"My thanks, Senior!"
Upon hearing Lu Yuanzu's words, Ye Yunfei was overjoyed and immediately expressed his gratitude.
During his lifetime, Lu Yuanzu had been a Realm-Guarding Earth Immortal. That he was willing to impart the Geomancy Technique naturally delighted Ye Yunfei.
"Very well, I shall rest and recuperate for a spell first before teaching you the Geomancy Technique. While the recent battle consumed little of my energy, this remnant soul of mine has only just shaken off Zhu Qiantang's restraining formations and requires proper recuperation."
After a moment's thought, Lu Yuanzu said this to Ye Yunfei.
"Understood.
Senior, I possess a spatial treasure with a special time flow inside, granting more time than the outside world.
Why not enter my spatial treasure to rest?"
Ye Yunfei suggested to Lu Yuanzu.
"Oh?
You possess such a treasure too?"
Lu Yuanzu couldn't help but feel startled upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words, finding it somewhat hard to believe.
"Indeed, I do."
Ye Yunfei retrieved the Phantom Tower.
"This is... an artifact of the Shadow Clan!
How do you, a member of the Shadow Clan, possess such a treasure?!
Moreover, one with differential temporal flow between its interior and exterior—this is an exceedingly precious artifact!"
Gazing at the Phantom Tower in Ye Yunfei's hand, Lu Yuanzu was visibly shocked.
"Shadow Clan?
Senior, this artifact was borrowed from a race in our spatiotemporal vicinity called the Tianying Clan."
Ye Yunfei replied.
In truth, as his strength and cultivation steadily rose and his horizons broadened, Ye Yunfei had come to realize the Phantom Tower was undoubtedly a treasure of terrifyingly high grade—likely surpassing even Earth Immortal artifacts!
The time flow within the Phantom Tower was a hundred times that of the outside world!
This was far too formidable!
Ye Yunfei understood that artifacts of Earth Immortal caliber likely couldn't achieve such profound spatial capabilities.
"What Tianying Clan? This is clearly an artifact of the Shadow Clan, bearing their aura.
This Tianying Clan you speak of, I suspect it must be a branch of the Shadow Clan that migrated to this spacetime."
Lu Yuanzu remarked.
"Indeed, that is possible."
After hearing Lu Yuanzu, Ye Yunfei nodded, finding his reasoning sound.
"How formidable is the Shadow Clan?"
Ye Yunfei inquired curiously.
"The Shadow Clan's strength is immense. Across all the myriad realms of existence, the Shadow Clan is a renowned and prominently ranked powerful race."
Lu Yuanzu explained.
"So that's how it is.
I must discuss this matter with the Tianying King later."
Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
"Young man, while this Shadow Clan artifact is quite good, it is unsuitable for me.
I require Earth Qi Energy for nourishment.
If I were to enter this artifact, I would be isolated from Earth Qi Energy, which would be harmful rather than beneficial."
Lu Yuanzu stated.
"I see."
Ye Yunfei replied.
Swish!
Lu Yuanzu transformed into a streak of yellow light and burrowed beneath the earth.
Ye Yunfei soared into the air, releasing his Soul Power to sweep across the entire Qiantang Great World. He perceived that all members of the Qiantang Empire had already fled.
The once-prosperous and bustling world was now eerily quiet and cold, shrouded in an atmosphere of deathly stillness.
Beyond the Qiantang Great World, the Tang Emperor stood amidst the starry void, flanked by a contingent of the Qiantang Empire's remaining forces. His countenance was grim to the extreme.
The Tang Emperor's gaze remained fixed on the portal of the Qiantang Great World, his body trembling faintly. He stood silently like this for nearly half a day, never uttering a single word.
The other high-ranking officials of the Qiantang Empire crowded around behind the Tang Emperor, each wearing similarly grim expressions and also remaining silent.
Behind these high-ranking officials stood numerous members of the Qiantang Empire forces. Most of them bore terrified looks on their faces.
During the terrifying battle earlier in the imperial city, the Qiantang Empire had lost more than half its people. The survivors of these forces had been utterly terrified.
"Your Majesty, where do we go now?"
After half a day, Golden Wheel Grand Master asked softly.
This Golden Wheel Grand Master was an Advanced Earth Immortal. His strength was considerable, and he excelled in divination arts. Being a cunning individual, he had utilized various secret techniques to protect himself during the battle and had distanced himself early on from the center of conflict, thus suffering no injury.
"Your Majesty, I believe that old coot's sphere of activity is limited to the vicinity of the imperial city. Other areas of the Qiantang Great World should be safe for us to operate freely, there's no need to fear him."
One of the ministers addressed the Tang Emperor.
"No.
That old coot has already transformed the region of the imperial city into an extremely perilous and deadly place.
According to our forbearer's words, this deadly land will gradually affect the entire Qiantang Great World.
Unless that old man is destroyed and that deadly formation dismantled, we must leave the Qiantang Great World.
During his lifetime, that old man was a Realm-Guarding Earth Immortal, his mastery over the Geomancy Technique utterly formidable. The earth formations he lays can affect an entire world."
The Tang Emperor sighed.
Before his Soul Power clone was destroyed, Zhu Qiantang had used sound transmission to relay the gist of events to the Tang Emperor.
Thus, the Tang Emperor already knew Lu Yuanzu's origins and a rough outline of the entire situation.
"Let's first find a larger-scale stronghold to settle, then formulate plans."
After some thought, the Tang Emperor declared solemnly.
The Qiantang Great World served as the headquarters of the Qiantang Empire. Besides it, the Qiantang Empire maintained many branch strongholds across the Main World and had even established several secret outposts within the outer Three Thousand Worlds.
"Good. Let us first take refuge in a larger-scale branch stronghold!"
Golden Wheel Grand Master nodded in agreement.
Other high-ranking officials voiced their consent one after another.
"The Qiantang Great World is the foundation of our Qiantang Empire. One day, we shall reclaim it.
Moreover, we shall exterminate that old man and that whelp, avenging our fallen!"
Before departing, the Tang Emperor stared at the entrance of the Qiantang Great World, gnashing his teeth as he spoke.
"Especially that little beast named Ye Yunfei! Our Qiantang Empire and he are implacable enemies, locked in unending warfare!"
The Tang Emperor continued.
The losses suffered by the Qiantang Empire in this battle were far too great. Even a Soul Power clone left by its founding ancestor had been destroyed. And the chief culprit behind all of this was Ye Yunfei!
At this moment, the hatred the Tang Emperor and these high-ranking officials of the Qiantang Empire felt towards Ye Yunfei was simply indescribable!
Subsequently, the Tang Emperor led the remnants of the Qiantang Empire forces in a wretched retreat.
"The Qiantang Empire's foundation has effectively been obliterated."
Within the Qiantang Great World, Ye Yunfei stood high in the air, surveying this world of deathly stillness with a cold sneer.
"However, the surviving members of the Qiantang Empire will surely try every possible means to hunt me down for revenge.
Let them come. The feud between me and the Qiantang Empire can no longer be reconciled.
Either I exterminate all members of the Qiantang Empire, or they kill me."
Ye Yunfei stated calmly.
"Hu Miao, all of you come out and see if there's anything valuable in this world to plunder.
This world belongs to us now."
Ye Yunfei sent out Hu Miao, Huang Shang, Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, Hun Lao, and the others, along with a large number of formerly subdued slaves, and said with a smile.