"Brother Su, what do we do next?" Situ Kong'er asked with an awkward laugh, trying to change the subject.
"Next, we'll face the Corpse World's relentless pursuit. We destroyed their Corpse-Refining base in the Land of Life and Death. The Corpse World will certainly exert all their might to take bloody revenge on us," Ye Yunfei replied with a faint smile.
"Yes. Brother Su, the strength of the Corpse World's headquarters is terrifying. With just the two of us at our current level, I'm afraid we can't match up against so many of their experts," Situ Kong'er said, voicing his worry.
"If we can't beat them, we still have to fight. One way or another, the Corpse World will never let us off," Ye Yunfei answered.
"Actually, what worries me the most is that we used the Heavenly Dao Tower to seize the Soul Lotus. And we did it in front of all those powerful individuals, especially those more than ten experts from the Corpse World. They're bound to become suspicious," Hun Lao's voice suddenly echoed within Ye Yunfei's soul sea.
"True," Ye Yunfei nodded.
Inside the core area of the Land of Life and Death, Hun Lao had used the Heavenly Dao Tower publicly to snatch the Soul Lotus. Even then, Ye Yunfei had known the Heavenly Dao Tower might be exposed because of it. But to seize the Soul Lotus and treat Ji Yue, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and use it.
"Ah, right, Hun Lao, there's something I've wanted to ask for a while. The Heavenly Dao Tower was left to you by the Guhuang Great Emperor. Logically, that should be a secret only you know. So why does everyone in the Hongmeng Continent and Canghuang Realm know about the Heavenly Dao Tower? Even those divination masters seem to possess its aura, and once the tower's aura leaks, those masters can divine its presence? Has knowledge of the Heavenly Dao Tower's existence and its aura become widespread across the world?" Ye Yunfei suddenly asked.
Back in Canghuang Realm, there were many divination masters who could divine the Heavenly Dao Tower.
"It's not just Canghuang Realm and Hongmeng Continent. Among many other worlds of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds, countless powerful beings and divination masters also know about the existence and aura of the Heavenly Dao Tower. To put it simply, the Heavenly Dao Tower truly is known throughout the world," Hun Lao couldn't help but smile bitterly upon hearing Ye Yunfei's question.
"Why is that?" Ye Yunfei asked curiously.
"Back then, before the Guhuang Great Emperor departed, he placed me within one of his cave mansions. That cave mansion was located in a core world. I slumbered within that cave mansion for a very long time. Later, a group of powerful individuals, following various clues, found the Guhuang Great Emperor's cave mansion and broke in to explore for treasures. They unintentionally awakened me. After I woke, relying on my familiarity with the terrain, I fled that cave mansion with the Heavenly Dao Tower. But those powerful beings had already discovered me and the tower. They knew this tower must be a treasure artifact left by the Guhuang Great Emperor and were unwilling to give it up so easily. So they began hunting me and the Heavenly Dao Tower. Pursued by them, I fled all the way, eventually escaping that core world and entering various other major and minor worlds within the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds, finally fleeing all the way to Hongmeng Continent. But those powerful beings from that core world never gave up their pursuit. Every time I reached a new world, they would use various connections to mobilize the powerful beings of that entire world to hunt me. Gradually, more and more people learned about the Heavenly Dao Tower, and various legends about it spread throughout the major and minor worlds. In the end, I fled to Canghuang Realm and went into hiding. The powerful figures from that core world found ways to contact some major powers and formidable beings in Canghuang Realm, offering immense rewards for its inhabitants to capture me. That's why even in a lower-level world like Canghuang Realm, many knew of the Heavenly Dao Tower's existence." Hun Lao gave this explanation.
"So that's how it is. That explains why the Heavenly Dao Tower's existence truly is known far and wide." Ye Yunfei finally understood after hearing Hun Lao's words, grasping the encounters Hun Lao and the Heavenly Dao Tower had faced.
However, there was still a doubt in Ye Yunfei's heart. That was, in his previous life, a millennium later, when Ye Yunfei had become a Heavenly Emperor and traveled across the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds, he had never once heard legends about the Heavenly Dao Tower.
But Ye Yunfei quickly put it aside. After a thousand years had passed, it was perfectly normal for certain secrets of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds to be forgotten and no longer mentioned.
