For the past few months, the Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower had shared hardships, their original hundred-plus disciples whittled down to only a dozen survivors. As a result, these remaining dozen or so fought with one heart.
Seeing Nan Sheng and Xiang Chu bully the Hu sisters like this, how could they not be furious?
Fang Ziqi sneered coldly at Nan Sheng. "Young Master Nan, Young Master Xiang, so first-tier families can freely decide the freedom and life of disciples from second-tier sects?"
"What do you have to say?" Nan Sheng chuckled lightly, gazing at Fang Ziqi with a smile, showing no intention of taking him seriously whatsoever.
"If that's how it is, then I have nothing more to say."
"Then shut your mouth!" Nan Sheng flicked a speck of dust from his sleeve, his expression indifferent. "If you want to blame someone, blame your own poor origins. Why do you think sect forces are divided into these tiers in the first place? It's to make people like you understand your place and the gap between you and us. If you were from a first-tier force, it wouldn't be my turn to bully you, would it?"
Nan Sheng spoke with a light laugh, seemingly unaware that there was anything wrong with his words, an air of superiority from his noble birth rising naturally.
He continued, "If you were from a super-powerful faction, tsk tsk, I'd be busy trying to curry favor with you. Hmph, the strong devouring the weak—that's always been the way of the world. It's laughable that you still can't see it. If one day you have the strength and status to bully me, and you come after me, I guarantee I won't utter a single word of complaint!"
"There will be such a day," Fang Ziqi said, his face grim.
Nan Sheng curled his lip in disdain.
Yang Kai had been watching coldly from the sidelines, silent and still, merely observing the two parties quarreling. Until now, he had shown no intention of expressing an opinion, as if the matter here had nothing to do with him.
However, the four Shenyou Realm experts from the Nan and Xiang families were constantly on guard, watching his every move.
Among all the young people, only Yang Kai was someone they couldn't see through. Despite being only at the sixth layer of the Zhenyuan Realm, his vigorous blood vitality and unusual true yuan were extraordinary. Without actually fighting him, it was impossible to gauge his true strength.
Yang Kai had been observing for so long precisely to see how many people here could be considered for association. And how many were the same on the inside as they were on the outside.
As the saying goes, a long road tests a horse's strength. While time may not always reveal true feelings, it will certainly reveal a person's heart.
It is difficult to see a person's true character and temperament unless they are pushed to their most difficult moments.
If the people from the Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower chose to stay silent now and not get involved in his business, Yang Kai wouldn't find it strange at all.
Protecting oneself is also a way of dealing with the world. Right now, the Xiang and Nan families held an absolute advantage. The Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower were no match for them. To continue being stubborn would likely only lead to destruction.
What comforted Yang Kai was that the three people he cared about had not disappointed him!
The Hu sisters and Fang Ziqi had not retreated an inch in the face of the other side's overwhelming pressure, still firmly standing before him.
His heart warmed, and a smile bloomed on Yang Kai's face. He walked slowly to the front and placed his hands on the Hu sisters' shoulders.
His gaze swept across the four Shenyou Realm experts before him, then to Xiang Chu and Nan Sheng. Yang Kai grinned and said softly to the Hu sisters, "Don't worry about me. If I want to leave, no one can stop me."
Hu Jiao'er and Hu Meier's pretty faces lit up with joy. Though they didn't know where Yang Kai got such confidence, hearing him speak so firmly, they had not a shred of doubt.
On the contrary, Nan Sheng and Xiang Chu's expressions darkened.
That Elder Fang sneered again, "Boy, with us four here, you dare to speak such big words?"
"Want to try?" Yang Kai challenged, looking at him provocatively.
Elder Fang's eyes gleamed with sharp light, fixed unblinkingly on Yang Kai. To his disappointment, he saw no hint of panic in Yang Kai's expression.
It seemed this young man really did have the strength to escape safely.
"Surround him!" Nan Sheng roared, raising his arm. Yang Kai's audacity and contempt had thoroughly enraged him. Never had a disciple from a second-tier sect looked at him with such dismissive disdain.
That gaze was like a needle piercing into his heart.
As the young master of a first-tier family, he naturally had his pride and self-satisfaction.
The moment Nan Sheng's voice fell, the two Shenyou Realm experts behind him shot out, flanking Yang Kai from behind, forming a pincer with the two experts from the Xiang family.
Even surrounded by four experts at the seventh or eighth layer of the Shenyou Realm, Yang Kai remained calm and composed, though his gaze grew slightly more serious than before.
In his current state, he could escape safely from two Shenyou Realm opponents, but if there were four, he would have to pay a price.
This was Yang Kai's estimate; the actual outcome might differ slightly.
But as long as he wasn't killed in one strike, Yang Kai had the confidence to escape.
"Run! Let's see how you run!" Nan Sheng snarled, his face twisted viciously. "Four Elders, listen! If any of these second-tier sect disciples don't know what's good for them, kill them outright! No need for hesitation!"
"Yes!" the four Shenyou Realm experts from both the Xiang and Nan families responded in unison.
A high, clear dragon roar echoed. The pitch-black flood dragon that had been circling above Yang Kai's head slowly began to move, its eyes, large as bronze gongs, emitting a cold, sinister light.
Nan Sheng looked at the assembled members of the Blood Battle Gang and the Wind and Rain Tower, grinning fiercely. "I'll give you ten breaths to leave that demon's side. If you don't, and a fight breaks out later, heh heh..."