"Very well, since the Young Master wishes to know, I will recount to you in detail all the circumstances that I am aware of.
Roughly eighty years ago, our Mao Clan and a nearby family, the Tan Family, clashed violently over the mining rights to a vein of Law Crystals.
In the beginning, the two sides were equally matched, and after negotiation, they decided to jointly develop the crystal deposit. However, the Tan Family later attached themselves to a powerful force called the Thousand Sword Sect.
The Tan Family and the Thousand Sword Sect dispatched a large force to attack Mao City, intending to exterminate our Mao Clan.
That battle inflicted heavy losses upon our clan, and just as we were on the verge of being annihilated, Benefactor Zisheng Zhenjun descended from the heavens. He took action and slaughtered all the forces from the Tan Family and the Thousand Sword Sect, saving our Mao Clan.
Later, with the Benefactor's assistance, our clan's power increased dramatically in a short period. Originally an obscure family, we rapidly developed into a second-tier faction, completely wiping out both the Tan Family and the Thousand Sword Sect.
Afterwards, for reasons unknown, Benefactor suddenly stormed into the headquarters of the Tianliang Sacred Land and killed one of their Venerable Elders along with a great many others.
In a fit of fury, the Tianliang Sacred Land launched a manhunt for the Benefactor, offering an enormous bounty.
However, the Benefactor later disappeared to an unknown location and has not reappeared in the Tianxiong Domain since.
Young Master, this is the situation as I know it."
The Elder Patriarch slowly recounted this series of events.
"So that's how it is," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Do you know where my master went? Or did he ever reveal to you where he intended to go?" Ye Yunfei pondered for a moment before asking.
"The Benefactor once told me he was the inheritor of an ancient major power, the Ziwei Sect, and was always investigating the whereabouts of that sect's founder, the Ziwei Great Emperor. He never revealed to me where he intended to go."
The Elder Patriarch shook his head in reply.
"The Benefactor was extremely low-key among our Mao Clan, never showing his face before our clansmen. Only myself and five Elders of the clan were aware of his existence.
Even that time he saved our clan, he employed a sophisticated secret technique from a distance, killing without a trace, and mysteriously wiped out the Tan Family and the Thousand Sword Sect forces in a short span of time.
Thus, the entire Tianxiong Domain never learned that the true reason behind the Mao Family's rapid rise was the Benefactor's support from behind the scenes.
Thinking back now, it was the Benefactor's way of protecting our Mao Clan, fearing we would be implicated because of him."
The Elder Patriarch added.
"Then, by actively contacting me now, aren't you afraid of exposing your Mao Clan, letting outsiders know of your clan's relationship with my master?" Ye Yunfei inquired.
Upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words, the Elder Patriarch and the five Elders all changed expressions. They understood that if word of the Mao Clan's connection to Zisheng Zhenjun got out, the Tianliang Sacred Land would certainly not let them off.
"Young Master, of course I am afraid.
However, the Benefactor has been missing all these years, and we have been constantly worried about him.
Having heard just these past few days about the sudden appearance of the Benefactor's disciple, who is now in an unfavorable situation, and given the immense favor our Mao Clan owes the Benefactor, how could we simply stand by and do nothing?
One of the tenets of our Mao Clan's ancestral teachings is that we must never be ungrateful or dishonorable!
How about this, Young Master? Stay with our Mao Clan for now. Once the heat dies down, we can consider other arrangements."
The Elder Patriarch fell silent for a moment before speaking to Ye Yunfei.
"You can rest assured, I fear not even if the Holy Lord of the Tianliang Sacred Land comes. For any others who come, I will simply kill as many as arrive."
Ye Yunfei gave a cold laugh.
The Elder Patriarch and the five Elders were taken aback by Ye Yunfei's words. Clearly, they did not believe him, attributing his statement to youthful arrogance, like a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger.
"Young Master, the Tianliang Sacred Land is one of the most powerful forces in the Tianxiong Domain, said to possess many World-Unification Realm experts. Moreover, their influence within the Tianxiong Domain is immense; a single call brings a hundred answers. Young Master, please do not underestimate the enemy."
One of the Mao Clan Elders advised.
"I appreciate your good intentions, but you can rest assured, I will be fine."
Ye Yunfei nodded in response. He could tell that these several high-level members of the Mao Clan were genuinely grateful to Zisheng Zhenjun and harbored no ill intentions towards himself.
"Young Master, perhaps you could temporarily reside in our Mao Family residence while you consider your plans?" the Elder Patriarch requested.
"Very well. Since I intend to investigate my master's whereabouts, I will temporarily lodge with your Mao Family."
After some thought, Ye Yunfei nodded in agreement. For now, he had no other good place to go, so using the Mao Family as a base was acceptable.
"I will go into secluded cultivation for a while," Ye Yunfei said to the Elder Patriarch.
"Then I will immediately arrange a secluded cultivation chamber for the Young Master."
Seeing Ye Yunfei agree, the Elder Patriarch was overjoyed and personally arranged a secluded chamber for Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei entered the chamber and began his closed-door cultivation.
In recent times, traversing the vast, directionless Chaotic Void had been exhausting and fraught with various dangers. Later, tempering his body amidst the lightning in the Chaotic Lightning Pool and cultivating for an extended period, followed by entering the Feixian Continent and arriving at the Tianxiong Domain—he had never had a proper chance to recuperate.
Thus, Ye Yunfei intended to rest and recuperate while also taking the opportunity to elevate his Spiritual Power realm.
Reaching the Fourth Level of the Thunder God Tyrant Body had resulted in a qualitative leap in his physical body. It was time to advance his Spiritual Power realm.
Within the Illusionary Shadow Pagoda, Ye Yunfei retrieved a batch of cultivation resources and began cultivating.
