Ye Tai was equally astonished, unable to fathom the reason. This young cultivator, qualified to stand behind the Ancestor, clearly held an exceptionally high position among the Wild Island Evil Cultivators, second only to the Green Robe Ancestor himself.

Why would such a figure ignore the dozens of treasure-hunting cultivators present and instead single out these few inconspicuous Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators with lower cultivation levels? The young cultivator flashed forward instantly, cutting off Ye Qin's path.

His gaze bypassed Ye Qin and the others entirely, focusing instead on the Dark Cloud Screen Ye Qin was riding beneath his feet. His eyes flickered with sudden, intense excitement. Three Wild Island Evil Cultivators followed closely, flanking the young cultivator. “The Dark Cloud Screen, this flying magical artifact is indeed rare…” he murmured, “A pity it wasn't refined into a Nascent Soul artifact. Otherwise, its speed could have increased by at least fifty percent.” The young cultivator finally spared Ye Qin a glance after assessing the Dark Cloud Screen.

Seeing that Ye Qin was merely a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, he dismissed him entirely. His look was filled with contempt and disdain. If not for the sunlight catching the Dark Cloud Array beneath Ye Qin's feet, he likely wouldn't have even bothered to look twice. Although the young cultivator himself was only a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, what was his status?

He was the sole personal disciple of the Green Robe Ancestor, capable of commanding dozens of Late-stage Golden Core cultivators from the Wild Island with a mere word. His talent was prodigious; he was destined to become one of the high-ranking figures of the Stinging Island. How could he be compared to an ordinary Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator!

“This Dark Cloud Screen is a lightning-elemental flying artifact. Among all non-array flying artifacts, it is the fastest and the most difficult to refine, perhaps even surpassing wind-elemental ones. It’s the ultimate artifact for escape. If it could be reforged into a Nascent Soul artifact using lightning-elemental artifact refinement secret arts, and then nurtured with spiritual energy for several hundred years to advance into a Minor Divine Ability artifact, its speed would be blinding—a hundred miles in an instant. Even a Nascent Soul Ancestor might not catch up.”

Feeling utterly confident of victory, the young cultivator was in no rush to act, instead sneering coldly at Ye Qin and his companions. “What a terrible waste!” Ye Qin remained silent, but his face gradually turned ashen.

This Dark Cloud Screen was a flying artifact once used by the Sage Emperor during his Golden Core stage. Later, perhaps because he no longer needed it, the Sage Emperor kept it in his Sumeru Ring, indicating its immense value.

Ye Qin had been using the Dark Cloud Screen obtained from the Sage Emperor merely as an ordinary artifact for flight. Even at that level, its speed was slightly faster than his own Nascent Soul flying sword.

Ye Qin knew nothing of the so-called lightning-elemental artifact refinement secret arts, nor did he know how to refine it into a Nascent Soul artifact. However, Ye Qin did not doubt the truth of the young cultivator's words.

Perhaps a lightning-elemental refinement secret art did exist that could transform the Dark Cloud Screen into a Nascent Soul artifact, but Ye Qin simply didn't know it. The Sage Emperor certainly possessed the refinement secrets for the Dark Cloud Screen.

The problem was that at the time, Ye Qin’s relationship with the Sage Emperor was antagonistic. It was generous enough for the Sage Emperor to trade such a rare flying artifact as the Dark Cloud Screen to him; there was no chance he would proactively share the refinement secrets.

If it weren't for the fact that he had indirectly helped the Sage Emperor refine a Lotus Incarnation by helping Shi Hanyang obtain the Grade Eleven Lotus in the Langya Secret Realm previously, thereby helping the Sage Emperor escape the Underground Sacred Palace and effectively canceling their past grievances, their hostility might still remain unresolved now.

It was only at this moment that Ye Qin realized just how terrifying the Dark Cloud Screen’s power would become if refined into a Nascent Soul artifact and eventually advanced to a Minor Divine Ability artifact. Unfortunately, knowing this now was useless; he first had to survive this ordeal.

Ye Qin frowned deeply, secretly gripping a small golden sword in his hand, watching the young cultivator coldly to see what exactly he intended to do. “It’s a shame that your Dark Cloud Screen’s rank is a bit too low; otherwise, there might actually have been a chance to escape.”

Seeing Ye Qin’s grim silence, the young cultivator chuckled lightly, unconcerned, and continued, “This Dark Cloud Screen is practically useless in your hands, unable to display much of its function. However, since I, You Tianpeng, have encountered it today, it is time for this artifact to see the light of day again. Later, I’ll have my Master help me reforge it into a Nascent Soul artifact, its power will surge, truly becoming a life-saving sharp tool. Boy, give me your life!”

