"Damn it!"
The appearance of two Advanced Demigods left the three Demigod experts of the Myriad Methods Merchant House in a state of extreme frustration.
"From what I know, this so-called Golden Dragon Merchant House is merely a new enterprise that has just recently emerged. While they have developed quite well, their overall strength is weak, with the strongest being nothing more than Perfect Heavenly Immortals. For your Myriad Methods Merchant House to deal with Golden Dragon Merchant House, is sending three Demigods really necessary?"
The figure shrouded within a shadow sneered as it spoke.
"That Demigod is most likely from the Great Netherworld."
Hun Lao quietly sent a voice transmission to Ye Yunfei. Hun Lao was extremely sensitive to spatial energies; he perceived perfectly clearly what kind of energy and laws each creature in this space emitted.
"Yes, that should be a Demigod from the Great Netherworld. The overall strength of the Great Netherworld is formidable. The Myriad Methods Merchant House may not dare to provoke them."
Ye Yunfei nodded.
"That other fellow seems like an expert from the Divine Palace.
It seems members of those major powers have arrived."
Hun Lao transmitted again.
"Hmph! While the Golden Dragon Merchant House's strength is not weak, they are extremely cunning. Our Myriad Methods Merchant House has been pursuing them for months but hasn't found their leader. Instead, over ten of our branch outposts have been destroyed. Such a deep-seated hatred naturally warrants sending Demigods to thoroughly eradicate their members.
Therefore, I hope the two of you will not interfere in the affairs of our Myriad Methods Merchant House."
The Advanced Demigod from the Myriad Methods Merchant House stated.
"You can rest assured. If your Myriad Methods Merchant House wants to kill the leader of Golden Dragon Merchant House, go ahead. I will not interfere.
I am here for another important matter."
The Advanced Demigod from the Great Netherworld said coldly, then flickered and landed on the barren earth below, immediately beginning to probe this stretch of land.
The other Advanced Demigod, from the Divine Palace, also moved in a flash and began traversing the land.
The expressions of the three Demigods from the Myriad Methods Merchant House were ugly, fluctuating between pale and dark, but they ultimately held themselves back.
Because they knew that these two Advanced Demigods were not only strong individually, but both hailed from major factions. If they took action, it would be tantamount to making enemies of two major forces, with endless future repercussions.
"Let us also descend and search."
The three Demigods of the Myriad Methods Merchant House also landed on the barren earth, releasing their Soul Power energy as they searched everywhere.
"Duan Rong, have you made any discoveries?"
Duan Rong received a voice transmission from the Advanced Demigod of the Myriad Methods Merchant House. This Advanced Demigod was Elder Peng, and Duan Rong was one of his trusted subordinates.
"Reporting to Elder Peng, we have not found anything for the time being.
Although this stretch of land doesn't look simple, seemingly harboring hidden complexities, after searching for so long, we haven't discovered anything at all."
Duan Rong replied.
Of course, what Duan Rong said were actually Ye Yunfei's words.
"Could we be searching in the wrong place? Could it be that the location where our Ancestor secluded himself before his fall is not within this stretch of land?"
Elder Peng wore a doubtful expression.
"Elder Peng, we have come to this land twice now, yet we still have no harvest. It is very likely we are searching in the wrong place.
I think it might be better for us to go look in other worlds within the Jinhua World Cluster.
If we keep wasting time here, others might find our Ancestor's secluded place first, and we will lose the initiative."
A voice transmission came from an Intermediate Demigod beside him.
"However, the energy and aura of this land are extremely profound and mysterious. I always feel this place resembles our Ancestor's secluded location."
Elder Peng frowned. As an Advanced Demigod, he placed greater faith in his own intuition.
"But we've searched for so long, and there's simply no trace of our Ancestor's aura here."
Another Intermediate Demigod said.
"How about this: you two go separately to the other worlds of the Jinhua World Cluster and investigate. I will remain here and continue searching.
Also, the Old Sorcerer will soon arrive at the Jinhua World Cluster. The Old Sorcerer is proficient in divination arts and will bring a treasure our Ancestor left behind at the headquarters. When the time comes, the Old Sorcerer will surely be able to quickly locate the true position of our Ancestor's seclusion using that artifact.
Contact Elder Liu and the others as well, see if they have made any discoveries in other worlds."
Elder Peng thought for a moment and spoke to the two Intermediate Demigods beside him.
