Although they had no idea why Shen Ni inspired such fear and deference, they were all shrewd enough not to be overly curious, so they stopped asking.
Vermilion Bird said, "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, the Sky Demon Tower beneath the earth was left behind by Luohu. It is the Phoenix Clan's last resort against him."
"However, he never expected Sister Yuanfeng to sacrifice herself to suppress the Volcano of Immortality, causing his plan to fail. The Sky Demon Tower was sealed deep underground."
"A clone of Luohu was left inside the Sky Demon Tower. After Luohu merged with the Dao, the clone was no longer under his control. After countless years, it fused with the Earth Fire Essence and became a new living being."
"This being has little understanding of the Dao, but possesses the magic power of a Late Stage Quasi-Saint, perhaps even a Peak Quasi-Saint. It is very powerful."
"You have the Immortal Slaying Four Swords bestowed by Dao Ancestor. Though Luohu forged these spiritual treasures, they are also the Demonic Head's bane. If you wield them well, you will surely be able to destroy him."
She then turned to Donghua and the others. "Once the Demonic Head's cultivation has been stripped away, the four of you will disperse the remaining Earth Fire Essence spirit and let the array dissolve it."
"Then this calamity will be brought to a perfect end."
"This is the plan Sister Yuanfeng and I have refined countless times. Do you have anything to add? Or do you foresee any difficulties?"
None of them spoke. Each began making their own deductions.
The plan sounded simple, but the slightest misstep could spell utter disaster. If the Volcano of Immortality erupted, the resulting karmic burden would be immense.
The outcome would be plain to see. The Great Phoenix lying in the sky was a warning from the past.
Once they had finished their deductions, they exchanged glances and indicated that they had nothing to add.
Vermilion Bird said, "Very well. I'll give you two hundred years to prepare. Stay in peak condition. The four of you can also get used to merging with the array ahead of time."
With that, Vermilion Bird rose and left.
Tongtian said nothing. He found a spot, sat cross-legged, and quietly regulated his breathing.
In his Inner World, the Immortal Slaying Four Swords spun ceaselessly, honing one another. A green sword was there as well, matching them evenly.
Tongtian's aura grew steadier and steadier, yet the sword qi around him became ever more terrifying, and the pressure of his Dao grew stronger.
The four others—Donghua and his companions—also sat down to regulate their breathing, each making deductions about the array and the division of the Four Symbols.
The subterranean force of the impact grew stronger and more violent.
Time passed.
"Are you all ready?"
They exchanged smiles, none of them afraid.
Such was the mindset of the Great Powers. They might have all kinds of worries beforehand, but once the moment arrived, they faced it calmly.
Vermilion Bird said no more. She formed one hand seal after another, and a gap gradually opened in the damaged array.
Vermilion Bird looked up at the sky and said, "Sister, I'll be counting on you to hold things together outside."
Yuanfeng replied, "Go without worry. Though I can't act with my true body, this concerns the Volcano of Immortality, so Heaven's Will will allow me to use my full strength. I'll make sure not a single living being escapes, and not a drop of magma gets out."
Vermilion Bird was the first to enter the depths.
Donghua and the others followed.
The subterranean volcanic world was scorching hot, but the searing Earth Fire Magma did not harm them at all.
With a thought, Donghua summoned the Pure World White Lotus beneath his feet. He stood upon the lotus platform and descended.
The others also brought out their spiritual treasures. Vermilion Bird flew ahead without taking any defensive measures. She feared no flames; it was as if she had returned home.
At the very bottom of the volcano, they found a world of fire spirits.
This was the source of fire among the Earth Fire Water Wind that had existed since the beginning of Heaven and Earth. It was also where the array had first been formed.
Vermilion Bird said, "Qi, come out. I'm here."
Vermilion Bird wore a fiery red phoenix robe. A Golden Spear had appeared in her hand at some point, and Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire blazed around her as she stood there, imposing and resolute.
"Cackle, cackle, cackle!"
