed from.
Yang Kai declared with evident relish: "I'm from the Yama Hall!"
"Yama Hall?" The long-faced elder's face was full of bewilderment. He racked his brain, but there was no sect in the Western Domain called the Yama Hall. Then, almost immediately, realization dawned, and his expression turned cold: "Are you making a fool of me, friend?"
A name like "Yama Hall" practically begged for trouble — no sane sect would ever use it. It was obvious that Yang Kai was making things up on the spot.
Yang Kai replied with a grin: "Not at all! I really am from the Yama Hall..." At that point, his face darkened and he said in a chilling voice: "The King of Hell sent me to collect your miserable lives!"
The long-faced elder's expression shifted as he bellowed: "You little brat, you're courting death!"
He surged the Origin Power within his body, his hands rapidly forming intricate seals as he thrust both palms toward Yang Kai, seemingly intent on delivering a swift lesson.
But what truly horrified him was that Yang Kai vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
This eerie sight sent a jolt of shock through the elder — he had not detected even the slightest trace of how Yang Kai had disappeared.
In the next instant, a bone-chilling sensation surged up from the soles of his feet, making him wonder if he had truly encountered a ghost.
But before that thought had even fully formed, Yang Kai's face reappeared before him — barely three inches away, their faces nearly pressed together.
"Hss—" The long-faced elder sucked in a sharp breath. Without a second thought, he tapped his foot to retreat swiftly, while simultaneously surging his Origin Power outward, transforming it into a visible barrier of energy that coiled around his body as a shield.