"There's no need for thanks.
Just tell me, did I win this alchemy duel, or did your Alchemy Tower win?"
Ye Yunfei asked indifferently.
"Of course you won."
After a moment of silence, Dan Jun finally nodded slowly.
In that instant,
everyone in the plaza stared blankly at Ye Yunfei.
They were shocked to the core, stunned into a numb silence!
"We've witnessed a miracle!
A single person challenged the entire Alchemy Tower… and actually won!"
Someone murmured to themselves.
All members of the Alchemy Tower, from the Tower Master to ordinary disciples, felt bitterness in their hearts, finding it somewhat unacceptable.
Before today, no faction in the entire Tianxuan Continent could rival the Alchemy Tower in glory.
Yet now, after today, a young man had stepped upon the Tower's reputation and stolen its brilliance!
"Master Liuyun, here are the treasure herbs you require."
Dan Jun flicked his sleeve, sending several dozen treasure herbs flying out to land before Ye Yunfei.
There were Third-Grade Treasure Herbs, and also Fourth-Grade ones.
Precisely what Ye Yunfei needed.
"Thank you."
Ye Yunfei stored the herbs and inwardly let out a sigh of relief.
The purpose of his trip to the Alchemy Tower was finally accomplished.
"I'll be leaving now."
Ye Yunfei turned and walked away.
"Master Liuyun, could you stay at the Alchemy Tower for a few days? I have some questions on alchemy techniques I wish to ask for guidance," Dan Jun said hurriedly upon seeing this.
"I'm busy.
I have no time.
I'll impart these insights on alchemy techniques to you. Study them carefully. Perhaps they can help you become a true Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill Master."
Striding away, Ye Yunfei waved his hand, sending a sphere of white light flying to Dan Jun.
This sphere was formed from condensed Soul Power energy and contained records of some alchemy insights.
"Many thanks, Master Liuyun!"
Dan Jun couldn't help but be overjoyed and quickly stored it away.
Pursuing the path of alchemy was the greatest ambition of his life.
For decades, he had been trying to break through to become a Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill Master but kept falling just short of success.
Now, however, he finally saw hope!
"Master Liuyun, should you ever wish to visit the Alchemy Tower in the future, you are welcome anytime!" Dan Jun said clearly.
"Master Liuyun, please wait!"
Suddenly, a middle-aged man dressed as a Daoist priest and holding a whisk darted after Ye Yunfei.
It was none other than Tianxuan Sect Leader Zhou Tianming.
"Master Liuyun, I was wrong before, to have dared disrespect you.
Please consider a father's desperation to save his son. Could you release Sheng'er?"
Zhou Tianming bowed respectfully to Ye Yunfei, his attitude utterly humble.
It was no joking matter; even Dan Jun treated this Master Liuyun with deference. What was he compared to that?
"Zhou Sheng provoked me…"
Ye Yunfei swept a glance at Zhou Tianming and spoke blandly.
"I can offer compensation!"
Before Ye Yunfei could finish, Zhou Tianming waved his hand, sending a space ring flying to Ye Yunfei.
Inside was a batch of First-Grade Treasure Herbs and a staggering quantity of spirit crystal stones.
Ye Yunfei's Soul Power sensed it, but he remained silent.
Gritting his teeth, Zhou Tianming took out another space ring and offered it.
This ring contained over a dozen Second-Grade Treasure Herbs and several desolate artifacts!
For the Tianxuan Sect, this was a significant loss.
"Let this be the last time. If you provoke me again, don't expect such leniency."
With a thought, Ye Yunfei transmitted Zhou Sheng out from the Phantom Illusion Tower.
"You bastard, how dare you—"
Having been imprisoned in the Phantom Illusion Tower, Zhou Sheng was seething with pent-up frustration. Seeing Ye Yunfei, he flew into a rage and started cursing.
"You beast! If you dare disrespect Master Liuyun again, I'll slap you dead myself!"
Zhou Tianming slapped him several times in a row, roaring.
"Father?
Why are you here too?
Why are you hitting me?"
