“Ye Yunfei, you are being downright predatory. Do not for a moment think our Divine Medicine Valley truly fears you!” the black-robed elder roared furiously.
“Is that so? Does that mean your Divine Medicine Valley does not intend to apologize and make reparations?” Ye Yunfei’s face immediately darkened as he sneered.
“Ye Yunfei, your demand is excessive. It is a grave insult to our Divine Medicine Valley!” the Valley Lord said, frowning.
If not for remembering that Ye Yunfei had slain so many True Manifestation Realm experts, the Valley Lord would have long since given the order to surround and kill him.
“Heh, your Divine Medicine Valley sent men to deal with me. Had my strength been slightly weaker, I would have long since died at the hands of your people. I do not believe my demand is excessive in the slightest. On the contrary, it shows great magnanimity,” Ye Yunfei said flatly.
“Valley Lord, why say more to him! Since this brat has delivered himself to our doorstep, let us not be polite,” the black-robed elder sneered, a vicious expression appearing on his face.
Swish!
As soon as the words left his mouth, the elder saw a blur before his eyes. Ye Yunfei, as if ghostly, now stood right in front of him. Activating his Heavenly Shadow Robe, Ye Yunfei could move at tenfold speed, rendering his movements elusive.
“You dare try to move against me?” Ye Yunfei stared directly at the black-robed elder, his tone mild.
“Die, brat!” The black-robed elder, shocked and furious, struck at Ye Yunfei with his palm. From its center erupted a dense black mist that instantly spread, engulfing Ye Yunfei. This mist was highly toxic; an ordinary martial artist would perish on contact.
Unfortunately, having cultivated the Greenwood Emperor Body, Ye Yunfei’s fleshly form feared almost no poison in this world. The Greenwood Emperor Body was hailed as one of the ten great Body Tempering techniques of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds; this was not empty praise.
Boom!
Ye Yunfei threw a punch. Where his fist wind passed, it scattered the black mist entirely.
Thud!
Ye Yunfei’s fist collided with the black-robed elder’s palm.
Puff!
The elder’s entire arm instantly exploded into fragments. A pained scream escaped him.
The faces of all the Divine Medicine Valley’s leaders paled drastically.
Ye Yunfei’s fist continued forward, hammering toward the elder’s body.
“Young Friend Ye Yunfei, please show mercy! Let’s discuss this properly!” the Valley Lord cried out urgently. He could tell that if this punch landed solidly, the black-robed elder would be utterly shattered.
“Oh?” Ye Yunfei’s fist halted just before the elder’s chest. He turned his head to look at the Valley Lord.
Whoosh…
Though the fist had stopped, its overwhelmingly violent power still rolled forward oppressively.
Smack!
The black-robed elder’s knees gave way, unable to bear the pressure any longer. He knelt on the floor, his face deathly pale, sweat pouring down his body. Just a moment ago, an immense aura of death had enveloped him. He understood he had just walked the doorstep of the underworld.
The other Divine Medicine Valley leaders felt a chill creep down their spines as well.
A single move to instantly defeat an Early Stage True Manifestation Realm expert… Such battle prowess was truly astonishing. They suddenly realized that all the legends about Ye Yunfei were entirely true!
“Young Friend Ye Yunfei, your martial prowess is unmatched. Our Divine Medicine Valley truly does not wish for war with you,” the Valley Lord said with a bitter smile.
The other elders also felt bitterness in their hearts. How could their prestigious Divine Medicine Valley, bullied so openly on their own doorstep, dare not resist and instead speak of peace? And the one doing the bullying was a mere junior!
“Not wanting war is simple. I already stated my condition,” Ye Yunfei said.
“Young Friend Ye Yunfei, your condition is too harsh. How about this: Our Divine Medicine Valley is willing to offer three billion spirit crystals and a large batch of spirit pills as reparations. What do you think?” the Valley Lord proposed.
“Heh, you think you can buy me off with a measly three billion spirit crystals? And your Divine Medicine Valley’s spirit pills? They’re like garbage to me—utterly useless,” Ye Yunfei sneered.
“You…” The Valley Lord was so enraged he was left speechless.
“Ye Yunfei, do you truly intend to fight to the death with our Divine Medicine Valley—a ‘mutually assured destruction’?” asked the elder with the long white beard hanging from his chest, his eyes fixed on Ye Yunfei.
The other leaders also showed anger on their faces, feeling Ye Yunfei was pushing them too far.
