While these two elders advanced, they each unleashed a formidable pressure, opposing the energy suppression emanating from the figure outside.
Soon, the spatial fabric of this world returned to normal.
"Just what is happening? Earlier, it felt as though some terrifying energy suppression had completely sealed our world. I thought I was going to die—how terrifying!"
All the living beings within this world found they could move again. They couldn't help but cry out in fear, many of them collapsing weakly to the ground upon recovering their freedom, gasping for breath and unable to recover their composure for a long while.
"Within this Sixth Void, I am the strongest! Our Guardian Faction rules over this void. Who dares challenge me?"
The figure outside the world's entrance, his hands clasped behind his back, shone with endless radiance as he spoke in a voice of authority.
Shortly after, an immensely terrifying battle erupted in the void near this world. Boundless energy laws, infinite light, and heat roiled and propagated through that vast expanse of space.
Viewed from afar, one could only see a blinding flash of light and nothing more. Furthermore, due to the immense, dreadful energy of the battle within that sector of void, no one dared approach—even Heavenly Gods kept their distance.
"What terrifying existence is fighting over there? Not even us Heavenly Gods dare get close, nor can we perceive the scene at all. Could it be... a power above Heavenly Gods?"
Some Heavenly Gods gazed at that part of the void from afar, speaking in astonishment.
At that moment, in a stretch of space near the Ancient Desolate Sea, a spacecraft suddenly raced forth and then came to a stop.
"That's the Ancient Desolate Sea ahead," Ye Yunfei inside the spacecraft said softly, his eyes fixed on the void before him.
"Are we really going in? The dangers within that Ancient Desolate Sea are probably on par with those Heavenly Gods chasing us," the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, standing beside Ye Yunfei, voiced his unease.
"We don't seem to have any other choice," Ye Yunfei replied with a bitter smile.
"And you don't need to worry too much. I've been using the Chaos Prophecy Manual for divination all along. The results consistently point to the direction of the Ancient Desolate Sea offering us a way out of extreme peril—a chance for new life. So, if we go in, we might find a path of survival.
Relax, my fate is a tough one. I wouldn't recklessly lead you into such a dangerous forbidden land unless I had repeatedly divined and confirmed it. Over the years, I've faced plenty of crises beyond this one." Ye Yunfei explained.
"Master, whether it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair ahead, I'll follow you through it. I'm not like some people who want to retreat at the first sign of danger," Hu Miao spoke up.
"Don't insinuate things! Haven't we braved many trials together over the years? When have you ever seen me back down? I was just casually speaking my thoughts!" the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm's face flushed as he retorted.
However, at that very moment...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Large arrays erupted one after another in the surrounding space. In just moments, dozens of grand Formations emerged, tightly encircling the sector of space where Ye Yunfei's spacecraft was located.
"The old Wizard's prophetic calculation is truly remarkable! I'd been wondering why someone would actively come to this vicinity of the Ancient Desolate Sea. Little did I expect our target we're hunting to actually appear!"
A mocking voice rang out. Then, over a dozen figures materialized in the surrounding void—these were over ten Heavenly Gods. Each had been lying in wait here for some time, fully prepared. The moment they appeared, they unleashed their spatial-temporal energy and various Great Dao laws, tightly surrounding Ye Yunfei's spacecraft.
"Oh no! That old Wizard is too terrifying. He actually predicted we would come here and sent people to set an ambush! With this formation, even if we want to enter the Ancient Desolate Sea, we might not be able to get in," the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm lamented upon seeing this.
"That old coot's divination abilities are truly frightening," Ye Yunfei couldn't help but agree.
"But no matter what, we must cut a bloody path through and force our way in," Ye Yunfei said through gritted teeth, looking at the dozen-plus Heavenly Gods around them.
"If we're really going to fight our way in, we'd better do it quickly. I reckon even more Heavenly Gods have received the news by now and are rushing here," Hun Lao interjected.
"Take action!" Ye Yunfei ordered in a low voice.
Upon Ye Yunfei's command, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, Huang Shang, Hu Miao, Hun Lao, and the Blood Clan Clone all moved simultaneously, each unleashing their unique techniques and secret arts to attack the surrounding Heavenly Gods.
As soon as he acted, Huang Shang released most of his corpses, forming a grand Corpse Army that charged ferociously towards the dozen-plus Heavenly Gods.
"How is this possible?! He really has this many corpses... all of them were stolen from our Yin Corpse Hall!"
Among the dozen Heavenly Gods, two from the Corpse Hall were both shocked and furious at the sight of the massive Corpse Army.
At the same moment, Ye Yunfei released five to six thousand puppets. Every single puppet soared into the air, plummeting towards the dozen Heavenly Gods like a cascade of dumplings.
To deal with these Heavenly Gods, Huang Shang deployed most of his corpses, and Ye Yunfei deployed most of his puppets.
