A rough check revealed that over two hundred people were in this state, regardless of their cultivation level or age. Every single one of them was the same: their life force seemed chaotic, and even the sect's Transcendence Realm experts were not spared.
It was impossible for the sect's disciples to end up like this without reason. The only explanation was that they had fallen victim to this kid's sinister trick.
But what ability did he have to pull off something like this right under the noses of four Transcendence Realm experts? Qian Hao and the others grew suspicious.
"Did you do this?" Qian Hao asked, his eyes cold as he shot a glance toward the other two Transcendence Realm powerhouses.
"Guess!" Yang Kai replied with a cheeky smile.
"What did you do to them? Why are they all in such pain?" Qian Hao demanded sharply.
Yang Kai chuckled, his grin wide and satisfied.
After the two experts who had received Qian Hao's signal went down to investigate, they discovered with astonishment that these people bore not a single wound, nor were there any signs of poisoning.
Exchanging bewildered glances, both wore confused expressions.
No poison, no injuries—so how did all the disciples end up like this?
Without overthinking it, the two immediately released their Divine Sense, intending to examine exactly what had happened to the disciples. But no sooner had their Divine Sense spread out than both men's faces changed, and they cried out in alarm, "What is that?!"
Even as they shouted, they scrambled to retreat in a panic, as if something terrifying was chasing them from behind.
Watching this scene, both Qian Yue and Qian Hao felt a chill run down their spines, a cold shiver spreading through their bodies.
"What's wrong with you two?" Qian Yue called out anxiously.
"Don't come closer, and don't use your Divine Sense to probe!" one of the men, his face pale as a sheet, shouted while still fleeing. "There's something that targets Divine Sense! Once it latches on, you can't shake it off!"
At the same moment, the other man let out a shrill scream, his expression twisted in agony.
The two first-level Transcendence Realm experts looked like they had been struck by disaster, their faces filled with panic. Qian Yue wanted to help but didn't know where to start.
Qian Hao, however, merely cast a cold glance at Yang Kai. His expression was thoughtful, but deep in his eyes lay a profound wariness as he quietly circulated his True Yuan.
This kid's methods were too bizarre—even first-level Transcendence experts had fallen victim. He couldn't afford to let his guard down.
After a good while, the two Transcendence Realm experts finally stabilized, but each wore a ghostly pale face, brows furrowed tightly, their expressions still shaken.
"Kid, what exactly did you put here?" One of them asked, looking at Yang Kai with a completely different attitude, all previous contempt gone. He spoke while enduring the pain in his soul.
"As expected of Transcendence Realm experts—to still be able to maintain clarity of mind," Yang Kai remarked casually, offering a compliment.
Not only were they able to stay conscious, but their combat strength also hadn't diminished. In other words, they were largely the same as before, except now they had this underlying concern.
"What is going on?" Qian Yue asked, her voice trembling with fear. She knew perfectly well the strength of these two elders. If even they had fallen victim, she probably wouldn't have been spared either.
"An undetectable type of foreign insect. It has infested the sea of consciousness of those disciples. When we probed with our Divine Sense, we got infected too," one of them explained, glaring resentfully at Yang Kai. "Although we've temporarily suppressed the insects, driving them out will take time. The disciples themselves definitely don't have the ability to do that."
"Insects?" Qian Yue's beautiful face paled. "What kind of insects?"
"We're not sure. You'll have to ask him!"
Qian Hao took a light breath, hesitated for a moment, then finally released the restraints on Yang Kai. He said flatly, "Kid, you win. I'm letting you go first to show our Ice Sect's sincerity. You'd better answer our questions properly!"
"Only the wise adapt to circumstances!" Yang Kai retorted with a mocking smile.
The four elders' faces darkened immediately.
Four Transcendence Realm experts dealing with a single first-level Transcendence Realm youth, and not only had they failed to subdue him, but two had also fallen into his trap. The Ice Sect's foundations had been devastated, hundreds of disciples' lives hung in the balance—it was a tremendous loss of face.
Yang Kai's sarcastic remark, though infuriating, left no one daring to lash out.
"What exactly are those insects?" Qian Hao asked in a deep voice. "Since you released them, you should know better than anyone, right?"
Yang Kai nodded slightly, his tone noncommittal. "Soul-Devouring Insects. Have you gentlemen never heard of them?"
At his words, the four of them looked grim.
Of course they had heard of the Soul-Devouring Insects. These ancient creatures were so tiny they were virtually undetectable, and they specifically devoured spiritual energy. Once they latched on, they multiplied rapidly and were incredibly difficult to drive out or kill.
But these were insects only spoken of in legends—who could have imagined they still existed?
"Kid," one of the experts afflicted by the Soul-Devouring Insects snorted coldly, "our Ice Sect may be isolated from the world, but we are not ignorant. The Soul-Devouring Insects are indeed formidable, but to say they can devour the soul of a Transcendence Realm warrior is pure fantasy. This cannot possibly be the Soul-Devouring Insects!"