"So it's like that..." Qi Hai stumbled involuntarily, his expression visibly aging in that instant. But in his heart he sneered — the True Phoenix Fire was an incomparably precious treasure. If Yang Kai had obtained it, how could he not keep it on his person? This was obviously just an excuse. If you weren't willing to help back then, why bother finding such a pretext now?
Yang Kai frowned. "Besides, your wife was poisoned — you should be doing everything possible to find a cure. Why pin your hopes on me?"
Qi Hai said desolately, "There's no other way. Only the True Phoenix Fire can save her life. So the moment I heard Brother Yang had arrived in the Eastern Region, I rushed over without rest. But your speed is too fast — though I gave chase the whole way, I couldn't catch up. Fortunately, I heard you'd come to Heavenly Wolf Valley, so I decided to try my luck here." He paused. "I also hear Brother Yang has been inquiring about a way to reach Spirit Beast Island?"
Yang Kai gave a thin, mirthless smile. "Brother Qi certainly has well-informed sources."
Qi Hai couldn't miss the sarcasm in his words, but pretended not to notice and said solemnly, "If that's the case, I might be able to help in some small way."
Yang Kai looked him up and down. "Don't tell me you know how to get to Spirit Beast Island."
Qi Hai smiled faintly. "That much, I'm afraid I don't know. But I do know where to find the Spirit Beast Island's Beast Seekers! The Beast Seekers come from Spirit Beast Island itself. Once you find one, do you think getting to the island will be a problem?"
Yang Kai's expression shifted. "Where?"
Qi Hai smiled with a touch of pride. "The Beast Seekers of Spirit Beast Island primarily search for exotic beasts and rare formations on behalf of the Beast Martial Lord. Think about it, Brother Yang — in the Eastern Region, where are exotic beasts and rare formations most abundant?"
Did that even need thinking? Yang Kai almost immediately thought of one place: "The Primal Wasteland!"
Qi Hai clapped his hands. "Precisely! The Primal Wasteland has the greatest abundance of exotic beasts and rare formations, and many of them carry the bloodline of ancient Sacred Spirits. How could the Beast Seekers possibly overlook it? My Qitian Bastion is stationed on the outskirts of the Wasteland — a uniquely advantageous geographical position. To be frank with you, Brother Yang, one of the Beast Seekers has been living permanently within my Qitian Bastion."
"What a coincidence." Yang Kai stared, then said flatly, "So you're going to tell me to follow you back to Qitian Bastion, meet this Beast Seeker, and while we're at it, save your wife's life?"
Qi Hai cupped his hands. "If that could be arranged, I would be eternally grateful."
Yang Kai nodded, then asked as if offhandedly, "But before that, there's one thing I'd like to ask you about."
Qi Hai said gravely, "You flatter me. Please ask whatever you will."
Yang Kai said, "People from the Underworld Sect and Fantian Sacred Ground have been tracking my movements. You should know about that, right?"
"I was just about to bring this up." A trace of guilt appeared on Qi Hai's face. "As I chased after you, Brother Yang, I mobilized quite a few of Qitian Bastion's informants throughout the Eastern Region. Perhaps the commotion was too great, and word of your appearance leaked out — which is how those two major powers heard about it, leading to what followed. Please accept my apologies."
"Is that so?" Yang Kai was noncommittal, uncertain whether to believe him or not, and smiled faintly. "To tell you the truth, I came to Heavenly Wolf Valley to find a way to Spirit Beast Island. But Valley Master Tang seems rather wary of the Underworld Sect and Fantian Sacred Ground, so he wouldn't accommodate my request. If you bring me back to Qitian Bastion, aren't you afraid those two powers will cause trouble for you?"
Qi Hai declared resolutely, "As long as I can save my wife's life, I'm willing to pay any price."
Yang Kai nodded. "Your devotion to your wife is truly admirable. In that case, there's something I don't understand."
Qi Hai blinked. "What is it that Brother Yang doesn't understand?"
Yang Kai grinned and turned his gaze to the surrounding void. "If you need my help, why are you allying with the Underworld Sect and Fantian Sacred Ground? You've been blocking me here, keeping me talking to distract me, while they set up their ambush in the background. Aren't you afraid of offending me to the point where I'd refuse to save her out of spite?"
Qi Hai's face changed abruptly, his expression twitching. "What do you mean by that, Brother Yang?"
But Yang Kai ignored him and called out loudly, "Since you're already here, why skulking about? Why not show yourselves properly?"
"Ha ha ha ha!" A burst of laughter suddenly rang out. "I told you all that your little schemes couldn't fool him, but you wouldn't listen. Now look who's embarrassed!"
As the words faded, the void there trembled slightly, and a young man with crimson hair and red eyes, his expression uncannily bewitching, suddenly appeared. He had apparently been hiding there all along, concealed by some unknown method — a near-perfect concealment.
Yang Kai's gaze swept over, and his brow rose. "Red Ghost!"
He wasn't close with this fellow — they had only crossed paths once in the Shattered Star Sea — but Yang Kai recognized him at a glance. He was exactly the Ahan Hall's Red Ghost that Lan He had mentioned before. It was hard not to recognize him; his appearance was simply too distinctive.