Earlier, the instant Ye Yunfei activated the Soul Sword, it shattered the Soul Body of that Intermediate Golden Immortal.
Given Ye Yunfei's current level of Soul Force Energy, dealing with a single Intermediate Golden Immortal was indeed mere child's play—like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly!
Upon witnessing this scene, Liu Rulong and those behind him immediately understood that this mere Perfected Earth Immortal standing before them possessed extraordinary power.
"You dare harm my subordinate? This is a heinous crime!" Liu Rulong's face darkened as he stared at the man bleeding from all seven orifices in the distance.
"Do you even know who Senior Brother Liu is?" a skinny man beside Liu Rulong shouted at Ye Yunfei. "Senior Brother Liu is a young master of the Liu Clan, the most powerful clan in the Tiangang World! To kill his man is to provoke the Liu Clan of Tiangang World! Do you have any idea how grave the consequences will be?"
The others behind Liu Rulong also wore furious expressions, their killing intent palpable.
"I don't care about your clan or your world. Anyone who dares provoke me will meet the same end," Ye Yunfei declared with a cold glare sweeping over Liu Rulong and his followers, his voice icy.
"Excellent. This is the first time I've met someone who dares to disregard our Liu Clan. You're the first! You will regret this!" Liu Rulong fixed Ye Yunfei with a sharp, piercing gaze, his words equally cold.
"Did you hear that? You've infuriated Senior Brother Liu! Come over here right now, kneel before him, and kowtow in apology! Perhaps then you might have a chance at survival. Otherwise, you are undoubtedly dead!" another man beside Liu Rulong stepped forward, pointing a finger at Ye Yunfei and yelling loudly.
However, he didn't dare to actually approach Ye Yunfei to fight. Ye Yunfei's instant kill of the Intermediate Golden Immortal moments earlier had made him wary.
"Whether I'll die or not remains to be seen. But you, daring to speak to me like that—you are definitely dead," Ye Yunfei's frigid gaze landed on the man as he uttered the cold words.
"Aah—!"
The very instant Ye Yunfei finished speaking, the man screamed. His body was flung backward, blood streamed from all seven orifices, his head lolled to the side, and just like that, he perished.
This time, the faces of everyone behind Liu Rulong drastically changed.
"Everyone, be careful! He must be using some powerful Soul Force Martial Arts! Activate your soul defense treasures immediately! Protect your Soul Bodies from his sneak attacks!" Liu Rulong said sternly.
To kill so silently and strangely, it had to be Soul Force Martial Arts.
Hearing Liu Rulong's words, all the others immediately released their Soul Force Energy. For a moment, vast surges of Soul Power churned within the space, rumbling like a heavenly tsunami or a stampede of ten thousand horses, their imposing momentum immense.
Simultaneously, various soul-type treasures emerged from their heads, radiating powerful energy to shield their Soul Seas and Soul Bodies.
Liu Rulong, as a young master of a major clan, had a large entourage of young experts following him. Among them were dozens of Golden Immortals, giving him substantial overall strength.
"It seems this punk is skilled in Soul Force attacks. Everyone, just focus on protecting your Soul Bodies! Let's attack together and surround him!" a short, scrawny man roared.
"Let's all use Soul Force Martial Arts and attack him jointly! With so many of us, there's no need to fear just one man!" someone else shouted.
"That's right! Let's attack him together! No matter how strong his Soul Force is, can it really withstand the combined assault of all of us?" the others chimed in.
The next moment, everyone began unleashing their Soul Force Martial Arts. Suddenly, a relentless barrage of various phenomena conjured from Soul Power slammed towards Ye Yunfei. Blades, spears, swords, halberds—every kind of weapon, along with vicious birds and beasts, and even torrents of ice, rain, thunder, and lightning—all hurtled towards him.
"The Soul Force Martial Arts these guys are using aren't bad. Too bad their Soul Force Energy is far too weak," Ye Yunfei gave a cold smile after a glance.
Then, with a thought from Ye Yunfei, the Soul Sword shot out from his Soul Sea, streaking towards the Soul Seas of those men at an astonishing speed.
"Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!"
One miserable scream after another rang out. Wherever the Soul Sword went, the men behind Liu Rulong were struck as if by lightning. Their bodies flew in all directions, vomiting blood incessantly before crashing to the ground, completely lifeless, perishing on the spot.
In less than two breaths' time, fifty or sixty out of the hundred-plus men behind Liu Rulong were dead.
"Senior Brother Liu, this guy is too terrifying!" The surviving ones paled with terror, expressions of fright on their faces as they scrambled backwards.
These men were finally afraid.
"Ye Yunfei's strength seems to have improved dramatically again! Before, he could easily defeat Golden Immortal-level experts, but now he's slaughtering them instantly, effortlessly—this is a one-sided massacre!" Watching Ye Yunfei wreak havoc from a distance, the Vermilion Bird King felt both shock and joy.
