Leaving the noisy Black Wind Market, the two of them set off toward the north of the Black Wind Forest under Hu Meier's lead. Hu Meier looked rather happy, her alluring eyes filled with joy, and her cheeks were rosy.
"Sorry about what happened that day!" Yang Kai suddenly apologized. The words he had said that day were indeed a bit too harsh, and now he was asking for help, which made him feel a bit two-faced.
Hu Meier smiled, "It's fine, you didn't insult me. I've heard worse over the years, and I'm still alive, aren't I?"
"You don't hate me?" Yang Kai was surprised.
"Why should I hate you?" Hu Meier smiled, then suddenly added, "Actually, I did hate you at first, but... your one action made me unable to hate you."
"What action?"
"Hehe, when Cheng Shaofeng and Nuta suddenly appeared that day, you stood in front of me. Maybe it was an unconscious move, but it was the only time in these years that someone genuinely tried to protect me."
"I don't remember. But you've had a tough time too." Yang Kai sighed. A good girl like her had actually willingly ruined her reputation just to help the Blood Battle Gang find more talent. Although her intentions weren't entirely good, there was a sense of filial piety in her actions.
"Hehe..." Hu Meier giggled, "It's not that tough. You don't know that putting on a show is a woman's instinct?"
"Hehe, I haven't had much contact with women."
"Really?" Hu Meier's eyes lit up.
"Yes, so these past few days, you two sisters have taken full advantage of me." Yang Kai said seriously.
Hu Meier gave him a playful glare, "You're so bad! Luckily, my sister isn't here, or she would have beaten you up!"
"Your sister..."
"First level of True Essence Realm!" Hu Meier answered proudly.
"Amazing!" Yang Kai praised.
Su Yan was at the third level of True Essence Realm, and Hu Meier's sister was slightly weaker than Su Yan, but not by much.
Thinking of her sister, Hu Meier remembered what Yang Kai had said and burst into laughter, her body shaking with mirth, unable to stop.
Yang Kai was speechless and could only stand there waiting for her to catch her breath.
After laughing for a while, Hu Meier gradually calmed down and said with a smile, "I find you very bold. No man has ever dared to say such things to my sister. Is it true that one of her sides is bigger than the other?"
"It might be due to the way she dresses. Tell her not to worry about it." Yang Kai chuckled.
"What about mine? Are they really symmetrical?" Hu Meier asked boldly, her face blushing.
"Not only symmetrical, but also round and firm." Yang Kai nodded, "You have a great figure. You don't need to feel inferior about it."
Hu Meier felt a bit overwhelmed. This straightforward and purposeless praise was probably the nicest thing she had heard in years.
For a moment, she felt a bit secretly pleased.
"How much longer until we arrive?" Yang Kai didn't want to delve into this topic and asked.
"Another hour. Although it's still part of the Black Wind Forest, it's right at the center." Hu Meier explained, "There's an underground mine there, which our Blood Battle Gang discovered a few years ago. We sent people to guard and mine it. The things produced there are quite unique."
"How unique?"
"There are only two types of stones there. One is the Yang Flame Stone you bought, and the other is the Yin Essence Stone. Isn't it strange? These two stones with opposing attributes can coexist in the same mine, and no one knows why."
"That is indeed rare." Yang Kai was slightly moved.
The Yang Flame Stone contains positive energy, while the Yin Essence Stone contains negative energy. They are opposing attributes and would not normally coexist.
"The experts in our gang also find the mine strange, but after several years of exploration and mining, they haven't discovered anything special. However, our gang has made a lot of money from this mine." Hu Meier seemed to treat Yang Kai as an insider, speaking her mind freely.
"This is your gang's good fortune!" Yang Kai smiled.
Hu Meier nodded, then suddenly fell silent. After a while, she said, "Actually, it's quite coincidental today. If we had missed today, you might not have been able to find me. Isn't this your good fortune too?"
"Where are you going?" Yang Kai sensed the underlying meaning in her words.
"I'm not going anywhere." Hu Meier shook her head, explaining while secretly observing Yang Kai's expression, "After you criticized me last time, I suddenly realized that my methods these past few years were wrong. The talents I attracted with those despicable means cared about me, not the Blood Battle Gang! I couldn't give them what they wanted, so they wouldn't truly serve the gang. Therefore, I decided to seclude myself and cultivate. When I become strong, I can help my father, just like my sister!"
"It's good that you can think this way." Yang Kai nodded.
Hu Meier's expression couldn't help but show disappointment. She noticed that Yang Kai's expression remained calm throughout, showing no emotional波动.
Feeling a bit bitter, Hu Meier lost her interest in talking and just led the way silently.
Since she wasn't talking, Yang Kai naturally wouldn't start a conversation. They walked for over an hour before finally reaching the Blood Battle Gang's mine.
This was the very center of the Black Wind Forest. The area in front of them, spanning several miles, was the Blood Battle Gang's mining zone. There were some houses on the ground for the disciples to live and rest in.
Since the mine was underground, when Yang Kai and Hu Meier arrived, they didn't see much activity on the surface. There were only large holes leading underground.
From nearly a hundred feet away, Yang Kai felt a strong reaction from the Yang Source Seal on his chest, caused by the Yang Flame Stones underground. As his strength grew, the range of the Yang Source Seal's sensitivity to yang energy had increased slightly, but not by much.
Their arrival caught the attention of the Blood Battle Gang's disciples on the ground. An old man suddenly descended from the sky, blocking Yang Kai and Hu Meier, and bowed, "Miss!"
"Grandpa Long." Hu Meier called affectionately, pulling Yang Kai to introduce him, "This is our deputy leader, Long Zaitian, Grandpa Long."
Yang Kai hurriedly bowed, "Greetings, Senior Long."
Long Zaitian glanced at Yang Kai with disdain and ignored him. With his Divine Traveler Realm strength and his exalted position as the Blood Battle Gang's deputy leader, why should he bother with a small fry like Yang Kai?
Another good-for-nothing! Long Zaitian particularly despised people like Yang Kai. If it weren't for Hu Meier's sake, he would have slapped Yang Kai to death.
"Miss, why are you here at the mine?" Long Zaitian stroked his white beard and asked kindly, "It's dirty and hot here. This isn't a place for you. Go back quickly, or your father will scold me."
"That won't happen. Father wouldn't dare scold you. You're a three-term elder in the gang, and Father only respects you." Hu Meier used her coquettish charm, and Long Zaitian's face showed enjoyment.
"Grandpa Long, my friend wants to come to the mine to buy something from a few disciples. Could you please let us in?" Hu Meier explained their purpose.