"So that's how it is!" Yang Kai's expression shifted to one of sudden understanding. "Charging Pure Yang Pass wasn't just meant to pin me down—it was also to verify your hypothesis." He paused briefly, then continued, "I suspect the latter was your true primary objective."
At this point, denying anything served no purpose. Twelve Ink Race Pseudo Lord-Ranks leading a million-strong Ink Race army charging toward Pure Yang Pass, which was lingering outside the main battlefield—Mi Jinglun's advancement to Ninth-Rank could no longer be concealed.
The reason Monanye had been able to make this judgment was precisely because Yang Kai hadn't immediately rushed to reinforce Pure Yang Pass. If Mi Jinglun were still only an Eighth-Rank Open Heaven, Yang Kai would have rushed to his aid rather than daring to run off and cause trouble at Never-Return Pass.
The fact that Yang Kai had appeared at Never-Return Pass meant he was extremely confident about Mi Jinglun's safety. On a battlefield of this magnitude, only a Ninth-Rank Open Heaven could guarantee their own security.
Monanye shook his head. "No, pinning you down was the primary objective. Yang Kai, don't you dare underestimate yourself. From the Ink Race's side, from the Lord-Ranks all the way down to ordinary clan members, the wariness toward you runs extremely deep."
Yang Kai grinned. "Should I feel honored, then?"
"Suit yourself—I'm just stating facts!" Monanye stared at Yang Kai, his gaze unwavering. Like the three Pseudo Lord-Ranks standing beside him, even while conversing with Yang Kai, he hadn't relaxed his vigilance in the slightest. Powerful auras like invisible threads lingered around Yang Kai, ready to unleash a devastating barrage the instant he made any unusual move.
This was precisely why Yang Kai was willing to stand here and talk. Otherwise, he would have teleported away long ago. The battlefield was vast—where couldn't he go to slay enemies? But with Monanye's aura locking onto him, any attempt at teleportation would inevitably be disrupted.
After a brief silence, Yang Kai suddenly spoke. "Since you've already guessed that Senior Brother Mi might have advanced to Ninth-Rank, aren't you the least bit worried about those Pseudo Lord-Ranks?"
In the time they'd been conversing, those twelve Pseudo Lord-Ranks and the million-strong Ink Race army had already closed in on Pure Yang Pass. In just a few more moments, the two sides would be locked in battle.
If Mi Jinglun were still only Eighth-Rank, the Ink Race, with such a formidable lineup assaulting Pure Yang Pass, would have a very high chance of capturing this human stronghold and killing Mi Jinglun by force. But now that Monanye had long suspected Mi Jinglun's advancement to Ninth-Rank, continuing with this plan seemed extremely peculiar.
Acting against known futility wasn't bravery—it was stupidity. Someone as shrewd as Monanye would never make such a move.
Yet he had done exactly that.
Monanye said flatly, "What is there for me to worry about?"
Yang Kai's brow furrowed. He caught the subtext—if Monanye had nothing to worry about, then it was the humans who should be worried?
Just then, he suddenly noticed that the Ink Race army which had charged out of Never-Return Pass was exhibiting unusual behavior. At the very threshold of Pure Yang Pass's range, this million-strong Ink Race army suddenly pivoted under the leadership of those twelve Pseudo Lord-Ranks, reversing direction to charge back toward one flank of the battlefield.
At that location, humans and the Ink Race were locked in fierce combat, evenly matched. With neither side able to commit additional forces in the short term, if such a reinforcement swept in, it would inevitably tip the balance of that localized battlefield in the Ink Race's favor.
Yang Kai's expression changed instantly. "So this was your trump card!"
Ordering twelve Pseudo Lord-Ranks to lead a million-strong Ink Race army in charging Pure Yang Pass—first to pin Yang Kai down, second to verify whether Mi Jinglun had advanced to Ninth-Rank—but the real objective was to strike the human army from behind and forge a local advantage!
That liar Monanye! Yang Kai seethed with anger. Just moments ago he'd been saying the main purpose was pinning him down, telling him not to underestimate himself—all fine-sounding words, yet all along he'd been scheming underhanded tricks...
This was exactly why Yang Kai especially hated fighting someone like Monanye. He always found bizarre yet absurdly simple ways to neutralize crises while simultaneously inflicting headaches on his enemies.
Back when Yang Kai had intercepted those Innate Domain Lords fleeing from the Primordial Heaven Great Restriction, Monanye had dealt him a devastating blow. If the Heaven and Earth Furnace hadn't manifested at the critical moment, Yang Kai would likely have been forced to flee into the Primordial Heaven Great Restriction that time to link up with the Ink Expulsion Army.
Inside Pure Yang Pass, on the city wall facing the battlefield, Mi Jinglun's expression was grave as he quietly watched the Ink Race army moving ever further from the pass. He looked up toward the direction of Never-Return Pass and let out a soft sigh. "They saw through it!"
Before the great battle began, he had considered using himself as bait to lure the Ink Race's strong fighters into attacking.
His advancement to Ninth-Rank was common knowledge among the humans, but for the Ink Race, it was intelligence they could not obtain.
Therefore, once the battle started, aside from Pure Yang Pass lingering alone outside the main battlefield, the remaining twelve armies had committed their full strength.
This arrangement was meant to convey a message to the Ink Race—to Monanye.
The High Command was stationed at Pure Yang Pass. He, Mi Jinglun, was also at Pure Yang Pass. As long as Pure Yang Pass could be seized, the human army would effectively be blind and deaf—no matter what advantages they had gained previously, without the High Command coordinating operations, they would suffer a complete rout.
The bait had been very successful. The Ink Race, or rather Monanye, had indeed dispatched strong fighters and a large army to strike at Pure Yang Pass. But just as the two sides were about to clash, these Ink Race fighters had actually led their army back toward the battlefield, targeting a critical position.
If that position fell to the Ink Race, their forces could break the deadlock—using that localized foothold as a base to continuously expand their advantage.