Bang!
A heavy sea of blade-shadows manifested, layered and dense as massive waves, completely shattering the space ahead.
That Intermediate Void God of the Guardian Faction was sent flying backward by the terrifying blade-shadows.
Cui Hong closed the distance with a movement technique and unleashed an even more furious assault.
Moments later, this Intermediate Void God began to lose his footing.
"Cui Hong, you used to be just an energy body! Your true strength was even weaker than a typical Void God. Why is your power so vastly improved now?
Could an energy body possibly cultivate and enhance its strength?"
The Intermediate Void God cried out, both bewildered and unwilling to accept it.
"No! Your current state isn't that of an energy body, Cui Hong. This seems to be... flesh and blood, yet it's a lifeless body.
Could this be your corpse?
Did you fuse your corpse with your energy body?
How was that even possible?"
The Intermediate Void God suddenly exclaimed in shock.
"Facing death's door, and you still have time to be curious about all that?"
Cui Hong sneered, then both of his swords shot out, slashing the Intermediate Void God and sending him crashing far away.
On the other side, Xiao Xiao had already beaten those two Primary Void Gods to the point of heavy injury, hovering on the brink of death.
"Miss Xiao Xiao, leave them to me," Ye Yunfei said.
"Alright, they're yours," Xiao Xiao replied. She knew Ye Yunfei needed their blood essence and Soul Bodies, so she stepped aside.
Ye Yunfei charged forward, pulverizing the two Primary Void Gods with one punch each. He then released his Blood Clan Doppelganger to begin refining and absorbing their blood essence.
Simultaneously, Ye Yunfei and Huang Shang each devoured the Soul Bodies of one Primary Void God.
Primary Void Gods were far too weak for the current Ye Yunfei. These two were completely suppressed before him, utterly incapable of fighting back.
On the other side, that Intermediate Void God was also being overwhelmed by Cui Hong's attacks, his injuries growing more severe by the second.
After further combat, Cui Hong finally cleaved the Intermediate Void God apart with his twin blades, hacking him into over a dozen pieces.
"Elder Cui Hong, leave this fellow to me as well," Ye Yunfei said as he stepped forward.
"Very well. He's yours," Cui Hong said, retreating to the side.
"You little punk! A mere insect dares to raise a hand against me!" As soon as Cui Hong stepped away, the Intermediate Void God's Soul Body appeared, roaring furiously at Ye Yunfei.
His words had barely finished when Ye Yunfei unleashed the Soul Sword, along with over ten Soul Power stars that surrounded him on all sides.
Huang Shang also erupted with a flood of sinister ghost mist and numerous Ghost Walls, sealing him in an impenetrable siege.
"Not good!" The Intermediate Void God's Soul Body realized that Ye Yunfei's Soul Power energy was not weaker than his own, but potentially even stronger. Combined with Huang Shang being a ghost cultivator, whose nature naturally suppressed Soul Bodies, a sense of dread washed over him. He turned and tried to flee.
"Trying to escape now is far too late," Ye Yunfei sneered. With a thought, he sent all twenty-plus Soul Power stars shooting outwards, encircling the Intermediate Void God's Soul Body.
"Scram!" the Soul Body bellowed, simultaneously activating eight Soul Power treasures. Each artifact radiated potent Soul Power energy, forming protective layers around his Soul Body.
"You have treasures, and so do I," Ye Yunfei replied coldly. With another thought, over a dozen Soul Power treasures appeared and flew forward to intercept.
Moments later, under the combined assault of Ye Yunfei and Huang Shang, the Intermediate Void God's Soul Body was forcibly ripped apart. Ye Yunfei and Huang Shang each claimed half, devouring their share.
"Give me another batch of cultivation resources—preferably those containing dark, Yin-type energy. I feel I won't be long before I face my own God Tribulation," Huang Shang suddenly said to Ye Yunfei.
"Elder Huang! You're about to face the God Tribulation? That's fantastic news!" Ye Yunfei was delighted and immediately produced a large stockpile of cultivation resources for Huang Shang. Most of them contained abundant dark Yin energies.
After receiving the resources, Huang Shang immediately entered the Phantom Tower to begin closed-door cultivation and breakthrough.
"Ancestor, you've finally returned!" At that moment, the Elders of the Fire Clan led all their members forward, bowing respectfully and welcoming Cui Hong.
When the Guardian Faction's army had invaded the Fire Realm, the Flower Goddess Palace Master had instructed the Fire Clan's Grand Elder to lead the clan members into hiding. Compared to the Guardian Faction's forces, the Fire Clan's strength was far too weak; a direct confrontation would likely have led to their complete annihilation.
"Clean up the battlefield immediately. Restore order within this world," Cui Hong commanded.
The several Fire Clan Elders promptly led their forces to begin cleaning up the carnage.
Within the Fire Realm now were not only the Fire Clan members, but also a sizeable contingent from the Flower Goddess Palace. The vast majority of these were female cultivators, each of them extraordinarily beautiful.
"Master, look. These are the treasures I brought back from the True Phoenix Tomb," Xiao Xiao had already walked over to the ornate palanquin, saying respectfully.
She then produced over a dozen space rings and sent them all into the palanquin.
"Excellent. The True Phoenix Tomb truly lives up to being the forbidden ground left behind by the True Phoenix Divine Clan," the Flower Goddess Palace Master said after examining the rings, feeling quite satisfied. She offered continuous praise.
