Inside the Phantom Tower.
Ye Yunfei sat cross-legged. Ten Divine Crystals hovered before him, radiating dazzling divine light.
Next, Ye Yunfei began refining these ten Divine Crystals.
While refining these crystals, Ye Yunfei also diligently pondered the profound laws contained within them.
It was said that Divine Crystals contained a hint of Divine Law. Even though the amount was minuscule, for the martial artists of this world, even a little bit of Divine Law was supremely precious.
Only after three months did Ye Yunfei finally finish refining all ten Divine Crystals.
After refining the ten Divine Crystals, his Heavenly Emperor Remnant Soul advanced another significant step!
The Heavenly Emperor Remnant Soul had now become Ye Yunfei's ultimate hidden card!
Next, Ye Yunfei began cultivating the Time Reversal Art!
This technique primarily empowered Time Energy, forcibly reversing the flow of time, causing time in a certain space to flow backward, returning to the past.
In truth, Ye Yunfei's comprehension and understanding of the Laws of Time was already extremely profound. After all, he had once been a Heavenly Emperor. What he truly lacked was Time Energy!
Ye Yunfei took out a large pile of Time Crystals and placed them around his body. He cultivated the Time Reversal Art while simultaneously absorbing Time Energy.
As Ye Yunfei cultivated inside the Phantom Tower...
Trouble began for the Ziwei Sect.
Many disciples, and even some high-level members, who left the headquarters would suddenly go missing, their whereabouts unknown.
Sect Leader Liu and the Six Elders received reports and immediately dispatched people to investigate.
However, they obtained no results from the investigation. On the contrary, the number of missing Ziwei Sect personnel only increased!
"Report!
Elder Li has been missing for three days.
Elder Li had been ordered by the Third Elder to go to the branch of the Great Liang City's Four Directions Merchant House to procure medicinal ingredients and a batch of daily supplies.
But according to Manager Liu of the Great Liang City's Four Directions Merchant House, Elder Li never reached Great Liang City. He must have gone missing on the way."
A scout tasked with investigating the disappearances returned to report to Sect Leader Liu.
"Report!
Elder Yang, Elder Xiao, and Elder Lu also seem to be missing. There has been no news of them at all!"
Just as that scout finished speaking, another scout hurriedly returned to report.
"Just what is happening?!"
Sect Leader Liu was somewhat shocked and angry.
"Sect Leader, during this period, our Ziwei Sect has lost hundreds of people in total!
And among them are quite a few high and mid-level figures.
If we don't get to the bottom of this, I fear even more people will go missing if this continues."
A regular elder standing nearby said.
Within the Ziwei Sect, there were sixteen elders in total. Among them, the Six Elders held the highest status, while the other ten were regular elders.
"Yes.
The sooner we investigate this clearly, the better.
However, we have already dispatched several batches of investigators. To this day, we have made no discoveries whatsoever."
Sect Leader Liu frowned.
"Sect Leader, does Su Fei know about this yet?"
The Third Elder, one of the Six Elders, spoke up.
"Su Fei has been in secluded cultivation all this time, so I haven't been able to notify him."
Sect Leader Liu replied.
"What about Senior Xuangui? We should inform Senior Xuangui as well."
The Third Elder said.
"Yes, this matter should be brought to Senior Xuangui!
Come, let's go see Senior Xuangui!"
Sect Leader Liu nodded.
Not long after, Sect Leader Liu brought several elders to the Ancestral Temple to pay respects to Elder Xuangui and tell him about the mysterious disappearances of many Ziwei Sect members in recent times.
"Something like this?
Could it be that someone is targeting our Ziwei Sect?"
Elder Xuangui couldn't help but frown upon hearing this.
"Where did these people go missing?"
Elder Xuangui thought for a moment and asked.
"Most of them disappeared after leaving the headquarters.
These missing individuals, regardless of their destination, never arrived."
Sect Leader Liu answered.
"So that's how it... It's very likely these individuals were targeted as soon as they left the headquarters and went missing halfway."
Elder Xuangui said.
"It seems someone has set their sights on our Ziwei Sect."
