The atmosphere in the underground volcano world was a little strange!
"Cough, cough."
Fuxi coughed and forced a smile. "Fellow Daoists, don't be impulsive. We should plan things out before taking action. Wouldn't that make things much easier?"
Taizhen put away the Moon Sword and said softly, "Elder Brother Tai Wei, I'm sorry. I was just too anxious. Don't take it to heart, okay?"
Donghua gave her a look, leaving her to figure it out for herself.
"The most important thing here isn't killing the creature inside. It's killing him without damaging the Volcano of Immortality, so its seal remains intact."
"If all we had to do was kill that creature, why would we need to act? Senior Vermilion Bird could do it alone!"
After hearing Donghua's words, the others looked embarrassed. He was right.
Vermilion Bird had once been a member of the Phoenix Clan and a Quasi-Saint Great Power. Later, during the Fierce Beast Tribulation, she had been moved by the war raging across the world and the instability in the four directions. She volunteered to guard the South Pole, and people revered her as the Divine Beast Vermilion Bird and Venerable Vermilion Bird.
Though she was not a Saint, her title already carried the weight of one. It wasn't merely an honorific; it was recognition of her strength.
As one of the Four Divine Beasts guarding the Primordial Wilderness, Vermilion Bird could not act lightly under ordinary circumstances. But once she did, she was invincible below the Saints, able to command Heavenly Dao Power and draw strength from the laws of the heavens.
The key point was that even a Saint couldn't kill her. Otherwise, who would guard the South Pole? Unless someone else could take her place.
Even if you were a Saint, the Heavenly Dao wouldn't let you off if you killed Vermilion Bird.
To put it simply, the Heavenly Dao had finally found someone to guard its southern lands, and you'd killed her without reason. So either you took over the job, or you found a replacement.
Yuanfeng said, "Emperor Lord Donghua is right. The key to this calamity is to kill that creature without letting the Volcano of Immortality erupt."
"After the incident, Vermilion Bird and I discussed the matter. The only way to quiet the Volcano of Immortality is to rely on this formation. There is no other way."
"Unfortunately, the core of this formation lies deep beneath the volcano, and I expect it has already been destroyed."
"I cannot appear and act, and Vermilion Bird is not skilled in formations. That is why we have been delayed until now."
Donghua said gravely, "Senior Yuanfeng, I've studied this formation several times, but I still can't set it up. I don't know how you managed to derive the Four Symbols and the Five Elements back then, but none of us here should be capable of it."
Donghua was certain he couldn't do it, and that none of the others could, either.
Tongtian and Fuxi, both skilled in formations, were unconvinced. Their expressions said, Just because you can't do it doesn't mean we can't.
The two of them began studying the formation.
Their expressions were spot on: first surprise, then amazement, then total immersion in the formation, and finally, ＼／.
Still unconvinced, they tried again and again. In the end, they got the same result as Donghua.
At last, they stood up, interest gone, and lowered their heads without a word. Donghua didn't mock them.
Just then, a phoenix cry rang out, and a woman in a golden-red phoenix robe descended.
"Greetings, Venerable Vermilion Bird!"
Vermilion Bird said, "There's no need for formalities!"
"Stop trying, all of you. The final key to this formation is transforming the Four Symbols into the Five Elements. Your Dao Realm Cultivation is still lacking. You can't accomplish it."
"But don't be discouraged. When this formation was first set up, everyone involved had already reached Peak Quasi-Saint. Whether it was Yin-Yang Ancestor or Old Ancestor Five Elements, each had reached the pinnacle of their own field."
"In the end, it was Dao Ancestor Hongjun who brought the Four Symbols together as the Five Elements. You're still far from that level."
After hearing Vermilion Bird's words, Tongtian and Fuxi felt a little better. Otherwise, their faces really would have burned with embarrassment.
Vermilion Bird took a long look at those present, inwardly marveling at them.
She had attained the Dao during the Dragon-Han Period and eventually became one of the Four Divine Beasts of the world, protecting the Primordial Wilderness. With the Heavenly Dao's help, her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds until she became the foremost existence below Hunyuan.
But her cultivation had reached its limit. She would never break through to Hunyuan in this life.
The five people before her were not as powerful as she was, but each was an outstanding figure in their own Dao, having carved out a path of their own.
Tongtian and Nuwa in particular gave her a faint sense of threat.
That showed their combat strength far exceeded their cultivation realms.
