The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Seeing her like this, Shen Yifei's heart softened a little. "Miss Feng, don't cry. Now that I've encountered this, I can't just ignore it. Tell me first, how do you enter your Phoenix Clan's secret realm? And what is the strength of that Grand Elder?"

Feng Wu wiped away her tears, composed herself, and said, "The entrance to the Wutong Secret Realm is in a valley southeast of Phoenix Mountain. There's a ten-thousand-year-old Wutong tree at the entrance, its canopy blocking out the sun, making it easy to spot. There's a restriction placed at the entrance by our Phoenix Clan, which can only be opened by those with Phoenix Clan blood. The Great Elder, Feng Tianxiao, is at the late stage of the Tribulation Transcending realm, but the cultivation method he practices is somewhat unorthodox; it's said that it can enhance one's strength through secret techniques."

Shen Yifei thought to himself, "I've already refined Ye Qianqiu, who was at the peak of the Tribulation Transcending stage, into a human pill. Reaching the late stage of the Tribulation Transcending stage shouldn't be a problem!"

He then asked, "Besides the Grand Elder, how many other experts does your Phoenix Clan have?"

Feng Wu thought for a moment, "The Grand Elder has four guardians, all of whom are experts in the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. In addition, there are twelve Phoenix Clan elders, whose cultivation levels are mostly in the early stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. Most of these people obey the Grand Elder's orders."

Shen Yifei quickly calculated in his mind that there were nearly twenty experts at the Tribulation Transcending Realm, and that was only what was on the surface. As an ancient race on par with the Dragon Clan, the Phoenix Clan must have other trump cards hidden in the shadows.

It seems that forcing my way in won't work, so I'll just have to wait for them to come and take me back.

"By the way, Miss Feng, what is the princess's cultivation level?"

"The princess is in the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm, but the Grand Elder used a secret technique of the Phoenix Clan to lock her meridians. Now her cultivation is sealed, and she is no different from an ordinary person."

"Mid-stage Tribulation Transcending? Even someone this strong was controlled?"

Shen Yifei suddenly felt that his cultivation level was no longer sufficient.

But then I thought about it again, what did I rely on to defeat Ye Qianqiu? It was my ruthlessness and taciturn nature, the essence blood of Hongxiu, Ye Ling's tough stance at the crucial moment, and that wisp of black demonic energy.

Now that I'm at the early stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm, and with the Myriad Things Cauldron, the Thunder-Swallowing Beast, and Ye Ling as my trump cards, I'm not without a chance of winning against the Phoenix Clan.

"Miss Feng, besides his high cultivation level, what other special abilities does your Grand Elder possess?"

Feng Wu thought for a moment, "The Grand Elder has a magical artifact called the 'Phoenix Bell,' an ancient treasure. As long as the Phoenix Bell is rung, the sound can suppress the opponent's soul."

"Phoenix Bell?" Shen Yifei clicked his tongue and memorized the name.

"Also, the four guardians under the Grand Elder are named Feng Lin, Feng Huo, Feng Shan, and Feng Hai. All four are experts in the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm and are collectively known as the 'Four Symbols Guardians.' They have a combined attack formation that is extremely powerful."

Shen Yifei secretly noted down this information and then asked some questions about the internal structure of the Wutong Secret Realm. Feng Wu answered them one by one, explaining in detail the terrain, building distribution, and guard arrangements within the secret realm.

After listening, Shen Yifei had a general idea in his mind.

"Miss Feng, please stay here for now. You can stay at whichever of those mountains you like, just pick one." Shen Yifei pointed to the distant mountain range. "If you need anything, just tell Sister Hongxiu, and she will take care of it for you."

Feng Wu thanked her repeatedly.

She fell in love with this place as soon as she entered it, and Liu Mengli and Mo Ran took her to choose a spot.

Hongxiu was somewhat worried. "Young Master, the Phoenix Clan also has a ten-thousand-year-old heritage. They are far stronger than those demons in the secret realm. I think it would be better for you to be cautious about taking such a risk."

Hongxiu's concerns were not unfounded, but Shen Yifei was like a shark that had smelled blood at this moment, and he no longer cared about being cautious.

"Sister Hongxiu, as the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. Now that the Phoenix Clan is in turmoil, the Heirloom Jade Seal is in our hands, and the princess is under house arrest, isn't this a golden opportunity? Besides, I still need a pure-blooded woman from the Phoenix Clan to cure this bewitching seed. For both public and private reasons, I must go on this trip."

Seeing that she couldn't dissuade him, Hongxiu could only sigh, "Young Master, I know you're determined. But you must promise me that you'll be careful in everything you do once you're inside. If anything seems amiss, get out immediately. As long as you're alive, you can always make a comeback."

"Don't worry, Sister Hongxiu," Shen Yifei said with a lewd smile, "Besides, if even the Phoenix Princess's maids are this beautiful, she must be an absolute beauty too. Would I mistreat myself?"

Hongxiu spat at him and couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention.

The next morning, before Shen Yifei had even gotten out of bed, a series of noisy footsteps could be heard downstairs at the inn.

Immediately afterwards, the door was kicked open again, this time with even greater force than last night, and half of the door was smashed to pieces.

Shen Yifei sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and yawned. "Hey everyone, didn't your Phoenix Clan ancestors teach you manners? Can't you knock before entering? If you break this door, you'll have to pay for it."

He got up and saw that there were seven or eight people crowded at the door. The leader had changed; he was now a middle-aged man with a pale face, no beard, and a hooked nose.

The middle-aged man was dressed in a fiery red robe, embroidered with a phoenix about to take flight. He looked much more impressive than the three scoundrels from last night.

He narrowed his eyes and looked Shen Yifei up and down with a sharp gaze, which made Shen Yifei shudder.

"Is that the human boy who bought Fengwu yesterday?"

"That's me." Shen Yifei remained calm, leisurely putting on his shoes. "May I ask who you are, and why you're so angry?"

"I am Feng Shan, a protector of the Phoenix Clan." The middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance. "Boy, I won't beat around the bush with you. That girl is a fugitive of my Phoenix Clan, and she is carrying a precious treasure of our clan. Hand her over, and I will not hold you accountable for harboring her, and I will even give you a reward."

"Oh, so it's Protector Fengshan. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner," Shen Yifei cupped his hands in greeting. "Last night I already explained things to those three brothers. After paying the compensation for that girl, I let her go. After all, there's a difference between men and women; I can't exactly keep her by my side, can I?"

"The Three Protectors,"

"That kid's lying!" A loud voice came from behind Fengshan.

"The three of us have checked, and there is no woman who looks like Feng Wu who has ever left the city!" another person shouted.

"Oh," Feng Shan said, somewhat puzzled, "So, Feng Wu is still in Phoenix City?"

"Third Elder, she definitely didn't leave the city. That kid must have hidden that girl!" The loud-voiced man was convinced that Shen Yifei was suspicious, probably still bothered by what he felt yesterday.

Shen Yifei cursed under his breath, "You fucking have a loud voice. I wonder how you'll yell when we're refining you."

He had just finished shouting when he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Shen Yifei retorted, "Brothers, if I really hid that girl, would I still be here waiting for you to come and catch me? I would have disappeared long ago."

Feng Shan snorted coldly, his divine sense repeatedly probing Shen Yifei. "Boy, what you said makes some sense. However, since that girl didn't leave the city, you're still the prime suspect. That girl stole the Phoenix Clan's treasure; you'll have to come back to the Phoenix Clan with me..."