For a moment, the sheer number of corpses and puppets indeed put the dozen Heavenly Gods in some disarray.
While releasing the puppets, Ye Yunfei swiftly set up a large batch of earth arrays and Formations, sending them rumbling to collide against the encircling arrays.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dozen Heavenly Gods simultaneously summoned their magic treasures. Several dozen Heavenly God-level treasures rose into the air, blooming with unimaginable might, instantly blasting Huang Shang's corpses and Ye Yunfei's puppets scattering backward.
Ye Yunfei immediately deployed Soul Arts for an indiscriminate attack on the Heavenly Gods.
"What are these bugs? They've somehow entered my Soul Sea and are devouring my Soul Power!"
All dozen Heavenly Gods were shocked to discover that groups of bizarre little worms had suddenly appeared in their Soul Seas.
As soon as these little worms manifested, they began voraciously consuming their Soul Power and launching coordinated assaults on their Soul Bodies. Following this, an endless stream of Soul Arts relentlessly penetrated their Soul Seas.
"We must enter the Ancient Desolate Sea immediately!" Ye Yunfei said to the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm and others.
At that moment, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, Hu Miao, Huang Shang, the Blood Clan Clone, Hun Lao, and even all nine divine beasts of the Nine Palaces Totem Wheel charged forward.
Ye Yunfei spearheaded the charge. His two fists moved like lightning, repeatedly executing the various physical attack techniques of the Great Power Devil God. Each punch caused the space ahead to continuously crumble and collapse.
"This brat's physical strength is so fearsome! Everyone be careful!"
Originally, the dozen Heavenly Gods didn't regard Ye Yunfei's attacks with much concern, but when they discovered the terrifying physical power behind his fists, they were startled and reflexively stepped back.
Seizing that fleeting opening, Ye Yunfei exploited the gap and surged toward the Ancient Desolate Sea ahead.
A vast ocean of seemingly limitless expanse lay ahead in the void, blocking the way.
It was a sea of extreme ferocity. Enormous waves rose upward, reaching a height of a thousand zhang, crashing against the void above the ocean.
The roar of terrifying booms echoed unceasingly through this expansive expanse of space.
"This is the famed Ancient Desolate Sea—a dangerous forbidden land even Heavenly Gods are unwilling to venture into," Ye Yunfei mused, taking in the sight of those fearsome, towering waves.
Clenching his teeth, he accelerated and charged forward.
"Is that brat insane?! Does he actually intend to enter the Ancient Desolate Sea? Not even we Heavenly Gods dare step in lightly. With his realm and power, wouldn't charging in be suicide?"
The dozen Heavenly Gods had thought it impossible for Ye Yunfei to enter the Ancient Desolate Sea. Their defensive focus was deliberately laxer in that direction, which allowed Ye Yunfei to find the gap to break through. Witnessing him now daring to charge towards the Ancient Desolate Sea, they were again shocked and furious.
"Quick, stop him! That brat intends to enter the Ancient Desolate Sea!"
Just then, a mighty shout echoed from the void behind them.
Immediately, an Altar gleaming with divine radiance pierced through the void, rapidly approaching.
"It's the old Wizard! The old Wizard has come in person!"
Seeing the Altar, the dozen Heavenly Gods instantly knew who it was and felt immense shock.
This old Wizard held very high seniority within the Guardian Faction—even the Prison Master accorded him great respect. Usually, these Heavenly Gods rarely ever had a chance to catch sight of him.
"Why are you standing there gaping?! Stop him now!"
Seeing Ye Yunfei continuing his charge into the Ancient Desolate Sea, the old Wizard on the Altar roared out.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dozen Heavenly Gods snapped back to attention. They hurled their combined dozens of Heavenly God treasures forward to block Ye Yunfei's path.
Simultaneously, they channeled their spatial-temporal energy and Great Dao laws to try and seal Ye Yunfei from afar.
They all soared skyward, chasing Ye Yunfei with astonishing speed. Under the eyes of the old Wizard, each Heavenly God wanted to display their prowess, holding nothing back as they exerted their full force.
Under their concerted onslaught, Ye Yunfei immediately felt overwhelming pressure.
As he surged forward, Ye Yunfei threw punches repeatedly behind him, unleashing his power without restraint.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
His fists continuously collided with the incoming Heavenly God treasures. Each impact produced a deafening metallic crash, shaking the space around them.
"How can this brat's body be so indestructible?!"
Witnessing this, the dozen Heavenly Gods secretly gasped in astonishment, knowing they themselves lacked the confidence to block such treasures directly with their physical forms.
A massive tide of spatial-temporal energy and Great Dao laws from the Heavenly Gods rolled forth to seal Ye Yunfei on the spot.
The Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm and Hun Lao desperately used their spatial secret arts to counter the spatial shackles imposed by the Heavenly Gods from behind.
