"Young Master Ye, when we of the Xiao Family were within the Purple Moon World Cluster, our traces were already discovered by members of the Zhan Family. The Zhan Family dispatched a significant number of people into the Purple Moon World Cluster to search for our whereabouts.
The women from the Xiao Family said to Ye Yunfei before continuing, "When I left, our people were hiding within one of the worlds in the cluster. I will take you to that world now.
However, I don't know if the Zhan Family is still there. They mobilized many experts and a large force."
"It's fine," Ye Yunfei replied. "Just take me directly to that world to find people. Don't worry about the Zhan Family. If we encounter them, I'll simply ask them a few things."
He had spent over a decade inside the Phantom View Pagoda recently, closed in cultivation and attempting a breakthrough. Although he hadn't successfully broken through to the next realm, his overall strength had improved significantly. With his current power, Ye Yunfei was confident he could retreat unscathed even if he encountered a Peak Demigod.
"Young Master Ye, the Zhan Family dispatched quite a few Demigod experts to hunt us down. We cannot underestimate them..."
The middle-aged woman hesitated for a moment after hearing Ye Yunfei's words, then spoke cautiously. She had heard many tales of Ye Yunfei's prowess and knew he was formidable. However, the Zhan Family had mobilized a considerable number of Demigod experts this time. Furthermore, the Zhan Family was a famously renowned Beast Taming family. Every Zhan clansman carried Warbeasts with them, making the Zhan Family's overall strength exceptionally potent. This Xiao Family woman was worried that if Ye Yunfei encountered the Zhan Family's experts and couldn't defeat them, it would spell serious trouble.
"Set your mind at ease. Just do as I say. There's no need to worry about the Zhan Family. It would be even better if we could find them."
Ye Yunfei spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
The woman wasn't sure how to respond to his words.
"Alright then. Please follow me, Young Master Ye."
In the end, gritting her teeth, the middle-aged woman led Ye Yunfei towards one particular world within the cluster. Ye Yunfei made no attempt to conceal his aura, swaggering through the void of this world cluster without any pretense.
Initially, the woman had employed an invisibility art to mask her trail and aura as much as possible. However, seeing that Ye Yunfei made no such effort, she helplessly stopped using her secret stealth technique. Before long, she brought Ye Yunfei into one of the worlds.
"Young Master Ye, when I left, our Xiao Family members were hiding in a city located in the east of this continent."
Flying above the continent of this world, the middle-aged woman soon arrived at its eastern region and pointed at a bustling city below.
"Good. Contact your people immediately."
Ye Yunfei nodded and, even as he spoke, released his Soul Force energy, sensing down into the city below. With the formidable level of his Soul Force, he instantly perceived every nook and cranny inside and outside the city.
*Xiao Huanhuan and Xiao Yueyue were definitely here before, but they're gone now*, Ye Yunfei noted internally. In less than a single breath's time, he had scanned the entire city and its surroundings, detecting the residual auras left behind by the two Xiao sisters.
"Young Master Ye, I am unable to contact our people. I suspect they may have already left. I will go check the place where we previously hid."
With that, the middle-aged woman flashed and descended into the city, landing before the gates of a manor and walking straight in. Ye Yunfei followed closely behind her. The manor was completely empty.
"Young Master Ye, it seems our people have already left. After fleeing into this world, our Xiao Family members went into hiding here."
The woman explained to Ye Yunfei.
"Your people are indeed no longer here. This place is now under the Zhan Family's control."
A faint, cold smile touched Ye Yunfei's lips as he spoke.
"Under Zhan Family control?!"
Hearing this, the middle-aged woman's face drastically paled.
"Hey kid, you don't seem to be from the Xiao Family. Who are you?"
The moment Ye Yunfei's voice faded, a sound came from nearby. From that spot, a concealment formation shimmered into visibility. More than a dozen figures walked out from the formation, instantly surrounding Ye Yunfei and the middle-aged woman. The formation was highly advanced; this Xiao woman hadn't been able to detect it at all. However, the moment Ye Yunfei stepped foot here, he had immediately noticed the concealed formation and clearly seen the dozen-plus people within it.
"Young Master Ye, look out! They're from the Zhan Family!"
Upon seeing the group, the middle-aged woman turned deathly pale.
"It doesn't matter if he's from the Xiao Family or not; seize him first. Anyone associating with the Xiao Family is an enemy of our Zhan Family."
