The moment they stepped into the palace, it was like entering another world. As far as the eye could see, everything was a blazing red. Terrifying waves of heat rolled towards them from all directions.
Thin red serpents, lifelike in appearance, coiled and writhed towards them. These crimson serpents were formed from fire-attributed energy and laws concentrated to the extreme!
Instantly, Ye Yunfei felt pain throughout his entire body, as if he was about to ignite and burst into roaring flames.
Hmm...
A muffled groan came from Lu Shimei behind Ye Yunfei, seeming to indicate extreme agony.
"Not good!"
Ye Yunfei's expression changed drastically. He spun around abruptly, reached out, and embraced Lu Shimei with one arm, simultaneously releasing a wave of energy to envelop her.
Lu Shimei felt soft and supple in his grasp, her body elastic and radiating an enchanting, maidenly fragrance.
At that moment, her clothes were completely drenched with sweat, perfectly outlining her attractive figure.
"So hot, so hot..."
Lu Shimei had already fallen into a delirious, high-fever state, muttering under her breath. Crimson fire snakes coiled around her body, their astonishing burning energy seeming ready to set her ablaze at any moment.
Ye Yunfei could tell that Lu Shimei was at the end of her rope. If he didn't act to save her now, she would be incinerated into flying ashes the next moment.
With her level of strength, she simply couldn't withstand the terrifying Fire Energy within this palace!
"The Fire Energy here is too terrifying!"
Even the Giant Arm exclaimed in shock.
Ye Yunfei focused his intent.
BOOM...
Outside the palace, the Vermilion Bird, locked in fierce combat with the humanoid fire beast, spread its wings and charged inside, releasing a torrent of energy that protected Ye Yunfei, Lu Shimei, and the Giant Arm.
The moment the Vermilion Bird entered the palace, it let out a joyful cry and began madly devouring the crimson fire snakes.
These red fire snakes were a supreme tonic for the Vermilion Bird—something one could only hope to encounter by luck, not by seeking!
After the Vermilion Bird entered, Ye Yunfei felt a great sense of relief.
Lu Shimei's condition also began to improve; her body temperature gradually decreased.
Then, she woke up hazily and discovered Ye Yunfei's face not far from hers.
Next, she realized she was drenched in fragrant sweat and being held in Ye Yunfei's embrace.
"You..."
Lu Shimei was both embarrassed and flustered.
In all her life, she had never been held like this by a young man.
"You were on the verge of being ignited," Ye Yunfei said, releasing Lu Shimei.
"Thank you..."
Now, Lu Shimei also recalled the situation moments before, understanding that Ye Yunfei's action was genuinely meant to save her, not to take advantage of her. She couldn't help but speak in a low voice.
Nevertheless, being held while sweaty and drenched by a strange young man felt unbearably shameful. Her lovely face flushed crimson.
"Take this pill. It will help your body recover quickly."
Ye Yunfei took out a blue healing pill and handed it to Lu Shimei.
"A third-grade holy pill!"
Lu Shimei took the pill and, upon looking at it, nearly gasped in surprise.
Although she was a disciple of the Huo Sect, a major starry sky sect, a third-grade holy pill was incredibly precious to her, something extremely difficult to obtain ordinarily.
Yet, this stranger before her had casually gifted her a third-grade holy pill with a casual gesture, as if it were worthless!
"Just what is his background? Why is he completely unafraid of the terrifying Fire Energy here? He casually gives out third-grade holy pills—is he from some major starry sky power? He has saved me twice in a row now; why is he so good to me?"
Lu Shimei stared blankly at Ye Yunfei with her beautiful eyes, finding him utterly mysterious and feeling a massive surge of curiosity towards him.
"So many Flame Crystals!"
By now, Ye Yunfei's gaze was sweeping over the interior of the Fire Worshiping Palace.
A large number of Flame Crystals were piled on the ground, resembling countless undulating hills.
Additionally, near the walls on all sides stood rows of medicine racks and artifact racks, filled with jade bottles of varying sizes and numerous magical treasures.
A large quantity of spatial rings were stacked beyond the corners, with astonishing spiritual energy leaking from them.
Moreover, these jade bottles, artifacts, and spatial rings were all protected by individual Formations. Otherwise, after such a long period of time, they would have long been incinerated into ashes by the astonishing Fire Energy within the palace.
"A pill cauldron!"
Ye Yunfei's gaze fell on a pill cauldron standing in the center of the hall, a massive structure five zhang tall.
This pill cauldron had three legs and two ears, crafted in an ancient style. Carvings of three-legged Golden Crows adorned its surface, exuding divine majesty.
An astonishing amount of heat emanated from within the cauldron.
"Samadhi True Fire!"
Ye Yunfei's Soul Power was extraordinary. With just one perception of the heat radiating from the pill cauldron, he immediately determined that a Heavenly Flame existed inside it.
The Samadhi True Fire, ranked seventh on the Heavenly Flame List!
Because Ye Yunfei had seen the Samadhi True Fire before and could recognize its unique heat signature!
"I'll collect the other treasures first, and take the Samadhi True Fire last."
Ye Yunfei pondered for a moment, thinking this to himself.
Then, Ye Yunfei moved, starting to collect the jade bottles and artifacts on the racks, as well as the spatial rings piled in the corners.
The Formations were activated one after another, constantly manifesting to block Ye Yunfei.
However, Ye Yunfei dismantled them all within moments, thoroughly looting all the treasures.
During this process, the Vermilion Bird spread its wings, protecting Ye Yunfei's body while continuously devouring the red fire snakes.
