"I want to see exactly who dares provoke our Blade Realm," a leading elder ground out through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Ye Yunfei and Shoudi Laoren had already arrived at another branch stronghold of the Blade Realm.
To save time, Shoudi Laoren waved his hand, leading the grand and imposing forces of the Earth Gate in a direct assault.
All the defenses within this branch stronghold were utterly meaningless before Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei, completely shattered in moments.
A single Chaos God from the Blade Realm inside was locked on by Shoudi Laoren, who charged over and attacked directly.
In under two moves, that Blade Realm Chaos God was sent flying by Shoudi Laoren, spitting blood on the spot.
Ye Yunfei then rushed forward, and together with Shoudi Laoren, they quickly suppressed and sealed this Chaos God.
On the journey over, Ye Yunfei had consumed a large batch of Soul Bodies belonging to Sovereign Gods and two Chaos Gods. His Soul Power energy level and Soul Body quality had improved significantly, and his mastery of blade techniques had taken a large leap forward. Now, Ye Yunfei faced these blade cultivators from the Blade Realm with remarkable ease, as his Blade Dao attainment was far superior to theirs.
After that, Ye Yunfei devoured the Soul Bodies of all the Greater Sovereign Gods within this stronghold, enslaved all the Lesser Sovereign Gods, and took every other blade cultivator as clones.
Just like that, Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei led the Earth Gate forces sweeping through, wiping out this branch stronghold in a short time.
"There's only one more Blade Realm branch stronghold left," Shoudi Laoren said with a smile. "It has three Chaos Gods guarding it. We should head there immediately."
Thus, Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei led the forces of the Earth Gate, marching grandly toward the final Blade Realm branch stronghold.
At the same time, the Blade Realm forces were drawing closer and closer to the First Void.
Soon after, Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei led the Earth Gate army in a charge into the last Blade Realm branch stronghold.
Inside this final Blade Realm outpost were two Junior Chaos Gods and one Intermediate Chaos God.
Ye Yunfei, blade in his left hand and sword in his right, charged toward the two Junior Chaos Gods.
Shoudi Laoren, meanwhile, moved to engage the Intermediate Chaos God.
In a single move, Shoudi Laoren sent that Intermediate Chaos God flying far into the distance.
Ye Yunfei also forced the two Junior Chaos Gods back in succession.
The rest of the Earth Gate army surged in like a tide, instantly causing the blade cultivators in this stronghold to scream and wail miserably.
One Earth Master after another rose into the air holding aloft geomantic compasses, densely packed earth dragons following by their sides, while a host of earth-attributed races rode rolling waves of geomancy energy forward. Wherever they went, the blade cultivators were slaughtered without any ability to retaliate.
In truth, the strength of these Blade Realm blade cultivators was quite respectable, but the Earth Gate forces personally brought by Shoudi Laoren were elites, not the kind ordinary blade cultivators could contend with.
Within moments, the three Blade Realm Chaos Gods were forcibly suppressed by Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei.
All the other blade cultivators either became Ye Yunfei's slaves or clones, while all the Greater Sovereign Gods had their Soul Bodies devoured by Ye Yunfei.
"These last few days, my Soul Power energy level and Soul Body quality have undergone a qualitative leap. Honestly, even relying purely on Soul Power now, I can already fight an ordinary Chaos God," Ye Yunfei said confidently, sensing his own Soul Power energy and Soul Body. Not only had he consumed a vast number of Sovereign God Soul Bodies, but also quite a few Chaos God Soul Bodies, so possessing his current level of Soul Power energy and Soul Body quality was hardly surprising.
"Report to the Gate Master! A force from the Blade Realm is approaching this branch stronghold and will arrive soon," a high-ranking member of the Earth Gate hurried before Shoudi Laoren at that moment.
"The people from Blade Realm headquarters are finally here? But they're already too late," Shoudi Laoren said coldly.
"Gate Master, should we deploy more forces to face the enemy?" the high-ranking member asked.
"No need. Our Earth Gate has no need to wage open war with the Blade Realm. Have all our forces retreat and conceal themselves immediately. I want to play dirty with the Blade Realm, not fight their main army openly," Shoudi Laoren shook his head.
"Young Master Ye, let's depart. The ones from Blade Realm headquarters are on their way; we'll give way for now and strike them when we have another opportunity," Shoudi Laoren said to Ye Yunfei with a smile.
"This is a good strategy. There's no need to confront the Blade Realm openly and honorably. The Blade Realm's members are very powerful in combat. If Earth Gate and the Blade Realm, two major powers, were to line up their forces and clash on a battlefield, Earth Gate may not gain much of an advantage. Conversely, a strategy of striking them unprepared, hitting them from behind, can inflict greater losses on the Blade Realm," Hun Lao said with a smile.
"Master, truthfully, we've always been playing dirty as well. Whether against the Guardian Faction, the Great Netherworld, or other factions. Master, you've enslaved so many members of those major forces as slaves or clones, silently weakening their strength while increasing your own. The results are very apparent," Hu Miao said to Ye Yunfei.
"Yes, it is indeed very effective," Ye Yunfei smiled.
Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei swiftly led the Earth Gate forces away from the stronghold.
Of course, Ye Yunfei also took all the clones and slaves he had subjugated.
Leaving those clones and slaves behind would surely alert the powerful experts from the Blade Realm headquarters to something being wrong.
Not long after the Earth Gate forces evacuated, an army surged forth from the distant void, radiating towering blade light.
This force halted before the branch stronghold of the Blade Realm.
"This stronghold is already empty," the leading elder realized something was amiss the moment he arrived before the entrance, having sensed the emptiness inside—not a single blade cultivator remained.
"Let's go in," the elder waved his hand, leading the Blade Realm forces behind him into the stronghold. Inside, they found it completely vacant, not even many corpses left behind.
"What happened? Where have all our Blade Realm cultivators gone?" the leading elder exclaimed in shock and fury, his body trembling with rage.
"I will try divination," another elder beside him sat cross-legged.
A wooden table appeared before him, holding tools specifically for divination. He then began his calculations.
At this time, Shoudi Laoren and Ye Yunfei were standing in a particular section of the void near this Blade Realm outpost, watching the cultivators inside.
"Trying to divine me isn't so easy," Shoudi Laoren gave a cold laugh, then stomped his foot, communing with the earth energy and earth laws in the surrounding space.
The next moment, a huge, earthen-yellow energy hand materialized within the Blade Realm branch stronghold and fiercely swatted at the Blade Realm elder performing the divination.
"Who goes there?" the elder, focused on his divination, suddenly felt immense crisis rolling toward him. In alarm and anger, he hurriedly leapt back.
With a bang, the wooden table before him was struck by the incoming yellow hand and instantly shattered.
Then, numerous yellow chains of laws appeared within the stronghold's space, beginning to disrupt both space and time.
"Someone is interfering with my divination!" the forced-back elder cried out in alarm and fury.
"No need for divination. I already know who did this," the leading elder said with a grim expression, speaking slowly.
"It must be someone from the Earth Gate. There is a great deal of residual earth energy and earth laws here," the elder added.
"Earth Gate?" Hearing these two words, the faces of the other Chaos Gods from the Blade Realm nearby turned somewhat ugly.
Of course they knew why the Earth Gate would attack the Blade Realm. The Chaos Gods of the Blade Realm all knew that Earth Gate's Gate Master, Shoudi Laoren, bore them a deep-seated hatred.
"Shoudi Laoren. He has finally begun to move against our Blade Realm," a Chaos God said slowly.
"So these fellows also know I would inevitably act against the Blade Realm," Shoudi Laoren in the distant void chuckled coldly upon hearing this.
"Most of our Blade Realm's branch strongholds in the First Void have already been destroyed, leaving only a few more concealed ones," one Chaos God within the stronghold took out a communication jade slip, sensed it, and his face turned even grimmer as he spoke.
"Damnation! It seems the Earth Gate intends to wage all-out war against our Blade Realm. Immediately report the situation here to headquarters. State that the Earth Gate has already declared all-out war on our Blade Realm," the leading elder commanded gravely.
"Gate Master, although there are quite a few Chaos Gods among those inside, we should be able to handle them. Should we have our forces charge in and annihilate all these blade cultivators?" a high-ranking officer standing beside Shoudi Laoren suggested.
"No. Engaging this group of blade cultivators, even if we could ultimately kill them all, would likely result in casualties on our side. That is not Earth Gate's way of doing things. Remember, our Earth Gate has no need to confront the Blade Realm head-on. Instead, we wait for opportunities to fight them in the shadows. I'm in no hurry. I have plenty of time to play with the Blade Realm slowly," Shoudi Laoren shook his head.
"Send out the orders: have everyone return to their respective bases and conceal themselves immediately, awaiting my next command to act," Shoudi Laoren instructed.
"The Earth Gate and the Blade Realm, two ancient major powers, have now truly come into conflict. The Chaotic Void Sea has entered an era of immense chaos, with more and more major powers being dragged into the fray. Even the Earth Gate, a faction known for its low-key, reclusive ways, has emerged to take action," Hun Lao couldn't help but sigh.
"Indeed, the Chaotic Void Sea is becoming more chaotic by the day, with all kinds of factions being pulled in," Ye Yunfei also nodded.
"Young Master Ye, let us depart. There's no need to bother with these fellows for now. We'll strike them again when another opportunity arises," Shoudi Laoren said to Ye Yunfei.
"Very well," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Young Master Ye, now that you are in the First Void, come visit Earth Gate's headquarters with me," Shoudi Laoren invited.
"Normally, the location of our Earth Gate headquarters is absolutely never revealed to outsiders. But you are different, Young Master Ye. You are the first person in many years that Earth Gate has actively invited," Shoudi Laoren said with a smile.
"Since Senior has extended such a kind invitation, it would be impolite to decline," Ye Yunfei thought for a moment before replying.
"Young Master Ye is indeed direct. Come, let's head back now," Shoudi Laoren smiled. Then, he and Ye Yunfei led the Earth Gate forces and quietly slipped away.