"Master Yang, there's no need to fear them. We have superior numbers. If we swarm them, they're definitely no match for us."
The Zhao Family Ancestor was dismissive, his voice booming.
"Exactly, just a bunch of sea beasts. Nothing to be afraid of! Su Fei, at the Small Orchid Platform Gathering, you drove every single one of my Zhao Family disciples off the stage. Today, I'll take your life with my own hands!"
A Zhao Family expert shouted ferociously, pointing a finger at Ye Yunfei.
Boom!
As soon as his words fell, this Zhao Family expert suddenly thrust out a palm. It rapidly expanded, transforming into a huge hand that shot towards Ye Yunfei with the speed of a bolt from the blue.
This was a powerhouse at the early Dao Integration Realm!
"You old fogey, you're not even fit to kill me!"
Ye Yunfei sneered coldly. Simultaneously, he unleashed the Heavenly Soul Sword and the Puppet Soul Thread Secret Art, attacking the soul sea of this Zhao Family expert.
The Zhao Family expert's Soul Body suddenly sensed immense danger. A silvery shield manifested within his soul sea, placing itself protectively before his Soul Body.
Clang!
A deafening clangor rang out as the Heavenly Soul Sword struck the shield.
Dozens of puppet soul threads, emanating a terrifying aura of Soul Power, began entangling towards his Soul Body.
Both the Heavenly Soul Sword and the Puppet Soul Thread Secret Art were immensely profound soul arts. When deployed with Ye Yunfei's current level of Soul Power, their might was far greater than before.
"How is this possible?!"
The Zhao Family expert's face paled in fright. He retreated repeatedly, mustering his full Soul Power to resist the puppet soul threads twisting towards his Soul Body.
"Old Clan Leader, let's cooperate in slaughtering the enemy!" Ye Yunfei sent a sound transmission to the Old Clan Leader.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ye Yunfei and the Old Clan Leader rode the waves, arriving instantly beside the Zhao Family vessel.
"Ahh...!"
One of the Zhao Family's Life Palace Realm experts suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream. Dozens of puppet soul threads had invaded his soul sea and were already coiling around his Soul Body.
"Get down from there!"
The Old Clan Leader spat out a blue treasure pearl from his mouth and seized the opportunity to attack. A thick beam of blue light shot forth, blasting that Zhao Family Life Palace Realm expert away, sending him tumbling into the sea.
"Aaahhh!"
The Zhao Family expert struggled and screamed, swallowed by the sea in the blink of an eye.
"You're courting death!"
The Zhao Family Ancestor flew into a rage. He directly activated an Extreme Dao Treasure, unleashing terrifying energy that blasted towards Ye Yunfei and the Old Clan Leader.
"Attack!" Feng Wei shouted.
Boom! Boom!
Everyone on the Zhao Family's vessel joined the fray. Zhao Family members, Feng Wei, and several Corpse World experts unleashed wild attacks, surrounding and assaulting Ye Yunfei and the Old Clan Leader.
"Everyone attack together!" bellowed the Beast Taming Sect's Sect Master.
The experts on the other four vessels also leaped into action. Some targeted Ye Yunfei and the Old Clan Leader, while others attacked the Mermaid clansmen.
As these Eastern Barrens experts attacked, the sea surface became filled with terrifying undulations of energy. The roaring din of power was deafening.
The Old Clan Leader raised a hand and pointed. This stretch of sea immediately erupted into chaos. Massive waves churned up, lashing out at the five vessels, causing them to rock violently.
Whoosh...
The five ships began to spin.
The Eastern Barrens experts aboard turned pale with fright.
The Mermaid Clan was born to command the waters, and this sea was the Mermaid Clan's domain!
"Everyone, combine your strength! Steady the ships!" The Cangyan Sacred Sect's Grand Elder shouted urgently.
Boom! Boom!
The experts on the ships activated their spatial energies, infusing them into the vessels beneath them, finally forcing the ships to stabilize.
"In this ocean, these sea beasts have a natural advantage. We'd be wise to withdraw quickly!" Many experts felt fear.
