“Who are these people?”
The armies of the five great factions stared in utter shock at the hundreds of elders that had suddenly emerged from the Reincarnation Palace's side.
“Qian Huizi! That’s Qian Huizi, he was one of the previous Grand Elders of the Reincarnation Palace! But isn’t he supposed to be dead? Why is he here?”
“Xiaoyao Zhenren! I once saw him in an ancient painting. He was a famous powerhouse of the Reincarnation Palace in ancient times, but he had already fallen. Why is he alive?”
“Lǚ Sanniang! That must be Lǚ Sanniang, a powerful expert from the Reincarnation Palace five hundred years ago!”
…
Some experts from the five great factions suddenly recognized a few among those hundreds of elders. They were all renowned experts of the Reincarnation Palace from ancient times, and most of them were supposed to be dead.
“They are not living beings!”
A gray-robed elder from the Tongtian Sect said solemnly.
This gray-robed elder was an Intermediate Earth Immortal, one of the thirteen Earth Immortal experts among the five factions.
“Of course they are not the living. The Reincarnation Palace possesses an ancient summoning secret art that can call back the souls of their fallen ancestors to re-enter this world.
When the Reincarnation Palace faces a life-and-death crisis, the old wizards within the palace will activate this summoning art to call back the deceased ancestors to join the battle and defend the palace.
All of them before us are ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace. This is what I have been mentioning to you all these past days—the profound heritage of the Reincarnation Palace.”
At this moment, an Earth Immortal from the Dark Faction spoke.
So that’s the reason!
Hearing the words of this Dark Faction Earth Immortal, everyone felt immensely shaken.
Those hundreds of elders that had suddenly appeared were all ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace!
“To be able to summon deceased ancestors back to join a fight… this method of the Reincarnation Palace is truly incredible. Indeed, it lives up to its reputation as a major ancient power with a long lineage!”
Ye Yunfei, from a distance, clearly heard the words spoken by the Dark Faction Earth Immortal and couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
“These ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace are not truly alive. It should be an ancient spirit-calling technique that can temporarily summon deceased spirits back from the long river of the past to linger briefly in the real world,” Hun Lao suddenly said.
“Oh? Hun Lao, have you heard of it?”
Ye Yunfei immediately asked upon hearing Hun Lao’s words.
“I haven’t personally heard of it, but within my awakened racial memory, there are some vague memory fragments concerning spirit-calling arts. I suspect this method of the Reincarnation Palace must be an ancient technique of this type,” Hun Lao replied.
“I see,” Ye Yunfei nodded.
“Hmph! They’re just remnants of souls that died long ago. What is there to fear? Since they have appeared today, we’ll wipe them all out!”
At this moment, a Portly-headed Monk snorted coldly.
“You ghosts and wandering spirits, taste this venerable monk’s power!”
This Portly-headed Monk brandished a thick staff as he charged towards the ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace. Dazzling, brilliant Buddhist radiance erupted from the staff, illuminating a vast stretch of the starry sky.
Simultaneously, the crisp sounds of Buddhist chants rang out from the staff, resounding through this patch of space.
This monk came from the Western Sect, and many of the cultivation techniques and secret arts passed down by the Western Sect originated from the Buddhist tradition!
“He is Master Yijie of the Western Sect!”
Someone immediately recognized this expert from the Western Sect and cried out in shock.
All around this starry sky, spectators had gathered, filling every available space.
“That’s right, they are merely a bunch of remnant souls. Destroy them all!”
Many experts from the five great factions also shouted loudly, charging and attacking the ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace.
“It’s best you don’t underestimate these ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace. Although they are remnant souls, their combat prowess is not weak.
Because the Reincarnation Palace has another inherited secret art: every powerful expert in the palace, when nearing death, will, if conditions allow, use a forbidden art to seal a portion of their power within their bodies—at least fifty or sixty percent of their peak lifetime strength.
When summoned back later, these sealed powers can be activated for battle!”
At this moment, another Earth Immortal from the Dark Faction hurriedly warned.
“You are right.”
