The people who had rushed over quickly scattered outward. After a while, each one returned and reported the situation to Qiu Yimeng.
"No losses." Qiu Yimeng's expression was somewhat grim. While the news of no losses was reassuring, how that person had gotten in was cause for concern.
The possibility of an insider couldn't be ruled out, but it was unlikely. At least judging from Yang Kai's expression, he didn't suspect anyone within their ranks.
If that was the case, then that person had infiltrated the vicinity of the pill room entirely on their own ability. The thought of this caused Qiu Yimeng's expression to shift slightly.
Yang Kai's residence currently housed numerous powerful individuals, including several Shenyou Realm Eighth Layer experts, and the pill room's defenses were the highest priority of all—yet that expert had still nearly succeeded. Just how powerful was this person?
But since they had successfully infiltrated, why had they been discovered? Qiu Yimeng couldn't quite figure it out.
"Ying Jiu, did you get a look at what they looked like?" Yang Kai asked with a frown.
Ying Jiu's voice came from the darkness: "No, this subordinate doesn't even know whether they were male or female, or what their cultivation level was."
Everyone couldn't help but feel a chill. When it came to stealth and assassination, Ying Jiu was the consummate expert among experts. Even he, who had exchanged a single blow with the intruder, hadn't been able to glean a single piece of information. This person was truly mysterious.
"However, in this subordinate's estimation, that person's true cultivation shouldn't be very high. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been unable to withstand a single Shadow Dance Kill from me." Ying Jiu's voice was low and measured.
Although that person had managed to escape, they had been wounded. The bloodstains on the ground were theirs.
Yang Kai gave a slight nod, pondered for a moment, then said: "Then either they were relying on the power of an artifact, or the technique they cultivate is extraordinary! Interesting—who recruited such a powerful expert?"
If he and Manager Meng hadn't both been on their guard this time, that person might well have succeeded.
They had infiltrated the vicinity of the pill room. Their intention was obvious—they had to be targeting the alchemists from Medicine King Valley. If those people from Medicine King Valley were harmed under Yang Kai's roof, that would mean serious trouble.
"Junior Brother Yang. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back to continue my pill refinement." Qin Ze's expression was calm, showing none of the joy of survival, nor any lingering fear of having nearly been placed in mortal danger.
"Mm." Yang Kai gave a slight nod.
After Qin Ze left, Yang Kai called out coldly: "Xiao Shun!"
"Here, sir!" A Shenyou Realm Eighth Layer cultivator of modest height—shorter than the others by a full head—stepped out from the crowd.
A Yang Family Blood Servant, and the one who had voluntarily come to join Yang Kai after the old Eighth Young Master, Yang Quan, was eliminated. He had been gravely injured, but under Yang Kai's treatment, he had fully recovered in just a day or two.
"From now on, you'll be permanently stationed at the pill room!"
Xiao Shun grinned fiercely: "Rest assured, Young Master. As long as Xiao Shun draws breath, no one will get near the pill room!"
Yang Kai nodded lightly, his deep gaze fixed on the direction in which the mysterious expert had fled, and he let out a cold laugh.
It seemed that the people from Medicine King Valley were quite a source of concern for his brothers. Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent someone to deal with them. The question was, whose subordinate was this person? They had to be either very bold or very reckless.
A sliver of dawn light spread across the eastern horizon. Daybreak was approaching.
After such an incident, no one felt at ease. Qiu Yimeng immediately reorganized the residence's entire defensive arrangement, bustling about from place to place.
Yang Kai stood in place, gazing at the smear of blood on the ground. Recalling the scene he had perceived with his Divine Sense, he slowly shook his head. He, too, had been unable to determine the person's cultivation level, nor whether they were male or female.
The technique or artifact that this mysterious expert relied on was indeed remarkable.
Hurried footsteps sounded from outside. Yang Kai turned to look. He saw a warrior from the Qiu family's Qiuyu Hall approaching in a rush. Upon reaching Yang Kai, the warrior cupped his fists and said: "Young Master Kai, someone from the Yang family has arrived!"
"Someone from the Yang family?" Yang Kai's expression turned grave.
"They've already reached the main hall. They carry the Yang family's Elder Token and say they wish for Young Master Kai to come and speak with them!"
"I see."
He dismissed the messenger. After frowning in thought for a moment, Yang Kai suddenly announced in a clear voice: "Everyone, get yourselves ready. There's probably something to be done today."
"Ha ha, there's finally some action!"
"Right? It's been so many days, and all we've done is cultivate. I'm about to go stir-crazy."
"Yang Kai, no matter what you're doing this time, you've got to bring us along."
A group of young men and women were all rolling up their sleeves and cracking their knuckles, buzzing with excitement, looking as if they couldn't wait for trouble to start.
"We'll see. I don't know the details yet either. Just get yourselves ready for now." Yang Kai smiled faintly and turned toward the main hall.
Qiu Yimeng hurried to catch up and asked suspiciously: "How did you know something was going to happen?"
Yang Kai chuckled softly: "If I'm not mistaken, the family probably wants to speed up the succession battle. Ever since my Eighth Brother was eliminated, the six of us who remain have been sitting tight and developing our own strengths. It's been nearly a month now, and letting things drag on this calmly can't be a good thing."
"Would your Yang family actually order you to take the initiative and strike?"
"It wouldn't be such a crude method. There's definitely some other way." Yang Kai frowned slightly. He was only guessing himself—he didn't know exactly what the family planned to do. He would have to wait until he met their envoy to find out.