"If you're not giving it back, then behave yourself." Yang Kai reached out and tapped her on the head.
Fu Ling nodded so vigorously her head bobbed like a chick pecking rice, then asked curiously: "Brother-in-law, why are you back again?" She could see that Yang Kai was calm and composed — he'd clearly planned this return all along. But why go to all this trouble? He'd even shaken off Zhu Qing. If she hadn't been guarding this entrance, she'd never have witnessed this. A sudden glee welled up inside her, the thrill of having stumbled onto a great secret. She wondered — if she used this to blackmail Yang Kai, who knew what she could get out of…
"I have my reasons. Why ask so many questions?" Yang Kai waved his hand impatiently, then said solemnly: "Remember — you didn't see me today."
Fu Ling's bright eyes blinked: "But when you left earlier, Sister Qing was right there beside you."
Yang Kai said: "You didn't see me come back! Understood?"
"Understood." Fu Ling nodded.
Yang Kai grinned: "Be a good girl and you'll have your rewards. But if you dare breathe a word of this…" He gave a light snort and formed a hand seal with one hand.
Fu Ling's face changed instantly, both hands waving frantically: "Brother-in-law, don't worry — I absolutely, positively will never betray you."
Yang Kai grunted his acknowledgment, then shot into the air and flew back along the same route toward the Dragon Palace.
He was going to storm the Dragon Temple! He couldn't let half a year of painstaking effort go to waste. That wretched hag Fu Zhun had gone back on her word — if she could play the first of the month, he'd play the fifteenth. As long as he could get inside the Dragon Temple, even if Fu Zhun found out, there'd be nothing she could do about it. All the dragon souls within the temple were under his control — once inside, he'd be invincible.
The trouble was, this wasn't something he could let Zhu Qing know about, lest he put her in a difficult position. That was why he'd pretended to leave before doubling back.
Just thinking about Fu Zhun made his blood boil. He sneered inwardly — his generosity wasn't something to be taken advantage of so easily.
He flew swiftly onward, his spiritual sense sweeping outward, ever watchful, constantly monitoring his surroundings. He took care to conceal his aura and presence, avoiding detection. Fortunately, the dragons were few in number, each occupying their own spirit island and spending most of their time in seclusion cultivating quietly. His journey passed without incident — he didn't encounter a single soul.
He knew the direction of the Dragon Temple from his previous visit. Though this trip required him to circumvent several spirit islands, he was on familiar ground.
Two hours into his flight, Yang Kai's body abruptly froze mid-air. He pivoted and dove toward a nearby spirit island, plunging into a patch of tall grass the instant he landed. At the same time, he activated the Void Technique, banishing himself into the void and suppressing every trace of his aura and vitality.
He had barely finished when, from his hiding place in the void, he saw a figure soar overhead — and broke into a cold sweat.
The person flying past was none other than Fu Zhun herself!
What was the wretched hag doing out here instead of staying on Ice and Snow Island? Yang Kai cursed inwardly. Thank heavens he'd been monitoring his surroundings so carefully — otherwise he'd have run straight into her. And if she'd questioned him, what could he possibly have said? The awkwardness would have been unbearable.
Fu Zhun was a tenth-rank Great Dragon, a being comparable to a Great Emperor. Yang Kai couldn't be certain his concealment would fool her perception, but at this point there was nothing to do but hope for the best.
What terrible luck. The very first person he ran into while sneaking back was Fu Zhun! Running into any other Great Dragon would have been fine — so why did it have to be her?
And since he'd sensed her presence just now, could she have sensed his in return?
Before long, Yang Kai realized he'd been worrying over nothing.
Fu Zhun hadn't detected him at all — she'd swept straight over his head.
But before he could even celebrate, her figure came to an abrupt halt, then turned and descended toward the island.
Had she found him? Yang Kai's mind raced with tangled thoughts. When she came over and asked why he was hiding here like a thief, what would he say? He'd forgotten about Mo Xiaoqi and come back looking for her! Yes, that was a decent excuse. But even so, why would he need to conceal his aura and vitality? A dead giveaway — like declaring "there is no silver buried here" with a sign.
The soft rustle of footsteps approached his position.
Yang Kai sighed inwardly — fortune or calamity, if it was coming, there was no dodging it. He couldn't stand the sight of her anyway. Worst case, they'd tear off the pretense and fight it out to see who came out on top.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Yang Kai's expression shifted. He'd noticed something strange about Fu Zhun's demeanor. The coldness on her face hadn't diminished much, but it was now shrouded in a profound sorrow, as though she were grieving over something.
This wretched hag, grieving? Yang Kai nearly thought his eyes were deceiving him. He looked more carefully and confirmed — she truly was sorrowful, and appeared almost absent-minded. She walked forward step by step, as if her soul had departed and only a walking shell remained.
No wonder she hadn't sensed him! Everything clicked into place in Yang Kai's mind. In theory, even with himself banished into the void, someone of Fu Zhun's cultivation and power should have detected something. But her state was clearly off — she was consumed by some grief, her focus scattered, which had allowed him to slip through by sheer luck.
Then a new question arose: what in all the world could possibly cause the Second Elder of the Dragon Race — a being comparable to a Great Emperor — to look so utterly despondent? Though Fu Zhun's grief wasn't displayed openly, it was so thick it seemed about to overflow.