"Interest, of course, I have.
But this kind of matter cannot be rushed. Here's what we'll do: we'll go into hiding first and wait for an opportunity to act. If a chance presents itself when the time comes, then we certainly mustn't miss out on a treasure trove left behind by two Deities.
I'll control two more high-level members of the Myriad Methods Merchant House, then hide among them and slowly wait for our chance."
Ye Yunfei thought for a moment before nodding and speaking his plan.
Ye Yunfei had already controlled several Heavenly Immortals of the Myriad Methods Merchant House, including Duan Rong.
He intended to control two more people of Duan Rong's caliber within the Myriad Methods Merchant House to make things easier later.
"Not a bad plan. One of those two Deities was a founding ancestor of the Myriad Methods Merchant House. The members of the Merchant House should have a way to get close to their ancestor. By hiding among them, things will naturally be easier when the time comes," the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm said, immediately clapping his hands in praise, knowing that Ye Yunfei cultivated the Soul Force Star Method and could perfectly control Heavenly Immortals.
"Alright, now get inside the Phantom Tower," Ye Yunfei said to the silkworm.
While they were speaking, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm was still sprawled in that chair, sipping tea and eating a fairy fruit. He looked utterly relaxed and carefree. Only after hearing Ye Yunfei's words did he reluctantly, grudgingly, put away all the items in front of him and enter the Phantom Tower.
Together with the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm were five Perfected Heavenly Immortals, all high-ranking members of the Golden Dragon Merchant House.
While Ye Yunfei and the silkworm had been talking, these five Heavenly Immortals stood respectfully behind him, not daring to interrupt.
After becoming the Master of the Golden Dragon Merchant House, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm had become not only particular about his own comfort but also about appearances and prestige.
Knowing his character, the high-level members of the Golden Dragon Merchant House humored him.
Ye Yunfei merely chuckled at this state of affairs and had no intention of intervening.
Next, Ye Yunfei also entered the Phantom Tower, then manipulated it to shoot out of the small space created by the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, instantly returning to Elder Duan's body.
The Phantom Tower was merely a magical artifact. Being carried on Elder Duan's person, it naturally wouldn't attract any attention.
Elder Duan turned and walked out of the mountain range.
The soul power of the five Demigods swept over Elder Duan briefly, then paid him no further heed.
In the time that followed, Elder Duan, along with the other members of the Myriad Methods Merchant House, continued searching the expanse of land for any trace of the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm. Of course, they found nothing.
Before long...
"Everyone, listen! The Master of the Golden Dragon Merchant House must have already left this place. Let's search elsewhere," a Demigod of the Myriad Methods Merchant House transmitted to all present.
Soon after, members from the three forces—the Myriad Methods Merchant House, the Eternal Fortune Merchant House, and the assassins from the Sun-Moon Tower—began withdrawing from this desolate expanse of land one after another.
However, Elder Duan received a sound transmission from one of the Myriad Methods Merchant House Demigods, assigning him a mission: after leaving this area, he was to secretly return.
The higher-ups of the Merchant House had concluded that this desolate expanse of land was the very place where their founding ancestor had entered seclusion before his death.
"Elder Peng, sir, have you discovered something?" Ye Yunfei, controlling Elder Duan, asked Elder Peng.
This Elder Peng was an Intermediate Demigod of the Myriad Methods Merchant House.
Originally, if their goal was merely to deal with the high-level members of the Golden Dragon Merchant House, the Myriad Methods Merchant House wouldn't have needed to dispatch an Intermediate Demigod at all, as the strongest among Golden Dragon Merchant House's leadership were merely Perfected Heavenly Immortals.
However, the Merchant House's entry into this land was superficially to pursue the Golden Dragon Merchant House's leaders, but in reality, it was to survey the terrain and trace any clues their ancestor might have left behind.
Hence, an Intermediate Demigod like Elder Peng personally led the team.
"We have indeed made some discoveries. You don't need to worry about that for now. Just do as I instruct," Elder Peng replied.
Soon after, all members of the three forces—the Myriad Methods Merchant House, the Eternal Fortune Merchant House, and the Sun-Moon Tower assassins—withdrew from the desolate land and returned to the void of the Jinhua World Cluster.
They then entered other worlds to continue their search for traces of the Golden Dragon Merchant House's leaders. However, Ye Yunfei noticed that many people from other world clusters and forces had flooded into various worlds within the Jinhua World Cluster, searching everywhere.
"Damned!
So many people have come, wanting a piece of the treasure left by our Merchant House's founding ancestor!
You, immediately and secretly take some people back to that area to search for the place where our ancestor entered seclusion before his death.
