Very soon.
The hundreds of members from Divine Medicine Valley arrived at the main gate of Xia Manor.
"Halt… Who are you people?"
Several servants guarding the Xia Manor's main gate grew rather afraid when they saw this large group of martial artists approaching with aggressive momentum, and they found the courage to ask.
"I am Elder Yan Zhou of Divine Medicine Valley. Tell your family head to come out and meet me," Elder Yan said arrogantly, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Divine Medicine Valley… an Elder…"
Those few gate-guarding servants from the Xia family stared wide-eyed in shock.
Divine Medicine Valley was a second-tier force. Its influence was only slightly weaker than the Three Saints, Six Clans, and Nine Sects. An Elder from Divine Medicine Valley arriving personally—that status was simply astonishing for a family like the Xia.
"Hurry up and scram to deliver the message!"
A man at the intermediate stage of the Saint Realm glared and shouted harshly, releasing a powerful aura pressure of spiritual power.
Bang! Bang!
The few servants guarding Xia Manor's gate were only at the Body Tempering Realm, so how could they withstand it? They were all blasted away. Afterward, with urine and feces frightened right out of them, they scrambled into Xia Manor in a rush to deliver the news.
Moments later.
Xia Tiancheng, leading five elders and a group of the Xia family's mid-level backbones, rushed out anxiously and eagerly.
The status of Divine Medicine Valley's Elder had utterly intimidated these high-level members of the Xia family!
"I am Xia Tiancheng, head of the Xia family. Forgive my rudeness for not welcoming Elder Yan properly…"
The moment Xia Tiancheng charged out of Xia Manor's main gate, he immediately paid his respects to Elder Yan, his attitude extremely respectful.
"Save the flattery.
Two days ago, your daughter brought back a young man. Have him come out and see me immediately!" Elder Yan waved his hand impatiently and said.
To Elder Yan, Xia Tiancheng was nothing more than a minor character, completely unworthy of his attention.
"Elder Yan, are you referring to Young Master Ye Yunfei? Young Master Ye is currently in closed-door cultivation," Xia Tiancheng replied after a moment's pause.
"Hah, what impressive airs he puts on," Elder Yan said with a cold laugh.
"Have that boy roll out here immediately! Otherwise, we'll tear this Xia Manor down," a Saint Realm late-stage expert beside Elder Yan shouted harshly.
"Family Head, that Ye Yunfei clearly offended Divine Medicine Valley, and now they're here for revenge," an elder from the Xia family whispered to Xia Tiancheng. "Our Xia family would be best not to get involved in this affair. Besides, two days ago, Ye Yunfei injured many of our own. He's an enemy, not a friend."
"Right."
After thinking it over briefly, Xia Tiancheng realized it made sense.
"Elder Yan, that Ye Yunfei has no real connection to our Xia Manor," Xia Tiancheng promptly said. "In fact, just two days ago, he caused a great disturbance here and injured many of our Xia clansmen. I will lead you to him now."
"Lead the way," Elder Yan said indifferently.
Thus, Xia Tiancheng and the five elders immediately led Divine Medicine Valley's forces into Xia Manor, heading straight for Ye Yunfei's secret cultivation chamber.
"Let's go! We're entering as well!"
Around Xia Manor, the forces of several other factions had long been lying in wait. As soon as they saw Divine Medicine Valley's forces enter the manor, they also revealed themselves, charging into Xia Manor from different directions.
"Who are you people…"
"Scram!"
The servants of Xia Manor tried to step forward to obstruct them but were thrown flying at the mere start of their questions.
The sounds of pandemonium broke out continuously throughout Xia Manor, accompanied by shouts and panicked cries.
At this moment.
Inside the secret chamber where Ye Yunfei was in closed-door cultivation…
"Inhale!"
Gazing at the three pieces of Sansheng Divine Wood before him, glints of light flashing in his eyes, Ye Yunfei suddenly opened his mouth and sucked in sharply.
Hooo…
The three pieces of Sansheng Divine Wood trembled simultaneously. The essence of wood energy they contained rushed into Ye Yunfei's mouth like three roaring azure dragons.
