"Kid, don't you have Three Lights Divine Water? Wrap it around the surface of your mana, then extend a hand of mana into the center of the glazed flames and seize the seed of the Southern Bright Departing Fire. Use water to counter fire." Senior Mysterious Turtle reminded him from the side.
Back then, he had also witnessed some battles between the Dragon and Phoenix Clans. When facing the powerful Southern Bright Departing Fire nurtured by the Phoenix Clan's bloodline, the Dragon Clan countered it with special divine waters such as Profound Nether Heavy Water and One Origin Heavy Water, condensed from the essence of all waters. These were precious experiences accumulated through the two clans' years of warfare.
Jiang Yun immediately understood. Water countered fire—wasn't this precisely the Way of Five Elements' Birth and Destruction?
"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
He immediately took out a drop of Three Lights Divine Water and used his primordial spirit to control it, wrapping it around the palm he had condensed from mana. Then, braving the sky full of glazed flames, he reached toward the flame in the center.
The moment the hand of mana left the protective area of the Pure World White Lotus, the surrounding flames instantly closed in. The flames scorched the outer layer of Three Lights Divine Water, producing a series of sizzling sounds. As the two forces clashed, essence constantly dispersed from the core of the Three Lights Divine Water, transforming into the divine waters of the sun, moon, and stars to contend with the flames.
The closer the hand of mana drew to the flame at the center, the fiercer the heat became. As his primordial spirit guided the hand of mana nearer and nearer to the flame, Jiang Yun could clearly feel the temperature outside his primordial spirit rising sharply.
Looking at the Southern Bright Departing Fire within arm's reach, he steadied his excitement and reached out to grab it. The moment he touched the outer layer of the flame, the flames filling the sky suddenly swept back like weary birds returning to their nests, and the flame's temperature rose once more.
Jiang Yun did not miss the opportunity. While the surrounding flames had vanished, he directly withdrew the Three Lights Divine Water wrapped around the hand of mana, then abruptly encased the flame, catching it off guard.
Looking at the seed of the Southern Bright Departing Fire already wrapped in divine water, he nodded in satisfaction before manipulating the hand of mana to bring it before him.
"Senior Mysterious Turtle, how should I devour and refine this Southern Bright Departing Fire?"
"You've already wrapped it in Three Lights Divine Water, which has solved most of the problem. The next step is to draw it into your dantian and open up a space for it within your Sea of Mana. Then use your mana to erode and refine it. A connection will naturally form. After that, all you need is to spend some time." This was also the first time Senior Mysterious Turtle had seen anyone collect the Southern Bright Departing Fire so easily.
"Uh... Is it really that simple?"
To anyone else, those words would have sounded unbearably smug. Senior Mysterious Turtle could not even be bothered to respond.
Jiang Yun did not feel awkward at not receiving a reply. He planned to put away the seed of the Southern Bright Departing Fire and find a safe place to refine it.
Just then, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from the sky. "Shriek—"
The sound was like thunder, piercing the firmament. The long cry carried boundless power, and the waves of sound shook the clouds in the sky apart.
The instant Jiang Yun heard it, he immediately waved his hand and put away the seed. Then he looked toward the source of the sound. A gigantic Great Roc was flying over with its wings spread. Its wings were like clouds hanging from the heavens, blotting out the sky and sun. In the blink of an eye, it flew above the volcano's crater before transforming into a cultivator with an eagle-like face and descending. Close behind him, a seven-colored rainbow arrived in an instant and transformed into a handsome, cold-faced cultivator.
As for the eagle-faced cultivator, he was the Golden-Winged Great Roc, born from the union of the Phoenix and Yin-Yang Origin Qi. From the moment he was born, he had possessed tremendous strength and extraordinary talent, earning him the title of Peng Demon King.
He had inherited part of the Phoenix Clan's divinity and was savage by nature, feeding on dragons. His body was enormous, and when he spread his wings, they blotted out the sky and sun. His flying speed was also astonishingly fast. With a single flap, he could soar ninety thousand miles into the heavens, like a golden bolt of lightning streaking across the sky.
The one following behind him was the first peacock in the world, born from the union of the Phoenix and the Five Elements Origin Qi—Kong Xuan, who would later shine brilliantly during the Investiture of the Gods battle.
As everyone knew, the eyes of an eagle were precise targeting instruments. When looking down at the earth from high above, they could clearly distinguish the tiniest movements of a small ant on the ground. Their field of vision was also extraordinarily broad, like a panoramic camera. Everything within their sight, no matter how slight, was fully visible.
When that eagle-faced Great Roc had been flying through the air, he had seen Jiang Yun put away the Southern Bright Departing Fire. That was why he had swooped down.
The Great Roc and Kong Xuan sensed the lingering aura of the Southern Bright Departing Fire in the surrounding air and were immediately somewhat surprised. Apart from the fire nurtured by the Phoenix bloodline, the Southern Bright Departing Fire should only exist in the Immortal Volcano. They had not expected to encounter it here.
"Hey, you thief! Quickly hand over the essence of the Southern Bright Departing Fire belonging to my Phoenix Clan, or I'll make sure you don't leave this Southern Fire Mountain!" the Great Roc said arrogantly.
"Oh? You'll make sure I don't leave the Southern Fire Mountain? And what kind of bird are you? With that hooked eagle face, you dare claim to be part of the Phoenix Clan? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself?" Jiang Yun sensed the Great Roc's aura. It was far inferior to his own. The person behind him, however, was nearly his equal in cultivation and clearly someone formidable.
Kong Xuan was helpless toward his younger brother, the Great Roc. The Great Roc always loved causing trouble, yet he paid no attention to cultivation, spending all day acting recklessly. This time, after sensing that the person opposite them had cultivation comparable to his own, Kong Xuan wanted to use the opportunity to teach the Great Roc a lesson and stop him from constantly borrowing his prestige to intimidate others. Thus, he quietly watched from behind without saying a word.
Hearing Jiang Yun's mockery, the Great Roc's heart filled with fury. Though he and Kong Xuan had been born from the Phoenix, they did not possess phoenix forms. One had transformed into a Golden-Winged Great Roc, while the other had become a peacock. They had inherited neither the Southern Bright Departing Fire nor the Phoenix Clan's skill of nirvana through rebirth in flames. They had become outcasts within the clan and suffered considerable rejection.
Kong Xuan was better off. He was proud by nature and wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao, so he paid no attention to people and matters inferior to him, nor did he take such trivial issues to heart. The Great Roc, however, was savage, unruly, and arrogant. Whenever anything displeased him, he immediately lashed out.
Jiang Yun's words reminded him of the scenes of being ostracized by his clan. The resentment he had kept bottled up suddenly erupted. With a ferocious expression, he shouted, "Hah! You wretched Daoist, today I'll tear you to pieces to vent the hatred in my heart!"
With that, his figure flashed, and he charged toward Jiang Yun, preparing to fight him at close quarters.
This was also the Golden-Winged Great Roc's usual fighting style. After all, he was a savage Great Roc that fed on dragons. His body was strong and sturdy enough to battle true dragons. Combined with his astonishing speed, he loved launching surprise attacks and fighting opponents at close range.
Unexpectedly, the moment he moved this time, Jiang Yun instantly condensed a huge hand of mana and casually slapped it toward him. The Great Roc did not even have time to react to that speed before being sent flying.
Before you continue