"Here are a few formulas for Eighth-Grade Spirit Pills. Among them, the Beastly Verdant Pill is for refining and giving to Hu Miao. The Vast Soul Pill is for you. With the help of these two spirit pills, I believe your strengths will both make a breakthrough very soon. This is especially true for you, Elder Huang. You will soon be able to completely leave the alchemy cauldron and truly become a Ghost Cultivator. At that time, you'll be able to unleash many ghost-cultivator type techniques."
Ye Yunfei spoke.
Hearing this, Huang Shang and Hu Miao were naturally extremely excited.
"Elder Zhang, you have been at the Middle Stage of the Saint Realm for eight years now, correct?"
Ye Yunfei's gaze fell upon Elder Zhang. With Ye Yunfei's eyes, it naturally took only one glance to clearly discern the exact state of Elder Zhang's strength.
"That's right, Master. I broke through to the Mid Stage Saint Realm eight years ago. However, in these eight years, my realm has not advanced a single inch. I've been stuck at the Mid Stage Saint Realm. Probably... my talent is limited. This is likely the level of cultivation I will attain in this lifetime."
Elder Zhang replied.
For martial artists cultivating martial arts, aptitude and talent were extremely important. Aptitude and talent often decided how much achievement a martial artist could attain in their martial path throughout their life. Of course, aside from aptitude and talent, a martial artist's cultivation also depended on cultivation techniques, resources, opportunities, luck, state of mind, and so on.
"It's not that your talent is lacking. It's that the cultivation technique you practice is too low-level. Also, you haven't had access to better resources. I will have Elder Huang refine an Eighth Grade Verdant Yi Pill for you. Within these next few days, you should be able to break through to the Saint Realm Late Stage. Also, I will impart to you a cultivation technique called the Verdant Sun Heaven Guard Art. Diligently cultivate it and strive to break through to the True Manifestation Realm as soon as possible."
Ye Yunfei said to Elder Zhang.
After speaking, Ye Yunfei flicked his finger, sending a strand of Soul Power information straight into Elder Zhang's soul sea.
"Thank you, Master!"
Elder Zhang was so excited he trembled.
"I am going to go into seclusion training."
Ye Yunfei declared.
Hu Miao entered her inner alchemy cauldron. Huang Shang returned to his alchemy cauldron. Elder Zhang then came to the door of the small pavilion, sat down cross-legged, and began to protect Ye Yunfei's seclusion cultivation.
"I have mastered the third layer of the Heavenly Demon Blood-Refining Body Art, and having experienced further trials and tribulations over a period, my accumulation is now sufficient. Now is the time to break through my Spiritual Qi realm."
Ye Yunfei murmured to himself.
After that, Ye Yunfei directly entered the Phantom Tower.
The Phantom Tower contained a profound time attribute. The flow of time inside the tower was a hundred times that of the outside world. A hundred days inside the tower equated to only one day passing outside. Therefore, cultivating inside the Phantom Tower provided an abundance of time.
Inside the Phantom Tower, Ye Yunfei sat down cross-legged. With a wave of his hand, he took out six to seven hundred million spirit crystals, stacking them into small mountains that surrounded him on all sides. Then, he took out a large quantity of spirit pills and natural treasures, piling them up around his body.
Ye Yunfei possessed the Chaos God Vein and cultivated the world's top-level method, the Nine Solar Scripture. Thus, each time he broke through and advanced, the amount of Spiritual Qi he needed to absorb was far greater than that of an ordinary martial artist.
Next, Ye Yunfei began to circulate the Nine Solar Scripture.
Boom… Boom…
The Spiritual Qi contained within the spirit crystals all around him began to be unceasingly drawn out, converging towards Ye Yunfei's body, and finally being sucked into the meridians within him.
At the same time.
Great Qin Empire, Yuanyue City.
Yuanyue Academy.
On a campus path, a burly youth was wandering listlessly.
"Brother Fei left Yuanyue City so long ago, and he hasn't come back to visit. I wonder how he's doing now…"
the youth murmured to himself.
This youth was none other than Zhou Mu.
Suddenly.
A gray-robed elder appeared like a ghostly apparition, abruptly appearing in the sky above Yuanyue Academy.
Boom…
A terrifying pressure of energy descended from the sky, instantly enveloping the entire Yuanyue Academy. It was as if invisible mountains were pressing down from above.
All the disciples of Yuanyue Academy were at the Qi Gathering Realm. The instructors, including the Headmaster and Vice Headmasters, possessed Earth Realm strength.
