Yang Kai traveled at a blistering pace, crossing mountains and rivers with his emotions dulled to a calm haze.
He had originally planned to head straight to the Ice Sect to find Su Yan and bring her back to the Dragon and Phoenix Manor to inherit the Phoenix Empress's legacy. But he had no idea what Su Yan's current situation was. If he rushed over recklessly, she might still be in seclusion, and arriving to find no one would be a waste of time.
Besides, it had been quite a few years since he had last returned to the Heavenly Cloud Sect. Five or six years had passed since his parting with his martial uncles at Floating Cloud City.
Yang Kai felt he should head back to the Heavenly Cloud Sect first to let his martial uncles and ancestor Chu Lingxiao know he was safe.
He had been on the Tongxuan Continent for a number of years now, but Yang Kai still felt little attachment or sense of belonging here. Even the Heavenly Cloud Sect was, to him, nothing more than the place where the ancestor who founded Lingxiao Pavilion had come from.
His martial uncles had treated him well enough, but Yang Kai could never quite develop the kind of dependence and intimacy toward the Heavenly Cloud Sect that he felt for Lingxiao Pavilion.
To this world, he was more or less just a passerby.
Zhongdu and Lingxiao Pavilion — those were his roots.
He wondered how things were over there. One familiar face after another drifted through his mind as Yang Kai reminisced while flying onward at top speed.
Back when he had left Zhongdu, he had promised those people that once the time was right, he would bring them over too. Thinking about it now, those words seemed rather irresponsible. He didn't even know how he would get back to Zhongdu.
Although he could tear through space now, it was only enough to teleport a few hundred li at a stretch, and after doing it two or three times, his divine sense would be completely drained.
This ability could only be used in the most critical moments, or when there was no danger and he could recover at his leisure.
As he pondered, Yang Kai's eyes lit up. He suddenly recalled that Chu Lingxiao had actually been over there, and the Water Spirit from the Water God Temple had also come from the Tongxuan Continent. Whatever method those two had used — if he could find out, it might well be worth studying.
But before that, he needed to raise his strength and establish his own foundation — a force under his own control.
Otherwise, even if he could bring them all over, he couldn't guarantee their safety.
The Ancient Demon Clan — now that was a fine source of power!
The Nine Heavens Holy Land was passable too. As for the Dragon and Phoenix Manor... Yang Kai wasn't considering that for now. That would have to wait until he found Su Yan.
Most importantly, he needed to find territory large enough to accommodate that many people.
Time slipped away without notice as Yang Kai flew tens of thousands of li. Now, with his Wind Thunder Wings deployed in tandem with the Nine Heavens Divine Art's Escaping Heaven Shadow, his speed was swift as lightning.
Along the way, whenever he encountered a town, he would land and ask for directions. After about half a month, the endless, towering snow mountains came into view in the distance, and a faint chill brushed against his face.
He was almost there!
The Heavenly Cloud Sect was situated a thousand li beyond those snow peaks.
Two more days later, Yang Kai finally returned to the Heavenly Cloud Sect.
In the valley enclosed by a hundred peaks, there were many traces of cultivators moving about. Yang Kai grinned and flew straight toward one particular peak.
Arriving at a ravine along the side of that peak, he descended lightly and landed at the entrance of a cave.
Qixiu Peak!
Aunt Feiyu's exclusive mountain, and the very place where Yang Kai had once stayed.
Entering the cave, he wound through the interior of the mountain along twisting passages. Before he had even made it deep inside, Yang Kai caught a powerful whiff of wine.
His expression darkened. Aunt Feiyu was clearly still the same old Aunt Feiyu — addicted to alcohol. The wine aroma was so potent; who knew how much she had been drinking.
When he finally reached the inner chamber of the mountain, Yang Kai had barely stepped inside when a hissing sound reached his ears. A curtain of water surged toward him head-on, and it was saturated with a heavy scent of wine. The moment Yang Kai inhaled it, he felt dizzy and weightless.
He quickly circulated his True Essence to dispel the drunken haze.
From behind the water curtain, a slender, jade-like hand reached out with absolute precision and seized Yang Kai by the shoulder.
Yang Kai didn't resist. He allowed that porcelain-white hand to grip him, swatted aside the water curtain in front of him, and greeted the figure ahead with a smile: "Aunt!"
Hearing his voice, the person behind the water curtain seemed to freeze for a moment, and the grip on him loosened considerably.
Their eyes met, and those beautiful eyes burst with intense surprise. The flushed cheeks bloomed with a different kind of radiance.
Yang Kai's smile instantly stiffened on his face, and he averted his gaze.
Because he realized that Aunt Feiyu — this full-figured, voluptuous Aunt Feiyu — appeared to be in the middle of a bath. Startled by his arrival, she had draped herself in nothing more than a not-very-thick robe. One hand held the robe up to keep it from slipping off, while the other remained clamped on him and refused to let go.
Two long, slender, porcelain-white legs were fully exposed to the air. Above her chest, a breathtaking expanse of snowy white and a deep, inviting valley were on display, while her damp hair hung loosely over fragrant shoulders, lending her an air of captivating elegance.