A Surprise, Isn't It?

Gale and flame danced together, the storm whipped up blazing waves of fire, the shimmering golden fire shattered with a deafening roar, and the violent tornado burst forth. Amidst the shattering wind and breaking clouds, a glint of cold light emerged from a blade.

"Get off this stage!"

A fierce gust of wind collapsed, and Mengdi transformed back into human form. He coughed up blood, staggered backward, and his former phoenix wings unfurled, phoenix feathers fluttering, and his halberd pierced the sky, arriving in an instant.

I'll treat you to barbecue tonight!

The Little Boy was lifted into the air, and a surge of blood crashed down upon him. The old man raised his hands, and deep blue Magic Power constructed a closed space. From there, he attacked from both sides, striking where the enemy would have to defend, and aiding his companion who was in deep danger.

Nine phoenix feathers, like swords, pierced forward, shimmering like streaks of light, penetrating the locked space. With a forceful twist, the blue-purple light sphere shattered, and the spatial lock vanished abruptly. She merged with Flame, cleaving the blood-red wave with a single halberd strike. "Die, all of you!"

Mengdi retreated gracefully, summoning a whirlwind to heal his injuries, blood spurting from his mouth once more. "What is she saying!"

"It's the Zhendan Language!" The old man created space, widening the distance between them, and shouted, "Phoenix King! Stop now! We have no intention of being your enemy; we can talk! This matter has nothing to do with the elves!"

The Phoenix King's face was hidden behind a golden mask, and his voice was slightly strange, but the overwhelming pressure brought by his surging killing intent and terrifying combat power made the three people present tremble.

She twirled her halberd once, sending it soaring through the air with starlight, its blade piercing the sky. "Who would understand this?!"

"Why is it in Zhendan Language!" After a brief rest, Mengdi charged forward again, catching his breath. He shouted, "Something's wrong with her! She doesn't seem to be able to speak!"

"I'll strip your mother of her resurrection armor!"

Fearless, the Phoenix King spread its wings and launched a surprise attack on the Little Boy. Blazing flames burned away all evil and wickedness, causing the blood to shrink and evaporate. The Phoenix Undying King's Halberd transformed into countless afterimages of sharp blades, sealing off all escape routes and uncertainties. "Why should the weak fight!"

"Help!" the Little Boy roared, the blood wave receding into his body, his eyes turning bloodshot, and a roaring, howling afterimage of a blood demon erupting behind him. He raised his fist, and the blood demon phantom behind him also threw a punch, "Die!"

Fire surges and blood waves collided, phoenixes and demons clashed, and the sudden explosions were like mountains collapsing and the earth sinking. An unstoppable, invisible shockwave suddenly erupted, hurling soil and shattering rocks. Whether on the ground or underground, all living beings who could not escape were shocked to death!

Including the hooded man who was responsible for guiding and arranging everything, he broke out of his invisibility, staggered a few steps, blood gushed from his seven orifices, and spat out a few pieces of flesh before slowly collapsing to the ground, his eyes still filled with fear and resentment. All his triumphant schemes and all his envisioned future came to an abrupt end.

No one knew he died here. All his schemes, plans, and strategies vanished without a trace. None of the three extraterrestrial visitors even glanced at him, a mere mud-born creature.

The old man and Mengdi stared intently at the Phoenix King. After a fierce battle with the Little Boy, the outcome was clear. The Little Boy almost lost his footing and was only able to stand firm when Mengdi summoned a gust of wind. A huge wound appeared on his small body, almost from his cheek to his chest. Phoenix flames, which had not yet died out, swirled in the torn flesh, making his handsome face look ferocious and terrifying.

The Phoenix King hovered in the air, flapping its wings. Its left arm and gauntlet were twisted strangely, dripping with burning blood. The previous exchange had been a battle of wounds.

--The thought had barely formed when they saw the Phoenix King swing his halberd. The next moment, his left arm separated from his body, bursting into Flame and burning away. In the flashing light, a brand new arm, along with the Source Fire Armor, was reshaped from the Flame and solidified.

She laughed loudly, "Are you stupid? The Phoenix Undying Body; it can't die!"

The extraterrestrial visitors' expressions turned extremely ugly.

The previous Phoenix King was still speaking in a strange language that puzzled the few people present, but that was never the point. The point was that the king who had once stormed the Veil and shaken the heavens had broken through the formation and reappeared in the world.

On that island, hundreds of dazed and confused creatures are sealed away.

While Phoenix King Malegith of the Phoenix is one of the best, she is only one of them.

