fight the enemy separately

With less than an hour until dawn, Yang Kai and Xia Ningchang emerged from their hidden mountain crevice and followed the direction of the dark energy flowing through the valley.

The direction of the dark energy within the valley was easily identifiable now, as the Nine Yin Condensation Dew was absorbing the spiritual energy of the valley at an alarming rate, causing the dark energy to fiercely converge towards a single point.

Such an anomaly could be perceived by anyone within the valley.

Yang Kai suspected that the two members of the Blood Battle Gang would also be investigating, and thus they would inevitably cross paths.

Having killed several masters of the Qi Movement and Harmony Realms, Yang Kai's battle intent still roiled within him, unquenched. The presence of a true Yuan Realm expert in the valley kept his determination unyielding, his mind and body constantly on edge.

He wondered how much strength the true Yuan Realm expert had left.

After a incense stick's time, the two gradually approached the source of the dark energy accumulation. There, a brilliant light hovered in mid-air, devouring the dark energy as if it were being swallowed.

This was the Nine Yin Condensation Dew Yang Kai had seen before, but it had changed significantly since then.

Previously, the Nine Yin Condensation Dew was merely a glowing orb without any distinct shape. Now, it resembled a bud on the verge of blooming, with delicate petals clearly visible.

The two concealed themselves, keeping about fifty zhang from the Nine Yin Condensation Dew.

Xia Ningchang whispered, "The Nine Yin Condensation Dew is inside that bud. It will only manifest once the bud blooms. We can only collect it then. I initially set up the Nine Yin Eight Lock Formation to deal with it, but was forced to activate it prematurely due to those people. As long as they remain alive, the eight dark energy chains will not return. This time, it depends entirely on your skills. Your True Yang Yuan Qi is its nemesis. Without the formation, I am of no help."

"Doesn't it usually flee?" Yang Kai frowned.

"Yes, so… hope is slim," Xia Ningchang seemed to waver.

"Then if we kill those people, you could use the formation again, right?" Yang Kai narrowed his eyes.

"While that is true, what if they don't come here?"

"They are already here." Yang Kai's gaze turned steely as he suddenly turned to look aside.

Wen Feichen's laughter echoed, "Haha, clever boy!"

Xia Ningchang's expression grew cold as she turned to see Wen Feichen and Long Hui approaching, their eyes filled with a hint of fervor, fixed on the disheveled Xia Ningchang.

One coveted her celestial treasure, while the other coveted her beauty.

Yang Kai remained composed, standing side by side with Xia Ningchang.

Wen Feichen, maintaining his calm demeanor, approached to within twenty zhang of them and said with a smile, "You're still alive. It seems those useless people truly can't amount to much."

Wen Feichen had been struggling to dissolve the dark energy chains within his body, but no matter what he did, he couldn't dispel them. None of his subordinates who had followed up had returned with reports. He and Long Hui, anxiously waiting, sensed the change in the valley's dark energy and followed the trace to this location.

Upon arrival, they saw Yang Kai and Xia Ningchang. Both Wen Feichen and Long Hui were overjoyed and did not hide their presence, approaching boldly.

With the situation escalated, Wen Feichen was not inclined to make peace with Yang Kai. He let out a long howl, trying to recall his subordinates.

However, after the howl, he found the young man on the opposite side looking at him with mockery, showing no sign of fear.

Wen Feichen was puzzled by the other's boldness.

Yang Kai took a step forward, his face cold, and said, "No one will come to your aid, no matter how loudly you call!"

Wen Feichen's expression shifted, "What happened to them?"

"They're all dead! Dead people can't help you," Yang Kai laughed heartily.

Wen Feichen's face darkened instantly, glancing at Xia Ningchang with surprise.

In his view, only Xia Ningchang could have killed those experts of the Harmony Realm. A mere Yang Kai could not have achieved that.

A miscalculation—he had never expected that this woman still had the strength to fight. When he struck her hours ago, he clearly felt she had no capacity for resistance; how had she recovered so quickly?

"Even if they are all dead, you still cannot escape my grasp!" Wen Feichen snorted coldly, clearly indifferent to the deaths of his subordinates.

Yang Kai took a step forward, his True Yang Yuan Qi surging, his blood boiling with boundless battle intent. He was about to strike at Wen Feichen when a striking figure darted out from behind him, heading straight for Wen Feichen.

Xia Ningchang took the initiative, launching an attack that enveloped both Wen Feichen and Long Hui.

She evidently intended to fight two opponents to protect the injured Yang Kai.

In a blur of motion, ten chilling energy blasts shot out—seven targeting Wen Feichen and three aimed at Long Hui. The speed was like lightning, the momentum astonishing.

Wen Feichen laughed heartily, "The young lady is full of killing intent, which is rather troublesome!"

As he spoke, he met the attack with his palms, easily deflecting Xia Ningchang's assault, and remarked, "Young Master Long, leave that boy to me; I'll handle this young lady!"

"Fine!" Long Hui nodded, reminding, "Don't damage her face."

"Understood!" Wen Feichen smiled meaningfully, immediately engaging in combat with the advancing Xia Ningchang.

Although Xia Ningchang had regained about forty percent of her strength, her previous injuries left her currently capable of only the strength of a Qi Movement Realm Sixth or Seventh Layer.

Wen Feichen, in even worse shape, could only muster the strength of a Qi Movement Realm Second or Third Layer.

However, their true realms differed significantly. Xia Ningchang was at the peak of the Harmony Realm, with Yuan Qi in her body, while Wen Feichen was in the True Yuan Realm, wielding True Yuan!

True Yuan and Yuan Qi are fundamentally different, with the former possessing far greater destructive power than the latter.

Moreover, Wen Feichen's combat experience far exceeded Xia Ningchang's. In this clash, Xia Ningchang found herself somewhat overwhelmed, unable to defeat Wen Feichen with her own strength alone. At most, she could only achieve a stalemate.

The battle between the two experts was intense, their figures flashing beyond a hundred zhang.

Yang Kai did not focus on Xia Ningchang's fight, as he had his own adversary.

Glancing at Long Hui, who stood a few zhang away, Yang Kai suddenly smiled lightly, "Young Master Long, is it?"

Long Hui responded coldly, "Do you wish to beg for mercy? It's too late!"

"I have a few questions to ask you."

Long Hui regarded Yang Kai with a mocking look, casually replying, "If this is your dying wish, I suppose I can grant it!"