Elder Xuangui's gaze swept out beyond the headquarters.
Boom...
With a thought, Elder Xuangui's powerful Soul Power surged out majestically, sensing the area outside the headquarters.
In moments, a large expanse of space surrounding the headquarters was encompassed within his perception.
"Indeed, there are people spying on our Ziwei Sect."
After carefully sensing for a while, Elder Xuangui's face turned cold.
"Such audacity!
How dare they target our Ziwei Sect!"
Elder Xuangui soared into the air, his Soul Power locking onto a certain direction as he harshly shouted.
Rumble...
With Elder Xuangui's great shout, a large-scale formation materialized, releasing terrifying formation energy.
This was the Ziwei Sect's sect-protecting grand formation!
The moment the grand formation appeared, on a mountain peak near the Ziwei Sect, two black-clad figures, like startled birds, fled with all their might into the distance.
Boom!
Elder Xuangui activated the formation, which shot out a brilliant energy pillar that smashed toward the location of that mountain peak.
Rumble...
The mountain peak was struck by the energy pillar and instantly exploded, transforming into a sky full of mud and rocks flying everywhere.
The mountain peak was directly flattened!
However, because the two black figures had been far too vigilant earlier and had already left, they suffered no damage.
Boom!
Elder Xuangui moved, chasing into the distance.
A moment later...
"Such a high-level movement technique."
Elder Xuangui realized he could no longer lock onto the two black figures from before; he had lost them.
"Issue the order immediately. For the time being, the mountain gates are to be strictly sealed. No member is allowed to enter or exit.
Furthermore, send messages to those who are already outside and have not returned, instructing them not to return to headquarters for now.
In short, no one leaves, no one enters!"
Elder Xuangui returned to the headquarters and said to Sect Leader Liu.
"Understood. I will arrange it."
Sect Leader Liu replied immediately.
This Mysterious Turtle was currently the oldest existence within the Ziwei Sect in terms of seniority. As long as he spoke, everyone from top to bottom in the Ziwei Sect obeyed.
Thus, Sect Leader Liu immediately conveyed Elder Xuangui's command to seal the mountain gates.
Upon receiving the order, everyone in the Ziwei Sect, from the high-level members to the ordinary disciples, remained within the headquarters, venturing out no more.
"Why hasn't Ji Yue returned yet?
She has been gone for seven days. Logically, she should have returned by now."
On a mountain peak within the Ziwei Sect headquarters, Ji Yan stood atop the summit, her beautiful eyes looking beyond the headquarters, her face showing concern.
News of Ziwei Sect members going missing one after another had already spread throughout the entire headquarters, causing widespread unease. Upon hearing the news, Ji Yan also felt a touch of worry.
For the past two days, she had been using a message jade slip to send messages to Ji Yue but had yet to receive any reply.
"I hope she remains safe."
Ji Yan's beautiful eyes stared at the distant horizon as she murmured softly.
In a concealed underground palace dozens of miles from the Ziwei Sect headquarters...
"It seems the Ziwei Sect has discovered our tracks."
A masked man in black said solemnly.
"It doesn't matter even if they've discovered us.
During this period, we have already captured a considerable number of high and mid-level figures from the Ziwei Sect.
This includes three elders, and also that woman named Ji Yue, who is said to have a very close relationship with Su Fei.
We will use these people to lure Su Fei out.
Then we'll deal with him.
Furthermore, although the Ziwei Sect has sealed their headquarters' mountain gates, forbidding entry and exit.
There are still many Ziwei Sect members traveling outside. Immediately send orders to utilize our intelligence network and thoroughly investigate every Ziwei Sect member outside. Then move against them.
I believe Su Fei will be unable to restrain himself from coming out once he hears that Ziwei Sect members are being hunted everywhere across the Eastern Barrens."
Another man in black sneered.
"Correct.
This method is viable.
According to the orders transmitted from the Central Divine Continent headquarters, Su Fei has caused our Tianyou Tomb heavy losses. We must make him pay a bloody price!"
The other men in black all nodded in agreement.