As a ghost cultivator, he was particularly sensitive to Soul Bodies, Remnant Souls, or any related entities, so he immediately discerned the secret of that War Banner.
"So that's how it is."
Ye Yunfei looked at the War Banner and nodded.
"I'll handle the Battle Souls hidden within the banner. You fend off the power of the banner itself. I believe this is likely a Sovereign God-level magic treasure. Normally, someone of this Grand Mage's cultivation level and strength would be unable to activate or use it. However, because it harbors many Battle Souls—which still retain a degree of autonomous consciousness—this Grand Mage can manipulate this War Banner for combat with their assistance."
Huang Shang sent another Sound Transmission to Ye Yunfei.
"It must be so,"
Ye Yunfei nodded again, his expression turning grave.
A Sovereign God-level magic treasure's might was not to be underestimated, so Ye Yunfei knew he needed to take this seriously.
"Excellent. That kid has once again tested out another trump card for the Lingxiao Sect. However, if the Lingxiao Sect has only this one hidden card, it means nothing to our Guardian Faction. Their demise is inevitable."
At this moment, in the void outside this world, the Prison Master stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the old wizard. A smile crept onto the wizard's face as he spoke unhurriedly.
"The Lingxiao Sect was never a match for our Guardian Faction; we simply haven't made our move yet. Let that youngster cause some trouble first, then we'll strike and round them all up in one fell swoop."
The Prison Master chuckled.
"Indeed, thorough eradication is best. Hopefully, he'll draw out more restless elements, especially those dissatisfied with our Guardian Faction's authority, so we can capture them all together. For now, let the kid continue testing them, to see if the Lingxiao Sect possesses any other trump cards."
The Prison Master laughed again.
"Young man, I'm offering you one final chance. Submit immediately and begin serving our Lingxiao Sect from this moment onward, and I will let you go. We can make peace and shake hands. If you persist in this delusion, this will become your burial ground today."
The Grand Mage clasped the damaged War Banner with both hands, his piercing gaze fixed on Ye Yunfei as he spoke slowly.
"It's the Ancestral Soul Flag! Excellent! So the Ancestral Soul Flag has always been protecting our Lingxiao Sect at the headquarters! Legends say it was damaged in an ancient great war, but it seems its battle prowess remains astonishing. It will surely suppress that kid and cut him down!"
The Lingxiao Sect's Heavenly Gods stared excitedly at the War Banner in the Grand Mage's hands. It was called the Ancestral Soul Flag, a legend within the Lingxiao Sect. During a great war in antiquity, the sect had nearly faced annihilation. At the critical moment, a long-secluded Elder Ancestor, wielding the Ancestral Soul Flag, had broken out of seclusion and slaughtered on all sides, ultimately driving back the powerful enemies and allowing the Lingxiao Sect to safely pass through the crisis. Unexpectedly, the Ancestral Soul Flag had now reappeared, thrilling everyone in the sect.
"Enough talk. If you want to fight, then fight."
Facing the menacing Grand Mage and the War Banner, Ye Yunfei did not retreat. Instead, he replied calmly.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Yunfei took the initiative, charging forward.
With each step he took, a colossal divine dragon materialized behind him. After nine consecutive steps, nine divine dragons simultaneously soared across the sky, then merged into one, releasing a nine-fold divine might capable of shattering the heavens. Following the ninth step, everyone in the vicinity felt the immense pressure of imperial majesty.
"This seems like the legacy of the ancient Golden Wheel Imperial Dynasty!"
The Grand Mage couldn't help but exclaim.
BOOM!
Ye Yunfei threw a punch with his left fist. Surging imperial majesty poured forth from his fist, and the phantom of an ancient emperor materialized behind him, suppressing all directions.
Intangibly, a rebuke filled with imperial authority echoed within the Souls Seas of all present. Many beings of comparatively weaker cultivation nearly knelt down on the spot to show their submission.
"It is indeed the legacy of the ancient Golden Wheel Imperial Dynasty!"
The Grand Mage stared at the Emperor Phantom brimming with majesty behind Ye Yunfei, his expression showing wariness.
In the next moment, Ye Yunfei's fist collided with the War Banner. Boundless imperial majesty filled the sky. The formidable aura emanating from the War Banner clashed against the imperial majesty radiating from Ye Yunfei's fist, immediately causing it to weaken significantly.
Meanwhile, the Emperor Phantom behind Ye Yunfei grew increasingly solid.
"How is this possible? Look at that crown! The pressure it exudes is overwhelming. Why does it feel somewhat like... a Divine King's Crown?"
Suddenly, a Heavenly God pointed at the head of Ye Yunfei's Emperor Phantom. A glittering golden crown rested upon its head, growing ever more dazzling, emitting a divine radiance that illuminated a vast expanse of the void in exquisite detail.
"You're right! The more I look at that crown, the more it resembles a Divine King's Crown!"
More Heavenly Gods stared at the crown in shock, as they all sensed it seemed to contain infinite energy.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Ye Yunfei swung his fists, executing the Law Divine Fist, striking blow after blow against the War Banner, refusing to take a single step back.
"How is this possible? What you're using now is clearly no longer physical strength, but divine energy. How can you still exchange direct blows with my War Banner?"
The Grand Mage couldn't believe his eyes. Ye Yunfei was no longer using physical strength, but divine energy. He had assumed Ye Yunfei was only proficient in physical strength, relying solely on that to fight. Yet now Ye Yunfei suddenly wielded divine energy and still exchanged direct blows. This indicated Ye Yunfei's expertise was not limited to physical strength alone.