Perhaps, in his previous life, the Heavenly Dao Tower had remained hidden on that remote planet within Canghuang Realm, undiscovered by anyone, eventually buried in the dust of history.
If he hadn't broken into that small dimensional space housing the Heavenly Dao Tower in this life, perhaps it would have never been discovered by anyone.
"I estimate the Corpse World will soon learn that you possess the Heavenly Dao Tower. Moreover, once this news spreads and reaches the palace master of Heavenly God Palace, he'll immediately realize that the so-called Senior Brother Su Fei of Purple Tenuity Sect is, in fact, Ye Yunfei of Canghuang Realm. When that time comes, your identity will be exposed. So you must mentally prepare yourself," Hun Lao said.
"Yes. Actually, my identity will be exposed sooner or later. At a certain point, I might even go to settle scores with the Heavenly God Palace master and reveal my identity myself. Since I'm now forced to expose it earlier, that's fine too. When soldiers come, we'll fight; when floodwaters come, we'll dam," Ye Yunfei said after a moment of thought, speaking slowly.
"As long as you understand," Hun Lao said.
At the same time, a startling piece of news rapidly spread throughout Central Divine Land: the Corpse World's forces had entirely withdrawn from the Land of Life and Death!
"What happened? The Corpse World had long occupied the outer regions of the Land of Life and Death as their Corpse-Refining base. Why did they suddenly withdraw everything? Has the Corpse World found a better Corpse-Refining base elsewhere?" When the news broke out, countless martial artists paid attention.
It was common knowledge that the Corpse World had occupied the outer regions of the Land of Life and Death for a very long time. In Central Divine Land, many major forces had practically recognized the outer regions of the Land of Life and Death as the Corpse World's territory.
Now the Corpse World had actually taken the initiative to withdraw, causing genuine astonishment.
Inside the Corpse World headquarters. Within a pitch-black hall.
A group of high-ranking figures from the Corpse World gathered here, including its World Master.
"World Master, I suspect the Heavenly Dao Tower is in Su Fei's possession," a black-robed elder said grimly.
If Ye Yunfei were here, he would immediately recognize this black-robed elder.
Previously, in the core region of the Land of Life and Death, over ten Corpse World experts had participated in seizing the Soul Lotus. The one leading them was precisely this black-robed elder!
Later, when the Netherworld Sovereign within the depths of the Land of Life and Death suddenly appeared, it terrified most of the powerful beings into finding places to hide.
This black-robed elder also led the over ten Corpse World experts to hide in a concealed spot, only now returning to Corpse World headquarters.
The moment he returned to headquarters, he immediately reported to the World Master and assembled all of the Corpse World's high-level figures in this hall to discuss matters concerning the Heavenly Dao Tower.
"Elder Xing, are you certain? What proof do you have?" A disheveled elder in a black cloak asked before the World Master could reply.
"Great Black Wind Mage, see for yourself!" Elder Xing waved his hand, employing supernatural power to simulate scene after scene of images before him: the scene where numerous powerful beings contended for the Soul Lotus.
The scenes played out in detail, showing Ye Yunfei seizing one Soul Lotus, hiding within the Heavenly Dao Tower, using the tower to withstand the combined attacks of many powerful beings, then vanishing through space to depart.
The Great Black Wind Mage's gaze remained fixed on the Heavenly Dao Tower, his expression growing more and more shocked.
"Great Black Wind Mage, I've recorded that tower's aura. You can perform a divination," Elder Xing said, pointing his finger and sending a wisp of soul aura towards the Great Black Wind Mage.
"Good. I'll divine immediately," the Great Black Wind Mage immediately retrieved a batch of items specialized for divination and a ritual altar. Sitting down cross-legged, he began his divination.
A moment later.
"Based on my divination, there is at least a seventy percent chance that tower is the Heavenly Dao Tower!" The Great Black Wind Mage stopped his divination, lifted his head, and spoke slowly.
A seventy percent chance it's the Heavenly Dao Tower!
Upon hearing this, the surrounding high-level figures of the Corpse World all felt deeply shocked.
"That tower must definitely be the Heavenly Dao Tower," the World Master said in a slow, steady voice.