The red-robed elder and Senior Brother Han led the charge at the front, entering the mountain range in moments.
Within the mountains were scattered many broken, incomplete structures.
All of the buildings were bathed in seas of fire.
A terrible heat rolled towards them, making them feel as if they had stepped into a furnace. The power of the fire-attributed energy contained here was far from comparable to what lay outside.
"Everyone, be careful! The flame power within these mountains is exceptionally fearsome!" the red-robed elder called out gravely.
Boom! Boom!…
Every last member of this Fire-Worshipping Cult party pushed their defensive treasures to the absolute limit. Layer after layer of light spheres emerged, tightly protecting their bodies.
Only Ye Yunfei seemed to feel nothing at all. He allowed the frighteningly hot flames that surrounded him to wash over him and cling to the surface of his body.
"What rich fire-attributed energy and law essence!"
Ye Yunfei couldn't help but marvel as he felt the surrounding flames and terrifying heat. At the same time, the Vermilion Bird conveyed bursts of delight, like a ravenously hungry person encountering delicious food, itching to rush out and devour all the fire-attributed energy and laws around them.
"It seems I should get away from them and let the Vermilion Bird out for some proper cultivation."
Ye Yunfei thought to himself. For the Vermilion Bird, a cultivation environment like this was a rarity not to be missed.
"Saint Master, this kid is too strange. He's actually unafraid of the flames and heat here. Can you tell why?"
Senior Brother Han saw Ye Yunfei moving along casually and empty-handed, seemingly completely unaffected by the scorching environment, and sent a Sound Transmission to the red-robed elder.
"There's only one possibility. This kid must be carrying a treasure specially designed to defend against fire and high temperatures. And it's extremely high-grade, definitely much more advanced than our treasures," the Saint Master replied.
"Young Master Han, a treasure like that would be extremely useful to us. We absolutely must not miss out. Find an opportunity to kill this kid and seize the treasure on him," the Saint Master transmitted.
"Exactly. I was thinking the same. That's precisely why I allowed him to follow us," Senior Brother Han nodded.
As the Saint Master and Senior Brother Han conversed via Sound Transmission, their gazes swept over Ye Yunfei from time to time.
Ye Yunfei saw this and inwardly snorted coldly. Although the members of this Fire-Worshipping Cult were powerful, with the Giant Arm present, Ye Yunfei had no reason to fear them. Besides, in this environment, the Vermilion Bird was like a fish swimming in water. If a fight really broke out, Ye Yunfei felt confident he could battle them just by relying on it.
"If you can't withstand the flames and heat here, you should stay a bit closer to me," the Lu-shi-mei said to Ye Yunfei. Above her head hovered a blue treasure pearl, emitting waves of icy Qi. Within a few *zhang* radius of her body, rippling layers of azure seawater mirages appeared, preventing the surrounding flames and waves of heat from invading.
"This really is the ruins of the Fire-Worshipping Cult! Look! That's the Fire-Worshipping Cult's totem, the legendary Three-Legged Golden Crow!"
Suddenly, the Saint Master pointed ahead at a stone pillar that was half-broken and spoke excitedly. Carved on that stone pillar was a three-legged golden crow standing in a sea of flames, its pair of golden pupils flickering as if currently watching Ye Yunfei's group.
Not just on that pillar, but on the other ruined pavilions, towers, and palaces around them, many three-legged golden crows were also carved.
"Right! The Fire-Worshipping Cult's totem is indeed the Three-Legged Golden Crow! We've definitely found the right place!"
The other young men and women were also extremely excited.
"These ruins must hold quite a few good things. Let's go! Search them," the Saint Master waved a hand and led the group deeper in.
"The Fire-Worshipping Cult… I've heard of this sect."
The Giant Arm's Sound Transmission suddenly rang out within Ye Yunfei's Soul Sea. The Giant Arm's Soul Power was formidable, and though he remained inside the Illusory Shadow Pagoda, he could perceive the situation outside clearly.
"They say the Fire-Worshipping Cult is an ancient and mysterious sect in our universe. All its members cultivated fire-attributed techniques and martial skills. It once produced several mighty experts who shook the entire starry cosmos. Only, later it began to decline. With no worthy successors, it gradually faded away. I never imagined this planet would be connected to the Fire-Worshipping Cult," the Giant Arm said to Ye Yunfei.
"So that's how it is. However, the rise and fall of sects and clans across the world is in itself a very normal thing. The strongest of forces will eventually have their day of decline; the mightiest of experts will also have their moment of fall," Ye Yunfei sighed softly.
Ye Yunfei himself had once stood at the very peak of the world as a Heavenly Emperor, yet ended up nearly annihilated in both body and soul, reduced to a mere wisp of remnant soul. His feelings on the matter were particularly profound.
"That palace over there should hold something good!"
Suddenly, the Saint Master up ahead cried out, accelerating towards a dilapidated, broken palace. Multicolored streaks of auspicious light sprayed out from within that palace, clearly indicating it housed quite a few treasures.
Roar…
Just as everyone charged to the palace entrance, several hundred fire beasts rushed out. Most of these fire beasts were at the Sea Splitting Realm, with over a dozen at the Lightning Tribulation Realm! The power of the fire beasts within these sect ruins was much stronger than those outside!
These several hundred fire beasts, the moment they appeared, began frantically pouncing to attack.
"Kill these beasts!" Senior Brother Han roared, taking the lead as he met their charge. This Senior Brother Han's cultivation was at the Lightning Tribulation Realm! Being a Lightning Tribulation expert at such a young age—such strength was simply unimaginable within the Tianluo Star Sea!
