The sole reason Ye Yunfei had left a Doppelganger Statue there was precisely to find out who the traitor was.
According to Old Man Chu, this base of the Light Faction was extremely well-hidden; before it was activated, only a small number of higher-ups knew of its existence. Furthermore, after the Light Faction’s army entered this base, Old Man Chu immediately ordered all entrances and exits sealed. Apart from scouts, no one was allowed to leave or enter without permission.
Simultaneously, numerous isolation formations, concealment formations, and mirage formations were deployed at the base’s entrances to thoroughly mask its aura.
And yet, the Dark Faction had learned its location and come knocking within a short span of time. There was likely a traitor secretly relaying information!
Now, Ye Yunfei had finally uncovered one traitor.
“Senior Chu, we have arrived at our destination.”
At this moment, at a certain location within the border region of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds, Ye Yunfei suddenly stepped out from space and transmitted a voice message to Old Man Chu.
“Correct, this is the place. This is the second backup base for our Light Faction’s headquarters,” Old Man Chu said, emerging from the Phantom Tower and pointing to a spot nearby.
Ye Yunfei extended his Soul Power perception and immediately discovered that there was indeed a World Entrance there, obscured by multiple layered formations.
“All of these are ancient formations, and their level is quite impressive!” Ye Yunfei felt pleasantly surprised. This backup base was completely concealed by dozens of ancient formations. If Old Man Chu hadn’t pointed it out, Ye Yunfei wouldn’t have been able to perceive the World Entrance immediately.
“This backup base was established back when our Light Faction was first founded, as a contingency measure. These formations were set up by highly skilled formation masters hired at great expense by our faction’s ancient higher-ups,” Old Man Chu explained.
“Alright, let’s enter immediately. Let’s hope this backup base can shelter us for some time,” Old Man Chu said softly.
The Light Faction, in its current state, had lost the capability to openly confront the Dark Faction and could only temporarily hide.
Old Man Chu walked to the base’s entrance, retrieved several formation flags, and tossed them forward.
Boom…
The dozens of formations at the entrance trembled slightly, opening a passageway.
Old Man Chu then led Ye Yunfei inside.
In the next moment, the two arrived within a Small World.
This Small World was rich in energy, its laws complete. It was an excellent place for both living and cultivation.
“Senior, my family doesn’t seem to be in this base. Where are they?”
Upon entering the base, Ye Yunfei’s soul power immediately radiated outwards to scan the entire place before asking.
“Your family is not in this base, but in a different backup base. That place is even more hidden; a group of our Light Faction’s younger disciples and numerous family members are already there. Only a handful of people know of that base’s location, including myself, Tianwu, and a few of our trusted aides, so it’s even more secure and safer than here. You can rest assured,” Old Man Chu replied.
“Where exactly is that base?” Ye Yunfei asked.
His parents and family were there; he naturally wanted to know its precise location.
“Alright, I’ll tell you. However, try to avoid going there unless absolutely necessary, to prevent the enemy from discovering it,” Old Man Chu said after a moment of thought, then transmitted the spatial coordinates of that base to Ye Yunfei. He naturally trusted Ye Yunfei implicitly.
“Let everyone come out now,” Old Man Chu said to Ye Yunfei.
“Senior Chu, traitors still exist within our Light Faction. They must be rooted out, or no matter where we hide, we’ll inevitably be discovered sooner or later,” Ye Yunfei said to Old Man Chu.
“That’s true. However, I don’t yet know who the traitor is. Moreover, our faction’s current situation is dire; morale is restless. If we conduct an investigation now and aren’t accurate, it could easily further destabilize morale,” Old Man Chu answered.
“Yet, knowing a traitor exists and not eliminating them will leave our Light Faction forces in perpetual danger. No matter where we hide, the traitor could betray us and lead the Dark Faction’s army here,” Ye Yunfei pressed.
“Ye Yunfei, do you already know who the traitor is?” Hearing this, Old Man Chu’s mind stirred as he asked.
