After washing up at Ling Yinqin's place, getting properly dressed, and spending the entire night in meditation to regulate his breathing, Yang Kai finally emerged at dawn the following day, looking refreshed and full of vigor.
Ling Yinqin and Lan He, who had been standing guard outside all night, were both startled when they saw him. They were stunned by his astonishing recovery. After yesterday's battle against Cang Mo, Yang Kai had been battered beyond recognition, with barely a single unscathed inch on his body. Yet after merely one night, there was not a single visible mark of injury remaining.
Such regenerative ability was nothing short of inconceivable.
"Young Master!" The garish elder had also been standing guard outside. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes when Yang Kai appeared, and he offered a respectful greeting.
Yang Kai glanced at him and chuckled.
A full night of rest had allowed him to think through many things. Although he still had no idea what this old man's true identity was or which Holy Spirit he specifically was, Yang Kai was certain of one thing — the old man's willingness to abase himself and call Yang Kai "Young Master" served only one purpose: to seek his protection.
The old man had said it himself yesterday — Li Wuyi intended to bring him back to Spirit Beast Island, but he had wanted Li Wuyi to ask Yang Kai whether he agreed.
Was that really something Yang Kai had any say in? If Li Wuyi truly wanted to take him back to Spirit Beast Island, Yang Kai would have supported the idea one hundred percent. Just by the old man's appearance alone, he didn't look like good news. If he were to tag along by Yang Kai's side indefinitely, who knew what unspeakable deeds he might commit, dragging Yang Kai's reputation through the mud? And judging by the strength the old man had displayed previously, Yang Kai currently had no means to keep him in check.
So while the title "Young Master" certainly sounded pleasant enough, Yang Kai had absolutely no intention of taking on such a hot potato.
Not only did he lack the ability to shelter the old man — even if he did, there was no need to.
Yang Kai smiled with deep meaning, but the old man seemed not to notice in the slightest. He spoke up: "Does the Young Master have any orders?"
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!" Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively and turned to Lan He. "Where are the two seniors currently?"
Lan He replied, "The two seniors stayed overnight at Celestial Wolf Valley last night. They're currently over at the guest hall."
"Take me there."
Lan He nodded and immediately led the way to take Yang Kai to pay his respects to Li Wuyi and Jiu Feng. Ling Yinqin did not follow — she had never met Li Wuyi or Jiu Feng before, and the gap in their status and position was far too great. There was neither the standing nor the necessity for her to go.
The two were not in the guest hall but in a pavilion atop a mountain peak.
Lan He led Yang Kai on a lengthy, winding route before they finally located Li Wuyi and Jiu Feng, who were standing in the pavilion gazing into the distance from behind the railing. Lan He stopped well short of the pavilion, while Yang Kai flew straight in. The flamboyant elder trailed along behind him as well, putting on a display of unwavering loyalty and devoted guardianship.
Landing in the pavilion, Yang Kai cupped his fists formally. "Junior Yang Kai greets the two seniors."
Li Wuyi raised an eyebrow, while Jiu Feng smiled playfully: "Yesterday you were calling us 'big sister' and 'big brother' without a moment's pause, and now today it's 'senior' again?"
Yang Kai grinned: "Yesterday was yesterday, and today is today. Yesterday the two seniors graciously condescended to elevate my status, hoping to discourage my powerful enemies from pressing their attack. Yang Kai understood full well and was deeply grateful. Now that the enemy has gone, I naturally can't carry on that way." He paused, then added: "Besides, Xiao Qi and I address each other as siblings, and she calls you Uncle and Aunt. If I were to treat you as equals in seniority, wouldn't that throw the whole generational order into chaos? How would I greet Xiao Qi the next time we meet?"
"You think you know everything." Jiu Feng shot him a reproachful glance.
Li Wuyi said, "It's just a formality — a trivial matter, not worth fretting over. By the way, didn't you go to the Lower Realm Star Field? When did you get back?"
"Not long ago."
Li Wuyi's expression turned solemn: "Did you find Wu Kuang?"
The moment the name Wu Kuang left his lips, even the flamboyant elder — who had been standing quietly to the side the entire time — couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, a flicker of alarm crossing his face. Though he was not from the same era as Wu Kuang, that hardly stopped him from knowing just how terrifying Wu Kuang was.
Yang Kai let out a heavy sigh: "I did see him, but there was nothing I could do about him."
The reason he had rushed back to the Lower Realm Star Field so urgently was the fear that Wu Kuang would go to the Hengluo Star Field and wreak havoc. Now that the Star Field's Origin had been refined by Yang Kai, Wu Kuang no longer had that opportunity. Even someone of Wu Kuang's caliber would be suppressed by the laws of heaven and earth within the Lower Realm Star Field, unless he refined the Star Field's Origin first.
After a moment of thought, Yang Kai continued: "Moreover, Wu Kuang's current situation is rather peculiar. Even if I truly had the ability to deal with him, I wouldn't know how to go about it."
Li Wuyi clearly understood what he was wary of and nodded: "It is indeed a difficult matter."
Two souls sharing one body — if it were an ordinary person, that would be one thing. The crucial problem was that it was the body of Emperor Hongchen. If the opportunity arose, they couldn't very well kill both Emperor Hongchen and Wu Kuang together, could they? Yang Kai had turned it over and over, and the only way to resolve this was for Emperor Hongchen himself to act — unless he managed to expel Wu Kuang's soul on his own first. Otherwise, anyone who faced the two of them would have a terrible headache.
And if this matter were truly traced back to its origin, the root cause was none other than Yang Kai himself.