At Daggers Drawn
"Arrogant!"
As the only overlord existing in the Magical Beast World after the disappearance of the Ancient Void Dragon the Void, Huang Ming was now being told by a mere human that they were not qualified. His eyes flashed with cold light, and his Killing Intent was chilling.
"Since you're so determined to die, then so be it!"
After speaking, Huang Ming's wings shone brightly with seven-colored light, and scorching flames began to rise, clearly indicating that he was preparing to take action personally!
Zi Yan, who had long been fed up with these scruffy birds, could no longer contain herself. Her petite body surged with purple-gold light, and a dragon's might, though not as imposing as its opponent's, was far more Dragon Might than the opponent's. It was like a sleeping Fierce Beasts awakening, and it suddenly erupted!
"You insolent little birds! If you want to fight, then fight! I've had my eye on you for a long time!"
The Dragon Might of the Primordial Void Dragon and the Phoenix Might of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan collided fiercely in the air, sparks flew everywhere, and the space itself hummed under the strain!
A great war is about to break out!
Qing Lin's expression was solemn, and the Nine-Headed Serpent Tattoo on his back radiated a burning sensation. His Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils shimmered with azure light, ready to summon the Nine Profound Nether Python at any moment. Xiong Zhan clenched his fists, his Dou Qi surging like a volcano about to erupt.
Lin Ming's eyes were icy, and Dark Purple Flames flickered silently at his fingertips. He knew that conflict with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan was unavoidable. Since that was the case, then let's fight!
However, at this tense moment, deep within the Fallen Phoenix Abyss, the dark red clouds suddenly churned violently. An even more ancient and powerful will, seemingly dormant for millennia, appeared to be awakened by the conflict between these two top-tier Magical Beast Bloodline...
A terrifying pressure that made even Huang Ming change color surged up from the bottom of the abyss like a tide!
Everyone froze at that moment!
The terrifying pressure emanating from the depths of the Fallen Phoenix Abyss was like the eyes of a primordial beast that had been sleeping for countless ages slowly opening, carrying endless desolation, sorrow, and an absolute majesty that surpassed all living beings present!
This oppressive force was not directed at any individual; its very existence caused the air above the Fallen Phoenix Abyss to groan under its strain, and even the tiny Spatial Rift seemed to be forcibly smoothed out at that moment!
The five members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, who were about to make their move, suddenly changed their expressions!
Especially the leader, the Six-Star Dou Venerate Huang Ming, whose arrogance and Killing Intent were instantly replaced by intense shock and disbelief!
As a member of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, he felt this pressure most deeply—originating from the same source, yet more ancient and purer, seemingly emanating from the very origin of his bloodline!
"This is... the aura of our ancestors?! No... impossible! Our ancestors perished countless ages ago!"
Huang Ming gasped in shock, his eyes filled with astonishment and a barely perceptible hint of greed. If it truly was the remnant will or... inheritance of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, then its significance to the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan was far too great!
The four powerful Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan behind him were also shaken. The Killing Intent that had been locked onto Lin Ming and the others dissipated involuntarily, and they all looked at the bottomless dark abyss with surprise and uncertainty.
Lin Ming, on the other hand, also felt this terrifying pressure.
Unlike the bloodline resonance of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, Lin Ming felt an absolute suppression on a pure power level, as well as an extreme heat that seemed to burn his soul!
Zi Yan's Dragon Might might slightly diminished under this pressure, her small face filled with solemnity. Xiong Zhan and Qing Lin even felt difficulty breathing, and their Dou Qi circulation became sluggish.
The tense atmosphere between the two sides was temporarily broken by this sudden change. Everyone's attention was drawn to the unknown existence at the bottom of the abyss.
"Lord Huang Ming, this oppressive aura..." The Three-Star Dou Venerate Sky Demon Phoenix looked at Huang Ming, his tone questioning.
Huang Ming's eyes flickered as she quickly weighed the pros and cons.
The humans below and their companions were certainly despicable, especially the Purple-Haired Girl whose strange aura disgusted him. However, compared to the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix relics that might exist beneath the abyss, these people seemed insignificant. If he could obtain the ancestral blessings, his strength and status would surely skyrocket!
"Never mind them for now! Finding our ancestors' treasures is the priority!"
Huang Ming made a decisive move, her cold gaze sweeping over Lin Ming and the others.
"Consider yourselves lucky! If you dare to follow again, you'll be executed without mercy!"
After saying that, his seven-colored wings flapped suddenly, creating a scorching storm, and he sped off towards a certain direction from the abyss wall where the oppressive aura was coming from! There, a huge entrance to a crack shrouded in crimson energy seemed to be faintly visible!
The other four powerful members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan immediately followed, transforming into four streams of light and chasing after Huang Ming. They instantly disappeared into the crimson crack.
Clearly, they possessed more precise intelligence than Lin Ming had, and had directly located the suspected entrance to the ruins.
As the five members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan departed, the terrifying pressure permeating the air seemed to weaken slightly, but it did not completely disappear. It remained like the Sword of Damocles, hanging over everyone's hearts.
"Pah! You run fast!"
