Luo Meng pondered briefly, then nodded. "Lord Yang speaks truly. In that case, let us travel together — we can watch each other's backs."
"That would be ideal!" Yang Kai nodded, then turned his gaze toward the depths of the great hall. The moment he had arrived, he had been locked in combat with Luo Meng and the others, leaving him no time to survey his surroundings. Now, looking ahead, he saw nothing but an expanse of impenetrable darkness — he couldn't make out a thing. Even his divine sense, when extended forward, vanished without a trace, like a stone dropped into the sea.
The entire interior of the great hall seemed shrouded in a thick fog. That peculiar fragrance lingered close at hand, and the aura of the Great Dao flowed around them like an unseen current.
"Has Lord Luo surveyed what lies ahead?" Yang Kai turned and asked.
Luo Meng shook his head. "We only arrived not long ago and haven't had the chance to investigate. Still, this Profound Heavens Temple is full of strangeness — I suspect the path ahead will be anything but smooth."
Yang Kai smiled. "Our path of cultivation has never been a flat road. Along the way, we have encountered countless thorns and tribulations, and the only way forward is to press on and cut through them all."
Luo Meng nodded. "Lord Yang is right."
"Then here's what we'll do." Yang Kai swept his gaze across the assembled group. "I'll take point. Yang Yan and Lord Luo will guard the rear. The rest of you stay in the middle as support. If anything happens, please act immediately."
Yang Yan frowned. "I should take the lead."
No matter what, the person at the very front faced the greatest danger. None of them knew whether the Profound Heavens Temple contained some hidden restriction or trap. Yang Kai's cultivation level, while lower than most, meant he carried a strand of the Will of Heaven and Earth — he was a strong contender in this contest for the Great Dao. Yang Yan could hardly allow anything to happen to him. She and Bing Yun had entered this time with the sole purpose of protecting Yang Kai's safety, a mission Li Wuyi had been informed of and approved.
Yang Kai raised a hand to cut her off. "Time is short — let's not argue over this. I'm more than capable of keeping myself alive."
Seeing him so insistent, Yang Yan relented. "Then be careful." She shot a glance at Bing Yun, who understood and gave a slight nod.
After a brief discussion, the two groups merged and pressed forward into the darkness. Yang Kai led the way, with Bing Yun close behind, her Emperor Yuan secretly circulating and ready to strike at a moment's notice. The others spread out on either side, while Luo Meng and Yang Yan brought up the rear — no more than a few paces separated any of them.
Stepping into the darkness, they could not see their own hands before their faces. Even divine sense was suppressed to its absolute limit. Fortunately, sound had not been cut off — they could still hear the breathing and soft footsteps of their companions nearby, which at least kept the isolation at bay.
The group advanced at a moderate pace. Surprisingly, once inside the great hall, their passage was entirely unimpeded — there were none of the dangers or restrictions they had anticipated. Yet not a single person allowed their vigilance to waver.
Yang Kai never stopped observing his surroundings, nor did he cease monitoring the movements of those behind him.
Then, at one particular moment, as he checked on the group behind him, his expression changed abruptly — behind him, there was no one! Just an instant before, he had still been able to hear their faint heartbeats and footsteps. The next moment, every single person who had been following him had vanished without a trace.
He spun around and looked back. There was nothing. Bing Yun, who had been right behind him no more than three paces away, had disappeared without a sound.
A thin bead of cold sweat formed on his forehead. Yang Kai immediately surged his divine sense outward, scanning for any disturbance.
He had not detected the slightest indication of how the others behind him had vanished. With his current level of soul cultivation, even if the Demon Saints or Great Emperors themselves had intervened, they could not have pulled off something so imperceptible. The only explanation was that they had triggered some restriction within the Profound Heavens Temple — one that had separated him from the rest of the group.
If that had happened to him, what about them? And what kind of danger did this restriction hold? Yang Kai had no idea. All he could do was remain on guard and continue forward…
At the same moment, Bing Yun — also walking through the hall — let out a soft cry of alarm.
"What is it?" Yang Yan asked immediately.
"Yang Kai is gone!" Bing Yun exclaimed.
Those words sent a chill down every spine. The hairs on their arms stood on end.
They were all pseudo-emperor-level powerhouses, and none of them had been far apart. Despite the strangeness of this place and the severe suppression of their divine sense, anyone paying attention should have been able to monitor the movements of every person present.
Yet the truth was that until Bing Yun spoke up, not a single one of them had noticed how Yang Kai had vanished.
Not even Yang Yan, who had been closely watching him the entire time.
In a flash, Yang Yan darted forward and stared ahead — sure enough, no one was there. "When did he disappear?" she asked in a tight voice.
Just moments ago, she had clearly heard Yang Kai's heartbeat and breathing.
"Just now!"