The young cultivator praised the Dark Cloud Screen lavishly in his words, yet he displayed extreme disdain for Ye Qin’s apparent mishandling of it.

The young cultivator named You, his words turning cold at the end, a fierce, sharp glint flashing in his eyes, clapped his hands and sent forth a streak of gray-green light shooting toward Ye Qin opposite him. Ye Qin was already on guard; with a wave of his hand, a golden light erupted outward. The golden and gray-green lights clashed in the air. Ye Qin unleashed the Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword, its golden radiance a thousand feet bright, its sharpness piercing.

The gray-green streak of light was astonishingly a peculiar flying sword. Its material looked highly unusual; the blade resembled segments of dried bones, and as it flew at high speed, it emitted a mournful whistling sound akin to a ghost’s cry, simultaneously generating an eerie cluster of bubbling, gray-green mist.

As soon as this cluster of gray-green mist neared the Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword, the golden aura surrounding the sword immediately dimmed, actually being suppressed.

Fortunately, the golden light erupted by the Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword was equally domineering, forcefully repelling the gray-green mist, preventing it from immediately coating the sword. “What kind of flying sword is that?”

Ye Qin’s expression tightened. He noticed that the gray-green flying sword’s blade carried a Corpse Poison he was very familiar with, seemingly mixed with other toxic vapors, and was shocked by the combination.

“Hahaha, this is the Withered Bone Bamboo, ranked thirty-seventh on the Treasures and Oddities List, refined into a wood-elemental flying sword! It can suppress most magical artifacts and treasures. Although your golden sword is a Nascent Soul artifact, it might not necessarily be a match for my Withered Bone Sword,” You Tianpeng laughed heartily.

Jiang Ling, standing behind Ye Qin, had actually heard of the Withered Bone Bamboo and gasped in surprise. “This is a flying sword refined from Withered Bone Bamboo? This ghastly bamboo grows in places covered in skeletons, steeped in dense Corpse Qi and poisonous formations, where nothing else can survive. It absorbs Corpse Qi to grow, emitting poisonous miasma containing both wood poison and corpse poison. The protective spiritual energy of ordinary Golden Core cultivators can hardly resist it; once contaminated by the poisonous mist, one is corroded into a skeleton within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Even some high-level demonic beasts with powerful physiques dare not easily enter a Withered Bone Bamboo forest. One can imagine how terrifying the toxicity of Withered Bone Bamboo is.” Ye Qin’s heart instantly turned cold. So that was it.

Corpse Poison could tarnish all magical artifacts, causing their rank to plummet—no wonder it could instantly suppress the Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword.

Generally, when facing an opponent wielding such an evil, venomous artifact, if one lacked a counter, they could only passively endure attacks; ordinary flying swords dared not casually make contact with such a vile, poisonous artifact.

“You actually recognize the flying sword in my hand; you have some insight! Today I will show you that the power of an artifact isn't judged merely by its rank. Even if this flying sword were only a Top-Tier Magical Artifact, it could suppress your Nascent Soul artifacts.”

You Tianpeng laughed grandly, sounding immensely arrogant and confident. He had killed countless cultivators at Ye Qin’s Mid-stage Golden Core level. The Withered Bone Sword was a one-sided slaughter against opponents who were similarly strong or weaker, and who possessed no countermeasure.

After speaking, You Tianpeng slapped his storage pouch and shot out another streak of gray-green sword light. Two Top-Tier Withered Bone Swords jointly attacked Ye Qin.

Ye Qin feigned surprise, quickly swallowed a spiritual pill that neutralized corpse poison, then opened his mouth and spat out another fire-elemental flying sword. With an expressionless face, he countered the relentless advance of You Tianpeng’s Withered Bone Swords.

The Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword erupted with countless flames from its blade, transforming into Blazing Fire Crows that flapped wings made of condensed flame, pouncing toward the streak of gray-green light.

As soon as these Blazing Fire Crows touched the gray-green mist, they instantly dissolved into trails of red smoke and vanished. However, at the same moment, the gray-green mist also dissipated into wisps of smoke. Ye Qin inwardly sneered. Having spent time daily with a Golden Core Skeleton Demon, how could he not know the ruthlessness of Corpse Qi? He also knew its weakness.

Although the poisonous Corpse Qi mist was overwhelming, as long as high-temperature flames were used to incinerate it and keep it separated, preventing the artifact from being contaminated, it was not fatal. Within a thousand feet surrounding Ye Qin, in the space of a few breaths, everything was covered by the flames of the Blazing Fire Crows from the Southern Bright Luminous Fire. The pervasive gray-green mist emitted by the Withered Bone Swords was instead rapidly neutralized by the Blazing Fire Crows.

