After commanding his undead minions to slaughter another two hundred thousand, Ye Han returned to the Doomsday Prison to deal with the five thousand Frostwind Empire guards he had captured, then reappeared above the ruins of Mya City.
The massive release of death and resentment from the twenty thousand deaths was a vital energy for Ye Han's strength enhancement. He would not forsake any energy that could augment his power.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he slowly absorbed and refined this energy within his body. Days passed. Engrossed in cultivation, Ye Han was indifferent to the passage of time. Zombies possess eternal life and perpetual youth, making time irrelevant to them. What they seek is power and rank. Only through immense strength and endless slaughter can they find a semblance of pleasure in their timeless existence.
A circle of blood waves radiated around Ye Han, invisible energies swiftly flowing into his body. Gradually, the bloodiness in the air, along with the frightening death and resentment, began to diminish.
After ten days, Ye Han had fully refined and assimilated the energy within him. Such immense energy had only modestly increased his strength.
"More unafraid of death have come," Ye Han murmured, sitting on the ground and looking into the distance. Behind him, a figure appeared. Since his soul had entered the second layer, Ye Han's perception had greatly improved. Moreover, the days of cultivation made him feel his soul growing. After some time, he discovered the reason.
The rapid growth of his soul was due to the mysterious energy that had breached his soul's barrier that day. Instead of dissipating, it roamed within the second layer of his soul, gradually being absorbed by Ye Han.
Although he didn't know what that energy was, the result delighted Ye Han. Zombie souls are hundreds of times harder to cultivate than those of other beings. They can only absorb the negative spiritual waves emitted at the death of living beings, which can easily harm their souls. An energy that could enhance his soul was a welcome discovery. Merely absorbing the energy from a single magic core was like absorbing the negative spiritual waves of a million people.
"Master," said Evelyn, who had been transported out, standing respectfully behind Ye Han. Meanwhile, Ye Han slowly stood up, waiting for those unafraid of death.
Soon, a fully armed group appeared in Ye Han's vision. A thousand men, split into two groups of five hundred, with a luxurious carriage in the middle. Next to the carriage, a handsome young man rode a black horse.
"Princess, we have arrived," Biyule, riding the black horse, said with a gentle smile to Bernice in the carriage. Although he had barely spoken to Bernice during the journey, being so close to her excited him.
"Mm," a crisp and pleasant voice came from the carriage, making Biyule's smile even brighter.
"Report to the princess, a person has been spotted on the ruins ahead," one of the guards ran up to the carriage and reported.
"Can you see who it is?" Biyule asked urgently.
"A person in a black robe with white hair."
"Are you sure?" Bernice asked quickly from inside the carriage.
"I'm sure."
With a graceful movement, Bernice lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out, a breathtakingly beautiful young girl. "Select ten guards to accompany me, the rest wait here," she instructed the nearby guards, and walked forward without glancing at Biyule.
Biyule's eyes flashed with anger at her action, but it quickly disappeared. He hurriedly followed Bernice. After Ye Han had sent Evelyn away, he ordered him to hide in the shadows, while he himself stood in place.
Soon, the stunningly beautiful Bernice, accompanied by ten guards and a smiling Biyule, approached Ye Han, stopping about three yards away. The ten guards stood in a fan shape behind Bernice, with Biyule on her right.
"Kid, so you're Ye Han?" Biyule couldn't miss such an opportunity. At only in his twenties and already a saintly warrior, he was infuriated by Ye Han's arrogant demeanor.
"The Frostwind Empire has suffered enough losses, and yet they send more to die," Ye Han said indifferently, his eyes boldly appraising Bernice, though without a hint of lust.
Feeling uncomfortable under Ye Han's unabashed gaze, Bernice felt a surge of anger. However, remembering her purpose, she didn't show her displeasure, but Biyule was furious.
"Kid, I'm talking to you!" A powerful aura burst forth from Biyule, pressing down hard on Ye Han.
Sensing the aura from Biyule, Ye Han immediately knew his strength - early saintly stage. Even Ye Han was slightly surprised by Biyule's youthful appearance.
"Do you think this will have any effect on me?" Ye Han's body faintly glowed with a pale light, neutralizing Biyule's pressure, but the killing intent in his eyes grew stronger. Bernice, though silent, kept her eyes fixed on Ye Han.
"Biyule, have you forgotten what I told you?" Seeing the growing killing intent in Ye Han's eyes, Bernice quickly intervened to stop Biyule's provocation.
Bernice was certain that Ye Han, standing so calmly, must have some unknown method at his disposal. According to the information she had, Ye Han's strength could match a mid-stage saintly warrior without using his domain. Biyule, having only reached the saintly stage a year ago and still without a formed domain, was...
"Lord, please don't take offense, we come here with no ill intentions," Bernice said to Ye Han, trying to discern some information from him.
"Ha! No ill intentions? Don't tell me you came here to reconcile with me. Do you think that's possible?" Ye Han sneered.
"Perhaps if someone else from the empire came, you wouldn't believe our sincerity. But as the princess of the Frostwind Empire, I have come to make peace with you. Do you still doubt our sincerity?" Bernice openly revealed her identity, expressing her sincere intentions to Ye Han.
"To me, whether you or anyone else comes, it's all the same, isn't it?" Ye Han didn't dwell on the matter of sincerity but expressed his indifference plainly.
"Arrogant! It's an honor for you that the princess of a great empire has come to recruit you, and you..."
"Princess, you should better control your dog. When the master speaks, it shouldn't bark," Ye Han interrupted Biyule's rebuke coldly, addressing Bernice.
Ye Han's words infuriated Biyule, who had never been insulted like this. Unable to contain his anger, he released his saintly aura with full force.
Ye Han staggered back a few steps under the sudden onslaught, glaring coldly at Biyule. Bernice, too, refrained from intervening, apparently angered by Ye Han's words.
"Ha! You can't even withstand this much pressure, and yet you're so arrogant. Why recruit you at all? I think it's better just to kill you," Biyule said loudly, moving towards Ye Han, emboldened by the lack of intervention from Bernice.
But at that moment, the space around them blurred, and they were transported to another realm – a world entirely blue, filled with water elements.
"A domain!" The sudden change in space immobilized Biyule. Realizing what was happening, he exclaimed in shock.
"Weren't you trying to capture me?" Ye Han slowly approached the immobilized Biyule and punched him hard in the chest with his right fist.
With a crack, Biyule's body flew sideways, blood spewing from his mouth. Ye Han then waved his right hand, and Bernice's clothes tore apart, revealing a perfect body.
"Didn't expect your assets to be quite impressive," Ye Han commented indifferently, unabashedly examining Bernice's beautiful form as he walked towards her.