Boom…
Thunderous crackling sounds like claps of thunder rang out within Ye Yunfei's body. His flesh suddenly swelled up, as if he were a huge, inflated balloon.
It had to be said the volume of wood energy essence contained within those three pieces of Sansheng Divine Wood was truly immense.
Within his body, Ye Yunfei rapidly activated the Greenwood Emperor Body technique, refining the wood essence he had inhaled.
Moments later.
His inflated, balloon-like flesh returned to normal.
Then…
Crackle, pop, pop…
Explosive popping sounds resonated all over Ye Yunfei's body, as if a string of firecrackers had been ignited. His entire form unexpectedly stretched a notch taller in an instant. He looked like an azure giant!
At this moment, Ye Yunfei felt as if his body had transformed into a piece of Primordial True Metal! Not only had his physical strength increased. More importantly, the ruggedness and resilience of his flesh had undergone a qualitative leap!
After another incense stick's worth of time, Ye Yunfei's body slowly returned to its normal size.
"My Greenwood Emperor Body… I've barely, barely managed to reach a half-step into the entry stage," Ye Yunfei slowly opened his eyes and revealed a bitter smile. "It doesn't even count as a proper entry."
The sheer difficulty of cultivating this Greenwood Emperor Body had exceeded Ye Yunfei's expectations.
The three pieces of Sansheng Divine Wood before him had completely exhausted their wood energy essence, turning into three worthless lumps of wood that fell to the floor.
Ye Yunfei stood up and glanced at his hands.
The skin was delicate and soft like a baby's, but deep within the skin, obscure yet profound mysterious runes faintly existed.
Making a light fist, Ye Yunfei sensed the surging, vast power within his body—it felt overwhelmingly mighty.
"The Heavenly Demon Blood-Refining Body Art focuses on enhancing raw physical power, while the Greenwood Emperor Body emphasizes improving the flesh's toughness and resilience," Ye Yunfei assessed inwardly. "With both body tempering techniques fused together, my current physical strength is about nine hundred thousand catties. As for the body's endurance, even a direct strike from an early stage True Manifestation Realm expert would probably only inflict minor injuries now. As for ordinary Saint Realm martial artists, even if I stood still and let them strike me, they wouldn't be able to hurt me."
A proud smile touched Ye Yunfei's lips. Though he hadn't cultivated the Greenwood Emperor Body to a true entry level, he still had gained an enormous harvest.
Right at that moment.
"Kid, roll out here!"
A loud shout came from outside the secret chamber.
Then.
Bang!
The secret chamber's doors were violently broken open as over a dozen martial artists charged inside.
"It's him! That's the kid!"
The man at the lead saw Ye Yunfei with a single glance and could not help but cry out in delighted surprise, pointing at him.
Immediately, those dozen-plus martial artists surged toward Ye Yunfei.
Standing with hands behind his back, Ye Yunfei's pupils shot forth two brilliant rays of green light, emanating an air of majestic authority that looked down upon the entire world.
It scared those martial artists enough that they all shivered with a cold dread for no apparent reason.
"Who are you?" Ye Yunfei asked lightly.
"Kid, we are from Divine Medicine Valley. You'd best cooperate nicely, or you're going to get a taste of bitter suffering," a martial artist shouted harshly at Ye Yunfei.
"So it's Divine Medicine Valley after all."
Ye Yunfei's mind worked with utmost sharpness; he immediately guessed what was going on. On the Treasure Exchange Fair back in Thousandrock City, he had killed Divine Medicine Valley's Elder Lu Shan and exposed the existence of his fifteen Realm Breaking Pills. The people of Divine Medicine Valley were bound to come looking for him sooner or later.
"Move! Grab this kid!"
The dozen-plus martial artists surged forth, pouncing onto Ye Yunfei.
With one hand clasped behind his back, Ye Yunfei extended his other hand, striking repeatedly.
Whap! Whap!
One strike each, without taking a second in full, Ye Yunfei sent all the martial artists flying—one after another—through the secret chamber's doors and outside.