After a long silence, Sha Hu seemed to gradually digest the information, then asked about Yang Kai’s background more carefully.
Pang Zhen reported everything he knew.
Sha Hu’s expression became more and more solemn as time passed, while Qian Mo and Shang Ao’s expressions also changed constantly, their eyes meeting frequently, as if secretly communicating with one another.
Suddenly, a change happened in the central region of the island and a figure strolled out.
Naturally, it was Yang Kai!
Shang Ao, Qian Mo, and Pang Zhen were all stunned for a moment but quickly cupped their fists with Sha Hu smiling slightly and asking, “Did you have any gains?”
Yang Kai greeted everyone before recalling Xiao Xiao and Liu Yan then nodding, “En, a few.”
“So you can also use your Saint Qi now?” Sha Hu asked in surprise.
In the battle against Ming Yue that day, his opponent had suddenly used both his Saint Qi and Shi, which truly frightened Sha Hu. After thinking hard about it though, Sha Hu could only attribute the cause of this to some secret hidden in the central region.
The depths of the central region’s mountains was the spot he had described to Yang Kai before, where he had sensed something unusual but was unable to discern what it was.
There was clearly some kind of secret hidden there and perhaps it was related to the reason why Ming Yue was able to use his Saint Qi, but Sha Hu was unable to figure it out. Now seeing Yang Kai like this though, and hearing he had some gains, Sha Hu was immediately able to make an educated guess.
“Using Saint Qi isn’t an issue,” Yang Kai nodded lightly, not as happy as Sha Hu imagined he would have been, but quickly adding, “I also found a way to leave this place.”
“What!?” Sha Hu exclaimed.
Nearby, Pang Zhen and the others also were shocked for a moment before they all wore overjoyed expressions and urgently asked, “Is that true?”
“Naturally,” Yang Kai nodded, “I came out to tell you this news actually. If any of you want to go out with me, you should begin preparing now, as I will be leaving in a few days.”
“Sect Master Yang…” Pang Zhen looked at Yang Kai eagerly, “Dare I ask Sect Master Yang, how many people can you take out?”
To the side, Shang Ao heard Pang Zhen’s question and immediately realized the importance of this issue.
“Taking everyone out won’t be an issue,” Yang Kai replied, “But…”
“But what?” Pang Zhen immediately became nervous.
“I can take the people from Sea Temple and Sea God Palace out free of charge, but as for the others… en, please spread the word that if anyone wants to leave this place, they need to help me harvest some Shadowed Heaven Lotus.”
Pang Zhen was taken aback for a moment but quickly understood and said with a wry smile, “Sect Master Yang’s plans are quite deep!”
He could imagine that once this news was spread, the cultivators who had been trapped on Shadowed Soul Island would flood into the sea to look for Shadowed Heaven Lotus, all of which would wind up in Yang Kai’s pockets.
Yang Kai chuckled and said, “I’m just charging a small fee.”
“When do you plan on leaving this place then, Yang Kai?” Sha Hu asked from the side.
“One month from now.”
“Alright!” Sha Hu nodded, “This old master will help you spread the word. As for my Sea Temple’s disciples, I will not let you work in vain. After we leave here, Sea Temple will offer you an appropriate thanks.”
“If Old Sha insists, then it would be impolite to refuse,” Yang Kai laughed.
“My Sea God Palace will also compensate Sect Master Yang fairly,” Shang Ao hurriedly expressed his opinion as well.
Yang Kai glanced at him and nodded lightly, not raising any objections.
The news that there was a way to leave Shadowed Soul Island spread like the wind, and soon it swept across the entire island.
After hearing this news, nine out of ten cultivators dismissed it as nonsense, thinking that it was just someone spreading a bad joke; after all, if there was a way to Shadowed Soul Island, none of them would have been trapped here for so many years. Countless cultivators had been trapped on Shadowed Soul Island over the years, many of them with astonishing skills and methods, so there should have been someone over the millennia who had found an exit.
But time had proven that Shadowed Soul Island was an inescapable cage, and anyone caught here would die here!
Such news suddenly popping up now was incredibly difficult to believe.
It was not until Sha Hu came forward to guarantee this information that the Shadowed Soul Island cultivators began to believe in it.
It was not long before almost every cultivator on Shadowed Soul Island set out in droves to search the nearby waters for Shadowed Heaven Lotus, hoping to earn their passage out of this forsaken place.
Shadowed Soul Island became a truly empty island.
In the waters tens of thousands of kilometres away from Shadowed Soul Island, Yang Kai rode atop the little dolphin’s back as she swam forward.
While the Shadowed Soul Island cultivators were scattered about looking for Shadowed Heaven Lotus, Yang Kai did not remain idle. Shadowed Heaven Lotus were such treasures that naturally the more he had the better. As such, the same day Sha Hu began spreading the news that a way out had been found, Yang Kai found the little dolphin and left Shadowed Soul Island to search the distant waters, relying on her instincts to find precious Shadowed Heaven Lotus.
Yang Kai’s gains were significant.
The far waters had always been difficult for Shadowed Soul Island cultivators to reach, so there were more Shadowed Heaven Lotus out there.
