The palace was spacious and relatively empty.
In its very center stood an altar.
An old man sat cross-legged beside it.
Swoosh…
When Ye Yunfei and Yang Xiaohu walked into the palace, the old man’s two sharp, intense eyes suddenly fixed on them.
"Senior, we wish to go to Two Realms Star," Yang Xiaohu said, walking forward and presenting a yellow token to the elder.
Two Realms Star was a desolate, uninhabited planet within the Tianluo Star Sea.
The Miao Clan headquarters was relatively close to Two Realms Star!
"Speak!
Three days ago, someone entered a spatial crack near this planet. Was it you two?"
The old man did not take the token. Instead, he suddenly released a powerful pressure of spiritual power, like a massive wave crashing down towards Yang Xiaohu and Ye Yunfei.
He was an expert at the Lightning Tribulation Realm early-stage!
Crack crack…
Yang Xiaohu's steps halted; he felt as if he were carrying a great mountain on his back, his waist continuously bending.
Ye Yunfei’s gaze turned cold as he stared at the old man.
Ye Yunfei's physical body possessed the strength of five coiling-dragons. Facing the energy pressure of an early-stage Lightning Tribulation expert, he felt nothing.
Moreover, though Ye Yunfei was only at the Star Bridge Realm mid-stage, his spiritual power was far more profound and robust than Yang Xiaohu's early-stage Astral Ocean Realm cultivation.
"There is indeed something strange!
Boy, which sect are you from?
You must fully explain your background before you can use this Teleportation Formation."
The old man's scrutinizing gaze fixed on Ye Yunfei.
Three days ago, he had inadvertently seen someone walk into a spatial crack near this planet and had been pondering the matter ever since, wanting to get to the bottom of it.
Now, he found this young man before him highly suspicious!
"Senior, I have a token," Yang Xiaohu hastily raised the yellow token in his hand.
"You have one, but does he?
Besides, even with a token, I have the right to thoroughly investigate your backgrounds."
The old man sneered.
"Big Brother…" Yang Xiaohu looked toward Ye Yunfei.
"No need to waste words with him."
Ye Yunfei gave a cold smile.
"Boy, you…" The old man’s face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger.
Rumble…
In the next instant, a Giant Arm abruptly appeared, grabbing the old man in its palm.
"What kind of monster is this!"
The old man was so frightened his soul nearly fled his body. He struggled desperately.
However, even using all his might, he couldn't move an inch.
The Giant Arm directly sealed the old man and tossed him in front of Ye Yunfei.
"Boy, you dare to lay hands on me?! The consequences are severe. I am—"
The old man roared in shock and fury.
Pow!
Ye Yunfei stomped down, shattering the old man’s right arm to dust.
"I don't care who you are. Tell me the spatial coordinates for Two Realms Star immediately.
Otherwise, I will scatter your soul and annihilate your spirit."
Ye Yunfei's gaze was icy and ruthless.
"Boy…" the elder hissed venomously.
Pow!
Ye Yunfei stomped again, shattering the old man’s right leg to dust.
"Stop! I'll tell you!"
The old man began to feel genuine terror. He realized this kid before him was utterly ruthless and merciless, striking without the slightest hesitation.
"Don't try any tricks. I'll take you to Two Realms Star with me. If anything goes wrong, I'll make sure you're utterly destroyed, body and soul, first."
Ye Yunfei lifted the old man's body and walked onto the altar.
Yang Xiaohu hurriedly followed.
Next, the old man recited a set of spatial coordinates.
Ye Yunfei formed hand-seals and struck the altar repeatedly.
Rumble…
The altar trembled violently, erupting with dense waves of spatial energy.
"Impossible?!
You actually know how to activate this Teleportation Altar?
Just who are you?"
The old man stared, dumbstruck.
In fact, this kind of Teleportation Altar was merely a trifling matter to Ye Yunfei.
The next moment.
A powerful teleportation energy enveloped the three people on the altar, tore through space, and teleported them away.
Then.
The three of them entered a teleportation channel, moving at an unimaginably astonishing speed.
Several hours later.
Two Realms Star.
Two Realms Star was a dim, lightless, uninhabited planet.
Near Two Realms Star, horrifying spatial cracks crisscrossed the void.
Occasionally, strange cries could be faintly heard emanating from the depths of those cracks, sending chills down one’s spine.
It was said that the Two Realms region was originally a very prosperous star domain with over a dozen planets.
But during the great war in ancient times that annihilated the great demon invaders from the Demon Realm, it was devastated beyond recognition, leaving only a single surviving planet.
At this moment, on Two Realms Star, within an ancient, decrepit palace, atop an altar.
Suddenly, the altar began to tremble violently, emitting a radiant glow.
"More people are teleporting over!
Since the Miao Clan is about to hold their Celebration Grand Ceremony, these past two days major figures from various great powers have been continuously arriving via Teleportation Altars.
It seems another expert from some great power has arrived."
An old man sat cross-legged beside the altar, gazing at it as he muttered to himself.
In the next instant.
Ye Yunfei and Yang Xiaohu appeared on the altar.
"Two youngsters?"
The old man couldn't help but be taken aback.
He had thought some expert from a major power was teleporting over, but it turned out to be two youths.
"Hmm, one at the early-stage Astral Ocean Realm, one at the mid-stage Star Bridge Realm. Such strength is quite decent.
They must be core disciples of some great power."
The old man swept his eyes over Ye Yunfei and Yang Xiaohu, thinking to himself.
Then, the old man closed his eyes and paid them no further heed.
He was tasked with guarding this Teleportation Formation passed down from ancient times. Even high-ranking members of major powers would nod and smile at him when they saw him. Two junior youths like these were beneath his notice.
