The middle-aged man in blue carried Ye Yunfei down onto the mainland, where they walked across ground covered in gray sand and gravel. Everything appeared utterly desolate.
This piece of land shared the characteristics of the Colorless Abyss—it held no energy, no laws, and possessed neither vitality nor vigor. It seemed as if even air was absent.
There were no plants or vegetation either; the ground was all gray sand and stone.
It had to be said that such an environment was simply too harsh.
'Honestly, I don't get why any living being would run away to hide out in a place so barren not even a bird would shit,' the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm couldn't help but grumble aloud.
'Eh? Old Wu, what's the situation? Where did you bring back a lad from? Did he just come in from outside?'
Just then, figures began to emerge one after another in the distance, their bodies flashing as they dashed over.
Soon, over twenty men arrived, surrounding Ye Yunfei and the middle-aged man in blue and eyeing Ye Yunfei.
'These guys are up to no good. The way they're looking at you is like they're staring at a piece of juicy meat,' Hun Lao remarked.
'Relax, they're all True Immortals. Not an Earth Immortal among them,' Ye Yunfei replied.
'Indeed, if these fellows truly want to move against you, they'd really be looking for trouble,' Hun Lao nodded.
Let alone Ye Yunfei himself, Huang Shang, the Blood Clan Clone, and even that Earth Immortal-level Soul Devouring Demon had already reached the Earth Immortal stage. Even the nine beasts within the Nine Palaces Totem Wheel were beginning to possess combat power at the Earth Immortal level.
Meanwhile, Ye Yunfei's own terrifying physical strength of one thousand five hundred Jiao also fell within the realm of Earth Immortal-level power. Thus, he didn't take these True Immortals before him seriously in the slightest.
'Kid, I didn't expect someone so young to already possess the power of a Perfected True Immortal,' a short, skinny man suddenly spoke, his tone far from friendly.
'Heh... He might be at the Perfected True Immortal realm, but his foundation looks a bit unsteady, his Immortal Force unstable. It's highly likely he forcefully pushed his realm up using elixirs, hm? That kind of thing usually happens to those young masters from rich and powerful families or major clans. Kid, are you from a wealthy, influential family or sect? If so, you probably have quite a few cultivation resources and treasures on you.'
Another old man with sinister features sneered as he asked this.
Hearing the old man's words, the others present all brightened visibly, their expressions revealing obvious greed.
Not long ago, Ye Yunfei's breakthrough tribulation had been interrupted, leaving his realm unstable and his Immortal Force shaky. These True Immortals had noticed this and felt that Ye Yunfei's combat power must be inferior to his indicated realm, thus breeding contempt.
They all believed Ye Yunfei likely belonged to that type who relied on elixirs and treasures to forcibly stack their way up.
'What do you think you're doing? He's my guest. Young man, come, let's head to my cultivation cave and sit for a bit. Pay them no mind.'
The middle-aged man in blue quickly said.
'Ha… Old Wu, you're too greedy. This is clearly a fat sheep you've found. Did you plan to take everything for yourself? Things are so tight for everyone right now, you'd better not try to keep this feast all to yourself. Otherwise, you're liable to stir up collective resentment.'
The short, skinny man suddenly laughed.
The man in blue's expression shifted slightly.
'Alright, kid, now hand over everything you have. Be a good boy, do as you're told, and spare yourself a lot of unnecessary trouble. You might be a Perfected True Immortal, but all of us here are True Immortals, and at least half of us are at the perfected level. If you dare resist, the consequences will be severe.'
The skinny man simply laid his cards on the table, stepping forward to press close to Ye Yunfei with a cold sneer.
'Oh? So you intend to rob me?'
Ye Yunfei said placidly.
'Is that even a question! Cut the nonsense. Are you handing it over yourself, or do you want us to do it for you?!'
The skinny man roared.
'Senior, did you bring me back here also to rob me?'
Ye Yunfei turned his gaze towards the middle-aged man in blue and asked.
'Young man, my main reason for bringing you here was to help you inquire whether anyone has seen that person you're searching for. However, you must understand, the space of the Colorless Abyss contains neither energy nor laws. Everyone living here must rely on cultivation resources and various treasures to maintain the energy within their bodies. So long ago, everyone exhausted their own reserves, and now each of us is utterly penniless. Since you've just come in from the outside, sharing some resources wouldn't be a bad thing.'
The middle-aged man in blue thought for a moment before replying slowly.
'And if I refuse?'
Ye Yunfei gave a faint smile.
'This kid seems awfully composed,' someone nearby couldn't help but comment.
'Of course. He's young, but he is a Perfected True Immortal. How could he be scared off by us so easily? Reaching Perfected True Immortal at his age, he must be one of those famed prodigies out in the world, proud and arrogant by nature. I reckon he doesn't take us too seriously yet.'
A man with a rugged face and cruel eyes smiled viciously.
'Kid, enough nonsense! Immediately hand over everything on you!'
This man took a step forward, unleashing a vast wave of oppressive energy that crashed down upon Ye Yunfei like a tsunami.
This man was a Perfected True Immortal, and from the looks of it, he had been solidifying himself within this realm for a very long time, possessing a very steady foundation. Among those of the same level, he likely ranked as an expert.
'Kid, see this? This is a real Perfected True Immortal! A floaty, weak foundation like yours isn't worth mentioning in front of Senior Zhang!' the skinny man jeered.
'So it appears you intend to rob me by force. Very well, in that case, I no longer need to hold back.'
From beginning to end, Ye Yunfei's expression remained utterly placid as he spoke slowly.
'Won't hold back? Fine! I'd like to see how exactly you plan on 'not holding back'!' The rugged-faced man's expression darkened. A wide, simple broadsword, reminiscent of a door plank, appeared in his hand. He raised it and slashed down fiercely at Ye Yunfei.
Clang! Clang!
For a moment, massive, torrents of sword-qi continuously erupted, roiling forth from all directions towards Ye Yunfei like a furious tide. The space Ye Yunfei stood in was directly and repeatedly split apart by these attacks.
'Young man, why force things? Wealth is external to the body; life is what truly matters. You're too stubborn.'
The man in blue who had brought Ye Yunfei sighed.
This man in blue was also a Perfected True Immortal. In fact, he had wanted to act from the moment he encountered Ye Yunfei, but he just hadn't been certain of victory.
That was precisely why he had lured Ye Yunfei here.
At this moment, the broadsword had already reached Ye Yunfei, and the surging sword-qi had submerged him.
Boom!
Then, an earth-shattering roar erupted from within Ye Yunfei's body, and a torrential wave of physical strength blasted out, pulverizing all the incoming sword-qi.
Swoosh!
Ye Yunfei's hand shot out like lightning, snatching the descending broadsword. With a slight twist of his wrist, he crushed the solid weapon as if it were tofu.
Crack!
Then Ye Yunfei seized the rugged-faced man's arm and pulled hard, ripping it straight from his shoulder.
Ah!
The man screamed.
What formidable physical strength!
The others watching could feel their eyelids twitching.