"Senior Chu Ji, let's pursue them now while we have the advantage!"
A high-ranking member of the allied forces suggested to Chu Ji.
"That's right! We should seize this opportunity to completely annihilate this Expeditionary Army!"
...
Several other high-level commanders voiced their agreement.
"No! We absolutely cannot look down on the Star Nation's Expeditionary Army. They may have retreated, but our losses just now were also severe. Have everyone pull back first to rest and regroup properly."
Chu Ji gazed at the orderly retreat of the Expeditionary Army forces in the distant starry void, thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Well said. The overall strength of this Expeditionary Army remains formidable. Defeating them won't be easy."
Some of the allied commanders nodded upon hearing Chu Ji's words.
"Retreat!"
Following Chu Ji's order, the Five-Domain Allied Army soon began their withdrawal as well.
One hour later.
On the celestial body known as Tianjiao Star.
Inside a resplendent, golden palace, a grand feast was laid out. The tables were spread with spirit fruits, spirit wines, and all manner of precious and exquisitely prepared dishes.
Chu Ji and a large group of allied commanders were all present.
"Haha... Young Friend Ye, thanks to you in this battle, our allied army turned defeat into victory! The surprise you brought us was immense! Come, let me toast you!"
Chu Ji raised his cup high, laughing as he toasted Ye Yunfei.
"Young Master Ye is indeed a rare young genius!"
The other allied commanders also raised their cups in salute.
However, the gazes many of them cast towards Ye Yunfei were tinged with either gloom or greed. Not a few still had their eyes on the Demigod Herbs Ye Yunfei possessed. Even the Star Nation Expeditionary Army's Great General had coveted those herbs; naturally, experts within the Five-Domain Allied Army were no different.
These Star Bridge Realm experts all understood that obtaining a Demigod Herb would allow a substantial leap in their strength! This was especially true for those in the late Star Bridge Realm; obtaining such a herb could potentially allow them to break through to the next level. At that point, they would qualify to look down upon vast stretches of the cosmos! Therefore, the allure of a Demigod Herb for a Star Bridge Realm expert was immense.
Ye Yunfei saw the looks in the eyes of those allied commanders perfectly clearly, sneering inwardly. This was simply how the world worked: for most martial artists, with sufficient temptation, notions of righteousness and principle were nothing but bullshit, utterly unimportant!
It didn't matter that Ye Yunfei had rendered a great service to the Five-Domain Allied Army in today's battle; given the chance, these high-ranking commanders would surely turn on him. This, Ye Yunfei understood perfectly.
"Young Master Ye, your dismantling of the Expeditionary Army's battle formations today seemed effortless. Truly impressive! The young heroes are indeed remarkable!"
An elder suddenly remarked.
"It wasn't my skill. It was because those battle formations of the Expeditionary Army were crude and shoddy, thus easy to break."
Ye Yunfei's tone was flat.
His words gave the listeners pause. The Expeditionary Army's formations were something many star domains grew fearful or wary at the very mention of them. Now, someone was calling them crude and shoddy. Yet, when these allied commanders recalled how Ye Yunfei had broken dozens of the Expeditionary Army's formations in a short time today, they found themselves with no rebuttal!
"Young Master Ye... have you perhaps obtained some profound inheritance related to battle formations?"
A high-ranking commander tentatively asked.
"An inheritance on battle formations?!"
Upon hearing this, the other allied experts were also startled. Inheritances specializing in battle formations were extremely precious and exceedingly rare!
"Alright, let's not dwell on this topic."
Chu Ji hurriedly intervened.
"Young Friend Ye, remember: do not flaunt your wealth. Some things should not be shared casually with others."
Chu Ji sent a private voice transmission to Ye Yunfei.
Changing the subject, Chu Ji asked, "Young Friend Ye, you mentioned earlier that your father was captured. What happened?"
The other allied commanders also turned their gazes to Ye Yunfei.
"Not long ago, someone barged into Tianxuan Continent and captured my father. The ones who did it belong to a clan surnamed Pang."
Ye Yunfei stated.
After saying this, his gaze landed on a yellow-robed elder.
