Only then did Yang Kai take the jade slip, sending a thread of his divine sense into it. His brow furrowed immediately, and he looked up at Ti Zheng. "How am I supposed to know whether what you're saying is true or false?"
"You can believe it, or you can not. That's entirely up to you!" Ti Zheng flashed a grin, slowly rising to his feet. He cupped his fists toward Zhu Jiuyin in a courteous salute. "Senior Sister Zhu, sorry for the intrusion!"
With that, he turned and departed with an easy grace.
Once he was gone, Old Bai urgently asked, "Where is the proprietress now?"
"See for yourself." Yang Kai handed the jade slip over.
Old Bai took it and examined it, his brow creasing almost at once. "The Shadowless Great Domain?"
The jade slip did indeed contain the proprietress's current location — a place called the Shadowless Great Domain, a Private Domain on the same level as the Blood Demon Great Domain. Both were pocket realms left behind by deceased Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivators.
"Old Bai, do you think the information in this jade slip is real or fabricated?" Yang Kai asked.
Old Bai replied, "Most likely real. The route marks the exact spot where the proprietress and the others vanished before. If they truly fell into a Private Domain, that would explain why they disappeared so suddenly. It's just the Shadowless Great Domain… I've never heard of it."
Yue He said, "Rumour has it that countless upper-grade Open Heaven cultivators perished in the Shattered Sky. After their deaths, they left behind one Private Domain and Private Blessed Ground after another. It's not strange that you've never heard of this one. However…"
"However what?" Yang Kai turned to look at her.
"These Private Domains and Private Blessed Grounds keep their entrances sealed at all times. Ordinary people cannot find a way in unless they are extraordinarily lucky and stumble upon the gate. If those people were able to trap Sister Lan inside the Shadowless Great Domain, doesn't that mean they've already mastered the method of opening its entrance?"
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed as a sudden thought struck him. "Old Bai, you said the proprietress came to the Shattered Sky to help me find upper-grade Yin Element resources. Where did you get the intelligence on those resources — did you discover it yourselves?"
Old Bai answered, "The proprietress found it… You mean, someone deliberately placed a cache of upper-grade Yin Element resources there as bait, luring the proprietress into action, and then trapped her inside the Shadowless Great Domain?"
Yang Kai let out a cold hum. "Otherwise, how could it possibly be such a perfect coincidence. It seems the entrance to the Shadowless Great Domain has indeed fallen under someone's control. At the very least, they know how to get in."
Great Domains were powerful foundations; that someone had come to master the entrance to the Shadowless Great Domain was not so strange in itself. But using that knowledge to ensnare the proprietress — and thereby lure Yang Kai to the Shattered Sky — that was not a difficult scheme at all.
"In that case, you still intend to go?" Zhu Jiuyin regarded Yang Kai with a flat look. "They've so generously handed over the location, which means preparations are already in place. Even with me accompanying you, your safety is far from guaranteed. If you go, it is ten deaths and no survival!"
Yang Kai pressed his lips together. "I steeled myself before I ever came here. Once the arrow leaves the bow, there is no turning back. No matter how dangerous the road ahead may be, I must go."
Zhu Jiuyin held his gaze for a long moment, then said evenly, "Don't worry. If you die, I'll collect your corpse."
That remark drew a venomous glare from Yue He.
"Let's go then. I want to see exactly what kind of net the Myriad Demons Great Domain has laid for me over there!" Without a moment's hesitation, Yang Kai surged to his feet.
Leaving the restaurant, the group made their way toward the exit of the Star Market. Yang Kai's mind was consumed with worry for the proprietress, his expression sombre as a torrent of thoughts churned through his head, considering every possible scenario that might await him. Just then, he suddenly had the distinct impression that someone was watching him.
He looked up. Eyes met eyes across the street, and Yang Kai froze.
A middle-aged man on the opposite side wore a look of utter disbelief on his face, as though he never expected to run into Yang Kai in a place like this. The next instant, hatred surged up from the depths of his heart. Boundless fury and loathing blazed in his eyes — his expression made it clear he wished he could flay Yang Kai alive and drink his blood and eat his flesh.
But the moment he noticed the people flanking Yang Kai, his brow furrowed. Zhu Jiuyin and the others gave off no discernible aura, yet one glance was enough to tell they were not to be trifled with. With his current strength alone, there was absolutely no way he could kill Yang Kai and exact his revenge.
His eyes darted about, and he spun around, charging toward the exit of the Star Market.
"After that man!" Yang Kai barked in a low voice, sprinting after him in haste. Zhu Jiuyin and the others didn't know what was going on, but they gave chase without hesitation.
Once outside the Star Market, a distant glance revealed a streak of light hurtling deep into the void. Qu Huachang quickly brought out her flight Artifact, and the entire group stepped inside, pursuing without letup.
"Kid, who was that?" Zhu Jiuyin asked, puzzled.
"Wait — let me think!" Yang Kai did not answer. His brow was tightly knitted as countless thoughts clashed and collided in his mind at lightning speed. After a brief moment, a look of sudden realization dawned on his face. "I understand!"
Zhu Jiuyin said impatiently, "What exactly do you understand?"