"Young Master, the truth is I only need you to cover for me. The crimson palace I acquired contains energy to break the seal, but it requires me to manipulate it using my bloodline power. While I'm breaking the seal, I need someone by my side to protect me."
The red-clothed woman, Cui Xia, answered.
"Is that so... But even if I protect you, I'm not sure I have the capability. When you're breaking the seal, if that Elder Hou arrives, I may not be able to hold him off. Furthermore, besides Elder Hou, the Source Fire Sect likely has other Demigod-level experts in this Fire Realm. If they all attack together, I'd be even less of a match," Ye Yunfei replied after some thought.
He understood that once Cui Xia began breaking the seal, the Source Fire Sect would surely come frantically to stop her. Trying to hold them off alone was highly dangerous; he might well end up dead or seriously injured! To willingly engage in such peril for no clear reason was something Ye Yunfei certainly wasn't eager to do.
"Young Master Ye, with your current combat strength, you can already face off against a Initial Demigod. You can even barely resist a mid-level Demigod. Elder Hou is only a Initial Demigod. The reason he could exhibit such formidable power was primarily due to his use of the Fire Realm's unique environment. Since most of the techniques and martial arts he cultivates are of the fire attribute, he can constantly draw replenishment from the surrounding fire energy and laws. Moreover, he can manipulate the fire-attribute energy and laws present in the air around us to attack us. The purpose of teaching you the method to nurture the Extraordinary Flames was to help you improve your speed of absorbing fire energy and laws, as well as gain stronger control over fire-attribute energy and fire laws. Once you strengthen those six flames by a degree, and devour a batch of mutated flames from this Magma Sea, dealing with Elder Hou will become much easier for you, Young Master. I will also teach you a technique for manipulating fire energy and fire laws. Although you are not a member of our Fire Clan and lack our bloodline, you possess six Extraordinary Flames, and with this, you should be able to unleash considerable combat power," Cui Xia explained to Ye Yunfei.
"I see..." Ye Yunfei murmured upon hearing her words.
"How about this, miss? If you give me some of your Fire Clan's bloodline essence, I could agree to help you and protect you when the time comes," Ye Yunfei proposed.
Ye Yunfei possessed the Chaos Divine Meridian, capable of refining and fusing with bloodline essences from various races.
"Young Master, what would you need our Fire Clan's bloodline essence for?" Cui Xia was taken aback.
"I can fuse with different bloodline essences. If I obtain your Fire Clan's bloodline essence, then I can cultivate the heritage techniques of your Fire Clan," Ye Yunfei answered frankly, withholding nothing.
"What?! You can fuse with our Fire Clan's bloodline essence and then cultivate our heritage techniques?" Cui Xia exclaimed in shock upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words. This kind of ability seemed rather heaven-defying.
"Indeed!" Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Alright! As long as you agree to help me break the seal, I consent!" After a moment of contemplation, Cui Xia gritted her teeth and made her decision. For her, the most crucial matter now was to break that seal and rescue her clansmen who had been confined for untold ages. Otherwise, once the energy and laws within their lands were completely exhausted, the Fire Clan would be annihilated.
With that, Cui Xia tapped her chest with a finger. Three drops of bloodline essence surged from within her body and landed before Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei sat cross-legged. The Chaos Divine Meridian within him manifested, and he began refining and fusing with those three drops of Fire Clan bloodline essence. This was not his first time doing such a thing; he was already on a well-trodden path. Before long, Ye Yunfei successfully fused with the bloodline essence.
"Young Master, you really did fuse with our Fire Clan's bloodline essence!" Cui Xia said in astonishment.
"Young Master, spend some time now nurturing your six Extraordinary Flames. Then devour a batch of mutated flames. Afterwards, I will teach you two of our Fire Clan's heritage techniques," Cui Xia said to Ye Yunfei.
In the following period, Ye Yunfei continued focusing on nurturing his six Extraordinary Flames.
Meanwhile, above in the Magma Sea, Elder Hou of the Source Fire Sect was advancing step by step deeper into the sea. Simultaneously, he released his Soul Power energy to perceive and search everywhere for traces of Ye Yunfei and the red-clothed woman.
