"If I step in to stop them, there's a chance I'll expose myself immediately. I don't want to reveal myself just yet," Ye Yunfei answered after a moment's thought. "Operating from the shadows is more advantageous for me."
"That's true. It's better for you to stay hidden," Hun Lao agreed immediately.
"Damn it!" The gray-robed middle-aged man leading the Guardian Faction side witnessed the scene, his expression turning extremely ugly. In terms of numbers, the Guardian Faction had initially held the advantage in Heavenly Gods. But now, with two fleeing, their strength was significantly weakened.
"Your turn," Ye Yunfei murmured, setting his sights on a third Initial Heavenly God and unleashing his Soul Arts attacks.
It didn't take long before this Initial Heavenly God also began to flounder. His Soul Body and Soul Sea were under ferocious assault, and soon he could hold on no longer. He turned and fled.
"What in blazes are you doing?!" The gray-robed man leading the Guardian Faction finally couldn't hold back and sent a frantic Sound Transmission. "You were fighting perfectly fine a moment ago. Why did you suddenly lose to your opponent?"
"Elder Ruan, my Soul Sea and Soul Body came under a terrifying attack out of nowhere," the fleeing Initial Heavenly God replied while putting distance between himself and the battlefield. "Some bizarre little insects even bit and wounded my Soul Body. I no longer have the strength to keep fighting. If I don't leave, I'll be in mortal danger."
"An attack on his Soul Sea and Soul Body? And strange little insects biting his Soul Body?" The gray-robed man received the reply and his mind raced. "What's going on here? Did the Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods cultivate such powerful Soul Arts? Or is there a Soul Race expert hiding nearby, helping the Lingxiao Sect?"
Ye Yunfei then set his sights on yet another Guardian Faction Initial Heavenly God. For this operation, the Guardian Faction had brought over a dozen Heavenly Gods, half of whom were at the Primary level.
Under the onslaught of Ye Yunfei's various Soul Arts techniques, this new target began to buckle. Hundreds of Soul Insects assailed his Soul Body, alongside Five Ghosts and multiple Soul Webs woven from Soul Power energy.
These were all inherited secret techniques of the Soul Race, incredibly difficult to defend against. This Initial Heavenly God was simply incapable of resisting.
Ye Yunfei's Soul Arts assault invaded his Soul Sea, directly and severely crippling his combat prowess. After a short while, he too could endure no longer and turned tail to flee.
"What's going on? Did you also suffer a terrifying Soul Arts attack?" The gray-robed Guardian Faction leader watched another of his Heavenly Gods flee in defeat, his face contorting with shock and fury as he sent a hurried Sound Transmission.
"Yes, Elder Ruan. I was suddenly subjected to a horrendous Soul Power attack," the escaping Initial Heavenly God transmitted back as he sped away. "Moreover, I have a feeling this attack didn't come from the opponent I was fighting. It was someone else, lurking nearby, using Soul Arts to ambush me. And… I got the sense the techniques used bore a resemblance to the inherited Soul Arts of the Soul Race."
"Someone lurking nearby, using Soul Arts to ambush you… techniques resembling Soul Race inherited arts?" The gray-robed man's expression darkened upon receiving the reply.
"Impossible. Our Sixth Void has never had any Soul Race activity. How could one suddenly appear out of thin air? Under normal circumstances, the Soul Race wouldn't dare to enter the Primal Void Sea so casually." he thought to himself.
With three or four Heavenly Gods having now abandoned the Guardian Faction's side, the balance of power in the Heavenly God tier began to visibly shift in favor of the Lingxiao Sect.
"Excellent! I never imagined our Lingxiao Sect would gain the upper hand in this battle!" the Lingxiao Sect's Heavenly Gods exclaimed, elated.
Before the fight began, the Lingxiao Sect's Heavenly Gods had felt immense pressure. Everyone understood that, on paper, the Guardian Faction held the advantage. Yet, here they were, starting to dominate the battle.
"Hahaha… I thought you Guardian Faction lot were supposed to be tough, but you're nothing more than a silver spoon with no fight!
Weren't you guys going on and on about annihilating our Lingxiao Sect? Come on, then, annihilate us!
You Guardian Faction punks, now you understand the might of the Lingxiao Sect! But it's too late now. Anyone who dares provoke the Lingxiao Sect is courting death!"
The entire Lingxiao Sect faction's morale surged. Shouts rose from their ranks as they fought with increasing ferocity.
"It's time to end this battle," Ye Yunfei thought. He immediately ordered all his Clones, embedded within the Guardian Faction forces, to begin retreating en masse.
Over two-thirds of the Guardian Faction's True Gods and Void Gods were now Ye Yunfei's Clones. As this large contingent collectively began pulling back, the Guardian Faction army finally began its complete rout.
The remaining troops desperately holding on were simply incapable of withstanding the Lingxiao Sect army's fierce onslaught.
Soon, the Guardian Faction forces fled toward the distant void like a receding tide. Among them, Ye Yunfei's Clones were the fastest to retreat.
Although the gray-robed man leading the Guardian Faction watched this scene unfold with bitter reluctance, he ultimately let out a soft sigh. By this point, Guardian Faction casualties were severe. Continuing the fight held little hope of victory and risked even greater losses.
"Enough. Best to preserve our strength for now," the gray-robed middle-aged man sighed, not uttering a word to stop his fleeing troops.
Once an army starts to collapse, it falls like a mountain crumbling down. Viewed from afar, across the vast expanse of the void, there were figures scrambling in a panicked retreat everywhere.
