However, the terrifying pressure quickly dissipated, as if everything just now had been nothing more than an illusion.
"I greet Lord Guo!" Yang Kai bowed in salute.
"You resemble him—truly, you do!" Senior Brother Guo nodded repeatedly.
Yang Kai blinked, initially unsure what he meant, but he quickly realized—Guo was referring to his appearance.
The reason the proprietress had taken such good care of him back then, and the reason Yue He had addressed him as "Young Master," was all because of this.
The proprietress's younger brother, Lan Tingyu, bore a certain resemblance to him in appearance.
Appearance was decreed by heaven, and there was nothing Yang Kai could do to change it. In this Three Thousand World, with its countless billions of living beings, there were bound to be some who looked alike. Yang Kai did not find this to be any great burden—on the contrary, he felt somewhat fortunate. For if not for this resemblance, how could he, a humble nobody, have come to know someone like the proprietress in this vast expanse of the universe?
"Though they look alike, they are two different people," the proprietress said with a light laugh. "When I first laid eyes on this kid, I was quite startled myself."
Senior Brother Guo nodded gently. "Once this matter is settled, let the boy come back with me to see the old man. His aptitude is quite good—if the old man personally takes him under his wing, he's sure to achieve great things in the future."
"The old man?" The proprietress's expression shifted slightly. "Is this the old man's wish?"
Senior Brother Guo shook his head. "The old man doesn't know about this yet. I only heard about it after arriving here."
The proprietress's expression wavered between light and shadow as she glanced worriedly at Yang Kai, then slowly shook her head. "Senior Brother Guo, this boy isn't part of my First Inn. If you want to take him to see the old man, you'll have to ask him first."
"He's not part of your First Inn?" Senior Brother Guo looked somewhat taken aback.
Yang Kai listened in bewilderment, having no idea who this "old man" they spoke of might be. But someone who could make two Sixth-grade Open Heaven experts treat matters with such gravity was surely no ordinary figure.
Senior Brother Guo smiled again. "Since he's not part of your First Inn, then there's no need to ask you." He turned to face Yang Kai. "Kid, would you be interested in joining my Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven?"
"Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven!" Yang Kai's entire body shook.
The Thirty-six Grotto-heavens and Seventy-two Blessed Lands—each one was renowned far and wide, commanding more than one Great Domain. They were the paramount powers of this Three Thousand World, and every single one had an Upper-grade Open Heaven expert presiding over it. Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven was among them, and it ranked quite high among the Thirty-six Grotto-heavens—at the very least within the top ten.
Yang Kai had long suspected that Senior Brother Guo came from an impressive background—most likely one of the Thirty-six Grotto-heavens or Seventy-two Blessed Lands. Now he knew: the man was from Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven.
If that was the case, then the force behind the First Inn was also Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven? Otherwise, why else would the proprietress and Senior Brother Guo address each other as fellow disciples?
Senior Brother Guo continued, "That Jade Rakshasa from Shura Realm has remarkable talent. The fact that you defeated her in a single move proves you're even more exceptional. Such aptitude is more than enough to join Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven. What do you say? If you're interested, once this matter is settled, you can come with me to Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven."
Yang Kai was stunned speechless.
If this had been when he first arrived in the Three Thousand World, and a Grotto-heaven had tried to recruit him like this, he would probably have jumped at the chance. After all, it was always better to shelter under a great tree. Leaning on a colossus like Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven meant a bright future—one wouldn't even need to worry about cultivation resources. Whatever he needed, he had only to ask the elders, and someone would provide it.
But the him of today was no longer the one who had just arrived beyond the heavens and earth.
He now commanded Void Land, with over six hundred thousand people who had followed him here. If he left, what would become of Void Land? Moreover, if he truly entered Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven, his path to Upper-grade Open Heaven would very likely be cut off right then and there.
The proprietress had told him before—only those disciples who had grown up within the various Grotto-heavens and Blessed Lands since childhood, and who possessed exceptional aptitude, were qualified to directly achieve Upper-grade Open Heaven without being suppressed.
Because those Grotto-heavens and Blessed Lands didn't need to worry about their loyalty!
But for anyone else—who would dare allow the birth of an Upper-grade Open Heaven? If such a person cultivated to the Ninth-grade Open Heaven level, who could possibly suppress them?
Especially for a disciple like Yang Kai, who joined midway—no one could guarantee his loyalty.
Thinking of this, Yang Kai began to vaguely realize that his exposure of his identity in the Shura Arena had likely already drawn the attention of many people. Senior Brother Guo was merely one of them.
He had a prior connection with the proprietress, which was why he had gotten the jump on the others to recruit him first.
If he actually agreed to join Xuanyuan Grotto-heaven, at best he could only achieve Sixth-grade in the future—absolutely never Seventh-grade!
He turned his head to look, and sure enough, he saw the proprietress watching him with a face full of nervousness and worry.
Yang Kai steadied himself and said carefully, "I am deeply honored by Lord Guo's regard, but I have countless ties that weigh upon my heart, and I cannot act as I please. I'm afraid I must respectfully decline Lord Guo's kind offer."
Senior Brother Guo's expression darkened with anger at these words. His commanding eyes suddenly transformed into a bottomless abyss, as if seeking to drag Yang Kai's very soul into their depths!
This Senior Brother Guo would erupt in aggression at the slightest disagreement—he was truly moody and unpredictable.