If the Warm Spirit Lotus had reacted that way, it meant the old man had definitely cast some kind of spell on him in that instant—only his cultivation level was far too high, his methods too refined, or perhaps the round basin's power was at play, and Yang Kai simply hadn't been able to see through it. Had the Warm Spirit Lotus not been there to protect him, he shuddered to think what might have happened.
There really was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. The old geezer kept claiming that if Yang Kai didn't wish to join the force behind him, no one would force him—but judging by the way he was acting, if Yang Kai truly refused, the outcome probably wouldn't be pretty.
Still, he was already here. There was no point in trying to back out now. Besides, Yang Kai actually wouldn't mind going somewhere with more people to gather some intelligence. He had only just entered this Great Cosmos, and his understanding of it was limited to what he'd learned in conversation with Zhang Ruoxi—beyond that, he knew virtually nothing. If he could follow the old man into some organization, carefully gather information, and plan his next moves at a leisurely pace, that wouldn't be a bad arrangement at all.
On another note, Yang Kai was rather hoping that Zhang Ruoxi had also been drawn here. The two of them had been swallowed by the Ten-Thousand-Joint Worm together, and if they were lucky, she might have appeared not too far away—which meant she could have been pulled here by the old man's spiritual pulse as well.
If that were true, they could reunite.
With that thought, Yang Kai stopped worrying and simply relaxed his mind, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.
The three people and one demon nearby were doing the same. He had no idea which Small World each of them hailed from, but they had clearly all come from different places—you could tell from their clothing and attire, which showed numerous subtle differences. Regardless of where they were from, none of them had ever been in an environment so rich with cultivation resources before, and all were cultivating with ravenous hunger.
After what had happened earlier, Yang Kai even suspected that these four had also been placed under some sort of secret technique by the old man, rendering them completely obedient.
As for the old man, he maintained the same posture throughout—one hand holding the basin, the other tapping it gently in a rhythmic pattern. That invisible, formless spiritual pulse continued to spread outward from this Little Cosmos into the Great Cosmos, beckoning newcomers to arrive.
This method was rather like fishing—those who took the bait came willingly. If someone who sensed the spiritual pulse lacked sufficient curiosity, or was too wary, they likely wouldn't come.
Time passed. A Little Cosmos was technically a world of its own, but it existed somewhere between the real and the illusory—nothing like a true Small World. There were no sun, moon, or stars, and the scenery remained utterly unchanged. That probably had something to do with the old man's mental state remaining unchanging as well.
He had no idea how long they waited—Yang Kai estimated at least a full year—before the basin-holding old man offered a slight smile. "I wonder which young friend has graced us with their presence. This old man has been remiss in not welcoming you sooner. Please, come in and have a chat."
The words were identical to what Yang Kai had heard when he himself arrived, without a single word changed. Hearing this, Yang Kai immediately knew that a newcomer had arrived. His expression brightened with anticipation, wondering if it might be Zhang Ruoxi.
Just like him, the other four who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation all opened their eyes at the same moment.
A clear, melodious voice came through the next instant: "Who's skulking around out there? Get out here right now!"
It was a woman's voice, and she sounded quite young.
The old man chuckled. "It is not I who skulks—I've been right here all along. It's simply that you couldn't see me. Please, come in and let us talk."
The woman outside laughed coyly. "You say come in, so I should come in? I think not." She paused, then asked, "You're behind this door?"
"Indeed!" The old man nodded.
"Then come out and speak. I'll wait right here outside the door."
The old man laughed helplessly. "What a cautious young lady."
"Hmph, one can never be too careful. I don't even know who you are—why would I casually walk in?"
"That's not unreasonable." The old man smiled mildly, and as he spoke, his hand suddenly formed a series of hand seals. "However, I still insist you come inside."
The moment those words left his mouth, a startled cry came from beyond the door, accompanied by the woman's furious curses: "How dare you, you scoundrel—ah!"
After that startled yelp, a ripple spread through the air beside the old man, and a graceful figure materialized out of thin air—it was none other than the woman who had refused to enter moments ago. Whatever technique the old man had used, he had simply snatched her right inside.
Yang Kai understood. So that was how it worked—anyone drawn in by the old man's spiritual pulse had no choice in the matter. Willing or not, they were coming through that door and into this Little Cosmos. Those who cooperated were left in peace; those who didn't were simply dragged in by force. This old fellow wore that genial smile and looked perfectly harmless, but he was tyrannical through and through. The kind who devoured people whole without spitting out a single bone.
Yang Kai's wariness deepened.
The woman's temper was evidently explosive. The moment she was dragged in, a curtain of water surged around her body, and with a wave of her hand, the endless water transformed into a white silk ribbon that lashed toward the old man.
The wind howled sharply, mingled with the roar of rushing rapids. Yang Kai's eyebrows rose as he watched, unable to stop himself from silently admiring the display.
That white silk ribbon was no ordinary ribbon at all—it was clearly a great river that had been refined into solid form. A single lash carried the force of an entire river, with boundless water energy spreading out in every direction.
"Insolence!" Several furious shouts rang out in unison. The four who had been sitting motionless on their reef stones ever since Yang Kai's arrival all shot forward at once. The burly man threw a punch, the dignified woman drew her sword, the young child casually produced a slingshot-like artifact, loaded it with a stone, and the two-horned demon let out a roar as his body transformed into something resembling a tiger—yet not quite.
Yang Kai was momentarily stunned.
But he quickly recovered, leaping off his own reef stone and casually launching a palm strike toward the woman.
The woman's expression changed. She clearly hadn't expected to be mobbed the instant she arrived. Though she was also a Great Emperor-level powerhouse who had condensed her own Dao Seal, everyone present was of that exact caliber. Any single one of them could only fight her to a draw—let alone facing five at once.