"You must already know why I've come," Yang Kai said bluntly.
Tao Yingruo nodded. "Our Sect Master has tragically perished, leaving the Raksha Sect without a leader. For you, my lord, to serve as our Guest Elder at a time like this and protect our foundation is truly our fortune. I, along with all the Raksha Sect disciples, are endlessly grateful, and from now on, we shall follow your lead in all things."
She bowed again.
Yang Kai waved his hand. "There's no need for that. You should all carry on as usual—I'm just a name on a roster."
Tao Yingruo looked up at him, about to say more, but Yang Kai cut her off. "I understand the Raksha Sect's current situation, but I don't know much about the sect itself. Sect affairs are not for me to meddle in. That's all there is to it, Grand Elder—please say no more."
Only then did Tao Yingruo realize that Yang Kai truly had no ulterior motives regarding the Raksha Sect. He had simply felt guilty over what had happened to Yuzhuo, which was why he had traveled all this way to offer the Raksha Sect his protection.
Gratitude flooded her heart, and all her previous worries dissipated in an instant. She wasn't worried that Yang Kai was playing hard to get—after all, his cultivation was plainly evident. If he truly intended to use force, no one in the Raksha Sect could resist him. And given Yang Kai's current reputation, even if he did something to the sect, no one in the Southern Domain would stand up for them. To think there really was such a person in this world—for a moment, the way she regarded Yang Kai took on a somewhat different light. And what she had said earlier was, in its own way, a veiled test.
Qin Pei spoke up from the side. "Grand Elder, perhaps you should invite our guest inside to rest. He's had a long and dusty journey."
A trace of embarrassment surfaced on Tao Yingruo's face. "How careless of me. Please, my lord." She stepped aside and gestured for him to pass.
Yang Kai nodded and walked straight ahead without glancing sideways. Hundreds of female disciples along the path all turned their gazes upon him, their beautiful eyes brimming with curiosity and appraisal. Tao Yingruo quietly observed and saw that Yang Kai moved with the bearing of a dragon and tiger—commanding and extraordinary. Most remarkably, he didn't so much as spare a single glance at any of the female disciples.
This wasn't arrogance. It was the calm composure of a man utterly unmoved by beauty that was practically laid at his feet. At this, Tao Yingruo truly put her mind at ease.
She invited Yang Kai into the great hall, served fine tea, and the few remaining Dao Origin Realm cultivators of the Raksha Sect accompanied them, making introductions all around.
The Raksha Sect had originally possessed one Emperor Venerable Realm expert and thirteen Dao Origin Realm cultivators. But after the Wuhua Hall incident, the Emperor Venerable Realm Sect Master had fallen, and more than half the Dao Origin Realm experts had been killed as well, leaving only five.
Among these five, Tao Yingruo was the strongest at the third level of the Dao Origin Realm. Next came Qin Pei and another cultivator at the second level, while the remaining two were only at the first level.
Such strength couldn't even compare to the old Biyu Sect, naturally drawing covetous gazes from surrounding powers.
Yang Kai didn't know much about the Raksha Sect—he had learned most of what he knew from Qin Pei on the way over. The Raksha Sect's history wasn't long. Its founding master was the current Sect Master Yuluosha, and it had only existed for a few hundred years—less than a thousand, which was indeed rather short for a sect.
Most of the sect's disciples were orphans, brought back by senior disciples during their travels. Throughout the Raksha Sect, the atmosphere was quite pleasant—senior and junior sisters were affectionate with one another, and any minor disagreements were harmless. The Raksha Sect governed a nearby city, and most of its expenses came from there. Additionally, they controlled a Yutong copper vein.
Since they wanted Yang Kai to serve as Guest Elder, Tao Yingruo naturally wanted him to understand the sect better, so she reported various matters one by one. Normally, a Guest Elder's status couldn't compare to that of an official Elder, but Yang Kai's cultivation was streets ahead of theirs, and the Raksha Sect would need to shelter under his wings going forward. Without even realizing it, Tao Yingruo and the others had placed themselves in an extremely humble position.
If Yang Kai hadn't been a man, they might very well have asked him to become the Sect Master.
The stream of reports made Yang Kai drowsy. Tao Yingruo clearly noticed this and sighed inwardly, thinking that she had indeed been judging a noble heart with a petty mind. Looking at Yang Kai's expression, even if someone handed the entire Raksha Sect to him on a platter, he would probably find it too troublesome. How laughable that she had actually worried he might harbor some hidden agenda.
But precisely because of this, Tao Yingruo felt even more at ease about Yang Kai. With such a selfless person protecting the Raksha Sect, all they needed was time—how could the sect not rise again?
She tentatively asked whether Yang Kai would be willing to become an official Elder of the Raksha Sect, but he politely declined, so she let the matter go.
"The inauguration ceremony was already being prepared beforehand. I plan to hold it in half a month—will that be alright for Elder Yang?" Tao Yingruo asked.
Yang Kai considered for a moment and nodded. "That works."
He roughly understood Tao Yingruo's intention. She wanted to announce the appointment to the world at the ceremony. Although she had already spread the word that Yang Kai would be serving as Guest Elder of the Raksha Sect, mere words carried no weight—why would anyone believe them? But an inauguration ceremony was different. It was a highly formal ritual, and once it was held, it would prove that Yang Kai had truly been branded as part of the Raksha Sect. No one could deny that.
Yang Kai guessed that Tao Yingruo would also send out invitations far and wide, inviting many people to witness the event.
These were minor matters, and he was happy to let her handle them. After all, she had no malice or selfish motives—she was thinking of the sect's best interests.
Seeing that Yang Kai had no objections, Tao Yingruo smiled and rose to her feet. "In that case, please rest for a few days, Elder Yang." As she spoke, she caught Qin Pei's eye with a meaningful glance.