In the time that followed, Ye Yunfei began refining and merging with more Heavenly God-level magical treasures.
Having the foundation from merging the first Heavenly God treasure, merging with other Heavenly God treasures became much easier.
Unbeknownst to him, two years passed within the Phantom Tower.
Two years later, Ye Yunfei had fused with a total of eight Heavenly God treasures, along with a large batch of Completion True God-level artifacts.
"My physical power and quality have improved significantly. Even without utilizing my Soul Power energy, I should now possess preliminary strength to fight a Initial Heavenly God," Ye Yunfei said confidently, clenching his fists to gauge his bodily power.
"My bloodline has successfully broken through as well," Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm's voice suddenly sounded.
"Indeed, your aura is much stronger than before. What level of strength are you roughly equivalent to now?" Ye Yunfei asked with pleasant surprise after sensing Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm's energy aura.
"My current strength should allow me to easily defeat the vast majority of Completion True Gods. Moreover, I've awakened several quite advanced racial talents. Even if I encounter a Heavenly God, I can rely on my racial spatial talents to hold my own," Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm estimated before speaking.
"That's excellent," Ye Yunfei couldn't help but praise.
"Master, I also wish to go into seclusion to cultivate and strive for a bloodline breakthrough. If I continue like this, I'll fall behind," Hu Miao said, infected by Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm's successful breakthrough, immediately deciding to enter closed-door cultivation.
"Very well. These Godly Pills I refined specifically for you should aid your bloodline breakthrough. Do your best," Ye Yunfei immediately took out a batch of Godly Pills he had refined for Hu Miao and handed them to her.
"Master, please rest assured. If I don't achieve a bloodline breakthrough this time, I will not exit seclusion," Hu Miao declared after receiving the pills before promptly beginning her closed-door cultivation.
Ye Yunfei then ended his own cultivation, left the Phantom Tower, and emerged from the world where he had been in seclusion recently.
Just after stepping out of that world, Ye Yunfei discovered several of his clones within this World Cluster.
This was because there was a sub-base of the Guardian Faction within this World Cluster.
Ye Yunfei swiftly obtained the memories from these clones and thus learned about some major events that had occurred in the Sixth Void during his time in seclusion.
Firstly, the most sensational news was the outcome of the recent battle between the Guardian Faction and the Lingxiao Sect: the Lingxiao Sect achieved a great victory, killing nearly one-third of the Guardian Faction's forces. More shockingly, three Heavenly Gods from the Guardian Faction had perished.
"What? The Guardian Faction lost three Heavenly Gods? Does that mean besides the one I killed, another two Heavenly Gods also fell in that battle!" Ye Yunfei was quite shocked upon learning this.
"If that's the case, then the Guardian Faction truly suffered heavy losses!" Hun Lao couldn't help but chuckle.
"This great war is a massive setback for the Guardian Faction. I suspect their higher-ups must be stomping and roaring with rage right now. They will surely launch a frenzied retaliation against the Lingxiao Sect," Hun Lao added.
"In fact, the Guardian Faction's reprisal has already begun. At present, almost every sub-base of the Lingxiao Sect throughout the Eighth Void is under attack. Guardian Faction forces have been continuously assaulting one Lingxiao Sect base after another during this period. Of course, the Lingxiao Sect has also been counterattacking. Both sides are fighting fiercely. This is no longer a single battle but a full-scale war. The two major forces have completely torn off the veil of civility; it's now a fight to the death. Besides the Lingxiao Sect, a large group of other forces have formed an alliance with them to jointly oppose the Guardian Faction. The Guardian Faction had previously offended too many powers. Now that everyone sees the Lingxiao Sect possesses the power to resist and even defeat the Guardian Faction, they have chosen to ally with the Lingxiao Sect one after another," Ye Yunfei stated.
"Previously, everyone feared the Guardian Faction. But now that the Lingxiao Sect has defeated them, they are less afraid, so they dare to step forward and form an alliance to confront the Guardian Faction together. This is a good start," Hun Lao remarked.
"Members inside the Guardian Faction have already received orders. They will soon regroup to form an even larger army for a decisive battle against the Lingxiao Sect. This time, the Guardian Faction will surely dispatch many more experts. In fact, in the previous battle, the Guardian Faction only sent over a dozen Heavenly Gods, which is far from their true strength. If the Guardian Faction unveils its real power, the Lingxiao Sect likely isn't an opponent, even with the allied forces," Ye Yunfei said.