It must be said that this Elder Hou was indeed formidable. As he ventured deeper into the Magma Sea, he attempted to refine and absorb the high-level fire energy and active laws within it.
"I seem to have detected some lingering aura left by that dog man and woman! It appears they did enter this Magma Sea!" Not long after, Elder Hou perceived faint traces of Ye Yunfei and Cui Xia's auras, filling him with delight.
However, this Magma Sea was vast in area, and Elder Hou's movements within it were slow and cautious. Finding Ye Yunfei and the woman quickly was simply impossible.
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
At the bottom of the Magma Sea...
"Young Master, your six Extraordinary Flames have grown much stronger. Now, I'll teach you a technique for manipulating flames. Use it to control your six flames and attempt to devour those mutated flames," Cui Xia, who had been observing Ye Yunfei's flames, spoke up at a certain moment.
She was growing impatient. The Source Fire Sect's ancestral masters were surely rushing over, so they had to race against time. Otherwise, by the time those experts arrived, approaching the seal for the purpose of breaking it would likely become extremely difficult.
"Very well," Ye Yunfei nodded. He could tell Cui Xia was extremely anxious—after all, this concerned the future fate of her entire clan.
Ye Yunfei pointed a finger. The six Extraordinary Flames soared up and flew towards a distant direction.
In that direction was a cluster of flames that had evidently undergone evolution. They were multicolored and exuded a dangerous aura.
"Be careful. Don't rush.
These flames have developed self-preservation instincts after their evolution.
It's best you target only one or two first," Cui Xia, standing beside him, advised.
Ye Yunfei controlled the six flames, slowly approaching the multicolored flames from afar.
He stopped upon nearing the edge, then picked out two or three mutated flames that felt the weakest. He maneuvered the six flames to slowly surround them.
The six mysterious runes that Ye Yunfei had previously condensed and fused into the six flames simultaneously manifested, controlling the flames to erupt with powerful refining energy, beginning to refine those two or three flames.
Boom!...
Sensing danger, the two or three flames instantly erupted. Terrifying fire energy surged from each flame like three volcanoes erupting at once.
This commotion caused the other surrounding mutated flames to react as well, their auras growing increasingly perilous.
Ye Yunfei manipulated the six flames to forcibly encircle them.
Previously, using the method taught by Cui Xia, these six flames had absorbed a vast amount of energy and laws from the depths of this Magma Sea. Thus, their strength had significantly increased.
Moreover, the fire-devouring technique and secret art Cui Xia taught Ye Yunfei were extremely profound. The six flames swarmed and surrounded the two or three mutated flames, swiftly suppressing their energy auras.
Ye Yunfei understood he had to resolve those flames at the fastest possible speed. Otherwise, once the surrounding mutated flames sensed the threat and erupted together, devouring them would become far more difficult.
He controlled the six flames, encircling those two or three flames. Waves of refining energy engulfed them, forcibly carrying out the refinement.
The six mysterious runes within the six flames blossomed with rolling divine radiance.
"The Fire Clan's heritage technique for devouring flames is truly profound. If this lady didn't have a request of me, she most likely wouldn't have imparted such a precious heritage technique to me," Ye Yunfei mused inwardly.
Enclosed by the six flames, the two or three mutated flames soon began to be forcibly dismantled and devoured, ultimately disappearing entirely.
"Success!" Ye Yunfei was elated.
Although he'd only devoured a few flames, this was a good start. It proved the six flames could devour these mutated flames from the bottom of the Magma Sea!
For the remaining time, Ye Yunfei continued employing the heritage technique Cui Xia had imparted to him. Carefully, step by step, he began devouring more mutated flames.
As the six flames consumed more mutated flames, their power grew progressively stronger.
"I never imagined that coming to the Fire Realm would yield such a remarkable encounter!" Ye Yunfei felt a surge of excitement inwardly, secretly congratulating himself for indeed making the right choice to come to the Fire Realm.
