Facing Qiu Yimeng's blade thrust, Yang Kai continued to smile, looking as if he didn't care whether he lived or died, his burning gaze fixed on Qiu Yimeng who was right in front of him. He didn't move a muscle, didn't even gather his True Yuan, appearing truly unwilling to fight back.
Qiu Yimeng's beautiful eyes were filled with resolute determination, and her hand moved ever faster.
In the next instant, Yang Kai's expression changed abruptly. He stared at her in shock, then suddenly reached out to grab her.
"Pfft..."
A muffled grunt accompanied a spray of blood.
A wave of gasps erupted as the experts behind both of them surged forward, rushing frantically toward the center.
Chen Xuan and the others' eyes were filled with fanatical excitement, staring intently at Yang Kai's shocked face and grinning savagely without end.
Ying Jiu, Tang Yuxian, and the Earth Demon simultaneously erupted with their power, leaping over Yang Kai and Qiu Yimeng's heads to meet Chen Xuan and the others head-on.
The battle erupted in an instant. Martial artists below the Shenyou Realm couldn't possibly intervene, and the leaders of the younger generation didn't dare to approach either, only able to deploy their martial skills and the power of their Artifacts from a distance.
Brilliant light burst forth, and energy raged unchecked.
In the chaos, Luo Xiaoman stumbled over to Yang Kai and Qiu Yimeng. Once she saw the situation clearly, she immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, her beautiful eyes trembling.
Qiu Yimeng had collapsed limply into Yang Kai's arms, her face deathly pale and utterly devoid of color, smiling silently at him. A dagger was embedded in her lower abdomen—the very Artifact she had drawn moments ago.
Yang Kai, on the other hand, was completely unscathed.
"What are you doing?!" Yang Kai roared.
"I couldn't bring myself to do it..." Qiu Yimeng said with a bitter smile. "It was the only way I could think of to take myself out of the fight temporarily."
That strike from Qiu Yimeng had suddenly changed direction halfway through, thrusting hard toward herself. Yang Kai had noticed this and moved to stop her.
But Qiu Yimeng's expression before that had been far too convincing. Even Yang Kai had been deceived for a moment, believing she truly intended to strike him.
By the time he tried to stop her, it was already too late.
Blood flowed from Qiu Yimeng's lower abdomen, quickly dyeing her clothes a vivid red, giving off an almost hauntingly beautiful crimson hue.
"Stop talking." Yang Kai frowned, though he wasn't particularly worried. Qiu Yimeng's wound wasn't in a vital spot, and the dagger hadn't gone in too deep. With the healing properties of the Myriad Medicine Spirit Milk, she'd likely recover in a day or two without even a scar.
"I have a question for you." Qiu Yimeng gasped for breath but stared at Yang Kai stubbornly.
"If you've got something to say, say it. Spit it out." Yang Kai snorted coldly. He was thoroughly frustrated by Qiu Yimeng's antics today.
Qiu Yimeng didn't take offense. Instead, her eyes were filled with anticipation as she asked softly, "If I had really tried to stab you just now, you wouldn't have fought back?"
"What do you think?" Yang Kai shot her a glare.
"I don't know. I've never been able to figure out what you're thinking."
"I'm not an idiot — why would I just stand there and let you stab me!"
"As I thought..." Qiu Yimeng laughed. "You've always been a selfish person, but if you weren't, you wouldn't be you."
Yang Kai let out a sinister chuckle. "If you'd really had the mind to stab me just now, you'd be done for today."
"What would you have done to me? Killed me?"
"Nothing that extreme. I'd just strip off all your clothes and then... heh heh, give your butt a good spanking!"
Qiu Yimeng's face instantly flushed red. No one had ever said such shameless things to her before, and somehow, an image surfaced in her mind of herself stark naked while Yang Kai pinned her down on a bed and mercilessly spanked her.
She burned with embarrassment for a long moment.
"Could you two stop talking about this?" Luo Xiaoman stood off to the side, flustered and at a loss. "Can you please treat the wound first?"
"It's not fatal." Yang Kai looked entirely unconcerned. He swept Qiu Yimeng up in his arms, then turned to glance at the chaotic battlefield. A cold glint flashed deep within his eyes before he finally strode into the estate.
Luo Xiaoman hurried along after him, matching his every step.
Before long, the three of them arrived at Su Yan's room.
Pushing open the door, a wave of biting cold assailed them.
Su Yan was seated upright on the ice bed. She appeared to be cultivating, but in truth, her mind was elsewhere. The battle at Yang Kai's estate had not escaped her attention, but given her background in Lingxiao Pavilion, it was far too inconvenient for her to intervene. All she could do was wait quietly.
"What happened? How did you get so badly hurt?" The moment Su Yan saw Qiu Yimeng, she hurriedly asked.
"This fool stabbed herself." As he spoke, Yang Kai laid Qiu Yimeng down on the ice bed. The bone-piercing cold seeped into her body, and she couldn't help but shudder.
But thanks to the cold constricting the wound, the bleeding quickly slowed to a halt.
"I'm leaving her in your care," Yang Kai instructed, then turned and walked back out.
The spot where Qiu Yimeng had been wounded was far too delicate. Had it been anywhere else, Yang Kai could have handled it himself, but given its location on her lower abdomen, he simply couldn't bring himself to do it. He had no choice but to send her to Su Yan and leave it to her.