"Ye Yunfei! Our Tianyou Tomb has worked diligently on the Tianxuan Continent for centuries to build the scale we have today! I never imagined you would ruin it all in a single day! You must pay for this!"
The Tomb Master, concealed within the folds of space, fled at extreme speed, cursing hatefully as he went.
"Don’t even think about it, for you will not get the chance to pay me back."
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out, carried clearly from behind him.
The Tomb Master's body stiffened, sheer terror flashing in his eyes.
"Damnation! He actually chased me!"
Panic surged through him as he madly poured power into his movement technique, shooting desperately into the distance.
However, Ye Yunfei’s speed far outstripped his own.
Whoosh!
Ye Yunfei suddenly accelerated, his figure flickering across the sky. In just a few leaps, he appeared directly in front of the fleeing Tomb Master. He turned around, his gaze locking onto the man.
"Ye Yunfei! You can actually see through my movement technique completely?!"
Terror gripped the Tomb Master's voice. Throughout his entire escape, he had been employing the Tianyou Tomb’s signature stealth art, hiding within space itself. He never expected Ye Yunfei to track him so unerringly.
"Your Tianyou Tomb's movement techniques are hardly worth noting in my eyes," Ye Yunfei sneered.
"Ye Yunfei! I'll fight you to the death!"
The Tomb Master roared. Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
An inky-black longsword materialized in his hand. Swift as lightning, he stabbed out more than a dozen times in a row. The angle of each strike was bizarre and unpredictable. Over a dozen sinister, inky sword beams, like cunning vipers, slithered silently through space towards Ye Yunfei.
It was an extraordinarily sophisticated sword technique.
A cold smile played on Ye Yunfei's lips as he pointed a finger.
Boom! Boom!...
Five spiritual swords shot out like five raging horned dragons. Both sides' attacks collided.
Clang! Clang!...
After a crisp series of metal-on-metal impacts, all that remained in the Tomb Master’s hand was the hilt of his inky sword. The Five Elements Spirit Swords hovered before him, their tips pointed straight at him, emanating bone-chilling sword energy.
The Tomb Master clutched the useless hilt, his face deathly pale, expression full of despair.
"Perish," Ye Yunfei said coolly.
Hummm...
The five spirit swords quivered in unison, then shot forward for the final blow.
"Wait!" the Tomb Master suddenly shouted.
"Oh?" Ye Yunfei halted the swords, looking at him.
"This... this is everything our Tianyou Tomb has accumulated over centuries of operation on the Tianxuan Continent. I'll give you all of it. Just... don't kill me."
With a wave of his hand, hundreds of spatial rings flew out from him, suspended in the air before Ye Yunfei.
"If I kill you, I can take all these treasures just the same," Ye Yunfei replied indifferently. The Five Elements Spirit Swords remained aimed threateningly at the Tomb Master.
"Ye Yunfei! I am the Master of Tianyou Tomb on the Tianxuan Continent! Killing me would be the most serious provocation against our organization! There will be no hope for reconciliation in the future!" the Tomb Master pleaded.
"I will kill you all the same," Ye Yunfei said, his sneer unchanged.
Boom!
The five spiritual swords arrayed themselves, then shot forward to shred their target.
Boom! Boom!...
The Tomb Master resisted desperately.
But after only a few moves...
"Ahhhhh!"
A final agonized cry cut short as the Five Elements Spirit Swords slashed through him, reducing his body to a million shattered pieces.
Ye Yunfei stretched out a hand, summoning the hundreds of spatial rings to his palm. He probed them briefly with his Soul Power and instantly felt a surge of excitement.
The sheer value of the wealth stored within these hundreds of spatial rings was beyond estimation! Spirit stones, spirit herbs, magic treasures, all manner of heavenly and earthly treasures—mountains of them filled every ring to the brim.
"Very good indeed," Ye Yunfei said with immense satisfaction.
After storing all the rings away, Ye Yunfei activated his movement technique and shot into the sky, vanishing over the horizon in an instant.
---
At the same time.
In a certain region of space surrounding the Tianxuan Continent...
Boom! Rumble!...
The space there was suddenly and violently torn apart by a tremendous force, creating a spatial rift.
Then, a green-robed elder, accompanied by a young boy, stepped out from within the rift.
"Fifth Elder, the Spiritual Qi on this continent is awfully weak. How could anyone practice martial arts in an environment like this?"
The boy glanced around at the Tianxuan Continent before them, his face scrunching up with distaste.
"The Tianxuan Continent, as far as the outside world is concerned, is merely a Small World," the green-robed elder explained, his hands clasped behind his back. "Its Spiritual Qi is thin, its natural laws are incomplete. Cultivating in such an environment naturally imposes severe limits on one's achievements. The highest level a martial artist can reach on this continent is the Grotto-Heaven Realm."
"What? The highest level is only the Grotto-Heaven Realm? Does that mean, given my current strength, I'd already be considered one of the continent's top experts?" The boy stuck out his tongue in disbelief.
"That is correct," the green-robed elder nodded.
"Fifth Elder, if the young lady grew up in such an environment, her cultivation must be terribly weak, right?" the boy asked again.
"The young lady's current strength is indeed likely still quite limited. However, do not underestimate her. The blood that flows in her veins is the blood of the Su Family. Her potential for growth is limitless. Her future achievements will undoubtedly far surpass yours."
"Fifth Elder, I have a question. If the young lady's status is so exalted, why was she sent away from the clan from such a young age, exiled to this remote Small World? Doesn't that only hinder her cultivation?"
The green-robed elder fell silent for a moment before responding gravely, "Remember, there are matters you should not ask about, and knowledge you should not seek to acquire. Doing so will bring you no good."
"Yes... Yes, Fifth Elder. I understand," the boy stammered, his face paling slightly as he bowed his head, immediately contrite.
"Let us go. We must find the young lady and take her back. That is the task we must complete this time."
With that, the green-robed elder began to walk, and the boy hurriedly followed in his steps. Behind them, the spatial rift slowly began to heal.
---
At that moment, Ye Yunfei had already returned to Hudao Academy.
"Dean Ye, where did you go?" Elder He hurried forward to meet him.
"I went to destroy the headquarters of Tianyou Tomb. From now on, there will be no Tianyou Tomb left on the Tianxuan Continent."
"What?! That's wonderful news!"
Elder He stared for a moment, then beamed with joy. Of course, he did not doubt Ye Yunfei's words. After witnessing how Ye Yunfei had single-handedly slain thousands of Grotto-Heaven Realm experts, eliminating a mere Tianyou Tomb was indeed a feat easily within his grasp.
"Ah, another thing! The young mistress of the Su family has ended her secluded cultivation. She is waiting for you now," Elder He added with a knowing smile.
The romantic attachment between Ye Yunfei and Su Qingluo was an open secret throughout the academy, especially after the events some time ago. Ye Yunfei had charged into the Western Sea to rescue Su Qingluo, decimated the Otherworldly Army, and even destroyed the Ancient Demon Race's Teleportation Altar. The tale had already become a legend, known by almost everyone on the Tianxuan Continent.
"Good," Ye Yunfei nodded.
He activated his movement technique, speeding off toward the place where Su Qingluo was staying.
It was a small pavilion nestled among the mountains, shaded by lush greenery in a truly beautiful setting.
Ye Yunfei walked into the pavilion and, just as expected, found Su Qingluo in the small hall. Having already concluded her cultivation retreat, she was sitting there, quietly waiting for him.