Before anyone could react, the sixteen black-robed figures had all crashed into the distance, lying motionless with their fate unknown.
This scene stunned everyone present.
"What on earth is going on? He Tai, is your Beidou Sect playing tricks here? These sixteen Venerable Ones all belong to the Autumn Wind Group, which is now part of the Guardian Faction's forces. If you dare to kill these sixteen Venerable Ones, it's the same as provoking the Guardian Faction. Your Beidou Sect truly has the nerve! You've just invited a calamity!"
Kong Daquan cried out in alarm and fury at He Tai.
"Kong Daquan, which of your eyes saw our Beidou Sect make a move? Who in our Beidou Sect has the ability to use Soul Power martial techniques to defeat sixteen Perfected Void Gods? If we had such an expert, we would have long since wiped out your Green Mountain Sect."
He Tai replied angrily, furious upon hearing Kong Daquan's words.
He Tai understood that offending just the Green Mountain Sect wasn't a major issue, as the Beidou Sect and the Green Mountain Sect had been enemies since ancient times, and neither side had gained an upper hand after prolonged conflict. However, offending the Autumn Wind Group and the Guardian Faction would have severe consequences. A mere Beidou Sect was no match for these two major powers, so the Beidou Sect could not admit to having attacked those Venerable Ones.
"He Tai, don't try to twist your words. The only people here are members of our Green Mountain Sect and your Beidou Sect. Our Green Mountain Sect would never attack these sixteen Venerable Ones. That means it must be your Beidou Sect playing tricks. He Tai, just you wait. This matter today will not be let go so easily."
Kong Daquan said sternly, then with a wave of his hand, led his Green Mountain Sect members as they turned and left.
Kong Daquan knew they could not continue this battle. Sixteen Venerable Ones with Perfected Void God strength had been defeated without anyone knowing what happened. There must be an expert hidden nearby. To stay any longer would likely bring calamity upon the Green Mountain Sect, himself included.
The Green Mountain Sect members had already rushed over to help the sixteen black-robed figures up.
"Sect Leader, this is bad! All sixteen Venerable Ones appear to be dead!"
Several high-ranking members of the Green Mountain Sect personally inspected the sixteen Venerable Ones and found that they were long dead. The Soul Bodies within their Soul Seas had vanished without a trace.
"Take these sixteen Venerable Ones' corpses back to headquarters first. We'll discuss it further there."
Kong Daquan said with an extremely unpleasant expression, feeling helpless.
He then quickly led his Green Mountain Sect contingent away, disappearing into the distance moments later.
"Thinking of leaving? Not so easy."
Ye Yunfei watched the departing members of the Green Mountain Sect, a cold smile appearing on his face.
Then Ye Yunfei's figure simply vanished.
He had been standing amidst a large group of Beidou Sect disciples. In the midst of the chaos, no one had noticed Ye Yunfei at all.
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, our Beidou Sect did not suffer heavy losses. Only some disciples responsible for patrolling around headquarters were killed."
Not long after, an ordinary elder of the Beidou Sect came to report to He Tai.
"Very good. Pass down the order: strengthen our defenses from now on. Also, immediately dispatch scouts to monitor every move of the Green Mountain Sect. If they show any unusual activity, report it immediately. The Green Mountain Sect will not let this rest so easily!"
He Tai nodded and instructed.
"Who exactly made the move and killed those sixteen Venerable Ones just now?"
Over a dozen core high-ranking members of the Beidou Sect gathered around He Tai, all discussing and guessing who the mysterious expert who had acted might be.
"It was definitely not someone from our Beidou Sect, because I and the five Council Elders did not make a move. Besides myself and the five Council Elders, no one else possesses such capabilities either. Therefore, we can confirm that the mysterious expert was not from our Beidou Sect. It's strange. Just which expert is secretly aiding our Beidou Sect? I keep thinking, but I can't recall our Beidou Sect having any connection with such an expert."
He Tai said with a furrowed brow, clearly puzzled.
"I can't think of any either. From what I remember, our Beidou Sect has never befriended such a powerful expert, capable of covertly employing Soul Power martial techniques to kill sixteen Perfected Void Gods in such a short time. That hidden mysterious expert is likely a True God. But why would a True God help our Beidou Sect?"
One of the Council Elders said suspiciously.
He Tai and the dozen or so core Beidou Sect leaders speculated back and forth but remained clueless.
"Forget it. Let's stop making blind guesses. Regardless of who that mysterious expert is, one thing is certain: he helped our Beidou Sect. Having such a mysterious expert secretly assisting us is a great boon for our Beidou Sect. Alright, send the order: have someone thoroughly clean up the area around headquarters. Also, more than half of the Formations within our headquarters have been damaged. Immediately send people to hire more Formation Masters to help set up new formations. We need to deploy more formations within our headquarters as soon as possible. Also, spend a large sum to hire a renowned Senior Formation Master to see if our sect-protecting grand formation can be repaired. That grand formation was passed down by generations of our ancestors. Now it has been broken. If we cannot restore it, we will be utterly ashamed to face our ancestors."
He Tai proclaimed clearly.
"Reporting, Sect Leader. I've just taken a headcount. The vast majority of disciples are fine, but Guo Hua is missing."
