"Vice Sect Master of the Wenqing Sect?" Yang Kai was taken aback, a figure quickly surfacing in his mind. He said in a deep voice, "Yao Zhuo?"
Bing Yun nodded. "That's right, it's him!"
Ji Yao, who had been silent until now, asked in surprise, "You know Yao Zhuo?"
Yang Kai nodded. "Last time I came to Ice Heart Valley, I had quite a few run-ins with him."
The last time he had visited Ice Heart Valley, he had happened to arrive during the marriage alliance between the Wenqing Sect and Ice Heart Valley. The Young Sect Master of the Wenqing Sect, Feng Xi, had taken a fancy to Zi Yu and had done everything in his power to possess her. Ice Heart Valley, under pressure, had been forced to agree to the match.
It was that very Yao Zhuo who had led Feng Xi to Ice Heart Valley to claim his bride.
At the time, Yao Zhuo had been a Second-Order Emperor Realm cultivator, while Yang Kai had only been at the Third-Order Dao Source Realm. The gap between their strength had been enormous.
Yet Yao Zhuo had still been injured by the Emperor Truncation Pill that Bing Yun had gifted Yang Kai. Sealed within that pill was Ice Heart Valley's secret technique — the Frost Blossom Sword.
Later still, Yang Kai had even snatched Yao Zhuo's Space Ring. Inside that ring had been the betrothal gifts prepared by the Wenqing Sect, which had truly made Yang Kai a wealthy man overnight.
That had only been a few years ago, so Yang Kai's memory of it was still fresh. The moment Bing Yun mentioned the Vice Sect Master of the Wenqing Sect, it all came back to him.
On the other side, Zhangsun Ying's lips moved silently as she transmitted a voice to Ji Yao, quietly recounting what had happened a few years prior.
After hearing it, Ji Yao was left speechless. She had suddenly realized that Yang Kai was practically a bandit — back when he was only at the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, he had robbed a Second-Order Emperor Realm cultivator's Space Ring, and more recently in the Primordial Ancient Land, he had extorted vast quantities of wealth from the four great Holy Venerables.
The man was simply born to be a bandit.
"How did Yao Zhuo suddenly advance to the Third-Order Emperor Realm?" Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly.
A few years ago, Yao Zhuo had been at the Second-Order Emperor Realm, but breaking through at that level was by no means easy — especially once one reached the Emperor Realm, where breakthroughs often eluded cultivators for hundreds or even thousands of years.
In such a short time, Yao Zhuo's cultivation should not have improved that quickly by any reasonable measure.
Bing Yun shook her head. "I don't know either. Perhaps he had his own fortuitous encounter." She sighed and continued, "Originally, Ice Heart Valley and the Wenqing Sect were indeed evenly matched. But ever since Yao Zhuo broke through to the Third-Order Emperor Realm, that balance was shattered. I cannot withstand the combined forces of Feng Xuan and Yao Zhuo, and Ice Heart Valley has naturally been suppressed. Add to that the lackeys the Wenqing Sect has recruited, and Ice Heart Valley appears rather isolated and outnumbered."
Yang Kai nodded. "What does Senior plan to do then? Just remain hidden inside the valley indefinitely?"
Bing Yun shook her head. "For the moment, there's no good solution. We can only rely on the Sect-Protecting Grand Array to hold out for a while."
"The Sect-Protecting Grand Array probably won't hold for much longer," Yang Kai said gravely.
"What do you mean?" Bing Yun was alarmed.
Yang Kai explained, "Earlier, Junior Sister Ji Yao and I encountered this person outside. According to what he said, the Wenqing Sect has hired some sort of Master Nanmen who is researching ways to break the array. Apparently he's a grandmaster of formations. Has Senior ever heard of this person?"
"Master Nanmen..." Bing Yun's delicate brows furrowed.
An Ruoyun cried out in surprise, "Nanmen Dajun?"
Sun Yunxiu and Zhangsun Ying also paled, as if they knew exactly who this Master Nanmen was.
Bing Yun cast an inquiring gaze toward An Ruoyun. An Ruoyun quickly said, "Master, this Nanmen Dajun is indeed a formation grandmaster, renowned throughout the Northern Domain. His attainments in the art of formations are truly extraordinary."
Bing Yun's expression shifted as well. "Who is this person, and what is his relationship with the Wenqing Sect?"
She had been away from the Northern Domain for so long that the name Nanmen Dajun had genuinely never reached her ears.
An Ruoyun replied, "He shouldn't have any ties to the Wenqing Sect. From what this disciple knows, Nanmen Dajun came from humble origins. In his early years, he apparently obtained a rare tome on formations. He taught himself and rose to prominence entirely on his own, with no sect backing whatsoever. And perhaps because he suffered hardships and was bullied in his youth, the man has always been greedy for wealth — he only recognizes money, not people. As long as the price is right, anyone can hire him."
Sun Yunxiu nodded as well. "It's just that he's always been elusive and rarely seen. I never expected the Wenqing Sect actually managed to track him down. They must have paid quite a steep price."
Bing Yun's expression grew solemn. "Yang Kai, is this information reliable?"
Yang Kai said, "I only heard it from him. Whether it's accurate or not, Senior can ask for yourself."
As he spoke, he kicked Fang Minghui, who had been lying on the ground the entire time. He let out a cold snort. "Get up. Play dead one more time and I'll make it real."
Fang Minghui, who had been feigning unconsciousness, shuddered all over and scrambled to his feet. His face pale, he clasped his fists and said, "Greetings, Senior Bing Yun. Greetings, esteemed Goddesses. This humble one is Fang Minghui, from the Fang Family of Shuangyu City. I have absolutely no connection to the Wenqing Sect — I beg the honored seniors to see clearly."
It was unclear when he had woken up, but he had obviously overheard much of the preceding conversation, which was how he knew that the one seated above was Bing Yun.
"Did I ask you to say that? Did I ask you to say that?" Yang Kai strode forward and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, beating him while he said, "If you dare spout nonsense again, I'll tear you to pieces on the spot."