As that black-clad man let out a great roar, a black Deity immediately appeared behind him, emanating billowing corpse energy. It held a black scythe in its hand, which it swung down high towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei executed the Imperial Dao Divine Fist. The massive, lofty Emperor Phantom behind him clenched a fist and shattered the black scythe with a single punch, then sent the black Deity exploding with another strike.
At the same time, Ye Yunfei swung his own fist, punching towards the black-clad man.
Unable to dodge, the black-clad man gritted his teeth and raised his hands to block. Ten pitch-black fingernails grew wildly from his fingers, each gleaming with an eerie black light, sharp and lethal as they whistled towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei didn't dodge or evade. His fist slammed forward, colliding with the ten black nails. They were instantly smashed to pieces upon impact.
"Brat, I'll fight you to the death!"
The black-clad man roared angrily. He transformed his claws into palms, from which a torrent of black corpse energy erupted, aiming straight for Ye Yunfei's fist.
With a bang, Ye Yunfei's fist pulverized the man's palm, then struck again, shattering half of his torso. Ye Yunfei then reached out with a grab, seizing the other half of his mangled body and sealing it directly.
"Brat, you wait. I'll remember this grudge from today."
To Ye Yunfei's surprise, the black-clad man's Soul Body managed to instantly free itself from its remaining physical form. It appeared in the distance, glaring at Ye Yunfei with furious eyes and unleashing a heart-rending roar.
"Do you really think you can escape?" Ye Yunfei sneered.
Seeing their leader crippled by Ye Yunfei in just a few moves, the other black-clad men panicked.
"Retreat! Fall back now!"
The Soul Body of the leader issued the order to retreat. But suddenly, twenty massive planets materialized around his Soul Body, encircling him completely.
"What are these?"
The man was startled. Each of the suddenly appearing planets emitted terrifying Soul Power energy, exerting powerful pressure on his Soul Body.
Boom!
The twenty Soul Force planets attacked simultaneously.
"This is a Soul Power-type martial technique, somewhat akin to the Soul Clan's heritage secret arts. How is this possible? Brat, you can actually cultivate the Soul Clan's lineage secret arts! How did you manage it?"
The black-clad man quickly realized the Soul Force planets around him were condensed from a specific Soul Power-type martial skill, and likely a heritage technique of the Soul Clan. He couldn't help but roar in disbelief.
Dozens of black magical treasures then surged from his Soul Body. These were all Soul Power energy-based artifacts that clustered tightly around him, protecting his Soul Body as he sought to break through and flee.
"Do you really think you can escape now?"
Suddenly, a vast, sky-filling fog of ghosts billowed forth. Ghostly walls, one after another, appeared in the surroundings. Each wall squirmed with countless, innumerable ghostly faces that wailed and shrieked.
These numerous ghost walls formed a massive 'Ghost Wall Maze' formation, trapping the black-clad man's Soul Body.
"No good! A ghost cultivator!"
The Soul Body of the leader immediately cried out in alarm. He knew ghost cultivators were the natural bane of Soul Bodies. Now that he was only a Soul Body, he was at a severe disadvantage. The slightest misstep could lead to being devoured.
"You're right, I am a ghost cultivator. Now, hand over your Soul Body."
Huang Shang materialized, letting out a sinister chuckle. His ink-black, lustrous ghost form was like a black hole, appearing extremely eerie.
Seeing Huang Shang blocking the leader's Soul Body, Ye Yunfei paid it no further mind. He believed Huang Shang, with his current strength, could handle it.
Next, Ye Yunfei turned to deal with the remaining black-clad men.
At this moment, these Great Netherworld cultivators no longer dared to encircle and attack Ye Yunfei. Instead, they fled in all directions.
Ye Yunfei used the Nine Dragons Supreme Step, conjuring nine colossal dragons that merged into one. Standing atop the dragon's head, Ye Yunfei pursued the fleeing men with extreme speed. Wherever he went, rolling imperial majesty radiated, suppressing vast swathes of void.
Under Ye Yunfei's relentless chase, some of the black-clad men fled out of this world, while others scurried about chaotically within it.
"These guys didn't just slaughter the living beings of this world for their corpses. They also dug up nearly all the graves in this world, turning out all the coffins inside. Any intact corpses were taken by them. They even dug up some ancient tombs that had been buried for a very long time!"
Hun Lao suddenly spoke up.
"Yes, I saw that too," Ye Yunfei replied while chasing down the black-clad men. He saw dug-up graves scattered all over the land, with masses of coffins tossed aside.
"These guys from the Great Netherworld truly have no morals! They take both the living and the dead," Hun Lao couldn't help but remark.