"This kid's power now far surpasses us two old fellows. We just have to accept that we're past our prime," Old Man Chu and Chan Master Tianwu, also watching from afar, exchanged a look. Chan Master Tianwu smiled wryly.
"What can we do? A new generation always supplants the old. The youngsters surpassing us old-timers should be a cause for celebration. Let's take it in stride," Old Man Chu said with a chuckle.
Earlier, upon entering the Vermilion Bird Realm, Ye Yunfei had already released Old Man Chu and the other members of the Light Faction from the Illusion Tower.
"You… you dare to kill so many of my men!" Liu Rulong's face had gone extremely ugly. As a young master of the Tiangang World's Liu Clan, wherever he went, just flashing his identity inspired deference. Yet now, Ye Yunfei had not only shown him no respect, but had killed over half his subordinates, leaving Liu Rulong feeling utterly humiliated.
"Are your men untouchable? I don't care about your origins. Anyone who dares provoke me, I will kill without exception," Ye Yunfei replied indifferently. "That includes you."
He began stepping towards Liu Rulong.
"Punk, do you actually intend to attack me?" Seeing Ye Yunfei's approach, Liu Rulong's expression darkened.
"How brazen! Senior Brother Liu is of exalted status. When traveling across the myriad realms, even the higher-ups of great sects and clans treat him with reverence! You actually think you can attack Senior Brother Liu? You have no idea what death is!" Those remaining behind Liu Rulong, seeing Ye Yunfei's intent, were enraged, shouting loudly.
In their minds, Liu Rulong, as a young master of the Tiangang World's Liu Clan, was incomparably noble and must not be desecrated.
Moreover, as Liu Rulong's subordinates, it was their duty to protect him. If anything happened to Liu Rulong, not only their own lives, but even their families, clans, sects, and friends might face dire consequences.
"Attack together! Protect Senior Brother Liu!" Bravely but reluctantly, the remaining men charged forward, shielding Liu Rulong.
"Since that's the case, then you can all die," Ye Yunfei stated flatly, his tone ice-cold. With a mere thought, he deployed the Soul Sword, repeatedly striking at the Soul Bodies of those men.
"Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!"
Screams echoed one after another. Every Soul Body struck by the Soul Sword instantly exploded, soul and spirit scattered.
In just two breaths' time, everyone following Liu Rulong was dead. Each corpse bore a horrific death expression—faces twisted in terror, seven orifices leaking blood.
Although these men had just unleashed their Soul Force Energy and activated numerous soul-type treasures to tightly protect their Soul Bodies, it was useless. Ye Yunfei's current Soul Force Energy was overwhelmingly strong, and the Soul Sword was absolutely unbreakable. Combined, they unleashed fearsome power. Those soul treasures were like paper shields before the Soul Sword—utterly brittle.
And so, only Liu Rulong himself remained in the arena.
"You…!" Seeing the ground littered with corpses, Liu Rulong was both astonished and furious.
Ye Yunfei's killing speed was too fast, and using the Soul Sword left no trace. Even if Liu Rulong wanted to save someone, he didn't know how.
"Punk, you killed all my men! Very well, you have thoroughly enraged me now!" Liu Rulong roared in wrath. Surging energy erupted from within him like a volcano instantaneously bursting.
He retrieved a golden halberd, raised it high, and directly cleaved down towards Ye Yunfei.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The golden halberd erupted with dazzling divine rays and swirling golden, mysterious runes, carrying a sky-soaring, terrifying pressure bearing down on Ye Yunfei.
"As expected of a young master from a major clan. The techniques he uses are highly advanced, and his Immortal Power far surpasses that of an ordinary Perfected Golden Immortal. Could it be… he's a Nine-Nine Return to Truth Immortal?" Sensing the energy of Liu Rulong's attack, Ye Yunfei's mind stirred.
"Even if he's not a Nine-Nine Return to Truth Immortal at the Golden Immortal level, he must be close. Perhaps, like me, he is in the process of cultivating Golden Immortal-level Nine-Nine Return to Truth. His combat power far exceeds that of an ordinary Perfected Golden Immortal. I suspect even the Dark Ancestor would not be his match." Ye Yunfei was slightly shocked by the energy pressure Liu Rulong was releasing.
He sensed that this Liu Rulong might be cultivating Nine-Nine Return to Truth just like himself, except Liu Rulong was focusing on the Golden Immortal level, while he, Ye Yunfei, aimed for the Earth Immortal level.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The golden halberd in Liu Rulong's grasp continuously enlarged, akin to a colossal golden mountain range, causing this world to tremble violently. The surrounding space shattered, spawning numerous black spatial cracks that spread into the distance like threads of a black spiderweb.
