“Halt!”
Four of the Great Mystic Pill Realm experts simultaneously conjured massive spiritual energy palms that roared as they snatched toward Ye Yunfei.
Instantly, the very heavens and earth were flooded with the mighty pressure of spiritual power.
Ye Yunfei felt his body sink abruptly, as if caught in quicksand.
“Retrieve!”
The remaining Great Mystic Pill Realm expert produced a black, three-storied pagoda in his hand, pointed it at Ye Yunfei, and shouted.
Whoosh…
A powerful suction force appeared, seizing Ye Yunfei’s body and trying to drag him forcibly into the pagoda.
Boom…
Ye Yunfei gave a tremendous shudder of his physical body, unleashing his Half-Dragon Strength.
At the same time, a formidable spatial power was also released.
Propelled by the combined effects of his physical strength and spatial power, Ye Yunfei’s body accelerated sharply, diving down toward the earth below.
Swoosh!
Ye Yunfei’s figure directly burrowed into the ground and vanished from sight.
Boom! Boom…
The five spiritual energy palms grabbed downward, cleaving the earth apart.
The ground in that area instantly shattered. Horrific fissures crisscrossed the land like spiderwebs, spreading everywhere.
Each fissure was over ten meters wide.
Great Mystic Pill Realm experts could, with a mere gesture, already lay waste to mountains, earth, and rivers!
The five spiritual energy palms plunged kilometers deep underground in pursuit of Ye Yunfei.
Swoosh…
Ye Yunfei, utilizing the earth’s energy, sped rapidly through one fissure after another.
Boom! Boom…
Above, the five spiritual energy palms chopped down relentlessly, following his every move.
Each strike from these five enormous palms shattered another swath of earth, leaving gigantic handprints branded upon the land.
Countless chunks of mud and stone were blasted skyward, raining down in all directions.
Rolling clouds of dust completely blotted out the heavens and earth.
At a certain moment.
Ye Yunfei abruptly manifested his spatial energy and slipped into space itself.
The reason Ye Yunfei had waited until now to use his spatial energy was to avoid arousing suspicion.
Back on the Tianxuan Continent, almost everyone, including the Ancient Demon Race forces, knew that Ye Yunfei could vanish from sight at will.
Now that he had come to the Xuanhuang Star Domain, Ye Yunfei did not yet wish to reveal his true identity so quickly.
Therefore, he had waited until the moment of greatest chaos before suddenly slipping into the void.
“Huh?
Where is Su Ye?”
On the ground above, the five Great Mystic Pill Realm experts suddenly realized they could no longer sense Ye Yunfei!
A Great Mystic Pill Realm expert's Soul Power was already tremendously potent.
The five Great Mystic Pill Realm experts swept the underground area repeatedly with their Soul Power.
The earth gradually grew calm.
The billowing dust slowly settled.
The five Great Mystic Pill Realm experts hovered above the ground, their expressions extremely dark.
Half an hour later.
“He's gone.
Elder Wang, didn't you say that this Su Ye only recently entered your Houtu Sect? How is his earth escape technique so masterful?”
A black-robed elder asked gravely.
“He indeed only joined the Houtu Sect very recently.
However, immediately upon entering, he displayed astonishing talent regarding earth-attribute laws.
That's why the Sect Master values him so highly.”
Wang Cheng replied.
“Have you all noticed? Su Ye's physical strength is unnaturally formidable.
Logically, with our combined strength, the spiritual pressure we released should have easily crushed a small-scale Mysterious Dan Realm cultivator.
Yet, Su Ye was completely unharmed by our spiritual pressure.”
Another Great Mystic Pill Realm expert said.
“Indeed.
Elder Wang, what is the explanation for this?”
The other four Great Mystic Pill Realm experts all turned to look at Wang Cheng.
“I don't know either.
This Su Ye is extremely mysterious.
He only just joined the Houtu Sect; I don't understand him at all, nor do I know his background.”
Wang Cheng shook his head and answered.
***
One day later.
At the Houtu Sect headquarters, the mountain peak where the Sect Master resided.
Swoosh!
A figure suddenly stepped out from a patch of empty space and descended upon the peak.
“Su Ye?
You've returned!”
The Sect Master immediately detected Ye Yunfei's presence. He emerged from his meditation chamber and instantly appeared before Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei waved a hand, transporting Song Ming, Da Di Daozhang, and over a dozen disciples out from the Phantom Tower.
“Sect Master…”
Song Ming stepped forward directly and recounted the gist of what had transpired to the Sect Master.
“Su Ye, you crippled Ouyang Feng?!”
After listening, the Sect Master was startled.
“Indeed.
Ouyang Feng led people from the Ouyang Family to pursue and try to kill us both.
Thus, I crippled him.”
Ye Yunfei nodded.
“You are truly audacious!
The Ouyang Family will absolutely not let this matter rest after crippling Ouyang Feng.”
The Sect Master was stunned for a moment before sighing.
“Whether Ouyang Feng was crippled or not, the Ouyang Family would still not let the matter rest.
The Ouyang Family's goal is to annex the Houtu Sect.
Sect Master, I suggest you immediately purge the traitors and rectify the sect.”
Ye Yunfei said calmly.
“Su Ye, you are absolutely right!
Sect Master, it is time for us to take action!”
Da Di Daozhang's master, Yan Tianzong, arrived from afar, landing beside Ye Yunfei, and spoke out.
“Now that Ouyang Feng has been crippled, I estimate the Ouyang Family will surely come to our Houtu Sect, using this as a pretext to cause trouble.
The Ouyang Family has courted and cultivated so many people within our sect. If we do not act first, the consequences will be severe.”
Yan Tianzong said.
“That is certainly true.
Very well.
We shall act immediately, and cleanse the sect of traitors!”
The Sect Master finally resolved himself, nodding heavily.
“Elder Song, what is your stance?”
The Sect Master turned his gaze toward Song Ming and asked.
“Sect Master, this subordinate is willing to follow your lead!”
Song Ming, taken aback, immediately declared.
He understood that the Sect Master was demanding he choose a side!
Currently, the Houtu Sect was internally divided into two factions. One faction was led by Tao Wenzhi, backed by the Ouyang Family.
The other faction was led by the Sect Master himself.
“Mm, very good.”
The Sect Master was relatively satisfied with Song Ming's stance and nodded.
“However, over these years, there have been far too many people within our Houtu Sect, openly or secretly, who have defected to the Ouyang Family.
We would do best to thoroughly ascertain the situation before making a move.”
The Sect Master thought for a moment and said.
“There is no need.
Ouyang Feng is bound to know.”
Ye Yunfei said.
Next, Ye Yunfei transported Ouyang Feng out and subjected him to intense interrogation.
At first, Ouyang Feng was obstinate. But when Ye Yunfei deployed the Heaven Soul Sword, invaded his mind, and made several cuts upon his Soul Body, he finally broke down.
This kind of agony originating from the Soul Body was something Ouyang Feng simply could not endure!
Thus, he obediently revealed every single person within the Houtu Sect who had already sworn allegiance to the Ouyang Family.
Almost half of the senior members had defected to the Ouyang Family!
“Begin the operation.
Cleanse the sect of traitors!”
The Sect Master declared somberly.