Angel: Vermilion Bird

William's entire body was instantly engulfed in blazing flames. Amid multicolored light, his form underwent a dramatic transformation.

Before them stood a figure like living fire, with black hair and a red phoenix crown upon her head. She wore magnificent red robes accented with orange-yellow, patterned with auspicious clouds. The hem of her garments resembled bird feathers, and she wore red boots on her feet.

She held a red staff in her hand. When she spread the red wings behind her back, they shone with golden light.

Her eyes glowed red, and a radiant totem adorned the front of her robes—the symbol of the Four Holy Beasts.

William stood behind Wolverine and Deadpool, flames burning around him as if a deity had descended.

"I am the guardian of the south, the Vermilion Bird of the Four Holy Beasts!"

The Vermilion Bird was one of the Four Celestial Spirits of ancient Chinese mythology, originating from ancient stellar worship.

It was the southern deity representing the Yan Emperor and the Seven Mansions of the South. In the Eight Trigrams, it corresponded to Li; among the Five Elements, it governed fire. It symbolized Greater Yang among the Four Symbols and summer among the four seasons.

In the past, the Vermilion Bird was believed to guide the souls of the dead to ascend to heaven. Later generations believed it could grant immortality.

The Vermilion Bird and the Phoenix were not actually the same creature. A Phoenix's feathers were multicolored, representing the Five Elements.

The Vermilion Bird, however, represented only fire among the Five Elements. It took the form of a red bird, and the flames on its body never went out. This image was very similar to the western phoenix, so legends said the Vermilion Bird possessed the power to bring people back from