"Fear what?! We're no weaklings, and we have superior numbers! Join forces, don't fear them!" others shouted.
"Archers forward! Unleash the Rain of Arrows assault!" the Old Clan Leader commanded.
Immediately, a group of Mermaid archers retrieved large blue bows. Drawing back the bowstrings, seawater from the surface surged upward, transforming into watery arrows which were nocked on the bows before being loosed at the Eastern Barrens experts.
"Excellent!" Ye Yunfei laughed approvingly.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A skyful of rain-arrows swept across the sea surface like a blue downpour, descending upon the five vessels.
"Ah! Ah!"
On the spot, several individuals with weaker cultivation failed to dodge in time, struck by the rain-arrows. Some died, others were wounded.
On this expedition to the Cangmang Sea, these major factions had mobilized experts of various levels. There were top-tier Dao Integration Realm powerhouses, as well as weaker individuals at the Heavenly Position and Life Palace Realms.
"Everyone else, attack!" the Old Clan Leader shouted.
Boom! Boom!
All the Mermaid clansmen joined the fray. Some unleashed magical treasures, others activated Mermaid clan techniques and secret arts, launching a full-scale assault on the five vessels.
"Ocean Tempest!"
The Old Clan Leader took out a blue staff, muttering an incantation under his breath. Then he raised the staff high and roared.
Boom...!
The sea in this area became even more chaotic. In many spots, the water formed whirling eddies that spun violently.
Then, fierce wind and rain manifested over the water's surface, accompanied by flashing lightning and rumbling thunder — a scene of apocalyptic destruction.
For a time, the Eastern Barrens experts were thrown into disarray.
"This is these sea beasts' territory. They hold every advantage here. We shouldn't prolong the battle. Let's seize the time to withdraw," Yang Song said.
"Master Yang Song is right. We should leave quickly. Let's return to the shore first," the other experts, who were also growing fearful, nodded in agreement.
Thus, all five ships turned around simultaneously and sped off towards the direction of the coast.
"Haha! You think you can escape?" Ye Yunfei laughed heartily.
"After them!" The Old Clan Leader activated his water-commanding divine ability. Rolling waves carried the Mermaid Clan forces as they gave chase to the five vessels.
"Old Clan Leader, no need to press too closely. Let's follow from behind and allow the five ships to spread out from each other first. They'll be easier to deal with that way," Ye Yunfei advised the Old Clan Leader via sound transmission.
"A fine suggestion, Young Master Su," the Old Clan Leader laughed.
"They're pursuing! Pick up speed!" Those aboard the five ships ahead saw their pursuers and hurriedly accelerated.
"Old Clan Leader, here's an idea. Let's first take some time to refine the Sentient Treasures, then catch up to settle accounts with them. They can't get far," Ye Yunfei thought for a moment before saying to the Old Clan Leader.
A few more Sentient Treasures would provide greater assurance when taking action. After all, these were all Eastern Barrens experts before them, each possessing formidable strength that could not be underestimated.
"Very well. In any case, they cannot escape this Cangmang Sea in a short time." The Old Clan Leader nodded in agreement. He, too, wished to refine the Sentient Treasure Ye Yunfei had given him as soon as possible.
Thus, the Old Clan Leader and Ye Yunfei entered the Phantom Tower.
Lü Yugang and the others had remained inside the tower all along.
"Seniors, the power of a Sentient Treasure far surpasses that of an Extreme Dao Treasure. This is mainly because a Sentient Treasure has already developed a preliminary spiritual intelligence — an artifact spirit.
The difficulty of refining a Sentient Treasure is also much greater.
The key to refining a Sentient Treasure lies in imprinting one's own Soul Power signature onto the artifact spirit. Now, I will impart to you a method for successfully imprinting your Soul Power onto such a spirit."
Ye Yunfei addressed the four: Lü Yugang, Heavenly Thunder Chan Master, Tiansha Chan Master, and the Mermaid Clan's Old Clan Leader.