A thunderous tremor shook the earth as the grand formation of Yanghe City finally closed.
The members of the White-Robed Sect wore ashen expressions, certain that this time there was no escape.
Before the eyes of the crowd, the Dharma Body strode forward and threw a seemingly effortless punch into the air, devoid of any visible force.
Yet the might of that single punch caused heaven and earth to change color—and so too did the complexions of the many warriors of the Dahuang Star Domain.
After refining the Stone Fire Origin, the Dharma Body had shrunk to the size of a normal person, but its true form was a stone giant that towered above the sky like a mountain. How could a casual punch be described by mere tens of thousands of jin of force?
Where the fist struck, the formation—seemingly impregnable and utterly unbreakable—emitted a deep hum. From the point of impact, several enormous cracks exploded outward in all directions. The formation's light flickered wildly before it shattered with a deafening crash.
A single punch to break the formation—what a breathtaking display. Those who had been watching the Dharma Body with idle curiosity moments before now felt their souls flee in terror.
No further orders from Yang Kai were needed. Li Jiao, Lü Sanniang, Ruan Biting, He Yunxiang, and the Dharma Body transformed into five streaks of light, charging toward five different directions and plunging into five separate battle zones. In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted—wherever they passed, no one could withstand even a single blow.
Among the five, He Yunxiang had the lowest cultivation, having only recently advanced to Void King Realm Stage Three. But in Yanghe City, the strongest warrior present was only at Void King Realm Stage Three as well, and the number of Void King cultivators was small. How could they possibly be a match?
It was like a band of giants barging into a children's game—overpowering and unstoppable.
In the span of a single breath, over a hundred had fallen at their hands, including several Void King Realm warriors.
This divine intervention instantly turned the tide. The White-Robed Sect members, who had already steeled themselves for death, were greatly shaken—how could they not realize that saviors had arrived? Seizing the moment while their enemies were still dazed, they launched a fierce counterattack, sweeping aside their previous despondency with unstoppable momentum, driving the Huangquan Sect warriors into a fighting retreat.
From high above, Li Jiao and the others looked like five great dragons rolling through the city, leaving five winding trails of dust in their wake. Within a radius of dozens of zhang, enemies were injured on contact and killed with a touch.
There was simply no contest. The gap between the two sides was not a ravine—it was the difference between heaven and earth.
"Hm?" Yang Kai's gaze suddenly drifted in one direction. In the sky above, a white figure was leaping and dodging amid a mass of black energy, darting left and pushing right. His gaze pierced through the dark mist, revealing the white figure's face, and a flicker of surprise crossed his features.
He hadn't expected to encounter a familiar face here.
After a moment's thought, the person's name surfaced in his mind.
Truthfully, he wasn't close to this person—they had only met once. But this individual had shown him kindness in the past, and in a certain sense, they were connected to him in more ways than one.
Years had passed since they last met, and the person had already advanced to Void King Realm Stage Two. As expected of that person's disciple—their talent was truly extraordinary. The opponent facing them, however, was a Stage Three Void King whose aura fluctuated unsteadily, somewhat similar to He Yunxiang's. It was immediately obvious they had recently advanced to Stage Three and their foundation had not yet solidified.
The opponent was a short, elderly man who wore robes far too large for his frame, the excess fabric nearly swallowing him whole. As his energy surged, the aura that radiated from him was sinister and bone-chilling. In his left hand he held a Myriad Soul Banner, from which came wailing and howling sounds that扰led the white figure's mind. In his right hand he wielded a Blood Sea Banner, continuously launching streaks of blood-red corrupted energy from within.
There was a gap in their cultivation, and the old man's two Artifacts were devious and hard to guard against. Even though the white figure possessed considerable strength, they were now fighting desperately, reduced to a sorry state with only enough power to defend and none to strike back.
Had the Dharma Body's punch not momentarily distracted the old man by shattering Yanghe City's formation, the white figure would likely have already fallen.
Yang Kai stepped through the void and advanced.
The old man's expression darkened as his attention was further divided, giving the white figure a precious moment to catch their breath.
In just two or three steps, Yang Kai had closed to within thirty zhang.
The old man immediately shouted, "Who are you, and why would you oppose my Huangquan Sect?" There was absolutely no one like this group on Emerald Star. He had been stationed here for over a decade, dealing with the local warriors for years on end—who lived and breathed in this region, he knew well. The batch that had come to Yanghe City today were people he had never even heard of, yet every single one of them inspired dread.
Seeing Yang Kai draw closer, he could no longer hold back. Today's plan to exterminate the White-Robed Sect would surely fail—and Yanghe City might not even survive! But he was still a Stage Three Void King, confident in his own abilities and none too eager to flee. He wanted only to probe Yang Kai's background before reporting back and calling upon stronger figures from the sect to deal with them.
"Watch this, old thief—a hidden weapon!" Yang Kai couldn't be bothered with idle talk. With a sharp shout, he reached up, grabbed something from atop his own head, and hurled it forward.
The old man and the white figure both froze, momentarily forgetting their battle.
The "hidden weapon" Yang Kai had thrown was actually the little girl who had been sitting on his shoulders.
A girl of seven or eight, with hair that cascaded to her waist, as delicate and lovely as a carved jade figurine—anyone who saw her would feel a rush of affection. And she had been tossed out like a projectile? How could she possibly survive? The little girl seemed stunned as well, wearing a blank expression as her small body hurtled straight toward the old man, silent, still, and unmoving.
The old man was furious, feeling utterly underestimated. He had intended to end the girl's life, but the moment his eyes met those clear, black-and-white orbs, an inexplicable jolt of unease ran through him.
In a panic, he swept the Blood Sea Banner in his hand. A flash of blood-red light engulfed the little girl, pulling her into the banner and making her vanish. Regardless of who the newcomer was, a hostage was a hostage.
The white figure grew frantic upon seeing this and lunged at the old man, exchanging several moves. But their inferior cultivation left them no match, and they were forced back, clutching a long spear at their side, gasping for breath.
"Brother Xu, it's been so long—how have you been?" Suspended in midair amid the wind, Yang Kai smiled and greeted the white figure. The breeze stirred, sending his black hair and robes dancing. Had it not been for the earlier incident of using a little girl as a projectile, he might have cut a rather dashing figure.
"You… you are…" Xu Binbai frowned as he looked at Yang Kai, suddenly finding the face somewhat familiar. Searching his memory, scenes from several decades ago surfaced, and he exclaimed in shock, "It's you!"
He had recognized Yang Kai as well.
Yang Kai grinned. "In the flesh."
"How could you possibly…" Xu Binbai could hardly believe that Yang Kai had appeared in a place like this. After all, decades ago the man had left the Star Domain—rumor had it he had used those Emperor Tokens to forcibly tear open the void and travel to another world entirely.
The ones who had gone with him at the time were all among the Star Domain's most exceptional figures: the president of the Hengluo Chamber of Commerce, Ao; the ruler of the Dichen Star, the Demon King Chiyue; the alliance leader of the Sword Union, Gu Cangyun; and…