As time flowed on, Ye Yunfei gradually seized control of an increasing number of branch strongholds belonging to the Guardian Faction, as well as some of their affiliated forces.
He was already familiar with the process, having done the same thing in the Sixth Void before. So, it went smoothly.
Given Ye Yunfei's current strength, he could easily infiltrate these Guardian Faction branch outposts or affiliated groups completely undetected, then silently subdue all their True Gods and Void Gods into becoming his clones.
In the course of this, Ye Yunfei encountered some Heavenly Gods and tried to subdue them as well, wanting them to also become his clones.
However, Ye Yunfei discovered that while he could purify their Soul Bodies, he could not inscribe his own Soul Power imprint onto them to gain control.
'I suspect your method might simply not work on beings of the same cultivation realm as yourself. You're a Heavenly God now, so you can't control other Heavenly Gods by branding their Soul Bodies with your Soul Power mark.' After several consecutive failures with Heavenly Gods, Hun Lao voiced his conjecture.
'That's probably it,' Ye Yunfei nodded. After multiple attempts failed, Ye Yunfei gave up trying to subjugate Heavenly Gods as his clones.
'Maybe I have to wait until I become a Sovereign God before I can have clones at the Heavenly God level,' Ye Yunfei sighed. Though he couldn't subjugate their Soul Bodies, Ye Yunfei and Huang Shang split the souls and Soul Power energy of those Heavenly Gods, gaining quite a few benefits. Ye Yunfei also devoured the Soul Bodies of one or two of them, acquiring their memories, which gave him more insight into the overall strength of the Guardian Faction in this Seventh Void.
Ye Yunfei didn't let a single encountered Heavenly God go, as wiping out each one weakened the Guardian Faction's power by a fraction.
Meanwhile.
At the Guardian Faction headquarters in the Seventh Void, inside a palace that looked battered and ancient.
An ancient altar, exuding an aura of countless ages, sat a gaunt old man draped entirely in a blue robe. His face was wrinkled, yet his eyes occasionally flashed with intense sharpness.
Before this old man lay various divination and deduction tools. He had been deducing something all along, and his expression was rather grim.
'Our Guardian Faction in the Seventh Void seems to be enveloped in a great crisis. What on earth is happening? Some time ago, I felt a vague restlessness. And these past few days, my deductions have consistently yielded bad results. This won't do. I must report to the Prison Master and have him investigate what exactly is going on.' After another few hours of deduction, the old man slowly rose and spoke softly.
With a flicker, he vanished from the dilapidated palace, only to appear the next moment on a tall mountain peak.
Partway up the mountain stood a resplendent palace, magnificent and radiating divine glory.
A large group of True God-level guards stood watch at the palace gates. Seeing the old man arrive, they all bowed respectfully.
The old man entered the palace and approached a middle-aged man sitting in meditation. This man was tall and imposing, his face filled with authority.
'Old Mage, what brings you to me?' The middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked at the blue-robed elder.
'Prison Master, my deductions over the past few days indicate that our Guardian Faction in the Seventh Void is shrouded in a great crisis. Something bad is surely about to happen. I came to ask you, Prison Master, to issue orders immediately to investigate exactly what is happening.' The blue-robed Old Mage spoke.
'Is there such a matter?' The middle-aged man, the Prison Master of the Seventh Void Guardian Faction, grew somber at the Old Mage's words. He was well aware of the Old Mage's peerless deduction abilities throughout the Void. Usually, the faction's various decisions heavily relied on the Old Mage's deductions and advice, so he always took his words very seriously.
Soon, the Seventh Void's Prison Master summoned eight core elders, informing them of the Old Mage's ominous premonitions.
'Prison Master, Old Mage, the situation in our Seventh Void has seemed relatively peaceful lately. No special incidents have occurred, and no force or expert has been targeting our Guardian Faction. On the contrary, our Guardian Faction has been gradually expanding according to plan, conquering and controlling more world-clusters and factions. According to reports, during this period we've subdued at least four world-clusters and seven smaller forces. Everything is proceeding smoothly.' After hearing the Prison Master's words, the eight core elders swiftly exchanged messages. One of them then reported.
'I am aware of those developments. But throughout this period, I have deduced repeatedly, and each time the result has been bad. I don't know exactly what is happening, but I am certain there is some crisis directed at our Guardian Faction. It must be investigated.' After hearing the core elder's report, the Old Mage spoke.
