"Yes, the Patriarch's aura is growing clearer and clearer!"
"Let's pick up the pace!"
With a wave of his hand, Ye Yunfei led the group, charging forward at high speed.
Suddenly, from not far away, an energy vortex reacted, roaring towards them. Numerous War Remnant Souls emerged from within the raging winds, pouncing on Ye Yunfei and his companions.
"Scram!"
Ye Yunfei pointed a finger. The Half-Emperor grade longsword materialized before him, unleashing rolling waves of sword radiance that swept toward the War Remnant Souls. All of them were swiftly shattered, and the energy vortex was forced to retreat, changing direction to race off somewhere else.
Not long after.
A range of hills appeared ahead, a land scattered with broken, barren peaks rising from the earth.
"Young Master Ye, I can feel the Patriarch's bloodline aura. It seems he is within that range of hills ahead," the Demon Race expert said to Ye Yunfei.
This expert had already reached the early stage of the Star-Gazing Realm, possessing keen senses. Moreover, members of the Demon Race were intimately familiar with each other's bloodline auras.
"Good. Let's go in and see," Ye Yunfei said.
He activated the Half-Emperor longsword to clear a path ahead, charging into the broken hills.
Inside was a rolling landscape of countless peaks, all of them damaged and crumbling, devoid of any vegetation.
"Look! There are many remnants of structures ahead. It seems this place was once the headquarters of some sect," the Longevity Palace Master suddenly said, pointing forward.
Indeed, amidst the peaks and valleys ahead, traces of dilapidated ruins could be seen, bearing the clear hallmarks of a sect's former headquarters.
"The Patriarch... he seems to be right ahead. I feel it! The residual bloodline aura he left behind is getting clearer!" the Demon Race expert exclaimed, pointing forward.
"Be careful, everyone. This hill region is saturated with residual formation energy. I suspect many ancient formations are spread throughout here. This area is part of the ancient battlefield. Any formations that have survived here are bound to be formidable," Ye Yunfei said, his brows furrowing slightly as he sensed waves of profound formation energy lurking ahead.
Sure enough, not long after.
*Boom!*
As Ye Yunfei and the others pressed forward, a deafening roar erupted from their left. A formation screen of light abruptly shot up from a shattered patch of ground, violently charging toward them.
"Watch out!"
Ye Yunfei's formidable Soul Power and high level of skill with formations allowed him to perceive the trap the moment it activated. With a flick of his sleeve, he enveloped the Longevity Palace Master and the other three, executed the space teleportation technique, and reappeared in the distance.
*Boom! Boom!*
The moment he steadied himself, another formation screen erupted beside him, releasing terrifying energy.
Ye Yunfei took a single step, shifting positions again.
But yet another formation exploded near him!
This continued; Ye Yunfei switched locations five times in rapid succession, triggering five formations!
"It's actually an Interlinked Formation, though damaged, its power is still immensely formidable," Ye Yunfei finally said once no new formations appeared, allowing himself a sigh of relief as he stood his ground.
"Interlinked Formation? What kind of formation is that? Terrifying! Young Master Ye, if you hadn't reacted so quickly, we would have been blasted by those formations!" The Longevity Palace Master and the other three were pale with fright.
"An Interlinked Formation is an offensive formation capable of actively pursuing and attacking enemies. Once triggered, it shifts position and tracks its targets autonomously," Ye Yunfei explained.
"Such formations exist in this world?" The Longevity Palace Master and his companions were utterly dumbfounded. Nothing of the sort existed in the Hongmeng Continent; this was their first time even hearing of such a thing.
"Be extra cautious from now on. Stay as close to me as possible. There are many more broken formations ahead," Ye Yunfei warned, leading the four deeper into the mountain valley.
The Longevity Palace Master and the others stuck tightly to Ye Yunfei's heels, not daring to stray.
This time, Ye Yunfei advanced much slower, releasing his Soul Power to sense forward, probing for any formations lying in ambush.
As expected, they encountered numerous other broken formations. They also came across an increasing number of dilapidated architectural remnants.
"Young Master Ye, with so many residual formations in this area, wouldn't the Patriarch be in great danger here?" the Demon Race expert suddenly voiced.
"Hard to say. It depends on his luck. I hope he hasn't triggered them. Otherwise, it would mean death or grievous injury," Ye Yunfei said after a moment's contemplation, his voice heavy.
"I pray the Patriarch emerges unharmed," the Demon Race expert sighed.
Finally, they reached the core of this mountainous region.
It was an immense valley blanketed in dense mists, sparkling with celestial radiance. Energy was so abundant it condensed into glimmering droplets of spiritual rain, descending in a gentle cascade. Anyone who drew near felt a sensation of ethereal lightness, as if about to ascend.
At the valley's center stood an ancient altar. Upon the altar lay a transparent crystal coffin.
Within it, one could clearly see the pristine white skeleton it contained.
Surrounding the ancient altar knelt countless living beings—a dense mass of figures from various races: human, demon, devil, beastfolk, and many more.
Among them were some incredibly rare races whose names even Ye Yunfei couldn't immediately recall!
Some races were tiny as ants, while others were massive as lofty mountains.
These beings knelt in row after concentric circle within the vast valley, centered around the ancient altar, radiating outward in undulating waves.
A rough estimate placed the number of kneeling beings in the valley at well over ten thousand!
And these beings were all alive!
What was even more astounding was that each kneeling entity possessed formidable strength, radiating terrifying auras of power.
The energy auras emanating from over ten thousand powerful beings converged and soared skyward, churning and roaring high above with destructive potential that could make one's scalp crawl.
"What is this situation? Who is that skeleton inside the coffin?" the Longevity Palace Master asked, horror-stricken.
"Young Master Ye, have you noticed? It seems the beings closest to the central altar possess the strongest auras! Those kneeling farthest on the periphery have the weakest," the Grand Elder of the Longevity Palace pointed out.
"Indeed. Those five beings nearest the ancient altar are all Half-Emperor experts. Immediately suppress all your energy and soul auras. Don't move. And no more speaking aloud; use Sound Transmission to communicate. This place is extremely dangerous. A single misstep, and we will remain here forever."
Ye Yunfei's expression was extremely grave by now. He had long suppressed every trace of his own aura and was using a spatial secret art to also conceal the auras of the four standing beside him.
"Patriarch! Young Master Ye, I see the Patriarch! He's kneeling at the outermost edge there, with his back to us!" The Demon Race expert suddenly exclaimed excitedly through Sound Transmission.