"Understood."
The two Intermediate Demigods of the Myriad Methods Merchant House nodded.
Subsequently, these two Intermediate Demigods took a portion of the Myriad Methods Merchant House's personnel and departed to search in other worlds of the Jinhua World Cluster.
Elder Peng remained on the land with another portion of the Merchant House's members, continuing the search.
As Duan Rong was Elder Peng's trusted subordinate, he naturally stayed behind.
Zhang Wei and Chen Zhong, however, were taken away.
Zhang Wei and Chen Zhong were currently controlled by Ye Yunfei's soul force stars. These two soul force stars were like two separate Soul Bodies of Ye Yunfei, capable of operating far from Ye Yunfei's true body without issue.
"Well? Have you found anything?"
Hun Lao suddenly asked Ye Yunfei.
Under Ye Yunfei's control, Duan Rong had been using Geomancy Technique to probe the underground situation, but even now they had yet to find the so-called Deity's secluded place.
"This land is actually a large-scale earth formation. It's just that this earth formation is too sophisticated; I cannot see through it.
To find something, I would need to understand this large-scale earth formation."
Ye Yunfei added.
"Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, why did you come here in the first place? Why were you so certain the secluded place of the Myriad Methods Merchant House Ancestor was here?
Did you discover something?"
Hun Lao asked Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm.
Back then, Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm had come directly here with the goal of finding the Myriad Methods Merchant House Ancestor's secluded place.
"Because I sensed a Deity's aura and laws here."
Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm replied.
"At the time, I entered this stretch of land, continuously traversed space, and surveyed the entire area. I discovered residual Deity energy and laws lingering in the space here. So I knew that Deities must have operated here in ancient times."
Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm said further.
"Even if Deities operated here in ancient times, how can you be sure it was necessarily the Myriad Methods Merchant House Ancestor?
In ancient times, he wasn't the only Deity."
Hun Lao said.
"No.
That Ancestor of the Myriad Methods Merchant House definitely operated here, because I have vaguely captured traces of his aura.
Although extremely faint, it strongly suggests this is most likely his secluded location."
Ye Yunfei said.
Previously, Elder Peng had imprinted the aura of that Myriad Methods Merchant House Ancestor onto Duan Rong.
"Oh?
You've sensed that Ancestor's aura?"
Hun Lao's spirits lifted.
"Yes, but only an extremely faint wisp of aura, drifting through this stretch of land. It indicates that the Ancestor was active here, but pinpointing his exact secluded location is extremely difficult."
Ye Yunfei answered.
BOOM!
At that moment, a terrifying, yin-cold energy swept over the skies and earth, instantly suppressing Duan Rong's body in place.
Then a figure shrouded in yin-cold mist appeared before Duan Rong, shooting out two chillingly cold gazes.
It was precisely the Advanced Demigod from the Great Netherworld!
"Tell me, what have you discovered.
Why have you been circling around this mountainous area for so long?"
The Great Netherworld's Advanced Demigod slowly inquired, his voice icy and drifting, like the eerie laughter of a malicious ghost, chilling to the soul.
Since Ye Yunfei had controlled Duan Rong to spend most of his time moving about in the mountainous area where Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm had hidden earlier, he had attracted the attention of this Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod, who thus came to interrogate him.
Ye Yunfei only felt his soul force star shaken violently, then fall into confusion.
"Be careful! This fellow is using a highly sophisticated Soul Power secret technique, somewhat similar to a technique we ghost cultivators specialize in for controlling Soul Bodies."
Huang Shang immediately sent a voice transmission to Ye Yunfei.
"No need to fear. That's only one of my soul force stars."
Although Ye Yunfei was somewhat alarmed, only a soul force star was being attacked by this Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod. Even if this star fell into confusion, it would have no effect on Ye Yunfei's main body's two Soul Bodies.
"I haven't discovered anything..."
Duan Rong's eyes glazed over, answering muddle-headedly.
"What are you doing!"
An angry voice rang out as Elder Peng of the Myriad Methods Merchant House shot across the void, releasing a powerful pressure of energy that transformed into a raging hurricane hurtling towards the Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod.
"Hmph!"
The Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod snorted coldly, and then a tall human skeleton, pitch-black and gleaming, appeared beside him. Holding a black bone blade in its hand, it slashed out fiercely, attacking Elder Peng.
