"Indeed, beside that remnant consciousness floats a black treasure bead. That black bead seems capable of controlling wind energy and wind laws.
Thus, it's possible the overwhelming gales before us, as well as those tornadoes, are all created by that black treasure bead."
Ye Yunfei nodded.
"The Divine Pupil Technique inheritance of Heavenly Eye Divine Lord truly lives up to its reputation," Hun Lao couldn't help but praise. "I can't sense any black treasure bead within those ferocious winds ahead at all, yet your supernatural vision can see it."
"Indeed," Ye Yunfei nodded again, feeling very satisfied with the Pupil Technique inheritance he had cultivated. "My Divine Pupil can perceive many things and profound mysteries that even Soul Power energy or Heart Force energy cannot sense."
"If that black bead can control those winds, then wouldn't that mean if we can seize the black bead, we could also control these gales?" the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm suddenly chimed in.
"That's certainly the idea," Ye Yunfei replied, looking at the terrifying, sky-filling gales ahead and the dozens of towering, madly spinning tornadoes. "But that black bead has likely been refined by that remnant consciousness and belongs to him as a treasured artifact. These winds are far too terrifying. Trying to snatch that black bead from that remnant consciousness would be extremely difficult."
"The difficulty is indeed immense," Hun Lao stated. "These winds are beyond even a Seventh-Level Sovereign God's ability to handle, and on such a vast scale. As long as that remnant consciousness hides within the range of these winds, it's hard for us to deal with him, let alone snatch the black bead from his grasp."
"Master, I think this remnant consciousness doesn't always hide within the winds," Hu Miao suddenly suggested. "Because when these winds vanish, that remnant consciousness will definitely find another place to hide. If we find him at that moment, perhaps we wouldn't need to face these terrifying gales."
"No," Ye Yunfei said with a faint smile. "When those winds disappear, that remnant consciousness will hide within that black bead. As soon as we attempt to act against him, the bead will immediately generate rolling winds again. So, we would still need to contend with these terrifying gales."
As time passed, Ye Yunfei's Divine Pupil on his forehead discerned more and more. This Divine Pupil not only saw through many things and matters but could also automatically deduce and analyze them.
"Excellent! We've finally escaped! Many thanks to our friends from the Blade Realm!"
At this moment, the three Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods from the Guardian Faction, now under the protection of those Blade Realm cultivators, finally managed to break free from the tumultuous winds and emerge. The three Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods were extremely agitated, shouting simultaneously, feeling a wild joy of having narrowly escaped death.
Meanwhile, the Blade Realm cultivators all looked somewhat pale, as rescuing these three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods had cost them at least half of their bladework treasure artifacts, and they had also sustained injuries. These blade cultivators began taking out unique Blade Realm restorative pills to ingest and refine.
"We thank you, friends from the Blade Realm. Your life-saving grace will never be forgotten!"
The three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods expressed their gratitude while taking pills to restore their physical bodies. At this moment, their bodies had nearly recovered; after all, being Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods, their bodies inherently possessed formidable regenerative capabilities.
Ahead, the rolling gales still existed but had halted in place, not attacking any further.
Through his Divine Pupil, Ye Yunfei saw the dark shadowy figure within the wind seemed to be sizing him up. Ye Yunfei understood that remnant consciousness was apprehensive of him, worried he might make a move.
Otherwise, that remnant consciousness would have already controlled the gales to charge forward and pursue the Guardian Faction's three Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods and the blade cultivators.
"You wretched little beast, Ye Yunfei! These past days you have killed many of our Blade Realm's people. You deserve ten thousand deaths! Today, this place will be your grave!"
Just then, the old man leading the Blade Realm group turned his gaze toward Ye Yunfei and spoke icily. As he spoke, he strode forward, advancing toward Ye Yunfei.
"This guy is a Seventh-Level Sovereign God, but his strength is absolutely terrifying," Hun Lao sent a telepathic voice to Ye Yunfei. "He likely ranks among the very strongest within the Seventh-Level Sovereign God tier. Moreover, Blade Realm blade cultivators are notoriously formidable in combat power throughout the ages, so we might not be able to handle him."
"Indeed, though he is only a Seventh-Level Sovereign God, his strength is exceptionally powerful," Ye Yunfei agreed, frowning lightly as he looked at the old man striding toward him and sensed the intimidating saber aura swirling around his body.
"Young Master Ye, this man is called Dao Changkong," Elder Gan sent a telepathic message, keeping his eyes on the advancing figure. "He has lived an extremely long life and is an old-timer relic within the Blade Realm. While his cultivation level is merely Seventh-Level Sovereign God, his mastery of the Bladed Way far surpasses his realm. He's an old-timer who can effortlessly battle across levels—even encountering an Eighth Level Sovereign God, he would dare to unleash a full-on fight."
The eight Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods from the Hunyuan Sect were all on high alert, ready for battle.
"You damned little beast, Ye Yunfei, you should be dead!"
At this point, the three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods had fully recovered their bodies. They now turned their gazes toward Ye Yunfei.
Earlier, inside the winds, while their bodies had been severely ravaged, their Soul Bodies and Soul Seas had held out until the end, not suffering any fatal damage. Hence, after recovering their bodies, their overall strength hadn't been substantially diminished; they still retained around seventy to eighty percent of their peak combat prowess.