"A Fang, thank you for watching over the Fire Realm during this period. These are items I brought back from the True Phoenix Tomb, especially for you."
Cui Hong also approached the palanquin, taking out five space rings and sending them inside.
"That's unnecessary. Keep your things for your own use," came the reply, and the five rings were promptly pushed back out, hovering before Cui Hong.
"A Fang, don't worry, I've kept a portion for the Fire Clan's use. These are specifically brought back for you. Please accept them.
My gains from the tomb were substantial. What I've kept for the Fire Clan will be more than sufficient," Cui Hong insisted.
"Not needed. Your Fire Clan is far poorer than our Flower Goddess Palace right now. There's no need to give me things.
Furthermore, don't think the crisis for your clan has been resolved. It won't be long before the Guardian Faction's army returns, and this time they will surely be much stronger."
The Flower Goddess Palace Master's voice was cold.
"Alright then, A Fang. Whenever you have need, you may ask me," Cui Hong said, knowing the Palace Master was an individual of resolute decisiveness. Once her mind was made up, it was difficult to change. He could only retrieve the five space rings.
"A Fang, rest assured. With Young Master Ye here, we need not fear the Guardian Faction," Cui Hong added.
"Yes, Master. We need not fear the Guardian Faction.
Especially with Young Master Ye present. Unless the Guardian Faction dispatches High-Level Void Gods, we have nothing to fear," Xiao Xiao also spoke up.
"Oh? Listening to you both, has Young Master Ye's strength grown so formidable already?" The Flower Goddess Palace Master was somewhat surprised by Cui Hong and Xiao Xiao's words. She immediately released a powerful pulse of Soul Power energy to sense Ye Yunfei.
"Your cultivation realm is only that of a Peak Demigod, yet the energy slumbering within your body seems to far surpass that level.
Indeed, it is quite remarkable."
The Palace Master praised.
"You flatter me, Palace Master," Ye Yunfei replied politely.
"Elder, I need to find a place for closed-door cultivation. Please notify me immediately when the Guardian Faction's forces arrive," Ye Yunfei transmitted to Cui Hong.
Having said that, Ye Yunfei located a remote spot within the Fire Realm. He arranged a small Formation space, entered it, and then proceeded into the Phantom Tower, where he sat down cross-legged.
"First, refine and fuse all the Star Mother Sand in my possession into my physical body." Ye Yunfei retrieved a large batch of glittering golden Star Mother Sand.
He had already refined and fused a batch within the True Phoenix Tomb, but later he had acquired an even greater quantity.
This Star Mother Sand was immensely beneficial to the physical body, capable of dramatically enhancing its quality and raw strength.
Ye Yunfei then began the refinement and fusion process.
Roughly two months passed inside the Phantom Tower before Ye Yunfei finally finished fusing all the Star Mother Sand into his flesh.
"My current physical quality and strength have leaped forward by another significant margin." After completing the process, Ye Yunfei clenched his fists, sensing the terrifying, surging power within his body. He expressed his satisfaction.
"Seizing this opportunity, I should refine and fuse some more Deity treasures." After a moment's thought, Ye Yunfei brought out a batch of Deity-level artifacts and began using his Body-to-Artifact Art to refine and fuse them.
Unconsciously, another two months passed inside the Phantom Tower.
By the end of those two months, Ye Yunfei had refined and fused over one hundred Deity-level artifacts.
Over ninety of them were treasures of the Primary Void God level, with more than a dozen belonging to the Intermediate Void God level.
After refining those dozen Intermediate-level treasures, Ye Yunfei felt his physical strength and quality improve by another substantial degree.
"I wonder if, relying solely on my physical strength, I could contend with an Intermediate Void God now.
I'll find out when the time comes."
Ye Yunfei mused silently after assessing the terrifying power contained in his flesh.
"The Star Mother Sand must rank among the most precious treasures I obtained from the True Phoenix Tomb."
He then added.
It was precisely thanks to acquiring such a vast quantity of Star Mother Sand that his physical quality and power had improved so dramatically these past months.
Of course, only someone like Ye Yunfei would dare to refine and fuse this much Star Mother Sand. For others, even an Intermediate Void God's body would find it difficult to withstand such a quantity.
Ye Yunfei had only managed this due to his prolonged cultivation of the Body-to-Artifact Art. He had fused far too many treasures into his flesh, to the point that his very body had been tempered into a marvelously forged artifact. Thus, he had no fear of backlash from the Star Mother Sand.
"Given the current quality of my flesh, even if I stood there motionless, I suspect a Primary Void God would struggle to harm my body now, wouldn't they?" Ye Yunfei said to himself.
"This is what is known as 'Cultivating the God Body.' Though your cultivation realm has not yet reached that of a Deity, your flesh has already attained Deity-level quality. Strictly speaking, you have already become a Deity yourself," Hun Lao suddenly interjected.
"Cultivating the God Body?
Indeed, that sounds about right. My body has already refined and fused such a massive number of Deity-level treasures; it truly deserves the title," Ye Yunfei pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"Within the inheritances you obtained from the Mighty Force Demon Deity, some of the higher-level techniques you have yet to cultivate. Now would be a good time to try cultivating them," Hun Lao suggested once more.