The voices of these two women matched their temperaments perfectly — one was like a lone spirit in an empty valley, the other sweet and pleasantly honeyed. Especially that Yu Keren; the moment she opened her mouth to speak, Yang Kai felt as though his bones had gone three liang lighter, his entire being floating in a state of ethereal bliss.
The cultivation of the two women was not particularly high, but it was still respectable. Both had reached the Void King Realm, Third Stage, and one more step forward would place them in the Dao Origin Realm. For Rakshasa Gate's current situation, the Dao Origin Realm was the true backbone of the sect. That Tao Yingruo was willing to deploy these two spoke volumes about how much she valued Yang Kai. She had no choice but to value him — the safety of the entire sect rested on his shoulders. If Yang Kai truly had any reservations, forget about just these two female disciples; she would have been willing to offer herself up in person without hesitation.
Yang Kai nodded. "You both already know my background, I'm sure. There's no need to be so formal. Let's all get along."
"We wouldn't dare presume," both women said with their heads bowed.
Yang Kai smiled faintly and let the matter drop, turning to walk deeper inside.
Ran Yirou and Yu Keren hurried to follow close behind, while the other female disciples remained outside.
Once inside the hall, the two women trailed at his heels, responding with only a brief sentence or two when Yang Kai asked a question and maintaining silence the rest of the time — playing the part of obedient disciples to perfection. Though Ran Yirou appeared poised and composed, Yang Kai could still sense the nervousness and apprehension both of them carried.
The two had been ordered to come here to serve Yang Kai. Before this, Tao Yingruo had given them an thorough and explicit briefing, making it crystal clear that if this Elder Yang had any request whatsoever, they were not to refuse.
They were not children. Naturally, they understood what Tao Yingruo's instructions implied. They had grown up in Rakshasa Gate, and though they had ventured out on a few excursions over the years and encountered some men, those men had always left a terrible impression — their eyes brimming with covetousness and possessiveness, not a single one to their liking. That had bred in them an instinctive wariness toward all men. But Rakshasa Gate was the place that had raised them, and when the sect faced peril, they could not stand idly by.
The moment they accepted this assignment, the two had made their peace with their fate. Facing an elder who could take whatever he wanted from them at any moment, how could they possibly treat the situation as ordinary? It was only natural that an extra measure of caution accompanied them.
This place had originally been the residence of Rakshasa Gate's master, Yu Luocha. The furnishings within naturally bore a feminine touch, but under Tao Yingruo's arrangements, most of those traces had been removed. The various objects in the hall appeared to have been freshly purchased. Though a faint fragrance lingered here and there, it was nothing of consequence.
Before long, Yang Kai had toured the entire place and strolled back out in an unhurried manner, leading the two women on a tour through Rakshasa Gate. Despite the long journey he had endured, it was hardly taxing for someone of his level, and he was in no hurry to rest. If he was going to protect Rakshasa Gate, he needed to familiarize himself with the place thoroughly. Moreover, appreciating different landscapes and customs could itself be a form of tempering one's state of mind.
Rakshasa Gate boasted some twenty to thirty spirit peaks of varying sizes, each with its own distinct scenery. They started with Rakshasa Peak, where Yang Kai had been lodged.
They walked along at a leisurely pace, Ran Yirou and Yu Keren attending at his side. Again, they answered any question asked and volunteered nothing when none was.
Until they reached a certain point, when Ran Yirou spoke up: "Ahead lies the Forbidden Ground. This disciple is not permitted to follow any further. Please forgive us, Elder." With that, she and Yu Keren both came to a halt.
"The Forbidden Ground?" Yang Kai also stopped, casting his gaze toward the area ahead. He didn't notice anything particularly special about it and nodded. "Since it's forbidden, we'll just look at something else."
Every sect had its own forbidden grounds, and Rakshasa Gate was no exception. Ordinary disciples were not qualified to set foot in such places — only the sect's most powerful cultivators had that privilege.
Yu Keren said, "If the Elder wishes to go, you may do so freely."
Yang Kai considered for a moment. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?" Others had told him it was forbidden ground, so barging in didn't feel right.
Yu Keren offered a sweet smile, revealing two small dimples at the corners of her lips. "There's no issue. Martial Aunt Tao instructed us that within Rakshasa Gate, the Elder may go wherever he pleases."
Since she had put it that way, Yang Kai saw no reason to stand on ceremony. Whatever secrets Rakshasa Gate might hold, they were nothing he would lose sleep over. He might as well go take a look at what this forbidden ground was all about. He instructed the two women: "Then wait here for me. I'll be back shortly."
"Yes!" The two women answered respectfully. When they looked up, Yang Kai had already vanished without a trace. They exchanged a glance and quietly clicked their tongues in amazement. They had seen Emperor Sovereign Realm cultivators before — not many, perhaps three or five — but none had ever given them this sensation of unfathomable, ghost-like power that Yang Kai did. Compared to him, their own sect master seemed to exist on an entirely different level.
With these thoughts running through her mind, Yu Keren secretly transmitted her voice: "Senior Sister, Elder Yang seems like he's very easy to get along with."
The two had been living on edge for days prior. They had suddenly been assigned by Tao Yingruo to serve an incoming guest elder at Rakshasa Gate, and with all manner of stern instructions delivered alongside the assignment, they had naturally been anxious, fearing the man might turn out to be some rough, foul-tempered brute. It was only upon meeting him that they realized Yang Kai was nothing like what they had imagined. Not only was he not ugly, he actually had a dashing and refined bearing, and his temperament seemed extremely gentle and even-tempered.
"The Elder may be easy to get along with, but that doesn't mean we can overstep," Ran Yirou said with a grave expression. "You should speak less, and if you must, you need to change the way you sound. Otherwise, the Elder might think you're trying to seduce him."
Yu Keren flushed red with embarrassment, looking as though she might burst into tears. "This is just how I talk! What am I supposed to do?"
Ran Yirou stared at her with a pained expression. "There you go again..." Never mind that a man might be affected — even she herself had felt her heart skip a beat just now. That honey-sweet voice was like an invisible little hand, constantly tickling at one's heartstrings.
Yu Keren lowered her head in a aggrieved manner. "Fine. From now on, I just won't speak in front of the Elder."