Only the Fire Clan did not stop the killing. Under Ye Yunfei's direction, they continuously shot out one blazing arrow after another, each arrow claiming the lives of a portion of the Guardian Faction's forces.
At this point, the Guardian Faction's three battle formations had already collapsed. Their members of ordinary strength had absolutely no power to fight back against the attacks of the Fire Bow Grand Formation.
The dozen or so Deities from the Guardian Faction watched as their subordinates were relentlessly shot down, their faces turning purple with fury. They roared in anger and one after another made their moves to block the flaming arrows shot by the Fire Bow Grand Formation.
Only then did the Guardian Faction's forces stop being slaughtered. Soon, those dozen or so Deities led the remnant forces out of the Fire Realm.
"The forces we previously sent in have now been reduced to roughly two-thirds of their original number," one of the Deities said after taking stock, his expression extremely ugly.
"Damn it! To attack a mere Fire Clan, we, the Guardian Faction, have actually suffered such significant losses!" Upon hearing this, the other Deities all wore grim expressions.
"No need to worry, everyone. I just received word that Lord Wu, Lord Zhou, and Lord Yang are all on their way here. Once these three lords arrive, they will undoubtedly lead us in completely wiping out the Fire Clan. When that time comes, we must not spare a single person from the Fire Clan—kill them all. And those little bitches from the Flower Goddess Palace? Not a single one of them can be left alive either," the leading Deity suddenly spoke up.
Thanks to the Concealment Talisman Ye Yunfei possessed, which rigorously concealed his aura, coupled with his use of a secret art to alter his appearance, none of these Guardian Faction Deities had been able to identify him. They had no idea that it was Ye Yunfei overseeing the Fire Clan's Fire Bow Grand Formation. All dozen or so Deities assumed Ye Yunfei was some elder of the Fire Clan.
"Really? All three lords are coming? That's excellent! With these three lords leading the charge, we won't have to fear the Fire Clan and those Flower Goddess Palace people any longer!" The other Deities became somewhat excited upon hearing this.
"Those little bitches from the Flower Goddess Palace are quite lovely. We can capture them alive, take them all back, and make them our playthings," one Deity suggested.
"Ha ha ha... Old Wang, you truly are a fellow who is kind to a fragrant beauty. That hasn't changed all these years," the other Deities burst out laughing.
"Don't pretend to be all high and mighty in front of me. Every one of these Flower Goddess Palace women is a stunning beauty of unparalleled grace. Moreover, I once heard a piece of rumored news that the cultivation art these Flower Goddess Palace women practice is extremely unique, allowing men to reap great benefits. Are you willing to miss out on such high-quality beauties?" The Deity nicknamed Old Wang said in annoyance. "If that's the case, then we really must try out the women of the Flower Goddess Palace. Fine, when the time comes, we'll speak to the three lords. Spare the lives of those Flower Goddess Palace women and capture them all alive to take back." Upon hearing Old Wang's words, the other Deities all nodded one after another.
Meanwhile, inside the Fire Realm, Ye Yunfei originally wanted to continue controlling the Fire Bow Grand Formation to attack those Guardian Faction members outside. After all, the Guardian Faction had already suffered significant casualties, and their overall strength was no longer what it was before. Seizing this opportunity to continue the assault might inflict even greater damage on them. However, Ye Yunfei noticed that the women of the Flower Goddess Palace, surrounding that flower palanquin, were now approaching the Fire Clan members. Thus, he hurriedly ceased the attacks of the Fire Bow Grand Formation.
The Great Elder of the Fire Clan stepped forward with a few other elders and first offered a deep, respectful bow to the women of the Flower Goddess Palace.
"Cui Hong! Where is Cui Hong? Why hasn't he appeared after all this fighting? Only a shadowy illusion remains here. Has something happened to Cui Hong?" Before the Fire Clan elders could speak, that icy voice emerged from the flower palanquin again, now tinged with a faint hint of anxiety.
