The last time he was in Luohai City, Ye Yunfei had been grievously wounded.
Elder Zhang had also been captured by the Luohai Trading Company and tortured mercilessly.
How could Ye Yunfei ever easily let the Luohai Trading Company off?
"You..." Ren Xuantang had nothing he could say in reply.
*Swish!*
Before his words had fully left his lips, Ye Yunfei had appeared before him ghost-like.
"You may go and die now," Ye Yunfei said softly, his tone utterly indifferent.
*BOOM!*
Ye Yunfei threw a punch.
A terrifying force, akin to a tidal wave, pressed down upon Ren Xuantang.
*BOOM BOOM…*
The air before the fist exploded violently and incessantly.
At this moment, Ren Xuantang felt he was not facing a man, but a primordial behemoth that had strode out from the savage epochs of antiquity.
"RROARRRR…"
A wretched scream tore from Ren Xuantang's throat.
He unleashed every technique at his disposal, releasing dozens of magic treasures simultaneously. There were True Artifacts and also Desolate Artifacts.
The artifact grades were as follows: above Spirit Artifacts were True Artifacts; above True Artifacts were Desolate Artifacts; above Desolate Artifacts were Primordial Weapons.
*BOOM BOOM…*
These treasures — blades, swords, spears, pagodas, varying in shape — were launched by Ren Xuantang with a host of fierce methods, their power immense.
But it was useless.
*CLANG CLANG CLANG…*
Before Ye Yunfei's overwhelmingly savage fist, one magic treasure after another was directly knocked aside.
The ones of the True Artifact grade exploded to pieces on the spot.
Finally, Ye Yunfei's fist continued forward, blasting toward Ren Xuantang's body.
"Damn it!"
Gnashing his teeth, Ren Xuantang brought both his fists up to block.
Both his fists erupted with dense, resplendent golden light, as if forged from gold itself, dazzling to the extreme.
This was an advanced martial technique called the Golden Fist Technique, immensely powerful.
*BOOM…*
Their fists collided.
*SPLURT!*
Ren Xuantang vomited a mouthful of blood, his body knocked flying on impact and crashing onto the ground in the distance.
However, he was, after all, a powerhouse at the late stage of the True Manifestation Realm, far stronger than cultivators at the early or middle stages.
It wasn't to the point where Ye Yunfei could kill him with one punch.
Ren Xuantang climbed to his feet, his face pale, his expression somewhat despairing.
He knew he simply had no chance of being Ye Yunfei's match.
Ye Yunfei's physical strength alone was enough to press down on him decisively.
A sense of bleak despair rose in the hearts of the Luohai Trading Company's other executives.
A company so formidable and renowned across the Eastern Region was actually being bullied and oppressed to this extent by a mere junior.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, one of the executives actually turned without a word and attempted to flee.
This executive understood that the Luohai Trading Company could not possibly stand against Ye Yunfei any longer. Staying here meant a brush with death; it was far better to escape quickly.
"Haha, thinking of fleeing now? It's already too late!"
Ye Yunfei laughed loudly, his figure flashing as he gave chase.
With the tenfold acceleration granted by the Sky Shadow Robe, Ye Yunfei instantly overtook the executive, appearing in front of him, and sent a fist crashing toward him.
"AAAH!"
Having already lost the will to fight, the executive had not a shred of resistance left in him. With one miserable shriek, his body was blasted apart, dissolving into a spray of flesh and blood that filled the air.
"Not a single one gets away. All of you will die!"
Ye Yunfei's gaze swept across the remaining executives of the Luohai Trading Company one by one as he spoke softly.
As for the company's other members, Ye Yunfei, Hu Miao, and Huang Shang had already slaughtered a large group of them earlier. Those that remained, seeing Ye Yunfei's divine might as he killed one executive after another, had long since been scared out of their wits.
How would they dare step forward now?
*BZZZT…*
A flood-like murderous aura spread out from Ye Yunfei's body.
