There was really nothing Yang Kai could do against someone like this. If she were in her right mind, they could have sat down and talked — asked about her origins and background. But the way she was acting, completely unhinged, he couldn't even get a conversation going even if he wanted to.
Yang Kai's teeth itched with frustration, yet he didn't dare spook her.
This crazy woman appeared and vanished without a trace, and her concealment techniques were utterly bizarre. If he scared her off, finding her again in this vast Ancient Land would be nearly impossible.
Composing himself, Yang Kai forced a smile onto his face and did his best to look as harmless as possible. He beckoned toward her. "Come here!"
The crazy woman was completely unmoved, grinning from ear to ear as she repeated the same thing over and over: "Come catch me!"
She kept circling back and forth, apparently knowing only this one phrase, and seemed to never tire of it.
Yang Kai tried calling out several more times to no avail. He couldn't help but feel exasperated.
"Sir, try offering her something. See if she'll come over," Zhang Ruoxi suddenly suggested.
Yang Kai considered it and figured it wasn't a bad idea. He ducked his head and rummaged through his Space Ring, soon producing a bright red fruit. He had quite a collection of alchemy ingredients on hand now — most had been taken from those he'd killed, and some had come from the ancient medicinal garden he'd explored last time.
This Jade Sand Fruit was at least an Emperor-grade alchemy ingredient, and its appearance was naturally striking. It had also been cultivated for a proper length of time, so the moment he took it out, it released a rich, heady fragrance.
Yang Kai flipped his hand open, presenting the Jade Sand Fruit on his palm, and called toward her: "I've got something for you to eat. Come here, don't be afraid."
He looked exactly like some creepy uncle trying to lure away a little girl. He felt thoroughly disgusted with himself, but he had to keep up the act.
The crazy woman hanging upside down from the tree was immediately drawn to the fruit. Those bright, wide eyes of hers locked onto it without any attempt to hide the desire within. She even smacked her lips a couple of times, looking positively famished.
But whether it was instinct or something else, she remained incredibly wary. Despite the obvious longing on her face, she didn't rush over as Yang Kai had hoped.
Rustle, rustle…
The leaves shook, and the crazy woman vanished.
Yang Kai stood frozen in place. He immediately released his spiritual sense, trying to lock onto her. If she got away this time, in this boundless Ancient Land it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack — he'd have no idea where to start searching.
Rustle, rustle…
Another sound came from a different direction. Yang Kai turned to look and saw that the crazy woman had reappeared on the branch of another large tree, one hand resting against the trunk, standing there in perfect stillness.
Fast! Incredibly fast!
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed as he finally grasped the true extent of this woman's speed. He hadn't even managed to lock onto her before she'd appeared again, ghostlike and unpredictable.
But this time, she was considerably closer than before.
Yang Kai silently exhaled in relief, realizing the fruit had piqued her interest after all.
He smiled softly and gently extended the fruit forward. "Do you want it? If not, I'll eat it myself."
As he spoke, he pulled the fruit back and slowly brought it toward his own mouth.
Seeing this, the crazy woman panicked. She looked as though she wanted to lunge at him and snatch it away, yet something held her back. She paced back and forth along the branch but wouldn't come down.
Yang Kai's teeth itched with frustration. Steeling his heart, he opened his mouth and took a big bite out of the Jade Sand Fruit.
The moment the fruit broke open, his mouth flooded with moisture. After all, this was an Emperor-grade spirit fruit — the spiritual energy contained within was astonishing, and the flavor was excellent. The already enticing aroma grew even richer.
Chomp, chomp…
Yang Kai chewed away with tremendous relish, making exaggerated sounds as he ate, driving the crazy woman wild with desire.
She glanced at the Jade Sand Fruit again, and a flicker of resolve crossed her beautiful eyes. As though she had made some decision, she spun around and shot toward Yang Kai like a streak of white light, swift as lightning.
This was the moment Yang Kai had been waiting for. How could he let it pass? He hurled the spirit fruit straight at her, and at the same time reached out, his arm extending like a dragon, grabbing toward a certain spot in the void.
A figure flickered, and the crazy woman suddenly appeared not far in front of Yang Kai. Those gleaming eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the Jade Sand Fruit he had thrown, as though nothing else in the world existed for her.
The fruit flew toward her, and barring any accidents, it would strike her square on the forehead.
Though Yang Kai hadn't intended this to be a killing blow, it wasn't merely a casual toss either — he had infused it with a measure of Emperor Yuan, intending to throw the crazy woman off balance so he could follow up with his real move.
But at the critical moment, the crazy woman leaned her body back, dodging the fruit by the narrowest of margins. In the next instant, her delicate mouth opened wide, and she caught the fruit right between her teeth. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, brimming with unbridled delight.