With his explanation, Yang Kai finally understood what Mingyue had meant earlier by “dissipate.”
Killing him was merely the means; the ultimate goal of the Demon Saints was to dissipate the power of heaven and earth that the Star Boundary had bestowed upon him.
“Then what can be done?” Yang Kai’s brow furrowed deeply. The matter involved a Great Emperor and Demon Saints, as well as the fundamental balance of two great Worlds, so he couldn’t think of any good solution for the moment. He could only hope Mingyue himself had some ideas.
Unexpectedly, Mingyue slowly shook his head. “There is no way. Not only am I injured now, but even if I were completely unscathed, escaping the Demon Realm would likely be impossible.”
Hearing this, Yang Kai’s heart sank. He asked in a grave voice, “If Lord Mingyue were to go all out, couldn’t you leave this place?”
Mingyue pointed outside and smiled faintly. “The Demon Saint guarding this place is called Xue Li. He originated from the Blood Demon race and possesses considerable strength. Before you arrived, I tried many times, but with him stationed here, I had no opportunity to succeed.”
That Xue Li was originally of the Blood Demon race. Now, with countless demons sacrificed here, forming a boundless sea of blood, he was like a fish in water in this environment. Mingyue’s repeated attempts to break free had all ended in failure, and in the end, he could only retreat to a corner to conserve his strength. Had he not sensed Yang Kai’s aura, he would never have wasted energy to risk taking action this time.
Yang Kai blurted out, “Lord, if I were to take you out…” Before he could finish, he shook his head to negate the idea. “No…”
Though he was proficient in the Laws of Space and could perform Instantaneous Movement, taking Mingyue away right under the nose of a Demon Saint was still something akin to a fantasy. He feared that the moment he used Instantaneous Movement to leave, he would be caught up by that Xue Li. Relying on the Mystic Boundary Pearl wouldn’t work either. He could certainly store Mingyue inside it, but once Mingyue vanished, he would be even less of a match for Xue Li alone. At that point, he would only die faster.
Mingyue smiled faintly. "I appreciate your kind intentions, but my situation here is already a dead end. There is no need for you to waste your effort. Being able to see you one last time can be considered the fate between us. If the day comes when you are able to return to the Star Boundary, do me a favor and tell Xun'er that I can no longer look after her. Tell her to take good care of herself."
"We haven't reached the final moment yet, my lord. Why must you lose heart so soon?" Yang Kai's expression was grave. Though he spoke words of comfort, he knew that for Mingyue to say such things clearly meant he had already foreseen something about his own future. He was not like Tianshu, who could divine the workings of heaven, but at his level of strength, one gained a certain intuition about the unseen will of the heavens. "Before I came here, I met with Junior Sister Lan Xun. She told me that no matter what, I must bring you back. If you give up now, how will I ever face her when I return?"
Mingyue chuckled. "I have not lost heart—it is simply that a man's strength has its limits. If I were still at my peak, there might have been a slim chance of escaping this place. But as things stand..." He lowered his gaze to the wound at his waist and slowly shook his head.
The injury had been inflicted by a Demon Saint, and the lingering damage was immense. If he could sit in quiet meditation for several thousand or even ten thousand years to recover, there might still be a chance. But trapped here as he was, having to simultaneously contend with the sea of blood and the power of the great formation, where would he find the strength to heal himself? Remaining here was nothing more than conserving what little power he had, preparing for one final, desperate struggle when the moment came.
However, the speaker had spoken without thought, but the listener took it to heart. Yang Kai's eyes lit up, and he said with renewed vigor, "My lord, if your injuries were fully healed, how much chance would there be of escaping this place and returning to the Star Boundary?"
"Less than ten percent."
Yang Kai was taken aback. The odds were absurdly low—less than a ten-percent chance was essentially no chance at all. But thinking about it, it wasn't exactly surprising. A sea of blood had already formed outside, reinforced by the great formation. Even if Mingyue made a full recovery, he still wouldn't be a match for Xue Li in a one-on-one fight. As long as Xue Li could stall him for a few days, the other Demon Saints would surely converge from all directions. With twelve Demon Saints bearing down on Mingyue alone, how could he possibly escape?
But having a chance was still better than having none. After a brief moment of hesitation and inner struggle, Yang Kai gritted his teeth. "I might be able to help you recover, my lord."
Mingyue stared at him in astonishment and furrowed his brow. "It is not that I am unwilling to believe you, but do you truly understand the nature of my injury?" An injury of this kind was beyond what any miraculous pill or elixir could cure. There was no remedy under heaven that could affect such wounds—the only path to recovery was through one's own effort. And yet Yang Kai had just told him there was a way to restore him. How could Mingyue possibly believe that? His instinct was to dismiss it as youthful arrogance.
But young people all had their various shortcomings, after all—a few flaws could not overshadow their virtues.
Yang Kai shook his head. "I don't know how serious your lordship's injuries are, but as long as you still have a single breath left in you, I can help you make a full recovery."
This was quite a bold claim, yet it actually made Mingyue believe him a little more. After all, anyone who could successfully infiltrate the Demon Realm without arousing suspicion from a Demon Saint clearly had his wits about him. Since Yang Kai dared to say such a thing, he must have had some confidence.
"Then this lord would very much like to see how you plan to restore me."
"Please wait a moment, my lord!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Yang Kai vanished in a flash, and a bead dropped to the ground where he had been standing.
Mingyue raised an eyebrow and extended his hand, summoning the Mysterious World Bead into his grasp. After a brief probe with his senses, surprise flickered across his face. Though he was not well-versed in the Laws of Space, he could still discern the bead's true nature, and he couldn't help but feel a measure of shock.
He could be absolutely certain that this bead was a treasure Yang Kai had kept utterly secret from the world, yet here he had placed it so casually before him without the slightest hint of guardedness. It was clear testament to the depth of his trust.
Inside the Mysterious World Bead, within the medicine garden, Yang Kai stood before a small tree roughly half his height, its entire body crystalline and translucent, emanating a soft emerald glow. His gaze rested on the tree's last three remaining green leaves, and a faint sorrow crept into his eyes.