"I've subdued this guy. I've also absorbed most of his Soul Body energy. I'll leave his soul memories to you. His strength isn't bad; he must know many secrets of the Great Netherworld and has mastery over their Corpse Path techniques," Huang Shang suddenly arrived before Ye Yunfei, holding a barely breathing Soul Body. It was the leader's Soul Body.
"Alright, hand him over," Ye Yunfei nodded. With a thought, five Soul Force planets charged out, surrounded the black-clad leader's Soul Body, and pulled it into his soul sea to begin refining and absorbing it. Having lost most of its energy to Huang Shang, the Soul Body offered no resistance.
Just as Ye Yunfei was about to completely refine this Soul Body, a sudden surge of black mist materialized, taking the shape of an old man dressed in black. This elder emanated a dense, pungent corpse energy, with black law-like chains encircling his form, weaving into a net that drifted around him, releasing an aura of extreme and eerie danger.
"So you have a master," Ye Yunfei sneered, looking at the spectral form of the black-clad elder. Then he willed a Soul Sword into existence.
"Brat, are you the one trying to kill my disciple? How presumptuous! You dare touch my people? Be smart and leave now. Otherwise, your actions are nothing but courting death."
Seeing Ye Yunfei make a move, the elder flew into a rage.
"You think mere words can scare me off? Think again," Ye Yunfei laughed coldly.
"How dare you attack me? You're seeking death, brat," the elder angrily retorted, throwing a punch at the Soul Sword. A clang echoed as the fist collided with the sword. The Soul Sword passed right through it, directly cleaving the elder's spectral form in two.
"How is this possible? One so young possesses such formidable Soul Power energy!" The elder was both shocked and furious.
"Old bastard, die." Ye Yunfei pointed a finger, commanding the Soul Sword to slash at the elder again, shattering his form into scattered fragments.
"Brat, I've marked you. Once I attain the status of a Corpse God, you'll be the first one I settle scores with!" The elder's form let out a final angry roar before the Soul Sword completely extinguished it.
"Just a Soul Power imprint from that old fellow had such strength. His true body must be fearsome. He really might have a chance of becoming a Corpse God," Hun Lao commented.
"Indeed. He's currently attempting his breakthrough to Corpse God, which is why he sent his disciples out to collect corpses and corpse energy for cultivation resources. And he hasn't sent just this one disciple. He has dispatched several others to gather corpses and corpse energy across the Chaotic Void Sea for his training. He practices the Corpse Path. To become a Corpse God, one must refine and absorb a truly immense amount of corpses and corpse energy," Ye Yunfei explained.
Having absorbed the disciple's memories, Ye Yunfei was now privy to these details.
"That means these Corpse Path practitioners must consume countless bodies of innocent living beings to become Corpse Gods. Such a cultivation method is too cruel," Hun Lao sighed.
"Lately, these fellows have slaughtered many worlds, collecting a vast quantity of corpses and corpse energy. That old master is secluded in the Corpse Realm within the Great Netherworld, cultivating in seclusion, waiting for his disciples to deliver their spoils," Ye Yunfei added.
"Here, take their Soul Bodies too. I've absorbed most of their energy. You can have their soul memories."
Huang Shang approached again, bringing with him a batch of Soul Bodies – about fifty or sixty in total, all belonging to the fallen black-clad men. Each Soul Body clung to the barest sliver of energy, on the brink of dissipation.
"Very well."
Ye Yunfei nodded again. His Soul Force Star Method indeed required such souls as cultivation resources. With a thought, twenty Soul Force planets surged forth to begin refining them.
It wasn't long before Ye Yunfei had completely absorbed and refined all fifty-plus Soul Bodies.
"Alright, let's go."
Having said that, Ye Yunfei made his way out of the world. Half of its indigenous life had already been slaughtered by the black-clad men.
The ground was littered with countless bodies the enemies had not yet had time to collect – a scene of carnage with rivers of blood. The earth echoed with the wails of the surviving natives, their cries of grief piercing the heavens, the devastation utterly desolate.
"This world is already half-destroyed," Ye Yunfei shook his head slightly. He released his Soul Power energy to locate the remnants of several major powers in this world. With a wave of his hand, he sent bundles of cultivation resources flying towards these factions' headquarters. Then, without looking back, he turned and departed.
Soon after, Ye Yunfei left this world cluster.
He proceeded to drop off one Alliance Army Demigod after another at their chosen training grounds. In the end, all fifty-plus Demigods of the Alliance Army were dispatched according to their wishes.
