When planting a Soul Restriction, the most critical factor is that the recipient must be absolutely willing and cooperate fully, without the slightest thought of resistance. Otherwise, it can be extremely perilous. Not only will the recipient's Soul Body explode, utterly eradicated, but the caster will also suffer a backlash, injuring their own Soul Body. Thus, it is an exceptionally dangerous secret art.
"I will cooperate! I will cooperate with all my might! I thank the Young Master for sparing my life!" The black-robed old man kowtowed repeatedly, continuously voicing his assent. Right now, all he wanted was to survive; everything else was irrelevant.
"That's good." Ye Yunfei nodded.
Therefore, Ye Yunfei had the black-robed old man completely open his Soul Sea and began attempting to plant a Soul Restriction within it. The old man was already grievously wounded; to live, he could only cooperate fully.
This black-robed old man was, after all, a Late Stage Mystic Liquid Realm expert, and his level of Soul Power was particularly strong. Given Ye Yunfei's current level of Soul Power, planting a Soul Restriction within his Soul Sea was not easy. Ye Yunfei made repeated attempts, failing many times.
The old man's Soul Body could not bear the strain, suffering agonizing pain that made him wish for life and death. He screamed continuously, his aura growing increasingly feeble. If this continued much longer, he would be finished.
However, Ye Yunfei was, in the end, a Heavenly Emperor. His experience was vast. After many attempts, he finally succeeded in planting a Soul Restriction within the old man's Soul Sea.
"Master." The black-robed old man slumped limply on the ground, utterly unable to rise, and called out feebly.
"Take these two Treasure Pills first." Ye Yunfei took out some healing Treasure Pills, handed them to the black-robed old man, and said.
Before leaving Hudao Academy, Ye Yunfei had given Xie Changkong another batch of Spirit Pills and Treasure Pills to serve as the academy's cultivation resources. Therefore, the number of pills Ye Yunfei carried on his person was now quite low. These two Treasure Pills were nearly his last stock. Spirit Pills were somewhat more plentiful.
"Second-Grade Treasure Pills! Thank you, Master!" The black-robed old man was overjoyed and immediately accepted them. Although he was a Late Stage Mystic Liquid Realm expert, it was still difficult for him to possess Second-Grade Treasure Pills. Now he had unexpectedly obtained two in one go!
The black-robed old man promptly began to ingest and refine the two Treasure Pills. Ye Yunfei sat cross-legged beside him, meditating in quiet repose.
More than half a day later.
"Master, my injuries have recovered by fifty or sixty percent!" The black-robed old man stood up, appearing much more spirited. The two Second-Grade healing Treasure Pills had a significant effect on him.
"You are from the Fengyun Family, aren't you." Ye Yunfei asked. Ye Yunfei could sense that the cultivation arts practiced by this old man were somewhat similar to Fengyun Ao's.
"Yes. I am Fengyun Jue, a steward of the Fengyun Family. However, from now on, I shall be a loyal servant by your side, Master." The black-robed old man replied respectfully. A Soul Restriction had been planted within his Soul Sea; his life and death were at Ye Yunfei's whim. He dared not harbor any further rebellious thoughts towards Ye Yunfei.
"Hmm. We should depart now." Ye Yunfei also stood up and said indifferently.
"Master, where are we going?" Fengyun Jue asked curiously.
"Central Continent Alchemy Tower, but there's no rush. We'll go slowly, we can even travel about and explore." Ye Yunfei said. Ye Yunfei was not familiar with the Alchemy Tower, so he planned to first learn more about it slowly before deciding on a way to enter it. The Central Continent Alchemy Tower was the gathering place for the top alchemists on the Tianxuan Continent, with unfathomably deep foundations. It was extremely likely to be even stronger than the other top forces in Central Continent. After all, a large group of top alchemists gathered together wielded immense power! They could casually create a batch of powerful experts! Ye Yunfei understood that with his current strength, he could not simply storm their gates and seize Spirit Medicines and Treasure Medicines. Moreover, since arriving in Central Continent, he had not yet properly familiarized himself with the region. This was an opportune time for some leisurely travel.
"Master, I have a horse-drawn carriage that might suit your travel needs." Fengyun Jue said. With a wave of his hand, a black horse-drawn carriage appeared before Ye Yunfei.
To Ye Yunfei's surprise, this carriage was actually a low-grade Huang Artifact! And it was a spatial treasure. Viewed from the outside, the carriage's size wasn't particularly large, but it contained great space within. Its interior could accommodate tens of thousands of people without issue and was astonishingly sturdy.
"Master, I obtained this carriage by chance in an ancient ruin long ago and have never turned it over to the family." Fengyun Jue said.
"Hmm, not bad at all." Ye Yunfei couldn't help but nod in approval. Even if a Grotto-Heaven Realm expert came, they would not be able to break this carriage.
Fengyun Jue clapped his palms together, and a tall, majestic horse with spreading wings, its body ablaze with crimson flames, charged out from the carriage compartment to stand before the carriage, appearing exceedingly majestic. It was a Flame-Winged Crimson Mane, a Ninth-Grade Demon Emperor, equivalent in power to a late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm human martial artist.
"Very good." Ye Yunfei was extremely satisfied and stepped into the carriage compartment.
"Giddy up!" Fengyun Jue sat cross-legged before the carriage door, holding a long black whip that he flicked towards the sky. Immediately, the Flame-Winged Crimson Mane pulled the carriage aloft, flying towards the distant horizon.
From then on, this black carriage set off slowly towards the Alchemy Tower's direction. Along the way, it passed through one empire after another, traversed city after city. Central Continent's land area was vast, at least ten times larger than the Eastern Region's! Across this earth, empires stood as forests, and organizations large and small were as numerous as the hairs on an ox's hide. It was bustling and flourishing. Such vitality was not something the Eastern Region could compare to.
One day.
"How are your injuries?" Ye Yunfei suddenly asked.
"Reporting to Master. During this journey, you have given me many healing Spirit Pills. My injuries have recovered eighty percent. I estimate that in another half-year, I will be fully healed." Fengyun Jue answered hurriedly.
"Half a year is too long. Alright, then. We'll purchase some Spirit Medicines at a nearby city. I will refine a batch of healing Spirit Pills for you, so your injuries can recover a bit faster." Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and said. Fengyun Jue was now on his side; naturally, Ye Yunfei hoped he would recover sooner.
"Understood." Fengyun Jue's response to Ye Yunfei's words was simply to follow orders.
"Master, the largest city nearby is Tianlan City. Tianlan City is controlled by the Taiyi Sect. The Taiyi Sect is a second-rate force that was formerly an affiliated force of Hudao Academy. Recently, as Hudao Academy faced ostracization and attacks from our Fengyun Family and other top forces, many forces that were attached to the academy also suffered assaults, and some were even annexed or annihilated. Now, no organization dares to publicly declare themselves an affiliated force of Hudao Academy anymore." Fengyun Jue said to Ye Yunfei. As a steward of the Fengyun Family, part of the clan's middle management, he handled many family affairs, spending years traveling throughout Central Continent, possessing a finger on the pulse of its various major and minor forces.
"Oh? Then let's go to Tianlan City to take a look." Ye Yunfei nodded.