At Yang Kai's manor, the bizarre laughter and shouts from the Earth Demon had already put everyone on high alert.
By the time Yang Kai arrived at the scene, he found that a certain area not far from the alchemy room had been surrounded by the manor's warriors—three or four layers deep. Every single one of them had their true essence fluctuating wildly, their faces taut with vigilance and wariness, all eyes fixed on the center.
Upon seeing Yang Kai approach, they parted to form a corridor and greeted him respectfully.
Yang Kai gave a faint nod and walked inward with an air of calm composure.
At the innermost layer, Qiu Yimeng and the others had gathered around the Earth Demon, all staring ahead with expressions mixing curiosity and astonishment.
"Young Master, she's here!" The Earth Demon looked somewhat excited as he spoke to Yang Kai, pointing forward with one finger.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes. Roughly five zhang ahead, several pillars of crimson light pierced skyward from the ground like red-hot iron rods arranged in a circle. Within that circle, a faint, almost insubvisible figure was charging about wildly, yet it could never break free of those red barriers.
The onlookers marveled at the sight. Even Qiu Yimeng and her companions were thoroughly stunned.
Because the figure wrapped in crimson light was nearly transparent—had one not looked carefully, its existence would be entirely imperceptible. As it moved, it resembled a clear stream of water flowing through the air, warping the scenery beyond it into distorted ripples.
Even now, no one had gotten a clear look at the figure's true appearance.
This kind of ability was entirely beyond everyone's comprehension and understanding!
Shadow Nine was an expert in concealment and assassination, capable of fading his body into the air as well. But he achieved that through a special technique and a particular method of circulating true essence that caused others to simply overlook his presence.
The mysterious person before them was different. She was plainly standing right there, yet she could make herself invisible to all!
Yang Kai's expression grew solemn. He realized he had underestimated this mysterious expert's capabilities.
This mysterious person had appeared before Yang Kai on two separate occasions, yet each time she had escaped unscathed. The last time had been at Broken Mirror Lake—Yang Kai had cut off a strand of her hair and handed it to the Earth Demon, instructing him to find a way to track her.
Hard work had finally paid off. Only today had the Earth Demon detected this mysterious expert's aura, and he had immediately used a powerful technique to trap her.
Even trapped, she seemed utterly unconcerned, lazily pacing back and forth within the small area enclosed by the red light. Through the haze, it almost looked as though she was observing the people around her.
"Hm… she's a woman?" Qiu Yimeng exclaimed in surprise. Just a moment ago, she had clearly glimpsed two full curves on the figure's chest. Though it had been nothing more than a fleeting glimpse, it was enough for Qiu Yimeng to confirm her gender.
"Lady, show us your true face," Yang Kai said, his expression cold, his tone commanding.
The other party offered no response—neither affirming nor denying. She simply stood there in silence. Yang Kai could feel a pair of eyes fixed steadily on him.
"I merely have a few questions I'd like to ask. Please cooperate, miss!" Yang Kai furrowed his brow.
Still no reply.
Yang Kai's patience was wearing thin. He had no idea what this person wanted by infiltrating the area around the alchemy room time and again, nor whose agent she might be. But leaving someone like this unchecked would only fill everyone in the manor with dread. And her current attitude of flatly refusing to cooperate made Yang Kai feel that further discussion was pointless.
"I'll give you ten breaths. Think it over carefully!" His face went cold, and he fell silent to wait.
Moments later, the ten breaths had passed.
Yang Kai shook his head slowly. Staring at the spot where the figure stood, he said evenly, "Do it. If she resists—kill her if you must!"
The Earth Demon let out a cackling laugh and stepped forward. The figure bound within the crimson light seemed not to have expected Yang Kai to be so ruthless. It solidified for a single instant before fading back into transparency before everyone's eyes.
"Constrict!" the Earth Demon barked sharply. The ring of crimson light suddenly began closing inward, carrying with it a bizarre and unsettling aura.
"Hmph. You think people like you can capture me?" Just as the red light was about to bind the woman, she finally spoke.
The voice that reached their ears made every person freeze.
Not because it was especially pleasant or unpleasant, but because it gave off an impression of… extreme youth.
As a person ages, changes occur not only in their figure and appearance—their voice changes as well. An older person and a younger person sound fundamentally different.
This mysterious expert's voice was tender and crisp. Hearing nothing but that voice, everyone would instinctively picture a girl in the bloom of her youth, perhaps around twenty.
But quickly, they shook the thought away internally.
A girl of twenty could not possibly possess such refined cultivation and such deep strength! Qiu Yimeng was already twenty-two or twenty-three and had only reached the first layer of the Shenyou Realm.
Liu Qingyao was even older.
Could this woman's aptitude really be more monstrous than both Qiu Yimeng and Liu Qingyao? Perhaps her natural voice simply had a youthful timbre—that was what the onlookers guessed.
No sooner had the mysterious woman finished speaking than the Earth Demon's expression turned grave. Without the slightest hesitation, he hastily pulled an object from inside his robes.
At the same moment, accompanied by the woman's gleeful, tinkling laughter, her figure bound within the crimson light suddenly burst apart.