Just two updates today. I've got to head out this afternoon—pick up a few things, tidy up my appearance. I'm going to Shanghai at the end of the month, and a homebody like me can't exactly show up looking like a slob. Please bear with me.
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"Young Master!" Ying Jiu's concerned voice came from behind.
"I'm fine." Yang Kai shook his head slowly, a deep sense of helplessness washing over his face.
To Yang Wei and Meng Shanyi, he had just looked invincible—standing alone with a single artifact, weathering a furious assault from over a dozen Shenyou Realm experts. But only Yang Kai himself knew the true cost of that feat.
No matter how powerful a Mysterious Grade artifact might be, it could never enable a Zhenyuan Realm martial artist to unleash such formidable force on its own.
Artifacts and martial techniques were fundamentally the same—supplements that added luster to an already strong foundation. A warrior's true strength ultimately came from their own power.
The Bone Shield was truly extraordinary. With it in hand, even Dong Qinghan and the others wouldn't need to worry about their safety against Shenyou Realm experts below the fifth layer. But using it consumed an staggering amount of Zhenyuan.
In that brief moment, Yang Kai had poured over a dozen drops of Yang Liquid's stored Zhenyuan into the Bone Shield just to make it capable of devouring all those attacks.
If any other martial artist of comparable level tried to use it, they would exhaust every drop of Zhenyuan in their body and still fail to block a single strike from an eighth-layer Shenyou Realm expert.
The Bone Shield's defensive power and devouring limit were directly proportional to the amount of Zhenyuan the user poured into it. The more Zhenyuan channeled in, the more attacks it could absorb and the stronger its defense became.
Such enormous expenditure made Yang Kai's heart ache. But at least he had managed to convince Yang Wei, so the effort wasn't entirely wasted.
His own strength was still too low. If he had reached the Shenyou Realm, the cost of that encounter would have been far more manageable.
A burning desire to grow stronger surged through Yang Kai. His gaze hardened, and an irresistible impulse to rush back and seclude himself in cultivation rose within him like a roaring flame.
The subtle shift in his expression did not escape Ying Jiu's sharp observation. The Blood Servant, who existed like a shadow, seemed to sense the thoughts swirling in Yang Kai's mind, and a strange look flickered across his face.
It seemed the young Master was the type who grew fiercer the more he was pushed down.
Most martial artists, after witnessing the overwhelming techniques of truly powerful experts, would inevitably develop lingering shadows in their hearts. Those shadows could manifest as mental obstacles—even interfering with cultivation—and many would never shake them off for the rest of their lives. It was more than enough to prevent them from ever fighting again, let alone cultivating.
But the young Master's will was ironclad, his pursuit of the martial path as unyielding as bedrock. Not only was he unaffected, he had actually ignited a torrential fighting spirit. With a temperament like that, as long as his opportunities and talent kept pace, he would surely accomplish great things in the future.
With these thoughts, Ying Jiu casually asked, "Shall we head back now?"
He guessed that Qiu Yimeng probably wouldn't sleep well tonight. She had tried her hardest during the day to stop Yang Kai from acting alone, but had been powerless to do so. Right now she was surely worrying about him.
Getting back sooner would put her mind at ease.
Qiu Yimeng had been running herself ragged lately, working tirelessly without complaint. Although Ying Jiu had never mentioned it to Yang Kai, he had seen it all. He naturally felt reluctant to let a young lady of a great clan lie awake through a lonely night.
"There's one more place I need to go." A trace of resignation appeared on Yang Kai's face as he strode forward.
Ying Jiu gave a slight nod and followed in silence.
They walked through the War City for a long while before arriving before a massive, towering palace. The enormous entrance stood unmanned, its gates firmly shut.
It looked like an abandoned palace.
But when Ying Jiu glanced up, his expression changed instantly.
This colossal palace was none other than the most sacred place at the very center of the War City—the Temple of Sealing Gods!
The palace where the eight supreme experts above the Shenyou Realm of the Eight Great Families of Zhongdu kept their vigil!
What was the young Master doing here? Ying Jiu wondered, puzzled.
Staring at the plaque above the entrance, Yang Kai felt utterly exasperated. Just after leaving Yang Wei's residence, an aged voice had suddenly whispered in his ear, summoning him to the Temple of Sealing Gods.
It was a summons from the Grand Elder of the Yang Family. Yang Kai had no choice but to come.
It seemed that every move he made was indeed under the watchful eyes of those eight. The slightest action could not escape their perception.
The thought left a bitter taste in Yang Kai's mouth, a distinct feeling of being controlled by others. Naturally, his expression soured.
When he reached the palace gates, before he even had time to announce himself, the sealed doors slowly swung open.
Yang Kai couldn't help but roll his eyes. He led Ying Jiu inside, and only after they had both entered did the massive doors gradually close behind them. Not a single person was seen throughout the entire process, and Yang Kai hadn't even sensed the slightest ripple of energy.
A newfound understanding of the capabilities of those who had transcended the Shenyou Realm stirred in his heart.