Qi Hefeng clasped his fists solemnly. "Thank you, sir!"
Though Yang Kai's intervention was partly born of necessity, anyone who could repel the specters and ghost creatures was a savior to them all. A word of gratitude from Qi Hefeng was the least he could offer.
"You lot fall back and provide support from the rear!" Yang Kai called out. His figure flickered, and in the next instant he had appeared in front of the four who were holding the cave entrance.
At his words, the four retreated behind him with almost comical haste, their feet practically sliding across the floor as they withdrew.
The moment they pulled back, the countless specters roared in unison, surging inward with frenzied hunger. Their faces were twisted and hideous, and the sight of them had everyone holding their breath for Yang Kai—no one was sure whether he could truly hold them off alone.
The Emperor Realm was formidable, no question, but Yang Kai had been fighting here for a day and a half. He had to have taken some toll.
Now he was the only hope anyone could see. Naturally, not a single person wanted anything to happen to him.
Under the watchful eyes of every person in the cave, Yang Kai stood as immovable as a mountain. He did not so much as flinch until the specters were a bare three inches from his face—only then did his Soul Power erupt outward like a tsunami.
Boom…
An invisible wall seemed to materialize before Yang Kai, halting the charge of the specters in its tracks. Not a single one could draw any closer. Moreover, under wave after wave of invisible, rending force, the specters began dissolving at an astonishing rate, emitting shrill, pitiful wails.
The scene was like snowflakes drifting from the sky meeting the blazing sun—wherever the light passed, the snow melted without a trace.
But that was not all. Yang Kai swept the Million Sword across the void, and overwhelming arcs of sword radiance erupted outward, scything in every direction like comets chasing the moon.
Once again, specters were annihilated by the dozens.
While such attacks were less effective against specters than Divine Sense–based techniques, Yang Kai was an Emperor Realm cultivator wielding an Emperor-grade treasure. The power behind his strikes was nothing to scoff at.
Ordinary specters and Ghost Generals disintegrated on contact, reduced to nothing but ash. Only a handful of powerful Ghost Commanders managed to cling to their existence—but even they were forced to retreat, giving Yang Kai a wide berth.
Seeing this, the spirits of everyone inside the cave surged. The faint haze of despair in their eyes vanished, replaced by rousing excitement.
"Friend, you don't look well." Qi Hefeng suddenly turned his head toward a man with a sour, bitter expression standing nearby, his face full of concern. "Your injuries—that serious?"
The bitter-faced man's eyes flickered with a trace of panic, though he quickly masked it. He shook his head. "Thank you for your concern, Brother Qi. The injuries aren't that severe. A bit of rest and I'll be fine."
Qi Hefeng gave a mild smile. "Good to hear. With this gentleman fighting for us, our lives are surely safe. Once this crisis has passed, he'll be a savior to us all."
The bitter-faced man couldn't figure out why Qi Hefeng was chattering at him like this. Annoyed though he was, he could only force a smile. "Indeed."
Qi Hefeng went on. "Which sect is your friend from?"
"None," the man replied. "No sect, no faction. I travel alone."
Qi Hefeng raised an eyebrow. "You reached the third layer of the Dao Source Realm on your own? You must be quite talented. Ever thought about joining the Qi Family Fortress?"
"You flatter me, Brother Qi. But I'm used to living free. I have no interest in joining any organization at the moment."
"Fair enough." Qi Hefeng smiled faintly and said nothing more, turning his attention back to Yang Kai.
The bitter-faced man frowned slightly and stole a glance at Qi Hefeng. The man's expression was perfectly normal—as if their exchange had truly been nothing more than idle small talk. Only then did the bitter-faced man relax.
At the cave entrance, Yang Kai held the pass alone, sweeping his blade left and right. Wherever his sword radiance passed, specters scattered.
Occasionally a few stragglers slipped through, but they were intercepted and cut down by the fighters supporting from the rear long before they could penetrate to the cave's interior.
Everyone relaxed considerably, the earlier anxiety and unease melting away.
As long as Yang Kai could keep this up, they would surely survive this ordeal. The Emperor Realm really was on another level—more than a few faces in the crowd wore expressions of awe and reverence. The only fear was that Yang Kai might not be able to hold on forever. After all, even the strongest had their limits.
In fact, their concerns proved justified before long.
Half a day later, everyone could clearly tell that Yang Kai's attacks were no longer as sharp as before. Whether it was the sword radiance or the Soul Power strikes, their potency had diminished markedly. The most obvious sign was that more and more specters were slipping past.
But this was hardly surprising. The fact that Yang Kai alone had held on for half a day was itself a testament to his overwhelming power. After all, four people working together had only managed to last the time it took for a stick of incense to burn.
Another half day passed. Yang Kai's sword hand began to tremble, and his face had turned slightly pale. Anyone could see he was approaching his limit.
Qi Hefeng rose to his feet. "Sir, please pull back and rest for a while. Leave the rest to us."
"Please, sir—if you collapse, none of us will survive. You must rest!" the others hastened to echo, urging him on.
Their concern for Yang Kai was not entirely genuine. It was simply that Yang Kai was the only pillar holding everything together. Without him, the odds of anyone else surviving were vanishingly small.
Hearing this, Yang Kai considered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well!"
He had held the entrance for a full day. The others had mostly recovered their strength. Even if he withdrew now, they could hold out for a while.
Just then, the howling wind that had been roaring outside the cave suddenly diminished—dramatically so.
Everyone froze, peering intently out of the cave mouth.