Zi Yan spat in the direction where the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan had disappeared, her little face full of displeasure. "If it weren't for that damn oppressive aura, I would have plucked all their feathers off!"
Xiong Zhan breathed a sigh of relief, but his expression remained grave. "Sect Master, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan. We..."
Lin Ming stared intently at the entrance to the fissure where crimson energy flowed, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
The appearance and departure of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan did not make him relax; on the contrary, it raised his vigilance to the highest level. This Fallen Phoenix Abyss was more complicated than he had imagined.
"It's alright. Let them go and scout ahead first."
Lin Ming calmly said, "This oppressive aura is strange; what's at the bottom of the abyss is probably extraordinary. Let's follow, but keep our distance and act according to the situation."
After saying that, Lin Ming looked at Qing Lin, whose face was still somewhat pale, and asked with concern, "Qing Lin, how are you feeling?"
Qing Lin gently shook her head. "I'm fine, Brother Lin Ming. It's just that the oppressive aura just now... made the tattoo on my back a little agitated."
The Remnant Soul of the Nine-headed Heavenly Serpent seemed to harbor both instinctive hostility and a hint of longing towards the oppressive aura of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix.
Upon hearing this, Lin Ming seemed to ponder for a moment, but after a short while, he stopped thinking and immediately said, "Follow me closely, let's go."
Without further hesitation, Lin Ming enveloped the four of them with his Space Power. Instead of rushing directly towards the crimson crack, he chose a relatively hidden path along the abyss wall and silently approached that direction.
The closer one gets to the crimson crack, the higher the surrounding temperature becomes. The rock walls turn almost dark red, and the fire-elemental energy in the air is so concentrated that it is almost tangible, causing a burning sensation when inhaled.
The mournful and ancient oppressive aura grew clearer, as if countless ancient heroes were sighing in one's ear.
Finally, they arrived near the crimson crack.
This was an enormous fissure in the mountain, as if torn apart by sharp claws, tens of meters wide and bottomless. Crimson energy, like magma, surged at the edges of the fissure, emanating a chilling fluctuation. Faintly visible deep within the energy glow, there seemed to be a passage leading to the interior of the mountain.
The auras of the five members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan had already vanished deep within the passage.
"The energy at the entrance is extremely violent, and there are residual Spatial Fluctuations. It seems that this is indeed the entrance to a ruin, and it has been sealed by some kind of Restriction for a long time. It has only just revealed itself for unknown reasons."
Lin Ming carefully sensed the situation at the entrance of the crack, then said, "The Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan must have forced their way in using bloodline connection or some other special method."
"Then how do we get in?" Zi Yan looked at the churning crimson energy, eager to try. "Should we just charge in?"
Lin Ming shook his head and said, "We must not act rashly."
Then, sensing the energy, Lin Ming said, "This energy contains a trace of the Origin Flame of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix. It is extremely domineering. Forcing our way through would consume too much energy and could easily trigger unknown Restriction."
As he spoke, Dark Purple Flame flickered at Lin Ming's fingertips. Of Wan Huo in the world, the Heavenly Flames is the most revered, and his New Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame, which fused with five Heavenly Flames, was almost invincible even among Heavenly Flames.
Lin Ming smiled as he looked at the New Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame at his fingertips and said calmly, "Perhaps... we can try it."
The others remained silent, trusting Lin Ming without question. As they approached the entrance to the rift, they saw Dark Purple Flame rising from Lin Ming's palm, transforming into a thin curtain of flame that enveloped the four of them.
"Walk!"
With a low shout from Lin Ming, he took the lead and stepped into the churning crimson energy!
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle--!"
The moment the Dark Purple Flame barrier came into contact with the crimson energy, a violent sound of energy friction was emitted.
The crimson energy, powerful enough to melt refined iron, seemed to encounter a king's subject when it met the New Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame. Although still violent, it was forcibly pushed aside and assimilated by the Dark Purple Flame, unable to harm the four people inside the light barrier in the slightest!
The four of them, with a Dark Purple Flame barrier above them, moved steadily through the crimson energy channel like fish swimming upstream.
The passageway is not straight, but winds downwards, and the surrounding rock walls are also covered with ancient beast-taming patterns similar to those before, only more complex and grand.
The passage was extremely long, and the deeper one went, the stronger the terrifying pressure emanating from the bottom of the abyss became, even causing the Dou Qi within the body to become restless.
The burning sensation on Nine-Headed Serpent Tattoo 'Qing Lin back intensified, and it faintly emitted a low hiss.
Zi Yan also frowned deeply. Under the pressure of this same level but with opposing attributes, the Primordial Void Dragon bloodline within her body became unusually active and irritable.
After traveling for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, light finally appeared ahead, accompanied by bursts of intense energy collisions and the cries of birds!
"We've arrived! Be careful!"
Lin Ming whispered, and the four of them concealed their presence and quietly approached the exit of the passage.
Beyond the exit lies an unimaginably vast Underground Space! The ceiling is covered with stalactites emitting a soft white light, illuminating the entire space.
At the center of the space was an enormous Altar, constructed Altar of a white jade-like stone, inscribed with countless profound and mysterious runes.