Among the Zhan clansmen, a gray-robed elder cast a condescending glance at Ye Yunfei and issued the order.
"Surrender peacefully!"
Immediately, two Zhan Family members charged forward, preparing to move against Ye Yunfei and the woman.
"Young Master Ye, be careful! Every member of the Zhan Family carries Warbeasts!"
The middle-aged woman drew a longsword, preparing to meet the enemy while warning Ye Yunfei.
"Come to think of it, your Zhan Family has caused me trouble in the past. So, I have no need to be polite with you."
Ye Yunfei swept his gaze over the dozen-plus Zhan Family members standing before him and spoke indifferently.
As soon as his words fell, Ye Yunfei executed Intangible Mental Swords.
"Ah! Aaaah!"
Two pained cries rang out simultaneously. The two Zhan Family members who had stepped forward to attack recoiled as if struck by lightning, flying backwards. Blood flowed from their seven orifices, and they fell dead on the spot. Their Soul Bodies had been utterly shattered by the invisible mental swords. They were merely ordinary Heavenly Immortals—as weak as ants to Ye Yunfei.
"You brat, you're seeking death!"
The remaining Zhan clansmen all roared in fury.
"Careful! He's using a soul-type martial technique! Protect your sea of consciousness and Soul Body!"
The gray-robed elder's face darkened as he spoke.
Mental Force energy was difficult to detect. Unless one also cultivated Mental Force, it was hard to perceive. Even a Demigod expert might not notice it immediately.
"Damn it! Grr!..."
Four or five Zhan Family members each took out strangely shaped pouches, opened them, and fierce beasts charged out. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen Warbeasts surrounded Ye Yunfei and the middle-aged woman. Beasts with crimson eyes stared fixedly at the two.
"Attack!
Tear this brat to shreds!
I want to eat his heart raw!"
A bearishly muscular man bellowed. Standing before him were a golden tiger and a silver-winged lion. Both beasts bared their bloody maws, wicked fangs glinting, fixated on Ye Yunfei, ready to pounce.
The energy fluctuations emanating from these two beasts indicated their combat prowess was at least at the Peak Heavenly Immortal level!
These were the Warbeasts reared by the Zhan Family. As a famous Beast Taming clan in the Chaos Void Sea, the Zhan Family possessed highly sophisticated ancestral secret arts for raising Warbeasts. They specialized in the Warbeast business, which was quite popular.
"Don't waste time. Kill this kid.
Also, note his Soul Body's aura. We'll investigate his origins later. Once we figure out his background, dispatch people to eliminate everyone and every force connected to him.
Let the world know the consequences of provoking the Zhan Family."
The gray-robed elder spoke dispassionately. He was an Intermediate Demigod. Although he had seen Ye Yunfei instantly kill two clan members, he firmly believed Ye Yunfei was no match for him and didn't take the young man seriously.
"Young Master Ye, be extra careful. The Zhan Family's Warbeasts are extremely vicious. They fight without any fear of death. Moreover, Warbeasts can form combat formations and fight in coordination, making them very troublesome to deal with."
The Xiao Family woman tensely watched the more than a dozen Warbeasts encircling them. Her fear was understandable; she was only an Intermediate Heavenly Immortal and was no match for these beasts.
"Just a bunch of trash, not worth mentioning."
Ye Yunfei observed the Warbeasts, roughly gauging their combat strength, and commented nonchalantly. The reason he hadn't acted yet was because he was somewhat intrigued by the Warbeasts.
*The Way of Beast Taming must have its unique aspects*, he thought. *The fact that the Zhan Family developed into a traditional major power in the Chaos Void Sea relying on Beast Taming arts shows just how sophisticated their methods are.*
Indeed, every one of those beasts radiated powerful force and looked ferocious.
"These Warbeasts possess Heavenly Immortal-level combat power, yet they seem different from demonic beasts."
Hun Lao sent a sound transmission to Ye Yunfei. He, like Ye Yunfei, was studying the Warbeasts. "Ordinary demonic beasts, once their strength reaches the Heavenly Immortal level, would have assumed human form. But these Warbeasts seem to retain bestial mindsets and auras."
