From the old man's energy aura, Ye Yunfei knew he was a Fourth Level Sovereign God, also known as a Minor Completion Sovereign God.
"Uncle Shi, this is the kid who wants to seize our Blade Realm's treasure. He even attacked me and injured me. Help me kill him."
The moment Sima Ziyang saw Ye Yunfei, killing intent surged, and he pointed at Ye Yunfei.
When he saw Zhou Wanqing following behind Ye Yunfei, his rage burned even hotter, because he had long considered Zhou Wanqing to be his woman. Seeing his woman with another strange man now made him even more furious.
"Junior, you have some nerve. Daring to steal my Blade Realm's treasure and injure someone from my Blade Realm—this is a capital offense.
Hand over the treasured blade immediately and kneel down to receive your punishment."
The withered old man glanced at Ye Yunfei, his voice hoarse, carrying an air of unquestionable authority, his gaze as cold as a sharp blade.
"Senior, please don't just listen to Sima Ziyang's one-sided account.
Young Master Ye obtained that treasured blade while exploring and treasure-hunting in a dangerous place. This is a case of natural treasures finding their destined owner. Young Master Ye did not deliberately seize your Blade Realm's treasure.
As for Sima Ziyang's injury, that was because he provoked and attacked Young Master Ye first. Young Master Ye was forced to retaliate, which resulted in his injury."
Before Ye Yunfei could speak, Zhou Wanqing had already taken a step forward, addressing the old man respectfully.
"Master, I never expected this Sister Zhou to be so protective of you.
My master's charm really is something," Hu Miao said with a laugh.
"Don't talk nonsense. Don't let that little head of yours think about useless things all day. I saved her before, that's why she's acting this way," Ye Yunfei said.
"You're that little Zhou girl from the Wanmu Ancestral Land?
I think you and Ziyang are quite a good match. I can make the decision to arrange a marriage alliance for you.
And that kid is an outsider. You shouldn't speak for an outsider. Come over to our side."
The old man glanced at Zhou Wanqing and then spoke, his words carrying a commanding tone.
"Senior, I respect you as an elder, but please don't make such jokes. Sima Ziyang and I are merely casual acquaintances, with no relationship whatsoever, let alone talk of a marriage alliance."
Hearing the old man's words, Zhou Wanqing's face immediately darkened as she replied.
Although Zhou Wanqing knew this old man's strength was formidable, matters concerning her own virtue could not be ambiguous; otherwise, if rumors spread later, her reputation would suffer.
Moreover, Zhou Wanqing's status within the Wanmu Ancestral Land was not low. Why would she endure such an insult?
"Zhou girl, don't be ungrateful.
Ziyang is a renowned young genius within our Blade Realm, with exceptional talent and boundless future prospects. He is more than enough for you. Being with Ziyang would be an excellent match.
Once matters here are settled, I will personally visit your Wanmu Ancestral Land, bringing betrothal gifts specifically to discuss the marriage between you and Ziyang.
Rest assured, given our Blade Realm's heritage and strength, you will not be mistreated when you marry into our realm in the future. You will certainly enjoy glory and splendor."
The old man looked at Zhou Wanqing and spoke from a position of superiority.
"Thank you, Uncle Shi, for arranging my marriage!" Sima Ziyang was overjoyed to hear the old man's words and immediately spoke up.
"Senior, please watch your words. My marriage is not for you to decide," Zhou Wanqing said coldly, her willow-like brows furrowing in anger.
"Zhou girl, I know you have some background in the Wanmu Ancestral Land, but that doesn't mean you can speak to me in this tone. Do the juniors of your Wanmu Ancestral Land all speak to their elders with this attitude?" Hearing Zhou Wanqing's words, the old man's expression darkened.
"This old bastard is really tyrannical and overbearing. I really want to smash his face in with a single punch," Golden Horned Dragon Silkworm couldn't help but say.
"Exactly. My master is far stronger than that damned Sima Ziyang. Marrying my master would be the better match for Miss Zhou," Hu Miao said.
