"Are you looking for Zhui Feng?" Yang Kai regarded her coldly. "Then I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. Zhui Feng isn't on this continent."
In a sense, Yang Kai wasn't lying. Zhui Feng truly wasn't on the Flying Cloud Continent—she was in the Minor Mystic World—so he felt not the slightest burden speaking those words.
Upon hearing this, Silver Threads' expression relaxed. Though she was injured, her foundation as a Half-Saint was still formidable, and she genuinely hadn't detected Zhui Feng's aura, nor any other Half-Saint's. The tension in her heart eased somewhat. Yang Kai's display moments ago had been impressive enough, but she still didn't consider him a threat. As long as that beast from the Hundred Spirit Continent wasn't around, there was truly nothing she feared.
"You broke through?" Silver Threads' slender brows furrowed slightly. Even as she asked the question, her beauty was enough to stir a man's protective instincts—as though the one who had just been indulging in shameless acts upon that pink satin bed was an entirely different woman. This was the terror of a Charm Demon: every gesture, every slight smile carried the power of seduction, and it was all perfectly natural, without the faintest trace of artifice.
"That's right," Yang Kai admitted frankly. When he had attacked moments ago, the fluctuations in his power had been unmistakable. There was no point denying something like that.
Silver Threads smiled. A Demon King's breakthrough held little significance for her—was there really a difference between a mid-rank and high-rank Demon King? Her only concern was why Yang Kai had come to the Flying Cloud Continent, and whether there was some deeper meaning behind it.
After a brief pause, Silver Threads asked, "Did the Holy Sovereign send you?"
The last time on the Zhoutian Continent, she had been manipulated by Yue Sang into setting a trap for Yang Kai. She hadn't thought too much of it at the time—she owed Yue Sang a favor, and when Yue Sang asked, she really couldn't refuse. Besides, Di Li had been involved as well. Three Half-Saints under Yu Rumeng working together—even if the Holy Sovereign found out afterward, there was likely nothing he could fault them for.
But that scheme had been an utter failure. Only afterward had she learned that the Holy Sovereign placed tremendous importance on this human, and that realization had given her a chill of fear. Still, the Holy Sovereign hadn't bothered her about it recently, leading her to believe the Zhoutian matter had blown over.
Now Yang Kai had suddenly appeared brazenly on the Flying Cloud Continent and attacked her without the slightest restraint. It was impossible not to wonder—could this be on Yu Rumeng's orders? If so, she was likely doomed.
"This has nothing to do with the Holy Sovereign!" Yang Kai snorted coldly. "I simply repay kindness with kindness and grudges with grudges."
On the Zhoutian Continent, he had been ganged up on by three Half-Saints under Yu Rumeng. Yue Sang had already been slain by Moon Sang, but Silver Threads and that Di Li were still going strong.
If not for his current circumstances, Yang Kai wouldn't have bothered coming after Silver Threads at such a time. He had far more important matters to deal with—why waste time here? But now that Yu Rumeng had reached a new agreement with the other Demon Saints, who knew how many Half-Saints across the entire Demon Domain were watching him from the shadows. If he didn't display some deterrent strength, he'd be plagued by trouble nonstop.
And the Flying Cloud Continent was his stage. Silver Threads was his test subject—a perfect opportunity to settle the score for what happened on the Zhoutian Continent.
A high-rank Demon King speaking so arrogantly? Silver Threads seethed with anger. On any other day, she would have already struck to teach him a lesson and show him which words he could say and which he couldn't.
But this fellow before her was rather special. Setting aside the fact that the Holy Sovereign already valued him, he now carried the fortune of a Great Emperor. Given time, he might well become the Demon Domain's thirteenth Demon Saint. Silver Threads truly didn't have the nerve to lay a hand on him.
After a moment's thought, Silver Threads flashed a radiant smile. "Prince Yang, I believe there may be a small misunderstanding between us…"
"A misunderstanding?" Yang Kai's lips curled. Silver Threads' reaction was somewhat unexpected—he had anticipated a hard fight today, yet here she was trying to make peace before a single blow was exchanged. He said noncommittally, "Lady Silver Threads believes what happened between us was merely a misunderstanding?"
"Of course!" Silver Threads nodded. "I was recently manipulated by Yue Sang and lost my wits, which is why I joined forces with her. But at the time, I didn't actually do anything to you—I merely lured Zhui Feng away on Yue Sang's behalf. And in the end, you emerged unharmed, while Yue Sang perished under that Great Emperor's hand. So you suffered no real loss. Besides, we both serve the Holy Sovereign now. If we were to fall out and fight here, word would get out and reflect poorly on the Sovereign—other Demon Saints would mock his inability to keep his subordinates in line. Wouldn't you agree?"
Yang Kai stroked his chin. "That does make some sense."
Silver Threads let out a soft, melodic laugh, her voice pleasing to the ear. Beneath the gauzy fabric draping her body, her full chest swelled invitingly, stoking the imagination of any man who beheld her, stirring desires to climb and liberate what lay beneath. This wasn't the result of any charm technique—it was simply her natural allure. Still laughing, she continued, "Since it's a misunderstanding, let's simply clear the air. That way we can avoid any unnecessary conflict."
Her voice was honeyed and soft, though inside she was utterly disgusted. If not for Yu Rumeng's sake, why would she show such courtesy to a mere high-rank Demon King? As a Half-Saint, she had her own pride—high-rank Demon Kings were nothing more than playthings to her.
She had assumed Yang Kai's attitude would soften and he would grant her face. Instead, Yang Kai grinned broadly. "My Cloud Shadow Continent suffered countless casualties in that battle. Lady Silver Threads, do you really think a few words are enough to make me back down and leave? That's hardly sincere."
Your Cloud Shadow suffered casualties? What about my Flying Cloud? In that battle, both continents had lost a significant number of people. Normally this wouldn't have mattered—the dead were all insignificant figures who didn't even warrant Silver Threads' attention. But since Yang Kai was bringing it up, that changed things entirely.
Inwardly furious at Yang Kai's failure to appreciate the gesture she was offering, she kept her smile bright on the surface. "Then what would you have me do to prove my sincerity?" As she spoke, she cast him a sidelong glance brimming with feminine allure, looking for all the world like a lonely woman starved of affection.