"Once I find time to fuse with this Celestial Gold Race Bloodline Essence, I can begin cultivating the Transform into Weapon Art."
Ye Yunfei thought silently to himself.
"Come, let's go take a look above ground."
"It has been far too long since I've breathed the air of the outside world!"
The Third Elder of the Celestial Gold Race spoke up.
"Very well, let's leave together."
The First Elder nodded in agreement.
"Seniors, there is something I must tell you."
Ye Yunfei suddenly interjected.
"Outside, there are many puppets, all of them refined from the corpses of your Celestial Gold Race clansmen."
"What?"
"There are many puppets refined from the bodies of our clansmen?"
Upon hearing this, all five Elders were both shocked and furious.
"Indeed."
"I estimate that those puppets have completely surrounded this underground palace by now. The moment you step out, you will immediately encounter them."
Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Who could be so utterly devoid of conscience as to refine the corpses of our kin into puppets!"
The five Elders' eyes were bloodshot with rage; they were seething with anger.
"Let's go out and see."
With a flicker of his figure, the First Elder shot toward the exit of the underground palace.
Ye Yunfei and the other four Elders followed closely behind.
*Rumble…*
As soon as Ye Yunfei and the five Elders emerged from the underground palace, the subterranean world around them began to shake. Then, one golden figure after another appeared, charging at them from all directions.
"It's true! These are indeed puppets made from our clansmen's bodies!"
Looking at these golden puppets charging toward them, the five Elders wore expressions of deep sorrow alongside their fury.
"It seems… all our clansmen who remained behind to fight in those days have perished entirely."
One of the Elders choked back a sob.
*Boom…* *Boom…*
At this moment, a dense swarm of puppets was approaching like a golden tide.
"Do not harm them."
"Find the control runes inscribed within their bodies and erase them."
The First Elder looked upon these golden puppets and spoke softly.
*Thump…* *Thump…*
With a mere wave of his hand, the First Elder sent a dozen golden puppets flying.
Likewise, the other four Elders each repelled a group of puppets charging in front of them.
The five Elders released their Soul Power, probing into these puppets, searching for the control runes engraved within.
Generally, those who refine puppets will inscribe special runes, restrictions, or Soul Power marks within their bodies, using these to control them.
"Seniors, I already know where the control runes are located within these puppets. However, my strength is insufficient to erase them from a distance. I will tell you now."
Ye Yunfei said.
In the next moment, Ye Yunfei sent five separate pieces of Soul Power-borne information to each Elder.
This information detailed how to destroy the control runes within the puppets.
During his earlier, prolonged pursuit by these golden puppets, Ye Yunfei—given his extensive experience—had long since thoroughly researched the control runes within them and understood, in broad strokes, how to dismantle them. However, these puppets were incredibly strong, their bodies unnaturally tough. Moreover, the control runes themselves were infused with immense energy and laws. Dismantling them singlehandedly was a bit beyond Ye Yunfei's current capability.
"Thank you, young man!"
Upon receiving Ye Yunfei's Soul Power information, the Fifth Elder immediately gained full understanding of the control runes within the nearby puppets.
*Boom…* *Boom…*
The five Elders each reached out and pulled puppets toward them through sheer force, then used their hands to forcefully erase the control runes within.
Once the control runes were wiped away, these puppets instantly reverted to lifeless corpses, losing the energy to move and ceasing all attacks.
The five Elders strode forward, continuously wiping out the control runes from wave after wave of golden puppets.
Ye Yunfei followed closely behind, with no need to act at all.
"These five Half-Emperor experts of the Celestial Gold Race are truly formidable."
"Three are late-stage Half-Emperors, and two are mid-stage Half-Emperors."
"Moreover, combat prowess among the Celestial Gold Race typically far surpasses that of beings from other races."
Following behind, sensing the auras of these five Celestial Gold Race experts, Ye Yunfei mused to himself.
A day later, the five Elders finally cleared the entire subterranean area surrounding the underground palace of all golden puppets.
All control runes had been erased; the puppets had reverted to lifeless bodies.
In total, there were several thousand corpses of Celestial Gold Race clansmen.
A day later.
The five Elders, bringing Ye Yunfei along, emerged from the underground and reached the surface.
*Boom…* *Boom…*
They had just set foot on the surface when a large wave of golden puppets came charging at them from all directions again.
Seeing these golden puppets, the five Elders all looked utterly sorrowful.
"Let us erase the control runes within them."
The First Elder sighed lightly.
Then, with a mere pulling gesture, he simultaneously drew over a dozen puppets and, in an instant, erased the control runes within them.
In the ensuing time, the five Elders walked all throughout the Tianjin Forbidden Land, seeking out these golden puppets and continuously wiping their control runes.
Three days later.
"I've tallied the count: in total, there are over thirty thousand of our clansmen's bodies."
Within the Tianjin Forbidden Land, on a broad patch of open ground, the First Elder looked upon the hill-like pile of golden corpses, his heart heavy, and spoke slowly.
The other four Elders stood beside the First Elder, looking at the vast array of their clansmen's remains, their expressions tinged with grief.
"A pity we haven't found the Grand Mage's remains."
The Fourth Elder said regretfully.
"In the message I received from the Grand Mage all those years ago, he said he had perished together with the enemy."
"I believe the Grand Mage has already been reduced to dust."
The First Elder fell silent for a moment before replying.
"We will avenge this sea of blood one day—that day will surely come!"
The Third Elder clenched his fist, his voice harsh and seething with resentment.
"Seniors, during these past few days within this Tianjin Forbidden Land, a mysterious Soul Power has been continuously sensing our whereabouts."
"That Soul Power seems to bear ill will toward us."
Ye Yunfei suddenly sent a Sound Transmission to the five Elders.
In truth, it was Hun Lao who first detected this.
Hun Lao was highly proficient in spatial and temporal energies and laws, possessing acute sensitivity toward the fabric of space.
"A mysterious Soul Power?"
The five Elders were momentarily taken aback upon receiving Ye Yunfei's Sound Transmission.
"It might well be an enemy of our race!"
"Young man, where is this Soul Power located?"
The First Elder inquired.
At the same time, all five Elders unleashed their Soul Power energy, spreading it outward to probe the surroundings.
Being Half-Emperors, their Soul Power was incredibly formidable. Earlier, their attention had been fixed on the puppets, so they hadn't paid close attention to the surroundings.
Now, prompted by Ye Yunfei, their Soul Power instantly enveloped a vast area, conducting a detailed scan.
"Indeed, young man, you are correct."
"I too vaguely detect a certain Soul Power probing us!"
Very quickly, the First Elder spoke up.
"We sensed it as well."
The other four Elders nodded.
"This must be an enemy of our race. Let's go settle accounts with him!"
The Fifth Elder declared.