I will transmit our ancestor's aura signature to you. Take your people and search that land inch by inch. Don't miss any suspicious place!
We must be the first to find our ancestor's seclusion site to seize the initiative!"
Duan Rong received Elder Peng's transmitted message and seemed rather flustered and angry.
Immediately after, a stream of soul power information was transmitted across the void, entering Duan Rong's soul sea.
"Rest assured, Elder Peng, I know what to do!" Duan Rong replied promptly.
Of course, Duan Rong's Soul Body was, in fact, now a Soul Power planet, completely under Ye Yunfei's control.
Soon, a large group of Myriad Methods Merchant House members stealthily gathered around Duan Rong.
Duan Rong himself was a Perfected Heavenly Immortal and had long been valued by the highest echelons of the Merchant House, their Demigod experts. Therefore, he was often entrusted with leading teams to handle many important tasks.
Ye Yunfei manipulated Duan Rong, leading a group of Merchant House members as they secretly turned back, heading towards the expanse of land they had just left.
At this moment, within the Jinhua World Cluster, nearly every world had people searching everywhere for the legendary site where the two Deities had entered seclusion before their deaths.
The news had spread that the location was somewhere within the Jinhua World Cluster, but not even the Myriad Methods Merchant House knew exactly which world.
Naturally, members of other forces didn't know either. Everyone was searching.
Not long after, Duan Rong led his group back to the desolate expanse of land.
This desolate land was actually a dilapidated, crumbling Small World. Even most of its world barrier was gone, fully connected to the outside void. From a distance, it appeared as a rather vast landmass floating adrift in the void.
Ye Yunfei, controlling Duan Rong, led the large group of Myriad Methods Merchant House members and began a meticulous search across this land once more.
Ye Yunfei, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, and Hun Lao all felt that the mountain range where the silkworm had previously hidden was most likely the place where the founding ancestor of the Myriad Methods Merchant House had entered seclusion before his death.
Therefore, Duan Rong assigned the other Merchant House members to search other areas, while he himself returned to that mountain range.
In fact, Duan Rong's current Soul Body was a Soul Power planet, and the thoughts and ideas within were entirely Ye Yunfei's.
In other words, the current Duan Rong was essentially equivalent to one of Ye Yunfei's avatars!
Duan Rong walked through the mountain range, directly communing with the earth energy. At the same time, he continuously released Earth Dragons from the Phantom Tower, allowing them to stealthily burrow underground, probing deeper and deeper into the earth.
"This land conceals a staggering number of Earth Dragons underground.
However, these Earth Dragons seem to have connected auras, resonating with each other, even forming a single entity.
It seems my earlier guess was correct. This entire landmass is a large-scale Earth Formation. The Earth Dragons beneath are all arranged and moving according to specific rules."
Seeing so many Earth Dragons, even Five-Colored Earth Dragons, deep underground, Ye Yunfei drooled with desire, initially wanting to capture a few. But he quickly discovered that those underground Earth Dragons were part of a massive Earth Formation. Trying to capture some of them would be extremely difficult.
Nonetheless, Ye Yunfei was well-versed in Geomancy Techniques. Especially after cultivating the Chaos Burial Method, his skill in geomancy had grown increasingly profound. Controlling his own Earth Dragons to roam underground was still possible.
"Underground, this land not only possesses astonishing earth energy and earth-based laws, but also various other energies, each one incredibly potent!
I even vaguely sensed energy auras at the Deity level!"
Ye Yunfei transmitted to Hun Lao.
Having encountered a Deity corpse before and interacted with Cui Hong's energy body within the Fire Realm, Ye Yunfei could now recognize energy auras at the Deity level.
"So it seems the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm's senses were not mistaken. The seclusion site of those two Deities before they perished is indeed here!
The Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm race is innately sensitive to worldly treasures and skilled at treasure-seeking. Their reputation is well-deserved," Hun Lao remarked.
Right at that moment...
"Elder Duan, have you found something?
I've noticed this is the second time you've entered this mountain range."
A voice spoke up just then. A man from the Myriad Methods Merchant House soared over.
This man's cultivation realm and strength were comparable to Duan Rong's—also a Perfected Heavenly Immortal.
His name was Zhang Wei.
Like Duan Rong, he was also quite valued by the higher-ups of the Myriad Methods Merchant House. Moreover, he was a disciple of one of the Merchant House's Demigods.
Over the years, he had secretly competed with Duan Rong, contending with him at every turn.
When carrying out missions, Duan Rong was often appointed the team leader, a fact Zhang Wei resented.