This yellow-robed elder came from the Pang Clan of the Taiheng Star Domain. The Taiheng Pang Clan was one of the four major powers of the Taiheng Star Domain, with strength comparable to that of the major factions in the Sacred Domain of the Profound Yellow Star Domain. The clan had many Imperial Realm experts, and even Star Bridge Realm experts! The yellow-robed elder present was a Pang Clan Elder—a Star Bridge Realm expert! Thus, the Taiheng Pang Clan was one of Ye Yunfei's prime suspects.
"Ye Yunfei, show some respect!"
The yellow-robed elder flew into a rage.
"Young Friend Ye, a clan surnamed Pang captured your father. How can you be so certain?" Chu Ji asked.
"Because I killed three of them. All three claimed to be from the Pang Clan."
Ye Yunfei replied.
"However, there are actually quite a few clans with the Pang surname. Just among the five star domains in our region, there seem to be over a dozen Pang clans. To find your father, we must determine precisely which Pang clan took him."
Chu Ji mused for a moment.
"I will find this Pang Clan. Once I confirm which one it is, I will not let them off lightly!"
Ye Yunfei's voice was icy.
"Hmph!"
The yellow-robed elder snorted coldly, believing Ye Yunfei was indirectly referring to his Pang Clan.
"Alright, everyone, after today's battle, we must all be weary. Let's return to rest properly. The Star Nation's Expeditionary Army certainly won't let this be the end. We must recover our strength and prepare for the next major battle."
Chu Ji said.
Thus, the people in the palace gradually departed.
"Young Friend Ye, rest assured, I will send people to investigate this matter discreetly. If you need anything, you can tell me at any time."
Chu Ji transmitted his words to Ye Yunfei privately.
"Senior Chu, thank you."
Ye Yunfei replied. It was clear this Chu Ji held him in high regard, for which Ye Yunfei felt gratitude.
"No need for thanks. For our Profound Yellow Star Domain to produce a young talent like you is a blessing for the domain. We old-timers are getting on in years; the future rests on you young people now."
Chu Ji sighed.
Ye Yunfei returned to his own camp tent. He immediately entered the Phantom Tower.
In today's battle, Ye Yunfei had captured a total of over a hundred and thirty Early Stage Imperial Realm experts! Now, he was going to make all of them his slaves!
All hundred-plus Early Stage Imperial Realm experts had been heavily wounded by Ye Yunfei, their spiritual power sealed, leaving them utterly powerless to resist.
Under Ye Yunfei's combination of coercion and inducement, the vast majority agreed to pledge allegiance to him. Only five or six with exceptionally stubborn temperaments continued to curse Ye Yunfei, who simply executed them directly. As members of the Star Nation's Expeditionary Army, these Early Stage Imperial Realm experts had spent years on campaigns of conquest and slaughter; each one had committed countless killings, their hands stained with blood. Therefore, Ye Yunfei naturally felt no compunction about dealing with them—those who deserved death, died.
Next, Ye Yunfei began planting Soul Restriction Seals on these Early Stage Imperial Realm experts. With the experience from previously subduing over a dozen Imperial Realm slaves, Ye Yunfei successfully planted the Soul Restriction Seals on the Soul Bodies of these Early Stage Imperial Realm experts.
Then, Ye Yunfei distributed a batch of healing elixirs, allowing these newly-subdued Imperial Realm slaves to recover.
One day later.
"We pay our respects to our Master!"
One hundred and twenty-nine Imperial Realm slaves, all at the Early Stage Imperial Realm, stood in neat rows before Ye Yunfei, paying their respects.
"You forty, prepare yourselves. Your accumulation is sufficient. I will help you break through to the Imperial Realm."
Ye Yunfei selected forty of the Imperial Realm slaves and instructed them.
Following this, Ye Yunfei personally refined a batch of elixirs, giving them to these forty Imperial Realm slaves to consume as they attempted to break through.
Several days later.
All forty Imperial Realm slaves successfully broke through to the Imperial Realm!
In this manner, Ye Yunfei now possessed a total of a hundred and forty-five Imperial Realm slaves! Among them, forty-five were at the Imperial Realm!
This was now a remarkably considerable force!