"The Fire Clan remnants were actually able to break through the seal and escape. This shows there's a problem with the seal. This matter is not insignificant. It seems a trip is in order for us old-timers."
One of the ancestors, who appeared like a skeleton and was the shortest of them all, slowly spoke. His voice was like the deafening peal of a giant bell; each word he uttered shook the palace space violently.
"There's also a possibility that a formidable expert suddenly appeared among the Fire Clan and broke through the seal to escape."
Another ancestor slowly stated.
"I think that possibility is very low," a third ancestor, whose frame was relatively more robust, spoke up. "The Fire Clan has been sealed within that small space for a long time with no external replenishment. I suspect the energy and laws within that small space are becoming increasingly depleted. Those Fire Clan remnants trapped inside must also be growing weaker. It's highly unlikely an expert capable of breaking the seal from within could appear.
If the Fire Clan really produced an expert who could break the seal from the inside and escape, then even we few old-timers might not be a match for them.
After all, you must understand, the seal there was personally laid by one of our Source Fire Sect's founders who possessed the power of a Deity. Moreover, over the long ages, generation after generation of our sect's high-ranking members have periodically traveled to the Fire Realm to reinforce that seal.
One could say that seal is exceptionally sturdy!"
"Regardless, we must go to the Fire Realm to handle this matter. Speculating here is useless," the final ancestor slowly declared. "Let's do this: we leave one here to hold the fort at headquarters, and three will go to the Fire Realm."
The energy emanating from this ancestor was the strongest, clearly indicating his power was the highest among these four.
After some discussion, three of the Source Fire Sect's ancestors decided to set out for the Fire Realm.
The three ancestors stood up, exited the red palace, and transformed into three streaks of firelight, disappearing in an instant.
"I hope there won't be any major issues with that seal..."
One ancestor remained in the palace, sitting cross-legged and muttering to himself. "Our sect's founders left strict instructions for future generations to watch over and reinforce that seal. If that seal runs into trouble during our generation, our generation will have let down our ancestors."
***
At the same time, deep within the Magma Sea of the Fire Realm, Ye Yunfei was diligently cultivating his Six Extraordinary Flames using the method taught by the red-clad woman.
This method involved several steps. The first was to refine a portion of his own Soul Power into six mysterious runes, then fuse them with the six flames until they became one. These six runes would then control the flames, slowly absorbing the Fire Energy and fire laws present at the bottom of this Magma Sea.
The Fire Energy and fire laws on the seafloor here were of an extremely high grade and possessed formidable power. Even the Six Extraordinary Flames found it difficult to directly absorb and refine them. However, the six mysterious runes Ye Yunfei had cultivated according to the woman's method possessed a mysterious force that allowed the six flames to gradually absorb and refine the Fire Energy and fire laws present.
Ye Yunfei could sense that as the amount of Fire Energy and laws absorbed increased, the strength of his Six Extraordinary Flames began to rise steadily.
"It truly works!" Ye Yunfei was pleasantly surprised. "This method is truly brilliant, and it's showing results remarkably fast!"
The cultivation method for Extraordinary Flames that Ye Yunfei had previously mastered involved using his own immortal power and various fire-attribute treasures, taking a long time to slowly nurture the flames, allowing them to gradually grow stronger. Compared to this new method of rapidly strengthening the flames by absorbing ambient Fire Energy and laws, his old technique was far inferior.
"We will need to leave this Magma Sea in two days," Cui Xia suddenly spoke as Ye Yunfei focused on cultivating his flames using her method.
"That old geezer has already confirmed my identity. I estimate it won't be long before the most elite experts of the Source Fire Sect rush here to deal with me.
I must rescue my clansmen before the Source Fire Sect's most powerful experts arrive in this world.
Otherwise, once they show up, it will become immensely difficult for my clansmen to break free."
"To rescue your clansmen? What's this about?"
Ye Yunfei turned to look at Cui Xia.
"Young Master, given the current circumstances, I will no longer hide things from you. I'll tell you my true identity, because I also wish to ask for your help in rescuing my clansmen," Cui Xia replied.
"It seems she approached you with an ulterior motive from the start," Hun Lao transmitted his voice to Ye Yunfei.
"You want my help in rescuing your clansmen? My strength is limited. I'm not sure I can be of much help," Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and replied. "You saw for yourself earlier that I wasn't even a match for that Elder Hou of the Source Fire Sect. If I encounter their most elite experts, I'll be even less capable of handling them."
