Wan Lei forced himself to calm down. Acting rashly was out of the question; this time, the enemy was the Five Elements Hall.
If he wanted to save someone, he needed a complete plan, foolproof strategies, and an absolute understanding of the Five Elements Hall to have even a sliver of a chance to rescue Fang Xiaoyu.
Any mistake, and both he and Fang Xiaoyu would be crushed into nothingness by the Five Elements Hall.
His goal was to save her, not to die with her.
They had experienced so many life-and-death situations, and their lives had been bought with the lives of others. How could they die so easily?
Once Wan Lei calmed down, he began to think of a way.
He wanted to save her, but he knew nothing. He didn't even know where Fang Xiaoyu was imprisoned. His understanding of the Immortal Realm was vague, and he knew nothing. This required asking a professional.
In the Immortal Realm, he only knew a few people.
Fortunately, those few people he knew were knowledgeable and might be able to help him find a solution.
Wan Lei took out his spiritual slip, took a deep breath, found the friend account left by Wan Qianxin, and clicked video call.
After two rings, the other side connected.
What greeted him was Wan Qianxin's handsome face. Behind him were some sophisticated instruments; he was clearly on a spaceship.
"Hey, is that Wan Lei? Did you finish so quickly? We haven't even reached the Qu'an Starfield yet. If you're done, come find us..."
Wan Qianxin's enthusiastic words suddenly stopped. He noticed that Wan Lei's eyes were bloodshot, his expression extremely serious, and filled with anger and anxiety.
"Something's happened."
Wan Lei's voice was hoarse.
"What happened? Can that little place cause trouble?"
"Xiaoyu was captured by people from the Five Elements Hall."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, the other three youngsters and Dada gathered around. Their faces could barely fit on the small screen.
Wan Lei recounted everything, from their arrival in the East Land, their visit to the Xiangren Sect, their fight at Jingshan, and finally, his entry into the independent space, Fang Xiaoyu's battle with the Five Elements Hall disciples, her exposure of the Wind Blade Evasion technique, and her capture.
"She knows the Wind Blade Evasion technique?!"
Wan Qianxin was filled with disbelief.
"Then do you know it too?"
Wan Lei nodded.
"Where did you learn the Wind Blade Evasion technique?"
Xia Yubing, who was behind him, interjected.
"In my homeland, fifty thousand years ago, six Boundless Realm powerhouses left behind six secret realms. Completing these six secret realms grants the Wind Blade Evasion technique. That's how we obtained it.
I suspect those immortals have already become Saints, but I don't know who they are, nor can I seek their help. So, I can only ask you for assistance?"
After a moment of silence on the other side, Wan Qianxin asked,
"What do you plan to do?"
"I want Xia Yubing to ask his father if he has any solutions. If not, I'll have to go to the Five Elements Hall and find a way to rescue her. The priority now is to find out where she's being held."
"Alright, Xia Bing, hurry up and ask."
Wan Qianxin said to Xia Yubing behind him.
Wan Lei quickly added,
"As long as your esteemed father is willing to help, I will agree to any conditions."
On the other side, Xia Yubing had already taken out his spiritual slip to call his father.
As soon as the call connected, Xia Yubing shouted,
"Hello, Dad, a friend of mine was captured by the Five Elements Hall for practicing their Wind Blade Evasion technique. Do you have any way to get her out?"
On the other end of the spiritual slip, after a moment of silence, a voice came,
"Who is your dad? You are my dad! Can I afford to provoke the Five Elements Hall? You dare to associate with friends who steal forbidden techniques?
From now on, our father-son relationship is severed. You are you, and I am me. I don't know you. Don't let the Five Elements Hall investigate and think that I taught your friend forbidden techniques."
Xia Yubing's father's reaction stunned all the companions present.
After a moment of stunned silence, Xia Yubing became furious,
"Old Xia, you only have me as your only son. If you dare to kick me out of the house, you won't have a son, and your wife will skin you alive!"
"It's alright, your mother and I are still young, and we can have more children."
Upon hearing this, Xia Yubing fell silent. His tone finally softened,
"Old Xia, if this is really the case, then as a farewell, I want to say one last thing to you."
"Speak."
"I am your dad, your biological dad!"
*Snap!*
Xia Yubing cursed and immediately hung up the phone.
The people around exchanged glances. No one expected that this matter, yet to be resolved, had already caused Xia Yubing to lose his father.
"Uh... it's hard for an honest official to settle a family dispute. Let's get back to Wan Lei's matter. His is more urgent."
Wan Qianxin glanced at Xia Yubing, who was squatting in the corner, missing his father and cherishing the mountain-like paternal love, then looked back at the screen.
"Xia Yubing's father is not viable. For now, you can only rely on yourself.
Let me analyze this for you and come up with a plan based on the intelligence I have.
Generally speaking, criminals captured by the Five Elements Hall are imprisoned in local prisons. Those who have committed grave offenses are incarcerated in the prison outside the headquarters of the Five Elements Hall.
However, Sister Xiaoyu's situation is rather special. She stole an internal forbidden technique of the Five Elements Hall. Based on the classification of matters, this should be considered an internal affair of the Five Elements Hall, so she would be imprisoned in the internal prison of the Five Elements Hall.
This prison is generally used to confine disciples of the Five Elements Hall who have made mistakes. She will inevitably be held there.
According to the internal laws of the Five Elements Hall, stealing forbidden techniques is punishable by expulsion of cultivation at the lightest, and death penalty at the heaviest.
If she does not confess, the case will not be closed, she will not be tried, nor will she be sentenced. She will remain imprisoned."
"She won't confess because even she doesn't know who taught her the Wind Blade Evasion technique, nor do I. Besides, her will... is much stronger than mine."
Wan Lei was troubled, imagining the inhumane torture Fang Xiaoyu must be enduring in the Five Elements Hall's prison.
"Well, then this is your opportunity. According to the internal management regulations of the Five Elements Hall, outsiders cannot enter the Five Elements Hall. Those who can be inside the Five Elements Hall are only the hall master, elders, disciples, and other core personnel of the Five Elements Hall.
Therefore, the guards watching Sister Xiaoyu are also disciples of the Five Elements Hall stationed in the prison.
Only by becoming a prison guard will you have a chance to rescue her. Of course, this is only a sliver of hope, no different from seeking death.
You can pass the assessment and become a disciple of the Five Elements Hall. As for how to become a guard, that will depend on your own efforts. I don't know how the Five Elements Hall assigns personnel."
"Do I have to become a disciple of the Five Elements Hall? Are there no other ways? What if I sneak in?"
Wan Lei frowned. According to Wan Qianxin's "formal process," he didn't know how long it would take to become a guard, and how long Fang Xiaoyu would have to endure torture.