The thought of the other party breaking through the formation and reappearing in the world, and the worst-case scenario, made the expressions of these extraterrestrial visitors quite grim. Among those top heroes from various races and realms, the Phoenix King was even considered to have the best temper and the least hostility...

The Little Boy's expression was grim. He said in a low voice, "We should leave! We must report this matter!"

"No, kill her!"

The old man's face was contorted with rage as he gritted his teeth and said, "With her vision and speed, we can't shake her off! Even if we descend to the mortal realm again to deal with her, she'll detect us beforehand! She must die!"

"But..."

"No buts!" Pure, azure Magic Power shone in the old man's eyes. "Don't be intimidated by her! She's been sealed away for hundreds of years, and hasn't improved in centuries! That last all-out attack didn't give her any advantage! It was three of us against one!"

A flicker of apprehension and fear crossed the middle-aged man's eyes. "But we haven't had several hundred more years..."

"... We cultivated in the sacred and eternal Land of the End, and were fortunate enough to witness that ultimate and magnificent cosmic creation. Our insights and cultivation efficiency are ten times greater than these mud-like beings! No matter how long they spend, they're just rolling around in the mud—what good is that! We are still stronger than them!"

The old man roared, "Otherwise, what's the point of all this? Kill her!"

A surge of azure Magic Power suddenly coursed through the air, and streaks of azure light sliced and separated, weaving together a dangerous space. The Blood Demon reappeared from behind, raising his murderous fist, while Mengdi transformed back into a hurricane.

The three top-tier experts, each possessing extraordinary abilities, are poised to strike and defeat the former Phoenix King in one fell swoop, causing her to perish here!

The Phoenix King held his halberd horizontally with both hands, and flames extended infinitely from his phoenix wings, stirring and changing the Flame.

"--Let's do it!"

At the old man's command, the battle commenced!

The next moment, the space that had been crisscrossed suddenly shattered, and the old man disappeared several miles away in an instant. Mengdi rode the hurricane and fled wildly, while the Blood Demon spread its four wings and charged in the opposite direction with the Little Boy!

The Phoenix King's figure froze in mid-air for a moment, almost dropping his halberd. Then, he spread his phoenix wings, locked onto the aura with his Phoenix Vision, and chased after the old man in the direction he had fled.

"Those two bastards!"

The old man traversed space and shattered mirrors, constantly flashing and teleporting to evade—he was the only one among the three with the ability to shatter space. To send back the news that the Phoenix King had broken the seal and escaped, he was the only one who could do it. These two guys didn't even know how to buy him time; they were truly despicable!

He sensed a strong sense of danger, knowing that the opponent's Phoenix Vision had locked onto him. His anxiety grew, and a desperate shout came from behind, "Fly over here! Fly over here!"

--It seems this will take a long time. A chill ran through him as he pondered a good opportunity to escape. As Sky Tribe, there was nothing more terrifying than being targeted by the Phoenix King Malegith. She could always see where you were, and her unparalleled speed would make it impossible for you to shake her off!

Damn it! Damn it!

Why not stay and give it your all! Three people are stronger than one!

He roared, "No! Don't! Force! Me!"

A voice responded from behind, "You actually have one!?"

--What's the meaning?

In a moment of slight hesitation, the Phoenix King's unparalleled speed came into play, Flame rushing towards him, his halberd gleaming like a cold dragon. "Use your Flash!"

"That old fool!"

The Little Boy summoned the Blood Demon to escape, flying at full speed, a cold smile on his face as he faced the wind—"What talk of joining forces to kill her? It's just that you possess spatial abilities, making you her top priority target. You can't escape, that's why you're shouting for us to kill her together. Do you think I'm that stupid? To fight an enemy who counters me?"

Having mastered the spatial blessing, you've always considered yourself a powerful figure, thinking you can command me... And now look what's happened! Who's dead? You'd better just die peacefully, and I'll send this message back and avenge you!

He flew at full speed, disregarding the energy expenditure, and quickly disappeared from the area, cursing inwardly—damn it, why did this elf break the seal? What happened?

And... what about the others?

That's why he fled in such a hurry... Who knows if the Phoenix King was the only one?

Many figures flashed through his mind: the heroes of various races sealed on the island, no less than the Phoenix King Malegith. He could name five or six, or even more, on the spot. If all of these guys broke through, he would never be able to leave alive!

... Don't think about these things, don't think about these things. Only the Phoenix King can lock onto the vital energy. I need to find a way to solve this problem, and then I can go back! I'll be safe when I get back!

