"Elder Lei, let's talk this out. We do not wish to be enemies..." the Divine Medicine Valley's patriarch spoke up.
"Cut the nonsense! Everyone associated with that little thief Ye Yunfei must die! There is no reasoning here!" the Lei Clan elder shouted, urging the massive iron hammer forward in an attack.
Pressed relentlessly by the Lei Clan elder, Ren Xuantang and the other two had no choice but to engage in combat.
The energy pressure released by that massive hammer was terrifying. Thankfully, before Ye Yunfei left the Eastern Region, he had separately imparted cultivation techniques to Ren Xuantang and Elder Wu. Both Ren Xuantang and Elder Wu had already begun cultivating them.
Thus, with Ren Xuantang, Elder Wu, and the Divine Medicine Valley's patriarch joining forces, they managed to withstand the offensive of the Lei Clan elder. Both sides were temporarily at a stalemate.
Boom...!
The energy pressure released from the clash of four Yuan Foundation Realm experts spread in all directions, shaking heaven and earth.
"Truly Yuan Foundation Realm masters, utterly terrifying!" Countless martial artists in the vicinity gasped in awe.
"I'll handle the formation!"
A grey-robed elder strode forward, stepping above the Tianxuan Five Elements Divine Mountain Formation. He gave a cold laugh. On the robes of this elder was embroidered a giant python—the symbol of the Chen Clan.
Rumble!
A ferocious giant python erupted from above his head and slammed violently down upon the great formation below.
Immediately, the Tianxuan Five Elements Divine Mountain Formation trembled violently.
"Haha...! Members of the Tianyuan Sect and the Ye Family, why don't you all crawl out and commit suicide by kneeling!" The Chen Clan elder roared with laughter even as he bombarded the formation.
The other factions from the major sects and clans all stood by, watching the spectacle with amusement. They were in no hurry.
Given their strength, breaking into the Tianyuan Sect Headquarters would be effortless. However, their goal was to make the Tianyuan Sect and the Ye Clan thoroughly taste the flavors of fear and despair before they moved in for the kill. That was more interesting.
At this moment, within the formation, the entire Tianyuan Sect Headquarters swayed and shook as if in an earthquake. Everyone inside could feel the dreadful energy pressure pouring down from above, their faces turning pale.
"Is our Tianyuan Sect truly finished?" Elder Ren gazed up at the formation being constantly battered and couldn't help but sigh, a look of utter despair coloring his face.
"Grandfather, do you think... do you think Ye Yunfei is really dead?" A beautiful maiden clad entirely in red stood beside Elder Ren, her silver teeth biting her crimson lip as she asked.
"I don't know. If Ye Yunfei were still alive, perhaps only he could resolve this crisis. But hope is slim." Elder Ren shook his head.
"Once the formation breaks, we can only fight to the death!" The Dowager Empress, wearing plain mourning clothes, still elegant and graceful, stood beside Elder Ren and spoke through gritted teeth. "Master Ye, you gave Yue Su her life. Now, Yue Su shall fight to the death for you—a fitting end to its purpose." she said to herself.
The other high-level members of the Tianyuan Sect and a large group of disciples stood densely packed behind Elder Ren.
In the distance, the Divine Medicine Valley's master stood with a group of his valley's members.
"Master, must our Divine Medicine Valley truly be buried alongside them?" an elder whispered to the Valley Master.
The Valley Master did not answer, his expression shifting between dark and light as if weighing something.
On another mountain peak, Ye Tianpeng stood with the Ye Clan members, gazing at the violently shaking formation in the sky, their faces clouded with gloom.
"Once the formation breaks, all members of our Ye Family will charge out and slaughter the enemy! No one is allowed to kneel! Though our Ye Family is weak, our bones shall be unyielding!" Ye Tianpeng's eyes swept over his clansmen, his voice filled with grim determination.
"Clan Leader, we understand!" The Ye Clan members all nodded and roared in unison.
Everyone knew that today, they likely could not escape. If death was certain either way, better to die with defiance!
At that time, in a wide grassy area near the Tianyuan Sect, spectators were packed together. Among them was a maiden of about sixteen in red garments, her brows delicately curved, gazing with worry towards the distant Tianyuan Sect Headquarters.
"Senior Sister Wu, do you think Ye Yunfei is really dead?" the red-clothed maiden asked the beautiful, tall, and large-eyed woman of about nineteen beside her.
"Judging by the current situation, it's highly likely he is dead. If Ye Yunfei were here, those major sects and clans probably wouldn't dare treat the Tianyuan Sect and the Ye Clan like this," Senior Sister Wu sighed softly.
"He... he's really... dead then..." the red-clothed maiden murmured to herself, a look of grief on her face, unshed tears glistening in her lovely eyes.
"What a pity. Brother Ye was the rare young monster encountered once in a thousand years in our Great Qin Empire. The heavens do envy true talent," a burly youth shouldering a large hammer beside them lamented, shaking his head.
"Senior Sister Wu, do you think we could help Ye Yunfei's clansmen? If that formation is breached, I'm afraid all the Ye Family members will be slaughtered," the red-clothed maiden said.
"Xianxian, hush! Don't talk nonsense! Do you want to bring calamity upon our Zhencang Sect?" An old man beside her was so frightened his face changed dramatically, and he hastily berated the red-clothed maiden.
If those major sects and clans heard the red-clothed maiden's words, disaster would likely descend immediately.
If Ye Yunfei were here, he would undoubtedly recognize them: the red-clothed maiden, Senior Sister Wu, and the youth with the hammer were all disciples of the Great Qin Empire's Zhencang Sect. The red-clothed maiden was Deng Xianxian, Senior Sister Wu was Wu Yuechan, and the youth was Tan Meng. Ye Yunfei had previously encountered them in the TianShou Forest of the Great Qin Empire. The old man who rebuked her was a Zhencang Sect elder.
At that very moment...
Rumble...!
Finally, under the relentless assault of the Chen Clan elder, the Tianxuan Five Elements Divine Mountain Formation shattered with a colossal explosion.
Witnessing this, every single person within the Tianyuan Sect Headquarters felt their hearts sink, their faces turning deathly pale.
Before the formation broke, everyone had harbored some shred of hope or reliance, however slight. Now that the formation was gone, absolute despair took hold in every heart.
"Elder Lei Xing, let me help you!" A white-robed elder rushed up, pointing with his hand. A black whip soared into the air, releasing surges of black energy tides. Swish...! That black whip swept horizontally, striking at Ren Xuantang, Elder Wu, and the Divine Medicine Valley's patriarch simultaneously.
Boom...!
The Lei Clan elder seized the opportunity, urging his scarlet great hammer forward to smash down from the sky.
Two Yuan Foundation Realm experts activating two Flood-level artifacts—the power was overwhelming.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Ren Xuantang, Elder Wu, and the Divine Medicine Valley's patriarch could no longer hold their ground. They were all sent flying backward simultaneously.
"The Tianyuan Sect and the Ye Family... this is truly the end," every onlooker thought with a silent sigh.
At this time, in the sky, a massive steed with crimson flames wreathing its body and a pair of wings, pulling a green carriage, galloped through the high air, entering the domain of the Great Qin Empire.
"Master, it seems we have reached the Great Qin Empire," Fengyun Jue, sitting cross-legged at the head of the carriage, said to Ye Yunfei.
"Yes. This is the Great Qin Empire," Ye Yunfei nodded.
Then, Ye Yunfei's Soul Power radiated outward, sensing towards the direction of the Tianyuan Sect Headquarters.