From the spatial ring gifted by the Tianyi Sect Leader of the Immortal Tomb World back at the battlefield near the Primordial Continent, Ye Yunfei had consumed less than half of the cultivation resources it contained.
Therefore, Ye Yunfei was not currently lacking cultivation resources.
Moreover, all the cultivation resources given by that Tianyi Sect Leader originated from the Immortal Tomb World, a core world, making them high-grade and remarkably effective.
At the Mao Family headquarters, roughly three days later, dark clouds suddenly gathered above Ye Yunfei's secluded cultivation chamber, accompanied by the roar of tribulation lightning.
"The Young Master seems to be breaking through! Lock down the area immediately; no clansmen are permitted to gather and watch!"
Hearing the tribulation thunder, the Elder Patriarch and the five Elders rushed out and immediately issued orders, commanding all clansmen to stay far away from the area where Ye Yunfei's chamber was located.
Then, Ye Yunfei emerged from the chamber and began facing the lightning tribulation.
For this cultivation session, Ye Yunfei had not entered the Illusionary Shadow Pagoda because he wished to utilize the energy and Law environment of the Feixian Continent, a core world, to aid in his breakthrough. The energy and Laws between heaven and earth on the Feixian Continent greatly benefited a martial artist's cultivation and breakthroughs.
"Middle stage of the Star-Gazing Realm!"
An hour later, Ye Yunfei successfully broke through to the middle stage of the Star-Gazing Realm.
Standing in the distance, the Elder Patriarch and the five Elders saw Ye Yunfei succeed and were about to approach to offer congratulations when they noticed him immediately return to the chamber to continue his closed-door cultivation.
Soon, another three days passed.
Above Ye Yunfei's cultivation chamber, tribulation clouds gathered once more, and lightning flashed while thunder rumbled.
Ye Yunfei walked out of the chamber and began facing the lightning tribulation yet again.
"How is this possible? In the span of just a few days, the Young Master is undergoing a tribulation for the second time?"
Witnessing this scene, the Elder Patriarch and the five Elders were stunned.
An hour later, Ye Yunfei succeeded once more, reaching the late stage of the Star-Gazing Realm.
"With my current strength of Spiritual Power, contending against someone of the Heavenly Longevity Realm would now be quite easy."
Clenching his fists and sensing the surging, mighty energy of Spiritual Power within his body, Ye Yunfei declared confidently.
Above the Star-Gazing Realm lay the Heavenly Longevity Realm! Of course, if one factored in the Thunder God Tyrant Body, the Semi-Emperor sword, Space energy, Time energy, Soul Power, and other trump cards combined, Ye Yunfei's overall combat prowess far exceeded that of the Heavenly Longevity Realm.
Not to mention ordinary masters, even if the peak experts of the Tianliang Sacred Land came, Ye Yunfei would not fear them. Even if he couldn't defeat them, extracting himself entirely unscathed would be an easy matter.
"Utterly inconceivable! In just a few short days, the Young Master successfully broke through twice in succession! Such cultivation speed is truly staggering!
Moreover, I can sense his Spiritual Power aura is exceptionally solid, without the slightest sign of being unstable!
Truly worthy of being the disciple of our venerable Benefactor!"
As they sensed the aura of Ye Yunfei's Spiritual Power energy, the Elder Patriarch and the five Elders communicated their shock to each other via sound transmission.
"Young Master, congratulations on your successful breakthroughs!" The Elder Patriarch and the five Elders came before Ye Yunfei to offer their congratulations.
"Any news these past few days?" Ye Yunfei waved his hand and asked.
"The Tianliang Sacred Land's forces have already arrived in the Zhenying Sacred Kingdom. Furthermore, besides the Tianliang Sacred Land's people, a large number of other forces and experts have also descended upon the Zhenying Sacred Kingdom, searching everywhere for traces of you, Young Master.
It is said the Tianliang Sacred Land forces have camped right at the site of the ancient Ziwei Sect headquarters. That entire mountainous area has been turned upside down, practically destroying the mountain ranges there, reducing them entirely to ruins.
Now, not only within the Zhenying Sacred Kingdom, but even at important intersections and checkpoints in several nearby saint kingdoms, many forces have deployed personnel for strict surveillance and inspection.
The Tianliang Sacred Land has issued a statement that anyone who can locate you, Young Master, or kill you, will be richly rewarded.
Young Master, the situation is somewhat unfavorable for you. During this period, you absolutely must not venture out. Hide for now within our Mao Family headquarters. Once the heat dies down, you can go out."
The Elder Patriarch told Ye Yunfei with a grave expression.
"Indeed, the situation outside is truly perilous. The Young Master must be careful to conceal himself," the five Elders also nodded.
"The Tianliang Sacred Land's forces are destroying the old headquarters of the Ziwei Sect?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Yunfei flew into a rage. A dreadful killing aura instantly enveloped a vast space around them, startling the Mao Family leaders.
Ye Yunfei still planned to rebuild the Ziwei Sect on the Feixian Continent in the future. The Ziwei Sect originally belonged to the Feixian Continent in ancient times. After becoming a Heavenly Emperor in his previous life, he had relocated the Ziwei Sect headquarters from the Primordial Continent to the Feixian Continent. Thus, hearing now that the Tianliang Sacred Land's people were destroying the old headquarters instantly incensed him.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
After a moment's thought, Ye Yunfei took a single step, instantly traversing space to vanish from sight.
"Young Master, do not be rash!"
The Elder Patriarch and the five Elders paled in fright, roughly guessing what Ye Yunfei intended to do.
But Ye Yunfei's movement speed was far too fast; they were utterly unable to stop him.
"The Young Master's speed is truly staggering!" one Mao Family Elder exclaimed in awe.