'Everyone, we all know the Old Mage's skill in deduction, so we must take his warnings seriously. Starting now, dispatch people at once to investigate which force or expert in the Seventh Void is targeting our Guardian Faction. Once identified, concentrate our power to eliminate them.' The Prison Master thought for a moment before speaking slowly.
'Not just investigate which force or expert is targeting us, but carry out a comprehensive investigation into all potential crises our Guardian Faction might face, whether external or internal.' The Old Mage added.
'External or internal? Old Mage, are you suggesting our Guardian Faction has an internal problem, a traitor? Impossible. Our Guardian Faction is the most powerful super-faction in this Void. How could we have a traitor inside?' The eight core elders were startled by the Old Mage's words, and one asked.
'Just follow my suggestion. Prevention is better than cure. The more detailed the investigation, the better. For I am certain our Seventh Void Guardian Faction is indeed facing a terrifying crisis.' The Old Mage said slowly.
'Everyone, as per the Old Mage's words, dispatch investigators immediately. We must treat this matter with utmost seriousness.' Seeing the Old Mage's grave attitude, the Prison Master was slightly startled and spoke at once. He knew this indicated how seriously the Old Mage took the matter.
'Understood, Prison Master, Old Mage.' One core elder said.
Seeing both the Old Mage and Prison Master treat this so gravely, the eight core elders began to treat it seriously as well. They then turned and left to dispatch investigators.
'I hope my deductions and premonitions are wrong.' The Old Mage shook his head and sighed softly.
'Old Mage, rest assured, with the strength of our Guardian Faction, no one in this Void dares to set their sights on us. Even if someone did, they wouldn't be able to do anything to us. Not only in this Seventh Void, even throughout the entire Chaotic Void Sea, our Guardian Faction is among the top super-factions. So, I believe whatever crisis it may be, our Guardian Faction will safely weather it.' The Prison Master said.
'I hope so. Perhaps I am being overly anxious.' The Old Mage nodded.
'However, prevention is better than cure. We must take all potential crises seriously.' The Old Mage added one more line, then turned and left.
'Whoever dares oppose our Guardian Faction has only one fate: annihilation. No one can stop me from ruling this Void.' The Prison Master said coldly.
Meanwhile, in another Void, inside a cultivation chamber, a figure exuding a powerful aura sat in meditation.
'Damn it. So they destroyed my clone in the Sixth Void. That young punk named Ye Yunfei is truly a budding talent. His mistake lies solely in daring to provoke me.' This figure, who had been in secluded cultivation all along, suddenly opened his eyes at a certain moment. Two terrifying beams of light shot from them as he spoke through gritted teeth.
'However, I am at the most critical juncture of my cultivation right now. I can't leave just yet to deal with this. Ye Yunfei, just wait. Once I finish my cultivation, I will go find you personally.' The figure said this, then re-entered his secluded cultivation state.
If Ye Yunfei were here, he would immediately recognize this figure as the former Prison Master of the Sixth Void's Guardian Faction.
Back in the Seventh Void, Ye Yunfei was still moving around, controlling more and more branch strongholds and affiliated forces of the Guardian Faction. Gradually, clones of Ye Yunfei were distributed throughout this Void. And Ye Yunfei's understanding of the Seventh Void's Guardian Faction grew deeper.
'I'd say you've taken control of roughly one-third of the Guardian Faction's branch strongholds and affiliated forces by now,' Hun Lao remarked to Ye Yunfei.
'Only one-third is far from enough. I want to subjugate every branch stronghold and affiliated force of the Guardian Faction I can find in this Void. Empty out the Guardian Faction, and then begin the real operation. That will save a lot of time and effort later.' Ye Yunfei replied.
As Ye Yunfei continued subduing more True Gods and Void Gods as clones in the Seventh Void, at a vast spatial distance, in another Void, within a Samsara Passage filled with high-level Samsara energy and the laws of reincarnation.
At a corner sat an ancient clay statue, thickly covered in the dust of ages, its original features unrecognizable beneath a thick layer.
Suddenly, the head of this ancient clay statue stirred. It slowly turned, looking in a direction. Then, its eyes shot forth two dazzling beams of light that instantly pierced through space, gazing into the distant Void beyond.