BOOM!
As Fengyun Qingcang's words fell, a sword about three feet long, seemingly carved from jade, shot up into the sky, erupting with strands of white sword light, each strand containing terrifying energy.
'An Imperial-grade artifact! And a High-grade Imperial Artifact at that!'
Among the onlookers, someone couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
BOOM! BOOM!
Next, three more High-grade Imperial Artifacts were activated and soared into the air!
A golden pagoda, an ancient-looking small seal, and a silver treasure orb.
A total of four High-grade Imperial Artifacts!
They were respectively controlled by Fengyun Qingcang, Mo Daoyi, Xiao Changsheng, and Zou Wufu, each a Grotto-Heaven Sixth Level expert.
Each High-grade Imperial Artifact released boundless waves of energy pressure, vast and mighty, surging towards Ye Yunfei, threatening to drown him.
At the same moment.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, twenty people wrapped in black robes appeared around Ye Yunfei, ghost-like.
Each of the black-robed men held a long sword in their hands, emanating icy killing intent.
The assassins of the Shadow Burial had arrived!
All twenty assassins were at the Grotto-Heaven Realm!
Two at the Grotto-Heaven Sixth Level, five at the fifth level, seven at the fourth level, six at the third level!
Boom! Boom!
With a flick of their hands, two of the Shadow Burial assassins produced two inky black long swords that appeared high in the air, exuding boundless black killing intent.
Two more High-grade Imperial Artifacts!
Now, a total of forty-six Grotto-Heaven Realm experts, wielding six High-grade Imperial Artifacts, surrounded Ye Yunfei.
In an instant, Ye Yunfei was trapped in an extremely heavy encirclement!
Especially the energy pressure emanating from the six High-grade Imperial Artifacts was terrifyingly potent.
It caused the space in this entire area to tremble violently.
High-grade Imperial Artifacts were the highest grade of magical artifact on the Tianxuan Continent.
Only these top factions from the Central Continent possessed High-grade Imperial Artifacts.
Ahhh!
As soon as the six High-grade Imperial Artifacts appeared, the martial artists watching nearby, especially those closer to the fray, were instantly shaken and thrown far away.
Some who were particularly weak even had their bodies pulverized on the spot, reduced to dust.
'It's too terrifying! Run!'
Many martial artists were frightened out of their wits, desperately fleeing from the center of the battle.
'Ye Yunfei, you vile little brat! You will die today!'
Zou Wufu roared angrily.
He had just been wounded by Ye Yunfei, and the Tianyan Sect had lost over a thousand disciples to Ye Yunfei's hand; his killing intent towards Ye Yunfei had reached its peak.
'Ye Yunfei, anyone marked for death by our Shadow Burial is certainly doomed!'
A Shadow Burial assassin said in an icy voice.
'Dean Xie.'
Ye Yunfei's gaze turned towards Xie Changkong.
'I brought it.'
Xie Changkong understood Ye Yunfei's meaning and waved his sleeve.
A stone stele flew out from his sleeve and shot towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei beckoned with his hand, and the stele flew towards him like lightning, landing in his palm.
Ye Yunfei focused his mind.
Boom...
The Hudao Stele was activated, constantly expanding. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a towering giant stele reaching into the clouds, majestic and immense. Vast energy pressure surged out from the body of the stele, shaking the heavens!
'The Hudao Stele!'
The high-ranking members of the four top factions all had bright eyes fixed on the giant stele, their gazes full of greed.
This Hudao Stele was far too famous on the Tianxuan Continent!
Legend had it that a clue to an ancient ruin was hidden within this stele.
It was said that Master Hudao had only obtained a tiny fraction of the benefits from that ancient ruin, and yet became the most powerful person on the Tianxuan Continent!
Therefore, countless martial artists on the continent coveted this Hudao Stele.
The Fengyun Clan, the Xiao Clan, the Shenfeng Sect, and the Tianyan Sect had repeatedly dispatched experts to forcefully enter Hudao Academy precisely to seize this Hudao Stele!
Now, this Hudao Stele had suddenly appeared before everyone!
'What happened?'
At this moment, a voice emanated from the Hudao Stele, sounding in Ye Yunfei's soul sea.
When Ye Yunfei activated the Hudao Stele, the soul power fragment of Master Hudao housed within it also awakened.
'What happened is this...'
Ye Yunfei immediately gave a brief summary of the events.
'These lowly scoundrels dare to provoke Hudao Academy like this? Fine, let me teach them a proper lesson.'
Master Hudao said angrily.
'Senior, there is no need to use your power. Let me handle them. Senior, I will now transmit a set of artifact spirit incantations to you. If you perform according to these incantations, you can become the artifact spirit of the Hudao Stele. Not only will you exist for a long time, but you can also allow the Hudao Stele to unleash even greater power.'
Ye Yunfei said.
As his words fell, Ye Yunfei immediately imprinted a set of oral formulas into the Hudao Stele.
One must understand that Ye Yunfei was also quite knowledgeable in artifact refinement.
In his previous life, as a Heavenly Emperor, Ye Yunfei had personally refined several high-grade emperor artifacts, each containing an artifact spirit.
Artifact spirits possessed sentience and could even cultivate on their own; they were essentially independent, living beings!
'How do you possess such a miraculous incantation?!'
When Master Hudao received the incantation sent to him by Ye Yunfei, he was utterly shocked.
'With this incantation, my soul power fragment no longer has to fear disappearing due to exhausting its energy! This is wonderful!'
