Whoosh!
In a single step, Ye Yunfei appeared in front of the academy member, blocking his path.
Shi-iick!
A spiritual sword appeared in Ye Yunfei's hand, and he executed the Sword of the Soaring Immortal, thrusting it straight toward the man.
"Brat, you're asking for death! I'll grant your wish!"
The man sneered coldly, his already-thrown fist smashing toward Ye Yunfei.
Pfft!
Before he could finish speaking, Ye Yunfei's longsword had already drawn a brilliant streak of sword light, piercing through the center of his forehead.
"You..."
The man stared at Ye Yunfei with a look of sheer terror, his face full of utter disbelief, before his head tilted to the side, lifeless.
He wasn't from the Xuanhuang Star Domain and didn't know Ye Yunfei. How could he have ever imagined that an ant at the early Primordial Soul Realm could kill him with a single sword thrust?
"You've got guts!
How dare you kill someone from our Earth Fiend Sect of the Jiaosu Star Domain!
You've courted disaster!"
A young man in a cyan robe standing nearby roared furiously, his face filled with rage.
However, his gaze toward Ye Yunfei was tinged with deep caution, and he didn't dare to attack first. This was because he was also at the early Soul Formation Realm, possessing similar strength to the man Ye Yunfei had just killed.
Ye Yunfei ignored him completely. He sheathed his sword and continued mining the premium-grade spirit crystals.
After that, conflicts erupted constantly during the mining of the premium-grade crystals. The sounds of battle and agonized cries echoed without end. Particularly, those experts at the Soul Formation Realm were extremely domineering; they desperately wished to claim all the premium-grade crystals in this crystal vein for themselves.
Soon, nearly a hundred warriors at the Primordial Soul Realm were killed in the struggle for the crystals.
Even Soul Formation experts weren't spared many casualties!
It couldn't be helped. The value of premium-grade spirit crystals was simply too high. In the face of such immense profit, these warriors had descended into a veritable blood frenzy!
Right at that moment...
A large contingent of people approached from the distance in a grand, sweeping manner, numbering in the hundreds!
"Senior Brother Xiao, over here!
Haha, wonderful! Our Earth Fiend Sect's main forces have finally arrived!"
One of the cyan-robed men immediately jumped out from the crystal mine pit, laughing and shouting.
"People from the Earth Fiend Sect?"
Those who were still digging and fighting over premium-grade crystals within the mine felt a foreboding unease seeing so many Earth Fiend Sect members arrive.
In the blink of an eye, the contingent reached the edge of the crystal vein.
Every member of this group exuded powerful and oppressive auras!
"Senior Brother Xiao, this crystal vein is entirely composed of premium-grade spirit crystals!"
The cyan-robed man ran up to a man whose posture was as straight as a spear and whose eyes were sharp and penetrating, and said.
"Premium-grade spirit crystals!"
Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Xiao's eyes gleamed with a sudden brightness.
"Everyone, stop at once!
I hereby declare that this crystal vein belongs to our Earth Fiend Sect!
All of you, hand over every premium-grade spirit crystal you have mined so far. Then, get lost!"
Senior Brother Xiao barked loudly.
"This crystal vein is ownerless. Whoever has the ability should mine it. You cannot possibly claim sole possession!"
A Soul Formation Realm expert sneered coldly as he spoke.
"Exactly! This is the Divine Fall Land, not your Earth Fiend Sect's headquarters. What gives you the right to call this crystal vein yours!"
"Everyone, don't be afraid of them! Let's continue mining the crystals!"
...
Immediately, many voices rose in clamorous support.
In the face of so many premium-grade spirit crystals, no one was willing to give up easily.
Boom!
A long spear appeared in Senior Brother Xiao's hand. Taking a giant step forward, he thrust his spear outwards. The speed of his movement was terrifyingly fast.
Shh-shh-shh...
Razor-sharp spear lights, sharp to the extreme, continuously erupted forth, dense as a swarm, instantly filling the space.
Like a tidal wave, the surging spear radiance swept toward that Soul Formation Realm expert with overwhelming force.
Argh!! Argh!!
The people who had voiced their dissent earlier were, one after another, too slow to evade. One by one, their bodies were pierced by the long spear, dying miserable deaths on the spot.
In that single instant, over twenty people fell to Senior Brother Xiao's spear.
Among them were several Soul Formation Realm experts!
This Senior Brother Xiao possessed the strength of the late Soul Formation Realm, and his spear technique was exceptionally advanced. Ordinary experts at the Soul Formation Realm were simply no match for him.
"Does anyone else dare to disobey?!"
