Chapter 4803
“Miss Hong, do you think I put on a good act?”
Kai turned to Hong Yao with a smirk.
Still in shock, Hong Yao didn’t dare to respond and simply continued leading the way.
At that moment, in a restaurant by the street, a man in a fiery red cloak sat by a second-floor window. His demeanor was elegant, yet his presence commanded attention.
His attire was striking—his entire figure seemed to be engulfed in flames.
A mask covered his face, concealing all but his piercing eyes.
Those eyes were locked onto Kai.
Sensing the gaze, Kai slowly lifted his head.
When their eyes met, Kai frowned slightly.
There was something familiar about them—but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall where he had seen them before.
“Friend Chen, may I join you?”
The masked man spoke the moment Kai looked his way.
Kai nodded, tapping his toes lightly before landing gracefully in the seat across from him.
“Do we know each other?” Kai asked.
The man shook his head. “No, but I’ve heard your name for a long time.”
“You seem familiar to me, but I can’t place it. Your eyes… they remind me of a friend.”
Kai studied him carefully.
The man’s body tensed slightly. “A friend?” he asked. “Which friend?”
“Let’s not talk about him.” Kai smiled faintly. “I know we’ll meet again soon. He’s always wanted to kill me—but he’s never succeeded.”
“I wonder what realm he’s reached this time. If he dares make a move, he’ll only end up disappointed.”
Kai chuckled.
The “friend” he referred to was Ning Zhi. From the secular world to the heavens, Ning Zhi had relentlessly pursued him—always failing.
Yet, like an indestructible cockroach, he never gave up.
In truth, Kai no longer considered Ning Zhi an enemy.
At times, he even thought it would be ideal if Ning Zhi chased him all the way to the heavens.
After all, Ning Zhi was talented—it wouldn’t be difficult for him to ascend.
Kai felt fortunate to have such a worthy opponent.
“Your friend will definitely be disappointed.”
The masked man’s eyes gleamed with envy. “You’re only at the third level of the Mahayana Realm, yet you killed a third-level Immortal Realm cultivator with a single strike. I doubt anyone else in this world could accomplish such a feat.”
“My friend has talent too. If he focused solely on cultivation, his progress might not be any weaker than mine.”
Kai smiled slightly before asking, “May I ask your name, fellow Daoist? And why the mask? Are you afraid of being recognized by your enemies?”
“My name is Ning Zizai. I wear a mask simply because I prefer not to be recognized.”
The man spoke slowly.
“Ning Zizai?” Kai murmured before adding, “My friend’s surname is also Ning. Quite the coincidence.”
“Brother Ning, to which sect do you belong? Where is your residence?”
“I’m just a wandering cultivator, without a sect or a fixed home.” The man chuckled. “Brother Chen, you wouldn’t refuse to speak with me just because I lack status, would you?”
“Of course not. You’re already at the peak of the ninth level of the Mahayana Realm, on the verge of breaking into the Immortal Realm. That level of cultivation is considered extraordinary, even in the heavenly world. Why would I look down on you?”
Kai’s expression remained calm. “So, Brother Ning, what is it you wish to discuss?”
“I want to talk about ascending the Ladder to Heaven.”
The man’s voice held a trace of intrigue. “I heard that a third-level Mahayana cultivator dares to challenge it—something that has never been done before.”
“I’d like to invite Brother Chen to challenge the Ladder to Heaven with me. It’s said that the sixth floor holds vast resources and fairy mines.”
“The sixth floor?”
Kai frowned. “Has anyone ever reached it? And how do you know there’s a fairy mine there?”
“Of course, some have reached the sixth floor. But most who do never leave.”
The man’s tone darkened. “Even if someone does manage to return, they wouldn’t reveal its secrets to outsiders.”