No sooner had this Dark Faction Earth Immortal finished speaking than three ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace, moving with profound and elusive footwork, simultaneously arrived before him and attacked.
In life, these three ancestors had been Earth Immortals. Although the energy they possessed now was only roughly sixty percent of their peak strength, their knowledge, combat experience, fighting will, and techniques were no different from their prime.
Thus, the fighting power of these Reincarnation Palace ancestors was formidable.
At the same time, four ancestors from the Reincarnation Palace surrounded Master Yijie of the Western Sect.
“You remnant souls, go and die!”
Master Yijie’s body erupted with surging Buddhist radiance, too dazzling to look upon directly.
“If it were genuine Buddhist techniques, we might be somewhat afraid. Though your Western Sect’s techniques originate from Buddhism, at best you’ve only copied some superficial aspects—they can’t handle us!”
The four Reincarnation Palace ancestors sneered in unison and unleashed various cultivation arts and martial techniques of the Reincarnation Palace, engaging Master Yijie in battle.
These four ancestors had all been Earth Immortal experts in life. Though they were no longer at their peak, with four fighting one, for a time they and Master Yijie were locked in a stalemate.
The other Reincarnation Palace ancestors also found their respective opponents, and the ensuing battles caused the surrounding starry sky to continuously shatter.
Among those hundreds of ancestors of the Reincarnation Palace, some were True Immortal level, while others were Earth Immortal level. Each preserved fifty to sixty percent of their strength from life. Combined in such numbers, they represented an incredibly formidable fighting force.
This was precisely why the higher-ups of the Reincarnation Palace had dared to emerge from the Samsara Realm to confront the five great factions head-on!
“Five Poisons Immortal Child, I will kill you.”
Su Qingluo fixed her gaze on Five Poisons Immortal Child of the Five Immortals Sect, drew a pure white sword, and moved, charging towards him to attack.
“A mere junior dares be so arrogant before me? Die!”
Five Poisons Immortal Child gave a strange shout and engaged Su Qingluo in battle.
This Five Poisons Immortal Child was an Advanced Earth Immortal with powerful combat strength. He excelled in using poison and raising gu, his moves insidious and ruthless. During the fight, he also secretly released a large number of tiny gu insects, which swam through space, approaching Su Qingluo.
This was an extremely fearsome, large-scale battle. As far as the eye could see, across this starry sky, combat raged everywhere, and at every moment people were falling. The roars of energy, battle cries, and agonized screams were incessant.
“Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, you excel in traversing space. Please stealthily transport Elder Zhuge and the others over to participate in the battle.”
Ye Yunfei said to the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm.
After learning from Ye Yunfei about the battle situation outside, the various Reincarnation Palace Elders, including Elder Zhuge, became restless. One after another, they demanded Ye Yunfei send them into the fray.
Thus, Ye Yunfei had the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm use the Phantom Tower to stealthily carry this group of Reincarnation Palace forces to the edge of the battlefield before transporting them all out to stand within the war zone.
“Kill!”
Observing the fierce battle before them, Elder Zhuge and the other senior Reincarnation Palace members did not hesitate. They immediately joined the fight.
Ye Yunfei had already explained the general situation to them.
Among Elder Zhuge’s group, there were quite a few Peak Perfected True Immortals. Their overall strength was quite solid. Their sudden entry into the battle immediately boosted the Reincarnation Palace’s fighting power a notch.
“Hmm? It’s them! They have returned. This suggests that Ye Yunfei, that brat, might be nearby!”
When Elder Zhuge’s group appeared in the battlefield, an old woman leaning on a cane appeared in the distance, her gaze somewhat gloomy.
“No matter what, I must prevent that boy from entering the Reincarnation Palace! He is not worthy of Qingluo, and his entry would also pose a threat to me!”
A killing intent flashed in the eyes of the old woman—Madam Long of the Reincarnation Palace. Then, her figure moved, drifting like a phantom towards the location of Elder Zhuge and the others. She wanted to question Elder Zhuge and the others about Ye Yunfei’s whereabouts.
“Judging from the current situation, for now, both sides have fought to a stalemate.”
At this time, after observing the state of the battlefield briefly, Ye Yunfei murmured to himself.