"Let's move! Kill that wretched Ye scoundrel first. He's caused our Guardian Faction considerable losses again recently. According to reports, his interference led to our Guardian Faction's armies suffering defeats across several battlefields."
The three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods then began striding toward Ye Yunfei alongside the blade cultivators.
"If you want to make a move against Young Master Ye, you'll first have to ask whether we agree or not!"
Elder Gan and the other eight Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods simultaneously stepped forward, blocking Ye Yunfei.
"Rest assured, Young Master Ye, we will certainly fight alongside you," Elder Feng said to Ye Yunfei.
"Esteemed seniors, there's no need to fight them here for now," Ye Yunfei said after a moment of thought, casting a glance at the still-churning winds ahead and the remnant consciousness concealed within them.
"Let's leave this place first," Ye Yunfei said to the eight Hunyuan Sect Sovereign Gods.
After speaking, Ye Yunfei's figure blurred as he swiftly sped toward the distance. The eight Hunyuan Sect Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods immediately followed.
"Trying to escape is not that easy!"
The Blade Realm leader's face darkened, and he immediately activated his movement technique, giving chase. The other blade cultivators and the three Guardian Faction Sovereign Gods also pursued.
The old Blade Realm leader soared atop blade energy, moving at incredible speed. In an instant, he caught up behind Ye Yunfei and the eight Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods. He then manifested a simple-looking long saber in his hand, preparing to strike at Ye Yunfei's group.
Ye Yunfei knew this Dao Changkong's strength was terribly frightening. If a fight erupted, casualties were possible among his own people.
With a single thought, Ye Yunfei immediately launched a Heart Sword attack that invaded Dao Changkong's Soul Sea, viciously striking at his Soul Body.
"A Heart Force Martial Skill!"
Dao Changkong's expression drastically changed. Having his Soul Body attacked, he naturally dared not be negligent. He immediately activated over a dozen Soul Power artifacts within his Soul Sea and released his Soul Power energy to protect his Soul Body.
But attacks from Heart Force Martial Skills were incredibly difficult to defend against. Neither the Soul Power artifacts nor his own Soul Power energy could prevent the Heart Sword's assault on his Soul Body.
In addition to the Heart Sword, Ye Yunfei simultaneously deployed several other formidable Heart Force Martial Skills for coordinated offense.
A large net woven from Heart Force energy materialized within Dao Changkong's Soul Sea, violently thrown to ensnare his Soul Body.
"Damnation! This brat's Heart Force level is unexpectedly so high!" Dao Changkong cried out in shock and fury, which consequently slowed his speed somewhat.
Ye Yunfei and the eight Hunyuan Sect Sovereign Gods, meanwhile, accelerated, racing toward the distant horizon. Soon, they left far behind the blade cultivators and the three Guardian Faction Sovereign Gods.
In truth, the three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods were already injured. Were it not for the presence of these blade cultivators, they might not have dared to confront Ye Yunfei. For according to recent reports, Ye Yunfei had slain quite a few Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods over this period, his formidable reputation having long spread throughout this Fifth Void.
"Damnation, that brat escaped even in these circumstances," the blade cultivators gnashed their teeth, watching Ye Yunfei and the eight Hunyuan Sect Sovereign Gods recede into the distance.
"No, he can't escape," Dao Changkong said through gritted teeth, staring at Ye Yunfei's back. "The reason we haven't been able to deal with him is because this continent seems somewhat special—here, we cannot exert our true strength. However, once we get out, we will definitely have to slay this little whelp."
"Elder Dao, this continent is far too dangerous, especially those gales," one of the three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods, still heart-palpitating over their earlier ordeal, spoke up. "The three of us have traversed this continent for a long time now, finding absolutely no treasures."
The gazes of the others also turned to Dao Changkong; his strength was the strongest here, and his seniority the highest.
"If my guess is correct," Dao Changkong spoke slowly after scanning the utterly desolate continent before them, "this continent should be the very place where the renowned Wind Demon God of the Ancient Era went into seclusion for cultivation."
"The Wind Demon God!"
Hearing Dao Changkong's words, the other blade cultivators and the three Guardian Faction Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods gasped in alarm, immediately recalling that legendary supreme powerhouse of the Ancient Era known as the Wind Demon God.
"Those gales we just witnessed," Dao Changkong continued, nodding with certainty, "only the Wind Demon God's legacy inheritance could possibly produce such power. This continent appears to have been abandoned for an extremely long era, most likely left over from the Ancient Era. That an abandoned continent from the Ancient Era could possess such terrifying gales strongly suggests this location was likely a place where the Wind Demon God once stayed, and most likely his cultivation retreat. Therefore, this continent might very well conceal the Ancient Wind Demon God's inheritance or any treasure he left behind."
Although Dao Changkong's words included many speculative phrases, everyone knew Dao Changkong had lived an exceedingly long life. He was the eldest among them all, both immensely knowledgeable and formidable in combat. What he said was most likely true.
"According to legend, the Wind Demon God, at a certain period in ancient times, was among the top supreme powerhouses within the Chaotic Void Sea. Any legacy he left behind would be extremely precious!" A blade cultivator nearby blurted out excitedly.