At once, the atmosphere in the hall grew tense once more.
“Heh, you think your Divine Medicine Valley can fight me to the death? You’re overthinking it. Your strongest is merely at the Late Stage True Manifestation Realm. If you start a fight, your Divine Medicine Valley will most likely be finished. Alright, my patience is limited. Make your decision quickly,” Ye Yunfei retorted coldly.
“You know our Divine Medicine Valley has a Late Stage True Manifestation Realm expert?” All the Divine Medicine Valley elders were stunned.
Within this hall, the strongest were three Mid-Stage True Manifestation Realm experts: the Valley Lord, the white-bearded elder, and a short elder who had remained silent the whole time. They were the Valley’s publicly known strongest members. In truth, the Divine Medicine Valley also had an ancestor in seclusion, with Late Stage True Manifestation Realm strength.
“Heh, what’s so mysterious about that? I sensed it the moment I stepped into the Divine Medicine Valley,” Ye Yunfei said with a faint smile.
His Soul Power could perceive everything within a five-kilometer radius. Upon entering the Divine Medicine Valley, he had sensed a powerful aura lying hidden deep underground, belonging to a Late Stage True Manifestation Realm cultivator in seclusion.
“Ahem… Young Friend Ye Yunfei, your hearing is indeed keen. This old man has resided deep in the earth palace, secluded for many years. It has been decades since I last stepped out of my meditation chamber. Never did I imagine you would discover me,” a trembling voice suddenly spoke.
Right then, an old, frail figure slowly walked into the hall, leaning on a dragon-headed cane. His hair was sparse, and his face etched with deep age.
“Ancestor!” All the Divine Medicine Valley leaders rushed to greet him, clustering around the old man.
This elder was the previous Valley Lord of the Divine Medicine Valley, a Late Stage True Manifestation Realm expert. He was also the highest authority within the Valley.
After entering the hall, the ancestor’s gaze settled on Ye Yunfei, looking him up and down with an assessing air. A strong surge of Soul Power reached out, enveloping Ye Yunfei in its perception.
Ye Yunfei remained unfazed, his expression calm.
“Young Friend Ye Yunfei, I cannot see through you. My instincts tell me you are dangerous, truly dangerous,” the ancestor sighed softly after a moment.
“Ancestor, why have you emerged from seclusion now?” the Valley Lord asked.
“Someone has beaten down our door. If I didn’t come out now, should I wait until the Divine Medicine Valley is destroyed before emerging?” the ancestor shot back, glaring at the Valley Lord.
The Valley Lord flushed slightly.
“Young Friend Ye Yunfei, our Divine Medicine Valley does not wish to be your enemy. I agree to your condition,” the ancestor said to Ye Yunfei.
“That’s good,” Ye Yunfei said coolly.
Ye Yunfei understood. This ancestor had aged into a cunning old fox; he had keenly sensed Ye Yunfei’s latent danger. Indeed, if a fight broke out, Ye Yunfei was confident he could, at the very least, annihilate a large part of the Divine Medicine Valley. Of course, facing a Late Stage True Manifestation Realm opponent, Ye Yunfei held no guarantee of certain victory either. That was precisely why he hadn’t immediately gone on a killing spree upon arriving here.
“Ancestor!” the Valley Lord protested anxiously.
To bring out all their treasures and let someone pick and choose—such a thing was a tremendous humiliation for the Divine Medicine Valley.
“What is more important, the safety of the sect or a few treasures? Go immediately and bring out all of our Divine Medicine Valley’s treasures. Let the young friend make his selection,” the ancestor commanded, glowering at the Valley Lord.
This ancestor knew that if war broke out with Ye Yunfei, even if the Divine Medicine Valley wasn’t wiped out, it would be severely crippled. Though he remained in seclusion and never stepped out, he had his channels to keep abreast of the outside world. Thus, he was already well-informed of all the legends surrounding Ye Yunfei.
“...As you wish.” The Valley Lord did not dare refute. This ancestor was the true commander of the Divine Medicine Valley.
With that, the Valley Lord and two other leaders departed the hall.
“Get a seat prepared for our young friend, at once!” the ancestor instructed.
Soon, Divine Medicine Valley disciples entered the hall. They arranged a seat for Ye Yunfei and served tea along with several plates of spirit fruits.
Ye Yunfei showed no polite refusal and sat down, sipping his tea. The ancestor sat nearby, personally keeping him company.