"Don't leave too long, Brother-in-law! Come back soon and pick us up!"
Zhang Ruoyu's sweet voice rang out from behind, nearly sending Yang Kai tumbling from the sky as he flew toward Maple Leaf City.
The Zhang family really did seem convinced that something was going on between him and Ruoxi.
Yang Kai couldn't be bothered to argue the point. After hammering out the arrangements with the Zhang family matriarch, he told them to pack their belongings and be ready to set out at any time. However, he still had a few matters to take care of, so he naturally couldn't leave immediately. He instructed them to wait at the Zhang residence, and once he'd finished handling his business, he would bring them back to the Sect.
Before departing, Yang Kai left behind seven or eight Blood Beasts at the Zhang family estate as a precaution.
These Blood Beasts were ones he had refined back when his strength was still modest. As his power had grown, they had become largely useless to him, but they still possessed Dao Source Realm cultivation. Left with the Zhang family, they constituted a formidable line of defense.
As long as no Emperor Realm powerhouse moved against the Zhang family, these Blood Beasts could hold their own. Naturally, Yang Kai had also left the Zhang family a means of contacting him — if anything truly went wrong, a single transmission would alert him at once.
Maple Leaf City. After several years away, stepping foot in it again, things really had changed.
Just like Spirit Lake City, Dao Source Realm cultivators among the passing warriors were no longer a rare sight. Emperor Realm experts soared through the skies overhead, and even the law enforcement teams could only glare helplessly, not daring to intervene.
Yang Kai made his way toward the Qin family residence with practiced ease.
A young servant wearing a round cap stood at the gate. Seeing Yang Kai stride up with an unmistakable air of distinction, he hurriedly asked in a respectful tone, "May I ask who this lord is looking for?"
"Qin Chaoyang, the Qin family head. I'd appreciate it if you could pass along a message," Yang Kai replied.
"The family head?" The servant blinked, then asked cautiously, "May I ask the lord's name?"
"Just tell him — an old friend surnamed Yang has come to visit."
The servant nodded, murmured an apology, and turned to enter the Qin family estate.
Yang Kai stood outside with his hands clasped behind his back. After a long while with no sign of activity, he frowned and sent his Spiritual Sense sweeping into the Qin family compound.
His perception passed through everything in meticulous detail. The estate was much the same as when he had left years ago. It seemed the Qin family had not benefited much from Maple Leaf City's rise to prominence. That wasn't surprising — the Qin family had always been a minor clan. Maple Leaf City may have flourished, but that didn't mean they could grab a share of the spoils just because they wanted one.
Still, on the whole, the Qin family warriors had improved their cultivation. Living here year-round, they naturally had access to far richer spiritual energy than the city had offered in the past.
Qin Yu!
Yang Kai suddenly spotted Qin Yu's figure inside a sealed chamber. After a few years apart, the girl had actually reached the second-stage Dao Source Realm. The frailty that had once plagued her was completely gone — her frame had filled out considerably, her cheeks were rosy, and she was immersed in secluded cultivation within the chamber.
As expected of someone born with the Heaven-severed Physique. Though the fate had brought great catastrophe, once that catastrophe was resolved, it yielded extraordinary fortune.
And as if sensing something, Qin Yu — deep in her cultivation — suddenly opened her eyes. Those beautiful gaze pierced through layer after layer of barriers, locking directly onto Yang Kai's position. A mysterious light flashed through her pupils, as though she could see through all illusion to the truth beneath.
The Heaven-Seeing Divine Eye!
Yang Kai was startled. He hurriedly circulated his Spiritual Sense to shield himself, rendering his entire presence void. He stood there rubbing his nose with an embarrassed expression.
If Qin Yu, at only the second-stage Dao Source Realm, actually caught him spying on her, he would lose every last shred of dignity.
Still, Qin Yu's transformation left Yang Kai genuinely stunned setting aside the explosive growth in her cultivation, the Heaven-Seeing Divine Eye appeared to be extraordinarily profound as well. He was an Emperor Realm master with an exceptionally powerful Soul. Even while probing discreetly, he had been detected by Qin Yu. If she was allowed to keep growing like this — the future held limitless promise.
Shifting his Spiritual Sense, Yang Kai continued his sweep of the rest of the Qin family estate.
Inside the chamber, Qin Yu's delicate brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt crossing her face.
She had clearly felt the touch of someone's probing gaze, but when she traced it back, there was nothing to be found. That left only two possibilities — either it had been her imagination, or the person doing the probing vastly exceeded her realm of comprehension.
Qin Yu suspected it was the latter. Maple Leaf City saw the occasional visit from powerful cultivators, and a casual sweep was nothing unusual. The main thing was that she hadn't sensed any ill intent. Since there was no malice, there was nothing to worry about.
"Lord Luo, I truly have no other options. Could you possibly grant me a few more days?"
When Yang Kai's Spiritual Sense reached a side chamber, he suddenly discovered Qin Chaoyang — but the family head wore a bitter, desperate expression, and was pleading with a young man dressed in fine silks.
Two maidservants stood nearby, their faces drained of all color, trembling from head to toe.