If they were to settle this group of Ancient Demon Clan members in the Heavenly Firmament Sect, setting aside what outsiders might think, the sect's own disciples could very well end up in conflict with them.
Moreover, it would affect the Heavenly Firmament Sect's reputation.
Outsiders might assume the sect was colluding with the Demon Race.
Hearing Chu Lingxiao's question, Yang Kai didn't hide anything. He replied with a solemn expression, "I already have a plan in mind for where to settle them."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"I want to bring them to the Nine Heavens Holy Land. It's at the very edge of human territory, bordering the Demon Beast Domain. Settling them there shouldn't cause any problems."
"The Nine Heavens Holy Land?" Cang Yan furrowed his brows. "You're familiar with the place? Why would they agree to let you bring Demon Race members there?"
"Moreover, I've heard that something major happened at the Nine Heavens Holy Land. It's already been occupied by a Great Venerable of the Demon Beast Race," Fei Yu said with some concern. "If you go there now, even if you had acquaintances before, you won't be able to find them. A Great Venerable of the Demon Beast Race possesses peak cultivation at the third level of the Sacred Realm. That's not someone you can reason with easily."
Yang Kai scratched his head, carefully watching their expressions as he said in a low voice, "To be honest with you, Martial Uncles... I am the new Holy Master of the Nine Heavens Holy Land."
All four Martial Uncles were instantly struck dumb, staring blankly at Yang Kai.
Even Chu Lingxiao froze for a moment.
A long while passed before Cang Yan looked at Yang Kai uncertainly. "Little Martial Nephew, are you joking... or is this serious?"
"Does it look like I'm joking?" Yang Kai shrugged.
"New Holy Master?" Li Wan's mouth twitched, as if he still hadn't processed the information.
Fei Jian seemed to ponder this, then nodded. "Now that you mention it, I did hear the Nine Heavens Holy Land had a new Holy Master, and quite young at that..." As he spoke, he looked Yang Kai up and down, seemingly trying to pick up on some tell.
"You brat!" Fei Yu gritted her teeth and hissed a curse. "Whatever else you've been hiding from us, spill it all right now!"
"Nothing else." Yang Kai pulled his neck in. "I'd been meaning to find an opportunity to tell you, Martial Uncles, but the timing never seemed right. So... heh heh."
"That Great Venerable of the Demon Beast Race... can you handle it?" Chu Lingxiao regarded Yang Kai with a serious expression, an undercurrent of worry in his gaze.
"Rest assured, Grandmaster. I have an arrangement with that Great Venerable. The Nine Heavens Holy Land was only left in their care for a temporary period. I'll take it back when I go there this time."
"Mm. You do indeed have such power at your disposal now." Chu Lingxiao glanced at Li Rong and the others standing nearby, watching this exchange with close attention, and allowed himself a faint smile. "Though I have no great fondness for Demon Race people, judging by the way they behave, they truly care about you. That woman who just fought the Demoness — she'd be the one, yes?"
"That's right. Xue Li killed the Coffin Bearer. The enmity between them is irreconcilable."
"Good. This group of Demon Race people... you handle them as you see fit. Had it been anyone other than you standing before me, I would never have let things slide like this."
"Thank you, Grandmaster." Yang Kai's face was full of gratitude.
Chu Lingxiao and the four Martial Uncles had shown him extraordinary leniency and protection, and Yang Kai felt it deeply in his heart.
Just as Chu Lingxiao had said — if it were anyone other than him standing here, he absolutely would not have let the matter go so easily.
"Grandmaster, what about the Broken Profound Palace and the War Spirit Hall?" Cang Yan asked with a slight frown, a harsh glint flickering through his eyes. "If we let them leave, Little Martial Nephew's affairs will surely spread before long!"
Chu Lingxiao's brow furrowed. After a long moment, he said leisurely, "I brought the four of you here today and only intercepted the Demon General Xue Li briefly. As for everything else... we saw nothing."
The four Heavenly Firmament Sect Martial Uncles exchanged stunned glances. Once they understood what he meant, they all looked at Yang Kai with knowing expressions, chuckling low and meaningfully.
Cang Yan clapped Yang Kai on the shoulder. "Little Martial Nephew, take care of yourself. If things don't work out down the road, come back to the sect anytime. The Heavenly Firmament Sect will always be your home."
"I'll keep your nest at Qixiu Peak ready for you," Fei Yu said with a bright smile. "Make sure to visit often."
"For all we know, we might go to the Nine Heavens Holy Land ourselves to see the glory of our Holy Master! I hear there are several Holy Maidens there... all ethereal and extraordinary." Li Wan wore a thoroughly lecherous grin.
Fei Jian said nothing, merely offering Yang Kai a quiet nod.
"Martial Uncles..." Yang Kai's lips trembled slightly, at a loss for words. All he could feel was a warmth filling his heart.
"Let's go. We'll see if we can pick up the trail of that Demoness. After taking a strike from the Demon-Locking Chain, she's probably not in great shape." Chu Lingxiao's eyes suddenly grew deep and profound as he gazed into the distant void. He gathered the four of them up with his True Yuan energy, and with a flicker of his figure, they transformed into a streak of rainbow light, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"Brother Chu! Brother Chu!" Zhang Ao's face drained of color at the sight. He immediately cried out hoarsely.
He hadn't expected Chu Lingxiao to simply up and leave like that, with no intention whatsoever of rescuing them.
"Brother Zhang, it seems we've been abandoned. That Chu Lingxiao and that kid are clearly birds of a feather!" Cao Guan said, his face ashen with cold fury.
As the realization sank in, a wave of unease rippled through every heart.
Surrounding them, over a thousand Ancient Demon Clan members stared at them with predatory eyes. The faces and bodies of the five Sacred Realm powerhouses were covered with strange, savage Demon Patterns, and their auras surged and faltered unpredictably.