The tent held not only Bing Yun but also Ji Yao. Taking in the furnishings, Yang Kai realized at once that this must be Ji Yao's personal quarters. As Chief Commander of the Bingchen Army, Ji Yao held a position of considerable authority, so it was only natural that she would have her own private space.
He simply hadn't expected Bing Yun to meet him here.
"Greetings, Senior!" Yang Kai composed himself and bowed respectfully. Behind him, Su Yan curtsied. "Disciple greets Master!"
Bing Yun smiled and raised her hand. "Rise, both of you. We're not strangers—there's no need for such formalities."
Yang Kai straightened up and glanced at Ji Yao, who stood behind Bing Yun. With a warm smile, he said, "It's been years, but Junior Sister Yao's elegance remains as radiant as ever."
Ji Yao lowered her head and gave a graceful bow. "Greetings, Senior Brother." Her voice was soft, with a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.
"Have a seat," Bing Yun said, gesturing to a chair nearby.
Yang Kai protested deferentially. "In Senior's presence, this junior is fine standing."
Bing Yun shot him a look. "Enough with the 'senior' and 'junior' talk. We're both Army Commanders now—we should treat each other as equals. On the battlefield, my Bingchen Army may well need your help someday. Must you really be this formal with me?"
With things put so directly, Yang Kai thought for a moment, then relented and took a seat.
Bing Yun nodded with satisfaction. "That's more like it. Setting aside the fact that our two Sects have always watched out for each other, my precious disciple here has her heart set entirely on you. We're practically family—no need to be so stiff and polite in the future."
Yang Kai felt a guilty twinge and broke into a slight sweat, nodding in agreement.
Bing Yun shifted the topic. "I heard from Commander Li that you've spent the last decade or so in a lower-starfield dimension? How are things over there?"
Yang Kai replied, "Everything in the starfield is peaceful. Nothing of note has happened."
"That's good," Bing Yun said with a nod.
Yang Kai had initially thought she summoned him for some important matter, but after sitting down, Bing Yun had nothing pressing to discuss. She simply made casual conversation, and Yang Kai answered every question dutifully.
On the other hand, since Yang Kai was new to this while Bing Yun had served as Army Commander for many years, he had a few questions for her. Bing Yun was generous with her knowledge, sharing without reservation her years of experience commanding armies against the Demon Race and managing day-to-day affairs of the corps.
Yang Kai gained much from this and committed everything carefully to memory.
While the two talked, Su Yan and Ji Yao behind them were whispering to each other through voice transmission, occasionally pressing their lips together in quiet smiles. Yang Kai had no idea what they were discussing, only that it made them inexplicably happy.
Half an hour later, while Bing Yun was sipping her tea, Su Yan spoke up. "Master, during my recent Cultivation, I've been feeling a slight blockage in my dantian when my Imperial Qi flows through it. I'm not sure if something has gone wrong?"
Bing Yun turned to glance at her. Su Yan blushed and lowered her head.
Bing Yun chuckled. "Come with me. I'll take a look."
"Yes!" Su Yan replied respectfully and followed Bing Yun out of the tent.
After the two left, Yang Kai furrowed his brows and looked at Ji Yao. "Junior Sister Yao, has Su Yan been having problems with her Cultivation?" Cultivation problems were no small matter. At best, Imperial Qi would reverse course and ravage one's meridians. At worst, it could lead to Qi Deviation and the complete destruction of one's cultivation base. Yang Kai couldn't help but tense up, worry filling his voice. "Why didn't she ever mention it to me?"
Ji Yao gave Yang Kai a long, meaningful glance, then turned and walked toward the inner tent.
Yang Kai was completely baffled by her behavior and called out again, but Ji Yao still ignored him. Once inside the inner tent, she let the beaded curtain fall shut behind her.
Yang Kai was anxious. He wanted to follow her out and see what was going on, but this concerned Ice Heart Valley's Cultivation technique secrets, and he was no disciple of Ice Heart Valley—it would be highly inappropriate for him to barge in.
He paced around the main tent for a while, then suddenly his brow raised as a vague suspicion began to form that something wasn't quite right. His eyes darted about, and his breathing grew noticeably heavier.
Logically speaking, if Su Yan had truly encountered a problem with her Cultivation, she should have mentioned it to him. Moreover, Bing Yun would have had no reason to exclude him—she wouldn't have just taken Su Yan away like that.
Something was definitely off about today's events.
With that thought, Yang Kai walked to the tent entrance and peeked outside. The area beyond was completely empty—the warriors who had been standing guard outside the tent had vanished without a trace, and there was no sign of any patrol squads in the vicinity.
He pulled his head back in, sniffed, and glanced left and right with a distinctly guilty air. Then, clasping his hands behind his back, he walked to the beaded curtain of the inner tent, cleared his throat lightly, and called out, "Junior Sister Yao..."
There was no reply from inside, though Yang Kai could distinctly hear Ji Yao's breathing quicken.
"May I come in?" he asked again.
The room remained silent. After a long pause, Ji Yao's quiet voice finally drifted out. "As if anyone would stop you." Her tone carried a hint of reproach, laced with a touch of lingering resentment.
Yang Kai grinned and lifted the beaded curtain, stepping inside. The inner tent appeared to be Ji Yao's personal sleeping quarters. However, it lacked the elaborate decorations one might expect of a young woman. Disciples of Ice Heart Valley were temperamentally reserved and had little interest in material comforts, so Ji Yao's inner tent was spartan and straightforward in its furnishings—with the sole exception of a pink canopy draped over the bed, which added a splash of color to the modest space.