As they walked through the dense forest, Zi Mo gazed at Yang Kai's back with a complicated expression.
Several times she opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again, unsure of what to say.
A wordless silence hung between them. Yang Kai simply surged forward at a rapid pace, occasionally pausing to frown in thought, scanning his surroundings left and right, before suddenly setting off once more.
Zi Mo followed behind him like a shadow, never letting the distance between them grow by even a step.
After a full day, Zi Mo could no longer tolerate the silence. With a stubborn huff, she halted mid-stride and planted herself in place.
Yang Kai had already bounded several hundred zhang ahead before he noticed something was wrong. He quickly doubled back and found Zi Mo still standing there, her chin tilted slightly upward as she stared at him coldly.
"What are you doing?" Yang Kai frowned, his expression clearly displeased.
"I should be asking you that," Zi Mo shot back, her shapely chest heaving. The harsh words left her mouth, but her voice softened almost involuntarily. "You didn't actually need to do this."
"Do what?" Yang Kai looked at her with genuine puzzlement.
"Separate from those people! As long as you're with them, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to your own safety. Right now, in this foreign territory, apart from you, me, and that group, the only other experts left are my senior brother and Wu Chengyi. With their strength and numbers, they don't need to fear my senior brother or Wu Chengyi at all. So splitting off from them was incredibly unwise!"
Yang Kai looked her up and down, a strange smile slowly spreading across his face.
"You don't actually think I separated from them because I was worried about your situation, do you?" he said, frowning.
A faint blush crept across Zi Mo's cheeks. She met his gaze directly and countered, "Isn't that the case?"
"You think too highly of yourself," Yang Kai scoffed with contempt. "You're a martial artist from the Heavenly Wolf. Just yesterday, we were mortal enemies. No matter how well you've behaved, deep down you still want to take my life. You show no mercy, so why should I? Why would I care whether you live or die?"
Zi Mo seethed with fury. Her chest rose and fell sharply as she gritted out, "Since you took control of me, what have I done wrong? I know you're a proud man who never admits anything. But did you have to be so heartless about it?"
When he'd killed Bi Xiuming, it had been the same. He'd certainly been angry about Bi Xiuming's earlier insults and contempt, but part of it had also been to stand up for her. Yet the man stubbornly refused to admit it. Zi Mo was clever enough—she simply took whatever he said at face value and never called him out on it, saving him the embarrassment.
But now he was saying this again. Was his pride really that important?
"Is there anything between us?" Yang Kai chuckled, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around Zi Mo's waist. His other hand shamelessly roamed over the smooth, supple skin at her side.
Zi Mo quickly raised both hands to press against his chest, arching her upper body backward. A wave of tingling numbness radiated from her waist, sending a chill through her heart. She frowned and snapped coldly, "What are you doing?"
"You said I'm heartless. Let me show you some feeling," Yang Kai said, his hand growing even bolder.
"Let go of me!" Zi Mo's expression turned icy.
Yang Kai grinned, then released her without further fuss, stepping back with an air of casual nonchalance.
Zi Mo immediately retreated several paces, putting distance between them, her face taut with vigilance and wariness.
"You're not wrong," Yang Kai suddenly nodded. "Part of the reason I split from them was indeed because I was worried about your situation…"
In the midst of her irritation, a small flicker of warmth passed through Zi Mo's eyes.
"After all, you're under my control. You could say you're my servant. If you lose face, I lose face too, right?"
Zi Mo's lovely face went cold all over again.
Damn this wretched man! she cursed inwardly, seething with silent resentment.
"But… that's not the main reason!" Yang Kai held up a finger and wagged it.
"Then what is the main reason?" Zi Mo took a deep breath and asked.
"I'm going to find Wu Chengyi!" A flash of vicious intent crossed Yang Kai's face. "And I'm going to kill him!"
Wu Chengyi had sent his junior brother to take Yang Kai's life, and Yang Kai was not the sort to let that slide. Every grievance has its source, every debt its debtor—Wu Chengyi had to pay for what he'd done.
As a prized disciple of the Nine Star Sword Sect, his status was undoubtedly high. Once he escaped this foreign territory, killing him outside would be nearly impossible. Yang Kai intended to settle the matter right here.
Opportunity knocks but once.
Besides, Wu Chengyi was certain to have treasures like the Scarlet Flame Liquid on him, and Yang Kai certainly wasn't going to pass that up.
The Scarlet Flame Liquid was of no further use to him personally, but it would be invaluable to others. However, if he stayed with the group, even if he killed Wu Chengyi, the Scarlet Flame Liquid wouldn't be enough to go around.
Yang Kai wanted it all for himself.
"You've got some nerve. Anyone who managed to escape my senior brother alive must be extraordinarily powerful. I won't deny that you yourself are formidable, but do you really think you can beat Wu Chengyi?" Zi Mo stared at Yang Kai as though he were a monster, her face a picture of disbelief. She couldn't help but think this man was reckless beyond reason.
"Whether I can beat him or not, I won't know until I try," Yang Kai snorted lightly, then looked at Zi Mo with a meaningful gaze. "That's precisely why I brought you along. What did you think I dragged you out here for?"