"Wait!" Seeing that Yang Kai was truly about to leave, Le Dongzheng hurriedly called out.
"Does Sect Master Le have further instructions?" Yang Kai tilted his head to look.
Le Dongzheng narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Yang Kai for a good while before speaking. "My three disciples... where are they now?"
"Ha!" Yang Kai's expression turned amused as he regarded Le Dongzheng with mockery. "I thought Sect Master Le truly knew nothing. So those three were acting on your orders after all."
Bian Yuqing's face went pale, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared at Le Dongzheng. If that was the case, then Le Dongzheng was the mastermind behind Kou Wu's death. Without his instigation, how could she and Kou Wu have been hunted down by those three?
Le Dongzheng acted as if he hadn't heard, simply saying, "You still haven't answered this old man's question."
"Want to know?" Yang Kai grinned. "Think about it yourself!"
He turned and walked away.
Le Dongzheng was so furious that smoke seemed to billow from every orifice. If not for the fact that fighting was prohibited within Linghu City, he would have already charged up to fight Yang Kai to the death. Among those three disciples, one had been his own descendant, in whom he had placed tremendous expectations. Now, judging by Yang Kai's tone, those three were likely beyond saving. How could Le Dongzheng not be heartbroken?
Through gritted teeth, he snarled, "Boy, don't let this old man see you outside the city, or I will kill you for certain!"
Yang Kai let out a snort of derision, not even bothering to turn his head, which instantly gave Le Dongzheng the sensation of punching cotton — a powerless frustration that nearly made him vomit a mouthful of blood.
His gaze lingered venomously on Yang Kai's retreating figure as he secretly resolved to make the boy pay. Otherwise, his three disciples would have died for nothing.
...
"Who are you? Go to the back of the line!"
In front of Linghu Palace, a cultivator at the Third-order Dao Source Realm wearing the uniform of the Heavenly Martial Holy Land extended his hand to stop Yang Kai, his face full of arrogance.
As a disciple of one of the Southern Domain's peak sects, he naturally had grounds for his pride. Moreover, he was still young, yet already possessed Third-order Dao Source Realm cultivation, giving him excellent prospects of advancing to the Emperor Realm in the future.
Linghu Palace had been jointly constructed under the initiative of the Star God Palace, with the three great peak sects of the Southern Domain pooling their resources. Naturally, it was also jointly managed by those same three sects.
Yang Kai produced a token and flashed it before the man's eyes.
The Heavenly Martial Holy Land disciple immediately dropped his arrogant air and clasped his fists. "So you're a senior brother from the Azure Sun Divine Temple. May I ask how to address you, Senior Brother?"
The token Yang Kai held was an Azure Sun Golden Token — a token only Core Disciples were qualified to possess. Though this man was from the Heavenly Martial Holy Land, he was merely an Inner Disciple, a far cry from a Core Disciple. Once he confirmed Yang Kai's identity, he naturally didn't dare be too presumptuous.
Bian Yuqing stared so hard her eyes nearly popped out. She had seen with her own eyes how overbearing and high-handed these people who guarded the entrance to Linghu Palace could be. Even ordinary Emperor Realm cultivators sometimes received the cold shoulder from them. Yet here they were, clasping their fists and bowing to Yang Kai. Hearing the guard's words, Bian Yuqing suddenly recalled that back when they had gone to the Four Seasons Land, Yang Kai had been traveling with the Azure Sun Divine Temple.
So Yang Kai was already a disciple of the Azure Sun Divine Temple — and judging by this display, his status seemed quite elevated. Otherwise, there was absolutely no way he could make the gate guard lower his stance.
"Yang Kai?"
The guarding disciple frowned at the name, searching his memory, only to find it entirely unfamiliar. He had never heard it before.
He basically knew all the Core Disciples of the Azure Sun Divine Temple, and there was no one by the name of Yang Kai among them. However, the Azure Sun Golden Token was unmistakable. Presenting it meant Yang Kai was truly a Core Disciple of the Azure Sun Divine Temple.
Back in the day, Yang Kai had refined the Supreme Mystery Pill in the Four Seasons Land, and his fame had spread throughout the Southern Domain. But so many years had passed, and the matter had naturally died down. Moreover, many cultivators spent long periods in seclusion, so it was perfectly normal for the gate guard to have never heard of Yang Kai's name.
"So it's Senior Brother Yang!" Though the man didn't recognize Yang Kai, he observed all the proper courtesies. "May I ask, has Senior Brother Yang come to requisition a secret cultivation chamber?"
"That's right." Yang Kai nodded.
Back when Gao Xueting had given him the Azure Sun Golden Token, she had mentioned that beyond the Heaven, Earth, and Human tier secret chambers, Linghu Palace also had some even superior cultivation chambers reserved exclusively for disciples of the three great sects, not open to the general public. Possessing the Golden Token granted free entry.
Had it not been for this, he wouldn't have rashly sold Bian Yuqing's Jade Token. Since there was a better option available, the Jade Token was naturally rendered useless.
"Please follow me, Senior Brother Yang. I'll take you to see the steward." The guard spoke, then turned and headed inside.
Yang Kai gestured to Bian Yuqing and strode after him.
At this point, Bian Yuqing already understood what Yang Kai intended. Her eyes were filled with gratitude, though she also couldn't help but laugh bitterly. She had spent all her assets just to acquire a single Jade Token, and even then she would have to wait eight months for her turn. Yet Yang Kai could simply walk up to the entrance and gain access to a cultivation chamber. Comparing the two, Bian Yuqing realized that the convenience enjoyed by disciples of major sects was beyond the imagination of someone like her. A wave of dejection washed over her.
Without a powerful background, even if one truly advanced to the Emperor Realm, one could never stand tall with Emperor Realm dignity before the disciples of these great sects.
"What's wrong with you?" Yang Kai suddenly glanced back at Bian Yuqing, his brows furrowing. He had just noticed that something seemed off with her state of mind.