After thinking it over, Ye Yunfei decided to go and take a look at the Northern Frost Ancient Mining Area as well.
If he could obtain Divine Crystals, even just one piece, it would allow the last remaining trace of the Heavenly Emperor remnant soul to strengthen greatly. The benefits for Ye Yunfei would be immense.
With the departure of the forces from the three major powers, the Ziwei Sect headquarters began returning to its usual order.
'Sect Leader Liu, next, our Ziwei Sect will enter a period of rapid development. It's time to expand our scale and recruit more disciples,' Ye Yunfei said to Sect Leader Liu.
'But remember: select the best, rather keep seats unfilled than lower standards. For truly outstanding disciples, we must be willing to spend resources to focus on cultivating them. As for the resource issue, that's easy to solve. Just tell me how much you need.'
Having formed an alliance with the Eastern Wasteland Demon Race, the Four Directions Trading House, and the Great Thunderclap Monastery, the Ziwei Sect would undoubtedly develop rapidly with the support of these three major powers.
'I understand,' Sect Leader Liu nodded.
'I have a group of old subordinates. Under the pretext of recruiting new disciples, arrange for them to enter the Ziwei Sect,' Ye Yunfei transmitted to Sect Leader Liu.
'Remember, their identities are confidential. Only you and the few elders need to know.'
'Alright, I understand,' Sect Leader Liu replied without asking anything. He now held absolute trust and respect for Ye Yunfei and would follow any instruction Ye Yunfei gave.
Next, Ye Yunfei had Sect Leader Liu take in all three hundred-some people of Qingyun Palace as disciples of Ziwei Sect, under the guise of recruiting new disciples.
For Du Gufan, Du Fan, the three bandit kings, and the seven stewards of Qingyun Palace, among others, Ye Yunfei specifically instructed Sect Leader Liu to take special care of them and allocate resources to help them improve their strength as soon as possible.
After all, these people were originally the upper echelon of Qingyun Palace and Ye Yunfei's future main confidants within the Primordial Continent.
'Remember, with your current strength, you amount to nothing within the Primordial Continent. So, for all of you right now, the most important thing is to devote yourselves wholeheartedly to improving your strength,' Ye Yunfei said solemnly to the over three hundred people from Qingyun Palace, having gathered them atop his cultivation peak.
'Only when your strength reaches a certain level can you gain a foothold in this high-level world.'
'Sect Leader Ye, don't worry, we will definitely cultivate diligently and will never disgrace you!' a steward from Qingyun Palace said loudly. The others also expressed their determination one after another.
'That's good,' Ye Yunfei nodded.
'Remember, from now on, your identity is that of Ziwei Sect disciples. You must also use new names. Absolutely do not let anyone know you come from the Canghuang Realm,' Ye Yunfei instructed again.
'Otherwise, you will invite endless future troubles.'
Ye Yunfei knew the Heavenly God Palace was definitely still searching for him and the three hundred-some people from Qingyun Palace. Because he possessed the Heavenly Dao Pagoda, the Palace Master of the Heavenly God Palace would never give up easily. Not just the Palace Master of the Heavenly God Palace—within the Three Thousand Great and Small Worlds, there were definitely many other powerful figures concerned about his whereabouts! Because the Heavenly Dao Pagoda was too alluring!
Right at this moment, Ye Yunfei received a transmission from Sect Leader Liu. 'Su Fei, the Valley Master of Zidan Valley has brought a group of people to the mountain gate, demanding to see you specifically.'
'Let them in,' Ye Yunfei said.
Shortly after, Sect Leader Liu brought a group from Zidan Valley before Ye Yunfei, led by none other than the Valley Master!
'Greetings, Master!' The Valley Master and a certain elder immediately stepped forward upon seeing Ye Yunfei, bowing respectfully.
'Master, I came as soon as I received your transmission,' the Valley Master said.
This group from Zidan Valley had come because Ye Yunfei had transmitted a message to the Valley Master, instructing him to bring people.
'Mn, not bad,' Ye Yunfei nodded.
Master? Standing off to the side, Sect Leader Liu was struck dumb seeing the Valley Master and elder of Zidan Valley address Ye Yunfei as Master.
'Sect Leader Liu, Zidan Valley is now a subordinate force of our Ziwei Sect. From now on, we will re-establish the Alchemy Hall, with Zidan Valley dispatching highly skilled alchemists to personally oversee it,' Ye Yunfei said.
'Zidan Valley is already our Ziwei Sect's subordinate force?' Sect Leader Liu was taken aback for a moment but didn't question it, nodding and replying, 'Alright, I understand.'
Next, Sect Leader Liu personally led this group from Zidan Valley to find a lofty mountain within the headquarters to serve as the site for the Alchemy Hall.
Afterwards, Ye Yunfei entered the Phantom Tower and found Ning Zhongqi.
