"The power of the flames here is already intense."
Ye Yunfei continued delving deeper, sensing increasingly terrifying Fire Energy and fire-attribute laws.
"Right, this Fire Energy shouldn't be wasted for nothing."
A thought suddenly occurred to Ye Yunfei, and he activated the Nine Palaces Totem Wheel. Two colossal beasts appeared simultaneously.
One of them was entirely covered in fiery, vivid crimson feathers that looked glossy and splendid, like a massive, shimmering ball of flame. This was the Vermilion Bird.
The other was a black, monstrous beast that resembled a huge, dark sphere. This divine beast was Candle Illumination.
Candle Illumination represented the sun; it was a deity of solar essence.
The two beasts, one red and one black, followed beside Ye Yunfei and began absorbing the surrounding Fire Energy.
Both divine beasts cultivated positive-attribute energy and possessed fire-based divine abilities, able to enhance their strength by devouring Fire Energy.
Thus, Ye Yunfei forged deeper into the sea of flames with the two beasts in tow. With them shielding him from the fire's fury, Ye Yunfei felt significantly more at ease.
"Huh? The flames ahead have actually turned white!"
Suddenly, Hun Lao exclaimed in surprise.
Gazing forward, the entire area was a creamy white expanse, like milk slowly flowing through the void. White flames danced and flickered amidst a hazy shroud, releasing a startling incinerating power. The very space itself rippled like water, undulating constantly.
"The temperature here is astonishing. Anyone who can walk this far is not ordinary," Hun Lao couldn't help but exclaim with a sigh.
"Indeed, the temperature here is genuinely a little frightening," Ye Yunfei agreed as he stepped into the white flames.
Immediately, a shocking heat surged toward him from all sides, threatening to ignite his body.
With a thought from Ye Yunfei, all the exotic fires within his body manifested, encircling his form. Each exotic fire erupted with rolling flames, resisting and opposing the surrounding white flames.
With the two divine beasts and these exotic fires, Ye Yunfei felt even more at ease, completely unaffected by the surrounding flames as he strode forward.
"Look! That guy is too outrageous! He's reached this depth, yet he's still advancing so swiftly!"
Some young talents struggling nearby saw Ye Yunfei striding forward with his hands behind his back and were utterly astonished.
"His strength is so formidable, yet he's a total stranger. What background does he have?"
"Could he be a monstrously talented youth secretly nurtured by some major power, only now revealing himself publicly for the Yangming Secret Realm's opening to establish his fame?"
…
Ye Yunfei, striding boldly onwards, became the focus of attention for many young talents, all of them discussing him.
"The flames ahead have started turning black," Hun Lao said in surprise at this very moment.
Ye Yunfei had now traversed the white flame zone, and ahead surged a rolling expanse of black flames. Many young talents stood before the black conflagration, faces pale, hesitating over whether to continue.
Several of these young talents had also reached the end of their tether upon arriving here. Surveying the black flames ahead and sensing their dread-inducing Fire Energy, they had already begun stealthily retreating.
While withdrawing in front of so many onlookers was somewhat shameful, preserving one's life was the utmost priority at this point.
Ye Yunfei halted before the black flames, first probing the black flame region ahead.
The black flames ahead seemed relatively still, terrifyingly dark like necrotic fire, burning silently and formlessly. Even before stepping in, they evoked the dreadful sensation of skin cracking, flesh splitting, and one's body turning to ash.
The two divine beasts flanking Ye Yunfei simultaneously roared, evidently sensing the horrific Fire Energy and fire laws ahead.
"Where did two such terrifying monsters come from? Did that kid rear them?"
Every onlooker stared at the two beasts by Ye Yunfei's side with great shock.
"No, they aren't real flesh-and-blood monsters. They seem to be illusory phenomena condensed through some exceedingly profound technique," some speculated amidst their shock.
After sensing the black flame region for a moment, Ye Yunfei took a single step forward and entered. The previously silent, dark flames instantly grew ferocious, transforming into countless dark fire snakes that entwined toward Ye Yunfei from all directions like a dense carpet.
These black fire snakes possessed a terrifying incineration temperature. The various exotic fires encircling Ye Yunfei's body erupted with full force, bursting with multi-hued flames and releasing diverse-attribute Fire Energy to resist the black fire serpents.
The Vermilion Bird and Candle Illumination ceaselessly devoured the surrounding Fire Energy. As they consumed more and more, the energy auras emanating from their bodies continually climbed.
As the Nine Divine Beasts summoned by the Nine Palaces Totem Wheel grew stronger, finding suitable cultivation resources for them became increasingly difficult, primarily due to the enormous quantity required.
However, the Fire Energy within this sea of flames could be considered inexhaustible, making both the Vermilion Bird and Candle Illumination feel entirely in their element here.
Precisely because of these two beasts, Ye Yunfei felt much more relaxed.
Ye Yunfei continued striding forward through the black flame region.
Quite a number of young talents had entered the fire sea, but those who persisted to reach this black flame region were exceedingly few.
Boom… boom… boom…
Ye Yunfei felt the ground ahead trembling.
Ye Yunfei deduced it should be that fellow Lu Shi from the Lu Family.
Ye Yunfei had already discerned at a glance that Lu Shi was a physique cultivator, likely having trained in some exceptionally sophisticated body-forging technique.
Ye Yunfei strode onward, and shortly after, a tall, imposing figure appeared ahead — Lu Shi.
Even Lu Shi seemed to have slowed down upon arriving here.
"Dammit! How can the temperature here be so powerful?"