“This is merely the beginning. A winner won't be determined so quickly. Moreover, I suspect that both sides definitely still have trump cards up their sleeves. They wouldn’t play all their cards right at the start of a fight,” Hun Lao chimed in.
“Regardless of whether both sides have other cards to play, I won’t wait any longer. I’m preparing to make my move.”
Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and said.
“You are one of the Reincarnation Palace’s hidden cards.”
Hun Lao chuckled as he spoke.
“You are now a True Immortal. I wonder if you can activate the arrows from the third and fourth layers of the Soul-Locking Bow. If you could, the power would surely be quite astounding.”
At this time, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm had already returned to Ye Yunfei’s side and suddenly spoke up.
“Right! I can try to activate the third and fourth layers of the Soul-Locking Bow now!”
Hearing the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm’s words, Ye Yunfei’s heart stirred.
The Soul-Locking Bow possessed a total of ten arrows, representing four distinct levels. The first layer held three long arrows, the second layer six, the third layer nine, and the fourth layer—all ten arrows!
Naturally, each layer was more powerful than the last!
Since obtaining the Soul-Locking Bow, this mysterious artifact had become one of Ye Yunfei’s strongest trump cards. Its ability to slay foes from a distance in particular made Ye Yunfei virtually invincible!
“The current situation is a temporary stalemate, and this state should last a bit longer. I might as well take some time to try activating the Soul-Locking Bow’s third, or even its fourth, layer. If successful, it would undoubtedly unleash immense destructive power! When I join the battle later, I’ll be able to contribute even more significantly.”
Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
So Ye Yunfei immediately entered the Phantom Tower, found a spot to sit cross-legged, and waved his hand, summoning the Soul-Locking Bow before him. He then began trying to activate the third layer.
The Soul-Locking Bow was an artifact. Its four layers were essentially four seals. Breaking each seal allowed the user to employ the arrows of that respective layer.
“Lunhui Laozu, I hadn't expected your Reincarnation Palace to hold such a trump card!”
At this moment, far away in the starry sky, Old Man Li of the Qingxuan Sect and Lunhui Laozu of the Reincarnation Palace were locked in an intense, inconclusive fight. Old Man Li had long since noticed the hundreds of ancestors on the Reincarnation Palace’s side. Seeing the two sides locked in a draw, his expression darkened as he spoke coldly.
The forces of the five great factions had initially held an overwhelming advantage. Who would have thought the Reincarnation Palace would suddenly bring forth so many ancestors, forcibly reversing their disadvantage into a stalemate.
This left Old Man Li quite disgruntled.
“Haha… Old Man Li, are you unhappy? Now you understand that our Reincarnation Palace is not to be trifled with.”
Lunhui Laozu laughed heartily.
“If things continue like this, it will be impossible to determine a victor in a short time.”
At this moment, deep within a space in the distant starry sky, several black-robed figures stood watching this battle. One of them spoke grimly.
“Let’s do this: dispatch a portion of our Dark Faction forces to join the battle against the Reincarnation Palace. But quietly order them not to be overly zealous. They must conserve their strength. While helping the allied forces of the five factions, they should simultaneously drain those factions' power. After we defeat the Reincarnation Palace, we will still need to deal with the allied armies of the five factions.”
Another black-robed figure pondered and spoke.
“Agreed.”
The other black-robed figures all voiced their consent.
Simultaneously, within the Main World, within the three thousand great and small worlds beyond the Main World, within the Tianpo World, and within many other unique realms, countless powerful beings sensed the intense battle unfolding in the Main World.
“A battle with Earth Immortals participating! Has the World-Destroying War finally begun?”
“Strange. The last World-Destroying War didn’t affect the Main World. Why is this one starting from the Main World? Could this signify that this World-Destroying War will sweep through every world in this space-time, with no realm able to escape?”
Many powerful experts performed divinations, foreseeing terrifying scenes that left them pale-faced, one after another speaking out.
Because these experts understood in their hearts that if the World-Destroying War truly arrived, it would likely be difficult for them to remain uninvolved, and they would likely be drawn into its vortex.