The changes at Lingxiao Pavilion naturally did not escape the notice of the Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower nearby.
Over the past few days, the Hu sisters had visited Lingxiao Pavilion multiple times. They exchanged a few words with Su Yan, offering comfort, and also gathered some news about Yang Kai.
But the rest of the Blood Battle Gang were far less friendly. Before the Inheritance Grotto-heaven opened all those years ago, Meng Wuya's battle against the Blood Battle Gang's ten Shenyou Realm experts had humiliated them greatly, and many held a grudge ever since. Long Zaitian especially had suffered damage to his foundation in that fight and still hadn't recovered to this day. Now that Lingxiao Pavilion had fallen into turmoil, Long Zaitian was busy reaching out to allies in every direction, kicking them while they were down at every turn.
Gang Leader Hu Man turned a blind eye, letting Long Zaitian do as he pleased.
The Wind and Rain Tower was no different. On one hand, they were eagerly taking in the disciples expelled from Lingxiao Pavilion, while on the other, they were eyeing the years of accumulated wealth stored within the sect.
As for the current situation within the sect itself — like a person drinking water, only they knew whether it was cold or warm.
"If the sect really disbands, where would we even go?" Su Yan sighed softly. She had lived in Lingxiao Pavilion since childhood, and after so many years she had long since come to think of it as home. Now, with this sudden upheaval, even someone as emotionally detached as she was felt a measure of grief and confusion.
Yang Kai gave a bitter smile. He tightened his grip slightly, pulling her into his arms and holding her gently. Their fingers interlaced, their temples brushing together as they breathed in each other's scent, and their restless hearts gradually calmed.
"If it really comes to that, we could go to Cloud Summit in the Medicine King Valley — Manager Meng and Senior Sister are both there," Yang Kai said softly.
With Xiao Fusheng's reputation, protecting a group of people shouldn't be a problem.
He was a member of the Yang family himself, but he couldn't even go home now, so he couldn't offer Su Yan any guarantees.
Su Yan nodded slightly, then suddenly smiled brightly. "I haven't seen Junior Sister Xia in a long time. How are things between you two now?"
"Not yet," Yang Kai said with an awkward laugh.
"Then you'd better put in more effort. Junior Sister Xia is like a heavenly immortal — innocent, carefree, sweet and unspoiled. Don't let some other man take advantage of her." Su Yan pressed her lips together with a knowing smile.
Yang Kai nodded, still looking sheepish.
Just then.
A wave of divine sense suddenly swept toward them. Yang Kai's expression shifted slightly. He turned his head toward one direction, his face growing serious. "A powerful expert is approaching!"
Su Yan quickly sat up straight, a flicker of worry crossing her cold, beautiful features. "Where?"
"Oh... don't worry, it's someone we know." Yang Kai's expression turned peculiar.
He could sense that the newcomer was a Shenyou Realm expert — otherwise they wouldn't be able to transmit information via divine sense. But for someone to scan through with their sense so brazenly, every Shenyou Realm expert in Lingxiao Pavilion was bound to have noticed.
Moreover, the fluctuations of this person's divine sense felt familiar. Yang Kai had surely encountered this person before, though he couldn't immediately place whose divine sense it was.
"Let's go take a look!" Yang Kai tilted his head and listened for a moment. He could hear the sound of robes flapping in the wind from multiple figures moving through the sect — Ling Taixu and the others had already mobilized. He and Su Yan leapt down from the tower together and flew toward the source.
Before they even got close, they heard Ling Taixu's booming call carry across the distance: "Which friend honors Lingxiao Pavilion with their presence?"
From far away, an aged, placid voice replied: "Sect Leader Ling, it has been a long time!"
Hearing this voice, Yang Kai raised an eyebrow and quickened his pace. He soon arrived at Ling Taixu's side, where the four Grand Elders had already assembled behind the sect leader.
Seeing Yang Kai and Su Yan arrive together, the elders' expressions immediately turned strange. Su Xuanwu in particular — though he had long suspected something was going on between his granddaughter and Yang Kai, seeing it with his own eyes still made his eyes roll. The faint blush still lingering on Su Yan's fair cheeks made the Second Elder feel even more put out.
He shot Yang Kai a fierce glare, brimming with unmistakable threat.
Yang Kai offered an awkward smile and said nothing.
In the distance, a figure was rapidly approaching. The person came to a halt before the group.
Upon recognizing the newcomer's face, Ling Taixu said in surprise, "You're the Dong family's... Feng Wei?"
The visitor chuckled and cupped his fists toward the group. "This old man, at your service. I apologize for my unannounced arrival."
Yang Kai's expression stirred, and he quickly asked, "Senior, has something happened?"
The Dong family's Feng and Yun guards were always inseparable from Dong Qinghan, protecting him wherever he went. The fact that Feng Wei had suddenly appeared at Lingxiao Pavilion meant that Dong Qinghan wanted to relay a message to Yang Kai — and an important one at that.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent him.
Feng Wei's expression turned solemn. He nodded and cupped his fists. "Young Master Yang, my young master asked me to inform you — leave Lingxiao Pavilion immediately, or you may be in grave danger."
"Because of the Evil Master?" Yang Kai frowned, quickly grasping the issue.
Feng Wei looked surprised. "So your sect was already prepared."
No wonder the place looked so desolate. When he'd released his divine sense earlier, he hadn't detected many people — quite different from his last visit to Lingxiao Pavilion.
Ling Taixu nodded. "Naturally, we're prepared."
Feng Wei said, "Then why are you still here? You should all leave at once. The people coming to Lingxiao Pavilion this time are not ones you can afford to provoke."
"Who are they?" Su Xuanwu's expression darkened as he heard the gravity in Feng Wei's voice.
"The Zhongdu... Qiu Family!" Feng Wei said in a deep voice.