Ye Qin’s Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword and Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword, both Nascent Soul artifacts, firmly blocked You Tianpeng’s two Withered Bone Swords, preventing them from advancing even an inch.

Ye Qin knew well that You Tianpeng intended to kill him, but he was restrained, only defending and not attacking, holding back his full power against You Tianpeng. This wasn't because he feared You Tianpeng, but because he didn't want to attract the attention of the Green Robe Ancestor. Ye Qin was confident he could defeat You Tianpeng, perhaps even kill him. But he understood the consequences better.

Defeating or killing the Ancestor’s personal disciple would inevitably trigger the Ancestor’s fury, and he was absolutely no match for the Green Robe Ancestor. If the Ancestor’s roar descended upon him, it would be suicide. Ye Qin could only adopt a defensive posture, trying to delay the time, waiting for an opportunity.

His only chance now was the Earth Element Grand Formation laid down by Sun Xing, which had gathered dozens of Golden Core cultivators. He wondered if Sun Xing’s group could use the Earth Element Grand Formation to defeat that group of Wild Island Evil Cultivators, thereby drawing the Ancestor’s attention entirely, forcing the Ancestor to personally attack the Earth Element Grand Formation.

He was counting on seizing that single opportunity to mount the Dark Cloud Screen and flee the island. After all, the Green Robe Ancestor didn't have three heads and six arms; he couldn't wipe out all the treasure-hunting cultivators instantly, perhaps allowing Ye Qin a chance to slip away.

If this opportunity didn't materialize, his only remaining means of escape was to charge into the giant island and use the Ghost Mist Grand Formation within the ancient battlefield ruins to maneuver against the Green Robe Ancestor and the Wild Island Evil Cultivators.

Ye Qin knew almost nothing about the interior of this ancient ruin; his scant knowledge came only from Pan cultivator's oral accounts of the area. No one dared to claim they could definitely survive the Ghost Mist Grand Formation within those ruins. This was his choice for the worst-case scenario, a risk Ye Qin was unwilling to take lightly. While engaged in fierce battle with You Tianpeng, Ye Qin secretly formulated his countermeasures. “A fire-elemental Nascent Soul flying sword!” You Tianpeng, initially arrogant, quickly quieted down, growing anxious internally.

The Withered Bone Sword was a Top-Tier Magical Artifact, yet it was dozens of times harder to refine than an ordinary High-Tier Magical Artifact. He only possessed two of them.

Furthermore, although this sword was exceptionally sinister and toxic, it could not be refined into a Nascent Soul artifact. Because the material carried Yin-natured Corpse Qi, refining it into a Nascent Soul artifact and swallowing it into the Dantian would instead cause immense harm to the cultivator himself.

The quality of You Tianpeng’s two Withered Bone Swords was clearly a tier below that of the Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword and the Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword. If the battle dragged on, the Withered Bone Swords were highly susceptible to damage, turning into scrap artifacts. Yet, You Tianpeng couldn't take down Ye Qin quickly. “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and attack!” You Tianpeng grew impatient and suddenly roared angrily.

Not far away, the three Late-stage Golden Core Wild Island Evil Cultivators tasked with protecting You Tianpeng’s safety heard his furious shout and quickly manipulated their artifacts to charge forward. Internally, however, they were extremely frustrated.

Every time You Tianpeng dueled with other Golden Core cultivators, he forbade them from interfering. Now that the battle was turning unfavorable, he blamed them for standing by and watching. “Trying to surround and attack? Shameless!”

Huangfu Bing'er couldn't bear it any longer. With a sharp cry, she threw out her Ice Soul Cold Light Sword and Purple Jade Luminous Fire Sword, heading to intercept one of the charging Wild Island Evil Cultivators.

Jiang Ling and Zheng Chenghui exchanged a glance, feeling bitterness, but they had no choice but to grit their teeth and manipulate their respective artifacts to charge forward with Huangfu Bing'er, engaging the other two Wild Island Evil Cultivators.

If Ye Qin couldn't hold on, they would also meet a dead end; there would be no chance for survival. Fighting desperately might offer a sliver of hope for escape.

Huangfu Bing'er, Jiang Ling, and Zheng Chenghui split up to intercept one Evil Cultivator each. Artifacts rained down from both sides as they clashed fiercely. However, the three of them were no match for the three Wild Island Evil Cultivators.

