If Cao Xu had personally brought the person over, they had to be of the Emperor Realm.
"That's right!" Cao Xu answered respectfully.
"Good, very good!" Feng Chi laughed heartily and gave Yang Kai a slight nod, clasping his fists. "May I ask what this friend's name is?"
Though he looked considerably older than Yang Kai, in the path of martial arts, respect was due to those who had achieved more. Since Yang Kai was of the Emperor Realm, he had every right to be treated as a peer.
"Xiao Baiyi. Greetings, Elder Feng." Yang Kai smiled faintly, maintaining proper courtesy.
"So it's Brother Xiao!" Feng Chi raised his eyebrows and asked, "Might I ask where Brother Xiao comes from?"
Yang Kai replied, "The Southern Domain.
"Someone from the Southern Domain?" Feng Chi couldn't help but frown slightly. Over this period, no small number of Emperor Realm cultivators had answered the Questioning Heart Sect's recruitment summons, but never had any come from another domain. Yang Kai was the first.
He cast a questioning look toward Cao Xu, who hurriedly said, "Rest assured, Elder Feng. Senior Elder Sun has already verified Young Master Xiao's identity. There are no issues."
Feng Chi nodded. "Senior Elder Sun is meticulous in his work and cautious by nature. If he says there's no problem, then there's certainly no problem. Brother Xiao, you've arrived at just the right time. I happen to be short on manpower and could use your help."
Yang Kai flicked his folding fan open and said, "Whatever Elder Feng commands. Since I've accepted the recruitment summons, I'll naturally follow orders."
"Come look at this!" Feng Chi beckoned him over and gestured toward the formation diagram.
Yang Kai stepped forward several paces, tucked his folding fan behind his neck, and focused his gaze on the formation diagram before him.
Upon its surface, the terrain outline of
Though he couldn't make out every detail, Yang Kai could more or less sense the dire situation Ice Heart Valley currently found itself in.
"This Celestial Linkage Formation Diagram was personally laid out by Grandmaster Nanmen, specifically so that I, Feng, could command this position with a full overview of the battlefield. It's saved us a great deal of trouble." Feng Chi's words were filled with admiration for Grandmaster Nanmen.
Yang Kai praised him as well. "Grandmaster Nanmen is truly a master of formations. This is quite the undertaking."
Feng Chi smiled faintly and pointed to a certain location. "Young Master Xiao, I'd like you to hold this position. Guard the formation flag that Grandmaster Nanmen has set up, to prevent Ice Heart Valley from making a desperate bid and causing trouble."
"That's no problem, but is my task only to guard that formation flag?" Yang Kai looked up and asked.
Feng Chi said gravely, "This matter is of the utmost importance. If the formation flag is broken, the grand formation's layout will be disrupted, and Ice Heart Valley will have a chance to catch its breath. That's why an Emperor Realm cultivator must personally oversee it. Still, under normal circumstances there shouldn't be any issues — Ice Heart Valley has been besieged this long without making a move — but Young Master Xiao must not let his guard down."
"I understand." Yang Kai nodded with a serious expression.
Feng Chi nodded as well. "Additionally, I will assign five hundred troops to serve under your command. When Grandmaster Nanmen has completed all preparations, you will need to lead those five hundred troops to activate the formation flag, coordinating with the other flags in concert. Together, they will surely break through Ice Heart Valley's Sect-Protecting Grand Array in one stroke. When that happens, we'll drive straight in, strike at the heart, and flatten Ice Heart Valley."
Yang Kai clasped his fists. "I will not fail Elder Feng's trust."
"Good, good, good." Feng Chi was quite satisfied with Yang Kai's attitude, nodding repeatedly. "Cao Xu, you're familiar with the surrounding terrain. Take Young Master Xiao there. The five hundred troops will follow shortly."
"Yes!" Cao Xu accepted the order and immediately led Yang Kai back out.
They flew swiftly, and before long the two arrived at the location Feng Chi had designated.
Looking around, fewer than a hundred people were currently guarding an enormous formation flag. The flag had been deployed in the void and concealed, but when Yang Kai swept his spiritual sense over it, he could still detect certain traces.
The moment Cao Xu and Yang Kai arrived, they immediately drew the attention of the hundred or so people below, who all looked up.
Cao Xu glanced left and right and called out sharply, "Who's in charge here?"
A middle-aged man stepped forward in response, clasping his fists. "Senior Brother Cao, that would be me!"
Cao Xu looked at him and nodded. "So it's Junior Brother
He clearly knew this Questioning Heart Sect disciple.
"Senior Brother Cao, and this is...?" Huo Han glanced at Yang Kai with curiosity, asking for clarification.
Cao Xu announced in a clear voice, "This is Xiao Baiyi, a Core Disciple of the Azure Sun Temple from the Southern Domain. Young Master Xiao has accepted our Questioning Heart Sect's recruitment summons. By Elder Feng's orders, effective today, he will hold this position. All of you are to follow his commands."
Upon hearing that Yang Kai was actually someone from the Azure Sun Temple in the Southern Domain, everyone below couldn't help but show expressions of great curiosity. Still, none dared speak out of turn — they simply clasped their fists in acknowledgment.
"Furthermore, Elder Feng will be sending an additional four hundred troops, who will also be placed under Young Master Xiao's command. Once Ice Heart Valley is destroyed, rewards will be distributed according to merit!"
At the mention of rewards, quite a few people below grew excited. Huo Han and the other Questioning Heart Sect disciples, however, remained calm. They knew that once Ice Heart Valley truly fell, the vast majority of the spoils would flow to their own Questioning Heart Sect, with only scraps left over as rewards for outsiders.