"Tianpeng, I must go to Xiao Fei."
Miao Ziqiong turned, looking at Ye Tianpeng.
Her heart was tied to her daughter, wishing she could instantly be by Xiao Fei's side.
"Ziqiong, it's my fault. I'm useless, incapable of protecting you two properly.
But don't worry about us; Yunfei and I will be fine." Ye Tianpeng knew that nothing he said could stop Miao Ziqiong from going to the Vermilion Bird Realm. His heart felt as if it was being sliced apart, but he nodded as he spoke.
"Yunfei, take good care of your father."
Miao Ziqiong's gaze shifted to Ye Yunfei.
"Mother, don't worry. I will take care of Father," Ye Yunfei responded with a pained nod.
He understood why his mother had to go to the Vermilion Bird Realm—to save Xiao Fei. But being only a Clone, there was little he could do to help even if he accompanied her. Once this Clone left the Canghuang Realm, it would lose access to the energy of the Canghuang Origin and couldn't even defeat these five men. His presence there would be useless.
"So this kid is Lady Miao Ziqiong's son!"
The five men were astonished.
"Go back and tell the Vermilion Bird King and his two eldest sons: if anything happens to my mother and sister, one day I will personally go to the Vermilion Bird Realm and trample your Miao Clan into dust!"
Ye Yunfei turned, his gaze icy as he fixed it on the five men, enunciating each word clearly.
"Kid, are you courting death?!"
The five men flew into a rage.
The prestige of the Miao Clan from the Vermilion Bird Realm was known throughout the three thousand major and minor worlds. Even ancient sects from the depths of the Chaos Void wouldn't dare provoke them lightly. Yet now, a junior was actually threatening to annihilate their clan!
"Leave now, while I'm still managing to restrain myself from killing you!"
Ye Yunfei could barely suppress the soaring, murderous aura emanating from him.
When it came down to it, the true culprit behind all the suffering his family had endured over the years was the Miao Clan from the Vermilion Bird Realm!
To be more precise, it was the Vermilion Bird King's first and second sons—Miao Ziqiong's first and second uncles!
Ye Yunfei would definitely not let this debt go unpaid.
"Yunfei, Tianpeng, everyone... I'm leaving."
Miao Ziqiong looked back, bidding farewell to each one present.
"Mother, rest assured. I will come to the Vermilion Bird Realm to bring you and Little Sister back.
By the time I arrive there, it will be time for a reckoning with the Miao Clan.
For years, the Vermilion Bird King, boasting the bloodline of the Divine Beast Vermilion Bird within him, has dominated the three thousand major and minor worlds. That's enough glory for him. It's a pity he couldn't even resolve internal conflicts within his own clan. What use is keeping such a family around?"
Ye Yunfei said, his voice ice-cold.
"Lady Miao Ziqiong, let us depart."
The five men gave Ye Yunfei one last deep look before addressing Miao Ziqiong.
They understood that within this world, Ye Yunfei could draw upon the power of the Canghuang Origin. If a real fight broke out, they would likely not be his match.
So, they didn't want to anger Ye Yunfei.
Had they heard such words in the outside world, they would have already attacked.
One of the men took out a flying ship. All five of them and Miao Ziqiong boarded.
Then, the ship emitted a powerful surge of spatial energy, directly tearing open a spatial rift and vanishing inside.
This was no ordinary ship, but one capable of piercing through space-time and traversing between different worlds.
Ye Yunfei stood rooted to the spot, staring fixedly at the spot where the flying ship had disappeared. He didn't move an inch, consumed by a mixture of blazing fury and a suffocating sense of impotence!
To be a Heavenly Emperor, yet be unable to protect his own mother and younger sister—this filled Ye Yunfei with a deep, profound sense of frustration.
"I should notify my main body about this."
Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
His Clone then returned to the secret chamber and began to perform a forbidden secret technique, attempting to establish contact with his main body.
Crossing between worlds made this forbidden technique extremely costly.
Fortunately, with the help of the Canghuang Origin, which allowed him to mobilize the Canghuang Realm's foundational energies, Ye Yunfei's Clone could barely afford the price.
At the same time.
Eastern Barrens, Murong Family Headquarters.
Inside a secret chamber, within the Phantom Tower.
After returning from Meng City to Murong City, Ye Yunfei had been secluded in cultivation.
After his Blood Clan Clone had broken through and advanced, Ye Yunfei began cultivating the Nine Palaces Totem Wheel.
The Nine Divine Beasts manifested simultaneously, beginning to absorb and refine various energies of different attributes.
Ye Yunfei took out nearly all of his accumulated wealth to fuel the cultivation of these nine beasts.
For Ye Yunfei, enhancing his strength was paramount. Money lost could always be earned again!
Roar…
Within the chamber, the roars of the nine beasts were continuous and deafening.
At a certain moment, Ye Yunfei's heart suddenly stirred. He took out a jade slip from his person.
"A transmission from the Canghuang Realm!"
He was startled to discover this jade slip had received a Sound Transmission from within the Canghuang Realm.
"It's from my Clone!"
Ye Yunfei sensed his own aura.
"The Miao Clan of the Vermilion Bird Realm!"
After reading the transmission contained within the jade slip, Ye Yunfei's face instantly darkened. Flames of rage blazed in his eyes. He desperately wished he could rush straight to the Vermilion Bird Realm and settle accounts with the Miao Clan!
He had learned of what had transpired at Qingyun Palace in the Canghuang Realm!
"It seems my strength is increasing too slowly."
Ye Yunfei sighed softly.
"I must elevate my cultivation as quickly as possible, to go to the Vermilion Bird Realm sooner and bring Mother and Xiao Fei back.
Although the Miao Clan of the Vermilion Bird Realm is powerful, they won't treat my mother and sister kindly. In the eyes of the clan's higher-ups, my mother and Xiao Fei are nothing but pawns of the family, disposable the moment they are deemed useless."
These thoughts ran through Ye Yunfei's mind.
In the next moment, Ye Yunfei retrieved the vast majority of his resources and had the Nine Divine Beasts refine and absorb them.
Back in Meng City, Ye Yunfei had slain ten Dao Origin Realm experts. All the wealth belonging to those ten experts had fallen into his hands. Added to his own personal savings, the quantity was truly substantial.
Gradually, the strength of the Nine Divine Beasts steadily increased. Notably, the Strength Devouring beast saw significant gains within a short time, primarily because it could absorb and refine energies of any attribute—accepting them all without discrimination.
A year later.
"This year of cultivation has depleted most of my resources.
Now I'll have to work hard to acquire more!"
Ye Yunfei stopped cultivating and let out a helpless wry smile.
Although the amount of resources consumed was staggering, the magnitude of the strength increase for the Nine Divine Beasts was equally impressive.
After that, Ye Yunfei exited the Phantom Tower and stepped out of the secret chamber.
"We greet our Master!"
Patriarch Meng, the Sect Master of Green Moon Sect, the Valley Master of Illusion Wind Valley, and other Sky Pinnacle Realm experts had long since arrived in Murong City, awaiting Ye Yunfei's exit from seclusion. Upon seeing him, they immediately stepped forward and paid their respectful greetings.
"Master, the Thousand Forest Sect, Dark Cang Sect, and Black Mountain Sect have all been brought under our control,"
Patriarch Meng reported.