Struck dizzy and disoriented, Zhou Sheng had no idea what was happening.
By then, Ye Yunfei had already gone far away.
Fengyun Jue had long since quietly left the plaza and caught up with Ye Yunfei.
"Elder Dan, the Pill Duel Conference… there's still a third segment…"
the Alchemy Tower's Tower Master whispered to Dan Jun.
"You deal with it.
From now on, I am going into seclusion."
Dan Jun stared in the direction Ye Yunfei had left, lost in thought for a moment before answering.
After speaking, his figure flickered and vanished.
Soon, the events that occurred at the Alchemy Tower's Pill Duel Conference spread at an astonishing speed throughout the entire Central Continent and even across the Tianxuan Continent.
It caused a massive uproar.
Everyone vied to discuss the incredible deeds of Master Liuyun.
A few days later,
Ye Yunfei discreetly returned to the Hudao Academy.
"Dean Ye, you're back!"
The moment Ye Yunfei returned, Xie Changkong and other academy leaders sensed it and hurried to meet him.
"It's good you've returned safely!"
Xie Changkong's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled.
He had been worrying about Ye Yunfei's safety this entire time.
"I will be in seclusion for a few days,"
Ye Yunfei said.
"Very well."
Xie Changkong and the others had originally wanted to ask about Ye Yunfei's recent experiences, but hearing this, they could only let the matter drop.
For the next few days, Ye Yunfei remained in seclusion.
His main task was refining pills!
While Ye Yunfei was incessantly refining pills within his secret chamber,
something was happening in the Central Continent, in the Tianyue Empire.
Within the vast mountainous region where the entrance to the Crystal Mine Small World was located.
Previously, when the Crystal Mine Small World was open, this area had been packed with people. Now, it was desolate and silent, with few birds or beasts to be seen.
Suddenly,
Rumble…
Above a valley shrouded in thick mist, a tall spatial portal slowly manifested.
Then,
The spatial portal abruptly opened.
Billowing demonic aura erupted from the portal as a sinister figure, three meters tall, charged out.
It had wings sprouting from its back, a pair of curved horns growing from its forehead, and its body was covered in bizarre stripes.
It was precisely that high-ranking member of the Ancient Demon Race that Ye Yunfei had encountered inside the Crystal Mine Small World!
A large group of Ancient Demon Race members followed behind this high-ranking expert, marching out from the spatial portal in grand procession.
For a time, overwhelming demonic aura diffused, inundating an area of dozens of miles!
"Hahaha…
Tianxuan Continent, I have returned!
When my Ancient Demon Race's grand army descended upon this continent long ago, who could have predicted the brutal battle that followed, nearly causing my demise.
Now, the chance for vengeance is at hand!"
The Ancient Demon Race expert surveyed the land and laughed wildly at the sky.
"And that human brat, I will surely find him and drain every last drop of his brain marrow and vital essence!"
The Ancient Demon Race expert waved his hand, conjuring a phantom figure—precisely Ye Yunfei's likeness.
Bang!
The Ancient Demon Race expert flicked his thick finger, shattering Ye Yunfei's image to pieces.
"Lord Demon General, what is our next course of action?"
An Ancient Demon Race member stepped forward and asked respectfully.
"The Tianxuan Continent is wrapped in multiple layers of spatial barriers, forming its own isolated realm, cut off from the external cosmos and starry skies.
Therefore, after my Ancient Demon Race's grand army broke through the spatial barriers and descended upon the Tianxuan Continent long ago, to facilitate movement to and from this realm, we built a Teleportation Altar on the continent itself.
Now, our mission is to find and activate that Teleportation Altar."
The high-ranking Ancient Demon Race expert explained.
"I can already sense it, mysteriously, the Demon Emperor is using our clan's secret arts to summon us!
The Demon Emperor commands those of our kin who remain in the Tianxuan Continent to find and activate that Teleportation Altar, to realize our great plan of bringing our clan's grand army back to the Tianxuan Continent!
Come, let us depart immediately!"
The high-ranking Ancient Demon Race expert waved his hand, leading a large group of Ancient Demon Race troops away from the area.