Afterward, Ye Yunfei sought out a remote patch of void and set up a small formation space. He entered it, then stepped into the Phantom Tower.
"It's time to elevate the Soul Force Star Method to the next level."
Ye Yunfei began his cultivation of the Soul Force Star Method.
Meanwhile, within the Great Netherworld, inside a gloomy world saturated with thick corpse energy and Corpse Path laws, stood a palace etched with totems of countless different beings' corpses. Within the hall sat a sinister silhouette, surrounded by a multitude of bodies from various races, mostly ancient corpses emanating pungent smells of decay.
"Once I refine this batch of old corpses, I'll have almost none left. I'll have to resort to fresh bodies for my cultivation. Luckily, if the supply of fresh corpses is sufficiently vast, they too can assist my ascent to the Corpse God realm."
A chilling, piercing voice escaped the sinister silhouette, reminiscent of an owl's screech.
"Reporting, Master, I have returned."
Right then, a transmitted voice sounded from beyond the palace gates.
"How are the spoils?" asked the figure inside.
"No need for worry, Master. I have eliminated five worlds in total. I've brought back the bodies of the vast majority of living beings from those realms. Moreover, I've excavated all the tombs in those five worlds, retrieving all their intact ancient corpses. Fearing you might require bodies for cultivation, I hastened back prematurely. Please forgive my transgression."
At the palace gates stood a tall, lean man in black, speaking respectfully.
"It matters not. I am indeed in need of corpses; your timing is fortuitous. Bring your spoils inside, then venture out again to eliminate a few more worlds. Collect even more bodies for me. I'm at the most crucial stage of my breakthrough to the Corpse God realm. The more you gather for me, the better it will be. Once I become a Corpse God, we will all embark on the conquest of the worlds beyond," the sinister figure within proclaimed.
"As you command! May Master soon attain the rank of Corpse God," the man at the gates promptly replied with deference. He produced thousands of Corpse Bags and, with a gesture, sent them all flying into the palace's interior, landing before the seated silhouette. Each bag contained numerous bodies.
"Excellent!"
The figure sensed the quantity of corpses inside the bags and nodded approvingly.
"Master, I have returned as well."
Just then, another black-clad figure soared over from the distance, landing before the palace gates. He too sent a batch of Corpse Bags floating inside.
Nearly at the same time, seven or eight black-clad men arrived from different directions, all presenting vast quantities of Corpse Bags to be taken into the palace.
"My disciples, you have all performed admirably. Good. Now, go forth again and collect more bodies. The more, the better."
Inside the palace, the sinister figure took in all the Corpse Bags before giving this instruction. However, at that moment, he added, "Hold on. Where is my other disciple? Has he not returned yet? I sense he has met with misfortune. Even a Soul Power imprint I left on him has been extinguished."
A realization dawned on him, prompting him to sense the imprint he'd placed on that particular disciple, only to confirm that indeed something had befallen it.
Whoosh!
Right at that moment, a black dot continuously traversed space in the distance before finally arriving to land on the open ground before the palace gates.
"Master! You must avenge me!"
The black dot transformed into a translucent, faint apparition that knelt on the ground, weeping and wailing.
"What has transpired? How are you left with only a wisp of remnant soul?" questioned the being inside the hall.
"Master, your disciple has perished! It was Ye Yunfei! Ye Yunfei of the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds killed me! Master, you must avenge me! I want that little bastard Ye Yunfei's soul scattered and obliterated, forever denied the cycle of rebirth!" the specter shrieked miserably.
"With your strength, and having taken quite a few Corpse Realm Demigod elites with you, how could you fall so easily? Who is this Ye Yunfei? What are his origins and cultivation level?"
From the palace came the inquiry.
"Master, Ye Yunfei is a youth from the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds. His skills are formidable; in the past, he has killed many of our Great Netherworld's members. Moreover, it's rumored he joined the Restorers' camp, making him a Restorer."
This information came from another black-clad man standing to the side at the palace entrance.
"A mere youth? How could that be? No matter how strong a youth might be, his strength has inherent limits. And you, failing to be his match and even getting yourself killed – it's truly a disappointment. Nevertheless, I shall remember this. Once I become a Corpse God, I shall seek out this Ye Yunfei. If his body is suitably robust, I shall refine him into a corpse slave for my eternal servitude," the entity within declared coldly.
"My thanks, Master! Since you have promised to exact my vengeance, I can depart content."
Outside the gates, the faint spirit repeatedly kowtowed.
"Ye Yunfei, just you wait. Once my Master attains the rank of Corpse God, he will come to settle scores with you."
The spirit ground its teeth in hatred as it kowtowed.