"The Void Secret Realm will be opening soon. I'll find a spot near the entrance, go into seclusion, and wait for it to open."
At this time, Ye Yunfei had already moved far away from his previous location and arrived at another part of the Chaotic Void. After giving it some thought, he spoke up.
"I didn't expect that because of the Xiao Family sisters, you'd end up offending two more powerful enemies," Hun Lao said to him.
"Let it be. When I act, I only seek to satisfy my own conscience. There's no need for too many concerns," Ye Yunfei replied.
"Good. As long as your conscience is clear when acting, that's enough. Always second-guessing and being afraid of everything will hinder your martial heart sooner or later. I approve of this mindset of yours," the remnant soul praised, nodding in agreement with Ye Yunfei's words.
Ye Yunfei then quietly made his way close to the entrance of the Void Secret Realm. Using formations, he created a small, hidden space and entered it to meditate and cultivate in seclusion.
"Now I'm an Intermediate Golden Immortal. The next step is to become an Advanced Golden Immortal. After breaking through to Advanced Golden Immortal, I can begin cultivating the Golden Immortal-tier Ninety-Nine Return to True Immortal technique," Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
As the opening of the Void Secret Realm drew near, an increasing number of beings began gathering towards its entrance. The previously desolate void was slowly coming to life.
Around the same time, not long after the Xiao Family had left the location where Ye Yunfei had rescued Xiao Huanhuan and her sister, an elder arrived with a group of followers.
"Our Black Wind Group's operation failed again, all because of that brat! If I don't tear that little whelp limb from limb, I won't be satisfied!" the elder roared, his face contorted with rage and teeth clenched. This elder was the same Intermediate Heavenly Immortal of the Black Wind Group. He had rushed over immediately after receiving the news, but Ye Yunfei was already long gone. Fury boiled within him.
"Investigate that boy's origins immediately. I want to know his exact background and who backs him. How dare he oppose our Black Wind Group? Even if he has some half-decent faction behind him, our group won't fear him!" the elder commanded.
"Also, issue a bounty poster immediately. Publicly release his appearance and Soul Body aura. Set a high reward. That brat has ruined our missions several times now and killed many of our members. If we don't eliminate him, our Black Wind Group will lose all face!" After some deliberation, the elder added his new command loudly.
Several Black Wind Group members nearby chorused their compliance and quickly left to carry out the elder's orders.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Shangqing Realm, inside a splendid, opulent palace, Zhan Yuan was brimming with fury.
"Just who is that brat? What family is he from? Why is he determined to oppose me?" Zhan Yuan gnashed his teeth.
"Young Master Zhan, I don't think his goal is specifically to oppose you. Rather, his aim is likely the same as yours: to win favor with the two Xiao Family sisters and then claim them for himself," an elder beside him spoke up.
"That makes sense! It must be because of that. The purity of the bloodline within that twin pair is extraordinarily high. It offers immense benefits for cultivation. That fellow is definitely after the same thing. However, whatever I, Zhan Yuan, have set my sights on, no one else can touch! Immediately issue an anonymous bounty, offering a reward for that brat's death. Release his appearance and Soul Body aura. Anyone who can kill him can claim a substantial reward!" Zhan Yuan said after thinking for a moment, his voice low and severe.
"Rest assured, Young Master. I know what to do," the elder replied before turning and leaving.
Not long after, two separate bounty notices appeared circulating within the Tiange World Cluster. Both bounties targeted the same person: a young man with the strength of an Intermediate Golden Immortal. The notices bore imprints of the young man's appearance and Soul Body aura. Both notices identified the target only by the surname Ye, with his specific name unknown.
These twin bounties quickly drew significant attention. Bounties themselves weren't rare, but two separate bounties targeting the same individual was an uncommon occurrence. They spread rapidly through the Tiange World Cluster, and soon, more and more people knew about them.
"Just who is this fellow surnamed Ye? Why are there two bounty notices hunting him down?" Many people wondered and speculated.
"Sister Huanhuan, this person on the bounty poster is Young Master Ye! Who issued a bounty for him? Could it be our Xiao Family? I'm going to find Liu Laolao and ask her right now! Young Master Ye is our savior. I absolutely won't allow our Xiao Family to repay kindness with malice by putting a bounty on his head!" As soon as Xiao Yueyue saw the poster, she immediately ran to find Xiao Huanhuan.