Those three Wild Island Evil Cultivators were all Ninth-Stage Late-stage Golden Core cultivators, powerful and ruthless in their methods; this was why the Ancestor had assigned them as You Tianpeng’s personal guards. As soon as their artifacts made contact, Huangfu Bing'er immediately felt immense pressure, almost losing control of her two flying swords.

Her combat power was decent, capable of holding her own against Golden Core cultivators of the same level, but facing a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator, she was stretched to her absolute limit.

Their intervention, while preventing Ye Qin from being besieged by four late/mid-stage Evil Cultivators, plunged the three of them into extreme peril. They likely wouldn't last half an incense stick before suffering a disastrous defeat and falling. “Hmph, how dare you Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators try to contend with my Wild Island cultivators? What a joke!!!”

You Tianpeng turned his head, saw that the Wild Island cultivators were completely suppressing their opponents, and the tide of battle had turned completely in his favor. His heart settled, and he couldn't help but sneer sinisterly. As soon as his three guards finished off the opposing three Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators, this brat would be surrounded and killed—it would only take a flick of his hand. “Seeking death!” Ye Qin secretly felt things were going poorly and couldn't help but shout, his face icy with killing intent.

He had only been defending, intending to use the fight with You Tianpeng to stall for time, waiting for Sun Xing’s opportunity to arise.

But You Tianpeng had ordered his guards to join the attack.

This move immediately ruined Ye Qin’s plan.

Bing’er’s situation was critical; he couldn't delay any longer. Even if You Tianpeng was the Green Robe Ancestor’s personal disciple, he had to be killed first—he had to pass this hurdle. “Who is seeking death? You dare speak such nonsense when death is at your door!”

Hearing Ye Qin’s sharp shout, You Tianpeng erupted in a furious rage. He activated a spell technique, causing the Withered Bone Swords in mid-air to spin rapidly, blasting out clusters of gray-green mist that aggressively swarmed toward Ye Qin from all directions. Ye Qin didn't hesitate; he opened his mouth and spat out three flying swords: the Heavenly One Ethereal Water Sword. These three swords, along with the original Golden Crow Blazing Light Sword and Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword, encircled him, forming a Grand Five Elements Sword Formation. “Eh? A sword formation?…” A sword formation composed of Five Elements flying swords?” You Tianpeng was surprised. He knew nothing of the Purple Sword Palace, nor the legendary Grand Five Elements Sword Formation of the Purple Sword Palace.

But the five Nascent Soul flying swords Ye Qin controlled—Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—had strikingly obvious elemental attributes. Since the Five Elements were complete, it must be a Five Elements Sword Formation.

You Tianpeng had been in the Sea of Blood for so long, yet this was the first time he had encountered a cultivator controlling five completely different elemental Nascent Soul artifacts simultaneously.

“Hahaha, a good-for-nothing cultivator with a Five-Element Spiritual Root! You intend to use these five Nascent Soul flying swords against me? That’s fine; it saves me from being bored. Since you have so many Nascent Soul artifacts, hand them all over to me! Hahaha…!” You Tianpeng was initially startled, but quickly realized the situation and began laughing unrestrainedly.

He never expected his opponent to be a mere hybrid-elemental, defective cultivator. How could a Golden Core cultivator with a Five-Element Spiritual Root compare to a cultivator like him, whose Wood Spiritual Root was outstanding?

In less than a moment, his three guards would finish off their opponents and join in; killing Ye Qin would be as easy as flipping his hand. “I don’t need the Grand Five Elements Sword Formation to kill you!” Ye Qin declared coldly, executing a sword incantation.

One of the five flying swords orbiting him, the faint, ethereal-hued one, suddenly vanished, its artifact aura completely gone, as if it had disappeared from heaven and earth. “What artifact is that?” You Tianpeng was slightly stunned, completely bewildered.

A primal sense of danger made him hastily recall his two Withered Bone Swords, guarding fiercely at his sides. He spread his divine sense, tensely scanning the surrounding sky within several hundred feet. You Tianpeng suddenly detected an extremely subtle spatial fluctuation appearing several feet behind him. “Not good!” This subtle spatial fluctuation suddenly exploded outward.

A nearly transparent, water-elemental flying sword emitting a faint, ghostly glow slashed through the air, tearing through You Tianpeng’s cyan protective spiritual energy and his High-Grade Silk Armor artifact as if they were mere scraps of paper. “Damn it!”

In that instant, You Tianpeng felt countless icy needles piercing his spine. The pores on his body instantly contracted, and terror overwhelmed him to the extreme.

However, even his fastest evasion technique was too slow to let him dodge the sneak attack of this sword.