Seeing this, Ye Yunfei and Yang Xiaohu also ignored the old man, walking out of the palace.
"Big Brother, from here to the Miao Clan headquarters, it's only half a day's journey," Yang Xiaohu said in a low voice.
"Good, let's go."
Ye Yunfei took out his flying ship. He and Yang Xiaohu boarded it and flew in the direction of the Miao Clan headquarters.
Miao Domain.
Miao Domain was a star domain, named after the surname of the Miao Clan. The entire Miao Domain was the territory of the Miao Clan!
There were a total of five planets in Miao Domain.
They were called Miao Star One, Two, Three, Four, and Five respectively.
Among them, Miao Star One was the primary star.
Miao Star One was the largest in volume, suspended at the center of Miao Domain. Its spiritual energy was rich, and intangible laws reverberated like heavenly music.
One could see numerous flying vessels entering and leaving the star domain, creating a bustling, prosperous scene.
"Big Brother, this is Miao Domain."
As Ye Yunfei's flying ship entered Miao Domain, Yang Xiaohu informed him.
"That should be the primary star."
Ye Yunfei pointed towards Miao Star One floating in the center of the domain.
"Yes.
However, Miao Star One is a heavily guarded stronghold of the Miao Clan. It's very difficult to sneak into," Yang Xiaohu replied.
"No matter.
We'll head directly to Miao Star One."
Ye Yunfei said.
There was only one day left until the Miao Clan was to hold their Celebration Grand Ceremony. By then, vast numbers of martial artists from across the Tianluo Star Sea would gather in Miao Domain. If they tried to act and rescue someone at that time, the difficulty would increase manyfold.
"Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm, you bring us in."
Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and spoke to the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm.
Not long ago, the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm had undergone a bloodline breakthrough, becoming even more powerful. Its mastery of spatial energy would have increased significantly as well.
Spatial energy was a racial talent of the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm. Unlike Ye Yunfei, who needed to cultivate to improve, it only needed to continuously elevate its bloodline level to unlock the racial talents inherent within its blood.
"Kid, for a situation like this, you really do need me to take charge,"
a flash of golden light, and the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm appeared, saying proudly.
Then, Ye Yunfei put away the flying ship and brought Yang Xiaohu into the Phantom Tower via teleportation.
The Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm grabbed the Phantom Tower, transformed into a streak of golden light, slipped into the space, and quietly headed towards Miao Star One.
At this moment.
Within Miao Star One, inside a tall mountain peak.
The interior of this peak had long been hollowed out and reconstructed into a large prison specifically used by the Miao Clan to hold prisoners.
Moreover, only prisoners of great importance or possessing formidable strength were incarcerated here!
This prison was also the Miao Clan's most heavily guarded one. Layer upon layer of formations enveloped the mountain peak.
No one was permitted to approach without permission!
At this moment, within the peak, in a dimly lit prison cell that never saw sunlight.
Miao Ziqiong and Xiao Fei huddled together for warmth.
"Mother, yesterday you told me about Father. Tell me about my brother today.
Have you seen my brother?
What does my brother look like?"
Xiao Fei leaned against Miao Ziqiong and asked.
In this dark, sunless prison cell, Xiao Fei's greatest pleasure was pestering her mother to tell stories about all sorts of things and people from the outside world.
Of course, the ones she asked about most were her father and brother.
"Mother, Mother…"
Xiao Fei called several times in a row.
"Xiao Fei, what did you just say?"
Only after being called multiple times did Miao Ziqiong snap back to attention and ask.
"Mother, do you have something on your mind?"
Xiao Fei asked sensitively.
However, at that very moment.
Swoosh swoosh…
An expressionless old man appeared within the prison cell like a ghost, his gaze cold and ruthless as it fixed on Xiao Fei.
"Great Elder!"
As soon as Miao Ziqiong saw this old man, she couldn't help but cry out in alarm, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.
"Hmm, barely usable."
The elder examined Xiao Fei and nodded.
"Great Elder, what do you intend to do?
Don't you dare touch Xiao Fei! Otherwise, my daughter and I will die right here together!"
Upon hearing the elder's words, Miao Ziqiong's face turned pale. She pulled Xiao Fei behind her.
"Hmph!
This is a matter concerning the future development of our Miao Clan. How could you, a lowly woman, possibly stop it.
Scram!"
The elder's face darkened.
Rumble…
Immediately, a formidable pressure of spiritual power filled every inch of space within the prison cell.
Miao Ziqiong and Xiao Fei seemed to be struck by a body-paralysis spell, frozen in their previous postures, standing rigidly in place, unable to move even a finger.
Pfft…
Miao Ziqiong coughed up mouthfuls of blood.
"Mother!"
Xiao Fei was shocked and cried out in alarm.
"Come here."
The elder said coldly, gesturing with his hand.
Swoosh!
Xiao Fei flew in front of the elder.
The elder pointed a finger, and Xiao Fei immediately fell unconscious.
Then, without even glancing at Miao Ziqiong, the elder turned and left, taking Xiao Fei with him.
"Don't hurt Xiao Fei, she's innocent, she knows nothing!"
Miao Ziqiong collapsed to the ground, begging weakly.
"Don't worry, our Miao Clan won't harm her.
After I extract the Vermilion Bird Divine Meridian from her body, she will be sent to the residence of the Pang Clan's Second Young Master to become his woman.
From then on, she will enjoy endless wealth, glory, and splendor."
The elder left these words behind and vanished.
"No!
You can't do this to Xiao Fei! She's just a child! She's innocent!"
Miao Ziqiong's desperate cries echoed within the prison cell, lingering long after they were uttered.