"I wonder how Senior Brother is doing now?"
The middle-aged man's gaze looked into the distance, seemingly penetrating layers of void, uncertain where it finally rested.
"You said earlier that my senior brother, while traveling abroad back then, was suddenly besieged by several mysterious experts. His physical body was ultimately shattered, leaving only his Soul Body, which further fragmented into over a dozen pieces to flee separately. What happened to my senior brother afterwards?"
The middle-aged man suddenly withdrew his gaze and asked Ye Yunfei.
"Martial Uncle, everything I know was heard from that senior. I'm not entirely clear about the specific circumstances. Even that senior in the Sword Tomb doesn't know Master's current situation, so I know even less."
Ye Yunfei hurriedly replied. Everything he knew about Jian Shenzi came from the green-robed man within the Sword Tomb of the Three Thousand Worlds.
"That's true. I hope Senior Brother is doing well now."
The middle-aged man nodded.
"Actually, the reason I perished back then was also because I encountered an ambush and siege by several mysterious experts. Under those circumstances, I hadn't even reacted before I was severely wounded and then powerless to continue fighting. My body was also destroyed, and only some remnant soul fragments fled in panic. I never imagined Senior Brother would encounter such a thing as well."
The middle-aged man said, frowning.
"Martial Uncle, you also perished due to an ambush and siege?"
Ye Yunfei was somewhat surprised.
"Indeed. Back then, I suddenly encountered an ambush and siege by several mysterious experts. My body was destroyed on the spot. Later, I employed a Soul Body secret technique, splitting my Soul Body into over a dozen parts that fled in different directions. I believe Senior Brother back then also used the same Soul Body escape technique, as it is a secret art of our Sword Realm, requiring profound sword path attainment to execute."
The middle-aged man nodded.
"How can it be such a coincidence? The experiences of these two martial brothers are almost identical. Could there be something strange about this? Might their enemies be the same group of people?"
Hun Lao suddenly sent a Sound Transmission to Ye Yunfei.
"Whether it's a coincidence is hard to say,"
Ye Yunfei replied.
"What a pity. I am now merely a wisp of Soul Power imprint. Even if I wished to investigate what happened back then, my will exceeds my strength."
That middle-aged man sighed.
"Martial Uncle, is this your only remaining Soul Power imprint? What about your other remnant soul fragments?"
Ye Yunfei asked curiously.
"I am also unsure. Back then, one of my remnant soul fragments escaped back to the headquarters of the Guqing Gang. However, during its flight, this remnant soul was again attacked by those fellows, suffering great loss. By the time it returned here, it had nearly exhausted all its energy, ultimately leaving behind this Soul Power imprint. As for the current state of my other remnant soul fragments, this imprint of mine simply does not know. Over all these years, none of my other soul fragments have returned here. They have likely met with misfortune. I never imagined we, two martial brothers, would share the same fate."
The middle-aged man sighed once more.
Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Ye Yunfei momentarily didn't know what to say. For a sword path expert of such terrifying strength to be reduced to such a state was indeed lamentable.
"Although you obtained my senior brother's sword path inheritance, over the years, you have likely been exploring and cultivating on your own. Therefore, your current sword path attainment is neither particularly strong nor particularly weak."
That middle-aged man's gaze fell upon Ye Yunfei.
"Martial Uncle is correct. These years, I have indeed been cultivating through self-exploration."
Ye Yunfei quickly replied.
"Being able to rely on self-exploration to reach this level proves your talent is actually quite good. However, this sort of 'wild path' sword path cultivation of yours cannot yet be considered the orthodox sword path inheritance of our school. Since we have met, it can be considered a form of fate. Young man, would you like to practice swordsmanship with me?"
That middle-aged man said to Ye Yunfei.
"Martial Uncle, I am certainly willing."
Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Ye Yunfei was both startled and delighted.
"Good. Then stay here temporarily and cultivate with me for a period."
The middle-aged man nodded.
"Senior, the Guqing Gang's current situation is rather precarious. Your Sword Shrine is located within their headquarters. If enemies of the Guqing Gang come searching, they might disturb you."
Ye Yunfei suddenly remembered the Guqing Gang headquarters' current situation and spoke up immediately. He then recounted to the middle-aged man the Guqing Gang's present circumstances, as well as matters concerning factions like the Guardian Faction and the Autumn Wind Troupe.
"So that's how it is. I never imagined the Guqing Gang has declined to such an extent. Then I shall now conceal this Sword Shrine once more. And rest assured, don't speak of True Gods; even if Heavenly Gods or Divine Kings came, they wouldn't necessarily dare barge in here. Of course, this Soul Power imprint of mine also cannot leave this place. The reason this imprint of mine has persisted until now is by utilizing the special sword path environment here. Before I encountered the ambush and siege, I had already deduced some unfavorable outcomes, so I constructed this Sword Shrine in advance. This Sword Shrine was established by me at the peak of my strength, leaving behind a portion of my sword path energy from that time."
