When Yang Kai appeared, Cang Yan and the others wasted no words. They gave him a slight nod and set off immediately.
The four used their own techniques to soar through the air with ease, while Yang Kai followed behind at a leisurely pace.
After sensing his current physical condition, the four protectors of the Heavenly Firmament Sect all wore solemn expressions.
They had discovered that ever since Fei Yu gave Yang Kai the Chaos Shackles a few months ago, he had never taken them off. Even now, he was still bearing the weight of several thousand jin.
And he himself seemed to have grown accustomed to this burden, showing not the slightest trace of discomfort on his face—calm and composed as always.
This kid's physical body was freakishly powerful to an absurd degree, not falling short even of the Demon Race! The thought arose unbidden in all four of their minds.
They had barely been traveling for a short while when Cang Yan suddenly let out a soft exclamation and looked downward. At the same time, Yang Kai heard a voice calling up from below. At the source of the sound stood a white-haired old man stroking his beard and gazing their way. Beside the old man, a young woman was bouncing up and down, calling out and gesturing frantically.
"That's Elder Du!" Cang Yan said in surprise, waving his hand. "Let's go down and have a look."
As he touched down on the ground, Yang Kai indeed saw Elder Du and Mina from the Alchemist Association. The moment Mina spotted Yang Kai, she rushed over and huffed indignantly: "You jerk! Didn't you say you'd come to Boulders City to visit me when you had time? How come you haven't shown your face in months?"
"Uh… I've been a little busy. Forgot," Yang Kai said, thoroughly embarrassed.
"Is it because you think my alchemy skills are inferior to yours and you look down on me?" Mina planted her hands on her hips, pressing the accusation relentlessly.
"No, no, no!" Yang Kai waved his hands in a hurry. "I really have just been busy."
"You'd better be telling the truth, or I'll bite you to death!" Only then did Mina look somewhat appeased. "I'm a spirit-grade low-tier alchemist now too—same as you. Don't get cocky. I might surpass you any day now."
Elder Du watched the scene with a smile, his gaze flickering as he said: "Mina. Young friend Yang seems to have changed since you last saw him."
"What? Changed how?" Mina asked, puzzled and suspicious.
"Young friend Yang must be at least a spirit-grade high-tier alchemist by now, correct?" Elder Du fixed Yang Kai with a burning stare.
Yang Kai scratched his head, then straightened up with a solemn expression and clasped his fists: "My apologies, Elder Du. I wasn't truthful with you back at the Alchemist Association. In truth, I was already a spirit-grade high-tier alchemist a few months ago."
Elder Du's expression shifted slightly as he stared at Yang Kai in stunned astonishment. Mina couldn't help covering her small mouth, her face the very picture of someone who had taken a devastating blow—utterly crestfallen.
"So that's how it is," Elder Du suddenly broke into a laugh. "It seems this old man underestimated you. Young friend Yang, please don't hold it against me. The fact that you're willing to tell me the truth now is quite gratifying."
"How did Elder Du know I'm a spirit-grade high-tier alchemist?" Yang Kai asked, bewildered.
"Isn't Cang Yan taking you to Floating Cloud City? Any alchemist heading there must be at least spirit-grade high-tier," Elder Du said with a faint smile.
Cang Yan looked intrigued: "Elder Du is also going there?"
"Indeed. I've been waiting here specifically for you lot. It's a long journey, and this old man would like to find a few bodyguards to accompany us," Elder Du said, half-joking and half-serious. "But don't worry—my reason for going isn't the Millennium Demon Flower that's about to bloom. I'm simply taking Mina out to gain some experience and broaden her horizons. This little girl has no idea how vast the world is; she thinks she's the only talented alchemist under heaven. I believe this trip will teach her quite a lot."
"Elder Du, I don't think that way anymore!" Mina said, looking deeply wronged.
Before she had met Yang Kai, Mina had indeed been rather arrogant. She was young, but had already qualified as a mysterious-grade high-tier alchemist a few months ago. Both Elder Du and her master, Ye Xiong, had placed enormous expectations on her, grooming her as the successor to the Boulders City Alchemist Association.
But ever since meeting Yang Kai, Mina had suffered one blow after another—and this time it was the worst. Yang Kai had already been a spirit-grade high-tier alchemist all along, while she was still gloating over her own modest breakthrough.
The moment she thought of this, Mina's pretty face flushed crimson, and she wished she could find a hole to crawl into and never come out again.
Elder Du chuckled: "The Millennium Demon Flower is about to bloom. I'm sure many powerful alchemists will be heading to Floating Cloud City. It's a grand gathering that comes around once in a millennium, and even this old man doesn't want to miss it. If you gentlemen don't mind, how about taking this old man and the young one along with you?"
"You're too kind, Elder Du." Cang Yan shook his head. "Since you're also heading to Floating Cloud City, we might as well travel together. We can all look out for one another."
Elder Du smiled and nodded.
Once the arrangement was settled, the four from the Heavenly Firmament Sect circulated their true yuan, enveloping Elder Du and Mina within it, and carried them forward through the air.
Seeing Mina's sullen expression, Yang Kai felt somewhat guilty and sidled over: "What's wrong?"
"You're so awful!" Mina pouted and glared at him.
"I'm awful?" Yang Kai was taken aback.