His wounds burned, the Phoenix Flame still searing his soul; such Flame would not be easily extinguished... But it didn't matter, this was the lower realm, where there was little else but an abundance of mud-type creatures, countless living beings, countless drops of blood, an unprecedented feast.

"On the other hand, this is where I belong. The more blood I shed, the stronger I become..."

Guided by instinct, he flew towards the direction with the best taste, eager to have a hearty meal, heal his injuries, increase his strength, conceal his aura, and then find a way back... This would be a great achievement!

Thanks to that old idiot for buying us some time.

Sensing the intense energy fluctuations coming from behind, he sneered and increased his speed.

If that old man fights desperately, even if he dies, he will leave the elf with enough severe injuries to prevent her from pursuing him for a while. He and Mengdi will then have a 50% chance to escape separately. Once he finds a way to return to the upper realm, he will win—the so-called Phoenix King, having lost once, can lose a second time.

After all, that old guy was right about one thing... many years have passed, and the Upper Realm is getting stronger!

Even we guardians are only fortunate enough to enter the Land of the End to cultivate every now and then, so how powerful must those great ones who are getting closer and closer to there be?

After flying for a long time, he felt a pang of hunger. Suddenly, he saw a black dot moving slowly beneath the clouds. The Blood Demon subdued itself, swooped down, and landed on a nearby mountain.

He gazed proudly at the slow-moving mud seed.

He was an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a robe, and the blue ox he rode mooed loudly.

"He's from Cathayan..."

He snorted. "An old fellow, probably won't taste good. The cow, though, is alright..." He was starving and didn't care about being picky. As a Mudman, it was an honor for him to be food.

The Little Boy leaped forward, head held high, not even bothering to look at this lowly human. "I'm asking you, where is the nearest human city?"

But at the same time, the old man also asked, "Young man, do you know how to get to Valentan?"

The two asked the question at the same time, and were also taken aback at the same time. The visitor from outer space lowered his proud head slightly, and the old man with a calm and easygoing temperament also narrowed his eyes. They looked at each other carefully at the same time.

Then, their expressions changed simultaneously.

The Little Boy exclaimed, "You are!"

The old man's expression changed drastically. "It's you!"

In an instant, the Little Boy transformed into a blood demon, its four wings outstretched, roaring and howling. Its three blood-red demon eyes emitted a fierce blood light. In a single exchange, it unleashed a trump card that it had not even used against the Phoenix King!

But countless talismans flew up, turning into golden light that flowed across the sky and earth. The twelve pillars of the earthly branches descended from the sky, corresponding to the moon and the earthly branches, and surrounded the Little Boy and the blood demon. The green ox beneath it raised its hooves and trampled, and a bolt of lightning entered the earth from its front hoof. Then, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the twelve pillars of the earthly branches shone brightly with lightning!

The Little Boy roared, and the Blood Demon stretched out its four wings, enveloping its body. Wherever the Divine Firmament Sacred Lightning touched, waves of blood continuously collapsed and shattered, but this was only the prelude to the attack. The immense threat of death was looming ahead!

The Blood Demon roared to the sky, its three eyes spitting out deathly light, its mouth spewing waves of blood, its fists and four wings stirring up a bloody killing intent, as it launched its strongest attack forward!

For a moment, the world stood still; sound and color vanished.

The next moment, the Yuan Chen Pillar shattered with a crash, the Blood Demon roared in pain, and visible shockwaves spread in all directions. The ground surged like waves, and a huge circular crater collapsed out of thin air. The Little Boy's body flew backward like a rag doll for several miles and crashed into a mountain!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

He roared in agony, howling and screaming, as chaos raged, revealing his body riddled with wounds.

It was truly riddled with holes, for its frail body and handsome face were covered with countless bloody holes, constantly oozing blood and sparks of electricity; the Blood Demon incarnation had completely shattered.

Amidst the blood-soaked landscape, the lightning-encrusted body of the Green Ox emerged from the dust.

The old man, with his white hair and beard and an ethereal air, sat upright on the blue ox, his robes fluttering in the wind. His eyes, however, were filled with a sense of vicissitude and deep contemplation, as if he were recalling a long time ago.

"Heaven has eyes, and the gods surely respond; even after crossing oceans, you have appeared before me."

The old man slowly lowered the two-meter-long heavy spiked club in his hand to his right side, pointing it diagonally at the ground.

The mountains crumbled and the earth split open; the blue ox trotted its hooves and charged forward once more.

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PS1: Just got back to Hangzhou... Time for bed.