In just a few minutes, the entire Divine Kingdom had become a sea of fire.
"Good heavens!" Song Shuhang cried. "The Ancient Heavenly Court Fragment!"
The flames burned not only the Divine Kingdom but also the Ancient Heavenly Court Fragment within it. Everything the eye could see was swallowed by fire.
The scene added fresh material to his collection of "apocalypse footage." The Divine Kingdom had already been collapsing; now doomsday flames consumed it too.
With a little editing, footage this good would make a spectacular apocalypse scene. No alterations needed—the real thing.
The flames burned ever fiercer, reducing everything to ash.
Then the enormous Phoenix in the sky gave another clear cry.
After the Nine-Rebirth Phoenix Flames had burned the Divine Kingdom, every flame surged skyward, returning to the Phoenix's body.
The fiery Phoenix grew larger and larger, until it covered the entire sky above the Divine Kingdom.
The flames did not go out after burning everything; they were collected for reuse. Such a thrifty spirit, conserving energy instead of wasting it, was worth learning from.
Only when every flame had returned to the Phoenix did Song Shuhang and the others realize that the fire had burned away only the Divine Kingdom. The Ancient Heavenly Court fragments remained. The Nine-Rebirth Phoenix Flames had a will of their own: they burned what needed burning and spared what needed preserving.
The Phoenix folded its wings, enclosing the Ancient Heavenly Court Fragment that remained in the sky above the Divine Kingdom.
Once the flames cleared, the Heavenly Court Fragment's true form appeared.
It was a colossal statue with only half its body left, together with the churning Black River. Both belonged to the Ancient Heavenly Court Fragment.
The statue lay on its side, its upper half gone.
Just how enormous was it?