How could they withstand such a terrifying pressure of energy?
Immediately, every single person within the academy — the Headmaster, Vice Headmasters, instructors, and all the disciples — was pressed down, prone on the ground.
Pfft… Pfft…
Every disciple spat blood, instantly sustaining severe injuries.
"Esteemed Senior, may I ask... what business brings you to our Yuanyue Academy?"
The Headmaster of Yuanyue Academy struggled to raise his head and asked with a trembling voice.
"I am looking for Zhou Mu."
The gray-robed elder looked down upon the many disciples within Yuanyue Academy. His indifferent gaze was like a divine dragon in the sky staring at a group of ants on the ground.
"For me?"
At this moment, Zhou Mu was struggling to lie prone on the ground. Hearing the gray-robed elder's words, he couldn't help but be startled. The nearby disciples also turned their gazes toward Zhou Mu.
"You are Zhou Mu?"
The gray-robed elder's sensory ability was incredibly acute. His sharp, piercing eyes immediately locked onto Zhou Mu.
"That's right. I am Zhou Mu."
Zhou Mu answered with difficulty.
"Do you know Ye Yunfei?"
The gray-robed elder inquired.
"Are you talking about Brother Fei? Of course I know him."
Zhou Mu paused, then answered.
"It appears it is you, then."
The gray-robed elder gave a cold laugh and extended his hand to beckon.
Whoosh!
Zhou Mu's body immediately flew up into the air, landing in the gray-robed elder's hand.
The gray-robed elder carried Zhou Mu's body by the scruff of his neck, turned, and left, vanishing into the horizon in an instant.
A short while later.
Great Qin Empire, Imperial Capital.
Suddenly.
A gray-robed elder appeared in the sky above the imperial palace.
"Empress Dowager and Emperor! Show yourselves, now!"
The gray-robed elder roared sternly.
At that moment, heaven and earth trembled along with his voice, rumbling like thunder, as if the world itself was collapsing. Within the imperial palace, countless buildings continuously crumbled and shattered.
Whoosh!
A graceful figure shot rapidly into the sky. It was none other than the Empress Dowager. She was now at the early stage of the Saint Realm. Moreover, having cultivated the Pure Maiden Heart Sutra and sword path inheritance given to her by Ye Yunfei, her combat prowess was growing stronger by the day.
"Senior, what is the meaning of this! Why are you destroying the buildings of my imperial palace without any reason?"
The Empress Dowager looked at the gray-robed elder, her brow involuntarily furrowing tightly.
"This is… an expert of the legendary True Manifestation Realm!"
Feeling the terrifying aura radiating from the gray-robed elder, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but feel intense apprehension.
"Who dares to destroy the palaces of our Imperial Household?!"
An imposing voice, filled with imperial majesty, rang out. Then, a man draped in imperial robes strode into the air. It was the Emperor.
"I never expected that the Empress Dowager and Emperor of such a remote, backwater kingdom would cultivate such advanced techniques. This truly surprises me. Very well, I will force out the techniques you cultivate."
The gray-robed elder scrutinized the Empress Dowager and Emperor, a look of shock in his gaze. He could tell that the Empress Dowager and Emperor both cultivated extraordinarily profound techniques.
"Now, come with me obediently."
The gray-robed elder said coldly.
As soon as his words fell, he reached out a hand and grasped towards the Empress Dowager through the air.
Boom…
A hand formed of spiritual power, containing a terrifying pressure, grabbed towards the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager manifested a sword in her hand and slashed out.
Cling!
A beam of saber-light of unimaginable speed cut through the air with extreme sharpness, striking that spiritual power hand. The spiritual power hand jolted violently.
"What tyrannical sword art!"
The gray-robed elder was greatly shocked.
"Haha! I will also force this sword art out."
Rather than being angered, the gray-robed elder laughed.
Boom…
The spiritual power hand accelerated, grabbing the Empress Dowager as fast as lightning. Although the Empress Dowager's sword art was powerful, after all, facing an expert of the True Manifestation Realm, the difference in strength was simply too vast.
Next, the gray-robed elder grabbed the Emperor. The Emperor was merely at the Profound Realm, possessing not the slightest ability to resist in the face of a True Manifestation Realm expert.
After capturing the Empress Dowager and Emperor, the gray-robed elder took out a communication jade slip and sent out a message.
The message's content was as follows: Zhou Mu, Empress Dowager, Emperor: all captured. Deploy the Heaven Net and Earth Trap immediately to deal with Ye Yunfei.