"Not necessarily. There's still us, and those two mysterious seniors will also take action. I believe those two mysterious experts must belong to a fearsome power," Huang Shang interjected.
"Indeed. Those two Seniors must stand with a tremendously powerful force," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Bad! The Lu Family headquarters have been destroyed... it's the work of the Yin Corpse Hall!" At that moment, Ye Yunfei's expression suddenly changed drastically as the words burst from his lips.
Ye Yunfei had just received this news from one of his clones.
"Is it the Lu Family where Lu Shi belongs?"
"Yes, precisely that Lu Family," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"I wonder if Lu Shi has already come to harm? I should go and see for myself," Ye Yunfei contemplated before speaking.
Ye Yunfei had met Lu Shi in the Yangming Secret Realm. Later, Lu Shi followed Ye Yunfei for a time while adventuring in the Eighth Void before leaving to return to his family's headquarters, so they shared a certain friendship.
Ye Yunfei immediately set off towards the Lu Family headquarters.
The flying ship he was currently using was obtained recently from the spatial ring of that Initial Heavenly God. This ship was a Heavenly God-level artifact, so its speed was naturally extremely fast.
Shortly after, Ye Yunfei arrived before the World Cluster where the Lu Family headquarters were located.
"Indeed, this place has been occupied by the Yin Corpse Hall," Ye Yunfei observed, finding the interior filled with dense Corpse Qi energy and billowing Corpse Mist everywhere.
Numerous corpses also stood in the void within the World Cluster, serving as patrols.
"The Yin Corpse Hall used to be a very low-key and reclusive major power; people had almost forgotten its existence. But now, the Yin Corpse Hall operates openly in the Sixth Void. During the Guardian Faction's previous attack on the Lingxiao Sect headquarters, some Yin Corpse Hall forces participated. The Lu Family is an ancient family that has been passed down for an exceedingly long period. Who could have imagined their headquarters would now be destroyed," Ye Yunfei couldn't help but sigh while gazing at the Corpse Mist-laden Lu Family headquarters.
"This vile Yin Corpse Hall annihilates realms and massacres clans wherever it goes. They are truly detestable!" Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm exclaimed.
"The Yin Corpse Hall was originally a formidable power. Now that it has allied with the Guardian Faction, a powerful alliance indeed, they naturally act without restraint even more," Hun Lao sighed.
"It seems this place has become a sub-base for the Yin Corpse Hall. Let's just kill our way in directly; no need to stand on ceremony," Huang Shang said, eyes gleaming as he looked at the countless corpses inside.
"Very well, we'll go straight in," Ye Yunfei nodded.
Ye Yunfei now completely possessed Initial Heavenly God-level combat prowess. As the saying goes, 'skill breeds courage.' Facing a mere sub-base of the Yin Corpse Hall, there was naturally nothing to fear.
Ye Yunfei's figure thus blurred as he charged into the World Cluster ahead.
"Just attack directly," Ye Yunfei stated.
Then, Ye Yunfei waved his hand, releasing roughly ten thousand-plus puppets – all at the Virtual God level. With their hard bodies, these puppets were perfect for dealing with the Yin Corpse Hall's corpses.
Alongside these ten thousand puppets, Huang Shang directly summoned an even larger number of corpses to form a corpse army, which began hunting down the Yin Corpse Hall's corpses throughout the World Cluster.
Instantly, this Corpse Mist-ridden World Cluster descended into chaos.
Ye Yunfei's puppets and Huang Shang's corpses, upon encountering any Yin Corpse Hall members or corpses, would mercilessly swarm and attack them en masse.
"Who is it?! Who dares to be so bold as to stir up trouble in our Yin Corpse Hall's territory!" Soon, several dozen True Gods burst forth from one of the worlds within the cluster. These True Gods all emanated dense Corpse Qi energy – clearly Yin Corpse Hall members.
Ye Yunfei's figure flashed as he arrived before these several dozen True Gods, standing with hands clasped behind his back, his icy gaze sweeping over them.
"Kid, who are you? Daring to come to our Yin Corpse Hall's territory and stir up trouble – you have quite the nerve! Speak! What's with all these corpses? Could you also be a member of our Yin Corpse Hall? Why do you have so many corpses?" A Completion True God, seeing Ye Yunfei's attitude, immediately flew into a rage and questioned sharply. He looked at the numerous corpses in the World Cluster, feeling somewhat puzzled and thinking Ye Yunfei might be from the Yin Corpse Hall.