"These Warbeasts were probably controlled from a young age by the Zhan Family using Beast Taming secret arts to direct their growth," Ye Yunfei observed, conjecturing aloud. "Their combat power was cultivated, but their beast souls and minds barely developed, remaining very weak. This results in ever-increasing combat prowess, while their beast souls and thoughts remain simple, even childish—only knowing loyalty to their masters and fighting for them."
His formidable Soul Force and Mental Force had already detected the simplistic, low-level nature of the beasts' souls and thought processes. Their intelligence was relatively low. Yet, they radiated a powerful battle consciousness, as if existing solely for combat.
"That's right."
Hun Lao nodded. "These Warbeasts truly exist only to fight."
"What?!
Brat, you dare call our Zhan Family's Warbeasts trash?!
Fine! I'll let you experience the might of our Warbeasts right now!"
Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, the Zhan Family members were both infuriated and amused. Zhan Family Warbeasts were famous throughout the Chaos Void Sea, their quality widely acknowledged. This kid actually dared call them trash? Utterly ignorant!
"Damn it! Grr!..."
In the next instant, the dozen-plus Warbeasts leaped simultaneously, launching a frenzied assault on Ye Yunfei. As the beasts moved, their masters attacked as well, either hurling magical treasures or unleashing the Zhan Family's inherited techniques and secret arts, fighting alongside their Warbeasts as they besieged Ye Yunfei.
"Everyone, protect your seas of consciousness and Soul Bodies! This kid excels in soul attacks!" someone shouted.
Faced with the encirclement, Ye Yunfei stood motionless, his expression utterly unchanged, completely placid.
The Xiao Family woman tightly gripped her longsword, preparing for the imminent battle.
*Whoosh…!*
Ye Yunfei abruptly raised his hand and slashed outwards. A massive, thick sword radiance screamed through the air.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!...*
In less than a breath's time, every single Zhan Family member and every single Warbeast that had charged forward was cleaved in two, their bodies severed in half at the waist. Moreover, the terrifying sword qi had annihilated both the Zhan clansmen's Soul Bodies and the Warbeasts' beast souls.
"How is this possible?!"
This sight left the remaining Zhan Family members and the Xiao Family woman utterly stunned and disbelieving.
*No wonder Huanhuan and Yueyue have been holding Young Master Ye in such high regard, always thinking of him and praising him. He is indeed a rare young genius. None of our Xiao Family's younger generation can compare to him!*
The middle-aged woman stared at Ye Yunfei's back, inwardly marveling.
"You brat! You…"
The Zhan Family's gray-robed elder was both shocked and furious.
*Swish!*
With a flicker, Ye Yunfei instantly appeared standing directly in front of the elder, his gaze icy.
"Where are the Xiao Family members?"
Ye Yunfei asked coldly.
"You're looking for death!"
Seeing Ye Yunfei behave this way, the gray-robed elder felt immensely insulted and roared in anger.
*Rumble…!*
Mighty Immortal Power surged from his body like a bursting mountain flood, shaking the surrounding space.
As an old, established major power in the Chaos Void Sea, aside from their Beast Taming arts, the Zhan Family's various inherited techniques and secret arts were highly sophisticated. One could say, even without relying on Warbeasts, the Zhan Family remained a great clan with formidable overall strength!
Expressionless, Ye Yunfei stirred his will and unleashed Mental Shackles and Intangible Mental Swords.
"What kind of evil sorcery is this?!"
The gray-robed elder staggered, nearly kneeling. Simultaneously, his Soul Body came under attack from the Intangible Mental Swords. He frantically mobilized all his Soul Power and activated all the soul-defense treasures he had pre-placed in his sea of consciousness to resist.
But Ye Yunfei's current Mental Force far surpassed his past self. The simultaneous use of Mental Shackles and Intangible Mental Swords alone left this gray-robed elder incapable of coping. He stood there trembling violently, his face pale.
"This is Mental Force! Damn it! You're proficient in Mental Force, and you've reached such a terrifying level! Kid, who in the world are you…
Ah! I know! You must be Ye Yunfei of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds!"
Trembling uncontrollably, his face ashen and sweat pouring down like rain, the gray-robed elder seemed about to collapse. Finally, the name Ye Yunfei clicked. He realized this youth was most likely the famed Ye Yunfei.
"Correct. It's me."
Ye Yunfei stated flatly.
With Ye Yunfei's current comprehensive strength, facing an Intermediate Demigod was akin to facing a child—an utter and complete suppression."
(Note: The translation ends as per the provided source text.)