“We should know very soon. Senior Chu, once I expose the traitor, I will kill them immediately. Do you have any objections?” Ye Yunfei nodded.
“Agreed! Once the traitor is identified, execute them on the spot without any leniency,” Old Man Chu said solemnly.
Next, Ye Yunfei transported the Light Faction’s forces out of the Phantom Tower, allowing them to settle within this base.
A moment later, another Ye Yunfei arrived outside the base, entered, and merged with his main body.
“Senior Chu, assemble all the higher-ups in the council hall immediately,” Ye Yunfei transmitted to Old Man Chu.
Old Man Chu promptly gathered all the higher-ups in the council hall.
“Has something new happened within the Three Thousand Worlds?” some of the higher-ups asked.
Most of the members assumed Old Man Chu had gathered them to discuss the current situation and strategize a response. However, both Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu remained silent, their gazes fixed on Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei stepped forward, his eyes locked onto one of the higher-ups.
“Elder Feng, as a high-ranking member of our Light Faction, why did you defect to the Dark Faction and betray your comrades from the same trench?” Ye Yunfei asked slowly, his tone icy.
“What?!”
Upon hearing Ye Yunfei’s words, everyone was shocked.
This Elder Feng was a perfected Earth Immortal, a senior elder of the Light Faction whose status and position were only below those of the six core high-ups. In fact, his position approached that of the core six. Therefore, their first reaction was disbelief.
“Ye Yunfei, what nonsense are you spouting?! How could I possibly defect to the Dark Faction and betray my own people! In our faction’s current precarious situation, we should remain united. Don’t slander fellow members, causing alarm and panic!” Elder Feng’s face changed drastically before he shouted sternly, appearing extremely indignant.
“Elder Feng has always been renowned for his moral standing and prestige, and is one of our faction’s core experts. Ye Yunfei, you must have made a mistake—how could Elder Feng possibly betray the Light Faction?”
“Indeed, Elder Feng has always prioritized the Light Faction’s interests. How could he betray us?”
…
Many higher-ups expressed disbelief, speaking up one after another.
“Old Man Chu, Tianwu, you two keep Ye Yunfei in check! He actually suspects me!” Hearing the discussion around him, Elder Feng grew even angrier and spoke directly to Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu.
Yet, Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu remained silent, their eyes still on Ye Yunfei. They both knew Ye Yunfei’s character; he wouldn’t speak without reason.
“Elder Feng, I’m not speaking recklessly. I have evidence,” Ye Yunfei said with a cold laugh as he watched the agitated Elder Feng. He then waved a hand and utilized a secret art to conjure a series of continuously shifting images in front of him.
The scene depicted was precisely from the previous base, after the Light Faction had evacuated: the Dark Faction army entering the base, Elder Feng’s clone appearing, and his dialogue with that Dark Faction Lord.
“Elder Feng, this is the evidence. You won’t deny it, will you?” Ye Yunfei asked coldly, pointing at the images replaying before him.
“You…! What kind of sorcery have you used to fabricate such false images out of thin air to frame me?! Brat, you’ve gone too far! Unless you clear my name, I won’t let this matter rest!” Elder Feng roared furiously at Ye Yunfei, his expression one of rage.
Boom…
Majestic energy fluctuations surged skywards, shaking heaven and earth.
“Feng Deqing, the images simulated by Ye Yunfei are real. I truly never imagined you would defect to the Dark Faction,” Old Man Chu suddenly spoke up, his gaze fixed on Elder Feng, filled with disappointment.
“Old Man Chu, don’t you dare smear me! Oh, I get it now! You and Ye Yunfei are colluding! You’re working together to set me up!” Elder Feng bellowed.
