"If you wish to join the Ziwei Sect, go ask Sect Leader Liu. I am merely the senior disciple; I don't have the authority to decide."
After thinking it over, Ye Yunfei decided to kick this matter upstairs to the sect's higher-ups.
"Oh, come on! Everyone knows you're the one who calls the shots in the Ziwei Sect now," Ji Yue retorted, curling her lip.
"No. I am just the sect's senior disciple. Sect Leader Liu and the others are the actual leadership. The day-to-day operation and decision-making of the Ziwei Sect are their responsibility," Ye Yunfei shook his head.
"Su Fei, do you still hold a grudge because my cousin spoke ill of you before and are deliberately making things difficult? How petty! Come on, let's go find Sect Leader Liu!"
Ji Yue said angrily. Then, she took Ji Yan and left the Phantom Tower to look for Sect Leader Liu.
Ye Yunfei simply smiled and let it go.
In fact, Ye Yunfei's attitude had already made it clear he wasn't opposed to Ji Yan joining the Ziwei Sect. But recruiting disciples was a matter for the sect leadership, and Ye Yunfei genuinely didn't want to get involved.
Although Ye Yunfei was constantly finding ways to strengthen the Ziwei Sect's power, he rarely intervened in its specific administrative affairs.
Because Ye Yunfei understood he would not stay in the Ziwei Sect forever. Sooner or later, he would leave, venturing out across the entire Primordial Continent, even into the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds.
That was the necessary path for a Heavenly Emperor to grow!
Not long after, following the unanimous agreement of Sect Leader Liu and several elders, Ji Yan also joined the Ziwei Sect and was directly granted core disciple status.
"See? Even without your approval, my cousin can still join the Ziwei Sect!"
Ji Yue brought Ji Yan before Ye Yunfei, saying smugly as if she were fighting injustice on Ji Yan's behalf.
"Welcome, Junior Sister Ji Yan, to the Ziwei Sect," Ye Yunfei said with a faint smile.
Now that Ji Yan was one of his own, and Ye Yunfei always fiercely protected those he considered his own.
"Hah! Trying to play nice now, are we?" Ji Yue said.
"Ji Yue, Senior Brother not objecting to me joining the Ziwei Sect means he approves. Be a little more polite to Senior Brother," Ji Yan laughed.
"So what if he's the senior disciple? I entered the sect way earlier than him. Su Fei, from now on, you need to patiently guide my cousin in cultivating the legacies of our Ziwei Sect's techniques!" Ji Yue said to Ye Yunfei.
"Of course," Ye Yunfei nodded.
In the following days, Ji Yue and Ji Yan often pestered Ye Yunfei with various questions about cultivation, and Ye Yunfei always obliged.
Soon, Ji Yan's natural talent for cultivation began to show, and her strength skyrocketed!
Originally, Ji Yue's strength had caught up to and even surpassed hers, but now Ji Yan's strength had overtaken Ji Yue's once again!
This was because her foundational cultivation was originally better than Ji Yue's. Now that she was training in the various technique legacies of the Ziwei Sect, she was like a fish back in water, making immense progress.
Unknowingly, Ye Yunfei had spent over half a year in the Ziwei Sect!
During these six months, the overall strength of the Ziwei Sect developed rapidly. The disciples of the Ziwei Sect also began to travel and venture across various parts of the Eastern Barrens.
In the past, Ziwei Sect disciples generally only moved within the borders of the Yan Kingdom.
Gradually, it became publicly recognized throughout the Eastern Barrens that the Ziwei Sect had developed into a second or third-tier power.
Achieving such a rapid rise in overall strength in such a short time made the Ziwei Sect a focal point in the Eastern Barrens.
"It truly lives up to being an Imperial Dao Tradition! Even after declining to its weakest state, it can still flip its fortunes and re-emerge rapidly in a short time!"
Many martial artists marvelled.
"It seems the Ziwei Sect's foundations are very deep! The legend says several major forces once invaded the Ziwei Sect headquarters to plunder and seize its Imperial Dao legacies, but it looks like the Ziwei Sect clearly still preserves many Imperial Dao legacies. Otherwise, it wouldn't be able to rise again this quickly!"
"In my opinion, this re-emergence of the Ziwei Sect isn't necessarily a good thing. It will probably attract disaster soon enough!"
There were also many martial artists familiar with the Ziwei Sect's history who spoke words heavy with implication.
Because a fallen Imperial Dao Tradition would inevitably attract many ambitious, powerful individuals!
During these six months, there was another major piece of news in the Eastern Barrens: word from the Northern Frost Ancient Mining Area said the Primordial Heterogeneous Race had demarcated a restricted zone within the core region of the ancient mining area, forbidding anyone from entering, or else they would face the race's relentless pursuit.
Several major forces from the Eastern Barrens gathered some manpower and confronted the Primordial Heterogeneous Race several times, ultimately compromising and no longer stepping into the restricted zone the race had marked.
This showed just how formidable the strength of the Primordial Heterogeneous Race was!
***
On this day.
Within the Ziwei Sect headquarters, everything was serene and orderly.
Suddenly.
BOOM...
A giant hand stretched over from the distance, like a vast, boundless dark cloud. In an instant, it enveloped the entire Ziwei Sect headquarters, casting down a massive shadow.
Immediately, the entire Ziwei Sect was plunged into dimness, as if night had fallen. A terrifyingly potent energy pressure rolled downwards.
"What's happening?!"
Inside the headquarters, many disciples trembled in fear under the suppression of this terrifying energy, their legs turning weak. Quite a few collapsed on the spot, unable to move.
"As expected, some old freaks are getting restless!"
Before the ancestral temple, the Mysterious Turtle, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, shooting out two sharp, sword-like beams of light that fixed on the giant palm high in the sky.
BOOM...
The Mysterious Turtle soared into the air, instantly appearing above the Ziwei Sect headquarters.
"Hmph! There are always old freaks in the Eastern Barrens coveting my Ziwei Sect. Now that they see the Ziwei Sect developing well, their ambitions are stirred again, and they come to cause trouble!"
Within the headquarters of the Puppet Hall, Ning Zhongqi, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, also abruptly opened his eyes and said coldly.
The next moment, he rushed out from his secret chamber and also soared into the air.
"It seems those old antiques in the Eastern Barrens can't sit still any longer."
At this moment, Ye Yunfei also stepped out from his cultivation chamber, staring at the giant palm in the sky with a somewhat grim expression.
He had long anticipated this situation.
Once the Ziwei Sect developed rapidly, it would definitely attract the attention of many old antiques in the Eastern Barrens, making them suspect the Ziwei Sect still possessed items left behind by the Ziwei Great Emperor.
Items left by a Great Emperor would be coveted by countless powerful beings!
"Who dares come to my Ziwei Sect to cause trouble! Leave at once, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
The Mysterious Turtle's voice boomed forth, rolling like thunder.
"It's Senior Mysterious Turtle!"
The leaders and disciples of the Ziwei Sect looked at the Mysterious Turtle standing high in the air, their spirits lifting.
Because they had all witnessed the formidable power of this Mysterious Turtle.
"Hehe… A sickly old turtle. What will you do even if you are 'impolite'? I am now going to conduct a carpet search of the Ziwei Sect. You people of the Ziwei Sect better behave and stand aside. Once my search is complete, I will naturally leave.
If you dare to stop me, I won't mind unleashing a massacre.
Well, that's all I have to say."
A voice came from within that giant palm.
"Oh yes, your Ziwei Sect has produced a youngster called Su Fei. This kid is very mysterious. I want to take him back for a proper study.
Which one of you is Su Fei? Step forward."
The voice from the giant palm added.