Pang Clan Headquarters.
"Report!
The Branch Stronghold in the Yuchang Star Domain has been wiped out!"
"Report!
The Branch Stronghold in the Yuetang Star Domain has been wiped out!"
"Report!
The Branch Stronghold in the Yuanlu Star Domain has been wiped out!"
...
Reports kept flooding in.
"Who on earth did this?!"
"Are they trying to start a war with our Pang Clan?!"
"Investigate!
Send experts immediately to investigate this matter thoroughly!"
...
The news caused the entire Pang Clan Headquarters to boil over. Every high-level member of the clan was stirred into action, roaring with fury.
"How dare they! This is an outrage!"
Inside the conference hall of the Pang Clan Headquarters, Pang Chang, a senior member of the clan, trembled with rage, his face icy and teeth gritted.
"Everyone, during this period, our Pang Clan has suffered the destruction of thirteen Branch Strongholds in total," the Pang Clan Patriarch declared, his words measured and severe. "All clansmen in these thirteen Branch Strongholds have either been killed or vanished. All assets have been plundered clean. Our Pang Clan's losses are heavy.
More importantly, news of the destruction of our Branch Strongholds has already spread throughout the entire Tianluo Star Sea. The damage to our Pang Clan's prestige is immense.
One could say, since our Pang Clan rose to prominence in the Tianluo Star Sea, we have seldom faced such a severe provocation.
We absolutely cannot let this matter rest! From now on, mobilize all forces to conduct a thorough investigation! We *must* uncover the mastermind behind this attack on our Pang Clan and then exact full-scale retribution!"
"Patriarch, could the mastermind be one of the other super factions in the Tianluo Star Sea?" a Pang Clan Elder suddenly spoke up. "Within the Tianluo Star Sea, only a few other major powers would have the nerve to openly oppose our Pang Clan."
"That seems unlikely," the Pang Clan Patriarch shook his head. "Although the several super factions in our Tianluo Star Sea have always quietly competed with one another, their strengths are relatively balanced. They are wary of each other; none would lightly act to break the equilibrium."
"Enough. Immediately dispatch experts to investigate this matter thoroughly!" the Patriarch ordered.
"Understood," the other clan elders nodded.
Soon, a group of Pang Clan experts left the headquarters, heading towards the locations of the destroyed Branch Strongholds.
Moreover, all other Pang Clan Branch Strongholds bolstered their defenses. Each one stood on high alert, the atmosphere extremely tense.
Simultaneously, news that over a dozen Pang Clan Branch Strongholds had been wiped out spread rapidly across the entire Tianluo Star Sea.
For a time, the entire star sea was set abuzz with shock.
The Pang Clan was one of the overlords of this star sea, having dominated this expanse of stars for endless ages. No one had dared to provoke them.
Who could have imagined that someone would now have the audacity to wipe out over a dozen of their Branch Strongholds in one go?
This was truly like digging up soil on Tai Sui's head, like slapping a tiger on the rear!
"Who did this?
That's just too bold! To dare wipe out over a dozen Pang Clan Branch Strongholds... Is this a prelude to declaring war on the Pang Clan?"
"After all these years, someone finally dares to challenge the Pang Clan! Regardless of the outcome, just this level of courage alone compels admiration!"
"Heh, daring to offend the Pang Clan within the Tianluo Star Sea is simply asking for death. Just wait and see, whoever did this will pay the price!"
...
Throughout the star sea, beings everywhere were discussing the events, feeling thoroughly shaken.
Over half a month later.
In a sweltering, desolate region of space floated numerous barren planets.
Among them was one that was blazing fiercely.
From a distance, this planet looked like a giant torch, illuminating a vast expanse of surrounding space. The immense heat it radiated even caused some passing asteroids floating nearby to ignite and burn.
A flying ship approached from afar, halting before this planet.
"That planet ahead should be the one where Elder Jiang Yanran's family obtained the Flame Crystals," Ye Yunfei mused within the ship, studying the fiery planet from a distance.
Previously, Jiang Yanran had asked Ye Yunfei to accompany her to the Shattered Valley in the Northern Wastelands to retrieve the Nine Songs Divine Ginseng. As a condition, Jiang Yanran had gifted Ye Yunfei a large batch of valuables, which included over a dozen Flame Crystals.
According to Jiang Yanran, those Flame Crystals were obtained by a Jiang Family Elder who, while traveling in space, had unintentionally discovered them on a planet burning with copious flames.
Later, when Jiang Yanran returned home, she inquired with that Jiang Family Elder about the approximate location of the planet where he obtained the Flame Crystals and informed Ye Yunfei.
Due to numerous pressing matters, Ye Yunfei had never set out to find that planet.
This time, during the journey back to the Xuanhuang Star Domain, Ye Yunfei suddenly recalled the planet rich in Flame Crystals and immediately made his way here.
The reason was that Flame Crystals were a precious and rare type of crystal containing vast amounts of fire-attribute energy.
Precisely what the Vermilion Bird, one of the Nine Palaces Totem Wheels, needed most was fire-attribute energy!
"Such dense fire-attribute energy... What are you here for?" The Giant Arm hovering beside Ye Yunfei inquired.
"I need to retrieve a type of treasure from that planet," Ye Yunfei pointed towards the fiercely burning planet ahead.
"The temperature on this planet is too high. With your current strength, entering it may not be possible," the phantom of the burly man materialized from the Giant Arm.
"I'm not afraid of high temperatures," Ye Yunfei smiled.
What the Vermilion Bird needed most was fire-attribute energy; it wouldn't fear heat, no matter how intense.
Because the Vermilion Bird was a fire-attribute divine beast by nature, inherently adept at controlling fire!
"Let's go take a look together," Ye Yunfei said.
"If you're not afraid, why should I be," the burly man chuckled.
Thus, Ye Yunfei and the Giant Arm exited the flying ship. He stored the ship away, then began walking step by step through the starry void towards the planet ahead.
The temperature of this planet was extremely high. Ye Yunfei didn't dare let the flying ship get too close, fearing it might be set ablaze.
"It seems this planet must have a period of weakness at some point, when its heat diminishes and its temperature drops," Ye Yunfei thought as he approached step by step, feeling waves of terrifying heat blast towards him. "Otherwise, with the strength of that Jiang Family Elder, entering this planet would be absolutely impossible."
The Jiang Family Elder's strength was, at most, at the Primordial Soul Realm. Given the heat currently radiating from this planet, someone at a mere Primordial Soul Realm would likely be reduced to ashes before they could even get near it.
"This planet's temperature is nothing to me," the burly man said when they arrived above the burning planet, "but can you withstand it? Do you need my protection?"
As soon as the burly man's words fell, a resounding cry shook the starry space. Then, a crimson divine fowl, bathed in rolling flames, soared violently from behind Ye Yunfei.
It was the Vermilion Bird!
*Whoosh...*
The moment it appeared, the Vermilion Bird spread its crimson wings and flew towards the planet ahead, actually beginning to devour the flames!
"What is this..."
The burly man stared, utterly dumbfounded.