Xia Ning Chang had already decided to help him. But she couldn't afford to reveal herself. Only by clashing with him, igniting his fighting spirit, could she push him toward a breakthrough.
That's why her first strike carried killing intent.
Yang Kai, teetering on the edge of advancement, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. A dangerous presence locked onto him. Before he could fully process the threat, a gust of wind brushed past his ear—an attack!
His body reacted instinctively. He twisted mid-air, avoiding a fatal strike by mere inches. The force of the blow whipped his hair back, and his eyes flashed with excitement.
A fight. A real fight.
Yang Kai didn't care who it was. He didn't need to. His blood was boiling, and the untamed energy within him demanded release. With a wild grin, he lunged forward, meeting the unknown opponent head-on.
Xia Ning Chang's brows furrowed in surprise. She had only used the strength of an Initial Element cultivator, yet he had avoided her attack. His battle instincts were sharper than she expected.
As their fists clashed, Yang Kai found himself in a storm of relentless blows. His opponent was fast—her strikes were precise, her movements fluid. Every time he attacked, she was already a step ahead, weaving through his blows like a shadow.
He was losing.
"How could it be a girl!" Yang Kai eyebrows wrinkled as he mumbled discontentedly.
As soon as Xia Ning Chang heard those words, she was trembling with rage! Clenching her teeth, her body lightly flew over while World Qi gathered in the palm of her hand and covered with sky with images of her palm directed towards Yang Kai 's head.
Those words had angered her too much!
Yang Kai gritted his teeth. His fists crackled with scorching True Yang Energy as he swung again, aiming straight for her.
But Xia Ning Chang danced through the flames, retaliating with an elegant palm strike that sent him stumbling back.
She smiled behind her veil. Who told you to talk nonsense about me being a girl?
Yang Kai wiped the blood from his lips, eyes burning with defiance. Damn, she's strong. But so was he.
The heat inside him grew, his Qi surging wildly. The pain in his body faded, replaced by a roaring tide of strength. He could feel it—the breakthrough was near.
Xia Ning Chang felt it too. His Qi fluctuations were rising at an alarming rate. The more they fought, the closer he got to stepping into the Initial Element Realm.
But then, as they exchanged another blow, Yang Kai stopped.
His narrowed eyes locked onto her forehead—where a faint, familiar imprint glowed softly.
His lips curled into a smirk. "You… look lot like my senior sister."
Xia Ning Chang's breath hitched. How?! She had taken every precaution to remain hidden!
For a brief moment, her focus wavered.
That was all Yang Kai needed. He surged forward, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close. His fingers reached up, and before she could react, he tore off her veil.
Moonlight illuminated her delicate features, her soft lips parting in shock.
Xia Ning Chang panicked. He saw her.
A violent burst of Qi erupted from her body, sending Yang Kai flying backward. He crashed into the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.
When he looked up, she was gone.
Silence.
Yang Kai exhaled sharply, brushing dirt from his robes. That reaction… His smirk deepened. So it really was her.
He sat down, closing his eyes. The battle had shattered the final barrier within him. He let out a deep breath, drawing in the world's energy as it surged toward him in thick waves.
The energy poured into him like a tidal wave, crashing through his meridians, expanding them, strengthening them. His body trembled as the shackles of the Tempered Body Realm snapped apart, allowing him to step into the Initial Element Realm.
His skin glowed with a faint light as the energy refined his body, washing away the impurities. His bones hardened, his blood flowed with renewed vigor, and his muscles became more compact and powerful. Every part of him was being reforged into something stronger.
A surge of True Yang Qi erupted around him, forming a fiery aura that illuminated the surrounding forest. The trees rustled violently, the grass flattened under the pressure of his breakthrough. The night itself seemed to hold its breath as Yang Kai underwent his transformation.
Somewhere in the shadows, Xia Ning Chang clutched her chest, her heart racing.
He recognized me…
She touched her forehead, where the faint imprint of her Blue Jade Mark had glowed. It was such a small thing, something she hadn't considered. And yet, it had given her away.
Her face burned with embarrassment.
But despite her embarrassment, a small smile tugged at her lips.
At least he broke through.
.........................
Just then, a person's figure appeared. A simply dressed old man suddenly appeared. This old man was completely white with a friendly appearance.
After she saw his face, Xia Ning Chang respectfully greeted him: "Greetings to the sect head."
The old man kindly smiled: "You are not one of my High heaven disciples, no need for the formalities."
Xia Ning Chang softly said: "But you are a close friend of my master, so naturally you are my senior." When the Sect Head saw Xia Ning Chang's clever and sensible behaviour, he couldn't help but smile: "Meng Wu Ya really has good fortune to have accepted such a well-behaved disciple."
Recalling his own two disciples, the Head secretly sighed.
Xia Ning Chang was very clear on his past, and seeing his expression dim, she didn't know how to comfort him. She could only sink into silence.
Without speaking, the Head raised his hand to the sky and then pushed in the direction of Kai Yang. In that moment, Xia Ning Chang felt that the heaven and earth in that area had been sliced in half; like an enormous invisible palm was shielding that area from all prying eyes.
"This youngster's breakthrough should have caused quite the ruckus, so it would be best to hide this first. This is to avoid investigation by others." The Head started to explain.
Xia Ning Chang was at a loss. Why was this head who often did not show himself to others all year round, treating Yang Kai with such interest? But although she was puzzled, she didn't dare to ask.