"This fellow also understands ghost cultivation! But he made a malicious ghost cultivate ghost techniques, then sealed that ghost into this human skeleton for his own command!
A shame his strength is too powerful. Otherwise, seizing this skeleton for me to devour would definitely allow my ghost cultivation techniques to advance further!"
Seeing that human skeleton, Huang Shang's eyes lit up as he transmitted to Ye Yunfei.
By this time, Elder Peng had already shielded Duan Rong from the front and engaged the Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod in battle.
The terrifying energy pressure released from the clash of two Advanced Demigods was truly fearsome, endless energy surging and churning like an apocalypse.
Seizing the chance, Ye Yunfei manipulated Duan Rong to roll and scramble far away from the battleground.
However, neither Elder Peng nor the Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod truly intended to go all out. After exchanging a few moves, they separated, glared angrily at each other, and then stopped.
Elder Peng knew this Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod was very powerful. If a real fight broke out, victor and vanquished could not be determined quickly.
Moreover, not far away, an Advanced Demigod from the Divine Palace was watching intently.
"Friend from the Great Netherworld, please restrain yourself. Although our Myriad Methods Merchant House does not wish to provoke the Great Netherworld, if you attack our people without reason again, our Merchant House will have no choice but to engage."
Elder Peng said furiously.
Humph!
The Great Netherworld Advanced Demigod snorted coldly, then turned and left.
He knew that while the Myriad Methods Merchant House operated low-key with little renown, they were actually a major force with deep-rooted strength. Unless necessary, he did not want to fight them now.
BOOM!
Right at that moment, a terrifying surge of energy suddenly transmitted in from outside, causing the entire barren land to shudder violently.
"What a frightening energy fluctuation!"
Sensing this energy surge, Ye Yunfei was somewhat shocked.
"This intensity of energy fluctuation resembles Deity-level power!"
Hun Lao said.
Having accompanied Ye Yunfei for so long, Hun Lao had long witnessed Deity-level energy.
"Go, let's check outside!"
At that moment, Duan Rong and the other Myriad Methods Merchant House members received a voice transmission from Elder Peng.
The three Demigods of the Myriad Methods Merchant House led their forces charging outward.
The Advanced Demigods from the Great Netherworld and Divine Palace also immediately moved, instantly surpassing most of the Merchant House members, rushing ahead.
Shortly after, they returned to the void outside the Merchant House in the Jinhua World Cluster.
They saw a large crowd charging into one of the worlds within the cluster.
"Go!"
Elder Peng waved his hand, leading the Merchant House forces also charging towards that world.
They soon rushed inside.
The main body of this world was a vast continent, highly prosperous, teeming with living beings. On the land, one ancient country after another spread like stars across the heavens; huge cities were everywhere.
Furthermore, the land contained every kind of terrain imaginable: plains, mountains, rivers, deserts, ice fields, oceans…
In short, this was a very lively and bustling major world.
At this moment, they saw that a large area of land in the central region of the continent had been devastated, forming a huge, sunken cavity.
Within that ground cavity floated a radiantly glorious golden palace, rising and falling.
The main gate of this golden palace was tightly shut. On the plaque above the door were inscribed four large characters: Jin Hua Shen Dian (Jinhua God Temple).
"Who could have imagined that the legendary Jinhua God Temple was hidden here!"
A dense crowd surrounded the periphery of the ground cavity, staring at the golden palace rising and falling in its depths with awe-filled gazes.
"They say the master of Jinhua God Temple is the Jinhua God, the most powerful Deity in ancient times within the Jinhua World Cluster. He was the ruler of this cluster during a certain period in antiquity, and his mighty fame spread throughout the entire Chaotic Void Sea! He was a Deity who suppressed his era!
The very name 'Jinhua World Cluster' was given because of the Jinhua God.
And it's said that Jinhua God Temple is the palace where Jinhua God usually resided.
Who would have thought the legend is actually true!"
Someone exclaimed in admiration.
"Indeed!
There truly is such a legend within our Jinhua World Cluster. Jinhua God Temple is the residence of Jinhua God!
To this day, within the libraries of many major powers in this world cluster, you can still find many ancient texts documenting Jinhua God Temple."
Someone nearby chimed in.
"Truly astonishing. Originally, everyone wanted to find the secluded places where the ancestors of Myriad Methods Merchant House and Eternal Fortune Merchant House passed away. Instead, Jinhua God Temple has been discovered!"
Someone cried out in amazement.