Staring at Xiang Chu's retreating figure, Yang Kai was momentarily stunned.
He had initially assumed this man was some spoiled young master, given how unwelcoming everyone here seemed to be toward him.
The Xiang family was a first-rate clan, and it was perfectly normal for a young master from such a prestigious house to be arrogant and overbearing.
But seeing him behave with such propriety, respond with such grace, and carry himself as refined, mild-mannered, and remarkably free-spirited, Yang Kai couldn't help but feel a measure of surprise.
Yang Kai could clearly see the affection this man held for the Hu sisters, and he made no effort to hide it. Yet when Hu Jiao'er treated him so coldly, he showed no irritation and didn't pester her—he could be considered a man of genuine character.
For some reason, the Hu sisters and everyone here didn't particularly care for him.
But there was always a cause behind every effect. Yang Kai understood that one couldn't judge a person's heart by their appearance, and his instincts told him that Xiang Chu definitely had a side unknown to others.
After Xiang Chu's figure disappeared from view, Fang Ziqi sidled up to Yang Kai and chuckled softly: "Yang Kai, don't let that guy fool you. He looks amiable on the surface, but he's actually a snake in the grass—shrewd, calculating, and deeply manipulative. That's the only reason he's been put in command here."
"I know." Yang Kai nodded calmly. He had no intention of underestimating Xiang Chu.
Someone like Bai Yunfeng, who was arrogant and overbearing with every emotion written on his face and no scheming whatsoever, posed absolutely no threat to Yang Kai.
It was someone like Xiang Chu, who wore a smile on the surface, that required vigilance.
"This place is under his command?" Hu Jiao'er caught a different implication and looked at Fang Ziqi in surprise. "What's going on? He's only of the younger generation—how could he be in charge here? Isn't there an elder from the Xiang family holding the fort?"
Fang Ziqi paused, gave a dry laugh, and turned his gaze to Guan Chile.
"You two ladies have had a long and tiring journey. Why don't you rest first? I'll explain everything tonight," Guan Chile said after a moment's hesitation.
"Fine." Hu Jiao'er didn't press further. Partly because she had already sensed something unusual, and partly because she and her sister truly needed to clean up. After hiding and sneaking around with Yang Kai for an entire month, she could no longer stand the grime on her body.
Women were always more particular about cleanliness.
"Yang Kai, come with me." Fang Ziqi beckoned warmly.
Yang Kai smiled faintly and followed him.
***
Night fell. Bonfires were lit outside, and everyone from the Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower had gathered around them. The flames danced and crackled as Yang Kai and Fang Ziqi skewered some wild game and roasted it over the fire.
The sharp popping of the fire echoed through the silence.
After a long while, Hu Jiao'er finally spoke up: "Uncle Le, what exactly is going on here? So many of the strong fighters have vanished. Where have all the high-ranking members of our Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower gone?"
Before they left two or three months ago, there had been quite a few Shenyou Realm experts stationed here. But now that they had returned, they found fewer than ten remaining. The two guarding Xiang Chu were somewhat stronger, but the rest of the Shenyou Realm cultivators weren't particularly high-level.
Although this location wasn't considered critical on the overall front line, having this few experts holding the fort was practically a joke. If the people from across the mountain attacked, everyone here would likely be wiped out.
Guan Chile sighed and spoke somberly: "Here's the situation. A month ago, we received orders from the Eight Great Families of Zhongdu. All experts participating in the siege of the Cangyun Evil Lands are converging toward the center. It seems the Eight Great Families and the Evil Master are about to have a final battle."
"A final battle?" Hu Jiao'er gasped.
Guan Chile nodded slightly: "We're not an army, after all. We're all just rogue cultivators who live by our own rules. After fighting for so long, everyone wants it to end sooner rather than later. Both sides probably reached some agreement, so most of the experts here have been transferred away. Your father went as well."
"Father went too..." Hu Meier murmured.
Although Hu Man had the strength of the eighth level of the Shenyou Realm and was a regional powerhouse, when viewed across the entire world, he wasn't particularly remarkable. Being dragged into the final battle, a single misstep could mean complete annihilation.
How could the Hu sisters not be worried?
"Our Wind and Rain Tower is the same. Master and all the elders have left, and the experts across the mountain have mostly gone too." Fang Ziqi smiled bitterly. His master was none other than Xiao Ruohan, the Tower Master of the Wind and Rain Tower.
"If not for the Gang Master's strong request, this old man wouldn't have been able to stay either." Guan Chile's expression darkened, and he looked up. "The Gang Master said the two young ladies would definitely come back to find him one day, so he had me stay behind—partly to look after the younger generation, and partly to wait for you two. It seems the Gang Master's decision was incredibly wise."
Hearing this, Fang Ziqi grew furious and said resentfully: "If Senior Guan hadn't protected us time and again, you Blood Battle Gang and our Wind and Rain Tower—these dozen or so people—would probably all be dead by now."
"What happened?" Hu Jiao'er's face darkened.
"The same old story," Fang Ziqi said with a cold laugh. "Because both our sects are neighbors to the Lingxiao Pavilion, everyone here looks down on us. When you two were around, it wasn't so bad—Xiang Chu would try to put on a good show in front of you to earn himself some points. But the moment you disappeared, he stopped caring entirely. Whenever there was anything dangerous, it was always our two sects' disciples who were sent to the front."
His expression turning frigid, Fang Ziqi continued: "We arrived with over a hundred people. And now? Only a dozen are left."
Having witnessed the gruesome deaths of so many junior brothers and sisters firsthand, the pain in Fang Ziqi's heart was unimaginable.