Slash!

A spray of bloody gore shot skyward.

You Tianpeng violently dodged to the side, but felt his entire left shoulder sliced away by the edge of the terrifying sword light. An agonizing, bone-chilling pain struck him as he horrifyingly discovered his entire left side had been severed.

“Dare to destroy my physical body! My Master will take your life!”

A radiant Nascent Soul shrieked in terror, desperately trying to escape the ruined body through the center of the forehead, breaking away from the flesh. “Since the body is destroyed, let’s finish him completely!” Ye Qin’s face was icy. With a wave of his right hand.

The Heavenly One Ethereal Water Sword twisted in mid-air, obliterating You Tianpeng’s physical body and his Nascent Soul together into a cloud of bloody mist, the Nascent Soul fragmenting into countless pieces and annihilating within the mist.

The sudden upheaval between Ye Qin and You Tianpeng—You Tianpeng was killed instantly! “You Tianpeng is dead!?”

The three Wild Island Evil Cultivators who were fiercely fighting couldn’t help but tremble. Their attacks faltered slightly as they turned to look, their expressions freezing in disbelief, followed instantly by terror.

You Tianpeng was the Green Robe Ancestor’s only personal disciple. He was favored by the Ancestor and possessed a spiritual root highly compatible with the Ancestor’s lineage. The Green Robe Ancestor had invested immense effort in cultivating him, even dispatching these three Late-stage Golden Core cultivators as his personal guards.

Now, You Tianpeng had been instantly slain by the opponent right here.

The three guards would now have to face the Green Robe Ancestor’s wrath—a consequence far worse than death!

They never imagined that the situation, which was overwhelmingly in their favor—three Late-stage Golden Core cultivators and one Mid-stage Golden Core against four Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators—could be so abruptly overturned, with You Tianpeng instantly killed by that one Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, leaving no chance for his Nascent Soul to escape.

In their horror, the three Wild Island Evil Cultivators no longer cared about fighting Huangfu Bing’er and the other two; they all turned their gaze toward the Green Robe Ancestor.

Five or six miles away in the distant sky, the Green Robe Ancestor was observing. He instantly sensed the anomaly concerning his personal disciple. His sinister gaze suddenly locked onto Ye Qin’s location.

As the Green Robe Ancestor looked, he saw his personal disciple’s body violently shattered into a mass of blood mist. The turbid, yet sharp, pupils constricted sharply. His face changed drastically, and uncontrollable rage surged within him, his expression contorted to the extreme. “How dare you—!!!”

A heaven-shaking roar, reaching the peak of fury, exploded like a thunderclap among the large crowd of treasure hunters and Wild Island Evil Cultivators in the sky. It vibrated in their ears until they buzzed deafeningly, causing the blood energy of many Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators to surge uncontrollably. His Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation projected a vast aura of spiritual pressure, overwhelming all living beings within several hundred miles.

The entire battlefield of treasure hunters and Wild Island cultivators was stunned into silence by this thunderous roar, compelled to halt their fighting. They looked fearfully toward the Green Robe Ancestor, uncertain why he was so enraged.

The Green Robe Ancestor’s green robes billowed outward. The small green sword hovering beside him trembled violently, emitting a soul-stirring, resonant hum.

This green light—a Minor Divine Ability artifact—instantly expanded into a massive green rainbow spanning over three hundred feet, shooting toward Ye Qin’s direction. It moved so fast it was almost impossible to track with the eye, its world-tearing might causing heaven and earth to change color, heading straight for Ye Qin over ten miles away.

“Hurry and go! Rendezvous with Sun Xing’s group and enter the Ghost Mist Grand Formation!”

Ye Qin’s face turned ashen with shock, his body instantly rigid, and he roared at Huangfu Bing'er, "Great Five Elements Sword Array, form up!" Before Ye Chun could say more, his hands moved with lightning speed, swiftly forming the Purple Sword Seal, slamming it forward. All his cultivation power poured out without reservation.

The five Nascent Soul flying swords surrounding him instantly swelled to fifty zhang, erupting in brilliant golden light, azure luminescence, shadowy gleam, raging flame, and yellow radiance. These varied lights interwove, locking together in the air to form a colossal Great Five Elements Sword Array, charging toward the green streak of light. Long before slaying You Tianpeng, Ye Qin had known this action would incite the furious wrath of the Old Ancestor in Green Robes.

The reason he had summoned the five Nascent Soul flying swords so early was not to deal with You Tianpeng, but rather to employ this strongest defensive measure against the Old Ancestor in Green Robes’ impending, devastating strike.