"Kid, die!"
The old Wizard suddenly quickened his pace and charged toward Ye Yunfei.
He knew that if he didn't kill Ye Yunfei, Ye Yunfei would never allow him to refine the Vermilion Bird Skeleton exclusively.
Boom…
With a palm strike, the old Wizard struck towards Ye Yunfei. His hand continuously expanded, vast black laws blooming from his palm, faintly weaving together to form a large black world that surged forward to envelop Ye Yunfei.
This was a great magical ability, called the World within the Palm!
Originally an Emperor-grade secret technique, this old Wizard had actually managed to unleash it!
Of course, the power he wielded was far from matching that of a true Heavenly Emperor!
But it was more than enough to suppress the majority of Half-Emperors!
"Time Reversal Art!"
Ye Yunfei directly activated this temporal secret art, sending a flood of time energy and laws toward the old Wizard.
In fact, this was also an Emperor-grade secret technique left behind by the ancient Great Emperor Gu Huang!
"What a profound temporal secret art!"
The old Wizard was horrified to find the flow of time in the surrounding space suddenly halt and begin reversing.
Ye Yunfei flicked his fingers repeatedly, releasing six kinds of Different Fires all at once. They transformed into six furious balls of flame that merged into a giant palm, hurtling toward the old Wizard's palm.
Rumble…
Their palms collided violently, erupting with terrifying energy pressure. An endless array of laws surfaced continuously, morphing into brilliant, dazzling chains that tangled together.
In this exchange, neither side gained an upper hand!
Of course, Ye Yunfei understood that it was only because he had first used the Time Reversal Art to weaken part of the old Wizard's combat prowess that he could achieve such a result.
"It seems the old Wizard's true combat strength is stronger than mine."
Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
"Kid, die!"
The old Wizard suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a black sphere. It burst forth, unleashing a torrent of dark energy pressure that crushed towards Ye Yunfei.
This was an Emperor-Grade Treasure!
"Leave this to me!"
Hun Lao shouted, activating the Heavenly Dao Tower to meet the black sphere.
Clang!
The Heavenly Dao Tower and the black sphere collided.
Both were Emperor-Grade Treasures, and the result was another stalemate!
"Kid, no matter what tricks you have, I'm going to kill you!"
The old Wizard roared.
Clang, clang…
Waves of black sword lights blossomed from his back, as if billions of dark arrows were spraying forth.
It looked as if his body were now draped in dark wings, turning him into a pitch-black bird charging towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei extended a finger, activating the Different Fires Art, merging all six Different Fires into a sword with six colors to intercept the black sword lights.
Simultaneously, five long swords flew out from his body, forming the Five Elements God-Slaying Sword Formation to slash towards the old Wizard.
Zheng, zheng…
Their attacks collided incessantly, the space between them ablaze with brilliant light and drowned in terrifying energy and laws.
This was an intense battle.
If not for the Vermilion Bird Skeleton present in the palace suppressing everything, the battle between Ye Yunfei and the old Wizard would have long since reduced this entire palace to ashes.
Swoosh…
A massive dark claw appeared above Ye Yunfei's head, ink-dark, as if soaked in black ink.
At that moment, the old Wizard had fully transformed into a bizarre, dark bird, though his head remained his original one, creating a grotesque sight.
"So this is your true form—a creature of the Dark Faction!
I wonder how the Miao Clan members would feel when they learn their revered Wizard is actually a member of the Dark Faction."
Ye Yunfei gazed coldly at the strange bird and sneered.
"Once I kill you, no one will ever know my identity."
The old Wizard seethed with murderous intent, his voice dripping with rage.
Boom…
The old Wizard spread his dark wings, which resembled twin celestial black blades, cleaving through space directly as they slashed towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei drew a Half-Emperor-grade longsword and unleashed One Sword to Pacify the World, bringing his blade forward to block the attack.
For a time, the battle raged fiercely.
Throughout the fight, Ye Yunfei frequently deployed the Time Reversal Art, Time Blade, Space Sword, Heavenly Soul Sword, and the Puppet Soul Thread Secret Art to disrupt the old Wizard time and again, actually managing to fight him to a standstill!
In terms of raw combat power, the old Wizard had the edge.
But Ye Yunfei possessed far too many diverse and powerful techniques, each unleashing formidable force that often caught the old Wizard off guard.
"How is this possible!
A mere first-grade Half-Emperor, fighting me to this extent!"
The old Wizard couldn't accept the situation, filled with frustration and rage.
While Ye Yunfei and the old Wizard clashed violently, their previously summoned Half-Emperor experts were also locked in furious combat elsewhere in the vast palace interior.
The palace was spacious enough to avoid approaching the skeleton, providing ample room for these high-powered clashes.
"Brother!
My Vermilion Bird Divine Meridian has nearly reached the Vermilion Bird Skeleton!"
Just then, Xiao Fei gleefully sent a transmission to Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei immediately looked over and saw her Vermilion Bird Divine Meridian had indeed fully approached the skeleton, gently rubbing against it in an affectionate way, like a child seeking comfort from a mother.
A clever girl, Xiao Fei knew that to gain the skeleton's legacy and bloodline, it was best to first win its trust, lowering its guard to make the next steps easier.
Possessing the highest-grade Vermilion Bird Divine Meridians within the Miao Clan, hers and Miao Ziqiong's veins were descended from this skeleton, granting a sense of familiarity that prevented the skeleton from rejecting them.
As Xiao Fei's Vermilion Bird Divine Meridian reached the skeleton, Miao Ziqiong's also began its approach!
Both Divine Meridians lovingly caressed the skeletal remains.
Ye Yunfei felt a surge of emotion. This was a promising sign!
But then, boom…
Violent explosions of energy resonated from outside the palace.
"Excellent!
We've already broken half of this cursed formation!
Everyone, keep pushing to shatter it completely!"
The voice of Da Wangye rang out.
Both Ye Yunfei and the old Wizard felt a chill in their hearts. The Myriad Birds Formation outside was almost breached!
The combined forces of the three Princes equated to practically the entire Miao Clan's army.
Although formidable, the Myriad Birds Formation couldn't withstand a full-assault by the entire clan indefinitely.
Once those external Miao Clan forces flooded in, a host of powerful competitors would emerge—many having their own Vermilion Bird Divine Meridians, enabling them to approach the skeleton with relative ease.
"Just you wait. I will not let this go."
The old Wizard shot Ye Yunfei a glance filled with boundless killing intent, then turned towards the Vermilion Bird Skeleton.
He knew there was no time to waste. He had to seize every second to refine the skeleton, lest further changes occur.
"Hehe, old fellow, with me here, you won't lay hands on that skeleton."
Ye Yunfei chuckled coldly, focusing his will and directly teleporting ten Half-Emperor experts out from within the Heavenly Dao Tower.
Among them were eight advanced Half-Emperors and two Perfected Half-Emperors!
"Block this old bastard! Don't let him near the skeleton!"
Ye Yunfei barked, leading the ten Half-Emperors forward to encircle the old Wizard.
"How… how is this possible?
You still have ten Half-Emperor experts?"
The old Wizard was dumbstruck, unable to believe his eyes.
Boom, boom, boom…
Ye Yunfei and the ten Half-Emperor experts launched a frenzied offensive upon the old Wizard, forcing him to roar in rage, utterly unable to seize any opportunity to approach the skeleton.