"Senior, there aren't flowers growing on me or anything. Why are you staring at me like that?" Inside the grand hall, Yang Kai rubbed his nose and looked at Chang Tian, who had been watching him without looking away ever since he entered.
Chang Tian smiled faintly and nodded. "Good, good. I truly didn't misjudge you. Now that you have that kind of fortune upon you, your chances of ascending to a Demon Saint will increase greatly. Once I'm gone, the Hundred Spirit Continent will have a worthy successor."
The Battle of Zhoutian had shaken the world. Even though the Hundred Spirit Continent was sealed off, word still reached it. Chang Tian's lifespan was running short, and he had long wanted to groom Yang Kai as his successor — someone to oversee the Hundred Spirit Continent and protect the many Sacred Spirits dwelling upon it. But back then, even though Chang Tian had the intention, he also knew that the pinnacle of martial cultivation was not so easily climbed. Now, things were different. Yang Kai had even snatched away the fortune of a Great Emperor. As long as he advanced steadily and methodically, perhaps before Chang Tian passed on, he would truly be able to witness the scene of Yang Kai standing tall at the pinnacle of the Demon Domain. And when that time came, there would be nothing left to worry about. The many Sacred Spirits on this continent would finally have someone to rely on.
"Now that you have such a fortune upon you, you shouldn't be roaming about freely anymore. Settle down here on the Hundred Spirit Continent in peace. I've already spoken with Yu Rumeng about this, and I expect she won't have any objections."
Hearing this, Yang Kai gave a bitter smile. From the sound of it, Chang Tian wanted him to remain on the Hundred Spirit Continent permanently, cultivate quietly in seclusion, and eventually ascend to become a Demon Saint.
He could certainly feel Chang Tian's protective intentions, but time waited for no man. Yang Kai had no luxury to waste sitting here cultivating in seclusion. The goal of becoming a Demon Saint was still far too distant for him. The war between the two realms was raging. His family, his women, his friends — they were all back in the Star Boundary. How could he peacefully hide away in this paradise? By the time he emerged as a Demon Saint, the Star Boundary might well be gone.
After a moment of thought, Yang Kai said, "I understand your intentions, Senior. But tell me — have you never considered leading the Hundred Spirit Continent out of its current situation? The Hundred Spirit Continent is vast, true. But for someone of your caliber, isn't it a bit… small?"
Chang Tian's gaze flickered, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "What are you getting at?"
Yang Kai fixed him with a burning stare. "What I'm saying is, with your power, Senior, you shouldn't be confined to a single Hundred Spirit Continent. Look at the twelve Demon Saints — each one commands dozens of continents. Your strength is no weaker than any of them. Why should you settle for one small continent? You are of the Dragon Clan, the supreme race among all living beings. You should be soaring through the nine heavens, not trapped in some backwater puddle."
Chang Tian lowered his eyelids slightly. "The Hundred Spirit Continent didn't originally exist in the Demon Domain. I carved it out over half a lifetime of effort. The Demon Domain is indeed vast, with hundreds or even thousands of continents. But I have only one. A single hand cannot clap — it's lonely at the top."
"You have me now!"
"You?" Chang Tian raised an eyebrow, then suddenly laughed. "Your appetite is quite something. But you need the strength to back it up."
Yang Kai slowly shook his head. "Senior, you've misunderstood. I'm not suggesting you go seizing territory from the other Demon Saints. The Demon Domain is already fracturing apart. What's the point of seizing someone else's land? In a hundred or a thousand years, it might crumble to nothing, and all that effort would be wasted. Setting everything else aside — who knows when the Hundred Spirit Continent itself might break away from the Demon Domain and follow the fate of all those vanished continents? When that time comes, Senior, where will you go? What will the billions of living beings on this continent do?" He paused, then continued, "Moreover, Senior, even though you've kept to this corner of the world, the war between the two realms will eventually engulf the entire Demon Domain. Do you truly believe the Hundred Spirit Continent will be able to stay out of it when that happens?"
At those words, Chang Tian's expression darkened.
Yang Kai pressed on. "If even I can see this, then surely Senior has already anticipated it as well."
The war between the two realms was brutal, but it had not yet reached its critical stage. That was why the Hundred Spirit Continent could still remain on the sidelines. But when the decisive moment truly arrived, how could the Demon Domain's other Demon Saints allow the Hundred Spirit Continent to sit back and watch the fire from across the river? They would inevitably join forces and exert pressure, demanding the Hundred Spirit Continent commit its forces to the war. Under such pressure, Chang Tian would have no choice but to comply. Otherwise, the Hundred Spirit Continent would be placed on the opposite side of the entire Demon Domain, and its fate would be far worse.
If the Demon Saints truly resolved to unite, a single Hundred Spirit Continent could be obliterated.
"Do you have a solution?" Chang Tian lifted his gaze and regarded Yang Kai with suspicion.
For Yang Kai to bring all this up so suddenly — it clearly wasn't without purpose. It stirred many guesses in his mind.
"I'm still exploring it. I can't say for certain it will work, but at the very least, it's a direction. If this succeeds, it won't just quell the flames of war between the two realms — I may even be able to find a better home for the Hundred Spirit Continent, and for the entire demon race."
"Quell the flames of war between the two realms…" Even Chang Tian, who had seen more than his share of the world, was momentarily struck speechless. What Yang Kai had said was quite the audacious claim. The war between the two realms was no ordinary conflict — it was a war for survival, one that would absolutely be fought to the bitter end. Unless one side was completely defeated or annihilated, there was no way it could stop. By comparison, the idea of finding a better home for the Hundred Spirit Continent and even the entire demon race actually sounded less outlandish.
If anyone else had said something like this, Chang Tian would have thrown them out without a second thought, just to avoid wasting his time. But he harbored tremendous expectations for Yang Kai and was counting on him to one day protect the Hundred Spirit Continent. Even if he didn't want to believe it, he had no choice but to ask, "Tell me in detail. What do you have in mind?"
Yang Kai hesitated for a long while, as though making some momentous decision, before finally raising his eyes to meet Chang Tian's gaze steadily. "It would be better if you saw for yourself, Senior."
"Saw for myself?" Chang Tian raised an eyebrow.
Yang Kai extended a hand toward him. "If you trust me, Senior, please relax and offer no resistance."