This soul power fragment of Master Hudao was extremely excited.
One must understand, his soul power fragment's energy was finite; once it was depleted, he would vanish.
However, the incantation Ye Yunfei transmitted to him allowed him to refine himself into the artifact spirit of the Hudao Stele, integrating with the stele as one entity, never to disappear.
Unless, the Hudao Stele was destroyed!
'Senior, prepare to face the enemy!'
Ye Yunfei said.
'Alright!'
Master Hudao's spirits soared.
With this incantation, he felt full of vigor!
He immediately began practicing the artifact spirit incantation Ye Yunfei had transmitted, refining himself into the artifact spirit of the Hudao Stele.
'Hahaha... Ye Yunfei, you actually brought the Hudao Stele here! Excellent! Both you and the stele will stay behind today!'
Fengyun Qingcang laughed loudly.
Boom...
Fengyun Qingcang, Mo Daoyi, Xiao Changsheng, and Zou Wufu, the four of them, each propelled a High-grade Imperial Artifact towards Ye Yunfei.
Boom! Boom!
The two Shadow Burial assassins with Grotto-Heaven Sixth Level strength activated two pitch-black long swords. Like two black dragons, they also pounced towards Ye Yunfei.
The other Grotto-Heaven Realm experts also unleashed their most lethal attacks from all directions, aiming to kill Ye Yunfei.
For a moment, boundless energy pressure, like countless raging waves, came crashing down to crush Ye Yunfei.
'Haha, today, I'll let you all witness the power of the Hudao Stele!'
Ye Yunfei laughed aloud.
Following his laughter, the Hudao Stele that towered straight into the clouds trembled violently and charged forward.
Boom...
The very heavens and earth in this space trembled and rumbled, like a piece of cloth being shaken violently.
An unimaginable pressure instantly enveloped an area of several li.
Countless onlookers felt their very souls trembling, almost collapsing weakly onto the ground!
Thump! Thump!
The six High-grade Imperial Artifacts violently collided with the Hudao Stele, emitting six deafening booms that echoed through the sky, leaving everyone's ears ringing.
Then, to everyone's shocked gaze, the six High-grade Imperial Artifacts were simultaneously sent flying.
Meanwhile, the Hudao Stele remained unmoved, emanating endless golden light, as if ignited, illuminating every detail of this world.
'How is this possible? They are all High-grade Imperial Artifacts, so why is the Hudao Stele's power so terrifyingly great? It's actually suppressing the other six artifacts!'
Everyone was stunned speechless, unable to believe it.
'Am I seeing this correctly? How has the Hudao Stele's power grown even stronger compared to when it awakened last time!'
The high-ranking members of Hudao Academy, including Xie Changkong, were both shocked and overjoyed.
'Haha... You frogs at the bottom of a well, how could you possibly understand just how greatly a magical artifact's power increases once it possesses a spirit!'
Ye Yunfei laughed heartily.
Once an artifact possesses a spirit, it was as if the artifact gained life!
Its power would completely and utterly suppress artifacts of the same grade!
Amidst Ye Yunfei's laughter, the Hudao Stele swept horizontally forward with astonishing speed.
Boom!
It seemed as if heaven and earth had been pierced through. A vast, unimaginable pressure surged turbulently, spreading forward.
Ahhh!
On the spot, five or six Grotto-Heaven Realm experts, unable to dodge in time, were struck by the stele, turning into clouds of bloody mist.
'Too terrifying!'
All those watching paled with fright.
Many people looked at the tall Hudao Stele, their teeth chattering. For it to kill five or six Grotto-Heaven Realm experts with a single strike was truly horrifying.
'Everyone, fall back!'
Mo Daoyi roared.
Boom! Boom!
The six Imperial Artifacts were activated again, shooting towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei pointed a finger.
Thump! Thump!
Once again, the six artifacts were sent flying.
Rumble...
The Hudao Stele swept horizontally forward once more. Terrifying energy fluctuations filled the space between heaven and earth, like one erupting volcano after another, rolling the very heavens.
Ahh!
On the spot, another five or six Grotto-Heaven Realm experts were shaken to death by the stele.
Whether they were at the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth level of the Grotto-Heaven Realm was useless; none could withstand the Hudao Stele's horrific energy attacks.
Only the six Grotto-Heaven Sixth Level experts controlling the High-grade Imperial Artifacts fared slightly better.
Because their High-grade Imperial Artifacts blocked the frontal assault for them.
'Damn it all! How can the Hudao Stele be so powerful!'
Fengyun Qingcang roared in fury.
Boom...
Ye Yunfei pointed his finger again, and the Hudao Stele charged forward once more.
Terrifying energy made heaven and earth tremble, causing the very sky to quake!
'Retreat! Retreat now, we are no match!'
Mo Daoyi began to roar frantically.
Ahh!
As the Hudao Stele swept across, another three or four Grotto-Heaven Realm experts were instantly pulverized!
'Now you want to leave? Too late!'
Ye Yunfei laughed manically, manipulating the Hudao Stele to charge forward again.
Thump! Thump!
Once more, the six High-grade Imperial Artifacts were sent flying.
Ahh!
Several more Grotto-Heaven Realm experts were shaken to death on the spot!
'Retreat!'
The remaining Grotto-Heaven Realm experts completely broke down, each turning around to flee.
Including Fengyun Qingcang, Mo Daoyi, Xiao Changsheng, Zou Wufu, and the two Shadow Burial assassins—they were all terrified!