"With just the strength of your Sword Emperor Pavilion, you won't be keeping me here."
Ye Yunfei replied calmly, a trace of disdain on his face.
"Pavilion Master, let's take action. We have nothing left to say to this brat.
Kill him, and then seize the Heaven Splitting Pagoda!"
An Elder beside the Pavilion Master snarled, baring his teeth in a bitter snarl.
"He's just a junior. There's no need for our Sword Emperor Pavilion to raise the alarm over such a trivial threat. You all stand back and watch. I'll behead him!"
A grey-robed Elder stepped forward first. With a clang, a longsword landed in his hand, and with a sharp sound, he thrust it toward Ye Yunfei.
This was a Half-Emperor expert!
"Elder Liu, be careful. There's a possibility Elder Zeng's death is related to him!"
the Pavilion Master cautioned.
"Move aside a bit,"
Ye Yunfei said to the prisoners behind him. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent over a thousand prisoners flying into the distance.
Pfft... Pfft...
In the next moment, crimson arrows of blood erupted from Ye Yunfei's body, transforming into billowing blood mist that cloaked his form.
The Origin Essence Blood Dissolution Great Art!
This forbidden technique of the Blood Clan could be performed by beings at any level of strength, and in Ye Yunfei's hands, its maximum potential was unleashed!
Earlier, Ye Yunfei had already ingested a batch of high-level medicinal pills specifically designed to temporarily stimulate potential. Combined with the Origin Essence Blood Dissolution Great Art, they produced a staggering effect.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Yunfei transformed into a blood-soaked figure covered in congealed blood, an aura of bloody light soaring to the heavens.
"This looks like the legendary technique of the Blood Clan!
It can forcibly elevate combat power temporarily!"
a Sword Emperor Pavilion Elder exclaimed loudly.
"What does it matter if he temporarily boosts his strength? In the face of absolute power, it's all mere illusion!"
Elder Liu roared, rapidly vibrating the longsword in his hand, conjuring countless sword beams like a torrential sword-rain hacking toward Ye Yunfei's position.
Five Swords Merge Into One!
Ye Yunfei whispered the incantation and pointed a finger. Five spirit swords appeared before him, then merged together into a single sword that shot forward with a clang.
Clang!
The tips of the two swords violently collided, sparks flying in a dazzling shower.
After an instant's stalemate, Ye Yunfei's sword was forcibly repelled, shooting backward.
"A Half-Emperor, sure enough."
Ye Yunfei retreated dozens of steps before steadying himself, reaching out to grasp the returning sword as he spoke.
The strength of a Half-Emperor expert far exceeded that of a Heavenly God. Although Ye Yunfei could instantly kill peak Heavenly Gods, he was still no match for a Half-Emperor. Even after performing the Origin Essence Blood Dissolution Great Art and ingesting many pills that temporarily stimulated his potential, the energy he possessed still fell short of a Half-Emperor's.
"How is this possible?"
Witnessing this, everyone present was dumbstruck.
A junior with the strength of the World Fusion Realm actually managed to withstand a direct blow from a Half-Emperor expert. It was simply unbelievable.
Although Ye Yunfei retreated many steps, clearly at a disadvantage, under normal circumstances, a single blow from a Half-Emperor expert could instantly kill hundreds, even thousands of World Fusion Realm cultivators!
"Brat, we truly underestimated you!
However, even so, our Sword Emperor Pavilion is still not an existence you can afford to provoke. Today, you are doomed!"
Elder Liu's expression darkened as he spoke coldly.
"God-Slaying Sword Stroke!"
Elder Liu thrust out the sword in his hand once more, carrying a biting, murderous intent. It was radiant to the extreme, rolling sword light instantly inundating the sky and earth.
Boom!
Amidst the towering sword light, a single sword beam, brilliant as shining gold, instantly took form. It stretched hundreds of zhang long, flickering with profound sword dao runes that seemed to contain an esoteric sword law principle. It slashed toward Ye Yunfei at an astonishing speed.
This sword strike was terrifyingly fast, yet to onlookers, it also seemed to move slowly — as if time itself had been solidified across this region in that very moment.
"That's the God-Slaying Sword Stroke!
One of the most powerful inherited sword skills of our Sword Emperor Pavilion!
They say only a handful of exceptionally gifted Sword Cultivators within our Sword Emperor Pavilion can successfully master it!"
"It's said the God-Slaying Sword Stroke not only contains an esoteric sword law principle but also involves a profound time law. It's a stroke that combines sword law and time law. A single stroke can slay even gods. From the look of it, its reputation is truly well-deserved. That brat Ye Yunfei is finished!"
...
Seeing Elder Liu execute the God-Slaying Sword Stroke, the surrounding Sword Emperor Pavilion disciples all erupted in commotion, discussing excitedly.
"Not a bad sword technique."
Ye Yunfei also gave a slight nod.
Boom!
Ye Yunfei swung his own sword, unleashing a thick sword beam to intercept it. Wherever the beam passed, it cleanly sliced through space as if a hot knife through butter.
"That's One Sword to Pacify the World!
Brat, how do you know this move?!"
The moment Ye Yunfei struck, the Pavilion Master of the Sword Emperor Pavilion cried out in shock.
Boom...
The sword beams unleashed by both sides violently collided with the force of two celestial bodies crashing together. An endless expanse of sword energy spread out in all directions like a raging ocean, submerging and destroying everything in its path.
Everyone nearby hurriedly sought cover.
Swish!
Ye Yunfei's body was sent flying backward by the force. With a thunderous crash, he smashed an enormous, ancient tree in the distance into splinters.
