In the forbidden grounds of the Thunderlight Divine Sect, where the Wind Eye resided, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted. Moments later, the energies of heaven and earth spiraled into chaos. Nearly every Thunderlight disciple sensed the disturbance and couldn't help but stare in astonishment toward the forbidden zone, unable to fathom what had just happened.
Before long, a savage gale howled outward from the forbidden grounds. Trees were wrenched back and forth, buildings crumbled, and within a fifty-mile radius, the Thunderlight Divine Sect's infrastructure lay in utter devastation.
The many Thunderlight powerhouses turned deathly pale, their hands and feet going cold.
Those who happened to be in the forbidden zone at the time were equally dumbfounded. Sensing the destructive force erupting from the heavens and earth, they all channeled their energy to resist.
The power bursting from the Wind Eye carried not only visible, razor-sharp attacks, but also the invisible, ethereal Soul-Blasting Wind.
It was the latent force stored within the Wind Eye, yet in this moment it had suddenly erupted outward.
A small group of people had been standing rather close to the Wind Eye, and none of them had anticipated that disaster would strike so suddenly.
Duan Hai and Xu Qi froze for an instant before letting out wretched screams. The Soul-Blasting Wind surged into their minds, and in a heartbeat their sea of consciousness heaved violently, their souls wobbling, their vision blurring.
Xia Chengyin dared not slacken either, employing his own methods to shield his soul from the Soul-Blasting Wind's assault.
Cang Yan was about to protect Elder Du and Mina's retreat when he noticed Elder Du calmly producing a bluish-green stone. Holding it in his palm and pouring his Zhenyuan into it, a translucent cyan barrier quickly materialized.
"Cang Yan, get in here!" Elder Du called out.
Cang Yan swiftly ducked inside the barrier. The moment he crossed into its protective range, the pressure bearing down on his soul simply vanished.
"A Refining Cyan Stone?" Cang Yan's eyes lit up as he named the artifact. "Elder Du, you've got quite the treasure hidden away!"
"Now isn't the time for that," Elder Du said with a rueful smile. "Wind blades incoming."
Cang Yan gave a slight nod, not daring to dawdle. He gathered his strength and batted away every wind blade that lanced toward them.
He knew that the cyan barrier produced by the Refining Cyan Stone could only block attacks aimed at the soul. It offered no defense whatsoever against physical strikes.
He had only ever heard of Refining Cyan Stone in rumors, and he knew it was extraordinarily precious—a product of the Starry Sky that could fend off a Saint Realm powerhouse's divine sense attacks. With such a rare stone in hand, one needn't worry about suffering soul injuries.
But the stone was fragile. After only a handful of uses, it would crumble into dust.
That Elder Du had brought it out now spoke of his desperation. He was a Saint-grade alchemist, not a Saint Realm cultivator. His own cultivation was merely at the first level of the Transcendent Realm, and having devoted himself to alchemy for years, he had neglected his martial training. His combat power was barely on par with the peak of the Shenyou Realm.
"Elder Du!" Xia Chengyin cried urgently, even as he scrambled toward their position.
Elder Du furrowed his brow but gave a reluctant nod, pushing more power into the stone. The Refining Cyan Stone's barrier expanded a fraction, barely wide enough for Xia Chengyin to squeeze inside.
Two Transcendent Stage Three powerhouses fighting side by side now shielded Elder Du and Mina, swatting away every incoming wind blade.
Meanwhile, Duan Hai and Xu Qi, reeling under the Soul-Blasting Wind's assault, stumbled about like headless flies through the raging tempest. In moments their bodies were riddled with wounds, drenched in blood. Xia Chengyin watched with mounting anxiety and said in a low voice, "Elder Du, can we let them in too?"
"I'm afraid I can't manage it. Any more output and this stone will shatter." Elder Du shook his head slowly.
Xia Chengyin knew Du Wan wasn't making excuses and couldn't help but sigh.
Duan Hai and Xu Qi were two elders of his sect—he naturally couldn't bear to watch them perish here. Trapped behind the Refining Cyan Stone's barrier, Xia Chengyin could only do his best to intercept the wind blades targeting them while continuously shouting, trying to snap them back to their senses.
But it was useless. The force that should have remained dormant within the Wind Eye had erupted without warning. Duan Hai and Xu Qi, both Transcendent Stage Two cultivators, had no chance of resisting. In the span of moments they collapsed into pools of blood—still alive, perhaps, but prolonged exposure to the Soul-Blasting Wind would eventually blow their souls clean out of their bodies.
Xia Chengyin watched in desperation, utterly powerless.
Then, after one final wave of even more ferocious attacks, everything went abruptly calm—as though that explosive burst had been the Wind Eye's last reserves of power.
The Refining Cyan Stone in Elder Du's hand had, in that same instant, fulfilled its purpose. It cracked apart and slipped through his fingers in a shower of dust.
"Yang Kai!" Mina suddenly cried out in delight, pointing a slender finger at the open sky.
Everyone's spirits surged as they looked up. There, suspended in the void, stood Yang Kai—naked, drenched in blood, his expression serene. Yet from his very flesh radiated an aura that sent a chill through every heart.
Cang Yan narrowed his eyes, then broke into a silent grin.
Yang Kai's appearance matched the hazy image in his mind almost perfectly—which meant the person the Ancestor was looking for was him!
"The Wind Eye…?" Xia Chengyin stood stupefied. He realized that the Wind Eye, which had existed in the Thunderlight Divine Sect for who knew how many years, had vanished completely.
And there was no longer even a wisp of wind-type energy in the area.
That realization drained Xia Chengyin's face of all color.
The Wind Eye was an invaluable asset to Thunderlight. Without it, disciples who cultivated wind-type techniques and martial arts would no longer be able to draw assistance from this place, nor would they ever again be able to comprehend the mysteries of the wind here.
"You bastard, could you at least put some clothes on?" Mina cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone, her cheeks flushing scarlet. She looked Yang Kai's muscular frame up and down as she shouted.
As though he had heard her, Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes and looked over in their direction.