"Of course I know him. In ancient times, we even had a brief encounter. I never thought he would ultimately walk the path of bringing calamity upon the Chaotic Void Sea, even destroying the entire Chaotic Void Sea."
The ancient will of the Earth Demon Clan could not help but sigh in lamentation.
"Young man, are you saying the Guardian Faction is now moving against our Earth Demon Clan?" the ancient one asked.
"Yes. Not long ago, the Guardian Faction dispatched a large army to deal with the Earth Demon Clan. After receiving news of this, I rushed here immediately to help.
However, the most important reason for my coming to aid the Earth Demon Clan was to form an alliance with your clan, to fight against the Guardian Faction together.
The Guardian Faction is the common enemy of all living beings across the Chaotic Void Sea. If we do not eradicate them, the eight fragments of the void will never know peace," Ye Yunfei replied.
"Indeed. It's just that I never imagined our Earth Demon Clan had already declined to such an extent today.
Young man, I thank you. If not for your intervention and assistance, I'm afraid the last remaining members of our Earth Demon Clan would no longer exist, and our entire clan might have faced extermination," the Earth Demon Clan ancient said.
"Senior, there's no need for such courtesy. The Earth Demon Clan and I are now in an alliance. We are all on the same side, united by the common goal of opposing the Guardian Faction," Ye Yunfei responded.
"Yes, an alliance is truly needed, a united front against the Guardian Faction," the Earth Demon Clan ancient nodded.
"Senior, now that you have returned, you could emerge to lead the Earth Demon Clan once more, guiding them onto a path of development and strength," Ye Yunfei said.
This Earth Demon Clan ancient was a powerful expert from antiquity. If he resumed leadership, he would undoubtedly strengthen the clan.
"No, this will of mine will soon fade away.
The consumption during the battle just now was too great. That I can still stand here and speak with you is already draining the last of my dwindling energy," the Earth Demon Clan ancient shook his head, sighing.
"Senior, I have a batch of Divine Pills here that can nourish and strengthen remnant souls. Please take them immediately," Ye Yunfei said in surprise, waving his hand to produce a large quantity of Divine Pills and send them floating before the ancient.
"No, these pills are useless to me now.
For all these years, this will of mine hid within that fellow's remnant soul, essentially becoming a part of it.
Fortunately, I struggled to maintain my last sliver of consciousness, which allowed me to survive until now.
Now that that fellow's Soul Body has been devoured by you, this will of mine has nothing left to anchor it and will soon disperse.
Young man, you possess a sense of justice, and your talent is extraordinary. At such a young age, you have already attained such power. In the future, you are sure to grow into a significant figure in the Chaotic Void Sea. I would like to ask a favor of you," the Earth Demon Clan ancient looked at Ye Yunfei and spoke.
"Senior, please speak directly. What is it?" Ye Yunfei replied.
Ye Yunfei carefully perceived this ancient's form and found it was indeed at its most weakened, most illusory state, on the verge of dissipating at any moment.
Moreover, his life force was already gone, leaving only the last faint vestige of will. It truly was difficult for him to endure much longer, and the Divine Pills Ye Yunfei refined wouldn't be of much use to him.
"I estimate his consumption was too great while dealing with that Earth Master's remnant soul," Hun Lao sighed with emotion.
"But there was no alternative. That Earth Master's remnant soul was too powerful. To defeat him, a price had to be paid.
This Earth Demon Clan ancient held a hatred deep as the sea, an irreconcilable enmity with that Earth Master. So he chose to sacrifice his last remaining will, essentially perishing together with that Earth Master."
"Young man, I wish to ask you to look after our Earth Demon Clan from now on. If possible, help ensure the continued legacy of our clan," the Earth Demon Clan ancient said.
"Senior, please rest assured. As the Earth Demon Clan is now allied with me, should any danger befall your clan, I will certainly assist with all my strength. You can be absolutely at ease on this point," Ye Yunfei answered.
"That is good.
Young Master Ye, are you truly a member of the Earth Gate?
Despite your youth, your proficiency in Geomancy Technique seems quite impressive, being able to capture Nine-Colored Supreme Earth Dragons," the Earth Demon Clan ancient inquired.
"Senior, in truth, I cannot be considered a formal member of the Earth Gate. However, I have indeed cultivated the Geomancy Technique, and the art I cultivate likely originates from the Earth Gate.
In a sense, I could be considered half a successor of the Earth Gate, since I practice their legacy after all," Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and answered honestly.
"So that's how it is.
Young Master Ye, to advance your Geomancy Technique to this level solely through your own exploration... your talent in this art is truly astonishing!
That fellow earlier was a high-ranking elder of the Earth Gate in ancient times, but his actions amounted to betraying the Earth Gate.
Nevertheless, as an Earth Gate elder, he did possess the ancient heritage of the Earth Gate and had collected many treasures related to Geomancy Technique, all stored within this Small World. Having hidden within the depths of his Soul Body for all these years, I naturally had a very clear understanding of his affairs.
