Facing the middle-aged man's terrifying strike, Yang Kai took a single step forward. The moment his foot landed, the oppressive aura that had been pressing down on Hou Yu and Nanmen Dajun like a mountain vanished in an instant—melted away like snowflakes under a blazing sun.
He extended a single finger and pointed forward. The motion seemed utterly unremarkable, yet it perfectly aligned with the profound principles of the Great Dao.
The middle-aged man's face twisted in alarm. In a panic, he shifted from a claw to an open palm, channeling Emperor Yuan as he clashed with Yang Kai.
A soft squelch rang out, and the middle-aged man's aura instantly deflated like a punctured ball. His entire body stumbled backward several steps before he managed to steady himself.
Yang Kai, by contrast, stood rooted like a mountain, his aura calm and unwavering. A sea breeze swept past, setting his robes fluttering and his black hair dancing.
Hou Yu stood frozen, staring dumbstruck at Yang Kai's back, nearly mistaking him for a god in that moment.
Had she seen correctly? Could a first-stage Emperor Realm cultivator really be this powerful? She and Dajun were both in the first-stage Emperor Realm as well, yet under that incoming pressure, they could barely breathe—while this Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace had repelled their enemy with a single finger!
"You…"
The middle-aged man was equally shaken. In that brief instant, what he had seen was not a finger but a heaven-splitting blade cleaving toward him. The aura of death had engulfed his entire body, leaving him no way to dodge, no way to block.
Just when he thought he would either die or suffer grievous injuries, the opponent had effortlessly dismantled all of his defenses—merely forcing him back without truly striking to kill, without even wounding him. It had only left his energy slightly disrupted.
"You're in this together?" The middle-aged man had now recognized both Yang Kai and Nanmen Dajun. He had seen them two days ago when they first arrived on the island. One of them had claimed to be here to collect a debt, and he had naively believed it. But now it was clear—they weren't here to collect any debt at all. They were allies of that infuriating woman.
If it were merely another first-stage Emperor Realm cultivator, he wouldn't have given it a second thought. But after tasting Yang Kai's finger strike and witnessing his power, genuine wariness had taken root in his heart.
If it truly came to a full-blown fight, he might not be the victor.
His thoughts racing, the middle-aged man quickly recovered his composure and shouted, "No matter what! Today, this woman either pays back what she owes or pays with her life!"
As his words fell, figures surged from every direction, converging around the middle-aged man.
These were all creditors who had been lingering on the island, hunting Hou Yu for repayment.
There were more than twenty of them in total. Among them, five were Emperor Realm cultivators. Besides the middle-aged man at the second-stage Emperor Realm, the remaining four were all at the first-stage Emperor Realm.
Having so many people standing beside him eased some of the middle-aged man's apprehension. He alone might not be a match for that young man, but surely all of them together would be?
A lone tiger could not contend with a pack of wolves, and two fists were no match for four hands. No matter how formidable the opponent was, he was still only one person.
The moment these people appeared, they all turned to Hou Yu with expressions of hostility and fury, as though she had committed some unforgivable transgression against each of them. None spoke out of turn, however, clearly taking the middle-aged man as their leader.
"My friend, this woman owes us a considerable sum of Source Crystals. If you insist on shielding her, don't blame us for being discourteous." The middle-aged man directed his gaze at Yang Kai, utterly on guard.
"Is everyone here?" Yang Kai smiled faintly, his eyes sweeping over the crowd before settling back on the middle-aged man. He spoke at an unhurried pace: "Paying debts is only right. Whatever she owes you, I'll repay on her behalf."
"You'll repay for her?" The middle-eyed man was visibly startled. He stared at Yang Kai. "Do you have any idea how much she owes?"
"However much it is, I'll pay it." Yang Kai's tone was flat.
Hou Yu swallowed hard and quietly nudged Nanmen Dajun. "Is our Palace Master… wealthy?"
Nanmen Dajun shot her a glance and let out a cold chuckle. "What's that got to do with you? Either way, once the Palace Master pays off your debt this time, he'll deduct it from your monthly salary. I'd estimate you'll be spending the rest of your life at Lingxiao Palace."
Hou Yu's expression changed drastically at his words. She grabbed Nanmen Dajun's arm. "Dajun, you can't abandon me! I joined Lingxiao Palace because of you! If you ever decide to leave, you absolutely cannot go alone—you have to take me with you!"
Nanmen Dajun continued to sneer as he pulled his arm free.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Yang Kai's bold declaration, the crowd reacted with varying emotions—some looked pleased, others skeptical.
After all, the debt the woman had racked up was no small sum. This young man had just declared he would repay whatever the amount was. Did he truly have that kind of wealth? It wasn't low-grade or mid-grade Source Crystals they were talking about—it was high-grade Source Crystals counted in the tens of millions.
Even the Mitian Sect or the Lilong Palace would not shoulder such a debt lightly.
"And who might you be?" The middle-aged man frowned, scrutinizing Yang Kai. "Someone with such astonishing strength and the audacity to speak this boldly can hardly be a nobody."
"What does it matter who I am? I'm just paying a debt." Yang Kai smiled.
But Nanmen Dajun spoke up: "This is the Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace—Yang Kai. You should all be familiar with the name."
"What?"
"The Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace?"
"The one who destroyed the Wenqing Sect and usurped their headquarters as Lingxiao Palace?"
"I heard the Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace is a young man, and that his cultivation is indeed at the first-stage Emperor Realm. If that's the case…"
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the crowd. After Nanmen Dajun's introduction, the group stared at Yang Kai with renewed shock, and the middle-aged man's expression turned particularly grim as beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.