Ye Yunfei felt quite helpless hearing this. Fortunately, Hu Miao had used Sound Transmission.
"This guy is stronger than that Sima Ziyang. You probably can't beat him," Hun Lao immediately said to Golden Horned Dragon Silkworm.
"Senior, please do not insult our Wanmu Ancestral Land with your words.
I know your Blade Realm is powerful, but that doesn't mean our Wanmu Ancestral Land is easy to bully," Zhou Wanqing's expression turned even colder.
Hearing Zhou Wanqing's words, the old man's expression shifted slightly. Although displeased, he knew that continuing like this might indeed provoke conflict between the two forces—the Blade Realm and the Wanmu Ancestral Land.
The Blade Realm was indeed powerful, but the Wanmu Ancestral Land was not weak either.
"Uncle Shi, deal with that kid first!" Sima Ziyang pointed at Ye Yunfei.
"Very well, let's deal with that kid first," the old man nodded.
"Kid, last chance. Hand over our Blade Realm's treasure immediately, then kneel before me. Perhaps you still have a sliver of hope. Otherwise, I will scatter your soul and disperse your spirit right now."
The old man's icy gaze locked onto Ye Yunfei as he spoke slowly.
"Beat the young one, and the old one shows up.
I never expected your Blade Realm to be full of such characters. Old and young, equally shameless, like father, like son."
Ye Yunfei sneered. Although he felt pressure under the might of a Minor Completion Sovereign God, he would not back down in this situation.
As he spoke, Ye Yunfei had already prepared to fight.
"Kid, you're dead! Daring to speak to my Uncle Shi in that tone, there is no one left in this void who can save you!" Sima Ziyang glared at Ye Yunfei, shouting sharply.
"Kid, arrogance has its price. Remember that in your next life."
The old man's gaze was indifferent as he spoke slowly.
In his eyes, Ye Yunfei was already a dead man. For a soon-to-be-dead man, he didn't wish to waste words.
After speaking, a cold glint flashed in the old man's eyes. He didn't draw his blade, but merely slowly raised his right hand, forming his fingers like a blade, and slashed towards Ye Yunfei from a distance.
*Sssss!*
A dull, gray, inconspicuous sword aura appeared out of thin air, soundless, yet it seemed to disregard the distance of space, instantly slashing to a point right before Ye Yunfei.
This blade strike did not contain ultimate sharpness, but rather an intent of deathly stillness and decay. Where it passed, even space seemed to lose its vitality, turning gray and withered.
Ye Yunfei's gaze narrowed. This strike posed a great threat. Not daring to be negligent, the energy and blood and qi within his body instantly boiled.
*Sever Yin and Yang with a Single Blade!*
Ye Yunfei drew his long blade and slashed out. A distinct black-and-white blade radiance tore through space, carrying the domineering will to separate the clear and the turbid, to sever life and death, as it met the gray sword aura.
*BOOM!*
Two completely different sword intents violently collided. There was no earth-shattering explosion, only an intense friction and annihilation at the level of laws.
Ye Yunfei's body shook violently. He felt an insidious, deathly stillness force transmitting along the blade, frantically eroding the vitality within his body. He retreated several steps before steadying himself, while that gray sword aura was also ground away by the Yin-Yang sword intent.
"How is this possible? You actually managed to withstand one of my strikes head-on, and you've cultivated Yin-Yang sword intent.
Kid, where exactly is your swordsmanship inheritance from?
Could you also be a descendant of our Blade Realm?"
Seeing Ye Yunfei actually use swordsmanship to withstand his attack head-on, the old man immediately revealed a shocked expression, finding it hard to believe.
"Uncle Shi, this kid is not only proficient in blade techniques, but also in sword techniques and soul arts. The cultivation techniques he practices are quite eclectic. He shouldn't be a descendant of our Blade Realm," Sima Ziyang, standing beside him, immediately spoke up.
