Given a regular hexagon $ABCDEF$, let point $P$ be the intersection of lines $BC$ and $DE$, and let point $Q$ be the intersection of lines $AP$ and $CD$. If the area of $\triangle QEP$ is equal to $72$, find the area of regular hexagon $ABCDEF$.

Let's think step by step and output the final answer within \boxed{}.
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