Blatant provocation

A long howl erupted as Yang Kai's posture became wild, like a bloodthirsty beast. The sound echoed through the valley, reverberating in the stillness of the night.

"Come fight me, you scum from the Blood Battle Gang!"

This was a challenge, a blatant provocation.

"I'm right here, waiting for you!"

He was fully aware that staying would bring trouble. Earlier, Nu Lang had used a similar howl to communicate with them. Although the valley spanned dozens of miles, in the dead of night, those people would have heard it and were likely on their way.

The safest course of action was to leave. After three fierce battles, killing five people, Yang Kai was mentally and physically exhausted, and his body bore numerous injuries. Facing the Blood Battle Gang head-on would be unwise.

Leaving, waiting for recovery, and then striking when the time was right would undoubtedly be the correct strategy.

But Yang Kai could not leave, nor would he. At this moment, his spirit was at its peak. If he left, a sense of fear would inevitably arise within him. Once that thought took hold, the Unyielding Will would be useless. Without its support, he was merely a Fourth-Stage Kaiyuan Realm martial artist.

"Use the remaining courage to chase the fleeing enemies!" Yang Kai wanted to give the disciples of the Blood Battle Gang a tremendous surprise with his peak state.

Of course, all of this was predicated on Xia Ning Chang's judgment being correct.

The people of the Blood Battle Gang were not like the small-time players from Fengyu Tower. Most of them were experts in the Separation and Reunion Realm. Under normal circumstances, these martial artists could easily kill Yang Kai, but now, they were sealed within the Nine Yin Eight Locks Formation. How much strength they could retain was uncertain.

Moments after Yang Kai's howl echoed, Xia Ning Chang's eyes suddenly snapped open. The tension and regret that had been consuming her finally eased.

"He's alive! He's still alive!"

Xia Ning Chang nearly burst into tears.

She had been worrying about Yang Kai's safety, afraid that he would never return and would leave her alone here.

His strength was so low, and there were so many of them—how could he possibly hold them off?

Ever since Yang Kai left, Xia Ning Chang had been blaming herself, regretting that she hadn't fought to keep him here, that she had let him go. But even if she had tried to stop him then, she knew she couldn't have. Her current state wasn't good, and if Yang Kai had truly set his mind on leaving, she wouldn't have been able to stop him.

Because she had insisted on coming to this place, she had dragged him into this dangerous situation. Xia Ning Chang felt deeply guilty. The simple-hearted girl took all the blame upon herself, not realizing that both Fengyu Tower and the Blood Battle Gang were after Yang Kai.

If anyone was the real culprit, it was Yang Kai.

But now, Xia Ning Chang was somewhat relieved. Her junior brother was still alive. Moreover, his voice carried an unmistakable fearlessness and a signal that stirred one's blood.

Although she didn't know what he was facing, Xia Ning Chang felt that the only thing she could do was recover as quickly as possible, then go out and help him, to save him!

On the other side of the valley, Wen Fei Chen, who was dissolving the Yin Qi chains within him, and Long Hui, who was standing guard, also heard Yang Kai's howl loud and clear.

The sound caused Wen Fei Chen's brow to furrow, his concentration shattered, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"That beast!" Wen Fei Chen was furious. He had been at a critical moment, only to be disrupted by Yang Kai's voice, resulting in a slight internal injury.

"Hall Master Wen, how goes the dissolution?" Long Hui asked, feigning concern.

Wen Fei Chen slowly shook his head. "It's no good. This formation surpasses my knowledge. Who is that woman, and which master did she learn such a miraculous formation from?"

Three strands of Yin Qi chains had not only blocked the flow of his internal energy but also sealed his dantian, leaving him barely at the third stage of the Qi Transformation Realm. After the recent exertion, his strength had decreased even further.

Wen Fei Chen was furious, wanting nothing more than to capture Yang Kai and that woman, kill them, and resurrect them to kill them again! A dignified master at the fifth stage of the True Element Realm, reduced to such a state by two juniors—when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

"There's no need to worry, Hall Master Wen. That brat has exposed his location. I think he's already dead by now." Long Hui's voice was full of confidence, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Wen Fei Chen didn't respond because he had sensed the meaning within Yang Kai's howl. It wasn't the sound of someone at the end of their rope; it was the howl of a man filled with unstoppable determination and battle spirit.

But how could a mere Fourth-Stage Kaiyuan Realm martial artist dare to be so arrogant?

So, although Wen Fei Chen felt uneasy, he didn't take it to heart, convinced that Yang Kai was just a desperate animal and that his death was certain.

As thoughts churned in the minds of everyone in the valley, a white-haired old man suddenly appeared outside.

The old man exuded an aura of longevity, his internal energy hidden deep, making it impossible to gauge his strength. But his speed was incredible, covering a hundred zhang in the blink of an eye.

His face was filled with worry and anxiety as he glanced at the sky, filled with deep regret.

"This is bad! I'm running out of time. My little ancestor, please don't activate the formation too early." The old man mumbled to himself as he flew.

This old man was none other than Meng Wu Ya, the steward of the Contribution Hall!

Meng Wu Ya felt he had lost all dignity. That night, he had earnestly advised his disciple not to come to this place where the Nine Yin energies converged. After all, advancing to the True Element Realm didn't necessarily require refining the Nine Yin Condensing Yuan Dew. Xia Ning Chang had obediently agreed.

Meng Wu Ya was in high spirits. Xia Ning Chang had thoughtfully prepared a few small dishes and several jugs of fine wine. As he drank and ate, Meng Wu Ya spoke ill of Yang Kai, hoping to distance his disciple from him.

Meng Wu Ya had noticed that his disciple was quite concerned about Yang Kai. It wasn't romantic affection, just a kind of protective feeling. But this was a bad sign, and Meng Wu Ya wanted to nip it in the bud.

Over the years, Meng Wu Ya had treated his disciple like a precious gem, so much so that her thoughts had become too pure, unable to comprehend the wickedness of the world.

Meng Wu Ya was worried. What if Yang Kai harbored ill intentions and seduced his disciple? She was young, just beginning to understand love, and once her heart was moved, it would be difficult to handle.

So Meng Wu Ya, with an ulterior motive, shamelessly slandered Yang Kai, though he felt guilty inside. He claimed Yang Kai was a lecherous scoundrel, depraved and despicable, attributing every possible misdeed to him, painting him as a villain.

Finally, with a serious expression, Meng Wu Ya had warned Xia Ning Chang, "Disciple, you must keep your distance from people like him, stay far, far away!"