Inside the Phantom Tower, one day later.
"Well, are you willing to talk yet?"
Ye Yunfei approached the master of the captured branch lord, asking coldly.
The old man looked utterly wretched. Much of his clothing was torn, his hair disheveled, and his face was streaked with bloodstains.
In response to Ye Yunfei's question, the old man remained silent.
"Since that's the case, you can try my poison pill again," Ye Yunfei said indifferently, taking out a black poison pill.
"Master, just tell him. We're both in his hands now; it's very hard to escape. There's no need to suffer physical torment," the branch lord pleaded urgently, his face paling at the sight.
"Fine, young man, I'll tell you the specific location of the Sword Grave."
Just as Ye Yunfei was about to force the poison pill into the old man's mouth, the elder suddenly sighed softly and spoke.
Uttering these words seemed to deflate him entirely, leaving him looking utterly dejected.
"A wise man knows when to yield. Besides, the Sword Grave is an unclaimed secret realm, not some private property of your Sword Emperor Pavilion. Sooner or later, others besides your Pavilion will enter it," Ye Yunfei sneered.
"Ordinary beings dare not enter the Sword Grave. Even our Sword Emperor Pavilion wouldn't enter recklessly. Otherwise, we would have long since sent people to explore it. Young man, this is the specific location of the Sword Grave. Although your strength is considerable, attempting to enter the Sword Grave is nothing but seeking death."
The old man pointed a finger, sending out a stream of Soul Power information that hovered before Ye Yunfei. Although his entire body was sealed, he could still barely manage to produce a piece of Soul Power information.
"Whether I'm seeking death or not is none of your concern," Ye Yunfei replied flatly. With a wave of his hand, he drew the cluster of Soul Power information over, glanced through it briefly, and then stored it away.
Next, Ye Yunfei emerged from the Phantom Tower and left the library with the slave.
"Master, I've already found out where those members of the Mao Clan are being held."
Ye Yunfei had just stepped out of the library when he received a piece of information.
Previously, Ye Yunfei had subdued a Sword Emperor Pavilion patrol team, enslaving them to infiltrate the Pavilion's headquarters. After entering, Ye Yunfei and one slave went to the library, while he ordered the other slaves to go and inquire about the location where the Mao Clan members were imprisoned.
Although these Sword Emperor Pavilion disciples on patrol duty weren't particularly strong or high in status, they were all senior disciples with extensive familiarity of the headquarters and certain connections. Therefore, they had successfully learned the location where the Mao Clan members were held.
"In the Western Heaven Prison. Very good. Let's see if I can sneak in, rescue them first, and then take action. That would be much safer."
Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
There were a total of four Heaven Prisons within the Sword Emperor Pavilion headquarters, named Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern.
"Master, the defenses at the Western Heaven Prison are currently extremely tight," a slave transmitted to Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei had ordered the slaves to disperse to various locations within the headquarters, the better to monitor the movements of the Pavilion's higher-ups.
"Alright, I understand," Ye Yunfei nodded. He entered the Phantom Tower and had one of the slaves carry it towards the location of the Western Heaven Prison.
At the same time.
Within the Sword Emperor Pavilion headquarters, in the council hall.
"Pavilion Master, we have a situation! I have just deduced that an external enemy has infiltrated the headquarters! Something bad is about to happen!"
An elder clad in a long robe hurried into the council hall and announced.
This elder was none other than the Sword Emperor Pavilion's Great Diviner—a renowned master of deduction.
The Pavilion Master and over a dozen major higher-ups were in the hall discussing matters. Hearing the Great Diviner's words, they all stood up, each one both shocked and furious.
"Great Diviner, is this true?" the Pavilion Master asked.
"It's most likely true. I am intimately familiar with the time and space here in the headquarters, and at such a short range, my deduction should not be mistaken," the Great Diviner nodded.
"Great Diviner, did you deduce who the external enemy that infiltrated the headquarters is?" an elder inquired.
"It's most likely Ye Yunfei. Moreover, I believe Elder Zeng's demise is also extremely likely connected to Ye Yunfei," the Great Diviner said with a grave expression, speaking slowly.
"Pavilion Master, we have all underestimated Ye Yunfei before! This kid's strength and methods are perhaps far greater than we imagined," the Great Diviner added.
"Ye Yunfei!"
The expressions of the Pavilion Master and several elders turned extremely ugly.
"If Elder Zeng's death is truly related to Ye Yunfei, then Ye Yunfei's strength and methods are truly terrifying! We must mentally prepare ourselves!" one elder frowned and said.
"Pavilion Master, I believe that if Ye Yunfei has indeed infiltrated our headquarters, his goal must certainly be those members of the Mao Clan!" another elder said after a moment's thought.
"Those Mao Clan members are imprisoned in the Western Heaven Prison. Pavilion Master, we must go to the Western Heaven Prison immediately! If Ye Yunfei possesses the strength to kill a Half-Emperor, the Western Heaven Prison's defenses won't hold him back!" the Great Diviner declared.
"Let's go! We're going to the Western Heaven Prison now!"
Upon hearing the Great Diviner's words, the Pavilion Master and several elders all changed expressions. The Pavilion Master's figure flickered as he shot out of the council hall.
The other higher-ups of the Sword Emperor Pavilion also moved, following closely.
Simultaneously, many Sword Emperor Pavilion forces within the headquarters received orders and charged towards the Western Heaven Prison from all directions.
By this time, Ye Yunfei had already arrived before the entrance to the Western Heaven Prison.
It was a small, dilapidated-looking house situated in a rather secluded spot. Inside the house was an entrance to an underground palace; the Western Heaven Prison lay beneath the ground.
Inside the small house, seven Heavenly Boundary Realm experts sat cross-legged, along with several hundred other Sword Emperor Pavilion members of varying strength levels.
Ye Yunfei probed with his senses and discovered over a dozen large-scale formations arranged around the small house—all of them Sword Formations. They emanated dense, intangible sword energy, thoroughly sealing off this space.
Any outsider who even slightly approached this small house would immediately feel countless sharp strands of sword energy cutting in from all directions, as if about to be torn limb from limb.
It had to be said, the defenses here were extremely tight.
"Master, there's movement! Many people are charging towards the location of the Western Heaven Prison!"
Ye Yunfei stood before the small house, analyzing the Sword Formations, when suddenly a slave beside him whispered urgently.
"Kid, looks like your whereabouts have been exposed," Hun Lao said to Ye Yunfei via Sound Transmission.
"Not surprising. The Sword Emperor Pavilion has many Half-Emperor experts, and I've heard they have a master of deduction. It wouldn't take them long to detect an external enemy breaching their headquarters. I was mentally prepared for this," Ye Yunfei replied.
"I'll force my way in first and rescue them," Ye Yunfei stated.
Rumble…
At that very moment, the over ten Sword Formations surrounding the small house before Ye Yunfei simultaneously erupted, releasing a mighty wave of energy pressure. Endless dazzling sword rays shot into the sky, illuminating the entire area.
"Everyone, I've just received a Sound Transmission from the Pavilion Master! An external enemy has invaded and is highly likely to come to the Western Heaven Prison! Prepare to engage!"
Inside the small house, one of the Heavenly Boundary Realm experts suddenly stood up and shouted sternly.
Immediately, the other Heavenly Boundary Realm experts and all the Sword Emperor Pavilion personnel inside the small house stood up. Some drew their weapons, others summoned magic treasures, their posture one of facing a formidable foe. The atmosphere grew intensely tense.