“Fine! Old Man Chu, from now on, I wash my hands of you! To all here present, I have been loyal and devoted to the Light Faction these years; even without great contributions, I’ve put in hard work. Who could have imagined I’d suffer such a wrongful accusation now? Hmph! Old Man Chu, I’ve figured it out. You must want to eliminate me so that no one in the Light Faction will dare oppose you ever again! To think that in such dire times, your only concern remains vying for power. A faction like this isn’t worth staying in! Everyone, farewell!” Elder Feng, as if suffering a grievous injustice, appeared half-crazed as he roared out this diatribe, then turned and attempted to leave the base.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Blood Clan Doppelganger materialized in front of Elder Feng, while Huang Shang appeared behind him, surrounding him front and back.
“Old thing, trying to slip away? Don’t even think about it. Betraying the Light Faction is a capital offense,” Ye Yunfei sneered.
In the next moment, the Blood Clan Doppelganger and Huang Shang attacked simultaneously.
The Blood Clan Doppelganger deployed the Blood Control Grand Method, causing all the blood vessels and blood within Elder Feng’s body to churn and boil violently.
Huang Shang unleashed ghost arts and Gu arts, releasing copious amounts of poison and swarms of Gu insects that immediately engulfed Elder Feng.
“Ye Yunfei, the matter isn’t fully resolved yet. Don’t make things difficult for Elder Feng. He probably wouldn’t betray the Light Faction,” someone stepped forward to intercede.
“Everyone, I’m not mistaken. This old creature is indeed a traitor. Just watch,” Ye Yunfei declared as he took a step forward, unleashing his own energy to forcibly repel a few higher-ups who wanted to intervene.
Ah…
A moment later, Elder Feng screamed miserably.
His physical body was obliterated by the combined efforts of the Blood Clan Doppelganger and Huang Shang, leaving behind only a Soul Body, which frantically attempted to flee far away.
Both the Blood Clan Doppelganger and Huang Shang now possessed the battle power of a perfected Earth Immortal; jointly fighting Elder Feng naturally gave them a crushing advantage.
“Where do you think you’re escaping to?!”
Seeing Elder Feng’s Soul Body trying to flee, Huang Shang let out an eerie chuckle and instantly caught up. Holding a pair of bone-chilling green long sabers, he charged forward and sliced Elder Feng’s Soul Body in two.
As a ghost cultivator, Huang Shang was a natural counter to soul bodies!
Clang!
When Elder Feng’s Soul Body was cut in two, a black token clattered out, exuding dense, dark energy.
“That’s a Dark Faction communication jade slip!” The onlookers were again profoundly shocked.
Seeing this black communication jade slip, everyone understood: Elder Feng had indeed defected to the Dark Faction!
“Who would have imagined Elder Feng actually defected to the Dark Faction!” sighed those higher-ups who earlier refused to believe he was a traitor.
“Old thing! What lies can you spout now!” Ye Yunfei deployed his Great Space Movement Technique, moving with extreme speed to intercept Elder Feng’s Soul Body.
By now, the Blood Clan Doppelganger and Huang Shang had also closed in, surrounding Elder Feng’s Soul Body.
“Elder Feng, why did you do this?” Old Man Chu stared at Elder Feng’s Soul Body, his expression complex.
This Elder Feng was a perfected Earth Immortal of the Light Faction, an extremely high-ranking member. To think he would turn traitor…
“Old Man Chu, nothing needs to be said. Just as water flows downwards, people naturally seek higher ground. The benefits promised to me by the Dark Ancestor are ones the Light Faction can never offer,” Elder Feng retorted sharply. Knowing he was exposed, there was no point in hiding anymore.
“Heh heh, old thing. You’ll gain nothing now. Go to your death,” Ye Yunfei sneered.
“Ye Yunfei, don’t be so smug. The Dark Ancestor has already set his sights on you. You cannot escape. No matter how strong you are, you are absolutely no match for the Dark Ancestor! Moreover, the Dark Faction has thoroughly investigated your origins. They have already dispatched armies to deal with Hongmeng Continent, Canghuang Realm, and Xuanwu Realm. These three worlds are about to be destroyed.
And as for your family’s whereabouts… I have informed the Dark Faction. They have already sent experts to search for the base where your family is hidden. I estimate they’ll find it soon, and when they do, none of your family members or clansmen will escape,” Elder Feng fixed Ye Yunfei with a venomous stare before bursting into maniacal laughter.