"So these Flower Goddess Palace women came for Senior Cui Hong," Ye Yunfei mused inwardly upon hearing that cold voice.
"Revered Senior, our Patriarch Cui Hong has left the Fire Realm to search for something outside. He will return once he finds it," the Great Elder hastily replied.
"At such a critical juncture, he still has to run out to find something? Could it be he's searching for his corpse? Mm, that must be it. If he can retrieve the corpse he lost in the past and merge it with his current energy body, dealing with those bastards from the Guardian Faction should become much easier," the woman inside the palanquin seemed to pause for a moment upon hearing the Great Elder's words, then deduced what Cui Hong was looking for.
"Senior Cui Hong is searching for his corpse lost in the outside world?" Ye Yunfei was taken aback.
"Revered Senior, Patriarch Cui Hong did not inform us what he was searching for when he departed. He instructed us to hold firm in the Fire Realm. Our Patriarch will rush back immediately upon finding that item. However, to our shame, the Guardian Faction's strength was too great. We almost couldn't withstand their assault. Fortunately, with your timely intervention, Senior, we managed to drive those Guardian Faction members out of the Fire Realm. Our Fire Clan has always been strict about distinguishing gratitude from resentment. From now on, we will certainly remember the great kindness the Flower Goddess Palace has shown our Fire Clan," the Great Elder spoke respectfully.
"No need for such useless formalities with me. My primary purpose here is to see Cui Hong. It's been far too long since I last saw that heartless fellow. As for the survival or extinction of your Fire Clan, I don't really care. Fine then, I'll wait here for him to return. But you should prepare yourselves. The Guardian Faction's foundations run deep. Those dozen or so Deities outside do not represent their true strength. It won't be long before more and stronger Guardian Faction experts arrive. Your Fire Clan will face an even greater crisis; there truly is a possibility of being completely wiped out. Of course, if Cui Hong can retrieve his corpse, your Fire Clan's situation would improve considerably," the cold voice issued from the flower palanquin once more. While this mysterious woman verbally claimed not to care about the Fire Clan's fate, everyone could tell that she actually did.
"Enough. You don't need to worry about me. I came here solely to find that heartless fellow, Cui Hong. I have nothing more to say to any of you," Without waiting for the Fire Clan's Great Elder to speak, the cold voice came from the palanquin again. Then, surrounded by the Flower Goddess Palace women, the palanquin moved away from the Fire Clan forces and stopped at a distant location.
The Great Elder and other Fire Clan elders saw this and dared not approach to disturb them further.
"Great Elder, this senior speaks the truth. The Guardian Faction will certainly send more and stronger experts. We must be prepared," Ye Yunfei said to the Fire Clan's Great Elder.
"We could barely handle those dozen or so Deities alone. If even stronger experts arrive, no amount of preparation will help our Fire Clan. The only way is to retreat back to our ancestral sanctuary if we cannot hold them off," the Great Elder said with a bitter smile.
Ye Yunfei could think of nothing to say for a moment, for what the Great Elder said was true. Even with him, the Fire Clan people were no match for the Guardian Faction. Had it not been for the timely arrival of these Flower Goddess Palace people, the Fire Clan members would have long since fled to hide within their ancestral sanctuary.
"Young Master Ye, that senior earlier is referred to as the Third Palace Master of the Flower Goddess Palace. It seems her status within the palace is very high," the Great Elder transmitted privately to Ye Yunfei.
"This Third Palace Master of the Flower Goddess Palace must share a rather deep connection with your Patriarch Cui Hong. Otherwise, she wouldn't take the risk of antagonizing the Guardian Faction to help your Fire Clan," Ye Yunfei replied.
"Yes, this Third Palace Master is certainly on very good terms with our Patriarch Cui Hong," the Great Elder nodded in agreement.
"Great Elder, I will now set up some hidden teleportation formations throughout various spaces within the Fire Realm. Have everyone memorize the specific locations of these hidden teleportation formations so that if the need arises, they can quickly escape through them," Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and told the Great Elder.
