Yang Kai said with some concern, "But we don't know what kind of existence is aboard that ship. What if it's a Domain Lord?"
Feng Ying shook her head. "Unlikely. Two months ago, the Ink Royal Clan acted personally. Any Domain Lord-level Ink Clan in the vicinity should have been deployed to the front lines at that time. Even if some received word late, they wouldn't still be setting out now. The reinforcements heading in later shouldn't include any Domain Lords. Besides, with the battle already underway, Domain Lord-level powerhouses serve as the backbone of the Ink Clan — they should be among the first to reach the battlefield. The fact that they're using a Tower Ship flying Artifact to transport personnel only means the people aboard are of uneven strength, with differing flight speeds."
There was some logic to her reasoning, and Yang Kai nodded slightly.
Feng Ying continued, "Of course, there's always an exception. If there truly is a Domain Lord… I'll try to stall them. You make your escape immediately."
Over this period, she had witnessed Yang Kai's capabilities and come to appreciate his value. Someone of his caliber absolutely could not be lost — doing so would be an unimaginable loss for the Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. She had already steeled herself to the point of being willing to sacrifice her life at a critical moment to create an opening for Yang Kai to get away.
"Move!" Feng Ying called out, leading the way as she and Yang Kai charged toward the Tower Ship.
The moment their figures were revealed, the Tower Ship reacted instantly. Several figures swept across the deck and took up positions, watching from a distance.
Feng Ying and Yang Kai maintained their direction and speed, heading straight for them. They soon landed on the deck.
Gazes of scrutiny fell upon them, tinged with curiosity.
Yang Kai studied them in turn and found that among these Ink Servants, there were no High-Order Open Heaven cultivators. He felt somewhat relieved. Moreover, just as Feng Ying had surmised, the people here were indeed of wildly varying strength. That confirmed her assessment.
Feng Ying placed a hand over her chest and gazed toward the ship's cabin. "Which lord presides here? I bear orders from Red Scythe Domain Lord!"
Her tone made it sound as though she were an Ink Servant under the Red Scythe Domain Lord's command.
The group of Ink Servants on the deck glanced at one another in silence. Yang Kai's eyes flickered with admiration for Feng Ying's boldness and careful thinking. By invoking the Red Scythe Domain Lord, she would force any powerhouse aboard this ship to reveal themselves immediately, allowing them to quickly gauge the enemy's strength and formulate a response.
Besides, a seventh-grade Open Heaven cultivator serving as a Domain Lord's Ink Servant was perfectly plausible.
Before long, heavy footsteps echoed from within the cabin, and a tall Ink Clan member strode out.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that this Ink Clan was only a Lord. He immediately relaxed. During this period, Feng Ying had killed quite a number of Ink Clan Lords — one Lord-level Ink Clan was nothing to worry about.
The only thing that gave Yang Kai slight pause was the Ink Servant accompanying the Lord. That was undoubtedly a seventh-grade Open Heaven cultivator, his aura deep and unfathomable.
The Ink Clan Lord stepped forward and looked down at Feng Ying and Yang Kai standing before him. "I am Xiaoyue Lord. If the Domain Lord has any orders, you may deliver them to me."
He harbored not the slightest suspicion about Feng Ying's identity. It simply never occurred to him that someone would be brazen enough to stand before him and impersonate a Domain Lord's Ink Servant.
Feng Ying said respectfully, "I must ask the lord to lean closer. My master's orders were to deliver them to you alone."
The Xiaoyue Lord furrowed his brow slightly. Though he couldn't fathom why the Red Scythe Domain Lord would issue such an order, he still lowered himself and tilted his head, ear turned toward her, listening intently.
Feng Ying drifted forward a touch and whispered, "My master said…"
She stopped halfway, piquing the Xiaoyue Lord's curiosity and putting him off his guard. In the next instant, she drew her sword and slashed down.
Ink-black blood sprayed through the air. The Xiaoyue Lord still held his posture of leaning in to listen, but his massive head had already been severed.
Feng Ying's hands didn't pause. Another sword stroke forced back the seventh-grade Ink Servant by the Xiaoyue Lord's side. She immediately opened her Small Universe, and in a flash, several dozen figures who had been poised and ready burst out from within.
These Ink Servants — the ones Yang Kai and Feng Ying had spent two months rescuing — had been recuperating inside Feng Ying's Small Universe the entire time, long since fully recovered. They had been idle each day with nothing to do, practically growing mold from boredom.
Now, pouring out of Feng Ying's Small Universe all at once, they were like tigers descending the mountain. They summoned their Artifacts in an instant, and streams of divine abilities and secret techniques thundered outward toward the surrounding Ink Clan. The Ink Clan members were still reeling, having never expected to encounter a sneak attack by Human powerhouses in a place like this. Within moments, casualties mounted across the board.
And from the very first instant Feng Ying made her move, Yang Kai had surged forward.
He didn't bother with the other Ink Servants. His target was the seventh-grade Ink Servant who had been at the Xiaoyue Lord's side. Whether the Tower Ship harbored other seventh-grade fighters remained uncertain, but with the Xiaoyue Lord already dead, taking out this seventh-grade Ink Servant would secure the situation.
Just as Yang Kai darted forward, the seventh-grade Ink Servant whom Feng Ying's sword had forced back was also charging in their direction.
For an Ink Servant, having one's master slain right before one's eyes — regardless of whether Feng Ying truly served the Red Scythe Domain Lord — demanded retaliation.
Feng Ying was on guard against him as well. After releasing the several dozen clansmen from her Small Universe, she raised her sword and charged.
Yang Kai was even faster. He shot past her and threw a single punch straight at the seventh-grade Ink Servant.