Meanwhile, Ye Yunfei continuously unleashed Soul Arts and Heart Force martial techniques to attack the Souls of the pursuing Heavenly Gods, undermining their sealing attempts.
At the moment, within the Soul Sea of each Heavenly God, batches of soul bugs vibrated their wings, emitting a constant buzz as they devoured Soul Power and besieged Soul Bodies, significantly weakening their restraining pressure on Ye Yunfei.
Through it all, Ye Yunfei continued steadily surging toward the Ancient Desolate Sea ahead.
"That brat truly dares enter the Ancient Desolate Sea? How can he possess such audacity?"
The dozen Heavenly Gods, along with the old Wizard seated atop the Altar behind them, were inwardly astonished at Ye Yunfei's actions.
The old Wizard suddenly acted, attacking Ye Yunfei from a distance.
A turtle shell rose from his lap and continuously enlarged, piercing through space as it sped toward Ye Yunfei's back to crush him. Mysterious runes continuously manifested from the shell, moving faster than the physical artifact itself. In an instant, they materialized behind Ye Yunfei's body, glowing brilliantly as they shone upon his frame.
With a thought, Ye Yunfei summoned a Compass from within his body. It hovered above his head.
Then, a stream of mystical runes continuously rose from the Compass, opposing the suppressive force of the turtle shell behind.
"That's the artifact left behind by 'that one' from back then? How could it be in this brat's possession? Could there be some connection between this kid and 'that one'?"
Seated on the Altar behind, the old Wizard was suddenly shocked upon seeing the Compass above Ye Yunfei's head, inwardly guessing, for he recognized its origins.
"This Compass seems remarkably effective against that turtle shell," Ye Yunfei noted.
The turtle shell initially exerted overwhelming pressure, but the Compass quickly neutralized its power.
Gratified, Ye Yunfei promptly accelerated and plunged headlong into the Ancient Desolate Sea ahead.
Boom!
A thousand-zhang tall wave immediately rose to crash upon him.
Ye Yunfei punched with his right fist, shattering the towering wave upon impact.
"The brat truly dared to set foot in the Ancient Desolate Sea!"
Everyone witnessing Ye Yunfei truly charging into the Ancient Desolate Sea behind him paled dramatically.
"Young man, you needn't be so impulsive—this is toying with your own life. Though you are currently in an adversarial stance with our Guardian Faction, if you are willing to cooperate, I may not kill you. The Ancient Desolate Sea is one of the most perilous forbidden lands within the Chaotic Void Sea. With your realm and strength, venturing in guarantees death. I advise you not to gamble with your life. Come out now; we can discuss this peacefully," the old Wizard, seated upon the Altar which had now reached the perimeter of the Ancient Desolate Sea, spoke while frowning, observing Ye Yunfei who had entered the sea.
All other Heavenly Gods clustered around him.
"Brat, did you hear that?! Quickly get out! With your ant-like power, stepping into the Ancient Desolate Sea assures death!" a Heavenly God shouted at Ye Yunfei.
"I have nothing to discuss with your Guardian Faction. Should I survive this journey and leave the Ancient Desolate Sea safely, I will exterminate your faction. Wait for that day," Ye Yunfei replied coldly.
"Brat, with that sort of bravado! Not even a hundred, a thousand, nor ten thousand of you possess the ability to exterminate our Guardian Faction!"
Loud guffaws erupted among the Heavenly Gods, some mocking openly.
"Clearly, you truly have no understanding of our Guardian Faction's genuine power. The Sixth Void is merely a branch of our faction; before our might, you are but an ant. Besides, once you enter the Ancient Desolate Sea, you face certain death. What value lies in such boasting?"
"Young man, your words are excessively arrogant. However, if you turn back now, I might still grant you an opportunity. We can calmly discuss matters," the old Wizard finally spoke slowly.
Glancing back at him, Ye Yunfei offered no further reply, turning to tread upon the waves as he gradually advanced deeper into the Ancient Desolate Sea.
Ye Yunfei knew the Guardian Faction experts wouldn't relent so easily; they would assuredly remain camped outside, waiting for him to re-emerge. For now, he needed to find a place to recuperate and recover.
"Elder Wizard, what shall we do now?"
Some Heavenly Gods grew dumbfounded, watching Ye Yunfei progress deeper into the forbidding sea, turning to ask the old Wizard.
"If even that brat dares enter the Ancient Desolate Sea, those of our Guardian Faction surely dare as well. You lot shall pursue him inside. Worry not: I have performed divinations upon the Ancient Desolate Sea multiple times in the past. Its true danger resides within the central region; the periphery is relatively safer. Given your strength, venturing there should not prove overly hazardous.
I have some healing pills saved over the years—take them with you. Pursue and kill that brat! I believe, with his level of power, he will at most linger within the periphery and certainly won't dare approach the Ancient Desolate Sea's core region," the old Wizard considered a moment, glanced over the dozen Heavenly Gods, and then spoke.