For the following day, Ye Yunfei continued relentlessly controlling his six flames, constantly devouring the mutated flames at the bottom of the Magma Sea.
A day later...
"Alright, Young Master, we can't stay here any longer.
We must seize the time and go break the seal!
Otherwise, those ancestral masters from the Source Fire Sect will soon arrive!" Cui Xia urged Ye Yunfei.
"Good. We'll set out now to break the seal!" Ye Yunfei nodded.
Having agreed to help, with his character, backing out was not an option.
From now on, regardless of what difficulties or dangers arose, Ye Yunfei would do his utmost to assist Cui Xia in breaking the seal on the Fire Clan's Ancestral Land.
"Bad news! That Elder Hou also seems to have entered this Magma Sea, and he's advancing step by step towards our current location!" At that moment, Jin Jiao Long Can transmitted to Ye Yunfei.
The Jin Jiao Long Can race were said to traverse various different spaces with ease, and their perception abilities were extremely potent. In some special spatial environments, its perception could even surpass that of Hun Lao.
"Indeed, I sense him too!" Ye Yunfei's expression darkened.
This Elder Hou sure was persistent.
"Be careful! That old guy from the Source Fire Sect is actually chasing us here!" At this moment, Cui Xia also detected Elder Hou's presence.
"Hmph! This old fool has quite the nerve, daring to enter this Magma Sea. He truly has grown tired of living!" Cui Xia was first startled, then sneered.
She could move freely within this perilous Magma Sea, while Elder Hou had to proceed cautiously. Hence, to Cui Xia, this place was practically her own turf.
"Let's go show that old man a thing or two!
Does he really think he's invincible?" Ye Yunfei said to Cui Xia.
"Wait!
Forget it, let's ignore him for now. The primary task is to break the seal as quickly as possible," Cui Xia quickly calmed down and spoke.
"Very well, we'll do as you say.
How about this: we both leave behind some Soul Power imprints scattered throughout this Magma Sea. This will distract the old guy and keep him searching for us here. That will stall him while we slip away unnoticed to break the seal," Ye Yunfei nodded and proposed.
"That's an excellent idea!
Come, let's leave some Soul Power imprints in different places!" Cui Xia's eyes lit up upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words.
Then, under the protection of the treasure orb, Ye Yunfei and Cui Xia began moving continuously across the bottom of the Magma Sea, leaving their Soul Power imprints at various locations.
Although this Magma Sea was extremely hazardous, Cui Xia belonged to the Fire Clan and was innately attuned to fire energy. Leaving behind a few Soul Power imprints here was not difficult for her.
Not long after, Ye Yunfei and Cui Xia emerged from the other side of the Magma Sea.
Cui Xia then led Ye Yunfei stealthily towards the Fire Clan's Ancestral Land.
Meanwhile, Elder Hou roamed the bottom of the Magma Sea searching for traces of Cui Xia and Ye Yunfei.
At the same time, within the Chaotic Void Sea, three ancestral masters of the Source Fire Sect drew closer and closer to the Fire Realm.
"Let's speed up. For some reason, I've been feeling an ominous sense of foreboding," one of the ancestral masters spoke up.
This elder was a Perfected Demigod, exceptionally strong. In this era where true deities did not appear, he was among the top-tier masters of the Chaotic Void Sea.
"No need to worry. According to Elder Hou's message, only one Fire Clan remnant has escaped the seal, and our Source Fire Sect is currently hunting her. It won't amount to much.
We just need to go to the Fire Realm, capture the escaped Fire Clan remnant, and reinforce the seal. Then all will be fine," another ancestral master said.
"Regardless, we must act prudently. Our Source Fire Sect's ancestor left a decree: generation after generation must guard that seal. It must not fail on our watch," yet another elder spoke.
Thus, these three elders hastened their speed, charging towards the Fire Realm.
Within the Fire Realm, Ye Yunfei supported Cui Xia with his sleeve and rapidly advanced according to her directions.
"We're almost there!" Cui Xia suddenly exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement.
This day had been a long time coming, and now it was finally at hand!