"So that's how it is. If you aren't a descendant of our Blade Realm, yet cultivate such an advanced blade technique, that makes your crime of death even more certain," the old man said.
"Very well, prepare to die!"
The old man said coldly, preparing to attack again and finish off Ye Yunfei.
Just at that moment.
"An old dog, daring to come here and make trouble."
A clear, cold, and familiar female voice rang out, not loud, yet clearly audible to everyone.
In the next moment, endless darkness spread from the horizon, instantly diluting the sharp sword intents outside the Guhai Sect headquarters.
Within the surging endless darkness, a figure of peerless grace stepped forward, surrounded by deep, night-like dark energy. It was precisely Lü Dandan.
Her aura now was more condensed and unfathomable than when they had last parted. Remarkably, she had successfully broken through and entered the Fourth Level Sovereign God realm.
"Miss Lü, why are you here?" Ye Yunfei sent a Sound Transmission.
"I just finished my seclusion cultivation. I received reports from scouts that people from the Blade Realm were giving you trouble, so I came to see," Lü Dandan replied.
Due to Ye Yunfei, the Dark Faction and the Guhai Sect were now allies. Many Dark Faction members were stationed within the Guhai Sect, so they had promptly relayed the news back to the Dark Faction.
"You are... the Dark Queen of the Dark Faction?" Sima Ziyang's expression changed slightly.
Although he hadn't had direct contact with the Dark Faction yet, he had been in the Third Void for some time. He had heard of the Dark Faction and of the Dark Queen, so he quickly guessed that this woman before him might be the legendary Dark Queen.
"So it's someone from the Dark Faction. This matter has nothing to do with your Dark Faction. It's a private grudge between our Blade Realm and this kid. Why are you interfering?"
The withered old man's brows knitted slightly as he looked at Lü Dandan and spoke.
"Our Dark Faction and the Guhai Sect have ties. You coming to the Guhai Sect to cause trouble naturally concerns me."
Lü Dandan's tone was icy and firm.
The shadow of her Dark Heart manifested within her body, beating slowly, drawing upon an even vaster dark essence. Seven Dark Sacred Lotuses bloomed behind her, emitting a heart-palpitating power of devouring and annihilation.
"If it were the ancient Dark Faction, I might fear you somewhat. But the current Dark Faction dares to act arrogantly before me?
Fine, let me test just how much skill this so-called Dark Queen possesses."
The old man's face turned gloomy as he spoke coldly.
After speaking, he slowly raised a long blade and slashed out. A streak of gray blade radiance shot towards Lü Dandan.
With a *boom*, the endless darkness behind Lü Dandan churned violently. Then, a large black hand stretched out from the darkness, grabbed that gray blade radiance, and with a gentle squeeze, the gray blade radiance instantly vanished.
"How is this possible?"
The old man was greatly startled. Sensing that stretch of boundless, endless darkness behind Lü Dandan, his expression began to turn grave.
"Unbelievable. After such a long passage of time, the inheritance of the Dark Faction from back then still remains."
The old man's gaze fixed on Lü Dandan, his eyes flickering with changing thoughts, then he snorted coldly.
"Fine!
I'll remember this grudge today.
Kid, you stole my Blade Realm's treasure and injured someone from my Blade Realm. This matter will not end here.
We're leaving!"
After his expression shifted for a moment, the old man made a decision, turned around, and left.
"Uncle Shi, we can't just let it go like this. This Dark Queen is just a junior girl. She can't possibly be your match," Sima Ziyang, seeing his uncle about to leave, immediately became unwilling.
"This girl is not simple. If I fight her, there's a possibility of mutual destruction. It's not worth it.
Moreover, she possesses the Dark Heart. The emergence of the Dark Heart is no simple matter. Let's avoid it for now. We'll have a chance to deal with that kid later."
The old man glanced back at Lü Dandan and sent a Sound Transmission.
While transmitting, he grabbed Sima Ziyang, his form transforming into a sharp blade light that tore through the void, vanishing in an instant.
They came quickly, and left just as quickly.