Using the human army's engagement to stir up chaos inside No-Return Pass, tying down the numerous Ink Clan powerhouses here, then seizing an opportunity to slip through the domain gate into the Void Domain — this had always been Yang Kai's original plan.
That was why, when the moment was right, he had infiltrated No-Return Pass alone. Otherwise, he could have roamed the battlefield freely, cutting down enemies. With his methods and strength, he would have kept countless Ink Clan powerhouses on edge. Setting everything else aside, at the very least those Pseudo-Lord Masters who had taken the field would have had to reserve a portion of their strength at all times, guarding against his ambushes.
The biggest reason for this plan, of course, was the strategy he and Mi Jinglun had devised before the army set out.
Ada and Er were stationed in the Void Domain. These two Giant Spirits were undeniably powerful, but their minds weren't exactly sharp. Having a human powerhouse coordinate with them on the other side would ensure they could truly serve their purpose when it mattered most.
Yang Kai was naturally the best candidate.
He had a personal rapport with both Giant Spirits, and his own strength was more than sufficient. Having him hold the Void Domain was the most fitting choice.
Moreover, having him stationed in the Void Domain didn't mean he couldn't still intervene in the fighting that followed. Because he was strong enough, his mere presence there forced the Ink Clan to divert energy to keep their guard up, lest Yang Kai suddenly burst through the domain gate back into No-Return Pass. If any other Ninth-Order cultivator were stationed there instead, the Ink Clan wouldn't be nearly as concerned. If the enemy dared charge in, all the better — a dragnet had long been laid in wait, ready for powerful foes to walk right into the trap.
Slipping into the Void Domain had been Yang Kai's predetermined objective for this mission. He just hadn't expected the process to be so turbulent. Right now, he looked more like he'd been forced into this choice…
And Monyey had long been prepared for exactly this scenario.
The reason Yang Kai couldn't teleport straight to the domain gate in a single step was that the Ink Clan had long since laid down the Four Gates Eight Palaces Sumeru Formation in the void near the gate. That stretch of space was sealed off — Yang Kai simply couldn't teleport in.
Of course, before all this, Monyey had still been fairly confident in this heaven-sealing, earth-locking grand formation. But now he knew — this formation alone was nowhere near enough to restrain Yang Kai.
So the instant Yang Kai appeared, Monyey and Deiro led a large group of Pseudo-Lord Masters charging toward him. Before they even arrived, wave after wave of formidable secret arts had already come screaming through the air, sweeping over Yang Kai's position like a violent tempest.
Yang Kai's expression shifted. Throughout this battle, he had indeed been holding back for the most part, but the fact remained that he had been wounded earlier. Now, to root him out once and for all, many of the Pseudo-Lord Masters who had been garrisoned throughout No-Return Pass had mobilized as well. Led by two true Lord Masters, nearly thirty powerhouses were attacking in concert — even with his strength, he couldn't withstand that.
In his haste, he could only unfurl his River of Space and Time, plunge headlong into its waters, smash through the formation's seal, and flee toward the domain gate.
BOOM…
The thunderous noise and shockwave rippled outward simultaneously, churning the River of Space and Time's waters and shaking the very Dao.
As the aftershocks gradually subsided, the void near the domain gate lay in shattered fragments — but Yang Kai's figure had already vanished without a trace.
The numerous Ink Clan powerhouses who had given chase skidded to a halt. Leading them at the fore, Monyey's face was grim as he snarled through gritted teeth, "He still won't die!"
Even though the chaos of the moment had prevented him from tracking Yang Kai's movements, he was absolutely certain of one thing — Yang Kai was still alive, and had already slipped through the domain gate into the Void Domain to rendezvous with those two Giant Spirits.
As he spoke, a suffocating sense of frustration rose from the depths of his heart.
In his original arrangements, as long as nothing major went wrong, Yang Kai's chances of escaping No-Return Pass had been less than thirty percent. But the critical Four Gates Eight Palaces Sumeru Formation had failed to serve its purpose, his entire plan had fallen apart, and to make matters worse, he had been forced to reveal a hidden trump card.
Deiro's identity had been exposed, and the Ink Clan had no more Lord Masters to deploy. Trying to kill Yang Kai again next time would be virtually impossible.
Looking back over all these years of clashing with Yang Kai, this made twice he'd had the chance to put Yang Kai to death — yet each time, he had fallen short at the very last moment. He couldn't decide whether to call himself unlucky or Yang Kai simply blessed with extraordinary fortune.
Beside him, Deiro offered some consolation. "Don't blame yourself. We may not have killed him this time, but he's definitely taken serious wounds. He shouldn't be able to stir up any trouble for a while. Besides, right now he's not the one we need to be thinking about — we have to keep our eyes on the bigger picture!"
As a fellow Lord Master, Deiro hadn't had much direct dealing with Yang Kai. Specifically, he hadn't suffered too many losses at Yang's hands, so he didn't share Monyey's obsessive determination to see Yang Kai dead. Yang Kai's narrow escape was certainly a concern, but what the Ink Clan currently faced was far more than just a wounded yet surviving Yang Kai.
Monyey calmed down in an instant, nodding. "Understood!"
During his battle with Yang Kai, he'd had neither the time nor the attention to monitor the broader battlefield. Now, taking a look, he immediately noticed something amiss.
The human army was withdrawing. The Pure Yang Pass, which had been lingering outside the battlefield, was now moving in, leveraging the various formations and Artifacts arrayed upon its walls to provide covering support.
This was a planned withdrawal, and so the human army's retreat was orderly and methodical, without the slightest hint of chaos.