Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Yunfei dealt a fatal blow to the Nation-Pacifying Grand General with a palm strike, then proceeded to extract the latter's blood essence.
"Annihilate this army. Don't kill those at the Imperial Realm; capture them alive," Ye Yunfei ordered.
Boom! Boom!
Hong Bai and Wu Hua charged into the heart of the Star Nation's forces, going on a killing spree. Screams resounded through the sky.
As Heaven Tribulation Realm cultivators, dealing with these Star Nation soldiers was effortless for the two of them.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Ye Yunfei's expression shifted slightly, and he looked towards a particular region of space in the distance.
He sensed spatial energy fluctuations emanating from there. A faint, illusory silhouette was merging into space, attempting to flee into the distance.
"Thinking you can use spatial energy to escape right under my nose? Is that possible?" Ye Yunfei gave a cold, mocking laugh.
Swoosh!
Ye Yunfei activated his Heavenly Shadow Robe and crossed the vast stretch of starry sky in a single step. In just a few strides, he was right behind the fleeing illusory figure.
Rumble…
With a thought, Ye Yunfei released a powerful surge of spatial energy that violently crashed towards the figure.
Bang!
A short, elderly man tumbled out of space, his face a mask of terror.
"How is this possible? Kid, you actually saw through my movement technique!" the elderly man snarled.
"Did you think adding some crude and shoddy Spatial Laws to your movement art would be enough to fool me?" Ye Yunfei remarked with a faint, disdainful smile.
Crude and shoddy?
Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, the short elder was so furious his face twitched. Though his combat prowess wasn't particularly strong, he had always prided himself on his strange and elusive movement technique. Once executed, it could hold its own even against the movement arts of the assassins from the Shadow Tomb. Even Heaven Tribulation Realm experts would find it hard to see through it.
Who could have imagined someone would see right through it with a single glance!
"Just you wait, kid! Our Star Nation will never let you off!" the short elder glared venomously at Ye Yunfei, then activated his movement technique and vanished in an instant.
"Hahaha… Think you can escape?" Ye Yunfei laughed heartily. He directly utilized spatial energy, stepped into space, and within a few strides, caught up to the short elder once more.
Although the short elder's movement art contained elements of Spatial Laws, in front of Ye Yunfei, it seemed far too low-level. The old man couldn't even traverse space; he merely used crude spatial principles to conceal his form, making him difficult to detect. Encountering Ye Yunfei's spatial movement technique, his own was like meeting its natural bane.
Boom…
Ye Yunfei released another surge of spatial energy, forcibly knocking the short elder out of his concealed state and back into the starry sky.
"Die, you brat!"
Panicked and furious, the short elder swiftly formed hand seals. A worn-out tortoiseshell shot out from within his body, rapidly enlarging as it emanated waves of a strange, baleful energy, descending to suppress Ye Yunfei.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Pointing a finger, Ye Yunfei unleashed his three unique flames simultaneously. They transformed into three seas of fire, completely surrounding the short elder.
"Ahhh…" The old man was engulfed in the churning inferno, instantly becoming a human torch and screaming in agony.
The power of the Profound Fire Art was simply too overwhelming. Although the short elder had cultivated many strange techniques and secret arts, they were utterly useless before the dominating might of the three unique flames.
The tortoiseshell, besieged by the terrifying flames, teetered unsteadily, its control severed.
Ye Yunfei beckoned with his hand, pulling the tortoiseshell into his grasp.
"No!" the short elder roared in rage.
That tortoiseshell had been passed down to him by his master. It was said to be a remnant piece shed by a legendary divine turtle. Half of his divination skills relied on this very artifact!
"You're coming with me as well," Ye Yunfei said, reaching out to grab the short elder.
Despite being a late-stage Realm-Splitting Realm expert, currently being incinerated by the three mighty flames, he had no strength left to resist.
Shhhkkk!
Suddenly, a pitch-black banner streaked into Ye Yunfei's Soul Sea. It emanated thick, deathly energy and shot straight towards his soul body.
"Taste the power of the Black Soul Banner, brat! My banner has devoured the soul bodies of hundreds of thousands of living beings! Today, I'll devour yours as well, shattering your soul and ensuring you can never be reborn!" the short elder shrieked with venomous hatred.
Shwwiish!
