Eight People Return, Desire to Establish a Stronghold

Eternal Night Space, a secluded courtyard.

Ye Junlin stood tall, hands behind his back, Spiritual Power surging around him, his robes fluttering without wind.

He had just received the Earth-tier High-grade martial skill Emperor Seal Art from the system, and his heart was pounding with excitement, eager to master this formidable technique.

"First Seal of the Emperor Seal Art, Mountain Splitting Seal!"

Ye Junlin grunted, his eyes suddenly sharp as a blade.

Following the cultivation method instilled by the system in his mind, he gathered all the potent Spiritual Energy within his body into his right palm.

In an instant, a vast and boundless power condensed in his palm, carrying the implicit force of collapsing mountains. The very air in the courtyard was compressed, emitting bursts of crackling sounds.

He spun around abruptly, sweeping his right arm horizontally, his palm aimed at the millstone-sized, massive bluestone boulder in the center of the courtyard, and slammed it down heavily!

"Boom--!"

A deafening roar exploded, followed by surging shockwaves and flying debris.

Under Ye Junlin's palm strike, the seemingly indestructible bluestone boulder crumbled like tofu, unable to withstand the force.

It instantly shattered into countless fist-sized fragments. Amidst the swirling dust, a palm print indentation half a foot deep appeared on the ground.

Ye Junlin slowly retracted his palm, feeling the residual potent power within it, his eyes filled with joy.

"What an overbearing Mountain Splitting Seal! Even at this initial stage of understanding, its power is immense.

If all five seals are mastered and stacked, its power will rival Heaven-tier. It truly lives up to its name!"

He muttered to himself, his satisfaction with the martial skill evident.

Previously, he possessed immense cultivation but lacked any impressive martial skills to accompany it.

Now, with the Emperor Seal Art, it was like adding wings to a tiger. He felt he could easily defeat even a Grandmaster expert!

Just as Ye Junlin was immersed in the joy of cultivation, meticulously savoring the profound mysteries of the Mountain Splitting Seal, a faint sound of footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard.

He looked up to see Yuan Tiangang, Di Yun, Linghu Chong, and Jing Ke, along with five other assassins, a total of eight people, walking slowly towards him.

All eight exuded a steady aura and a composed demeanor, clearly indicating that their trip to Qingzhou City had been without any casualties.

Seeing that they were all unharmed, the heavy stone in his heart finally settled.

Upon entering the courtyard, they all bowed to Ye Junlin, saying, "Your subordinate greets you, Lord!"

Ye Junlin raised his hand, signaling them to rise. He scanned them and asked in a deep voice, "Were there any unexpected events during your trip to Qingzhou City?"

Yuan Tiangang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and replied:

"Reporting to you, Lord, we have not failed our mission! In the battle at Qingzhou City, we have successfully thwarted the Qingyun Sect's scheme.

"We have killed all the elders and disciples sent by the Qingyun Sect. The name of Misty Rain Tower now resonates throughout Qingzhou City and even the entire Eastern Region!

"Only the Qingyun Sect's First Elder, Zhuge Xiu, was severely wounded by us. We were just one strike away from killing him.

"Unexpectedly, at the critical moment, a spatial rift suddenly appeared, emitting a terrifying pressure from the Land Immortal realm.

"They even used the Spiritual Power of timeหยุด, forcibly rescuing Zhuge Xiu."

"Oh? Land Immortal? Timeหยุด?" Ye Junlin's pupils contracted sharply upon hearing this, a flicker of solemnity in his eyes.

The Land Immortal realm was a level above the Heavenly Human Realm, a rare and top-tier existence throughout the Eastern Region.

The Qingyun Sect actually possessed such a foundation, which was beyond his expectations.

Yuan Tiangang nodded and said gravely, "Indeed. That powerful being in the Land Immortal realm is clearly an ancestral figure of the Qingyun Sect.

"However, Lord, you need not worry. Although Zhuge Xiu was rescued, he suffered extremely severe injuries, and his soul was also affected by the backlash of spatial energy.

"Without soul-nurturing treasures of over a thousand years, it will be difficult for him to recover to his peak in this lifetime, and his cultivation in the Heavenly Human Realm may even regress significantly. He is not a threat in the short term."

Yuan Tiangang nodded and continued, "Furthermore, I sensed that although the pressure was immense, it carried a hint of sluggishness, as if bound by the rules of heaven and earth.

"I speculate that the current incomplete recovery of Spiritual Energy in the world prevents Land Immortals from unleashing their full power.

"Otherwise, they would face backlash from heaven and earth, resulting in at least a regression of cultivation, or even death.

"If that's the case, then it makes sense why they only rescued Zhuge Xiu and didn't attack you all," Ye Junlin mused.

Hearing this, the solemnity in Ye Junlin's heart eased slightly.

As long as Land Immortals were unable to act freely for the time being, Misty Rain Tower would have ample time to develop and grow.

"Your foresight is brilliant, Lord," Yuan Tiangang said respectfully.

"If not for this, with the power of a Land Immortal, we would have no chance of retreating safely today."

"But this matter should not be taken lightly," Ye Junlin said sharply and gravely.

"Yuan Tiangang, investigate further and confirm whether the current Spiritual Energy in the world truly restricts the actions of Land Immortals.

"If this is true, it would be a tremendous opportunity for our Eternal Night Heaven."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Yuan Tiangang accepted the order.

Ye Junlin shifted his tone, a smile appearing on his face:

"The display of power this time was highly effective. Everyone has worked hard!"