Without advancing or retreating, Ye Yunfei simply threw a punch, his fist colliding with the golden halberd.
Ye Yunfei's body swayed slightly, a faint ache spreading through his fist. He felt a pang of surprise.
"Your physical strength is actually this formidable!" Liu Rulong's hand gripping the halberd also throbbed with a slight pain, and he couldn't help but be astounded.
He was not only a Perfected Golden Immortal, but was also cultivating Nine-Nine Return to Truth. He had already weathered eight lightning tribulations; only one final tribulation remained to achieve Golden Immortal-level Nine-Nine Return to Truth.
It could be said his combat power was among the very pinnacle within the Golden Immortal level, virtually undefeated against those of equal rank. Yet now, facing a mere Earth Immortal, he couldn't gain even the slightest advantage!
He clearly felt Ye Yunfei's physical strength was terrifyingly powerful. For a junior to cultivate his body to this degree was exceedingly rare even in the realms he hailed from.
"So this is how you defeated the Dark Ancestor. Still, while you might have defeated the Dark Ancestor, you'll find no advantage facing me," Liu Rulong stared at Ye Yunfei, speaking slowly.
Initially, his gaze had been filled with scorn, looking down upon Ye Yunfei. But now, his perspective had shifted; he began treating Ye Yunfei seriously as an opponent of equal standing.
"Today, allow me to vent some anger on the Dark Ancestor's behalf. During my travels through the myriad realms in the past, I had some… acquaintanceship with him," Liu Rulong stated, gazing steadily at Ye Yunfei.
"What ability do you have to vent anger for him? Worry about yourself first; you're barely able to protect yourself as is," Ye Yunfei retorted with a cold laugh.
"Fine. Then let me show you exactly what capabilities I possess," Liu Rulong's face darkened again as he launched another assault.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The golden halberd in his hand became dazzlingly radiant, erupting with brilliant golden divine light that illuminated every corner of the world in golden splendor.
Extremely terrifying energy pressure, akin to a vast, surging ocean, continuously poured forth from the golden halberd, crushing down on Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei stood with hands behind his back, appearing utterly relaxed in the face of Liu Rulong's onslaught.
"Why bother tussling with this fellow? Given your current Soul Force Energy, defeating him should be effortless," a voice transmitted into Ye Yunfei's Soul Sea. It was the Remnant Soul he had brought out from the Samsara Passage, still residing within his body.
"True. With my current Soul Force Energy, dealing with him would indeed be easy. I simply wanted to test his combat strength earlier," Ye Yunfei nodded in response.
His reason for engaging Liu Rulong in combat was because he discerned that Liu Rulong was currently cultivating Golden Immortal-level Nine-Nine Return to Truth, sparking a momentary curiosity.
But now, Ye Yunfei had no intention of dragging it out. With a mental command, he directly deployed the Soul Sword, which shot into Liu Rulong's Soul Sea with incredible speed in an instant.
"Punk! Your Soul Force Martial Arts are this horrifying?!" Sensing the terrifying Soul Force Energy within the Soul Sword, Liu Rulong's face drastically changed, and he cried out in shock.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Within his Soul Sea, over a dozen advanced soul-type treasures immediately activated, forming protections around his Soul Body. Furthermore, he mobilized all his Soul Force Energy, shaping it into various weapons and armaments to block the approaching Soul Sword.
Yet it was futile. The Soul Sword, bearing immense Soul Force Energy, tore through all obstacles, obliterating everything in its path, directly striking at Liu Rulong's Soul Body.
"Punk! You dare to kill me?!" Sensing the overwhelming killing intent radiating from the Soul Sword, Liu Rulong was utterly panicked, shouting aloud.
He could never have imagined that someone would dare to kill him, a young master of the Tiangang World's Liu Clan.
To him, his identity as a Liu Clan young master had always been an incredibly effective protective talisman. Now, it seemed utterly useless.
"And why would I not dare to kill you?" Ye Yunfei sneered coldly.
In his heart, Ye Yunfei knew that even if he spared Liu Rulong, the enmity was already forged. Sparing him might just result in him returning immediately with reinforcements for revenge.
Just as the Soul Sword was about to shatter Liu Rulong's Soul Body…
"Who dares harm the descendant of our Liu Clan!?" A thunderous roar erupted from within Liu Rulong's Soul Sea, shaking the surrounding space.
Following the roar, a hazy, illusory figure materialized before Liu Rulong's Soul Body.
"Grandfather! Your soul imprint has finally appeared to save me!" Seeing this illusory figure, Liu Rulong was overjoyed and immediately cried out.
Although he had long known his grandfather had left a soul imprint within his Soul Sea to protect him, moments earlier he had worried it might not activate in time. Now, he finally felt assured.