Ye Yunfei activated the Heavenly Soul Sword, sending it to intercept the black banner.
Clang! Clang!
Inside Ye Yunfei's Soul Sea, the Heavenly Soul Sword clashed violently with the black banner.
This banner, having consumed a vast number of soul bodies, seethed with baleful energy. One after another, ferocious countenances flickered across its surface, unleashing waves of malevolent resentment. Its power was truly fearsome.
The Heavenly Soul Sword was actually no match for it!
With his Soul Sea under siege, Ye Yunfei found himself momentarily immobilized. He stood perfectly still in the starry sky.
"Kid, I never imagined you'd cultivated such a refined soul art. But before my Black Soul Banner, it's useless. You're dead!" The short elder revealed a vicious grin. With a flicker of his body, he charged towards Ye Yunfei, ready to deliver the killing blow.
Without Ye Yunfei's control, the three unique flames merely hovered in space, no longer attacking the short elder.
"Die!"
The short elder's movements were extremely swift. In an instant, he was in front of Ye Yunfei, his palm smashing towards Ye Yunfei's head.
However,
right at that moment,
RUMBLE…
The Giant Arm, having appeared at Ye Yunfei's side at some point, reached out and seized the short elder in its palm.
"What monster is this?!" The short elder was scared out of his wits. He struggled desperately, but it was futile.
"Don't kill him."
Just as the Giant Arm was about to vibrate the short elder to death, Ye Yunfei spoke.
"Fine."
The Giant Arm directly sealed the short elder's power, tossed him before Ye Yunfei, then transmitted both him and itself into the Phantom Tower, disappearing without a trace.
"What a sinister treasure," Ye Yunfei murmured. With a thought, he forced the black banner out of his Soul Sea. He examined it in his palm for a moment before putting it away, together with the tortoiseshell.
"Those are my possessions!" The short elder watched in bitter resentment.
With a flick of his sleeve, Ye Yunfei swept the short elder up and transmitted him into the Phantom Tower.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"Young Master Ye, are you alright?"
At this moment, Hong Bai and Wu Hua rushed over. Having noticed something amiss at Ye Yunfei's location earlier, they had immediately activated their movement techniques to come to his aid.
"I'm fine," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"That's a relief." Seeing Ye Yunfei was truly unharmed, Hong Bai and Wu Hua let out a sigh of relief.
"Young Master Ye, we have annihilated this Star Nation army. Those are the Imperial Realm combatants," Hong Bai said, pointing towards several hundred Imperial Realm officers and soldiers lying incapacitated in the nearby space.
"Excellent. Let's go."
Ye Yunfei moved, transmitting all several hundred Imperial Realm captives into the Phantom Tower. He then took out his flying vessel. Boarding it with Hong Bai and Wu Hua, they soared off into the distance.
Left behind in that patch of starry sky were only countless drifting limbs, chunks of flesh, and rivers of blood, flowing everywhere.
Within the Xuanhuang Star Domain.
Chu Ji, leading the forces of the Five-Domain Allied Army, waited anxiously for the arrival of the Star Nation's forces. Everyone was trembling with fear!
Suddenly.
"Report!"
From the distant starry sky, a flying vessel rushed towards them. A loud shout emanated from it.
It was one of their scouts, sent out earlier to gather information, returning!
"It seems… the Star Nation's army has finally arrived!"
Seeing the hurriedly returning vessel, everyone's expressions changed.
The next moment, the vessel was before the gathered troops. A man with early-stage Star Bridge Realm cultivation charged out.
"Reporting to Senior Chu Ji…" The man rushed in front of Chu Ji. He seemed extremely agitated, his words stumbling.
"Alright, there's no need to panic. When soldiers come, we face them; when water rises, we build earthworks to stem it. To protect our homeland, we have no choice. Everyone, prepare to engage the enemy!" Before the man could finish, Chu Ji spoke up, his voice clearly reaching every ear.
"Protect our homeland!"
Moved by Chu Ji's tragically resolute words, countless spirits were roused, and a unified roar rose from the crowd.
"No! No! Senior Chu Ji, let me finish! The fight's off! The Star Nation's forces… they've been completely annihilated!" the man panted as he tried to explain.
What?!
Immediately, everyone froze, disbelief in their eyes as they stared at the man. They couldn't help but suspect they were hearing things.