"This kid's strength far surpasses our previous estimations!"
Seeing Ye Yunfei utilize a divine-energy-based fist technique and fight the Grand Mage to a standstill, the Lingxiao Sect Leader's complexion turned serious.
"This is impossible! He's only a True God, while the Grand Mage is a Perfected Heavenly God. Moreover, he wields our sect's Ancestral Soul Flag. How can he exchange dozens of direct blows relying purely on divine energy?"
The Sect Leader couldn't bring himself to accept this.
"So even without relying on physical strength, we are no match for him."
The other Lingxiao Sect Heavenly Gods, witnessing Ye Yunfei's displayed combat power, all turned pale, their gazes toward him filled with trepidation.
Right at this moment, an immensely majestic figure abruptly manifested from within the War Banner.
BOOM!
With this figure's appearance, the energy pressure emanating from the War Banner grew even more terrifying.
BOOM!
That majestic figure personally swung the War Banner, viciously sweeping toward Ye Yunfei.
"This is a Battle Soul from within the banner. Be careful!"
Huang Shang immediately warned Ye Yunfei.
Just as Huang Shang finished speaking, even more figures began to pour forth incessantly from the War Banner. In an instant, the space surrounding the banner filled with countless Battle Souls radiating dreadful killing intent.
All these were the Battle Souls left behind by successive generations of the Lingxiao Sect's ancestors. They were brimming with fearsome combat will and possessed formidable battle prowess.
"Be careful!"
Huang Shang transmitted urgently to Ye Yunfei.
BOOM!
As Battle Soul after Battle Soul surged from the banner, Ye Yunfei directly unleashed the Nine Yang Ancient Scripture. Five immense golden spheres of light materialized.
Five scorching suns hung in the air, immediately causing the temperature in the space to skyrocket. The five massive golden spheres erupted with sky-piercing flames, instantly transforming the area into a sea of fire.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Ye Yunfei manipulated the five colossal golden spheres. They rose into the sky, hurtling toward the Battle Souls gathered around the War Banner.
Simultaneously, with a single thought, Ye Yunfei mobilized the Origin Bloodline within his body. Instantly, a sea of bloody radiance erupted, and vast oceans of Blood Qi energy surged skyward, dyeing the expansive void crimson in a flash.
"Such fearsome Blood Qi energy!"
The Grand Mage couldn't help but frown. He realized the Battle Souls around the banner were beginning to be affected.
The five massive golden spheres hovering above Ye Yunfei's head, along with the Origin Bloodline power evaporating from his body, all radiated immense yang attributes. They formed a natural counter to those Battle Souls.
The Battle Souls that had originally been charging toward Ye Yunfei immediately slowed their movements.
"He truly doesn't seem human."
Both the Grand Mage and the Sect Leader felt a twinge of shock as they watched Ye Yunfei's abundant Blood Qi energy steam from his form. They both silently affirmed that Ye Yunfei was not of the human race, because a human's bloodline power would never be so powerful.
"Let me handle these fellows."
Suddenly, Huang Shang appeared.
"Want to play with Remnant Souls?"
Staring at the myriad Battle Souls overflowing with combat intent, Huang Shang couldn't help but sneer coldly.
In the next moment, a ghostly army manifested behind Huang Shang. At his command, countless ghosts surged forward like a tide, fiercely assaulting the Battle Souls.
Although those Battle Souls possessed high strength and terrifying combat will, the ghostly army led by Huang Shang was vast. Moreover, a considerable portion of its ghosts had been refined using Remnant Souls of Deities—some even refined from Heavenly God Remnant Souls.
During his recent period of cultivation, Ye Yunfei had slain quite a few Heavenly Gods. Their Soul Bodies or Remnant Souls had been entrusted to Huang Shang.
Beyond refining and absorbing them, Huang Shang had refined a few of those Heavenly God Remnant Souls into ghosts. Naturally, ghosts refined from True God and Void God Remnant Souls were even more numerous.
For a time, Huang Shang's ghostly army surrounded the Battle Souls like an ocean tide.
At the same time, Huang Shang employed various Ghost Dao techniques and secret arts to attack the Battle Souls.
Although Huang Shang's assaults couldn't inflict fatal damage quickly, they effectively restrained the Battle Souls to a great extent.
"A Sovereign God-level magic treasure, is it?"
Ye Yunfei glanced at the War Banner unfurling in the wind and sneered.
In the next moment, a tall incense stick appeared in Ye Yunfei's hand.
This incense appeared quite ordinary, similar to the joss sticks used in the mortal world's temples for worshipping deities. With a single gesture, Ye Yunfei lit it, thin wisps of smoke curling upward.
What was astonishing was that only Ye Yunfei himself could perceive this incense, because misty, illusory symbols—obscuring others from sensing its presence—permeated the space around the stick.
Not even the Lingxiao Sect Leader, the Grand Mage, nor the Prison Master and old wizard observing intently from outside this world detected the presence of the lit incense stick in Ye Yunfei's hand.
Back when Ye Yunfei was pulled into the dreamscape on that small island in the Primordial Sea, he hadn't felt a thing. It was only after awakening that he'd realized the experience.
This demonstrated just how stealthy Dream Energy and Dream Laws were.
Amidst the chaos of battle, no one noticed the sudden appearance of this tall incense stick.