The Senior Brother Xiao retrieved his spear and shouted coldly.
Boom! Boom!
Thirty-five Soul Formation Realm experts simultaneously took a step forward, flanking Senior Brother Xiao on both sides, releasing their spiritual pressure. It roiled forth like powerful waves.
Boom! Boom!
Three hundred more disciples of the Earth Fiend Sect, all at the Primordial Soul Realm, also took a step forward as one, releasing a mighty surge of spiritual pressure that crushed forward.
For a time, within this region, the air was filled with flying sand and scattered stones; the ground shook and the mountains trembled.
"This..."
The remaining warriors within the crystal mine pit began to turn pale, hearts trembling with fear.
Quite a few had already died during the battle against the Demon Rats. During the mining of the premium-grade crystals, conflict had claimed over a hundred more lives.
Therefore, only slightly over a hundred people now remained in the crystal mine pit.
Faced with several hundred Earth Fiend Sect disciples, they were simply no match!
Moreover, the combat prowess Senior Brother Xiao had just demonstrated exerted an immense deterrent effect.
"I will only count to three. Hand over every last premium-grade spirit crystal you have mined. Then, get lost. Otherwise, you die!"
Senior Brother Xiao stated coldly, the spear in his hand erupting with waves of spear radiance that sliced through the surrounding space with a constant, menacing *shh-shh* sound.
"One..."
Senior Brother Xiao began the count.
The disciples of the Earth Fiend Sect all drew their weapons or magical tools, every face exuding lethal, murderous intent, ready to strike.
Finally, when Senior Brother Xiao reached "Two"...
"I'll give!"
Someone, unable to withstand the pressure any longer, brought out all the premium-grade spirit crystals they had mined so far, placed them on the ground, then left unwillingly.
Although premium-grade spirit crystals were precious, life was even more valuable!
One by one, other warriors also surrendered their mined crystals and departed.
Eventually, practically all the warriors had gone.
On the ground in front of Senior Brother Xiao were piled small hills of premium-grade spirit crystals, endless, seemingly beyond sight's reach.
"Hahaha...
Truly a great harvest!"
Senior Brother Xiao couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"We've struck it rich!"
All the other Earth Fiend Sect disciples were extremely excited.
"Hmm?
Senior Brother Xiao, look!
There are still eight people inside the crystal mine pit!
They're still mining premium-grade crystals!"
Right at that moment, suddenly, an Earth Fiend Sect disciple shouted, pointing into the deep mining pit.
"It's him!
Senior Brother Xiao! That's the guy! He killed Junior Brother Ge just now!"
The cyan-robed man pointed at Ye Yunfei and yelled.
At that moment, only Ye Yunfei, Hu Miao, Huang Shang, and five academy members remained in the crystal mine pit!
While the others feared these Earth Fiend Sect disciples, Ye Yunfei did not.
"Everyone, speed up the mining.
As for other matters... don't concern yourselves. I'll handle them."
Ye Yunfei didn't even glance at the Earth Fiend Sect disciples. He spoke to Hu Miao and the others.
"Hehe, with Master here, of course we don't need to worry about anything."
Hu Miao giggled.
Seeing Ye Yunfei and his group completely ignoring them, Senior Brother Xiao's face darkened, his eyes turning icy.
"Senior Brother Xiao, that youngster is rather strange. Junior Brother Ge was killed by a single sword thrust from him."
Leaning close to Senior Brother Xiao, a young man spoke quietly, glancing furtively at Ye Yunfei.
"Hmph!
A mere early Primordial Soul Realm. His power is, in essence, that of an insignificant ant, thus inherently limited!"
Senior Brother Xiao sneered coldly.
"Brat! You there! Get over here right now!"
Senior Brother Xiao barked at Ye Yunfei.
"If you don't want to die... it's best not to provoke me."
Ye Yunfei did not turn around. Still digging out crystals, he spoke calmly.
"You're courting death!
Men, kill them all!"
Senior Brother Xiao flew into a rage.
Immediately, several Soul Formation Realm experts charged forward.
"Very well... since you wish to die, I'll oblige you."
Ye Yunfei slowly turned around, his gaze fixed on the Earth Fiend Sect disciples as he spoke coldly.
"Senior Brother Xiao! I think he might be Ye Yunfei from the Xuanhuang Star Domain!"
Suddenly, a disciple beside Senior Brother Xiao took out a jade slip and activated it directly.
Immediately, an image appeared upon the jade slip—the image was a likeness of Ye Yunfei!
"Correct!
That is precisely Ye Yunfei!