"Vermilion Bird, you think you can seal me? Impossible! As long as the Primordial Wilderness endures, I will never die. Which of you dares kill me?"
A massive beast made of flame appeared within the volcano, its roar shaking the heavens.
"Hmph! You cowardly rat, hiding your face! Weren't you so arrogant back then? Why are you cowering beneath the volcano now, clinging to life and afraid to show your face? Where's your pride, Qi?"
"Arrogant! What gives you the right to judge me?"
Vermilion Bird wasted no words. She swung her spear, unleashing boundless Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire as she attacked!
Donghua looked at his companions, who were itching for a fight—especially Nuwa and Tongtian. Their eyes burned with excitement.
"What a bunch of warmongers!"
"Don't bother with their battle. We'll deal with the array and Luohu's clone first!"
The others understood their mission and hurried toward the Sky Demon Tower in the distance.
Seeing that the Four Symbols Great Array had been damaged, Donghua rode the white lotus to the Sun position.
An ancient-looking zither appeared above Fuxi's head, radiating profound light as he took the Lesser Yang position.
A massive Kunlun Mirror appeared behind Taizhen. It shone with Five-Colored Brilliant Light, illuminating her entire body as she took the Moon position.
Nuwa flew into the air. A great four-legged cauldron of dark bronze stood before her as she took the Lesser Yin position.
The four took their places, replacing the original array.
Seeing this, Luohu's hidden clone could no longer hold back and revealed itself.
Donghua had assumed that it was merely one of Luohu's clones, but he had never expected that this clone was the Sky Demon Tower itself!
"Could Luohu have learned Dao Ancestor Hongjun's Method of Severing the Three Corpses?"
It sounded absurd, almost unbelievable, but it was not impossible. Every one of the Three Thousand Great Daos could lead to Hun Yuan, and in the end, all paths led to the same destination.
Fortunately, the moment Luohu's clone appeared, Donghua could tell that it wasn't one of the Three Corpses. It had to be a method of the Devil Dao.
Otherwise, he would have had to ask Hongjun.
"Disciples, we're ready to fight to the death. Why, Master, are you surrendering?"
The four ignored Luohu's clone. It wasn't their target. Even Nuwa and Taizhen, who loved a fight, barely spared it a glance.
Their minds and bodies were focused on the ruined array.
Donghua relaxed, then circulated the Pure Yang Great Dao to activate the Sun position of the Four Symbols.
When Taizhen saw Donghua activate his power first, she began to cultivate as well. The Moon Great Dao appeared, replacing and activating the damaged Moon position.
The two forces, one Yin and one Yang, collided as soon as they met, unleashing tremendous power.
Donghua had known this for a long time. The reason he and Taizhen had formed an alliance back then was that their Daos generated and countered each other. When combined, their power increased many times over.
Fuxi and Nuwa exchanged a glance and released their power together.
Compared to Donghua and Taizhen's Sun and Moon, Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin were less extreme.
One was Yin-Yang with Yin as its core; the other was Yin-Yang with Yang as its core.
Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang contained Yang within Yin and Yin within Yang, keeping Yin and Yang in balance.
The oldest Four Symbols Power in Heaven and Earth began to merge.
The forces collided and combined, evolving and giving rise to new forms.
At that moment, not only did Yin Yang and Five Elements begin to evolve, but even the primordial Wuji and Taiji began to transform.
The four had never joined forces before. They hadn't expected that working together like this would produce such an effect.
Donghua thought that if the four of them formed an alliance now, they would be invincible beneath the Saints throughout the Primordial Wilderness.
Their formation was complete almost in an instant, giving Luohu's clone no chance to react.
Seeing the situation turn against it, the clone unleashed its magic power. A huge black lotus appeared out of thin air, radiating endless demonic light.
It was the Twelve-Grade World-Ending Black Lotus!
But it wasn't the Black Lotus Main Body; it was a Divine Ability Black Lotus condensed through immense magic power.
A new book is being updated twice a day during its launch period, at nine in the morning and six in the evening. If the schedule changes, I'll let you know in the group.
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