The aftershocks of the spatial rift had yet to subside.
Flame Venerable stumbled into view and crashed heavily onto a stretch of charred earth.
He coughed up a large mouthful of blood mixed with golden divine power, his face pale as paper.
The power contained in that three-colored jade talisman was simply too vast. Forcing it into action had nearly drained him of all his holy energy, and even his Dao Fruit had been shaken.
He had no time to tend to his injuries. At once, he released his Spiritual Sense and probed toward Black Abyss Marsh.
Everywhere his Spiritual Sense reached, there was nothing but the endless howling of Demonic Beasts and the chilling aura of death that made his heart shudder.
Not even a wisp of his subordinates' remnant souls remained.
"Bastard!"
"Shui Tian!"
Flame Venerable ground his teeth, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white with the strain.
A violent blaze of rage and humiliation roared through his chest, threatening to burn away his reason.
He had suffered a crushing loss.
Not only had he lost those loyal True Ancestor Realm subordinates, but also the priceless Three Suns World Breaking Talisman.
It was one of his greatest life-saving trump cards, a supreme treasure he had obtained from an ancient ruin after narrowly escaping death countless times.
And now, he had wasted it all in a desperate, humiliating escape.
The ones responsible were Shen Fan, who had made him strike at empty air, and Shui Tian of the Water Origin Spirit Race.
As for Shui Tian's earlier warning, Flame Venerable chose to conveniently forget it.
"I, Flame Venerable, swear that if I don't tear you two limb from limb, I'm no man!"
His venomous roar echoed across the dead, scorched earth.
Tens of thousands of miles away,