Young Master Ye, come with me. I will now bestow upon you all of that fellow's possessions," the Earth Demon Clan ancient said to Ye Yunfei.
Then his increasingly illusory and weakened form drifted forward.
Ye Yunfei hurriedly followed. Soon, the Earth Demon Clan ancient led Ye Yunfei before a massive Earth Formation.
"This Earth Formation is truly profound. With my current level of Geomancy Technique, I couldn't possibly set it up, and if I were trapped within it, I might not be able to escape," Ye Yunfei stood before the large formation, sensing its power, and could not help but be secretly shocked.
"Young Master Ye, follow me in.
You need not worry. Over the years, I have become familiar with this Earth Formation beyond measure," the Earth Demon Clan ancient said with a smile, then walked directly into the large formation ahead.
Ye Yunfei followed suit.
"Young Master Ye, this is that fellow's lair.
Everything he collected is here. I'll point them out to you one by one. Now, all these things belong to you," the Earth Demon Clan ancient brought Ye Yunfei to the very core of this Earth Formation, then turned back and said with a smile.
The ancient was indeed exceedingly familiar with the formation. He led Ye Yunfei through it with ease, without triggering any attacks.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior," Ye Yunfei felt a surge of excitement.
As a high-ranking elder of the ancient Earth Gate, the things that blue-robed elder had left behind were undoubtedly of immense value. This was a tremendous opportunity for him.
"Young man, I also have some things to give you.
I can see your physical strength must be quite impressive, because strength is one of our Earth Demon Clan's racial talents, and cultivating the physical body is one of our secret arts.
I will impart to you some methods for body training, and I also have some treasures for body cultivation which I give to you as well," the Earth Demon Clan ancient pointed a finger, sending a stream of Soul Power information into Ye Yunfei's Soul Sea. He then sent a spatial ring floating before Ye Yunfei.
"As for these other things, please pass them on to the descendants of my Earth Demon Clan. Consider them as something this ancestor has left for them." After speaking, he waved his hand, and over a dozen more spatial rings landed before Ye Yunfei.
"Senior, rest assured. I will personally deliver these things into the hands of your Earth Demon Clan's three current elders," Ye Yunfei accepted the dozen-plus spatial rings and said solemnly.
"Very good, young man. I trust you," the Earth Demon Clan ancient nodded.
"Additionally, I have another treasure to bestow upon you — this Jade Ruyi.
The primary function of this Jade Ruyi is concealment. Once refined and carried on your person, you can freely alter your appearance and Soul Body aura. You can even hide within this Jade Ruyi itself.
This Jade Ruyi possesses exceptionally powerful concealment properties. All these years I managed to lurk within the depths of that fellow's Soul Body largely relying on its power. Otherwise, with merely this remnant will, I would have had no means to hide within his remnant soul without being discovered.
Back when my Soul Body was devoured by him, I immediately activated this Jade Ruyi and secreted a strand of my will into it, lying dormant until now.
Now, I shall gift this Jade Ruyi to you." The Earth Demon Clan ancient gave a light wave of his hand, and a small, exquisite, crystalline jade Ruyi floated before Ye Yunfei.
"This Jade Ruyi enabled you, Senior, to hide within another's Soul Body without being detected?" Ye Yunfei looked at the translucent jade artifact before him, somewhat amazed.
"If this Jade Ruyi can hide within another's Soul Body without detection, its concealment power is truly terrifying," Hun Lao could not help but remark.
"Young Master Ye, the energy of my will is nearly exhausted. Young Master Ye, in the future, please look after our Earth Demon Clan," the Earth Demon Clan ancient said.
"We trouble Young Master Ye to look after our Earth Demon Clan in the future." As soon as the ancient finished speaking, several faint voices sounded from the surroundings simultaneously.
Then, to Ye Yunfei's surprise, over a dozen faint, almost transparent, illusory figures appeared in the surrounding space. The auras of these dozen-plus figures were extremely weak, already teetering on the edge of dissipation.
"Young Master Ye, these are other high-ranking elders of our Earth Demon Clan from antiquity, also victims of that beast surnamed Yang. Our Soul Bodies were all devoured by him. What remain are merely unwilling remnants of our will and attachment.
Now that that beast surnamed Yang has been destroyed, these vestiges of will and attachment will also soon disperse. So we all came out to see you one last time, Young Master Ye.
Also, we will now return to our Earth Demon Clan's ancestral homeland to meet our descendants one last time. After that, we shall completely fade away, bidding farewell to this world forever," the Earth Demon Clan ancient sighed and explained.
Having spoken, all the figures around rose and disappeared in the next moment.
Ye Yunfei understood these ancient ones needed to return to their ancestral homeland to see the current members of the Earth Demon Clan one last time before truly perishing.
"Young Master Ye, I advise you to cultivate the Geomancy Technique here for a while. The environment should be quite beneficial for your cultivation in that art," before leaving the Small World, the Earth Demon Clan ancient turned back and said to Ye Yunfei.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior," Ye Yunfei said gratefully.