“Old creature! How did you know my family’s whereabouts?!” Hearing this, Ye Yunfei was both shocked and enraged.
Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu also paled.
“Heh heh… Old Man Chu, you secretly sent your trusted aides to escort your family, clansmen, and a group of our Light Faction’s most promising disciples to that base. Did you truly think we other higher-ups knew nothing? To tell you the truth, among those ‘promising disciples’ are several who are actually *my* trusted aides.” Elder Feng laughed arrogantly. Knowing his death was inevitable, he no longer cared to hold back.
“Feng Deqing! You traitor!” Old Man Chu exclaimed in extreme shock and fury.
“Senior Chu! I must go to that base immediately!” Having learned his family and clansmen were in danger, Ye Yunfei immediately addressed Old Man Chu.
“I’ll take care of this one,” Huang Shang let out another series of strange chuckles as he pounced towards Elder Feng’s Soul Body, beginning to employ his ghost-cultivator secret arts to devour it.
Elder Feng’s Soul Body was already severely injured and stood no chance against Huang Shang. He was quickly devoured.
Shortly after…
“Qingluo, my main body must go to rescue my family and clansmen. For the time being, I cannot accompany you back to the Reincarnation Palace. I will send two Doppelganger Statues and the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm with you,” Ye Yunfei said to Su Qingluo.
“Alright. Take care,” Su Qingluo replied softly, reaching out to caress Ye Yunfei’s cheek.
Under these circumstances, she naturally wouldn’t insist on him accompanying her back.
“Qingluo, you must also stay safe! No matter what happens, prioritize your safety!” Ye Yunfei held Su Qingluo’s hands, his voice filled with earnest admonishment.
“Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, remember: if you encounter any dangerous situation, flee with Qingluo immediately. Don’t linger in battle!” Ye Yunfei said to the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm.
Ye Yunfei specifically sent the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm with Su Qingluo precisely because of its expertise in traversing spatial barriers and top-tier fleeing skills.
“Here are some Spatial Energy Crystals for you. Refine and absorb them as quickly as you can. You *must* protect Qingluo!” Ye Yunfei retrieved a batch of Spatial Energy Crystals and handed them over.
“Rest assured, I’ll do my best. When it comes to the art of escape, if I dare to call myself second, no one dares to call themselves first,” the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm replied as it accepted the crystals.
“Oh, Qingluo, take this Grand Transfer Talisman. Use it to flee if absolutely necessary,” Ye Yunfei added after a moment of thought, producing the talisman and handing it to Su Qingluo.
“This is far too precious. You should keep it,” Su Qingluo protested.
“No! Even the most precious talisman cannot compare to you! Besides, I still have two more. Take this for your protection,” Ye Yunfei insisted, pressing the talisman into Su Qingluo’s hands.
“Seniors, both Qingluo and I will be leaving now,” Ye Yunfei addressed the Light Faction’s high-ranking members.
After some discussion with other Light Faction higher-ups, Old Man Chu decided to send several dozen Earth Immortal experts along with Su Qingluo to aid the Reincarnation Palace, as the two factions were now allied.
Not long after, Ye Yunfei and Su Qingluo bid farewell to Old Man Chu and the others before leaving the base together and arriving in the chaotic void outside.
“Qingluo, please stay safe. Once you return, try to persuade Samsara Laozu: if there’s any possibility of escape, they should not engage the enemy head-on!” Ye Yunfei urged Su Qingluo once more, knowing the Reincarnation Palace’s strength was no match for the Dark Faction’s forces.
“I understand. You must also take care,” Su Qingluo nodded.
Finally, the two bid each other a reluctant farewell before parting ways, moving in different directions.
“May both of them remain unharmed. And may our Light Faction survive this tribulation as well,” Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu stood within the base, watching the departing figures of Ye Yunfei and Su Qingluo fade away, as Old Man Chu murmured softly.