The barriers and formations of the Nine Peaks had been painstakingly set up and refined over countless years by the successive Holy Masters of the
Aside from the special techniques unleashed by a few Sacred Realm fighters like Zhang Ao and Cao Guan, very few attacks could breach the barrier and strike those inside.
Without breaking this barrier, there was no way to engage the forces of the Nine Heavens Holy Land in open combat.
Realizing this, Cao Guan's face was twisted with frustration.
Hearing him say this,
No one had any idea what that gesture meant.
But the very next moment, screams erupted one after another around Cao Guan. Dozens of elite War Spirit Hall cultivators collapsed to the ground in an instant, their lives extinguished—among them were even two or three powerhouse warriors of the Transcendent Realm.
Terror spread like wildfire. Everyone instinctively put as much distance between themselves and Cao Guan as they could.
Even Cao Guan himself couldn't help but shudder from head to toe.
No one knew what method Yang Kai had employed to silently and instantaneously slaughter dozens of War Spirit Hall elites.
Right before everyone's eyes, he hadn't performed any martial techniques or activated any artifacts, nor had he unleashed any soul power. It was as if that simple gesture alone had been a death knell.
This unknown ability brought overwhelming panic—no one wanted to be the next victim.
"As for whether I have the ability or not, that's not for you to decide," Yang Kai said with a cold snort.
He hadn't wanted to deploy the Soul-Devouring Insects lying in wait outside, but continuing to fight like this was proving extremely draining.
His True Yuan energy was abundant enough, but maintaining mental connection with the entire Nine Peaks Grand Formation consumed far too much mental energy. He had no choice but to use this method to make a show of force.
The Soul-Devouring Insects could annihilate any martial artist below the Sacred Realm—killing a few dozen people was hardly a challenge.
Yang Kai hadn't released too many of them, though. These insects weren't exactly obedient, and not every warrior who had come here was dead set on opposing the Nine Heavens Holy Land. Trying to wipe them all out would make it very difficult to wrap things up.
Besides, he had spotted
It would be unfortunate if any of them were accidentally harmed.
The panic continued to spread. After losing dozens of elites, no one in the War Spirit Hall dared make another rash move. Everyone stared at Yang Kai with expressions of sheer astonishment, their eyes flickering with complicated emotions.
The power and methods Yang Kai had displayed deeply shook everyone to their core, making them realize that even if they managed to seize the Nine Heavens Holy Land today, the price they would have to pay would be devastating.
"
Wu Jie let out a few low chuckles. "I was just looking for the right opportunity."
"And did you find one?" Zhang Ao demanded in a deep voice.
Wu Jie slowly shook his head.
"I'll settle the score with you later!" Zhang Ao snorted coldly, his face dark with displeasure. From the very start, it had been his Broken Profound Manor and the War Spirit Hall doing the actual fighting against Yang Kai. While a few hot-headed powerhouses had joined in, most people seemed content to watch from the sidelines.
Moreover, Yang Kai's attacks had been directed squarely at the positions of those two factions, with absolutely no intent of bothering anyone else.
This made Zhang Ao realize that today, there was probably no chance of breaking through the Nine Heavens Holy Land. If things dragged on any longer and morale crumbled, they might even face a counterattack!
That old fox
"Enjoy your freedom for a few more days. I'll come back another time to test your skills. Next time you won't be so lucky," Zhang Ao said icily. With that, he waved his hand and led the Broken Profound Manor members in a swift withdrawal.
"Next time anyone dares come, we won't be this courteous," Yang Kai shot back with cold sarcasm.
"How arrogant…" Several miles away,
"Mm." Ji Yan nodded and fell into step behind Yun Cheng.
Standing at the edge of the barrier, Yang Kai quietly extended his divine sense, searching for a particular figure in the crowd. After a moment, he sent a mental message.
The young man, who had been retreating with the others, felt his expression change. He quickly masked it so no one would notice and hurried away.
Before long, the crowd had dispersed entirely, leaving behind nothing but pools of blood and lifeless corpses.
Yang Kai let out a soft breath, feeling a trace of weariness settle over him.