The middle-aged man said.
"So that's it!"
Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Ye Yunfei couldn't help but feel great joy. This middle-aged man at his peak must have been a truly terrifying powerhouse. Therefore, the Sword Shrine he built undoubtedly concealed all sorts of dreadful killing mechanisms.
Ye Yunfei immediately sent Sound Transmissions to the Earth Demon Clan Patriarch and the Guqing Gang Leader outside the shrine, instructing them to leave first and return to the Xuanyang Continent, while he himself would remain here for a period.
"It seems Young Master Ye must have gained something within the Sword Shrine."
After receiving Ye Yunfei's Sound Transmission, the Guqing Gang Leader immediately spoke up.
"Young Master Ye is the leader of our alliance. For him to gain something and become stronger is a good thing for our alliance."
The Earth Demon Clan Patriarch said.
"Indeed. The stronger Young Master Ye becomes, the greater the benefit for our alliance."
The others all nodded in agreement.
Thus, the Earth Demon Clan Patriarch and the Guqing Gang Leader led the group away, while Ye Yunfei remained within the Sword Shrine, following that middle-aged man to begin cultivating the sword path.
This middle-aged man was Jian Shenzi's junior brother. His sword path inheritance was the same as Jian Shenzi's, so Ye Yunfei's cultivation under his guidance proceeded very smoothly. Not long after, his sword path level began to continuously improve.
Just as Ye Yunfei was diligently cultivating within the Sword Shrine, outside the Guqing World Cluster, corpse aura suddenly billowed as dozens of black figures approached from afar, stopping outside the world cluster and peering into it with sinister gazes.
Then these black figures took out black cloth sacks, tossing them forward. A large number of corpses came pouring out of these black sacks with a rustling sound. Moments later, a massive group of corpses stood densely packed in neat rows, emanating rolling corpse aura. Then, led by those black figures, all the corpses charged into the Guqing World Cluster.
"Those Guqing Gang members have indeed fled. This is now an empty world cluster."
One of the black figures said in a disappointed voice.
"This Guqing World Cluster is of considerable scale. Let's first search every world here, including all the Small Worlds, to see if those Guqing Gang members are hiding in one of them. Also, if there are Small Worlds here, the living beings within might not have fled. We can just go in and conduct a great slaughter, collecting more corpse sources."
One of the black figures said clearly.
Then those black figures, each leading a batch of corpses, entered different worlds within the cluster, beginning to search them one by one.
"Those fellows from the Yin Corpse Hall have come again."
At a certain location near the Sword Shrine, a figure slowly materialized, watching the corpses moving about within the Guqing World Cluster, his expression somewhat dark. This figure was one of Ye Yunfei's Clones.
Ye Yunfei knew that the Yin Corpse Hall and the Guardian Faction would likely send people to the Guqing World Cluster again. Therefore, while his main body cultivated within the Sword Shrine, he had left a Clone outside to observe the situation.
Inside the Sword Shrine, that middle-aged man imparted his various sword path inheritances and his personal insights one by one to Ye Yunfei. Moreover, many treasures related to the sword path were stored within this Sword Shrine, such as a large batch of energy crystals containing sword path energy and sword path laws.
"I never imagined there were energy crystals related to sword path energy in this world."
Seeing the large batch of energy crystals containing sword path energy and sword path laws that the middle-aged man produced, Ye Yunfei felt very novel.
"Within the vast world, each of the three thousand Great Daos will have corresponding treasures. This is quite normal."
That middle-aged man said with a smile.
"In our Sword Realm, the energy and laws existing in the void are primarily based on sword path energy and sword path laws, giving birth to a vast quantity of energy crystals containing sword path energy and sword path laws."
The middle-aged man added.
Under the middle-aged man's guidance, Ye Yunfei's sword path level improved rapidly.
"Your talent in the sword path is originally quite good. Moreover, both your Soul Power and mind force energy are excellent. Both energies are beneficial for comprehending and cultivating sword techniques, so for you, cultivating sword techniques will be much easier compared to others."
The middle-aged man said.
At this moment, within the Guqing World Cluster, those black figures, leading a large number of corpses, had already searched the vast majority of worlds and Small Worlds within the cluster.
Within some Small Worlds, a large number of living beings resided, but these beings had now all been slaughtered, turned into piles of corpses, which were then collected into corpse sacks by experts of the Yin Corpse Hall to be taken back for corpse refinement. Only refined corpses would be under control.
"Everyone, I've discovered this place seems to be concealing sword path energy and sword path laws. I believe there must be something strange here."
Suddenly, one of the black figures arrived near the Sword Shrine, his gaze looking towards the location of the Sword Shrine.
"He's finally discovered it."
Ye Yunfei's Clone, hidden beside the Sword Shrine at this moment, watched with ice-cold eyes.