However, Ye Yunfei flickered and instantly returned to his original position.
Apart from some tears on his clothes, he was essentially unharmed!
Ye Yunfei had cultivated the Body Turned Artifact technique, with several thousand magical treasures and three Half-Emperor-level artifacts fused within his body, in addition to previous body-refining cultivation methods. His physical body had reached an astonishing degree of hardness.
Capable of withstanding a direct frontal assault from a Half-Emperor!
"Impossible!"
Elder Liu could not accept reality before his eyes. He had executed the God-Slaying Sword Stroke, a frontal assault, yet could not even harm a junior who only possessed the strength of the World Fusion Realm!
"I finally understand why he was able to annihilate our Sword Emperor Pavilion's branch in Tianxiong Domain and several cities near headquarters.
He truly possesses the strength for it."
The Sword Emperor Pavilion Master couldn't help but sigh.
"Brat, I will kill you!"
Elder Liu seemed to fall into a state of furious rage, roaring violently.
"Body-Sword Unity Technique!"
Elder Liu thrust his sword forward, dazzling sword light billowing out like a deep abyss or vast sea. Then, his figure flickered, directly merging with the longsword into a single entity. With a sharp sound, he slashed toward Ye Yunfei.
Body-Sword Unity Technique was also an advanced sword skill of the Sword Emperor Pavilion, immensely powerful. It merged all of one's energy and essence (Jing-Qi-Shen) with the longsword, representing an ultimate sword strike!
"Young Master Ye, there's no need to waste time with them. Allow us to emerge."
At this moment, the Grand Elder of the Celestial Gold Race spoke to Ye Yunfei.
Although the five Celestial Gold Race elders were inside the Phantom Tower, they perceived the external situation with perfect clarity.
"Good!"
Ye Yunfei nodded.
Ye Yunfei understood that, with his current strength, directly defeating a Half-Emperor expert was still somewhat beyond him.
In a blink, the longsword wielded by Elder Liu had arrived before Ye Yunfei, slashing down. Ye Yunfei neither dodged nor evaded, simply waiting there.
"What's going on?
Why isn't Ye Yunfei dodging? Does he have some means to withstand Elder Liu's sword?"
The Sword Emperor Pavilion forces all wore expressions of confusion.
"Hmph!
Elder Liu's strike gathers nearly all his Jing-Qi-Shen into a single, powerful blow. Its might is even more terrifying than the previous God-Slaying Sword Stroke. That brat might have withstood the God-Slaying Sword Stroke, but he definitely won't withstand this one!"
Another Elder sneered.
Clang!
Right at that moment, the sword finally arrived before Ye Yunfei, aiming for his body.
"Die!"
came the fierce cry from within the sword.
A terrifying, murderous aura instantly enveloped Ye Yunfei.
Just then.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Five imposing golden figures abruptly materialized, erupting simultaneously like five sacred mountains, almost overturning the heavens and earth in their vicinity.
Ahh...
Many Sword Emperor Pavilion personnel standing too close were instantly blasted away, shrieking as they were hurled into the distance.
The five Celestial Gold Race elders had finally emerged.
Five Half-Emperors unleashing their aura simultaneously was simply too terrifying a spectacle.
"Five Half-Emperor experts!
How is this possible!"
The Sword Emperor Pavilion leadership, upon seeing the five Celestial Gold Race elders, had wild changes of expression on their faces.
How could they have imagined that Ye Yunfei had five Half-Emperor experts accompanying him?
At this moment, the Sword Emperor Pavilion leadership finally understood why that Elder Zeng had perished before!
"Heh, did you truly think only minor factions like yours possess advanced cultivation arts and martial skills?"
The Grand Elder laughed coldly.
"Merge our forms!"
the Grand Elder said to the other four Elders.
Swish...
The five elders swiftly moved close together, instantly merging into a single, massive golden giant, his entire body radiant as if cast from molten gold.
Clang!
The golden giant punched out, his fist continuously enlarging until it formed a colossal golden mountain, smashing directly into the oncoming sword.
Crack!
A snapping sound rang out as Elder Liu's longsword was directly shattered by the blow.
Pfft...
Elder Liu's physical body reappeared, his face deathly pale as he spat out mouthfuls of blood consecutively.
Although Body-Sword Unity was formidable, how could it withstand the combined might of five Celestial Gold Race elders united as one?
Boom!
The massive golden giant unleashed another punch, hurling it toward Elder Liu.
"Be careful!"
the other Sword Emperor Pavilion superiors cried out, charging forward.
Including the Pavilion Master and Elder Liu, there happened to be five Half-Emperor experts from the Sword Emperor Pavilion present!
Clang!
With a combined blow from five Sword Emperor Pavilion Half-Emperors, they finally managed to block the golden giant's fist.
"Everyone... who exactly are you all?
I do not recognize you at all. Our Sword Emperor Pavilion seems to hold no grudges or vendettas against you. Why are you helping Ye Yunfei to oppose our Sword Emperor Pavilion?"
The Pavilion Master's expression was extremely grim as he asked, his voice low.
The simultaneous appearance of five Half-Emperor experts was something even the Sword Emperor Pavilion had to treat seriously.
Swish... swish...
The five Celestial Gold Race elders revealed their forms one by one, each emitting a terrifying aura as they stood in direct confrontation with the Sword Emperor Pavilion's five Half-Emperor experts.
"Heh, offending Young Master Ye means offending us."
the Grand Elder sneered.
"Enough talk. Let's have a good, proper fight!"
the Second Elder roared. With a thunderous sound, he charged forward and struck without another word.