Elder Xu came from the headquarters of the Guardian Faction. His status in the Fifth Void was akin to that of an imperial envoy in a secular kingdom, a cut above others.
"At least they knew what was good for them."
Upon hearing this, Elder Xu's expression turned slightly unpleasant as he snorted coldly.
After emerging, he had originally planned to casually wipe out all the Hunyuan Sect troops on this battlefield, only to find that the Sect's forces had already withdrawn ahead of time.
"Immediately send men to seal off this spatial rupture. From now on, no one may enter without permission," Elder Xu ordered after looking back at the spatial rupture he had just exited.
"Elder Xu, what is the meaning of this? By ordering your Watchers to seal off this entrance, are you trying to monopolize the Wind Demon God's treasure and legacy?"
The elderly leader of the Rune Sacred Land turned his gaze upon hearing Elder Xu's command, an expression of displeasure on his face.
Dao Changkong also turned his eyes towards Elder Xu.
"Elders Fang and Dao, do not misunderstand. The three major powers are now allied, and I certainly would not stop your factions from entering that continent," Elder Xu replied with a helpless smile.
At the moment, the Guardian Faction was at war with the Hunyuan Sect across the entire Chaotic Void Sea, a time when allies were needed. Offending the Blade Realm and the Rune Sacred Land was not an option.
For both the Blade Realm and the Rune Sacred Land possessed great strength, had long legacies, and were profoundly deep-rooted.
"Very well.
Let's go. We must return to headquarters immediately and report the situation here."
The elderly leader of the Rune Sacred Land waved his hand and led his faction's experts away from the battlefield without a backward glance.
Dao Changkong gave Elder Xu a nod as well, before turning and riding upon sword energy that instantly carried him into the distance.
The other Blade Cultivators also summoned their sword energy and followed.
Inside that continent, they had moved forward with utmost caution, their progress slow. But now, back in the outer world, their speed became astonishing. Within less than a single breath, the experts of the Rune Sacred Land and Blade Realm had vanished into the distant void.
Elder Xu remained on the battlefield, issuing orders to tidy it up and survey the surrounding region of the void before finally departing.
Back on the continent, Ye Yunfei remained seated cross-legged before the remnant stele.
Now, two broken steles stood erected before him, slowly drawing closer together.
Ye Yunfei's more than a dozen clones continued to retrieve enormous batches of Formation Flags from storage at their fastest speed, continuously tossing them out at blinding speeds, setting up dozens of large-scale formations every breath.
While these formations were almost instantly destroyed by the surrounding howling gales and tornadoes the moment they were set up.
The quantity of formation materials and Formation Flags Ye Yunfei had accumulated over time was simply staggering, and it was more than enough to sustain his efforts.
"It's fortunate you accumulated such a massive stockpile of formation materials and flags. Otherwise, we would have been buried here long ago," Hun Lao remarked with a sigh.
The twelve Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods of the Hunyuan Sect stood tightly behind Ye Yunfei's main body, shivering, their faces filled with terror.
None of them were attempting to fight back against the raging winds any longer, having realized that their secret arts, artifacts, and various methods were utterly meaningless before these continually strengthening gales and tornadoes. Whether they fought or not made no difference.
"Even with this many formation materials and flags, I doubt we can hold out for long," the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm said, watching the formations be shredded one after another.
Suddenly, a surge of wild wind broke through Ye Yunfei's defensive layers and began to blow directly upon them.
"Ahhh..."
Immediately, two or three of the Hunyuan Sect's Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods cried out in agony. The ferocious gale swept past, instantly tearing away half the flesh from their bodies, revealing stark white bones and bloody, exposed organs - a horrifying sight.
"Young Master Ye, we can't hold on much longer!" Elder Gan's face went pale as he addressed Ye Yunfei.
Several of Ye Yunfei's clones turned around simultaneously, tossing out a large batch of Formation Flags that instantly assembled dozens of formations, shrouding the Hunyuan Sect elders.
For Ye Yunfei knew these twelve elders were no match for such terrifyingly powerful winds. If they truly tried to weather them with their physical bodies, they would likely be shredded to nothing within a single breath, experiencing utter annihilation of both body and soul.
"No way! Are we really going to die here?!" the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm couldn't help but shout.
Hu Miao, Huang Shang, and Hun Lao were all also extremely tense at this moment. Everyone understood the situation was now truly life-and-death, every person here facing potential instantaneous obliteration.
In the distance, within the raging wind, the black shadow emanated an aura of sinister coldness, its gaze fixed unwaveringly upon Ye Yunfei.
The shadow hadn't employed its full strength against the three factions; its primary target of attack was Ye Yunfei all along.
It wanted to prevent Ye Yunfei from refining the Great Wind Stele; otherwise, the three factions' experts would never have had a chance to escape the wind zone.
"Don't worry. We'll be fine."
At this critical juncture, Ye Yunfei suddenly smiled.
After speaking, he pointed a finger forward.
*Boom!*
The two broken steles before him collided with tremendous force, producing an earth-shattering roar.
At that moment, the entire sky - the entire continent, even - shuddered violently. A deafening din rose, and an unimaginable wind energy instantly erupted from the two steles, sweeping back all the surrounding gales and tornadoes.