"I already asked. Liu Laolao said our Xiao Family definitely hasn't posted any bounty on Young Master Ye. I think I know who issued these two notices. One was posted by the Black Wind Group, and the other by Zhan Yuan. Young Master Ye is suffering because of us," Xiao Huanhuan said, her expression tinged with anger and frustration.
"It must be! It has to be the Black Wind Group and Zhan Yuan who issued them. And when you trace it back, the real instigator is that scoundrel Zhan Yuan. He's so despicable! He was the one who hired the Black Wind Group to capture us in the first place. Last time he tried to frame Young Master Ye, and now he's posted a bounty on him. Young Master Ye is definitely facing trouble because of us two. Otherwise, neither the Black Wind Group nor Zhan Yuan would have any reason to go after him," Xiao Yueyue fumed.
"Sister Huanhuan, what should we do now? The Black Wind Group has Heavenly Immortal experts, and Zhan Yuan has Heavenly Immortals at his side too. Young Master Ye's strength is formidable, but it might be difficult for him against Heavenly Immortal-level experts. Should we go find him right now and try to help him?" Xiao Yueyue suggested anxiously.
"Right now, Young Master Ye is being hunted by the Black Wind Group and Zhan Yuan. With two bounties out, even more people will be looking for him and trying to kill him. He will definitely be in hiding, keeping his movements extremely secret. It will be very hard for us to find him. Moreover, even if we did find him, with our current strength, we probably wouldn't be able to help much. We'd just become a burden," Xiao Huanhuan replied after some thought, shaking her head.
"Then what do we do? Just sit back and watch Young Master Ye get hunted down because of us?" Xiao Yueyue pressed.
"Let's go talk to Liu Laolao and explain the situation to her. She dotes on us the most. We'll beg her and see if we can persuade her to intervene and help Young Master Ye," Xiao Huanhuan proposed.
"Alright, let's go find Liu Laolao right now. I'll be the one to tell her," Xiao Yueyue declared, immediately darting off towards Liu Laolao.
"Isn't that Young Master Ye? When did he get here? Looks like he plans to explore the Void Secret Realm. I had a feeling he'd show up, and it turns out I was right. But why are there two bounties hunting him down? Who has he offended?" In another corner of the Tiange World Cluster, a white-robed man examined the two bounty notices before him and immediately recognized Ye Yunfei. "With Young Master Ye participating in this expedition, the trip into the Void Secret Realm is sure to be a lot more interesting," the white-robed man said with a smile.
If Ye Yunfei were here, he would instantly recognize this man as the Mr. Meng who had treated him to Immortal Terrace Wine back in the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds.
Before long, news spread like wildfire through the Tiange World Cluster: the entrance to the Void Secret Realm had officially opened!
As soon as the news broke out, countless young beings from across the Tiange World Cluster swarmed toward the Void Secret Realm's entrance, their numbers vast like a locust swarm. The entrance was located within the Chaotic Void near the Shangqing Realm. Under normal circumstances, the entrance remained hidden within space-time. Not even Deity-level experts could locate it. Only when it opened would it automatically manifest before the world.
By now, an enormous multitude of young beings had already gathered at that point in Chaotic Void, forming a dense sea of figures stretching as far as the eye could see. And still, even more young beings were rushing in endlessly. In reality, besides these young aspirants, many older beings were also preparing to enter the Void Secret Realm for this expedition. The Void Secret Realm imposed no age restrictions, only a restriction on cultivation level: only Golden Immortals and Heavenly Immortals could enter. The reason so many young beings had gathered so quickly was simply because they were more eager and impatient.
Most of the older cultivators followed at a more measured pace. In less than half a day, that section of Chaotic Void was utterly packed with beings from all over the Chaotic Void Sea. All their eyes were fixed on a dark, cavernous Space-Time Channel that resembled a giant beast's gaping maw. Vast amounts of spatial-temporal energy and laws, taking the form of furious gales, blasted forth from the dark passage.
"Is this… the entrance to the Void Secret Realm?" many young beings asked, gazing at the dark Space-Time Channel with uncertainty.
"Yes, this is indeed the entrance to the Void Secret Realm," some of the older cultivators confirmed with nods.
