The Divine Cult's original plan had been to capture Yang Kai, interrogate him thoroughly about his motives for impersonating the Holy Son, and uncover his true identity. But in the battle that had just unfolded, no one had dared to hold back, because the strength Yang Kai had displayed was far too inconceivable.
Moreover, this impostor who had posed as the Holy Son seemed to be极其 vicious by nature. When faced with Li Feiyu's killing strike, he had shown no intention of dodging at all, adopting a posture that said he would drag his opponent down with him. In those final moments, had Yu Daochi not managed to slightly disrupt Yang Kai's offense, the one lying here now would not have been Yang Kai alone — Li Feiyu would likely have been buried alongside him.
All three Banner Lords had broken into a cold sweat, and even the others watching from the sidelines could not stop their faces from twitching.
"Is this fellow really only at the Zhenyuan Realm?" Guan Miaozhu could not help but ask.
"The cultivation level he displayed just now, you saw it yourself — it truly was only at the Zhenyuan Realm," said Luo Yungong, the Kun Banner Lord, his expression tinged with sorrow. "What a pity. A talent like this — if only he could have served our Divine Cult."
Zhenyuan Realm cultivation with such formidable power — if he were ever allowed to advance to the Shenyou Realm, what then?
Chances were no one under heaven could match him. They had once believed that the secretly emerged Holy Son possessed unparalleled talent in all the world, but compared to this impostor, that talent was utterly worthless.
This man truly had the potential to shatter the laws of heaven and earth, to probe the mysteries that lay beyond the Shenyou Realm.
Originally, after killing Yang Kai, the various Banner Lords had not felt much about it. But now, hearing Luo Yungong's words, they all felt it was an enormous waste.
"He's dead now. What's the use of talking about it?" said Sikong Nan, the eldest among them, taking a more pragmatic view. "He infiltrated the Divine Cult by impersonating the Holy Son, making him our natural enemy. And to make matters worse, he won the favor of both the people's hearts and the will of heaven and earth. If he had ever been allowed to advance to the Shenyou Realm, our Divine Cult might well have ceased to exist. Killing him now is actually a good thing — we've eliminated a great enemy ahead of time."
At these words, everyone nodded, finally pulling themselves out of their wistful state of mind.
Yu Daochi spoke up. "Since he entered the city yesterday, the morale of our members has clearly surged. They all believe the prophecy has been fulfilled — that the savior has arrived, and that the day of destroying the Ink Cult draws near. But now... this man is dead. How are we supposed to explain this to the hundreds of millions of faithful across the world?"
Li Feiyu rubbed her forehead, looking troubled. "It's not just the rank and file who feel this way. Brothers within the Cult have been thinking the same thing. Last night, many were already seeking information, asking when the campaign against the Ink Cult would begin."
Sikong Nan nodded. "I've heard some whispers as well. If this matter isn't handled well, it could very well rebound against the Divine Cult's fortune."
Every face in the room turned grave.
In the silence, the Holy Maiden suddenly spoke. "Let the Holy Son emerge."
She smiled gently as she looked toward the assembled crowd. "Even without this incident, the Holy Son should have been coming out soon. Ten years of secret cultivation — his cultivation has long since reached the peak of the Shenyou Realm, and his strength is no inferior to any Banner Lord's. He is ready to carry the banner of the Divine Cult."
"But what about the matter of the impostor?" Li Feiyu asked.
"Simply tell the faithful the truth," the Holy Maiden said, her voice soft and gentle. "What the members and this world have been waiting for is the Holy Son, not that fraud named Yang Kai. There is no need to hide it from them."
Sikong Nan nodded repeatedly at this. "Using the emergence of the true Holy Son to offset the death of the false one should give the faithful an outlet for their emotions. The storm of this matter can be settled."
The Holy Maiden continued, "The Holy Son's emergence is a momentous event. The world and the Divine Cult have waited countless years for it. And so, the campaign against the Ink Cult shall also begin!"
At these words, every Banner Lord's spirit stirred. They raised their eyes toward the Holy Maiden's direction, and in each of their gazes, a blazing flame burned.
Had the countless years of waiting and struggle finally reached the moment to lay all their cards on the table?
"In three days, the Holy Son will emerge from seclusion and be proclaimed to the world. All Banner Lords shall prepare every available fighting force under their banners and march on the Ink Abyss!" The Holy Maiden's voice was still as gentle as water, but her tone was iron.
"Yes!"
……
Li Feiyu carried the blood-soaked corpse into a secret chamber and gently laid it down. Then she gazed at it with worry.
Without the slightest warning, the body — which should have been long dead — suddenly opened its eyes. Li Feiyu, completely unprepared, nearly jumped out of her skin.
"You really didn't die?" Li Feiyu stared at Yang Kai in utter disbelief as he sat up cross-legged, clearly sensing the rich vitality beginning to rekindle within the body that had moments ago gone cold.
Had she not seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed such an absurd thing. After all, she had killed Yang Kai with her own hand. She was certain her blade had pierced his heart!
With so many Banner Lords present at the time — every one of them at the peak of the Shenyou Realm — any trick or deception would have been spotted immediately.
She had truly gone for the kill.
"Are you even human?" Li Feiyu could not help but ask.
Yang Kai thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook his head. "Not exactly."
After his tribulation in the Dragon Abyss, he could already be considered a pure-blooded dragon. But his human origins made it impossible for him to cast away everything from his past.
He reached up and removed his blood-mist-soaked robes, then said, "The Holy Maiden has already explained the situation to you, yes? In three days, the Cult will launch its campaign against the Ink Cult. You operate in the open while I stay in the shadows. The Li Banner is responsible for gathering both internal and external intelligence, so I'll need you to coordinate with me when the time comes... Hey, what are you doing?!"