Yang Kai was unaware of the changes unfolding at Spirit Lake Palace and Maplewood City. At this moment, his attention was captivated by the twin cities ahead, standing like mirrors of each other across the distance. His gaze held a note of surprise, for he could see that both cities were teeming with people, so packed that their shoulders practically brushed together.
Even from over a thousand li away, Yang Kai could still feel the bustling prosperity radiating from the two cities.
It seemed Maplewood City had truly changed beyond recognition. He wondered how the Qin family was faring these days. Back then, the Qin family had been a prominent clan in Maplewood City, boasting a Dao Source Realm cultivator among their ranks — but now, from the looks of things, the Dao Source Realm clearly no longer held the same weight.
The Million Swords had been a possession of the Qin family, and he had long since made an agreement with Qin Zhaoyang: once Qin Yu advanced to the Emperor Venerable realm, the Million Swords would be returned.
The Black Tortoise Seven-Part Formation he had taught the disciples of Ice Heart Valley had also been a closely guarded secret of the Qin family.
All things considered, while he hadn't received a great deal of direct help from the Qin family on his journey, he owed them quite a few favors. A trip back to Maplewood City naturally meant a visit to the Qin family was in order.
Right — there was also Ruoxi's family to check on. And since he was already back in the Southern Region, he would need to pay a visit to the Azure Sun Divine Temple as well. After all, he was nominally a disciple of the Azure Sun Divine Temple and even possessed a Core Disciple token.
He was also thinking about Senior Tian Yan. Now that the Life Fruit had been found, all that remained was to gather a few supplementary herbs, and he could refine the Life-Giving Pill. Then he would be able to extract Tian Yan from that Spirit Wandering Mirror and help him reconstruct a physical body.
Tian Yan was an existence at the level of a Great Emperor. Once he gained a physical form and could walk freely throughout the Star Boundary, High Heaven Palace would have a truly formidable backer going forward.
Just as Yang Kai was mentally mapping out his itinerary, a streak of light shot toward him from ahead at extraordinary speed.
Trailing close behind that streak was another cluster of light, within which several figures could be faintly discerned.
The arrangement clearly suggested a chase. The fleeing figure was alone, while the pursuers numbered several and all radiated Dao Source Realm auras. None of it impressed Yang Kai in the slightest.
In the Star Boundary, such scenes were commonplace — driven by greed over treasures, or grudges, or tangled grievances. Countless people were killed every single day. Yang Kai himself, throughout his growth, had lost count of how many times he'd been hunted down, each time narrowly escaping with his life.
The fleeing streak of light seemed to be in a panic, flying in a nearly straight line directly toward Yang Kai's position.
Yang Kai frowned slightly. He wasn't sure whether the person had spotted him and was trying to redirect trouble his way, but he couldn't be bothered with such matters. He didn't change course either, continuing straight toward the oncoming light.
A handful of Dao Source Realm cultivators were hardly something he needed to avoid.
In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai was within a hundred zhang of the fleeing figure.
Taking a closer look, he was surprised to discover that the figure hidden within the light had a distinctly feminine silhouette — undeniably a woman. He studied her features and let out an audible gasp of surprise, halting abruptly in his tracks.
The woman ahead had clearly noticed Yang Kai as well. Her beautiful eyes first widened in shock, then lit up with delight. "Yang Kai!"
Yang Kai offered a faint smile. "What are the odds. We meet again in the most unexpected of places. Protector Bian, I trust you've been well."
This woman turned out to be an old acquaintance — Bian Yuqing, a Protector of the Jade Feather Sect.
Years ago, when he and Liu Xianyun had first arrived in the Star Boundary, they had been captured by Kou Wu of the Jade Feather Sect, and subsequently taken under Bian Yuqing's care. They had stayed at the Jade Feather Sect for a time, until the descendant of Devouring Emperor Wu Mengchuan broke free and went on a killing spree, forcing them to flee in a panic.
Bian Yuqing, who had been away on business at the time, managed to escape Wu Mengchuan's murderous grasp. Later, she ended up serving under him.
After that, the two had crossed paths once within the Four Seasons Land.
Thinking it through, Wu Mengchuan's ability to enter the Shattered Star Sea had likely been possible because Bian Yuqing had obtained a Star Seal during the Four Seasons Land. When she had brought Kou Wu to the Four Seasons Land that time, it must have been on Wu Mengchuan's orders to search for the Star Seal.
Unfortunately, Wu Mengchuan's evil deeds in the Shattered Star Sea had come to nothing. Instead, he had been killed by Yang Kai, allowing Xiao Xiao to cultivate the complete Devouring Art and gain a massive boost in strength.
All these threads of karma seemed to have been set in motion from the very first day Yang Kai set foot in the Jade Feather Sect.
These thoughts flickered through Yang Kai's mind in an instant. By then, Bian Yuqing had already rushed up to his side, gritting her teeth. "Why is it you of all people!"
Yang Kai flashed a grin. "You don't seem particularly happy to see me, Protector Bian."
Bian Yuqing said, "I was trying to lead them toward someone else, but you... This is no place to talk. We need to move — now!"
She actually admitted her intention to lure trouble his way with remarkable candor, which caught Yang Kai slightly off guard. Even as she spoke, she shot past him.
But after flying a short distance, she realized Yang Kai hadn't moved at all. She whipped around, her voice tight with urgency. "Run! What are you doing?!"
Yang Kai stood rooted in place like a mountain, his gaze fixed on a sword wound on Bian Yuqing's abdomen. "What's your grudge with those people? Why are they hunting you down like this?"
"Has your brain been kicked by a donkey? We're being chased to our deaths and you want to stand here making conversation?" Bian Yuqing was frantic. She was already at a disadvantage, and now Yang Kai was just standing there doing nothing — in her eyes, it was practically suicidal.
She knew Yang Kai was a martial artist from a lower-realm Star Field, talented and quick to advance in his Cultivation — but it had only been a few years. There was no way he could have grown powerful enough to surpass her, surely. She herself wasn't a match for those pursuers, so how could Yang Kai possibly prevail?
While they spoke, the cluster of light behind them had closed to within three li. A harsh voice rang out from within: "Stop running, you wretch! Hand over the token and we'll spare your life!"
"Token? What token? Did you take something from them?" Yang Kai frowned. If that was the case, then Bian Yuqing had brought this on herself.
"Who took anything from them? They're trying to rob me!" Bian Yuqing shot back quickly. "Are you coming or not? If you won't run, I'm not going to wait for you. They'll definitely kill you to shut you up!"