Faced with Yang Kai's questioning, no one dared to answer; only the sound of rapid, pounding heartbeats could be heard from the chests of the group.
After waiting a moment, Yang Kai lost his patience and said coldly, "If you don't talk, you all die. Speak, and I might spare your lives!"
"He's from the Xiang family!" Immediately, someone crumbled under the immense pressure and pointed at the person next to them.
That person cursed angrily and took to their heels.
A blood-red petal flew from the corpse of the person who had just died, plunging into the back of the fleeing man's head with lightning speed, piercing straight through.
With a thud, the man collapsed, rolled several times on the ground, and gradually grew still.
"Anyone else?" Yang Kai asked again.
Everyone shook their heads continuously, indicating there were no more people from the Xiang or Nan families in this area.
Yang Kai gave a slight nod and stopped asking. In the next instant, he vanished from their sight.
Seeing that he had honored his promise and really let them go, the surviving warriors finally gasped for breath and slumped weakly to the ground, drenched in sweat. A breeze blew over them, chilling their bodies to the bone.
"Don't let me see you in the Battle City again!" Yang Kai's voice echoed from far away.
The group was startled once more and hastily nodded: "Understood, understood!"
After this incident, they wouldn't dare return to the Battle City. After experiencing something like that, no one had the courage to face this Yang family young master who slaughtered people like butchering cattle!
He alone could achieve such a thing, let alone the fact that his manor had many powerful helpers. Originally, this group had been fairly optimistic about Yang Zhao, believing he could leverage his numerical advantage and the numerous forces he'd gathered to win the Succession Battle. They could have followed along and reaped some benefits.
But now, no one dared think that way.
A short while later, fifty li away, Yang Kai killed three more martial artists from the Xiang and Nan families, leaving behind a group of soul-shattered survivors before striding off.
He wasn't the type to indiscriminately slaughter everyone without cause. When he needed to be tough, he was tough. When he could show mercy, he would show mercy.
Just as he hadn't allowed Su Yan to kill the four Shenyou Realm cultivators from the Qiu and Kang families—it was because he considered the intricate relationships between the Eight Great Families.
But this time, he was truly provoked by Xiang Chu and Nan Sheng.
These two, ever since the Succession Battle began, had been opposing him at every turn. In the past, when conflicts and fights occurred with them, Yang Kai hadn't minded. Those with different paths can't walk together; participating in the Succession Battle meant they were natural adversaries. They killed his people, so he killed theirs—it was only fair!
But this time was different. Those people were Lingxiao Pavilion's final foundation and hope for revival.
Furthermore, he had an agreement with Kang Zhan beforehand, yet Nan Sheng and Xiang Chu still targeted them.
Yang Kai naturally had no intention of sparing the Xiang and Nan families.
He wanted the world to know that Lingxiao Pavilion was truly the tiger's behind—you couldn't touch it!
He chased and killed all the way, taking out every person from the Xiang and Nan families without a shred of mercy. The path he took was paved with blood.
After a full day and night, Yang Kai had covered two thousand li. Finally, in the distance, he caught sight of Xiang Chu and Nan Sheng.
The two were fleeing desperately with a group of their men, having not rested a single moment during the day and night. Now, their True Yuan was nearly depleted, and they were gasping for air.
They had thought they would return to Battle City safely. The reason they were running so fast was just as a precaution—never expecting that Yang Kai would actually chase them to the ends of the earth!
When they sensed the murderous intent and the towering aura of bloodshed surging from behind, the group turned their heads in horror, their faces filled with shock. "The Ninth Young Master is chasing us!"
"What?" Nan Sheng and Xiang Chu's expressions changed drastically. In the midst of the chaos, they twisted around to look and indeed saw Yang Kai's figure, like a meteor, drawing closer and closer.
"Has he gone mad?" Nan Sheng asked in disbelief. "Just for a disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion, is it worth going this far?"
Xiang Chu's face was gloomy, revealing a deep sense of helplessness and wariness. He nodded slightly: "I'm afraid we've truly touched a nerve!"
"Brother Xiang, what do we do now?" Nan Sheng was drenched in sweat. "Hurry, think of a plan!"
"Go back to Battle City. There's no other way. As long as we make it back to the Second Young Master's manor, we'll be safe!" Xiang Chu said through gritted teeth, pushing his speed even faster.
Nan Sheng cursed inwardly. This was as good as saying nothing. The crucial issue now was how to escape Yang Kai's pursuit.
This group of theirs had been running for a day and night and was already running on fumes. Whether they could outrun him was still unknown. Judging by Yang Kai's speed, there probably wasn't much hope.
Where the hell did this bastard get so much True Yuan to burn? He'd been chasing for so long, yet he was still brimming with killing intent, high on fighting spirit, looking utterly determined not to give up.