Hu Mei'er dared not speak further; she feared provoking Yang Kai.
"Come here!" Yang Kai suddenly beckoned. Hu Mei'er's body trembled, tears welling in her eyes. She bit her lip and looked at Yang Kai with a pleading gaze but did not move.
"What are you afraid of? Come here when I tell you!" Yang Kai's tone grew impatient.
Reluctantly, Hu Mei'er approached, standing five paces in front of Yang Kai, her gaze filled with apprehension.
Noticing her fear, Yang Kai found it amusing but maintained a stern demeanor. "As long as you behave, I won't harm you."
His calm voice carried an unyielding authority.
Hu Mei'er nodded vigorously. "I will behave."
"Good." Yang Kai was satisfied. He bent down, lifting Nuotao's body onto his shoulder and gestured towards Cheng Shaofeng's corpse. "Carry him."
Despite her disgust, Hu Mei'er had no choice but to comply. She stooped to lift Cheng Shaofeng's body. Though a young woman, her status as a warrior made the burden manageable.
"Follow me," Yang Kai instructed, scanning the direction before heading deeper into the Black Wind Forest.
Hu Mei'er, unsure of Yang Kai's intentions and afraid to ask, followed closely.
Yang Kai intended to dispose of the bodies. Although the location they were in was already relatively remote, there was no guarantee it was free from prying eyes. Any chance encounter could spell trouble. The chances were slim but worth avoiding.
The cause of Cheng Shaofeng and Nuotao's deaths was unusual, involving fatal, searing energy. If Fengyu Tower traced the clues, they might come to suspect Yang Kai.
Thus, Yang Kai needed to dispose of the bodies far from their current location, ensuring Fengyu Tower would never find them.
Walking through the dense forest, Hu Mei'er hesitated several times but kept her thoughts to herself.
After more than an hour, they reached a lake. Yang Kai's eyes lit up—it was the perfect spot.
He instructed Hu Mei'er to set down the bodies and then retrieved two large stones. Binding them to Cheng Shaofeng and Nuotao's corpses, he sank them to the lake's bottom.
Clapping his hands, Yang Kai reflected for a moment and said, "Now you're my accomplice; you should know what to do next."
He turned to look at her calmly.
Hu Mei'er, surprisingly relieved, nodded vigorously. "I understand."
Yang Kai's words meant he harbored no ill intentions towards her, and her life was spared. Hu Mei'er felt a wave of relief and let out a sigh.
"Clever. Intelligent girls always find admirers," Yang Kai said with a light chuckle.
Before this, Yang Kai had been unsure what to do with Hu Mei'er. Killing her seemed excessive, given she had merely observed rather than harmed him. He felt it would be unreasonable to eliminate her just for being a bystander.
Having walked such a distance, Yang Kai had come to terms with the situation. Cheng Shaofeng and Nuotao had instigated the conflict; if Yang Kai had not acted, he would have been the one in danger. Even if Hu Mei'er exposed what happened, Yang Kai had nothing to fear.
"Have you killed many people?" Hu Mei'er asked, her courage bolstered.
Yang Kai shook his head. "It's my first time killing."
"But your technique seemed very practiced. You didn't even flinch when you killed them. It didn't seem like a first time," Hu Mei'er remarked, puzzled.
Yang Kai frowned at her comment. Indeed, despite it being his first kill, he had felt no fear, only the focus on the battle and the intent to kill. Reflecting now, it did seem quite strange.
"Believe it or not," Yang Kai said, dismissing further explanation.
He circled the lake, reached a spot far from where the bodies were disposed, and plunged into the water.
The battle had left him wounded, and he needed to cleanse himself before returning.
Hu Mei'er waited by the lake, initially eager to join him, but now lacked the courage to do so.
Once Yang Kai emerged, Hu Mei'er spoke up. "Wait for me; I need to wash up too." After carrying a corpse for such a distance, she felt thoroughly uncomfortable.
Women, after all, have a penchant for cleanliness.
"Sure," Yang Kai agreed. He wrung out his clothes and lay on a rock by the lake, basking in the sun and regaining his strength.
Without undressing, Hu Mei'er entered the lake, her graceful figure moving through the water. Occasionally, she glanced at Yang Kai, only to find him with his eyes closed, which disheartened her.
Was he completely indifferent?
After some time, Hu Mei'er finished bathing and approached the shore. Her wet clothes clung to her body, accentuating her alluring figure. She unabashedly approached Yang Kai, a flush of color on her cheeks, and sat on the rock beside him, sunning herself.
Yang Kai opened his eyes and surveyed her, his gaze lingering. Hu Mei'er looked down, embarrassed.
"You have a nice figure," Yang Kai said, nodding slightly.
Hu Mei'er bit her red lips, her expression strained. "Actually… I've never been with a man. You're the only one who's touched me. The reason I acted the way I did over the years was partly to provoke discord between Lingxiao Pavilion and Fengyu Tower's disciples and partly to stir up trouble with you."
Yang Kai was taken aback, scrutinizing her closely.
"Don't believe me?" Hu Mei'er's face turned crimson. This secret had never been shared with anyone. People assumed she was a courtesan, publicly praised as a 'little princess' or 'young lady' while privately disparaged.
"I believe you," Yang Kai affirmed. "But what does it matter to me?"
Hu Mei'er's face fell, and she forced a bitter smile. "I won't trouble you any longer."
The incident had been a significant blow to her.
Hearing this, Yang Kai felt a sense of relief. At least this trouble was resolved.
Once Hu Mei'er's clothes were dry, they left the lake.
To avoid drawing attention, Yang Kai and Hu Mei'er parted ways early, each returning to their respective sects.
After a brief rest at his wooden hut, Yang Kai set off for the Troubled Dragon Gorge. The recent battle had drained his energy, and he needed to replenish his True Sun Yuan Qi quickly to handle future challenges.
Moreover, the power of the yang liquid used in the battle was thrilling. Yang Kai had not expected such potency. Given that he was only at the eighth level of the Tempering Body Realm, the liquid's effectiveness might increase with higher cultivation. Driven by this realization, Yang Kai was eager to resume his training.