His location exposed, countless Domain Lords from every direction were rushing toward this place, aiming to form an encirclement.
Yang Kai could have fled immediately, foiling the Ink Clan's deployment, but he did not leave. He merely frowned, sensing with his awareness.
After a brief moment, he let out a soft laugh. Mo Naye, Mo Naye — this time you've calculated everything to the letter.
In his perception, the Domain Lords converging here from all sides were numerous, but every single one of them had an aura that was outwardly imposing yet inwardly hollow, as if each bore injuries.
Yang Kai understood at once. These Domain Lords sent to besiege him this time were not the ones from Returnless Pass in their prime condition — they were the ones who had emerged from the Primordial Restriction over these years.
Against the veteran Domain Lords of Returnless Pass, once they formed a proper formation, Yang Kai truly had no good countermeasure aside from deploying the Soul-Abandoning Sting. That was why all the Domain Lords killed at his hands over the years had come from the Primordial Restriction. Not a single Domain Lord from Returnless Pass had suffered any casualties. Even when he encountered them occasionally, Yang Kai would steer well clear, unwilling to waste his energy.
Yet this time, the Ink Clan had deliberately arranged for a large number of injured Domain Lords from the Primordial Restriction to come and besiege him — an obvious bait.
A massive piece of fat meat laid out before his eyes — eat it, or not? If he ate, he risked being trapped in a deadly encirclement. But if he refused, how could Yang Kai possibly let so many innate Domain Lords slip by?
All these years, he had been hiding abroad, ambushing the Domain Lords who emerged from the Primordial Restriction. He had reaped gains, but with the Domain Lords scattered and operating individually, the harvest had not been particularly great. So many Domain Lords gathered in one place — the temptation was simply too great.
This was a proper, aboveboard open stratagem! Mo Naye had already set the formation; everything now depended on Yang Kai's choice.
It had to be said — the person who understood a man best was never his friend, but his rival. Mo Naye had been locked in a battle of wits with Yang Kai for years, having thoroughly divined his temperament and disposition. Having made such arrangements, he had long since anticipated Yang Kai's choice.
He was certain that faced with this bait he had dangled, Yang Kai would be utterly incapable of staying idle. This fellow had spent years ambushing Domain Lords — now that he had delivered so many right before his eyes, Yang Kai would inevitably take the hook.
Just as he expected, after only a brief hesitation, Yang Kai had made his decision.
If Mo Naye dared to put out such a massive piece of fat meat, then Yang Kai would not mind taking a hearty bite first.
Before these Domain Lords could complete their encirclement, he would slaughter as many of them as possible to reduce the pressure he would soon face!
His mental power surged frantically, divine sense spreading outward like a tidal wave. As expected, he could not detect Mo Naye's aura.
That false King Lord could not control his own power — it was impossible for him to completely conceal his aura. If he appeared within the range of Yang Kai's perception, Yang Kai would certainly detect him!
But Yang Kai knew that Mo Naye was undoubtedly watching the situation from somewhere nearby, waiting for the right moment to make his move!
His body flickered, the Dao of Space rippling, and he vanished from his spot, appearing millions of miles away in the blink of an eye.
Right here, several innate Domain Lords were channeling the power of Ink, driving ink clouds forward at great speed. Suddenly, a razor-sharp killing intent enveloped the entire ink cloud, and a figure descended like the sun crashing down, smashing into its midst.
The power of heaven and earth trembled, the power of Ink churned, and as the ink cloud dissipated, four figures were sent tumbling out in disarray, each vomiting black blood.
Not far away, Yang Kai stood with spear in hand. Without pausing, he thrust his spear forward again, a sky full of spear shadows descending upon those four Domain Lords.
All four Domain Lords shouted sharply, each channeling the power of Ink to unleash one exquisite secret technique after another, engaging Yang Kai in battle.
Though they were bait, they had not truly come to die.
These innate Domain Lords from the Primordial Restriction had not stayed at Returnless Pass for very long — they had not had time to properly heal, and their strength naturally had not recovered to any significant degree. However, under Mo Naye's orders, they had already begun drilling formations with the other Domain Lords.
Thus, the four Domain Lords had assembled the Four Symbols Formation. Unfortunately, because the time had been too short, they could not fully trust one another, and their minds could not achieve perfect synchronization. As a result, the Four Symbols Formation they deployed was a rather clumsy imitation.
Against a powerhouse like Yang Kai in particular, it lasted a mere ten breaths before the already unstable formation was shattered.
Relying on the Four Symbols Formation, the four Domain Lords had possessed a modicum of self-preservation. But without the formation's assistance, these Domain Lords whose injuries had yet to heal were no match for Yang Kai at all.
The instant the formation broke, one Domain Lord was struck across the body by Yang Kai's spear, his entire frame exploding apart and disintegrating into powder.
Yang Kai withdrew his spear and thrust again, piercing through another Domain Lord's skull. Simultaneously, his palm spread wide, channeling the Dao of Space to freeze the void.
The two remaining Domain Lords did not have time to react before their vision went black, and consciousness slipped away.
In a mere two breaths, the auras of all four innate Domain Lords had withered into nothing. Yang Kai had already vanished from the spot, killing his way toward another direction.
Every squad of Domain Lords numbered four, each forming the Four Symbols Formation.