"Hahaha… This is truly exhilarating today! Those Guardian Faction dogs are all running with their tails between their legs! Now they know our power!" Many on the Lingxiao Sect side roared with laughter, drunk on victory.
"You think you can come and go as you please? That's not so easy! Pursue them! Kill them all!" Several Lingxiao Sect True Gods took the lead, spearheading the chase.
"Elder Ruan, what do we do now?" the Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods all turned their gazes toward the gray-robed middle-aged man, sending their questions via Sound Transmission.
"Four or five of our Heavenly Gods have already left the battlefield. I estimate if we continue fighting, it will be very difficult for us to gain any advantage," the gray-robed middle-aged man replied, watching the utterly routed Guardian Faction forces in the far-off void. "Several of the old monsters on the other side are exceptionally strong. That's it. It seems our operation this time is a failure. We'll withdraw for now."
"Very well. Let's retreat," the other Heavenly Gods nodded in agreement upon hearing Elder Ruan's words.
The Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods then began pulling back in an orderly retreat.
"They're trying to flee!" the Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods spotted it immediately.
"Elder Gu, should we give chase?" The Sect Leader of the Lingxiao Sect looked toward an elderly man and asked.
This elder was the highest-generation Grand Elder within the Lingxiao Sect and also possessed the strongest combat prowess among their Heavenly Gods.
"We chase! Let's see if we can take down one or two, whittling down their strength," the elder, addressed as Elder Gu, considered for a moment before speaking in a deep, resolute tone.
He soared into the air, leading the charge to pursue the Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods. The other Heavenly Gods swiftly followed.
"You of the Lingxiao Sect, just wait! We, the Guardian Faction, will surely avenge today's grievance! Anyone who provokes the Guardian Faction — the Lingxiao Sect and all forces connected to you — are doomed to destruction!" Elder Ruan, leading the Guardian Faction contingent, turned his head and spoke coldly upon seeing the Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods giving close chase.
As soon as his words fell, three Deity Lord-level magic treasures flew from his sleeve. Activating simultaneously, they blazed forward like three dazzling suns, smashing toward the pursuing Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods.
At the very forefront, Elder Gu of the Lingxiao Sect suddenly conjured a palm-sized shield before him. It swelled with the wind, instantly transforming into a massive barrier that blocked the three oncoming magic treasures.
"Damn it! To think we would one day be hunted down like this…" Watching the dogged pursuit from the enemies at their heels, a sense of deep humiliation filled the Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods.
With their status and strength, they were accustomed to commanding reverence wherever they went in the Sixth Void. No one dared cross them. Yet now, they were being chased down like stray dogs.
"I swear, today's grudge must be avenged! Otherwise, this hatred in my heart will never be quelled!" one Heavenly God couldn't hold back, throwing his head back and roaring at the sky.
"You won't get the chance. Today is the day you die."
Suddenly, five figures materialized in the void ahead, charging toward them with formidable speed. All five figures soared, instantly landing right in front of the Guardian Faction Heavenly God who had just roared his defiance, and launched a frenzied, ruthless assault.
"Five… all Heavenly Gods!" The Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods all found their eyes narrowing sharply as they saw the figures blocking the path. They could clearly sense it — these were five Heavenly Gods, and the energy auras radiating from each of them were intensely powerful. Every single one obviously possessed formidable combat strength.
The Guardian Faction Heavenly God under attack felt the overwhelming pressure of energy released by the five figures before him. His face paled instantly in fright, and he stumbled backward.
"Everyone, help me! Quickly! These five are incredibly strong!" Blinded by terror and rage, he screamed desperately.
But it was already too late.
*Crack!*
One of the intercepting Heavenly Gods wielded a long blade glinting with cold light. With a single slash, the Guardian Faction Heavenly God's body was cleaved in two.
"How is this possible? How can his strength be so overwhelming?" The other Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods witnessing this were all struck with terror. For their comrade to be bisected by his opponent's first move meant his strength was simply on another level, resulting in absolute, instant suppression.
"Everyone, be careful! These five are exceptionally dangerous!" Elder Ruan, the leader, wore a grave expression and immediately sent a warning via Sound Transmission to the other Heavenly Gods beside him.
"Gentlemen, what is your identity? Why do you attack our Guardian Faction members?" Elder Ruan called out sternly. "Are you also Heavenly Gods from the Lingxiao Sect?"
"You don't need to know who we are," one of the five blocking the road replied coldly. "You only need to know we are here to kill you."
"Kill us? It's not that easy!" Furious at the reply, Elder Ruan charged forward, taking the lead in launching an attack.
Thus, the Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods and the five blocking their path erupted into fierce combat.
"Who are they? Why are they also attacking the Guardian Faction members?" The pursuing Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods, watching the five unfamiliar Heavenly Gods blocking the road, felt a pang of surprise.
"It doesn't matter who they are. The enemy of my enemy is a friend. Advance! Today, we'll slay a few Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods, show them what we're made of!" Elder Gu, leading the Lingxiao Sect contingent, waved his hand and charged forward.
He went straight for Elder Ruan of the Guardian Faction, renewing their personal duel, as Elder Ruan had been his opponent in the earlier part of the battle.
The other Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods also rushed forward and joined the fray. With their numbers, combined with the five suddenly appearing interceptors, they now held a clear numerical advantage.
Each of those five mysterious interceptors possessed formidable combat strength. Adding the several exceptionally powerful Heavenly Gods on the Lingxiao Sect's side, the Guardian Faction Heavenly Gods soon found themselves fighting a desperate, uphill battle for survival.