Around an hour later.
"Master, we have arrived at Heavenly Wolf City. There is no need for Master to show himself. I will go purchase the demonic beasts myself," Elder Zhang said to Ye Yunfei.
"Alright," Ye Yunfei nodded.
Elder Zhang landed the battleship near an empty spot outside Heavenly Wolf City, then entered the city alone to acquire demonic beasts. Heavenly Wolf City was an outpost of the Beast Sect, one of the Nine Sects of the Eastern Region, adept at taming demonic beasts and quite powerful.
From outside the city walls, Ye Yunfei could hear the constant roars of beasts emanating from within.
Approximately two hours later, Elder Zhang returned to the battleship.
"Master, I have procured a total of over thirteen hundred demonic beasts. The majority are Eighth-Grade or above," Elder Zhang said, waving a hand. More than a thousand cages appeared in the battleship's main hall, each containing a demonic beast. These cages were inscribed with many glowing Formation symbols, making them exceptionally sturdy.
"Very good," Ye Yunfei was quite satisfied.
"Elder Zhang, drive the battleship back to the Great Qin Empire at full speed," Ye Yunfei instructed.
Ye Yunfei understood that with his identity exposed, the Tianyuan Sect and the members of the Ye Family were now in a precarious situation. Unwanted visitors could arrive at any moment.
"Yes," Elder Zhang nodded.
Soon, the battleship shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of light that sped rapidly towards the Great Qin Empire.
Inside the battleship, Ye Yunfei began refining the Bloodline Essence of the demonic beasts.
After the better part of a day, Ye Yunfei finally finished refining all of it. Over thirteen hundred vials of Bloodline Essence were laid out before him.
"Now I can cultivate the third layer of the Heavenly Demon Blood-Refining Body Art."
Ye Yunfei felt a surge of excitement. He was confident that his combat strength would increase significantly once the third layer was mastered!
With a wave of his hand, a large iron cauldron appeared in front of him. He then poured all the Bloodline Essence and the nine hundred Beast King Inner Cores into the cauldron.
Boom...!
Immediately, deafening roars erupted from within the cauldron, accompanied by a column of crimson light soaring upward and the thunderous cries of beasts. One could imagine the terrifying force contained within the Bloodline Essence of over thirteen hundred demonic beasts and nine hundred Beast King Inner Cores gathered together.
Ye Yunfei waved his hand again, taking out a batch of spirit herbs and tossing them into the cauldron.
Finally, Ye Yunfei flicked his finger, and a red, fiery flame flew out from his fingertip. It was precisely the Earth Flame Fire that the Alchemy Elder had gifted him within the Tianying Small World. The Earth Flame Fire ranked fifth among the Earth Fires.
Beyond the Earth Flame Fire, that same Alchemy Elder had also gifted Ye Yunfei the famous Chaos Cauldron. That favor was indeed immense.
"Using the Earth Flame Fire to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Blood-Refining Body Art is quite risky. The slightest mishap could reduce my flesh to ashes," Ye Yunfei mused aloud, looking at the flame before him. "However, using a Hetero-flame to temper the body, if I can endure it, the effects will certainly be excellent. I'll take the risk."
Then, with a flick of his finger, Ye Yunfei sent the Earth Flame Fire into the iron cauldron in front of him.
Instantly, boom...!
The cauldron erupted with blazing flames, and frightening temperatures spread out, distorting the space around the cauldron.
Gritting his teeth, Ye Yunfei leaped inside.
"Ah...!"
Immediately, blood-curdling screams echoed from within the cauldron.
Using a Heaven-Earth Hetero-flame to scorch one's flesh—it was a terrible torment, searing not just the body but also the Soul Body at every moment. The Heavenly Demon Blood-Refining Body Art combined with a Hetero-flame amounted to dual tempering. The risk was greater, but the gains would undoubtedly be greater too!
"The technique Master cultivates is far too terrifying," thought Elder Zhang inside the battleship, listening to Ye Yunfei's agonized screams, his heart pounding with fear.
At the same time, at the headquarters of the Luohai Trading Company in the Eastern Region.
"Terrible news! The Young Third Master's soul tablet just shattered! Quick, report to the Chief Executive!"
"The Chief Executive is in closed-door cultivation!"
Suddenly, panicked shouts broke out.
Moments later, in a secret chamber.
A middle-aged man with a deep, imposing aura sat cross-legged, cultivating.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. He retrieved a communication jade slip.
"Damn it! Why has my third son died so suddenly?! Investigate! Mobilize all our forces! Spare no cost, I want a thorough investigation!"
The middle-aged man roared furiously after reading the message in the slip.
Great Qin Empire, Tianyuan Sect Headquarters.
Inside the main hall.
The Hermit Elder, Sect Master Shi Zongyang, and a group of other high-ranking figures were present.
"Elder Ren, by rough calculation, the training within the Tianying Small World should be concluded. Ye Yunfei and the others should be returning soon," Shi Zongyang said.
"It should indeed be finished. With Ye Yunfei personally participating, the gains from this training in the Tianying Small World are bound to be substantial," the Hermit Elder said with a smile.
"Indeed. Ye Yunfei's strength has already far surpassed ours; he can even slay Saint Realm experts. It must be said, his growth speed is astonishing," Shi Zongyang sighed.
The other Tianyuan Sect high-ranking members nodded in agreement.
"Lately, the cultivation enthusiasm among the sect's disciples is soaring. Each one is full of energy—this is a good thing," the Hermit Elder said with a smile.
"Haha, I've tallied it up. Among the disciples of all five peaks, the number who have broken through to the Heaven Realm recently exceeds seventy! Such an unprecedented breakthrough!" Shi Zongyang laughed heartily.
"This is mainly because Ye Yunfei provided a large quantity of high-grade spirit pills. Many of our Tianyuan Sect disciples possess decent innate talent. Their progress was hindered previously due to a lack of cultivation resources. Now, with sufficient resources, their potential is naturally being unleashed," the Hermit Elder nodded, smiling.
Just then.
"Elder Ren! Sect Master Shi! It's terrible! Many people have arrived outside, all shouting they want to see Ye Yunfei!"
Suddenly, a steward stumbled in, his clothes stained with blood, clearly wounded, crying out in alarm.
All the high-ranking members in the hall stood up abruptly.
"It seems Ye Yunfei has indeed provoked some enemies who have come looking for him," the Hermit Elder said. "Pass down the order: prepare to face the enemy!"
Then, "Activate the Formations!" the Hermit Elder roared.
He rapidly performed hand seals, sending streams of incantation magic into the ground.
Soon, boom... boom...!
The five main peaks of the Tianyuan Sect headquarters began to tremble, spewing columns of Formation light that intertwined mid-air.
Moments later, a large Formation was suspended above the Tianyuan Sect headquarters, sealing the entire sect under a tight protective canopy.
"Let's go out and see," the Hermit Elder said with a sigh of relief once the Formation was activated. He waved his hand, leading the Tianyuan Sect's high-ranking figures out of the headquarters.
At that moment, outside the Tianyuan Sect headquarters, a massive crowd had gathered. At a glance, it was a sea of people, noise shaking the heavens. These individuals were divided into several groups, totaling tens of thousands, each holding weapons and brimming with ferocious intent.