The area where Ye Yunfei sat instantly became utterly calm, serene under clear skies.
"Master! Have you refined the Great Wind Stele?"
Hu Miao, who had been struggling desperately against the gales howling around her, suddenly found the pressure vanish completely, the winds disappearing. In delight, she immediately looked towards the two merging steles before Ye Yunfei, exclaiming joyfully.
"We are finally safe!"
Understanding that Ye Yunfei had succeeded in refining the Great Wind Stele, Hun Lao let out a sigh of relief with a smile.
"Excellent! I finally don't have to die here!"
The Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm also sighed with relief, patting its chest in gratitude.
As for the twelve Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods of the Hunyuan Sect, all of them had lost over half their bodies to the terrifying gales. Their flesh and organs were nearly all gone, leaving only white, skeletal lower halves suspended in air.
These Sovereign Gods had already fallen into complete despair, certain they were doomed to annihilation here. They had even given up resisting, for it was pointless.
Now, with all winds suddenly gone and peace settling around them, the twelve Sovereign Gods were stunned. Their bloody, incomplete halves remained suspended, unable to process what was happening.
"What's going on? How did those horrific winds vanish all at once?"
It was only after a moment that they began to react, bursting into wild elation. Someone murmured.
"Marvelous! Those terrifying winds and tornadoes really are all gone."
Then, someone shouted out in delight.
"Hahaha...
We're saved!"
"No, look! The winds and tornadoes haven't vanished. They've just inexplicably shifted to a distant area."
...
These Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods cried out one after another, venting the ecstasy in their hearts.
"Strange. Why have those horrifying gales and tornadoes suddenly shifted elsewhere? What exactly happened?" someone couldn't help but ask.
"Is that even a question? It must have been Young Master Ye's doing, moving the winds away."
Then, the gaze of all twelve Hunyuan Sect Sovereign Gods turned towards Ye Yunfei. Seeing the two broken steles before him rapidly merging, radiating dazzling light and terrifying wind energy, they instantly understood that Ye Yunfei was responsible for the winds' sudden retreat from this area.
At this moment, the two steles had overlapped perfectly. They were originally two parts of a single artifact, landing in separate regions long ago. Now reunited, they began to restore their original form.
From a distance, the residual shadow standing within the wind no longer emanated that bone-chilling cold. Instead, panic crept into its demeanor.
Its eyes, filled with apprehension and even involuntary retreat, watched the two merging steles.
The howling winds and tornadoes swirling around it grew increasingly frenzied.
The remnant will lifted a finger, pointing at Ye Yunfei. A torrential tide of gales and tornadoes surged madly towards Ye Yunfei's position.
But before they could even reach Ye Yunfei's area, the aura radiating from the merging steles effortlessly blocked their advance.
"The two broken steles have merged into a single new stele!"
Hu Miao cried out in delight.
A brand new stele now stood revealed, shimmering with brilliant divine light.
All around it, waves of howling winds continuously birthed into being.
Ye Yunfei stood right at the eye of the storm, completely unaffected. The vast, sweeping winds made him appear all the more heroic and extraordinary.
Having refined the Great Wind Stele, his spirit now resonated with it. He felt an inexplicable closeness to the raging winds around him.
For these winds were born from the Great Wind Stele, and Ye Yunfei was now its master. Therefore, he found himself in perfect harmony with the tempest.
"Excellent!
Master, it seems you have completely mastered the Great Wind Stele!"
Witnessing this scene, Hu Miao knew Ye Yunfei had truly succeeded in refining this treasure.
"This Great Wind Stele must be a treasure left behind by the Wind Demon God, right?"
The Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm gazed enviously at the Great Wind Stele suspended above Ye Yunfei's head, radiating rolling divine light.
"Yes. This stele was indeed left behind by the ancient Wind Demon God.
The Wind Control Art inscribed upon it is also a legacy cultivation art of the ancient Wind Demon God," Ye Yunfei confirmed with a nod.
The twelve Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods of the Hunyuan Sect also watched the Great Wind Stele above Ye Yunfei with astonished gazes.
At the same time, a euphoria born of surviving a brush with death filled them. They sensed that from now on, the surrounding winds were no longer a threat.
"Esteemed seniors, these Divine Pills will allow your bodies to recover completely within a short period."
Ye Yunfei waved a hand, sending twelve jade vials flying towards the Hunyuan Sect elders.
The elders hurriedly accepted the pills, expressing their gratitude.
"Although our previous experience was perilous beyond measure, danger ultimately passed. So, as I said before, as long as we follow Young Master Ye, we will be safe," Elder Gan declared.
"Young Master Ye is truly a dragon among men. We old timers feel utterly incompetent by his side."
"No need for that. Maintain a calm heart. This is just the younger generation surpassing the old - one must admit it with admiration!"
...
The other Hunyuan Sect Seventh-Level Sovereign Gods joined in the awestruck exclamations.
Everyone was completely relaxed now, for safety was assured.
It was then that Ye Yunfei's gaze suddenly shifted to the distant, rolling winds, locking onto the dark shadow standing within a colossal tornado.