"You've cooperated with that Kong Feng before—do you know how many Sixth-Rank members the Heavenly Sword Alliance has?" Yang Kai asked. The Void Land's greatest advantage right now was its numerous Sixth-Rank experts. If even that edge was neutralized, things would become very difficult.
"There are only four on the surface. Two have already been killed one after another, so only two remain. But the Heavenly Sword Alliance has a long heritage—no one can say for certain how many Sixth-Ranks they've hidden away. These concealed experts are all old-generation figures who have spent years in seclusion cultivating, all aiming to glimpse the path of the Seventh Rank."
Yang Kai nodded slightly. The Heavenly Sword Alliance was, after all, a top-tier second-rate force—their number of Sixth-Rank Open Heaven cultivators was definitely not small. After all, even Jinhong Prefecture had a hidden ancestor. When Yang Kai had stormed Jinhong Prefecture, Li Luoshui had broken through to the Seventh Rank on the spot, nearly dealing him a severe blow.
Compared to Jinhong Prefecture, the Heavenly Sword Alliance's foundations were far deeper. It was hardly surprising they harbored hidden monsters.
However, with the Heavenly Sword Alliance's full backing, Zuo Quanhui's forces would see a massive boost in strength. At the Sixth-Rank level, the Void Land would likely no longer hold much of an advantage.
Yang Kai smacked his lips, unable to suppress a headache. Strike the snake and fail to kill it—truly, endless trouble would follow.
"Moreover, don't forget the connections Zuo Quanhui personally commands. The enemies the Void Land will face in the future may not be limited to the Heavenly Sword Alliance's people. There could be far more."
Yang Kai nodded with a grave expression.
"What are you going to do?" Luan Baifeng turned her head to look at him.
"Let me think!" Yang Kai sank into contemplation. From the current situation, neither the Void Land nor the Heavenly Sword Alliance had erupted into open large-scale conflict yet. Zuo Quanhui had dared to venture deep into the Void Domain to set an ambush last time—first, because it caught them off guard, and second, because he had absolute confidence in his own strength.
Ambushing a Sixth-Rank with a Seventh-Rank cultivator—there was simply no way that could fail.
Yet the Void Land's true reserves had shocked him greatly, and Yang Kai's abilities had surpassed imagination. In the end, not only had he failed, but he had lost a Sixth-Rank disciple, and even he himself had been wounded.
Now he controlled the Heavenly Sword Alliance, wielding far greater forces than before. Yet he had not dispatched another army into the Void Domain. He was clearly wary of the two Sacred Spirits guarding the Void Land—primarily wary of Zhu Jiuyin!
So it seemed that even without Zhu Jiuyin taking action, her mere existence was not useless to this struggle. At the very least, she was a deterrent in her own right—enough to make Zuo Quanhui hesitate to act rashly.
Otherwise, there would have been no need to blockade the Domain Gate here. He could have simply led his forces straight into the Void Domain like last time.
Combined with what Luan Baifeng had said before, Yang Kai was beginning to vaguely grasp Zuo Quanhui's plan. He intended to play a waiting game against the Void Land. With so many people to feed, the Void Land's resources would eventually be exhausted, and they would have no choice but to venture out on their own. That, precisely, would be the perfect moment for him to strike.
At this thought, Yang Kai felt considerably more at ease. This was actually the scenario he wanted to see—the longer this struggle dragged on, the greater the advantage for the Void Land!
He licked his lips and looked up at Luan Baifeng. "You were planning to leave the mountains and join Zuo Quanhui, weren't you?"
Luan Baifeng shifted uncomfortably. "Well, yes. Following a Seventh-Rank Open Heaven cultivator—even if you can't get the meat, you can at least get some soup."
Yang Kai broke into a grin. "Then go ahead. I'm sure Zuo Quanhui would be very happy to see you come to his side."
Luan Baifeng blinked, then suddenly realized. "You want me to be a spy?"
"Dare you not?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.
Luan Baifeng chuckled softly. "What's there to dare? Everyone knows I have a grudge against your Void Land. Switching sides upon hearing the winds change is perfectly normal—surely Zuo Quanhui wouldn't suspect a thing."
"That's exactly the point!" Yang Kai nodded.
Luan Baifeng said, "If I uncover any important intelligence, how should I get it to you?"
"There's no need to make contact for now. Zuo Quanhui probably won't make any moves either. When the real fighting begins... there will naturally be opportunities for us to connect."
Luan Baifeng nodded. "Fine. What about you?"
Yang Kai lifted his gaze toward the Domain Gate. "I'm heading back to the Void Domain, of course!"
Luan Baifeng followed his gaze, a trace of worry in her eyes. "You're just going to fight your way through? What if Zuo Quanhui is holding the gate on the other side? You're no match for him. Why not take a longer route and return through a different Domain Gate?"
Yang Kai laughed. "Zuo Quanhui is a Seventh-Rank Open Heaven cultivator—what leisure would he have for something like this? Even if his injuries have healed, he's certainly recuperating somewhere. Besides, even if he's there... if I can't beat him, can't I still run away?"
Luan Baifeng stared at him intently. If any other Sixth-Rank cultivator had said such a thing, she would have scoffed. The difference between the Seventh and Sixth Ranks was merely one level, yet the gap was as vast as heaven and earth. Any Seventh-Rank could deal with a Sixth-Rank with ease. But the one saying this was Yang Kai...
"Then be careful. Don't go capsizing in the gutter!"