"Brat, you actually dare to enter! Die for me!"
Just as Ye Yunfei was walking along a bustling street, constantly observing the pedestrians around him and the shops on both sides, a cold laugh suddenly rang out from nearby.
By the time Ye Yunfei reacted, he saw an old man among the crowd already gripping a long saber, slashing down toward him.
A thick blade ray instantly materialized, carrying terrifying Blade Dao energy.
"Not good! That old geezer from the Blade Realm actually mingled among the pedestrians to ambush you," Elder Ruan suddenly realized. Due to the severe restriction on Soul Power perception within this city, it was incredibly difficult to discern the true nature of every individual while walking the crowded streets.
A strong expert from the Blade Realm had seized this chance to mix with the crowd, approach Ye Yunfei, and launch a surprise attack.
"Damned old bastard!"
Ye Yunfei was also startled. Instantly, a large number of golden Dharma wheels appeared on the surface of his body. The densely packed Dharma wheels spun rapidly, forming a Golden Wheel Dharma Robe.
Simultaneously, numerous magical artifacts continuously emerged from his body, rushing outward to block the incoming thick blade ray.
In an instant, a large handful of formation flags appeared in Ye Yunfei's hands, ready for deployment.
Not long ago, Ye Yunfei had obtained the formation legacy left by Tianmu Shenjun. He immediately began studying it using over a dozen of his Soul Power planets, advancing his formation mastery with every passing moment.
Now, just by taking out those formation flags without formally deploying them yet, the embryonic form of a formation light screen vaguely shimmered around Ye Yunfei's body.
From within Elder Ruan's body, a towering giant tree materialized, drooping with countless green branches swaying in the wind.
Then, Elder Ruan prepared to assist Ye Yunfei.
However, at this very moment, the thick blade ray rolling toward Ye Yunfei suddenly halted mid-air, as if striking an invisible wall, utterly unable to advance.
Then, a mysterious breeze blew past. The thick blade ray gently trembled and vanished without a trace.
"How is this possible?"
The Blade Realm expert who had ambushed Ye Yunfei initially thought his strike would surely hit its mark, given the extremely close range, his deliberate sneak attack, and his full-power effort that channeled nearly his lifetime's Blade Dao cultivation into that one slash.
He expected to slay Ye Yunfei in one strike. He never imagined his unleashed blade ray would simply be scattered by a gust of wind.
"Impossible!"
Shocked and enraged, the Blade Realm expert instantly unleashed a dozen more thick blade rays from his long saber toward Ye Yunfei.
He knew Elder Ruan stood beside Ye Yunfei; to kill Ye Yunfei, he must use his true power.
These dozen-plus thick blade rays had reached the peak of his capability, both in speed and power.
"Be careful, this fellow intends to go all out," Elder Ruan warned Ye Yunfei.
By now, Ye Yunfei was already fully focused, prepared to face the Blade Realm expert's second wave of attacks.
Yet, as soon as Elder Ruan finished speaking, those dozen-plus thick blade rays all halted motionless in mid-air. A gentle breeze swept through, and all the blade rays dispersed.
"How can this be?"
The Blade Realm expert was both shocked and furious. With his power, a single slash could erase a vast expanse of space into nothingness. Yet here, his blade rays were all dispersed by a mere wisp of wind. "What's going on?"
Even Ye Yunfei and Elder Ruan were somewhat dumbfounded.
"I refuse to believe it!"
Angered by the humiliation, the Blade Realm expert, brandishing his long saber, continuously chopped out one thick blade ray after another at Ye Yunfei.
Standing beside Ye Yunfei, Elder Ruan had already activated a defensive secret art of the Wanmu Ancestral Land, extending a multitude of green branches that weaved together into a massive green shield in the space before Ye Yunfei.
However, before those blade rays could even reach Ye Yunfei's vicinity, they were pinned mid-air by a mysterious energy, utterly incapable of approaching him.
Following that, dozens of blade rays all vanished.
"It appears fighting is impossible within this city. It has been sealed with an exceedingly sophisticated spatial restriction.
Temporarily spare that brat. Settle the score with him once we leave this place."
A voice rang out from the distance. Another Blade Realm expert emanating rolling saber aura stood amid the bustling crowd, glaring at Ye Yunfei with murderous intent.
"Just wait. One day, I will personally slay you old fogies with the long sword in my hand!" Ye Yunfei said through gritted teeth, looking at these two high-level experts.
Since entering Tianmu Shenjun's cave mansion, the Blade Realm had attacked Ye Yunfei several times, attempting to kill him—a debt Ye Yunfei certainly remembered.
"Little beast, you think *you* can slay us?
Do you truly believe those undying old things from the Sword Realm can shield you?
Just wait. Before long, our Blade Realm armies will once again enter that wasteland of the Sword Realm, completely flattening it and exterminating all the wandering spirits haunting its ruins.
I will ensure those old bastards can't even exist as ghosts!
You, little beast, are also surely doomed. While you still have the chance to live, enjoy the last moments of your life!"