"Kid, are you perhaps the descendant of some important figure from our Yin Corpse Hall? If that's the case, why are you coming to cause trouble in our own territory? Could there be some misunderstanding?" Another Completion True God asked cautiously. He was worried Ye Yunfei might be the offspring of a Yin Corpse Hall higher-up.
However, Ye Yunfei had absolutely no desire to waste time with these True Gods before him. He directly activated Soul Parasite Arts, releasing several hundred Soul Insects that stealthily infiltrated the Soul Seas of these True Gods and began devouring their Soul Power energy, rapidly reproducing.
"What's going on? Why are there suddenly so many strange little bugs in my Soul Sea?"
"Mine too."
"Bad! These little bugs are eating my Soul Power energy! Get out!"
...
Soon, these True Gods began noticing many strange insects appearing in their Soul Seas, continuously consuming their Soul Power energy.
Panicked, these True Gods began employing various Soul Arts and activating various Soul Power-type artifacts, attempting to expel the Soul Insects.
But at this moment, Ye Yunfei began executing other Soul Arts.
"What's this? Five minor ghosts suddenly appeared in my Soul Sea! They're trying to devour my Soul Body!"
"What are these nets?! They're trying to seal off my Soul Sea! Get out!"
Ye Yunfei cast Soul Arts like Five Ghosts Devouring Soul, Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare, and Lunar Soul Slash, separately attacking these True Gods' Soul Seas, instantly throwing them into disarray as they cried out in alarm.
Given Ye Yunfei's current Soul Power level, employing Soul Arts against these True Gods seemed effortless – it was a complete suppression.
Following this, Ye Yunfei began casting a heritage secret technique of the Samsara Ghost race. Immediately, the True Gods before him began to feel intense drowsiness, yawning continuously one after another.
"Bad! Why am I so sleepy? I actually feel like taking a long nap. This is absolutely not normal!" Immediately, a Completion True God felt something was amiss and cried out in alarm. As a True God, one shouldn't feel sleepy.
These True Gods were relatively weak to Ye Yunfei, so they were completely incapable of resisting the Soul Arts he employed. Two Primary True Gods fell asleep on the spot.
Shortly after, more True Gods began succumbing to slumber. Those barely holding on felt their eyelids grow heavy, yawning repeatedly.
"Kid, is it you who's playing tricks?! Why are we so sleepy?" Several Completion True Gods cast furious gazes towards Ye Yunfei, suspecting he was using Soul Arts against them.
Ye Yunfei stood with hands behind his back, silent, a cold smirk on his face.
With his current strength against these True Gods, Ye Yunfei had begun to adopt a superior mindset, not deeming it necessary to speak much.
He then started casting Soul Purification Technique to cleanse the Soul Bodies of these True Gods.
However, Ye Yunfei also employed Soul Force Star Method to devour the Soul Bodies of some of these True Gods because he wanted to obtain their memories.
"We should flee quickly! Staying like this will lead to serious trouble!" A Completion True God suddenly soared into the air, turning to flee.
He had discovered in horror that his memories, will, thoughts, emotions, and other things related to his Soul Body were gradually fading away.
But Huang Shang directly blocked his escape route, engaging him in battle.
Ye Yunfei understood Huang Shang wanted to use this Completion True God to test his own fighting power, so he paid no further mind to him.
Soon, Ye Yunfei transformed the other True Gods one by one into his clones.
Not long after, Huang Shang defeated that Completion True God, thoroughly suppressing him.
Ye Yunfei then used Soul Arts to also turn that Completion True God into a clone.
Meanwhile, at a certain location within the Eighth Void, an old man shrouded within a voluminous black robe sat cross-legged on an exquisite altar.
Before him were placed divination tools: turtle shells, animal bones, yarrow stalks, copper coins, and other items.
This elder continuously formed hand seals, constantly deducing and computing. One after another, invisible, mysterious runes continuously coalesced into form between his hands, then floated upwards, drilling into the surrounding void and heading towards distant space.
"I may have already captured some of that guy's aura... it's been him all along. Ever since he began killing the True Gods of our Guardian Faction, I had taken note of him. Who could have imagined he has now started killing Heavenly Gods of our Guardian Faction. This indicates he possesses a terrifying growth rate. We absolutely cannot allow him to continue growing," the elder murmured while performing his divination.