Suddenly, a Beidou Sect steward hurried over to report to He Tai.
"What? Guo Hua is missing? Not long ago, I clearly saw him present, standing with a large group of disciples. How could he suddenly disappear now?"
An ordinary elder exclaimed in surprise.
"He is indeed missing. I specifically went to Guo Hua's cultivation cave, but couldn't find him there either."
The steward replied.
"Could it be the doing of the Green Mountain Sect? The Green Mountain Sect knows Guo Hua had significant gains in the Yangming Secret Realm. Perhaps they secretly captured him?"
A Council Elder said with a grim expression.
"Immediately mobilize all manpower and resources to find Guo Hua! Also, we must investigate who leaked the news of our Beidou Sect disciples' significant gains in the Yangming Secret Realm! Find that traitor and punish him severely! Our Beidou Sect's internal affairs need serious rectifying!"
He Tai's expression was also extremely unpleasant as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"How preposterous! What on earth is going on? Who attacked those sixteen Venerable Ones?"
At this moment, Kong Daquan was leading the members of the Green Mountain Sect, hastening back toward their headquarters without pause.
Kong Daquan looked at the sixteen corpses shrouded in black robes; his expression was utterly wretched as he spoke through clenched teeth.
"Sect Leader, He Tai is right. Their Beidou Sect doesn't have such an expert. Otherwise, they would have already made a move against our Green Mountain Sect. Could it be that another expert lurking nearby made the attack?"
A senior following Kong Daquan voiced his thoughts.
"The Beidou Sect indeed doesn't have such an expert, but is it possible they've called for outside reinforcements? Perhaps, like our Green Mountain Sect, the Beidou Sect secretly pledged allegiance to some powerful force, thus acquiring powerful aid."
Another elder next to him speculated.
"That truly is a possibility."
Upon hearing this elder's words, Kong Daquan paused in his step before speaking gravely.
"Regardless of the circumstances, the current situation is beyond what our Green Mountain Sect can handle. That hidden mysterious expert was able to kill sixteen Venerable Ones in such a short time. With our Green Mountain Sect's strength, we are definitely no match for him. Upon returning, I will immediately report this matter to the Autumn Wind Group and let them investigate and handle it."
Kong Daquan continued.
"Sect Leader, for the period ahead, our Green Mountain Sect should maintain a low profile, temporarily not provoking the Beidou Sect proactively. Otherwise, if we attract that hidden expert's attention and he makes a move against our Green Mountain Sect, the trouble would be immense."
Yet another elder voiced his opinion.
"Indeed! Relay my orders. For the period ahead, our Green Mountain Sect will temporarily refrain from provoking the Beidou Sect. Let the Autumn Wind Group and the Guardian Faction deal with them. Our Green Mountain Sect will observe from the sidelines."
Upon hearing this elder's words, Kong Daquan could not help but feel a chill in his heart and immediately issued the command.
However, just as his words left his mouth, a cold, desolate full moon suddenly manifested within his Soul Sea, casting brilliant, silvery light that illuminated its entirety.
This full moon spun rapidly, slicing toward his Soul Body. Simultaneously, a sword and more than forty massive stars forcibly invaded his Soul Sea, surrounding his Soul Body from all directions and launching a frenzied assault.
"Not good! That guy has caught up to us!"
Kong Daquan's face instantly paled as he cried out in terror.
In the next moment, he let out a piercing scream, feeling as if his head was about to explode. His Soul Sea had descended into chaos. His Soul Body was being besieged by a full moon, a Soul Sword, and over forty enormous stars, all pummeling it.
"Not good! The hidden expert has caught up! He's attacking our Green Mountain Sect!"
The elders following their Sect Leader were all in a panic.
"Everyone, calm down! We must pool our collective strength to help our Sect Leader face the enemy!"
The most senior elder cried out loudly.
"Right! Let's all utilize our Soul Power martial techniques to help the Sect Leader fight the enemy!"
Heeding this elder's words, all other high-ranking Green Mountain Sect members immediately activated their Soul Power, pouring it with great force into Kong Daquan's Soul Sea.
"A bunch of small fries. Do you think you can rescue someone from under my watch? Is that possible?"
Ye Yunfei, who stood hidden in the nearby space, sneered coldly.
"Time to test my current Mental Force level!"
Ye Yunfei murmured softly.
As his voice faded, Ye Yunfei deployed his Mental Force techniques against the Green Mountain Sect's higher-ups.
During his previous training period, Ye Yunfei had cultivated the advanced cultivation and martial arts techniques gifted by the Yangming King. Moreover, among the spatial rings bestowed by the Yangming King were numerous divine pills and treasures specifically for enhancing Mental Force. Ye Yunfei had already completely refined and absorbed all of them, granting his Mental Force a qualitative leap in power.
Aaahhh…!
In the following instant, members of the Green Mountain Sect's upper echelons let out pained screams one after another.
Attacks utilizing Mental Force were more difficult to defend against and faster than those using Soul Power. With a mere thought, Mental Force strikes could be instantly unleashed, leaving the enemy no time to react.
In just an instant, Ye Yunfei had attacked each of the Green Mountain Sect's high-ranking members with his Mental Force techniques. Each one was injured, spewing blood from their mouths, their faces ashen.