"That would be fantastic!" The Great Elder knew Ye Yunfei's proficiency with formations was extremely high. If a batch of hidden teleportation formations was set up, they could play a vital role at a critical moment, reducing casualties among Fire Clan members.
Ye Yunfei immediately began setting up hidden teleportation formations in the surrounding space. These hidden formations were completely invisible when not activated. It would be very difficult to detect them unless one looked carefully. When needed, they only had to activate these formations, which would then unleash powerful teleportation energy for immediate transfer.
Ye Yunfei's current skill in formations had improved significantly compared to before, as he had been continuously cultivating and elevating his Soul Power. The stronger his Soul Power, the more effortlessly he could manage formation setups. Many advanced formation-laying techniques relied on powerful Soul Power energy for support.
Not long after, Ye Yunfei had already laid out numerous teleportation formations in various locations throughout the Fire Realm. He then handed a jade slip to the Great Elder. This slip contained the precise locations of all the formations Ye Yunfei had just established.
After receiving the jade slip, the Great Elder immediately began making numerous copies and distributing them to the Fire Clan's members.
"Young Master Ye, with these teleportation formations, our Fire Clan members' lives have a little more security," the Great Elder said gratefully.
"Hmm, this lad seems quite talented in formations," a barely audible voice sounded from the distant flower palanquin.
Just at this moment...
"Great Elder! It's not good! I just received news from our scouts outside! Several Guardian Faction experts have arrived with a large contingent! They're about to launch another assault on our Fire Realm!" A middle-aged Fire Clan man rushed over to report.
"Pass the order. Everyone, prepare for battle," the Great Elder let out another bitter smile, then immediately issued the command.
Following the Great Elder's order, the Fire Clan members quickly assembled once more, setting up the Fire Bow Grand Formation. Ye Yunfei stood above the grand formation.
At the same time, outside the Fire Realm...
"Excellent! Lord Wu, Lord Zhou, and Lord Yang—finally, all three lords have arrived!"
The dozen or so Deities from the Guardian Faction and Master Gong all wore expressions of excitement.
In the distance, three Deities radiating terrifying energy auras were leading a large contingent, rolling in like a tide.
The energy auras of these three Deities were truly terrifying. Even from such a great distance, everyone felt a powerful oppressive pressure. Some of the weaker beings felt suffocated, even wanting to collapse to the ground.
Soon, the three Deities and their forces arrived outside the Fire Realm.
"Salutations to Lord Wu, Lord Zhou, and Lord Yang!" The dozen or so Deities, along with Master Gong and all the other Guardian Faction forces, hurriedly bowed in greeting. Within the Guardian Faction, strict hierarchical rules and order were paramount. Those of lower status or weaker strength had to respectfully bow when encountering superiors or stronger experts; otherwise, they would face severe punishment.
"You dozen or so Deities took this long to deal with a mere Fire Realm? Not only have you not succeeded, but you've also suffered such heavy casualties. What a bunch of useless trash!" A tall, thin Deity, his hands clasped behind his back, swept a cold gaze over the dozen or so bowing Deities as he spoke.
"We have failed in our duty. We beg Lord Yang to punish us," Upon hearing this lofty Deity's words, the dozen or so Deities' expressions changed drastically, but they dared not refute. Instead, they simultaneously lowered their heads in fear.
"Enough. Cease the idle talk. Let's just charge in and wipe out the Fire Clan directly. No need to waste any more time," Another Deity beside them waved a hand dismissively and spoke.
Had Ye Yunfei been present, he would have immediately recognized this speaking Deity as Wu Tao. The other Deity next to him was Lord Zhou. Both Wu Tao and Lord Zhou had previously invaded the Three Thousand Major and Minor Worlds.
The tall, thin Deity known as Lord Yang was also a comparatively powerful Deity within the Guardian Faction, his status roughly on par with Wu Tao and Lord Zhou.
