Simultaneously, within a small world of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds.
Beside a small lake, an old, blind man was sitting cross-legged. Two young attendants were boiling water and preparing tea.
A table was placed before the old blind man, its surface covered with various divination tools, including tortoise shells, copper coins, red string, bamboo tubes, bamboo slips, and yarrow stalks, among others.
Using a tortoise shell, the old blind man was performing a divination.
"Qingfeng, Mingyue, immediately go pack our belongings. We must leave at once!"
Suddenly, the old blind man’s face drastically changed. He opened his eyes, addressing the two attendants.
"Master, why must we leave immediately? Where are we going?"
Hearing this, the two attendants were stunned. One of them couldn't help but ask him.
These two attendants had followed the old blind man for a very long time and had never seen him look so panicked and alarmed.
"Someone intends me harm! We must flee at once, otherwise, we will lose our freedom!"
The old blind man answered with a grave expression.
"Enough! Immediately pack up at the fastest speed possible. We are leaving now!" The old blind man urged.
"Someone wants to harm us? Master, given your status and prestige throughout the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds, you have only to raise a call to arms, and many major powers and experts would surely come to your aid.
Moreover, given your friendship with the Three Great Heavenly Emperors, contacting them immediately would certainly bring all three to assist. With the Three Great Heavenly Emperors coming, we would have nothing to fear!"
The other attendant said.
"It is precisely the Three Great Heavenly Emperors who intend me harm," the old blind man stated.
"The Three Great Heavenly Emperors intend *you* harm, Master?"
Upon hearing this, the two attendants revealed expressions of doubt and disbelief. They knew their master had an extremely deep friendship with the Three Great Heavenly Emperors; not long ago, they had even collaborated to hunt down Heavenly Emperor Ye.
"Ask no more questions. Hurry and pack up! If we delay any longer, we won't be able to escape!"
The old blind man urged once more, appearing rather anxious.
The two attendants quickly began gathering their belongings.
"Let's go!"
Once the two attendants had packed, the old blind man retrieved a tortoise shell. He tossed it out, and it grew in the wind.
The old blind man brought the two attendants to stand upon the tortoise shell.
Rumble…
The tortoise shell erupted with a powerful teleportation energy that directly tore the space ahead, carrying them away along a spatial passage.
Moments later…
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Figures radiating sharp, oppressive auras continuously appeared beside the lake, standing before the few simple thatched huts where the old blind man usually resided in seclusion.
Leading them were precisely the Three Great Heavenly Emperors!
Apart from the Three Great Heavenly Emperors, there were also over a dozen figures whose bodies were enveloped in black mist.
"The old blind man is already gone!"
Great Emperor Jinwu released his Soul Power to sense the surroundings, his face darkening as he spoke.
"He was still here not long ago and only left recently. It is clear he already knew we would come for him and even knew our purpose. Therefore, he left in advance!"
Great Emperor Tianluo slowly spoke, his expression gloomy.
"Truly worthy of being a being most skilled in divination within the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds. It seems this old blind man must know quite a lot.
For a character like this, our Dark Faction has two ways of dealing. First, utilize them for our own ends. Second, directly eliminate them!"
A being shrouded in black mist spoke with a voice icy cold and ear-piercing.
"Immediately dispatch people to search for this old blind man's whereabouts. We must find him, force his surrender, or kill him!"
This being continued.
"Venerable One, the old blind man's Divination Art is extremely profound. Since he already knows our intent, he is sure to find an extremely secluded place to hide. I fear locating him will be very difficult."
Great Emperor Tianluo thought for a moment before speaking.
"Heh heh… Our Dark Faction's Divination Art is not weak either.
Our Dark Faction has five Grand Diviners responsible for divination.
Each Grand Diviner, compared to the old blind man, is only stronger, not weaker."
That Venerable One chuckled coldly.
"So that's the way it is!"
Upon hearing this being's words, the Three Great Heavenly Emperors all felt somewhat stirred and excited.
Not long ago, powerful experts from the Dark Faction personally sought out the Three Great Heavenly Emperors. After a combination of threats and inducements, they successfully compelled the Three Great Heavenly Emperors to submit to the Dark Faction.
Therefore, the Three Great Heavenly Emperors were now members of the Dark Faction. The stronger the Dark Faction's power, the greater the benefits for them.
"Venerable One, next, the three of us plan to deal with Shadow-Scorching King and Phoenix King Zhu."
Great Emperor Tianluo said after a moment's thought.
"Fine. I will send people to assist the three of you.
First, see if you can subdue them. If they refuse to surrender, eliminate them directly."
That Venerable One said.
"Understood.
Venerable One, we understand what must be done."
Great Emperor Tianluo nodded in response.
Shortly after, the Three Great Heavenly Emperors, leading a batch of Dark Faction troops, headed towards Shadow-Scorching Realm.
"The Three Great Heavenly Emperors have indeed taken refuge with the Dark Faction.
I never would have expected this.
Mingling with the Dark Faction will undoubtedly not end well for them.
It seems I will have to draw a clear line with the Three Great Heavenly Emperors from now on."
After the Three Great Heavenly Emperors and those beings from the Dark Faction departed from this small world, the old blind man's figure suddenly reappeared beside the small lake. Gazing in the direction the beings had departed, he shook his head and sighed.
"Heh heh… So you did leave a clone here!
I sensed your aura just moments ago."
Right at this moment, a black-clad being abruptly appeared, sneering as he spoke. He extended a palm, grasping towards the old blind man.
Bang!
Gritting his teeth, the old blind man's body instantly self-destructed, disintegrating into nothingness.
"This old blind man is quite ruthless, directly abandoning a clone."
That black-clad being spoke coldly, then turned and left.
Simultaneously, within the Phantom Tower in the Tianpo Realm, Ye Yunfei had been continuously cultivating in seclusion.
The pile of cultivation resources surrounding Ye Yunfei continuously diminished.
The aura radiating from Ye Yunfei's body grew stronger and stronger!
This current bout of cultivation had lasted for ten years within the Phantom Tower!
Although Ye Yunfei's soul power energy and physical strength had both already reached Heavenly Emperor level, breaking through to the Heavenly Emperor realm in terms of Qi (cultivation base) was still a considerable challenge.
"Master, my bloodline has broken through again! I now have the power of an advanced Half-Emperor!"
Ye Yunfei received Hu Miao's excited sound transmission.
"Tch! I am already at the strength of a Perfected Half-Emperor!"
Not long after, the smug voice of Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm sounded.
"I've also broken through. I now possess the strength of an intermediate Half-Emperor."
Huang Shang also transmitted his message to Ye Yunfei.
"I've finally broken through! I am now at the primary Half-Emperor realm!"
Situ Kong'er also successfully broke through, transmitting his news to Ye Yunfei at the first opportunity.
Watching his companions achieve breakthroughs one by one naturally made Ye Yunfei very happy.
"My time is near!" Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
Finally, on a certain day ten years later.
Ye Yunfei, who had been cultivating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes, revealing an expression of intense excitement.