If Shan Qingluo truly defected, then the women in her palace, as well as the people in Piaoxiang City, would certainly face retaliation. Given the style of the Evil Land of Cangyun's martial artists, that retaliation would undoubtedly be catastrophic and shocking.
Shan Qingluo was different from the other Evil Kings—she was not a cold-blooded person. She had her concerns, and so she could not agree to Yang Kai's request, even though she desperately wished she could.
"You should all leave this place while you can, or stay hidden in here and never go outside," Shan Qingluo said with a soft sigh. "It's the only way you'll be safe. Take care of yourselves."
Having said that, she gazed deeply at Yang Kai, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow, and led Biluo back the way they had come.
In her heart, a seed of love that Yang Kai had inadvertently planted had already sprouted and was growing. Before long, it would fully mature—and when that happened, the drawbacks of her Poison Widow physique would erupt completely.
She would become obsessed with possessing Yang Kai at all costs. And once she lay with him, given the dominating and insidious nature of the Poison Widow physique, Yang Kai would certainly die.
Shan Qingluo dared not linger by Yang Kai's side for too long, because the more they interacted, the faster the love seed would grow.
She had to leave, to put as much distance between herself and Yang Kai as possible.
Meng Wuya did not try to stop her, opening the barrier as before to let her go.
After Shan Qingluo left, a heavy weight settled over everyone's hearts.
Just as she had said, there were now only two paths for the group. One was to hide inside the Heavenly Journey Palace's barrier and not venture out. The other was to take advantage of the absence of the Evil Lord and the other Evil Kings to leave this place as quickly as possible.
Either way, their lives would be safe.
"Are we leaving or not?" Meng Wuya looked at Yang Kai and asked.
"Where would we even go?" Yang Kai said with a bitter smile. If even Zhongdu had been destroyed, then there was nowhere in this vast world for them to settle down.
Fleeing like stray dogs was not what Yang Kai wanted to see.
"If we're not leaving, then we stay. But the strength of everyone in the manor… needs to be improved quickly." Meng Wuya turned his head and looked around. During the Battle for Succession, their manor's strength had given them a completely overwhelming advantage. But when the Evil Land of Cangyun launched its assault, that meager power proved far too weak.
Many of them had witnessed firsthand the formidable combat prowess of the great Evil Kings. Their mysterious techniques and heaven-defying abilities were still vivid in their minds, stirring everyone's blood and making them eager to rapidly improve their own strength so they could stand toe to toe with the Evil Kings.
"Regardless of what happens with the Eight Great Families and Zhongdu, we must have the power to protect ourselves," Yang Kai said, his thoughts gradually becoming clear. The confusion in his eyes quickly turned to resolve, and he grinned. "In that case, let's cultivate."
Everyone nodded in agreement. With the Heavenly Journey Palace's barrier serving as their shield, they could indeed remain secure and focus on enhancing their strength without worry.
"Senior Li, once we weather this crisis, I will return everything belonging to the overseas sects. In the meantime, I ask that you all stay," Yang Kai turned to look at Li Yuanchun and said.
Li Yuanchun was taken aback for a moment. Though somewhat reluctant, he could only nod. "Very well."
He had lived overseas for a long time and was quite interested in the mainland. Now, having witnessed artifacts he had never heard of before, as well as experts not found overseas, he naturally wanted to stay and observe. This was an opportunity that didn't come along easily.
He was particularly intrigued by Meng Wuya. Li Yuanchun kept a close eye on him, sensing that there was something distinctly different about the man.
The manor quickly returned to calm. Among all the ruins, Yang Kai's estate was the only one left intact.
Everyone took up their duties as before, cultivating as usual, seemingly untouched by the anxiety that should have accompanied an impending catastrophe.
That very day, Yang Kai allocated a large supply of Ten Thousand Medicines Spirit Liquid to Xia Ningshang for her pill refining.
He also summoned all the Blood Warriors of the manor and gave each of them a small piece of Ten Thousand Medicines Spirit Paste.
Meng Wuya had said that the Spirit Paste contained certain wondrous Laws of Heaven. With its assistance, one could more easily comprehend the Heavenly Dao.
Though the Spirit Paste was extraordinarily precious and Yang Kai did not have much, now was the time to bring it out and use it on those he trusted.
Yang Kai hoped that his Blood Warriors, who had already reached the peak of the Shenyou Realm, could use the Spirit Paste to glimpse the mysteries beyond Shenyou and break through their current realm in one stroke.
If they succeeded, these Blood Warriors would become the most powerful trump cards in his arsenal.
With that, even without Meng Wuya's Heavenly Journey Palace, Yang Kai's manor would have the ability to protect itself against the Evil Land of Cangyun's raids.
One day later, Ying Jiu returned from Zhongdu and brought back news that left Yang Kai stunned.
A massive force of martial artists and demon beasts from the Evil Land of Cangyun had attacked Zhongdu, entering through the northwestern city gate and exterminating all living beings within a radius of several dozen li. The Gao Family, stationed at that corner, suffered devastating losses—a Supreme Elder above the Shenyou Realm was killed by the Evil Lord, and the family's experts were decimated. They were forced to retreat with their entire clan, withdrawing to the territory of the Kang Family directly north of Zhongdu.
The Evil Land of Cangyun had come with overwhelming force, its strength far exceeding anyone's expectations.
The other six families had all dispatched reinforcements, gathering at the Kang Family's territory to prepare for battle against the Evil Land.
When Ying Jiu left Zhongdu, both sides were still locked in a standoff, and fighting had not yet broken out. But what the outcome was now, nobody knew.
"How are things with the Yang Family?" Yang Kai asked urgently.
"The family is safe. The Evil Land of Cangyun did not attack the southern gate, so there's no problem for now. Fourth Master and Madam are both safe, and the family hasn't sent them into battle."
Hearing that his parents did not need to fight, Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief. Then he added, "Didn't you ask them to come to Battle City and meet up with me?"