Even though the woman hadn't explicitly stated it, Ye Yunfei had already guessed that the imprisonment of her clansmen was likely connected to the Source Fire Sect.
"That's exactly why we must rescue my clansmen from the seal before the Source Fire Sect's top experts arrive," Cui Xia said. "I learned from some Source Fire Sect members that their most powerful experts currently are the four ancestors at their headquarters. It's said two of those ancestors are Full-Circle Demigods, and the other two are Advanced Demigods.
Young Master, my Fire Clan has been trapped for a very long time. Now, we finally have an opportunity to break free. I earnestly implore you, by your great benevolence and righteousness, to lend a hand. If we miss this chance, our hope of breaking free will become distant and uncertain."
Cui Xia's voice carried a pleading tone.
"Why are you so certain that I can help your Fire Clan break free?"
Ye Yunfei asked.
"Young Master," Cui Xia began, "our Fire Clan is an extremely ancient race. In ancient times, this Fire Realm served as our clan's headquarters.
However, later, a traitor emerged within our Fire Clan. This traitor committed unforgivable crimes against us. The clan's Patriarch at the time crippled his cultivation and banished him from the Fire Realm.
Yet, this traitor later encountered a great opportunity in the outside world. He not only recovered his cultivation but became even more powerful. Furthermore, he established a mighty organization.
To exact revenge, this traitor meticulously schemed, using every vile means to secretly weaken our clan's strength. Ultimately, he colluded with several evil major powers to invade the Fire Realm together, initiating a war.
We, the Fire Clan, were caught unprepared and suffered heavy casualties. In the end, the Patriarch led the remaining clansmen to retreat into our ancestral home.
The traitor, leading a large force of experts, launched a fierce assault. Fortunately, the defenses of our clan's ancestral home were exceptionally sturdy, and the traitor ultimately failed to breach it.
Enraged, the traitor assembled a large group of experts to cast a particularly wicked sealing formation, sealing away our Fire Clan's ancestral home. This seal would gradually siphon away the energy and laws within our homeland, causing the overall strength of our homeland to progressively weaken.
In the end, if all the energy and laws within our ancestral home were completely drained, then we remaining clansmen sheltering inside would also perish completely. Our Fire Clan would be truly exterminated, vanishing from this world."
Cui Xia slowly recounted a piece of history about the Fire Clan.
Even so, she still hadn't answered how Ye Yunfei could help her clan break free.
"Since your Fire Clan members are already trapped within the ancestral home, what about you? How did you escape?"
Ye Yunfei inquired.
"You may not know, Young Master. With our Fire Clan trapped within the ancestral home, as the energy and laws within diminished, our overall strength continuously declined, and survival became exceedingly difficult. Decades ago, several elders within the clan discussed and decided to spare no cost in forcibly sending out a group of clansmen past the seal. I was one of those selected.
To send us chosen ones out, the elders mobilized our clan's final trump card, forcibly tearing open a tiny fissure in the seal for us to escape through.
However, that traitor seemed to have anticipated from the beginning that one day we remaining clansmen would spare no cost to break free. Therefore, the powerful organization he founded reinforced the seal generation after generation, striving to trap our Fire Clan within forever.
Thus, despite the long passage of time, the seal's might remains formidable. Nearly half of us clansmen who attempted escape through that fissure perished within it.
The few who did manage to escape were discovered by guards stationed outside the seal, who then hunted us down.
We few escapees scattered across the Fire Realm, hiding in constant fear, with no days of peace. Let alone planning how to break the seal from the outside; merely preserving our own lives was a struggle.
In the end, almost all the escaped clansmen died, leaving only me.
For years, I have wandered alone through the Fire Realm, utilizing various perilous locations to hide and evade pursuit, surviving until now."
The red-clad woman continued, "Perseverance paid off. A few years ago, I finally found a treasure left behind by an ancestor from our Fire Clan's remote antiquity. It's the Crimson Palace you saw earlier.
However, before I discovered it, Elder Hou found me and inflicted serious wounds. I lacked the strength to enter the Crimson Palace at that time. Luckily, I encountered you later... the rest, you know."
"You still haven't answered me," Ye Yunfei thought it over and spoke up. "Why do you believe I have the ability to help your Fire Clan escape from the seal? The seal has been reinforced generation after generation. Given my strength, I'm afraid I can't help you."