Alive! Capture him alive and take him to collect the bounty!"
Senior Brother Xiao declared.
"A bounty?
It seems someone is putting up a reward for me."
Ye Yunfei was momentarily surprised, then a cold smile played on his lips.
"Brat! You might as well submit and let us tie you up!"
At that moment, three Soul Formation Realm experts from the Earth Fiend Sect had already charged close to Ye Yunfei, speaking with cold smiles.
All three were at the early Soul Formation Realm!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
With a mere thought, Ye Yunfei unleashed the Heavenly Soul Sword.
Argh! Argh! Argh!
Immediately, the three Soul Formation experts screamed simultaneously, feeling as though their heads were splitting apart. In panic and shock, they hurriedly retreated.
Shhhik!
The Dark Thorn shot out from in front of Ye Yunfei's chest.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Almost at the same time, each of these three Soul Formation cultivators had a hole drilled through their brows.
The three bodies flew backward. When they crashed to the ground, they were already corpses!
*Hisss!!*
This scene caused those Earth Fiend Sect disciples to stare with a mixture of shock and fury.
Three Soul Formation cultivators killed instantly with one move! Such combat prowess was astonishing.
"Ye Yunfei! How dare you!
How dare you kill my Earth Fiend Sect disciples!"
Senior Brother Xiao was enraged to the extreme.
One must know, the Earth Fiend Sect was one of the superpowers with the strongest influence in the Jiaosu Star Domain, virtually untouchable!
"I think... it is *you* who dare to provoke me."
Ye Yunfei said blandly.
As soon as the words left his mouth...
Boom...
The fist-sized Profound Magnetic Mountain flew out, swelling in the wind to instantly transform into a small mountain dozens of meters high, suspended in mid-air.
Hummm...
The Profound Magnetic Mountain trembled slightly, powerful waves of magnetic field energy rippling outwards in circles, enveloping the Earth Fiend Sect disciples.
Immediately, the bodies of the Earth Fiend Sect disciples became extremely heavy.
Clang! Clang!...
Disc disciples with relatively weaker cultivations found their weapons and magical tools flying from their grasp, drawn toward the body of the Profound Magnetic Mountain with metallic clangs.
"What is this magical artifact?!"
Senior Brother Xiao stared at the Profound Magnetic Mountain floating in the air, his face grave.
"Go ahead and die."
Ye Yunfei said simply.
As soon as the words left his mouth...
Shh-shh-shh...
The Profound Magnetic Mountain burst forth with countless beams of profound magnetic light, blasting toward the hundreds of Earth Fiend Sect disciples.
Arghh!! Arghh!!
Immediately, Earth Fiend Sect disciples began to scream one after another.
Especially those disciples at the Primordial Soul Realm; they were utterly unable to withstand the sheer number of Profound Magnetic Lights. Bloody holes were pierced through their bodies.
Soon, many Earth Fiend Sect disciples began to fall dead.
"Damn you!"
In his wild rage, Senior Brother Xiao raised his spear, pouring the spiritual power within his body out like a torrent, and sent a powerful spear thrust hurtling toward the Profound Magnetic Mountain in mid-air.
Clang!
The spear clashed against the Profound Magnetic Mountain.
Crack!
The spear in Senior Brother Xiao's hands instantly snapped in two.
As if in jest—the Profound Magnetic Mountain was an exceedingly rare treasure. Senior Brother Xiao's spear was merely a high-grade Honor-grade Artifact. The difference in quality was immense!
"That must be... an Innate Treasure."
Senior Brother Xiao's face drastically changed color.
"Stop!
Ye Yunfei, this is a misunderstanding!
Stop! Hurry!"
Senior Brother Xiao began to shout loudly.
An Innate Treasure carried far too great a deterrence. Even he had no confidence confronting an Innate Treasure.
"There is no misunderstanding."
Ye Yunfei gave a cold laugh.
Hummm...
The Profound Magnetic Mountain continued to radiate one circle after another of Profound Magnetic Fields, causing the Earth Fiend Sect disciples to feel their bodies growing heavier and heavier, movement becoming difficult.
Hummm...
The Five Elements Annihilation Sword Formation surged out and began to tear them apart.
Shhhik!
The Dark Thorn shot forth.
Arghh!! Arghh!!
Earth Fiend Sect disciples, one after another, fell to the ground dead.
"Ye Yunfei, stop! Please!
I have information about you and your friends! I'll tell you now!"
Senior Brother Xiao suddenly yelled.
"Oh?"
Ye Yunfei's gaze turned toward Senior Brother Xiao.