The Vermilion Bird's strength was rapidly increasing!
"Time to collect the Samadhi True Fire!"
Ye Yunfei walked towards the pill cauldron placed in the center of the main hall.
"Such terrifying heat!"
Ye Yunfei discovered that the closer he got to the pill cauldron, the higher the temperature became.
The Vermilion Bird spread its wings to shield Ye Yunfei's body.
BAM!
Ye Yunfei reached the front of the pill cauldron and, with one palm, slapped open its lid.
A torrent of dreadful, crimson-hot energy erupted from the cauldron.
Then, a fiery-red, bizarre bird abruptly rushed out. This strange bird had a sharp, elongated beak and powerful talons, dragging three long tail plumes behind an elegant and slender body.
Samadhi True Fire!
Ye Yunfei recognized at a glance that this bizarre bird was the manifested form of the Samadhi True Fire.
BOOM...
The strange bird, carrying a surge of scorching heat, charged towards Ye Yunfei.
The rolling flames seemed intent on incinerating everything into nothingness.
Ye Yunfei immediately swept his sleeve, sending Lu Shimei into the Phantom Tower.
"Senior, help subdue this thing!"
Ye Yunfei shouted.
BOOM! BOOM!
Ye Yunfei released both the Three Crow Dark Fire and the Earth Flame, transforming them into two rolling masses of flame to block the path ahead.
Then, the Vermilion Bird, the Three Crow Dark Fire, and the Earth Flame all charged towards the bizarre bird to attack.
"Wow, this fellow! See how powerful I am!"
At that moment, the Giant Arm erupted with full force, releasing vast spiritual power and crushing pressure like towering waves, pressing down towards the bizarre bird.
Ye Yunfei, meanwhile, began rapidly making hand seals with both hands. Arcane, yellow talisman patterns flew from his palms one after another, shooting towards the bizarre bird.
This was a high-level secret art specifically designed for capturing various hetero-flames of heaven and earth!
Next, a terrifying battle erupted within the palace.
Initially, the bizarre bird displayed great might, forcing the Giant Arm, the Vermilion Bird, the Three Crow Dark Fire, and the Earth Flame to retreat repeatedly, gaining the absolute upper hand.
In this environment, the bizarre bird occupied a position of advantage; its combat power was terrifying.
However, as the number of yellow talisman patterns Ye Yunfei summoned increased, surrounding the bizarre bird, its movements gradually slowed down.
The secret art Ye Yunfei employed was too profound—it was specially designed to restrain hetero-flames!
Finally, the bizarre bird was finally suppressed to the point of being unable to resist!
"Excellent!"
Overjoyed, Ye Yunfei charged forward, directly sealing the bizarre bird and beginning to refine it.
Ye Yunfei was already very experienced in refining hetero-flames. Moments later, he successfully refined the bizarre bird.
"Who dares refine my Samadhi True Fire?!"
The moment Ye Yunfei refined the bizarre bird, an enraged roar resounded from the depths of the palace.
RUMBLE...
The entire palace began shaking violently.
Then, the floor of the palace began spewing out massive quantities of terrifying crimson flames. Wave after wave of red fire, like sea-dragons breaking the surface, shot into the air, coiling above the palace in a dread-inspiring spectacle.
An aura of supreme power emanated from deep beneath the palace floor, as if some horrifying prehistoric monster had awakened!
"Not good! It seems we've disturbed a truly terrifying being. I'm definitely no match for him! We need to flee, now!"
The Giant Arm cried out in alarm, speaking to Ye Yunfei.
"We're leaving!"
Without hesitation, Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm charged out of the palace.
ROAR! ROAR...
Outside the palace, on the plaza, several hundred humanoid fire beasts—whose origins were unknown—now stood guarding the palace entrance. The moment they saw Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm, they frantically pounced.
The Huo Sect people had long since vanished without a trace, presumably having fled.
"Scram!"
The Giant Arm roared loudly, cleaving a bloody path through the swarm with Ye Yunfei in tow, then fled down the stone steps at the edge of the plaza before escaping into the distance.
BOOM! BOOM...
At that moment, countless fire beasts surged across the earth, densely packed like endless tidal waves, pursuing Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm in a mighty torrent.
Ye Yunfei, the Giant Arm, and the Vermilion Bird fought desperately, finally breaking through the encirclement. They boarded a starship, soared into the sky, and fled towards the starry expanse.
"A mere boy has actually taken my Samadhi True Fire."
At this moment, a figure completely engulfed in flames stood at the entrance of the Fire Worshiping Palace above the volcanic crater. Its eyes, like two red lanterns, stared in the direction of Ye Yunfei's departure as it spoke.
"Boy, my things are not so easily taken. I will come for you in the future."
The figure radiated a bone-chilling killing intent.
Then, it raised one hand.
Immediately, all the fire beasts on this planet ceased moving.
Then, the planet returned to its former tranquility, with only blazing flames still burning.
"That was too close; we finally escaped. The one that appeared at the end… his power is immense. This arm of mine is definitely no match for him."
In the starry sky, Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm stood before the starship, gazing far into the distance at the fiery, erupting planet.
"He is indeed extremely powerful," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Let's get going. If that fellow decides to pursue us, things would take a turn for the worse," the Giant Arm said.
Even the Giant Arm felt such trepidation; one could imagine just how terrifying the aura of supreme power that had emanated from the palace depths truly was!
"Alright, let's leave."
Ye Yunfei nodded.
Thus, Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm entered the starship, which set course back towards the direction of the Xuanhuang Star Domain.