Turning his head to look around, he saw that no one had the slightest hint of mockery or contempt in their eyes. They merely regarded him calmly. Liu Feisheng felt a sudden wave of shame so overwhelming he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
Their indifferent attitude was far harder for him to bear than scorn or disdain.
"Young Master, you are magnanimous. Liu is ashamed. I haven't been of much help lately, so these things..." As he spoke, a struggle played across his face.
The five Artifacts were one matter. They were decent, but as the young master of Tianyuan City, his status wasn't low; he could get Artifacts if he wanted them. However, those ten bottles of Profound Pills were something he couldn't ignore. With their help, he could save himself at least two or three years of bitter cultivation. In those two or three years, he could pull ahead of his peers by several minor levels.
"Take them," someone nearby advised.
"In that case, Liu gratefully accepts." Gritting his teeth, Liu Feisheng took the ten bottles of Profound Pills and the five Artifacts. He then cupped his fists solemnly toward Yang Kai before turning and leaving.
Yang Kai stood in place with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm, continuing to wait.
"Young Master, we must also take our leave." An expert from the Duanmu family, a Shenyou Realm cultivator, stepped forward and said evenly.
The Duanmu family had originally been a supporter of Yang Kai's third brother, Yang Tie. In the first night of the succession battle, Yang Tie was eliminated, and the Duanmu family suffered heavy casualties. The five survivors had subsequently pledged allegiance to Yang Kai's mansion.
In last night's great battle, all five of them fought. Only two returned alive.
They had been following Yang Kai to avenge those from the Duanmu family who had fallen in battle. That wish had long since been fulfilled. Now, with only the two of them left barely clinging to life, they had no attachment to this place whatsoever.
With the current situation pressing them, they naturally had to leave.
Yang Kai nodded slightly. "These past few days, thank you all for your help, seniors."
Another Lingxiao Pavilion disciple presented ten bottles of Profound Pills and five Artifacts. The two from the Duanmu family took the items and departed just as swiftly.
"Young Master, my Ziwei Valley must also be going." Fan Hong stepped forward, a bitter smile on his face.
Yang Kai nodded and gestured for him to proceed.
Fan Hong accepted the Profound Pills and Artifacts without fuss. He bid farewell to Yang Kai and turned to walk out.
After only a few steps, he suddenly halted and looked back. "Junior Sister. Aren't you leaving?"
He was asking Luo Xiaoman.
Both Fan Hong and Luo Xiaoman hailed from the Ziwei Valley, and they shared a senior-junior disciple relationship.
Luo Xiaoman slowly shook her head. "I will stay with Senior Sister Qiu. You go on your own, Senior Brother."
Fan Hong considered this for a moment but didn't press the issue. Without another word, he left.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to leave?" Yang Kai surveyed the crowd. "There's no need to hesitate. Leaving now while there's still time is best. Otherwise, you truly might be counted among those opposing the Eight Great Families. Even if you don't think of yourselves, you should consider your own clans and sects."
"Hmph, no need to say more," Hu Jiao'er snorted. "Those who are still here now probably have no intention of leaving."
The crowd nodded in unison.
Those who had left were mostly ones who had joined Yang Kai's mansion later for various reasons. Those who remained were all there from the start of the succession battle, or during its course, with a genuine desire to repay Yang Kai's help and aid him.
"Indeed," Chen Xueshu nodded. "Brother Yang, you said it yourself. In a few days, you will be leaving here. We don't care about waiting these few days. Once you've left, we will go as well. It's only a few days; the Eight Great Families' tolerance can't be that small, can it?"
Looking at them, Yang Kai paused for a moment before nodding. "Alright then, everyone will wait a few days."
"Disperse, disperse!" Dong Qinghan called out. Since they had all decided to leave together in a few days, the heavy burden that had been pressing on everyone's hearts suddenly vanished into thin air.
Still, the thought of parting after sharing hardships for so long brought a touch of sadness to their hearts.
In a single lifetime, how many friends can one entrust with their life and death? And everyone in this mansion was exactly that kind of friend!
The gathering ended, and in the side hall, only Yang Kai and Qiu Yimeng remained.
Yang Kai looked at Qiu Yimeng with a smile. "Want to say something?"
Qiu Yimeng slowly shook her head. "Nothing really. I just feel it's unfair and unworthy for you."
Yang Kai stood up, took a few steps, and gently drew a breath. "That's just the way the world is. Besides, I don't feel it's unfair or unworthy. At the very least, I gave it my all. Beautiful, could you please stop looking at me like I'm some stray dog? I haven't fallen that low, have I?"
His words made Qiu Yimeng burst into a laugh, and the room seemed to brighten considerably.
"You and Huo Xingchen must also leave soon. Staying here too long isn't good for you."
These two had each used rather clumsy tricks to stay in Yang Kai's mansion, but the people of the Eight Great Families all had sharp eyes. How could they not have seen through their little ruse?