Just noticed — thank you, Alliance Leader Zhuangsheng Xiaomengmi Hudiea, for yet another massive 100,000 Qidian coin reward, elevating to the top Alliance position for Martial Peak. I bow in gratitude. I also want to thank all readers for your long-standing support. Every subscription, every reward, every recommendation is the motivation that keeps me pushing forward. Thank you all, through rain and shine, following along all the way.
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Zhu Lie snorted coldly, "That probably means they're uncertain, you idiot."
Yang Kai opened his mouth, momentarily rendered speechless, his mood plummeting to rock bottom.
Zhu Lie glanced at him and chuckled softly, "You care about her quite a lot, don't you? Want to know how she's doing?"
Yang Kai scoffed, "I'm not even close to her — why would I care? Whether she lives or dies is none of my business. That's your Dragon Island's affair. Stop spouting nonsense."
Zhu Lie said, "The last time she contacted Dragon Island was two months ago. It was precisely because we confirmed she was in grave danger — likely to perish there — that I left Dragon Island to find you."
"Find me for what?" Yang Kai asked, his expression dark.
Zhu Lie replied, "She didn't complete her mission, so naturally someone else needs to finish it!" He shook his head and sighed. "Though it looks like I can't very well bring you back to Dragon Island. But remember — Dragon Island won't let this go. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
Yang Kai snorted, "Go back and tell the Dragon Clan: if anyone else comes to bother this young master, I'll kill one if one comes, two if two come. The only question is how many dragons your Dragon Island can afford to lose."
Zhu Lie's face darkened and he hissed through clenched teeth, "Quite the big talk."
"Get lost — I won't see you out!"
Yang Kai flicked his sleeve and turned to walk into Spirit Sword Peak. Zhu Lie stood rooted in place, glaring coldly for a long moment, before his figure flickered and transformed into a streak of light that shot away.
No one stopped him. The entire temple was busy with the Demon Purging Order and the search for Wu Kuang — the sect's powerhouses had mostly deployed, so naturally no one was going to bother intercepting a single member of the Dragon Clan.
Zhu Lie's speed was remarkable. In no time at all he had flown clear of the Azure Sun Divine Temple and had just crossed beyond the Azure Sun Mountain Range when he suddenly froze in his tracks. His cold, sharp gaze locked onto a figure standing ahead.
It was Yang Kai.
Zhu Lie had no idea when the man had gotten ahead of him. There he stood, hands clasped behind his back. Irritated and furious, Zhu Lie barked, "What do you want now? Don't tell me you're going back on your word! This dragon was already done with you — if you dare break your promise…"
"Relax!" Yang Kai cut him off with a cold smile. "I just want to ask — how does Dragon Island plan to handle Zhu Qing's situation?"
"Zhu Qing is dead. What is there to handle?" Zhu Lie frowned.
Yang Kai said, "Weren't you the one who just said 'probably' and 'uncertain'? How can you now be so sure she's dead?"
Zhu Lie replied, "Even if she's not dead yet, she won't last much longer. She went to the Frozen Wasteland — you should know how dangerous that place is."
"Of course I know. If it weren't dangerous, even a member of the Dragon Clan wouldn't have fallen there. I'm simply asking — does Dragon Island not intend to rescue her?"
Zhu Lie sneered, "She's an eighth-grade red dragon. Even she's trapped there — very few dragons on the island could guarantee they'd make it out alive. Risking the lives of other clansmen to save one whose fate is unknown — Dragon Island does not do that!"
Yang Kai growled, "Even if she's already dead, you should at least go recover her body. She's still your clansman!"
Zhu Lie laughed coldly without end, "She recklessly charged into the Frozen Wasteland with no regard for her own limits — why should anyone else risk their life for her? If she dies, she dies. No one is going to save her."
"Is this your personal opinion, or Dragon Island's position?" Yang Kai's face was grim.
"It's my opinion, and it's Dragon Island's position!" Zhu Lie tilted his head, refusing to meet Yang Kai's eyes.
Yang Kai was silent for a long while before saying quietly, "I really want to beat you up right now."
Zhu Lie sneered, "Haven't you beaten me enough these past days? The humiliation you've heaped on this dragon — I will repay it a hundredfold in the future!"
"We'll see about that when you can actually beat me." Yang Kai gave him a contemptuous glance and turned to fly back toward the Azure Sun Divine Temple.
His speed was extraordinary — in just a few breaths he had returned to Spirit Sword Peak and headed straight for the rear mountain. Though Spirit Sword Peak had been damaged during the demonic thought breakout, the rear mountain had suffered relatively little destruction, which meant the cross-domain spatial formation he had set up here was still perfectly intact.
It was only after standing before the spatial formation that Yang Kai suddenly came back to himself. His mind had been so consumed with other thoughts just now that he hadn't even noticed his own movements. By the time he realized where he was, he was already here.
"Following one's heart, huh…" Yang Kai murmured softly, then sighed helplessly. "What a pain."
Even as he said it, the hesitation on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by a look of firm resolve.
A sharp whistling sound rapidly approached from the distance. Yang Kai turned his head to look and saw a streak of fiery red light soaring toward him. It seemed to have sensed his presence, flying straight to the rear mountain and landing not far from where he stood.
"What now?" Yang Kai eyed the returning Zhu Lie with undisguised irritation, looking ready to start another fight.
Zhu Lie asked, "Are you planning to go to the Frozen Wasteland? To find Zhu Qing?"
"None of your damn business!" Yang Kai snorted coldly.