Yun Xinghua was completely dumbfounded and couldn't help but shout, "Elder, have you mistaken me for someone else? I never did such a thing! Look more carefully!"
"Silence!" Qi Changying glared and bellowed, his eyes blazing with fury. "You despicable wretch still dare to quibble? I saw with my own eyes what you did that day—how could it be false? This blood feud runs so deep that if I do not take my revenge, I swear I am no man!"
Yun Xinghua's lips trembled as he turned his head toward where Yang Kai stood, pleading, "My lord, your subordinate is innocent! Your subordinate did not do it! My lord, save me!"
That Elder Hong smiled coldly and patted Qi Changying's shoulder again. "Brother Qi, have you identified him clearly?"
Qi Changying closed his eyes, turned his head, and said in a heavy voice, "I have!"
A fire of rage burned in his heart, yet there was no outlet for it—he was so suffocated with frustration he could barely breathe! He had lived for so many years and was a Fourth-Stage Open Heaven cultivator; how could he be a fool? On that day, he had been ambushed, the sect's assets plundered, and the disciples under his care suffered heavy casualties. That personal disciple who bore the future of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion had died miserably right before his very eyes. Qi Changying's heart twisted with agony.
At the time, he had indeed believed that the Void Land was behind it. However, after escaping with his life and thinking things over carefully, why would the Void Land do such a thing? Wouldn't that only be smearing their own reputation? He had also secretly infiltrated the Void Star Market and covertly investigated Yun Xinghua, only to discover that the Yun Xinghua before him was not the same person who had attacked the Mountain and Sea Pavilion that day.
He vaguely felt that someone must be using the Void Land's name to stir up trouble outside and throw mud at them. But before he could uncover the truth of the matter, Elder Hong had come to him, engaged him in a heart-to-heart talk, shown him considerable concern, heaped condemnation upon the Void Land, and finally made a roundabout request for him to come forward and identify the culprit—promising generous compensation.
By this point, how could Qi Changying not understand what was really happening?
The Void Land had attracted too much attention as a towering tree, and someone had set their sights on it. The Mountain and Sea Pavilion had simply been unfortunate enough to get caught up in this conflict. And the fact that he had survived that day—that his life had been spared—was most likely a deliberate act on the other party's side. They had left him alive on purpose, not by sheer luck.
With things as they were, what choice did Qi Changying have?
Refusing Elder Hong's proposal might preserve the clarity of his conscience, but it would inevitably offend certain people. Those ruthless individuals had dared to openly intercept and attack the Mountain and Sea Pavilion's tower ship—they would not shrink from storming the Mountain and Sea Pavilion's headquarters. On the other hand, if he agreed, he could at least receive some compensation.
The Mountain and Sea Pavilion could endure no more hardship. Its most promising disciple was dead, and the majority of the sect's assets had been lost. If they returned empty-handed, the Mountain and Sea Pavilion would not recover for centuries. But if they could bring back some compensation, the days ahead would be far more bearable.
Thus, even though Qi Changying saw the situation as clearly as a mirror, he had no choice but to cooperate with Elder Hong and lie through his teeth. He had to plan for the future of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion.
"Young man, Brother Qi of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion has personally identified you—the evidence is ironclad. Will you still quibble?" Elder Hong barked sharply.
Yang Kai snorted coldly. "When someone is determined to condemn you, what need is there for evidence?"
No sooner had he spoken than voices began shouting from every direction—representatives of various forces that had suffered incidents in the Void Domain. Some cursed and raged, others wailed in grief, and the scene became extraordinarily lively in an instant.
Yang Kai swept his cold gaze across the crowd and fixed it on Kong Feng. "Alliance Master Kong has come here in person. Could it be that your alliance also had a tower ship meet with trouble in the Void Domain?"
Kong Feng smiled faintly. "Indeed. Disciples under my alliance were attacked, assets were seized, and disciples were killed or wounded. As their Alliance Master, it is only natural that I come to seek justice for them!"
Yang Kai said, "And what kind of justice does Alliance Master Kong seek?"
Kong Feng tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair and said coolly, "If you know what's good for you, deactivate this guardian grand array, bind yourself, and come with me. Rest assured, I will investigate thoroughly. If this was not done by your Void Land, I will clear your name."
Yang Kai chuckled with a cold laugh—how could he believe that? But he still nodded slightly. "Alliance Master Kong's reputation precedes you. I can trust those words."
Kong Feng raised an eyebrow. "If you trust me, then come forward quickly!"
Yang Kai raised his hand. "Alliance Master Kong, please wait a moment. I don't know when I'll be able to return from this. Let me say a few words to my family first."
Without giving Kong Feng a chance to object, he immediately flashed back into the Void Land and vanished.
Kong Feng furrowed his brow, vaguely sensing that Yang Kai was up to some trick. But on reflection, his side had overwhelming strength—the Void Land alone could not hope to withstand them. Before absolute power, any scheme was nothing but a joke.
He had not launched a direct assault at first mainly because he feared destroying the Void Land. A great secret was hidden within, and until he learned the truth of that secret, he did not want to escalate things too far.
After a brief pause, he sent a discreet voice transmission: "Junior Sister Luan, your opportunity has come."
Luan Baifeng gazed at Kong Feng with a smile. "I wonder what Alliance Master Kong means?"
Kong Feng said, "Don't you want that Sixth-Stage Open Heaven woman? Her name is Yue He, and she obeys Yang Kai's every word. When Yang Kai comes out, you take charge of restraining Yue He, and I will capture Yang Kai. As long as we have Yang Kai in hand, Yue He will certainly not resist—and then you can do with her as you please!"
Luan Baifeng's beautiful eyes lit up at these words, and her scarlet tongue licked her red lips. "That would be perfect." She naturally understood why Kong Feng wanted her to deal with Yue He—after all, the other woman was also a Sixth-Stage Open Heaven cultivator of considerable strength. In a real fight, it was hard to say who would come out on top. But if she could capture a Sixth-Stage Open Heaven mine slave, the risk was well worth taking. Thus, she did not haggle.