Lu Shi felt the surrounding heat intensify with each forward step and cursed angrily.
"My hair is practically half-burnt off."
Although his body had been tempered to an extremely resilient and high-quality state, facing such formidable temperatures had left his skin scorched black and sizzling in many spots.
"Could I have only made it this far? I'm not willing to accept that!"
Lu Shi growled under his breath, then abruptly pulled out a large handful of medicinal plants and several bottles of Divine Pills, frenziedly stuffing them into his mouth.
These materials were all beneficial to the body, cultivation resources specifically for physique cultivation.
After swallowing them, Lu Shi immediately perked up considerably, and his advance speed increased noticeably. But the next moment, he noticed an unfamiliar young man striding briskly past him with long, sure strides—it was Ye Yunfei.
"Your face is unfamiliar, kid. Who are you?" Lu Shi demanded upon seeing Ye Yunfei stroll forward effortlessly with his hands clasped behind his back. He felt both shocked and resentful. "Why aren't you afraid of these flames?"
Ye Yunfei simply ignored him, focusing solely on moving forward.
"Kid, you have no manners! How dare you snub me!" Lu Shi exploded in rage at this.
Everyone knew that Lu Shi was a fairly well-known young talent in the Sixth Void. Ordinarily, when other youths encountered him, they had to be respectful. Even those renowned young geniuses would give him some face upon meeting him. Now, Ye Yunfei hadn't even deigned to glance his way, which immediately ignited Lu Shi's fury.
"Stop there and answer me properly," Lu Shi roared in his fury, and thrust out a palm that expanded instantly, rumbling as it lunged to grab Ye Yunfei—this was a physical body divine ability.
Without even turning his head, Ye Yunfei punched backward. With a deafening blast, Lu Shi was sent staggering back several steps.
"How is this possible? How can your physical strength be so formidable!" Lu Shi wore a stunned expression after his single clash with Ye Yunfei. He realized Ye Yunfei had also used raw physical power—and power of unparalleled might.
Having punched Lu Shi away, Ye Yunfei didn't look back, continuing to stride forward.
"Stay where you are!" Lu Shi roared again.
A massive scimitar shot out from his body and swelled in size, whistling through the air as it hacked toward Ye Yunfei's back.
He was not only a physique cultivator but also a Primary Void God in Divine Power cultivation. Moreover, his Divine Power intensity was exceptionally strong, equivalent to a Mid-Level Void God's—a dual-cultivation genius in both physique and Divine Power.
Ye Yunfei's expression darkened slightly. The white short sword shot out whistling through the air. *Clang!* The scimitar was cleanly sliced in two.
Seeing his great scimitar severed into halves, Lu Shi felt both shock and fury. But at the same time, he understood he had encountered an expert—this unfamiliar youth's strength exceeded his own.
"Impossible! Kid, who exactly are you?" Lu Shi couldn't help asking. "I don't have the slightest impression of you. Where did you even come from?"
Ye Yunfei simply ignored him. Within moments, Ye Yunfei had vanished far ahead.
"Seems I can't avoid using my trump card now," Lu Shi thought, gazing at Ye Yunfei's departing figure ahead and letting out a light sigh. "I originally assumed I could rely solely on my own power to reach the fire sea's core area, but it seems I've overestimated myself."
"That kid should be up ahead. Let's keep chasing."
At this very moment, more than a dozen figures pursued up from behind. One member constantly probed his surroundings before speaking. Immediately, the dozen pairs of eyes fell upon Lu Shi.
All ten-plus individuals were members of the Guardian Faction.
"Have you seen this kid?" one of them asked, taking out a painting. The image depicted was Ye Yunfei, accompanied by a signature Soul Body aura.
Of course, this was the aura Ye Yunfei had simulated using one of his Soul Power planets, not his true Soul Body aura.
Ever since arriving in the Sixth Void, Ye Yunfei had immediately altered his appearance and Soul Body aura.
"Beat it! Can't you see I'm busy here?" Lu Shi glanced at the painting and immediately recognized Ye Yunfei, but then flew into a raging outburst of foul-mouthed abuse.
"Seeking death!"
The dozen-plus Guardian Faction members instantly scowled, and their gazes toward Lu Shi grew somewhat hostile.
"What, looking for a fight?" Lu Shi glowered with furious, glaring eyes and yelled fiercely. "If you want a fight, then bring it on! I sure as hell don't fear your Guardian Faction!"
"Forget it," one Guardian Faction member transmitted his words to the others after shooting Lu Shi a deep look. "This punk is from the Lu Family. Their lineage is inherently hot-tempered and short-fused. We shouldn't risk provoking conflict with the Lu Family at this point. Ignore him for now."
The dozen or so Guardian Faction members therefore disregarded Lu Shi and continued onward.
Each Guardian Faction member had a yellow talisman paper suspended above their head. It emitted brilliant golden light that formed a circular shield enclosing their bodies, causing the surrounding flames to recoil upon contact. Consequently, the Guardian Faction members remained entirely unaffected by the surrounding inferno and progressed with utter ease.
"None of those Guardian Faction bastards are any good," Lu Shi grumbled aloud while eyeing the receding figures of the dozen-plus Guardian Faction members. "But how did that kid piss them off anyway?"
"Provoking the Guardian Faction spells big trouble. Looks like a bloody battle is inevitable ahead. Ah, whatever—the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If I encounter him later, I might lend a hand if possible... but he still broke my treasure weapon. He'll have to compensate me for that."
After uttering these words, Lu Shi erupted with rolling jade-green radiance from within, driving back all nearby flames in an instant. Then, he too strode forward.