Ye Yunfei was preparing to slaughter them all!
However, at this very moment.
"Young Master Ye! Do not kill me! From this moment on, I am willing to swear fealty to you as my master!"
One of the Luohai Trading Company's executives suddenly knelt before Ye Yunfei.
Seeing Ye Yunfei pulverize True Manifestation Realm expert after expert, his courage had thoroughly drained away. Faced with the threat of death, his only thought was survival.
He had cultivated for decades before finally achieving the strength of a True Manifestation Realm expert. Traveling the Eastern Region, he commanded awe and respect from all—such glory! He truly did not want to die.
"Young Master Ye, I also submit! I will take you as my master!"
"I am willing too!"
...
Soon, all seven True Manifestation Realm experts knelt before Ye Yunfei. All except Ren Xuantang.
"You all..."
Faced with this scene, Ren Xuantang felt his entire body go cold with dread. He stumbled backward several steps, his footing unsteady, almost collapsing to the ground.
"Lord Headquarters Master, please do not blame us. We only wish to survive," one executive said as he looked back at Ren Xuantang.
"It's finished… The Luohai Trading Company is finished… Why did I have to provoke this calamitous star, Ye Yunfei…"
At this moment, Ren Xuantang was utterly despairing, murmuring to himself. His heart was filled with hopelessness and boundless regret.
Had he known it would come to this, he would never have chosen to cross Ye Yunfei back then.
A pity there was no medicine for regret in this world.
"Oh? You are willing to serve me as master?"
Ye Yunfei swept a glance over the seven executives, slightly surprised.
"However, how can I trust you? At present, you are only yielding to circumstances. In the future, who's to say you won't go back on your word? It would be simpler to just kill you all now and be done with it."
Ye Yunfei spoke softly.
"Young Master Ye, I swear, my surrender is sincere! I will never go back on my word in the future! Otherwise, may I be struck by the five thunders from heaven!"
"Young Master Ye, please believe me!"
…
The seven True Manifestation Realm experts grew anxious, each swearing solemn oaths to the heavens.
"Don't swear oaths to me. I don't believe in such superficial gestures.
If you are sincere in surrendering, then allow me to plant a Soul Restriction within your Soul Sea.
However, planting a Soul Restriction requires your full cooperation. The slightest hint of resistance, and your Soul Body will shatter, your soul dispersed beyond recovery."
Ye Yunfei said.
"A Soul Restriction?"
Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, the seven True Manifestation Realm experts' expressions involuntarily changed.
Once branded with a Soul Restriction, it meant they would forever have to follow Ye Yunfei's commands, not daring to harbor the slightest hint of rebellious thought.
Otherwise, with a single thought from Ye Yunfei, he could easily end their lives.
"Correct. Whether you're willing or not, the choice is yours."
Ye Yunfei nodded, speaking softly.
The seven True Manifestation Realm experts looked at each other, hesitating for a moment.
"Fine, I am willing."
"I agree."
"So am I."
…
Soon, all seven of them nodded in succession.
Because they knew they simply had no other choice.
If they wished to survive, they had to accept Ye Yunfei's conditions.
Otherwise, it was a dead end!
"Very good. For now, first swallow this poison pill. Next, I will spend time planting the Soul Restriction within your Soul Seas."
As soon as Ye Yunfei finished speaking, he waved a hand. Seven black spirit pills flew out and landed before the seven experts.
"Poison pills!"
The seven experts' faces paled slightly.
However, things having reached this point, they could only comply.
Thus, the seven True Manifestation Realm experts each swallowed a black pill.
"This poison pill will cause no issues for ten days. However, once those ten days are up, the antidote must be taken. Otherwise, once the ten days pass, the poison will activate. By then, not even the descent of a great Golden Immortal could save you.
During these ten days, I will take the time to plant the Soul Restriction within each of you in turn. After the Soul Restriction is planted, I will give you the antidote.
Therefore, as long as you cooperate fully, there is nothing to worry about."
Ye Yunfei explained.