"Wait. The message you previously sent said those women are from the Flower Goddess Palace?" Lord Zhou suddenly asked from the side.
"Yes, Lord Zhou. Those bitches all claim to be from the Flower Goddess Palace. Moreover, the woman inside the flower palanquin is referred to as the Third Palace Master," one of the Deities immediately stepped forward and replied respectfully.
"The Third Palace Master... It appears a powerful figure from the Flower Goddess Palace has come. No wonder they have such audacity, daring to oppose our Guardian Faction," Lord Zhou nodded.
"Hmph! A mere Flower Goddess Palace dares to oppose our Guardian Faction? Ever since their appearance, the Flower Goddess Palace has acted with extreme caution. Even if they possess some strength, it shouldn't be too significant. Now that they dare provoke our Guardian Faction, it marks the beginning of their demise. Come, let's go in. First, kill that Third Palace Master, then annihilate the Fire Clan, and afterwards, wipe out the Flower Goddess Palace. Let all the beings of this Chaotic Void Sea witness the consequences of defying our Guardian Faction!" Lord Zhou let out a cold snort and spoke, then strode toward the entrance of the Fire Realm.
Wu Tao and Lord Yang followed Lord Zhou, all three making their way toward the Fire Realm entrance.
"Everyone, hear this! By order of the three lords, charge into the Fire Realm immediately and wipe out the Fire Clan!" The other dozen or so Guardian Faction Deities, their spirits lifted, roared the command.
Then, these dozen or so Deities led all the Guardian Faction forces, trailing behind the three powerhouses. Thus, under the leadership of Wu Tao and the other two, the Guardian Faction's army marched grandly and menacingly toward the Fire Realm entrance.
"I hear those three lords leading the way are among the strongest Deities. Even Deities who recently broke through are helpless before them. Now that they're personally leading the assault, the Fire Realm definitely cannot withstand them. It seems the Fire Clan is doomed this time," Many beings watching from the surrounding void couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"I never expected those two to come as well," Ye Yunfei inside the Fire Realm had already detected the presence of Wu Tao and Lord Zhou.
"Both of them possess formidable strength. Your current power is no match for either of them. Just these two, plus the other dozen or so Guardian Faction Deities and their battle formations... I estimate the Fire Bow Grand Formation won't be able to hold them off. It's unclear how powerful this Third Palace Master of the Flower Goddess Palace is and whether she can withstand them," Hun Lao remarked.
"We'll deal with it step by step. I promised Senior Cui Hong I would stay here and help the Fire Clan resist the Guardian Faction's assault alongside them. I intend to honor my promise and hold out until the very end," Seeing the Guardian Faction's army outside preparing to charge into the Fire Realm with aggressive momentum, Ye Yunfei couldn't help but take a deep breath, then declared resolutely.
"Lad, what comes next will be a bloody battle. Prepare yourself." At that moment, Ye Yunfei suddenly received a private transmission from a woman's voice—undoubtedly from the Third Palace Master inside the flower palanquin.
"Senior, I understand. I am ready," Ye Yunfei quickly replied.
However, just then, a deafening BOOM! roared out from somewhere within this Chaotic Void Sea. Rolling sound waves radiated outward in all directions, accompanied by violent tremors. At that moment, almost all beings throughout this Chaotic Void Sea heard that dreadful roar and felt this intense spatial quaking.
"What has happened?!" Countless beings halted their actions, rooted in place, hearts trembling with fear, unsure of what had occurred. That noise and the severe spatial trembling evoked such a terrifying feeling that countless beings felt a profound sense of dread rising from the depths of their Soul Bodies.
"What happened within the Fire Realm? This widespread spatial quaking... where is it coming from? It's too terrifying!" Ye Yunfei also heard that tremendous roar and felt the intense spatial shaking, startling him inwardly.
"Could something major be about to happen in this Chaotic Void Sea?" The voice of the Third Palace Master emerged from within the Flower Goddess Palace's flower palanquin.