During this period, Ning Zhongqi had been staying inside the Phantom Tower with over a dozen elite disciples from the Puppet Hall, crafting puppets. Ye Yunfei had Sect Leader Liu send people out to purchase large quantities of artifact-forging materials, all delivered into the Phantom Tower for Ning Zhongqi's use.
'Elder Ning, approximately how many puppets have been crafted during this period?' Ye Yunfei asked.
'Over this past year, roughly six to seven thousand puppets have been crafted,' Ning Zhongqi replied.
'The strongest among them possess the strength of a late-stage Heaven Ascension realm.'
'Not bad. It seems Elder Ning's artifact-forging skills have improved somewhat,' Ye Yunfei nodded.
'Not improvement. But a gradual recovery,' Ning Zhongqi answered.
'During this period, my Soul Body has recovered quite well. Lost memories are slowly awakening.'
'Coupled with the Heavenly Craft Secret Record, my artifact-forging skills will sooner or later recover to their former level, even surpassing it.'
'That's good. Elder Ning, next I will have Sect Leader Liu purchase even more artifact-forging materials for your Puppet Hall to use,' Ye Yunfei said.
'Your Puppet Hall should try to craft as many puppets as possible to bolster our Ziwei Sect's strength.'
Currently, the Ziwei Sect was still weak. The more puppets they had, the more strength they could muster.
'Alright. Don't worry, since I promised you to reopen the Puppet Hall, I will do my utmost to see the Puppet Hall flourish,' Ning Zhongqi replied.
'With Elder Ning's word, I am reassured,' Ye Yunfei nodded.
Next, Ye Yunfei brought Ning Zhongqi and those disciples of the Puppet Hall out of the Phantom Tower. Ning Zhongqi took the disciples back to the Puppet Hall.
'Senior, how has your physical recovery been during this period?' Ye Yunfei came to the Ancestral Temple and found the Mysterious Turtle to ask.
During this period, the Mysterious Turtle had been staying here at the Ancestral Temple.
'Much better. However, I am an old fossil now. I'll just rest and recuperate slowly,' the Mysterious Turtle answered slowly, lying prone there.
'If Senior could recover even half the strength of your peak years, not a single power in the entire Eastern Barrens would dare provoke our Ziwei Sect,' Ye Yunfei smiled.
'There's no point in old soldiers boasting of past battles. Besides, regaining half of my former strength is easier said than done,' the Mysterious Turtle replied.
'As long as Senior rests well, sooner or later you will recover to your former level,' Ye Yunfei said.
'I will have the Alchemy Hall send you a batch of medicinal pills every so often.'
Ye Yunfei then told the Mysterious Turtle the news of Ziwei Sect reopening its Alchemy Hall.
'Kid, you reopened the Puppet Hall, and now the Alchemy Hall again. You are a great contributor to the Ziwei Sect,' the Mysterious Turtle said faintly, staring at Ye Yunfei for a moment.
'It seems our Ziwei Sect's vitality is not yet spent.'
'Senior, the Ziwei Sect still has a few trump cards remaining. I have uncovered many of them. I will now entrust several of Ziwei Sect's trump cards to you. You may use them if Ziwei Sect faces danger in the future,' Ye Yunfei said to the Mysterious Turtle.
'Several of Ziwei Sect's trump cards?' The Mysterious Turtle was somewhat startled by Ye Yunfei's words.
'Yes,' Ye Yunfei nodded, then pointed a finger, sending a large amount of information into the Mysterious Turtle's Soul Sea.
'How is this possible?! You even know about these!' After reading the information Ye Yunfei transmitted, the Mysterious Turtle was momentarily shocked to the extreme.
'Mysterious Turtle Senior, I leave Ziwei Sect's safety in your hands. I need to leave for a period of time,' Ye Yunfei bid farewell to the Mysterious Turtle and left the Ancestral Temple.
Next, Ye Yunfei summoned Sect Leader Liu and several elders. After giving them further instructions, he quietly left the Ziwei Sect headquarters.
Ye Yunfei intended to go and take a look at the Northern Frost Ancient Mining Area.
After traveling a distance from the Ziwei Sect headquarters, Ye Yunfei took out the green flying boat, entered it, and flew towards the direction of the Northern Frost Ancient Mining Area.
'Divine Crystals are rare in the world. I never imagined Divine Crystals would emerge from the Northern Frost Ancient Mining Area in the Eastern Barrens. It seems this ancient mining area is no simple place,' Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
At this time, atop a densely forested peak within a certain mountain range on Yan Country's border, an old man sat cross-legged.
Suddenly, his expression shifted. He took out a transmission jade slip.
'That youngster Su Fei seems to have left the Ziwei Sect headquarters!' a voice transmitted from the jade slip.
'He's finally come out?' The old man revealed a cold smile.