Many older beings weren't visiting the Void Secret Realm for the first time; they had ventured inside before. Some among the elderly group had even entered two or three times, giving them a relatively greater understanding of its secrets.
"The Void Secret Realm is officially open! Let's hurry inside!" Several older cultivators took the lead, rushing towards the dark Space-Time Channel. Not wanting to fall behind, the throngs of young beings followed closely. Soon, a massive wave of beings began surging into the channel, each one jostling to be among the first to enter.
At this moment, Ye Yunfei had arrived in the vicinity. He stopped some distance away, observing the dark Space-Time Channel from afar.
"It seems the opening of the Void Secret Realm has attracted a huge crowd this time. The number of participants is staggering, even surpassing the scale of the last time I entered," the remnant soul remarked suddenly.
"Senior, is this place truly the Void Secret Realm's entrance?" Ye Yunfei asked.
"That's the entrance. Hurry up and go in. When it comes to expeditions and treasure hunts, it's always 'first come, first served.' Coincidentally, I'm fairly familiar with the Void Secret Realm. Once we're inside, I can offer you some guidance," the remnant soul told him.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior," Ye Yunfei replied courteously. Having the remnant soul—who possessed prior experience within the secret realm—as a guide was undoubtedly a boon.
"Alright, hurry inside now," the remnant soul urged.
"Yes, I'm going right now," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Members of the Black Wind Group and Zhan Yuan's people are surely searching everywhere for you. It's best to keep a low profile," Hun Lao reminded Ye Yunfei through Sound Transmission.
Taking Hun Lao's advice to heart, Ye Yunfei activated a secret art, altering both his appearance and his Soul Body aura.
Simultaneously, Zhan Yuan arrived in the same area with a group of his subordinates. He was advancing towards the Space-Time Channel from a different direction, preparing to enter.
"Young Master Zhan, that brat will definitely enter the Void Secret Realm," an elder closely following Zhan Yuan communicated via Sound Transmission.
"Stay alert and look carefully. Best if we can identify him and kill him there," Zhan Yuan responded.
"Don't worry, Young Master. I'm constantly monitoring for any trace of him," the elder nodded, even as he began releasing waves of Soul Power, scanning and sensing the beings all around, searching for any hint of Ye Yunfei.
From another direction, a group of over two hundred men with fierce eyes and sharp, imposing auras was also making its way towards the Void Secret Realm's entrance.
"Young Master Zhan, I see Black Wind Group members. Looks like they're also heading into the Void Secret Realm. They're being led by an Intermediate Heavenly Immortal who seems quite strong. I'm afraid I'm no match for him," the elder beside Zhan Yuan reported quietly.
"It's to be expected. With the Void Secret Realm opening, any beings who came to the Tiange World Cluster and meet the criteria for entry will try their luck inside. Send them a Sound Transmission. The deal between me and the Black Wind Group still stands. If they can capture those two little tramps, Xiao Huanhuan and Xiao Yueyue, I'll pay them three times the original agreed-upon reward! Also, we should join forces to hunt down that bastard surnamed Ye. I'm certain the Black Wind Group hates him just as much as I do," Zhan Yuan instructed.
"Understood. I'll contact them immediately," the elder nodded and immediately engaged the distant Black Wind Group members in a private Sound Transmission communication.
Shortly after, an agreement was reached. The Black Wind Group would continue looking for opportunities to capture Xiao Huanhuan and Xiao Yueyue. Both groups would work together to eliminate Ye Yunfei! Leading the Black Wind Group was none other than the elder—the Intermediate Heavenly Immortal—who had relentlessly pursued Ye Yunfei before.
"All members, listen up! Once inside the Void Secret Realm, besides focusing on exploration and seeking treasure, our priority is locating the Xiao Family twins and the whereabouts of that whelp surnamed Ye," the elder communicated via Sound Transmission to all his Black Wind Group subordinates.
He then led his group towards the dark Space-Time Channel, ready to enter.
Suddenly, the Black Wind Group elder paused mid-step. He sharply turned around, his gaze sweeping over the area behind him like twin razor blades. His Soul Power instantly blanketed a vast expanse of space, meticulously sensing every being within it.
"I think… I caught a trace of that bastard surnamed Ye's aura! He must be right here somewhere close by!" the Black Wind Group elder urgently communicated to the elder standing beside Zhan Yuan.