Senior Brother Guo chuckled. "Matters between the young ones should be left to them. We elders can just watch from the sidelines, wouldn't you agree, Senior Brother Chu?"
Elder Chu let out a cold snort, his expression darkening. Though he was reluctant to agree to this arrangement, the Blood Demon's Cave Heaven could open at any moment, and if he refused now, he might not even find a place to stand. He flicked his sleeve and rose to his feet. "Fine. But I will report every last detail of this matter to Elder Situ, word for word. We'll see whether you still have the nerve to face him then!"
The Landlady didn't even glance at him, treating his words as though they were nothing but hot air.
And so, a peculiar scene unfolded in the void—the massive Five Elements Palace and the slightly smaller Lotus Fall found themselves coexisting on a territory that was hardly spacious enough for both.
It had to be remembered that countless forces from the myriad worlds, large and small, had already gathered throughout the Blood Demon Domain. But regardless of their size, every faction occupied a territory exclusively their own. That way, once the entrance to the Blood Demon's Cave Heaven opened nearby, they would have the advantage of proximity.
Looking across the entire Blood Demon Domain, no other two forces had ever found themselves in the same situation as the First Inn and Xuanyuan Cave Heaven.
"What little scheme are you cooking up this time, brat?" The Landlady caught Yang Kai looking around with that sneaky, appraising expression of his and couldn't help but speak up. It had been him who agreed to Senior Brother Guo's proposal moments ago. The Landlady suspected that Yang Kai was certainly up to no good, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what exactly he was planning.
Yang Kai didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Landlady, is the First Inn a direct subsidiary of Xuanyuan Cave Heaven?"
The Landlady snorted. "Direct subsidiary, my foot. The First Inn's owner is the old man, and the old man is one of the Elders of Xuanyuan Cave Heaven. So the First Inn is nothing more than the old man's private enterprise."
"Private enterprise!" Yang Kai clicked his tongue. He wasn't entirely sure just how much money the First Inn pulled in, but he knew it had to be generating a fortune every single day, with branches established across many major domains. And a force like this was nothing more than a private venture belonging to Situ Kong? As expected of an Upper-Grade Open Heaven master—his resources were on a completely different level.
"So if I were to make Xuanyuan Cave Heaven's people suffer a little loss... that wouldn't put the First Inn in a difficult position?"
The Landlady's lips curled into a cold smile. "Well, then I'll just have to wait and see, won't I? What exactly are you planning to do?"
"You'll find out soon enough." As Yang Kai spoke, his gaze drifted toward the Five Elements Palace and happened to lock eyes with the young man who had been bickering with him earlier. Their gazes met, and the young man's face twisted with contempt. He raised his hand like a blade and drew it slowly across his own throat—the threat was unmistakable.
Yang Kai laughed inwardly and asked the Landlady, "Who is that fellow? He acts like he owns the place."
The Landlady looked up briefly. "I've forgotten his name. He should be one of that old fogey's Personal Disciples."
"I see..." Yang Kai broke into a grin. "I'll remember that."
He took one long, deep look at the young man, then said, "It's still early. I'm going to take a stroll."
With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and sauntered off, looking for all the world like a man out for a leisurely walk through the mountains.
The Landlady didn't even have time to stop him. She could only call after him, "Don't take too long—come back early. The entrance to the Blood Demon's Cave Heaven could appear at any moment."
"I know, I know!" Yang Kai waved a hand over his shoulder without looking back.
Inside the Five Elements Palace, the young man's gaze followed Yang Kai without so much as blinking. He watched the fellow wander through the vast void like he was inspecting his own estate, glancing here and there, and couldn't fathom what on earth he was doing. Unable to contain himself, he let out a cold snip. "A buffoon!"
Senior Brother Guo, who happened to be standing beside him, heard this and smiled. "Nephew, you mustn't judge a man by his appearance—the sea cannot be measured with a dipper."
The young man startled, then quickly turned and bowed. "Uncle-Master Guo!" He frowned. "What did you mean by that? Is there something noteworthy about that fellow?"
Senior Brother Guo asked, "Jade Rakshasa—are you familiar with her?"
The young man wondered why the elder had suddenly brought up a seemingly unrelated person, but he nodded with a solemn expression. "Of course. Two years ago, I traveled to the Millennium Star Market and, itching for a fight, entered the Asura Arena. I had a bout with that Jade Rakshasa!"
"Oh?" Senior Brother Guo raised an eyebrow. "And how did it turn out?"
"An even draw. I fought her for three hours before we were both completely spent. She's a formidable opponent. But don't worry, Uncle-Master—over the past two years I've been training diligently, and my strength has improved considerably compared to before. If my instincts are right, the Jade Rakshasa will surely enter the Blood Demon's Cave Heaven as well. If I run into her in there, I won't bring shame to our Sect."
Senior Brother Guo nodded. "I'm not worried about you running into the Jade Rakshasa. You fought her to a standstill two years ago, and after two more years of cultivation you certainly won't be weaker than her. What worries me is if you run into that fellow in there."
The young man was taken aback, and a hint of anger crept into his voice. "Uncle-Master, why must you bolster the enemy's morale while undermining my own? I may be modest in talent, but I have not wasted all these years of the Master's teachings."
Senior Brother Guo sighed. "I'm not trying to deflate you. If you knew the details of his fight against the Jade Rakshasa, you wouldn't be so optimistic."
The young man blinked, stunned. "He fought the Jade Rakshasa too? What was the result?"
"One move." Senior Brother Guo turned to face him, his expression grave. "The Jade Rakshasa was defeated in a single move."