I need to head out today and won't be back by noon, so don't wait for the noon update.
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In the crowd, Ye Xinrou gazed at Yang Zhao with eyes full of disappointment. She never imagined that the Yang family's second young master would turn out like this after a single setback.
Without any particular reason, a wave of distaste rose in her heart, and she silently seethed with resentment.
To win Yang Zhao's favor, she had given quite a lot, and yet now she couldn't see even a sliver of hope that he would win the battle for succession.
She raised her head and looked toward Yang Kai's residence. An unusual light flickered in her delicate eyes, her pretty face practically brimming with restless eagerness. She bit her lower lip lightly, as though something had occurred to her, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
At Yang Kai's residence, the group had been back for less than half a day when word arrived — over a hundred members of Lingxiao Pavilion had arrived!
Yang Kai was overjoyed and hurried out to welcome them.
Su Yan and the others had indeed come. When Xia Ningshang received the news, her little face flushed with excitement and she dashed out of the pill-refining chamber.
The two young women hadn't seen each other in a long time, and their reunion naturally gave them much to talk about. Especially with a certain man in common between them — before long, the conversation drifted to Yang Kai, the two of them whispering and giggling while pointing at him.
Qin Ze from Medicine King Valley chased after them as though his pants were on fire, intending to drag Xia Ningshang back to refine pills. But upon seeing her happy expression, he turned around and went back alone.
He couldn't bring himself to interrupt Xia Ningshang's chat with an old friend. In his memory, this young martial aunt whose pill-refining skills were extraordinary didn't seem to have many friends. Normally, besides refining pills in the chamber, she had nothing else going on.
A girl so young — besides refining pills, there should be more important things in life. Qin Ze sighed at the thought.
The residence was bustling with activity. The Blood Battle Gang and Wind and Rain Tower members were already acquainted with Lingxiao Pavilion, and everyone quickly hit it off.
Yang Kai secretly glanced at Su Yan and Xia Ningshang, who stood to the side chatting, and found the sight quite pleasant. He was satisfied.
"Brother-in-law." Su Mu scurried over. He was mostly healed now — after taking the Myriad Medicine Spirit Milk, those injuries had recovered swiftly. He crept up to Yang Kai and whispered, "How come it seems like Senior Sister Xia's relationship with you is... also not exactly ordinary?"
Yang Kai snorted and shot him a sideways glance. "Kids shouldn't meddle in adult matters. This is the grown-up world."
Su Mu couldn't help but pout. "You're not that much older than me!"
Yang Kai straightened his expression and said coolly, "The people who hurt you are all dead now. If you run into something like this again, endure it if you can. Rigidity breaks easily — understand?"
"Got it," Su Mu said with a grin.
Then he bobbed his head thoughtfully. "What a shame. I was planning to train hard and go after them myself for revenge, but looks like there won't be a chance. Those two guys weren't all that impressive anyway."
"Did you happen to come across some fortuitous opportunity in the Inheritance Grotto-heaven?" Yang Kai tilted his head toward him, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
He and Su Yan had obtained the ultimate inheritance inside the Grotto-heaven. The Hu sisters had learned the Connected Spirit Art there, and even Lan Chudie had gained something.
If Su Mu had found nothing at all in that place, Yang Kai wouldn't believe it. His cultivation speed these past few years had been remarkably fast — a completely different person from before.
Su Mu chuckled softly, scratched his head, and nodded. "There was a little something. I already told my sister about it."
Yang Kai gave a slight nod without prying too deeply. "Work hard. Don't waste your fortune. The opportunities inside the Inheritance Grotto-heaven... are no ordinary thing."
"What do you mean?" Su Mu didn't understand.
"Nothing. Just remember it." Yang Kai shook his head, declining to explain.
It was only recently that he had begun to sense it faintly — the things inside the Inheritance Grotto-heaven seemed to have transcended the level of this world. Whether it was the Dual Cultivation Technique he shared with Su Yan or the Connected Spirit Art of the Hu sisters, none of them should have been something martial artists of this world could create.
Moreover, during this period Yang Kai had witnessed many unexpected things. His horizons had broadened considerably, and he could naturally discern information that went beyond the conventional.
The Lingxiao Pavilion members were settled into the residence by Qiu Yimeng.
Within Battle City, it wasn't just Ling Taixu who was present. The four remaining elders of the sect — all that was left — were also in Battle City, sheltered under Ling Taixu's protection, having remained undiscovered all this time.
After Ling Taixu revealed himself publicly, those four came to the residence as well.
After two or three days of liveliness, Yang Kai's residence gradually quieted down. Everyone settled into their respective roles, working in an orderly fashion.
Having endured hardship and stood together through adversity just days before, the forces in the residence had grown even more cohesive. Despite belonging to different sects, they coexisted peacefully like brothers and sisters, with no signs of conflict over unequal distribution of resources.
When a new batch of pills came out, for instance, everyone deferred to one another, the atmosphere warm and cordial.
These past few days, Yang Kai had done only one thing.