Watching his spirited demeanor, the Eighth-Order masters felt a mix of admiration and shame. They admired how rapidly the younger generation of the human race had grown. Though only Yang Kai currently held a high position, more and more young people were making their names on battlefields across the world.
Those young individuals shining on various battlefields were the hope of humanity's future—and the reason so many Ninth-Order Patriarchs had been willing to sacrifice themselves.
What shamed them was that they, the old guard, seemed unable to contribute much of anything…
Putting those thoughts aside, Wei Junyang spoke. "Since Junior Brother has made up his mind, we won't try to dissuade you. But please remember, Junior Brother, you are now a commander of armies. If the situation truly becomes desperate… you must ensure your own safety."
"I know," Yang Kai nodded.
"When does Junior Brother plan to leave?"
"Immediately!"
Wei Junyang raised his hand and produced his Universe Map, manipulating it with both hands to project a void panorama. "The Xuanming Domain has three domain gates, leading to different great domains. Junior Brother can slip out through here quietly." As he spoke, he pointed to one of the gates.
Of the three gates, one was under human control—it served as the guarantee of evacuation should the human race suffer defeat in the Xuanming Domain. Another was occupied by the Ink Clan. The third had no clear owner; both the human and Ink Clan forces had deployments there, and skirmishes broke out from time to time.
The one Wei Junyang indicated was the third gate.
Although they hadn't fully secured it, if the goal was simply to send Yang Kai and his group through, the humans had their ways. At worst, they could fight the Ink Clan forces stationed there. In the chaos, a small squad slipping through the gate was unlikely to draw much attention from the enemy.
Yang Kai asked, "Which gate is closest to the Lovesickness Domain?"
Departing from different gates meant different routes. Sometimes a moment's difference in choice could mean transiting through a dozen or more extra great domains.
Wei Junyang studied the map carefully and pointed to the gate occupied by the Ink Clan. "This one!" He paused in surprise. "Junior Brother, you're not thinking of going through there, are you?"
Yang Kai said, "Time is short. Naturally, I'll take whatever path is fastest."
"Rubbish!" Fei Yongze snapped. "The Ink Clan has an entire army deployed there. How could you possibly pass through? If you fall into an encirclement, there's no way out alive!"
Yang Kai smiled. "That's exactly why I'll need the Xuanming Army to lend a hand."
Wei Junyang looked thoughtful. "You want the Xuanming Army to put pressure on the Ink Clan? Aren't you afraid they'll suddenly turn on you?"
Yang Kai said, "Just days ago, I slew three Domain Lords in open combat. The Ink Clan will certainly have me marked. Ever since I took up station in the Xuanming Domain, their Domain Lords have been living in fear, wondering who'll be next. Gentlemen, if you were Ink Clan Domain Lords and I suddenly decided to leave right now—would you fight to the death to stop me, or would you let me pass?"
Fei Yongze had been about to berate him further, but hearing Yang Kai's reasoning, he furrowed his brow and fell into contemplation.
The other Eighth-Order masters exchanged uncertain glances.
Wei Junyang said, "If it were just Junior Brother alone, they'd swarm you without hesitation. The strength you displayed before was far too terrifying—they'd want you eliminated above all else. Since you've given them an opening, how could they not seize it? But if the Xuanming Army were applying pressure at the same time…"
It really was hard to say.
Would the Ink Clan let them pass?
Originally, the Ink Clan forces in the Xuanming Domain had held an overwhelming advantage. Last time, they had very nearly conquered it entirely, only for Yang Kai to appear out of nowhere and turn the tide.
For a powerhouse like Yang Kai, who killed Domain Lords as easily as slaughtering chickens, the Ink Clan certainly harbored deep dread. His departure from the Xuanming Domain at this moment might actually be something many Domain Lords would welcome. It was entirely possible that instead of blocking him, they would genuinely let him through.
The idea sounded absurd at first glance, but the more one considered it, the more room for manipulation it revealed.
For a moment, Wei Junyang regarded Yang Kai with a complicated expression, recalling Ouyang Lie's earlier jest that they really should be calling him Yang Big-Head.
The younger generation was truly formidable. Bravery alone was nothing—merely the mark of a reckless brute. What was truly dangerous was someone like Yang Kai, who possessed both courage and cunning. That was the Ink Clan's nightmare.
"If they don't let us through, that's fine too. We can simply fight another battle along the way," Yang Kai said with a smile. "I've already killed three Domain Lords—what if I kill three more? How many Domain Lords can they afford to lose? Eventually, they'll let us pass."
Ouyang Lie's blood ran hot at the words. "That's the way to do it! When the fighting starts, I'll be the vanguard!"
Wei Junyang shot him a glare, then turned back to Yang Kai. "Even if the Ink Clan might let you pass, departing so brazenly would strip them of their last vestige of caution. They might seize the opportunity to launch an offensive while you're gone."
Though the human race wasn't afraid, the last major battle had cost the Xuanming Army dearly. They needed time to recuperate.
Yang Kai said, "They may not have the nerve. If I can leave, I can also come back and kill them again. How can they be certain I've truly gone? If I leave right under their noses, the Ink Clan might only grow more uneasy. If they want to launch an offensive, they'll have to worry about me striking from behind!"
After a brief pause, he continued, "Besides, even if a battle breaks out, it won't matter. I've already distributed the Stone Clans to our forces. Using the method of refining Artifacts to refine the Stone Clans turns out to be quite effective. The Xuanming Army's current combat strength is far greater than before."
The Stone Clans were an excellent counter to the Ink Clan, with only one difficulty: their intelligence was too low for precise control.
Too often, the Stone Clans would slaughter all the enemies and then simply vanish into thin air. If you were quick, you could recall a few; if you were slow, you could only watch them disappear.