The Blade Realm expert who had just ambushed Ye Yunfei gave a cold laugh upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words, then spoke.
"The Blade Realm armies want to re-enter the Sword Realm?" Ye Yunfei's eyes narrowed upon hearing this.
"Do not worry. Although our Sword Realm is now a wasteland, we still have deep-seated foundations.
If the Blade Realm armies dare enter our realm again, they will certainly suffer for it.
Your task is to focus on cultivating the Sword Dao, striving to become a Sword Dao expert capable of holding your own as soon as possible.
Leave other Sword Realm matters for now," the voice of Sword Elder suddenly transmitted into Ye Yunfei's soul sea via Sound Transmission.
"Ancestor Master, be at ease. I will certainly strive to cultivate the Sword Dao diligently, aiming to quickly raise my Sword Dao cultivation," Ye Yunfei promptly replied.
In truth, Ye Yunfei had constantly been utilizing his Soul Bodies to ceaselessly contemplate and practice swordsmanship.
Ye Yunfei possessed two Soul Bodies and dozens of Soul Power planets, allowing him to multitask on many things simultaneously without conflict.
"One day, I will exterminate your Blade Realm!" Ye Yunfei slowly stated, casting a cold gaze at the Blade Realm expert who had ambushed him.
"Hahaha…
Kid, who do you think you are to dare spout such wild words about destroying our Blade Realm?
Even when the Sword Realm was at the pinnacle of its power, it never dared utter such words. You, a still-wet-behind-the-ears brat whose hairs haven't even fully grown, dare say you'll exterminate our Blade Realm? Seems the Sword Realm has found an idiot to carry its legacy."
The Blade Realm expert was momentarily stunned by Ye Yunfei's words, then burst into roaring laughter.
Then, ignoring Ye Yunfei, he turned and left, joining another Blade Realm expert in the distance as they vanished into the surging river of people.
By this time, aside from Ye Yunfei, more than ten other strong experts had already successively entered this city.
Within the city, streets crisscrossed in a grid; each street was lined with shops, bustling with streams of people.
"Elder Ruan, we've finally found you."
Just as Ye Yunfei and Elder Ruan walked forward, two people hurried up from behind—it turned out to be two other powerful experts from the Wanmu Ancestral Land who had also entered.
While their strength might not necessarily match Elder Ruan's, they were still formidable, having merely entered slightly later than her.
Ye Yunfei, Elder Ruan, and the other two Wanmu Ancestral Land experts proceeded along a main street.
As he walked, Ye Yunfei kept sensing every living creature around him, trying to determine their true nature.
"These creatures are most likely illusory. It's just that our perception abilities are heavily restricted within this city.
Moreover, Tianmu Shenjun's methods are too profound, making it difficult for us to discern their truth in a short time," Hun Lao said, having been constantly sensing the numerous creatures on the streets since entering the city.
"Yes, I also feel these creatures are most likely illusory," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Master, this should be a trial left by Tianmu Shenjun, right?
But what kind of trial exactly? How do we pass it?
We don't have any clues at all," Hu Miao spoke up.
"Be patient. Take it slowly. Clues will come sooner or later," Ye Yunfei replied.
Right at this moment…
Boom! Rumble!
The space above the city suddenly shook violently. Everyone within the city immediately looked up.
"It's an eye pupil!" someone exclaimed in shock.
"Master, it's Tianmu Shenjun's mark! We've seen it outside before," Hu Miao said, astonished.
"That is indeed Tianmu Shenjun's mark," Hun Lao also nodded and said.
Just then, the high-altitude eye pupil above the city gently trembled.
"Outsiders, you are the first to arrive here in all these years.
The fact that you can enter indicates your talent is not lacking.
Upon entering this city, you'll find it bustling with numerous living creatures.
However, the vast majority of these creatures are illusory; only a very few are real.
If you can find the real living creatures within this city, then you may obtain my Pupil Technique.
And only one individual may obtain my Pupil Technique.
So it depends on who can find a living creature within this city fastest; that one shall be the fortunate one."
While Ye Yunfei was observing the eye pupil above the city, he suddenly received such a Sound Transmission.
Upon receiving it, an expression of surprise immediately surfaced on Ye Yunfei's face.
"Elder Ruan, you also received the Sound Transmission, right?" Ye Yunfei saw that Elder Ruan and the other two Wanmu Ancestral Land experts beside him also wore shocked expressions simultaneously.
"Indeed, we also received it. And the content of our Sound Transmission is likely the same.
Besides us, everyone else who entered the city probably received the same transmission.
Since fighting is impossible within this city, Young Master Ye, you are not in danger here. So from now on, we will act separately—see whose luck is good and ability strong.
Also, among us, if anyone is fortunate enough to obtain Tianmu Shenjun's Pupil Technique, they must immediately hide, as the other factions' members will certainly pursue and plunder.
If none of us are fated to obtain it, then we will regroup later, leave this city together, and explore treasures elsewhere," Elder Ruan stated.