In the field of formations, Yang Kai had limited knowledge. The area was covered by a confusion formation that left him and Lu Jing unable to find their way. To break through a formation, one had to either locate the formation eye or brute-force their way out.
Yang Kai chose the second method.
Pitch-black Golden Crow True Fire billowed outward, incinerating everything in its path and pushing steadily toward the perimeter. The shrill voice that had been mocking them from the shadows initially tossed out a few jeers, but it quickly realized something was off. Under the onslaught of the Golden Crow True Fire, the entire great formation was on the verge of collapse.
That voice immediately grew frantic. Hidden in the darkness, the speaker triggered countless variations within the formation, unleashing wave after wave of attacks from every direction aimed at Yang Kai and Lu Jing. Each strike carried considerable force, a testament to the formation's considerable foundation.
Yang Kai's expression didn't change. He swatted aside each attack with casual ease while the Golden Crow True Fire continued to spread outward.
Lu Jing, pale-faced, huddled beside him, not daring to move an inch. With his Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivation, if he had been caught alone in this formation, he would have been killed on the spot long ago. That he remained unharmed was entirely thanks to Yang Kai's singular protection.
The attacks raining down from all sides were not only dense but relentless, each one carrying the force of a Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivator striking at full power.
After about half an incense stick's worth of time, Yang Kai suddenly turned his head toward one direction and bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Found you!"
Pouring his power into action, he seized Lu Jing and hurtled straight in that direction, smashing through the formation's veil of confusion and plunging headfirst into an enormous hollow within a tree.
A violent wave of energy erupted, accompanied by muffled grunts and screams. The great tree shuddered, shedding branches and leaves, but within three breaths everything fell silent.
Inside the tree hollow, Yang Kai held a squat, half-man-tall dwarf by the throat with one hand, dangling the creature before his eyes and giving it a gentle shake. The dwarf had a pointed, simian face.
The dwarf hung motionless, swaying back and forth like a noodle, his aura completely extinguished.
"Dead?" Yang Kai's brow furrowed. Then he suddenly licked his lips. "Even if he's dead, no sense in wasting him."
Under Lu Jing's wide-eyed, slack-jawed stare, Yang Kai opened his mouth and started stuffing the dwarf toward it, as if he meant to eat the creature raw.
Lu Jing's eyelids twitched violently.
The dwarf, who had appeared truly dead and lifeless, suddenly began struggling in a panic, screaming, "Mercy! Mercy, my lord, spare my life!"
Yang Kai regarded him with an expression of pure amusement. The moment their eyes met, the dwarf realized at once that his feigned death had been seen through from the start.
Yang Kai casually tossed him onto the ground and said flatly, "Don't even think about running. You won't get away."
With that, he walked over to a wooden chair, flipped the hem of his robe aside, and settled into it with legs wide and a commanding air.
The dwarf lay prostrate on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. How could he possibly run? He had exchanged only a few blows with Yang Kai before being captured outright—his meager abilities didn't even amount to worthlessness before this man. His little trick at feigning death had failed, and now he had no other ideas.
Yang Kai glanced around the tree hollow. The furnishings were extremely sparse, suggesting the occupant was no materialist. Finding nothing of interest, he looked down at the dwarf before him and said with some disappointment, "You're Grey Bone Heavenly Lord?"
The intelligence Qu Huashang had given him didn't match this at all. The dwarf before him was only Fourth-Order—nothing like a Sixth-Order.
The dwarf hurried to answer, "Your lordship sees correctly! I am merely a servant under my master!"
"You're not Grey Bone?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.
The dwarf looked up and forced an obsequious grin. "I'm called White Hair!" As he spoke, he raised a hand to stroke the tuft of white hair on his head.
"Pfft!" Lu Jing couldn't help laughing aloud.
He had felt it during the brief exchange between the dwarf and Yang Kai—the man possessed Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivation. In some of the weaker Second-Rank powers out in the broader world, someone like that could well hold the position of Elder-in-Chief. Yet here on this Sin Star, he was nothing more than someone's servant, and had been given such a throwaway name.
It clearly wasn't his real name, but there was no need to press the matter.
"Where is Grey Bone Heavenly Lord?" Yang Kai's brow furrowed, clearly displeased. He had come straight here expecting a proper fight, hoping to earn some merit. Instead, he found only a Fourth-Order lackey—a colossal waste of time and effort.
White Hair replied respectfully, "Something major is about to happen on the Sin Star. My master has gone to visit Giant Clam Heavenly Lord to discuss their plans."
"Giant Clam Heavenly Lord?" Yang Kai's expression shifted as he recalled the contents of the jade slip Qu Huashang had given him. It did indeed record a Giant Clam Heavenly Lord, also of Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivation, said to possess the bloodline of a great demon and formidable strength.
"Your lordship—all of you are here to participate in the Grand Discussion Assembly hosted by Yin-Yang Heaven, correct?" White Hair asked cautiously, studying Yang Kai's expression.