Moreover, they were both personal disciples of Hongjun, who had bestowed Primordial Violet Qi upon them. There was a good chance they would Attain Sainthood in the future.
They were truly enviable!!!
The other three did not give her the same feeling, but none of them was ordinary.
Vermilion Bird sighed. "The Heavenly Dao's revelation brought the five of you here to face this calamity. There could hardly be a better choice."
"One person alone can't derive the Five Elements from the Four Symbols, but the four of you working together should manage it. You may even do better."
At her words, Donghua immediately understood. He exclaimed, "Exactly! Taizhen and I embody Greater Yang and Greater Yin, while Fellow Daoist Nuwa and Fellow Daoist Fuxi embody Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin. Aren't those the original Four Symbols?"
Donghua was the incarnation of pure yang, which was also called Greater Yang among the Four Symbols. Taizhen was pure yin, also known as Greater Yin, while Fuxi and Nuwa were Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin.
Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin did not mean they were incomplete. Greater Yang and Greater Yin, as well as Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin, were all complete Great Daos, with no distinction of superiority.
The original Four Symbols represented four ancient Great Daos. Their Dao Masters were all destined to be emperors, and each of the four was also a leader in their own right.
Indeed, the Great Dao was fifty, while the Heavenly Dao evolved forty-nine. All living beings were within those forty-nine.
At that thought, Donghua glanced at Tongtian. This man was a real powerhouse—he had actually cultivated the Dao of Severing Heaven, cutting off the one that had escaped for all living beings.
Sure enough, no one who could Attain Hunyuan Dao and become a Saint was simple.
Don't assume that the escaped one was insignificant. The Great Dao was complete at fifty, and the Heavenly Dao had emerged and evolved into forty-nine. Those forty-nine encompassed everything in the Primordial World.
And Tongtian had broken through the limits of the forty-nine, ultimately attaining the Dao of Severing Heaven. What kind of wisdom did that take?
Everyone felt that Vermilion Bird and Donghua were right.
Tongtian, however, looked a little uncomfortable. "If the Four Symbols are already complete, deriving the Five Elements should be no problem. Then what do you need me for?"
He, Tongtian, was no Dao Master of the Four Symbols, nor did he cultivate the Great Daos of Yin Yang and the Five Elements.
Vermilion Bird said to Tongtian, "You're the most important part. While the four of them work together to set up the formation and calm the volcano, you'll have to deal with the creature below."
"So I'm the only one who has to fight that creature?"
Vermilion Bird nodded. "That's right. You alone."
"Yuanfeng must completely suppress the Volcano of Immortality and also bear the formation's initial Wuji, so she cannot act."
"I also have an opponent of my own. I need to send his Divine Sense back to where it belongs."
Everyone understood the first part of what Vermilion Bird said, but they couldn't make sense of that last sentence at all.
"I can only tell you that there are two beings below. No—more accurately, the second one isn't a being, just a strand of Divine Sense. I never expected him to split off a strand and leave it in the Sky Demon Tower back then."
Donghua exclaimed, "Senior Vermilion Bird, you don't mean Shen... that fellow, do you?"
At Donghua's words, Vermilion Bird nodded.
Taizhen looked at the two speaking in riddles and asked, baffled, "Who are you talking about? Why all the secrecy?"
Tongtian and the others were equally confused!
Donghua didn't know what was so formidable about Shen Ni, or why even Yuanfeng and Vermilion Bird wouldn't say his name. He wasn't sure whether he should speak up.
"Yuan Jin, you may leave. Have the clansmen nearby withdraw as well. Don't go near the volcano."
Yuan Jin bowed. "I will obey your decree."
Only after Yuan Jin had left did Vermilion Bird say, "The strand of Divine Sense below belongs to Beast Emperor Shen Ni. I never expected that when he broke the Sky Demon Tower back then, he left behind a strand of Divine Sense and even deceived Luohu."
At that, Vermilion Bird chuckled. "Luohu spent his days hunting geese, only to be pecked in the eye by one in the end. Truly, what goes around comes around."
Nuwa asked calmly, "Wasn't Shen Ni dead?"
Vermilion Bird replied, "Shen Ni cannot be killed. Even after becoming a Saint, Dao Ancestor Hongjun couldn't kill him."
"You'll learn the key to this in time. Knowing it now won't do you any good. Until you reach Peak Quasi-Saint, try not to speak his name."
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