Within the Small Mysterious Realm, his divine sense projection conferred with Bai Zhuo and Bo Ya, while outside, Yang Kai was far from idle. He directed Bo Ya to carry out a thorough interrogation of the Demon Heaven Dao's Emperor Sovereign Realm cultivator, seeking to uncover the locations of Demon Heaven Dao strongholds.
Though the people of the Demon Heaven Dao were all deeply hidden, this man was an Emperor Sovereign Realm cultivator, which meant he certainly had access to information unavailable to ordinary disciples. Having captured one alive for once, it was only natural to press him for everything he knew.
Bo Ya did not disappoint Yang Kai's expectations. She was a Demon King after all, and though interrogation and torture were not her specialties, she had her own methods. With Yang Kai having already placed restrictions on the Demon Heaven Dao's Emperor Sovereign, the man had no ability to resist. It was not long before he broke under the pressure and confessed.
The Demon Heaven Dao had countless strongholds. He was unclear about most of them, but he himself had been dispatched from a place called Baiju Town. According to him, Baiju Town appeared unremarkable on the surface, yet a considerable number of Demon Heaven Dao members were concealed within it, living among the populace. In times of peace they were indistinguishable from ordinary people, but the moment a summons came, they would immediately set out for various destinations to carry out missions.
He had come to this very location because he had received such a summons.
However, midway through his journey, he sensed someone following him. Out of caution, he had been circling the area repeatedly, trying to get to the bottom of it. It was right around then that Du Juan secretly transmitted a message. Once she had obtained information on the Blue Sun Divine Hall's personnel and deployment, this Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign had turned the tables and laid an ambush for Murong Xiaoxiao's team.
What came after was precisely what Yang Kai had witnessed upon his arrival.
"There's no Demon Heaven Dao stronghold here?" Xiao Baiyi frowned upon hearing this. "Then why did you come?"
"I don't know." The Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign shook his head. "I was merely following orders."
"Who sent you?" Xiao Baiyi pressed.
"I don't know."
Before his words had even faded, Bo Ya, who had been crouching before him the entire time, flashed him an alluring smile. Her slender, jade-like fingers came to rest on his shoulder as she surged her Demon Yuan, channeling it into his body. In the very next instant, the Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign let out a muffled groan, his face contorting in extreme agony. Beneath the exposed skin, what looked like countless tiny serpents slithered and writhed, a truly horrifying sight. In a span of barely three breaths, his eyes had flooded with blood and he was letting out shrill, wretched screams, as though enduring unimaginable torture.
Even amidst his screaming, the man still managed to utter: "I truly don't know. I was only following orders. Who to find, what for — I have no idea."
Bo Ya looked up at Yang Kai. Yang Kai remained unmoved, so she continued her work.
The wailing rose to a crescendo and then sank to a feeble whimper. The Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign had screamed himself hoarse, his robes drenched in sweat. He lay crumpled on the ground, his body convulsing uncontrollably, eyes rolled back, looking as though he could die at any moment.
"The Four Seasons Land..." Suddenly, a faint voice escaped the lips of the Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign. Though barely a whisper, Yang Kai caught every word and immediately asked, "You were heading to the Four Seasons Land?"
Though his movements were feeble, the Emperor Sovereign still managed a faint nod.
Yang Kai's brow furrowed as he pressed further: "For what purpose?"
He himself was also heading to the Four Seasons Land. They were already not far from it. He had not expected that this Demon Heaven Dao Emperor Sovereign would be headed there as well — no wonder they had crossed paths here.
If everyone shared the same destination, encounters were inevitable.
This time, the Emperor Sovereign could no longer answer. Bo Ya tortured him until he lapsed into unconsciousness without yielding any further useful leads. Either his willpower was firm enough to guard his secrets, or he genuinely did not know.
The latter possibility was far more likely. A person of truly iron will would not have revealed the earlier information in the first place.
With nothing left to extract, Yang Kai raised his hand and收ed the man into the Small Mysterious Realm. Not out of any pity for his life, but so that Bai Zhuo would have another test subject. If this man's body could help Bai Zhuo devise a method to counteract the Blood Demon's secret art, then in the future, capturing members of the Demon Heaven Dao might no longer be a one-way trip into darkness — it might be possible to set them right and restore them to their senses.
However, the fact that things were connected to the Four Seasons Land was somewhat unexpected for Yang Kai. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke: "Xiao Bai, take the disciples and return to the Divine Hall first. I'm going to the Four Seasons Land to see what the Demon Heaven Dao is up to."
"I'm coming with you!" Xiao Baiyi said, concise as ever.
Yang Kai chuckled and pointed at Murong Xiaoxiao. "If you come along, what about Junior Sister Murong? Are you willing to let her return to the Divine Hall alone?"
Given Murong Xiaoxiao's current condition, she was truly not someone who could be left to manage on her own. Moreover, most of the disciples in her team were injured as well. If the Demon Heaven Dao had been dispatched to the Four Seasons Land, there would surely be more than one group. If they encountered another squad on the way back, these Blue Sun Divine Hall disciples would likely be in grave danger.
Xiao Baiyi furrowed his brow. He knew Yang Kai was speaking the truth, but still said, "Can't you take them into the Small Mysterious Realm?"
Both Du Juan and the Emperor Sovereign had been收ed by Yang Kai into the Small Mysterious Realm. The others could naturally be included as well. For Yang Kai, it would be nothing more than lifting a hand.
Yang Kai shook his head slowly. "The reason I'm sending you back isn't just because Junior Sister Murong and the others need to recover from their injuries. There is another matter that requires you to handle. For the Divine Hall, that matter is even more critical than the Four Seasons Land."
What exactly was happening at the Four Seasons Land could not yet be determined. But the matter concerning the Divine Hall was urgent.