The situation at Tiger Roar City grew peculiar in the wake of that battle. For a full half-year, not a single Demon Army came knocking.
Whether they feared Tiger Roar City's strength or for some other reason, the Demon Race seemed to have simply forgotten about it — while the neighboring cities endured relentless assault after assault.
For the first two months, Yang Kai didn't dare make any rash moves, lest he give the Demon Race an opening.
But as time passed and it became clear the demons would not return, Yang Kai led Tiger Roar City's army out on the offensive. If the demons wouldn't come to besiege the city, then he'd go out and fight them instead.
Thanks to Tiger Roar City's two hundred thousand soldiers racing back and forth, several nearby cities that had been on the verge of collapse were pulled back from the brink again and again, slaying countless enemies in the process. Tiger Roar City's army had become a formidable fighting force — with one to two hundred Emperor Realm cultivators among their ranks, wherever they went, victory was all but guaranteed. Their reputation spread far and wide.
Now, across every major city in the Western Region, the moment any city struggled in its defense, the first thing they did was send a distress call to Tiger Roar City. With Space Arrays and Mysterious Boundary Pearls at his disposal, Yang Kai could arrive and provide reinforcement with astonishing speed, turning the tide of battle time and again — holding back floodwaters on the verge of breaking, propping up a structure on the verge of collapse.
Though Tiger Roar City's army had performed impressively under Yang Kai's command, the overall situation for the Star Boundary remained far from optimistic.
In half a year, vast stretches of the Western Region had been lost. Over a hundred cities had fallen, countless people had perished on the battlefield, and the Demon Race's encroachment was unstoppable. At this rate, the entire Western Region would likely fall within five years. Once the demons used the Western Region as a springboard, the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Domains would know no peace.
The Great Emperors had long since vanished without a trace. No one knew what they were doing or whether they were even aware of the Star Boundary's current predicament.
Tiger Roar City's great protective formation activated slowly as the two hundred thousand soldiers returned in triumph. Though the half-year of campaigning had taken a heavy toll on Tiger Roar City's forces, warriors inspired by its reputation streamed in every day to join the ranks, so the army's numbers had remained stable — even growing slightly.
The city's residents cheered without end, welcoming the army's return with jubilation.
Yang Kai's expedition to provide reinforcements had achieved its objective — the city they had set out to aid was saved, and a demon army of a million had been beaten back.
Ma Yin, who had stayed behind to guard Tiger Roar City, hurried over to greet him, leaning close to whisper a few words. A flicker of surprise crossed Yang Kai's eyes. He waved a hand toward the rear, and the army dispersed to rest. Yang Kai shed his armor and strode toward the City Lord's manor.
In the great hall, a figure sat off to one side. Sensing the movement, the person turned to look.
Their gazes met, and Yang Kai saw that the visitor's eyes were entirely white — not a speck of black to be seen. The sight was unsettling.
"Brother Gao!" Yang Kai smiled faintly, walking straight to the seat of honor and settling in. A serving maid brought tea and respectfully withdrew.
The visitor was Gao Zhan. Yang Kai knew him, though not well, and couldn't help wondering what had brought the man here. This fellow was the inheritor of the Heavenly Pivot Great Emperor's legacy — shouldn't he be serving by the Emperor's side? What was he doing at Tiger Roar City?
"I wouldn't dare presume such familiarity!" Gao Zhan bowed slightly. "Brother Yang's achievements in both letters and arms are truly remarkable. The moment Tiger Roar's army took the field, the demon clans trembled at the mere rumor. You've earned a fearsome reputation these past months."
Yang Kai replied, "Brother Gao flatters me. May I ask what brings you here?"
Gao Zhan answered, "I come on my master's orders, to invite Brother Yang to pay a visit."
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "The Heavenly Pivot Great Emperor wishes to see me?"
"Indeed!"
Yang Kai nodded. "Very well. Give me a moment to make some preparations."
Gao Zhan gestured for him to take his time.
There wasn't much to prepare. Yang Kai simply found Li Jiao and Gao Xueting and told them he would be away for a while, instructing them to remain vigilant. Ever since that Demon Half-Saint had shown up and caused a scene, no Demon Race army had come to Tiger Roar City's gates, but caution was never wasted. What if the demons struck while he was gone?
Once that was settled, Yang Kai set off with Gao Zhan.
They passed through the Space Array in the city and were transported directly to their destination.
His vision swirled, and the two of them materialized inside a valley. Spiritual energy was thick and abundant within it, birds sang among fragrant blossoms, and elegant pavilions and terraces dotted the landscape. After spending so long surrounded by battlefields and the clamor of war, arriving at such a place felt almost jarring.
Yang Kai raised an eyebrows. "This is the Celestial Mechanism Valley?"
He had long heard that the Heavenly Pivot Great Emperor resided in the Celestial Mechanism Valley, but its location within the Star Boundary was one of the best-kept secrets — very few people knew where it was. Yang Kai himself had no idea, and he certainly never expected that one day he would actually set foot here.
Gao Zhan nodded. "Brother Yang is correct. This is indeed the Celestial Mechanism Valley. My master prefers solitude, so it is only the two of us here. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality."
"You're too modest." Yang Kai offered a polite remark, glancing around with visible curiosity.
Gao Zhan led the way ahead, crossing a small bridge over a trickling stream and heading deeper into the valley. The paths within the Celestial Mechanism Valley wound and twisted, the scenery shifting constantly — one moment surrounded by the warmth of spring blossoms, and a single step forward might place you amid a blanket of pristine snow.
Powerful formations blanketed the place, seemingly able to regulate the energy of all four seasons.
Gao Zhan finally stopped before a pavilion and gestured for Yang Kai to enter.
Yang Kai looked up — and froze. Two figures sat inside the pavilion, both gazing at him with gentle smiles. He had been studying the scenery along the way, but that didn't mean he hadn't been sensing his surroundings the entire time. The fact that he had failed to detect either of the two people sitting in the pavilion right in front of him was deeply unsettling.