Boom…
With a single palm strike from him, a blazing palm imprint carrying astonishing energy crashed violently towards the fire beasts, instantly shattering several of them on the spot, scattering Flame Crystals all over the ground. The stronger the fire beast, the more Flame Crystals were contained within its body.
"Kill!" The others also surged forward to attack. Ye Yunfei noticed that all the techniques and martial skills cultivated by these people leaned towards the fire attribute.
"With your strength, facing these fire beasts you simply wouldn't stand a chance. Stand behind me!" The Lu-shi-mei drew a red longsword and barked in a low voice at Ye Yunfei. As she spoke, she brandished the sword and stabbed forward, cleaving a fire beast in two. This Lu-shi-mei was at the late Sea Splitting Realm. Her spiritual energy was highly condensed, and her combat power was no weakling!
Ye Yunfei offered no response. In truth, seeing those fire beasts, Ye Yunfei could barely resist the urge to release the Vermilion Bird to devour them. Fire beasts at the Sea Splitting and Lightning Tribulation Realms were great supplements for the Vermilion Bird!
"Hmph! Boy, you dare get close to my woman? Just wait and see!"
In the distance, Senior Brother Han saw Lu-shi-mei protecting Ye Yunfei everywhere and his face twisted with rage, jealousy burning within him.
"Let's fight our way in!"
At this moment, the Saint Master had already rushed to the palace's great door. Although the fire beasts were numerous, the members of the Fire-Worshipping Cult possessed formidable combat power, and in mere moments had hacked the fire beasts into scattered pieces.
"Go in!"
The Saint Master shattered a Lightning Tribulation Realm fire beast with a few moves, then took the lead and stepped into the palace. The others hurriedly followed behind him.
"Let's go in too!"
Lu-shi-mei said to Ye Yunfei, then after speaking, she moved and charged into the palace. However, Ye Yunfei did not follow. Instead, he seized this opportunity to unleash his movement technique and swiftly headed off in a different direction.
The reason Ye Yunfei had followed these Fire-Worshipping Cult people was to see where they would go to explore and search for treasures. He hadn't expected they would come to this mountain range. Therefore, Ye Yunfei saw no further need to follow them.
"Hey! Where are you running off to?! Don't go randomly charging around; this place is dangerous!"
The cry of Lu-shi-mei came from behind. But Ye Yunfei's movement speed was supremely fast; in the blink of an eye, he was already far away from that palace.
Soon, another palace appeared ahead.
"Let's take a look!"
Ye Yunfei rushed towards that palace.
Roar! Roar…
The moment Ye Yunfei reached the palace entrance, a group of fire beasts charged out from within. There were fire beasts at the Star Bridge Realm, the Sea Splitting Realm, and even the Lightning Tribulation Realm among them!
"Well met!"
Seeing these fire beasts, Ye Yunfei let out a soft cry.
Boom…
The Vermilion Bird rushed out, beat its wings, and charged over, engaging the fire beasts in battle. After a few exchanges, the Vermilion Bird began gaining the upper hand, continuously devouring the fire beasts. Faced with these fire beasts, the Vermilion Bird seemed to have gained total dominance. The aura it released suppressed the fire beasts, making it difficult for them to move.
"It's true indeed—for every existence, there is something that counters it!" Ye Yunfei couldn't help but sigh with admiration.
Moments later, those several hundred fire beasts had all been eaten by the Vermilion Bird! The energy aura radiating from the Vermilion Bird had clearly strengthened significantly.
Ye Yunfei walked into the palace and discovered inside a large collection of pills, crystal stones, treasures, and various other fire-attributed heavenly treasures.
Ye Yunfei swept up everything of value within the palace at his fastest speed. Then, he headed for the next palace.
This mountain range was extremely vast, dotted with numerous structures. Ye Yunfei continuously advanced deeper in, plundering anything of worth along the way! Along his path, he encountered large numbers of fire beasts, all of which were devoured by the Vermilion Bird. As the number of devoured fire beasts constantly increased, the Vermilion Bird's strength rapidly rose!
Ye Yunfei discovered that the deeper one went into these mountains, the more terrifying the power of the flames present, and the higher the temperature.
"Empty! This palace is empty too! How can this be!"
Behind him, the Fire-Worshipping Cult members, led by the Saint Master, burst into one building after another. However, to their utter frustration, the treasures within these buildings seemed to have been plundered one step ahead of them! Aside from the first palace they had entered, all the other structures were empty! They hadn't found half a treasure!
"Someone must have gotten ahead of us and taken the treasures from this palace! Look at those medicine shelves, treasure shelves, and those chests. They clearly still had things inside them not long ago; the marks are fresh. Look! A small piece of fire crystal has fallen there!" a Fire-Worshipping Cult disciple called out inside one of the palaces.
"Indeed. Not long ago, someone entered this palace and took everything," the Saint Master said with a gloomy expression.
"Who got ahead of us?! Who exactly did this?!" Senior Brother Han roared in fury.
"No need to ask. It must be him! That kid we ran into not long ago!" The Saint Master spoke through gritted teeth, word by word.
"Right! It must be that kid!"
The others all understood in a flash.
"Was it really him? But he's only at the Deity Sculpting Realm…"
Ye Yunfei's figure floated up within the Sea of Consciousness of Lu-shi-mei.
"Chase! We'll chase after him and settle the score with that kid!" Senior Brother Han roared, taking the lead as he charged out of the palace. The others followed behind him.
"The haul was just too rich!"
By this time, Ye Yunfei had almost reached the very deepest part of the mountain range. The spoils along this journey were truly too plentiful! From building after building, Ye Yunfei had acquired massive quantities of treasures! Naturally, most of the treasures he obtained were fire-attributed. Moreover, the Vermilion Bird had also devoured huge numbers of fire beasts, its power having already reached an astonishing level!