sneak attack

He moved, and naturally, Yang Kai moved as well. At this moment, Junior Brother Ye was entirely engrossed in the Nine Yin Condensation Dew, making it the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack.

He could never have dreamed that Yang Kai would pinpoint his location and have the audacity to launch a sneak attack.

A glint of greed appeared on Junior Brother Ye's face as he moved with the stealth of a cat, inching closer to the Nine Yin Condensation Dew.

The distance narrowed—twenty paces, ten paces, nine paces...

The Nine Yin Condensation Dew remained stationary, continuously absorbing the yin energy from the valley, causing the surrounding air to chill with gusts of cold wind.

When Junior Brother Ye was only five paces away from the Nine Yin Condensation Dew, his dormant energy suddenly erupted. His hidden form leapt out like a predator pouncing on its prey, his eyes blazing with intensity as he reached out to grasp the dew.

Yang Kai also sprang into action. His gaze fixed on Junior Brother Ye, he felt the wind beneath his feet and wielded the long sword he had previously seized, preparing to strike from the side while his opponent was unguarded.

Just as Junior Brother Ye thought his plan was succeeding, the Nine Yin Condensation Dew abruptly halted its absorption of yin energy and released an incredibly dense chill, surging toward him with force.

The sudden change occurred too swiftly for Junior Brother Ye to stop his advance.

Panic-stricken, Junior Brother Ye realized that although he had determined the dew was a treasure, he had not anticipated it possessing any sentience, let alone retaliating in the face of danger.

In a moment of sheer terror, he felt the cold energy bearing down on him, and his heart was filled with dread. He activated his energy to fend off the incoming threat.

As he braced himself for the impact, the Nine Yin Condensation Dew suddenly swayed and vanished in the blink of an eye.

With its disappearance, the surrounding light was instantly swallowed by darkness.

The sudden shift in light impaired Junior Brother Ye's vision, leaving him unable to discern the changes around him. At that moment, Yang Kai made his move.

Though Yang Kai's sight was also affected, he could still ascertain the general location of his enemy. He thrust his sword, determined to cause significant harm even if it didn't end in death.

Preoccupied with the oncoming chill, Junior Brother Ye was oblivious to the deadly threat approaching from the side.

In the next moment, he was struck by the chill, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cavern. His energy became ineffective, causing him to shiver uncontrollably. Before he could catch his breath, a searing pain in his abdomen indicated that something sharp had pierced him.

Experienced in combat, Junior Brother Ye, despite the visual impairment, instinctively kicked toward Yang Kai.

A muffled grunt sounded as Yang Kai was struck on the shoulder, tumbling backward.

Both men breathed heavily. At this point, Yang Kai had no need to conceal his presence any longer.

As his vision gradually returned, Junior Brother Ye glared at Yang Kai with a look of hatred. His body trembled involuntarily, clutching his side and staggering.

A long sword protruded from his waist. Yang Kai had used nearly all his strength in the attack, and with Junior Brother Ye trying to fend off the cold, he had been unable to defend against it.

"It's you!" Upon recognizing Yang Kai, Junior Brother Ye's expression shifted dramatically. He had considered various possibilities—an attack by Yuan Lang or Wu Shidi, a potential attempt on his life by the woman, or the unlikely chance of another faction in the valley.

Yet he never imagined that his assailant would be Yang Kai, the very lamb they had deemed prey.

"Heh heh!" Yang Kai rose slowly, smirking as he examined his injured shoulder, realizing it was not severe. He approached with unflinching confidence. At this point, Junior Brother Ye was truly at his last gasp.

"How is this possible..." Junior Brother Ye's face turned increasingly pale.

"Though I don't know what surprises you, it seems everything has deviated significantly from your expectations!" Yang Kai said coldly.

"We..." Junior Brother Ye looked down in astonishment, "This is Wu Shidi's sword."

"Correct. He is dead. Now it's your turn!"

"So, we were all deceived by you!" At that moment, Junior Brother Ye was overwhelmed by a wave of intense unwillingness and humiliation.

While Cai Shixiong's death at Yang Kai's hands could be attributed to the power of the secret treasure, the prospect of dying at Yang Kai's hands himself was unbearable.

"I'm a Harmonious Spirit realm expert! How can I be killed by a practitioner in the Open Yuan realm? What a world! It's utterly infuriating!"

With a howl, Junior Brother Ye spat out a mouthful of blood, his condition growing increasingly despondent. His injuries and the humiliation left him feeling exhausted and powerless, unable to resist.

"I have no grudge against you, but since you've sought me out, you can only blame my ruthlessness!" Yang Kai said coldly, stepping forward to deliver a crushing blow.

In a final burst of energy, Junior Brother Ye's eyes suddenly brightened as he drew his sword and lunged at Yang Kai.

Yang Kai ducked, delivering a punch to his jaw that shattered it. Junior Brother Ye flew into the air and crashed heavily to the ground.

Before he could resist further, Yang Kai delivered two more punches, his energy exploding forth. Junior Brother Ye's vitality was extinguished instantly.

Standing up, Yang Kai sneered, "Playing tricks and schemes? I'm your worst nightmare!"

Clearly, Junior Brother Ye had been feigning weakness to lure Yang Kai in for a lethal strike. However, Yang Kai was prepared. Even a cornered rabbit can bite, let alone a martial artist. Any complacency before defeating an enemy could cost one's life.

After killing him, Yang Kai searched his body but found little of value—just a few bottles of medicinal pills and some silver notes.

Travelers always carry minimal possessions.

The medicinal pills were useful to him, but the silver notes, which were numerous, were stuffed into his pocket without further examination.

After disposing of the corpse on a nearby tree, Yang Kai scanned the area, only to find that the Nine Yin Condensation Dew had already disappeared.

The chill released by the Nine Yin Condensation Dew was potent and overwhelming. It was no wonder it needed assistance to be captured. This thing was highly sentient and would flee at the first sign of danger. Aside from Yang attribute energy being its only counter, capturing it seemed almost impossible.

With over an hour until dawn, Yang Kai needed to move faster. Before that, he had to return and consult Xia Ning Chang on how to subdue the Nine Yin Condensation Dew.