Seeing Duan Rong enter this mountain range twice in succession, Zhang Wei sensed Duan Rong must have discovered something. Worried that Duan Rong would be the first to find their ancestor's final seclusion site and claim the credit, he followed him in.
"Zhang Wei, why are you following me here?
I'm responsible for searching this area. You can go to other zones," Duan Rong said.
"Elder Duan, you've definitely found something here and want to hog the credit.
Elder Duan, that's too selfish of you.
In any case, I won't leave. I'll search right here," Zhang Wei retorted.
Zhang Wei's master was a Demigod with a decent standing within the Merchant House, so Zhang Wei wasn't afraid of Duan Rong.
"Very well. Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Seeing Zhang Wei persistently clinging on, Ye Yunfei inwardly sneered.
In the next instant, Hu Miao unleashed illusion techniques, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm and Hun Lao employed spatial secret arts, and Huang Shang deployed ghost techniques. Ye Yunfei himself utilized the Soul Force Star Method. Three Soul Power planets attacked simultaneously, charging together into Zhang Wei's soul sea to jointly assault his Soul Body.
"What are these three things?"
Zhang Wei was merely a Perfected Heavenly Immortal. Caught off guard, he was utterly unable to withstand the combined assault of three Soul Power planets.
Compounded by the coordinated attacks from Hu Miao, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, Hun Lao, and Huang Shang, he instantly froze in place as if struck by a paralysis spell, unable to move.
At this moment, his Soul Body was being devoured by the three Soul Power planets, plunging him into a state of unconsciousness.
Soon, Zhang Wei's Soul Body was completely consumed by the three Soul Power planets.
Ye Yunfei then used one of the Soul Power planets to simulate Zhang Wei's Soul Body, thereby taking control of Zhang Wei's physical body.
"Controlling one more Perfected Heavenly Immortal from the Myriad Methods Merchant House will make things easier later," Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
Then, Ye Yunfei had Zhang Wei send a sound transmission, summoning another Perfected Heavenly Immortal from the Merchant House.
This Perfected Heavenly Immortal was named Chen Chong.
Next, with lightning speed, Ye Yunfei devoured Chen Chong's Soul Body and had a Soul Power planet simulate Chen Chong's Soul Body.
In this way, Ye Yunfei had simultaneously gained control of three Perfected Heavenly Immortals of the Myriad Methods Merchant House!
"This Soul Force Star Method is truly marvelous," Hun Lao couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Following this, Duan Rong, Zhang Wei, and Chen Chong all began searching within the mountain range.
These three were now essentially three avatars of Ye Yunfei.
"Three Demigod experts from the Myriad Methods Merchant House are approaching. Two Intermediate Demigods, one Advanced Demigod!
It seems these Demigods of the Merchant House are truly convinced their ancestor's final seclusion site is on this very land. Otherwise, they wouldn't dispatch an Advanced Demigod!" Hun Lao transmitted urgently to Ye Yunfei.
"Indeed.
I'm currently using Geomancy Techniques to search, trying to see if I can find anything," Ye Yunfei replied.
Just then…
"Heh heh… Friends from the Myriad Methods Merchant House, what are you searching for here?"
A piercing, eerie chuckle rang out.
"A Demigod expert has arrived!
I can't even sense his specific cultivation level!
This means the newcomer's strength must be extraordinary!"
Hun Lao immediately said to Ye Yunfei.
In the distant sky, three Demigod experts from the Myriad Methods Merchant House immediately manifested. Indeed, there were two Intermediate Demigods and one Advanced Demigod.
The expressions of the three Myriad Methods Merchant House Demigods turned somewhat grim as they stared ahead.
Swoosh!
A figure shrouded in shadows slowly materialized.
This figure was enveloped by a layer of strange, gloomy mist, making its true appearance impossible to discern.
"Our Myriad Methods Merchant House is currently hunting members of the Golden Dragon Merchant House and has sealed off this area.
We request that you do not interfere," the Advanced Demigod from the Myriad Methods Merchant House stepped forward, speaking slowly.
As he spoke, he released a powerful energy pressure that transformed into a rolling storm of energy, pressing forward to suppress the newcomer.
However, the figure opposite remained completely unmoved, unperturbed by the energy pressure of an Advanced Demigod.
"This is a desolate, abandoned piece of land, not your Myriad Methods Merchant House's territory. What right do you have to seal it off? That's far too overbearing," an Advanced Demigod bathed in brilliant divine light slowly approached from afar and spoke.
"Members from the other major factions have finally started arriving on this continent," Ye Yunfei murmured softly.
Ye Yunfei understood that within the Jinhua World Cluster now, everywhere had people from various forces searching for the final seclusion site of those two Deities. It was inevitable they would eventually find their way to this continent.