After swallowing hundreds of Origin Grade Shadowed Heaven Pills, Yang Kai’s physique had grown several times stronger than when he first entered Shadowed Soul Island, so the sea beasts that had previously given him some trouble were now powerless before him.
Yang Kai and the little dolphin went further and further out, their harvest becoming more and more abundant as time passed.
As the deadline he had set approached, Yang Kai had the little dolphin turn back and return to the island.
When Yang Kai returned to Shadowed Soul Island again, thousands of cultivators were already waiting for him.
Unfortunately, one month was not enough time for all the cultivators to harvest enough Shadowed Heaven Lotus to buy their way out. Some people were unlucky and never found any Shadowed Heaven Lotus, so they wore uneasy looks on their faces while they stood waiting, worried Yang Kai would not bring them out with him.
After meeting with Sha Hu and the others and understanding the situation, Yang Kai asked the cultivators of Sea Temple and Sea God Palace to help him collect the Shadowed Heaven Lotus.
The cultivators with Shadowed Heaven Lotus in their hands happily turned them over before walking towards the admitted side with peace of mind, eager to depart.
It only took a day to process this matter.
The residents of the island were now divided into two parts, one that had turned over Shadowed Heaven Lotus and another that had not.
The number of cultivators who failed to harvest any Shadowed Heaven Lotus was not large, only seven or eight hundred.
Yang Kai stood in front of these leftover cultivators and saw the anxiety and embarrassment on their faces. Smiling though, he called out loudly, “Don’t fear, this Yang will give you a chance. Since you do not have any Shadowed Heaven Lotus, you can redeem your freedom in other methods.”
“Little brother, dare I ask what methods are you proposing?” A cultivator who looked quite elderly asked.
Everyone also watched Yang Kai hesitantly, worried he would impose some kind of harsh demands on them.
“Some of you probably come from strong backgrounds or have good status back on Shadowed Star, as such, after leaving here, you can simply have your families or Sects pay some compensation for your freedom. If even this is not an option for you, you can serve this Yang as a labourer for ten years to earn your freedom.”
As soon as these words were said, the audience went into an uproar. Some cultivators were worried, but most looked quite happy.
Yang Kai was correct: Most of these leftover cultivators had powerful families or belonged to strong Sects on Shadowed Star, so as long as they were able to leave here, raising some funds would not be a problem.
A few materials in exchange for their freedom was a bargain.
If they could not raise enough funds though, serving as a labourer also didn’t seem to be a big problem. Yang Kai did not seem to be a wicked person, otherwise, he wouldn’t have even offered such an option. All he had to do was abandon them here on Shadowed Soul Island and be done with them.
Ten years of work and they could regain their freedom.
“If you are willing, please go to Island Master Sha and leave your Soul Brand. After you fulfil your end of this agreement, this Yang will return your Soul Brand to you!” Yang Kai shouted again.
The next moment, more than half of the eight hundred or so people remaining rushed towards Sha Hu’s direction while the rest hesitated for a moment before accepting their fate and following their companions.
To the side, Sha Hu, who had been informed by Yang Kai in advance, had already ordered the Sea Temple disciples to prepare. After these cultivators flooded up, the Sea Temple disciples began taking out pieces of white spirit jade and having the cultivators engrave their Soul Brands inside.
With these Soul Brands, anyone could easily control the life or death of these cultivators, so none of them would dare try to ignore today’s agreement.
Sha Hu squeezed out of the crowd and came to Yang Kai’s side before glancing back over it and saying with a wry smile, “Is Sect Master Yang’s High Heaven Sect lacking materials?”
Yang Kai simply chuckled, “Mosquito meat is also meat.”
Sha Hu glanced at him thoughtfully, before grinning knowingly and nodding.
He saw through Yang Kai’s intentions!
Yang Kai clearly wanted to bring all the cultivators of Shadowed Soul Island out of this place, otherwise, he would not have made such accommodations.
Yang Kai did this for two purposes. On the one hand, he was using these cultivators to help him search for Shadowed Heaven Lotus, and on the other hand, he wanted to deal with things in a way that avoided future criticism!
The only explanation for this was that he had a way to return to Shadowed Soul Island again after leaving and already considered this place his private property, thus wanting to clear out everyone else from it!
Considering all this, Sha Hu’s breathing quickened.
Without even mentioning the large amount of Shadowed Heaven Lotus that Yang Kai had harvested on Shadowed Soul Island these days, in the future, as long as he wanted to, he would be able to come back here and collect as many as he wanted.
It was conceivable that, in time, High Heaven Sect would become a terrifying behemoth!
Sha Hu thoughts were unreadable to Yang Kai, but he believed that Sha Hu could vaguely guess his intentions.
Of course, Yang Kai did not bother confirming anything as he had the right to dictate terms since he was the only one with the ability to come and go from this place.
Yang Kai only cared about securing this place as his own private Restricted Area!
After settling the last remaining eight hundred or so people, all Shadowed Soul Island’s cultivators were prepared to leave.
Everyone’s eyes now turned to Yang Kai, wondering what method he would use to take them out from this place, a mix of expectation and anxiety appearing on all their faces.
Even Sha Hu was no exception.
Although Yang Kai had spoken with complete confidence, and they did not doubt him, nobody could help becoming a bit nervous in the final moment.
