In the time that followed, Ye Yunfei continued to advance forward. Due to his meticulously concealed form and aura, those Ziyang Sect members ahead were completely unaware of his presence.
Whenever Ye Yunfei encountered True Gods or Void Gods of the Ziyang Sect, he immediately employed soul arts to purify their soul bodies, subjugating them to become his own clones. Occasionally, he would also devour the soul bodies of Heavenly Gods, absorbing their memories.
As the number of clones Ye Yunfei acquired increased, his movements became freer.
It wasn't long before Ye Yunfei entered the Dark Realm—a World Cluster teeming with potent Dark Energy and permeated by laws of darkness.
At a glance, gloom dominated everything. Dense black mist drifted everywhere; relying on sight alone, many areas were so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Upon entering the Dark Realm, Ye Yunfei quickly detected some beings lurking within this World Cluster.
"Just as predicted, the Ziyang Sect has indeed deployed substantial forces as an ambush within this World Cluster, specifically waiting for Miss Lü to return," Hun Lao suddenly spoke up, addressing Ye Yunfei. "However, aside from the Ziyang Sect members, there seem to be individuals from the Dark Faction as well."
Ever since entering the Dark Realm, Hun Lao had been perceiving this World Cluster.
"Indeed, there are quite a few Dark Faction members lurking here," Ye Yunfei nodded, because those from the Dark Faction all cultivated Dark Energy and laws of darkness, making them easily distinguishable.
"Let's ignore the Dark Faction members for now." Ye Yunfei pondered briefly before stealthily approaching the Ziyang Sect members. He then continued using his soul arts to subjugate their True Gods and Void Gods into becoming his clones.
Within this Dark Realm, there were many Heavenly Gods from the Ziyang Sect. However, for the time being, Ye Yunfei did not concern himself with those Heavenly Gods, focusing his efforts specifically on dealing with the True Gods and Void Gods.
As time passed, the majority of the Ziyang Sect's True Gods and Void Gods lying in ambush within this Dark Realm became Ye Yunfei's clones. The soul bodies of a portion were devoured by him.
"Now, only the Heavenly Gods remain," Ye Yunfei stated, his gaze turning towards the positions where the Ziyang Sect's Heavenly Gods were lying in wait, a cold smile appearing on his lips.
For Ye Yunfei, anything less than a Sovereign God was manageable.
"Hold off on acting for now. I have a strong feeling this Dark Realm might very likely contain Sovereign Gods," Hun Lao advised Ye Yunfei.
"There are Sovereign Gods present?" Hearing Hun Lao's words, Ye Yunfei couldn't help but feel a stirring within. He then released his Soul Power energy, beginning a more detailed perception of this Dark Realm.
After a moment, Ye Yunfei suddenly detected several extremely elusive auras.
These auras were exceptionally well-concealed; if Ye Yunfei hadn't been scrutinizing carefully, he might not have detected them. Hun Lao had utilized his racial talent to capture these auras.
"Indeed, this Dark Realm most likely houses powerhouses at the Sovereign God level," Ye Yunfei thought, somewhat surprised by this discovery.
"With Sovereign Gods here, don't take action for now. Report the situation to Miss Lü before making a decision," Hun Lao suggested.
"Agreed, let's get out now," Ye Yunfei nodded. He then restrained his aura and quietly exited the Dark Realm.
After discovering the likely presence of Sovereign Gods within the Dark Realm, Ye Yunfei became even more discreet, immediately employing several profound spatial secret techniques to more rigorously conceal his form and aura.
Hun Lao and the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm also promptly utilized their spatial secret techniques to help Ye Yunfei mask his aura.
"That was a close call just now. When we entered the Dark Realm, we weren't detected by those Sovereign Gods. Had we been discovered, a fight would have probably erupted by now," the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm remarked.
"No need to worry. Even if discovered, at most we'd have to fight," Ye Yunfei replied with a smile.
"It's possible those Sovereign Gods already detected us. However, they might have perceived us as insignificant figures, so they didn't pay us much attention," Hun Lao chimed in with a chuckle.
"That's also a possibility. I'm just a Heavenly God. Even if they detected me entering the Dark Realm, those Sovereign Gods wouldn't necessarily attack me. They're waiting for the Dark Queen. Attacking unimportant individuals could expose their ambush, which would be a waste," Ye Yunfei reasoned.
"Whether they discovered us or not is irrelevant now. Let's not dwell on those Sovereign Gods for the moment. Report the situation to Miss Lü first, then we can plan our next move," Ye Yunfei concluded.
Shortly after, Ye Yunfei returned to Lü Dandan's spacecraft and informed her about the situation within the Dark Realm.
"It's certain there are powerhouses at the Sovereign God level within the Dark Realm. I anticipated this situation," Lü Dandan nodded upon hearing his report.
"With Sovereign God-level powerholders waiting in ambush, your entry would be perilous," Ye Yunfei cautioned.
"I know that, but I must enter the Dark Realm," Lü Dandan replied with a sigh. "It holds immense importance for me. It concerns my future development and the direction of our Dark Faction."
"If that's the case, then let's go in now," Ye Yunfei nodded after listening.
"You wait outside, there's no need to accompany me inside. My return to the Dark Realm this time is exceedingly dangerous. If discovered, those Sovereign Gods will undoubtedly stop at nothing to attack me," Lü Dandan considered for a moment before saying to Ye Yunfei.
"Rest assured, Miss Lü. Even if those Sovereign Gods do make a move, I'm not afraid of them," Ye Yunfei said with a smile.
Ye Yunfei knew Lü Dandan was determined to enter the Dark Realm. Given his friendship with her, he couldn't possibly let her venture in alone to face danger.
Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, Lü Dandan looked at him, momentarily unsure of what to say. Of course, she knew Ye Yunfei's character well; under such circumstances, there was absolutely no way he would let her go in alone.
After gazing at Ye Yunfei for a few moments, Lü Dandan let out a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into danger because of my matters," she said softly.
"Miss Lü, what are you talking about? With the friendship between us, there's no need for such formality," Ye Yunfei replied, chuckling.
"Furthermore, if we sneak in quietly, those Sovereign Gods might not necessarily detect us. When I entered earlier, there was no reaction from them," Ye Yunfei added.
"Here's what we'll do, Miss Lü. I'll take you in. You'll enter my spatial treasure, conceal your aura, and we'll sneak in quietly. Those Sovereign Gods might not be able to detect us. Once we're inside, whatever you intend to do, keep a low profile," Ye Yunfei instructed Lü Dandan.
"Alright," Lü Dandan agreed after hearing Ye Yunfei's proposal.