After speaking, the Giant Spirit Clan chief nodded to Zhang Shuai and Renxiao. Saying no more, he waved a large hand. The dozen or so Giant Spirit Clan warriors, each like a mountain, took heavy strides and followed their chief into the dense deathly aura of annihilation. Their massive figures quickly blurred and ultimately vanished from sight.
Once the Giant Spirit Clan members had left, the suffocating pressure finally dissipated completely.
Renxiao Divine Venerable let out a long breath and solemnly cupped his hands toward Zhang Shuai. With emotion, he said, "Today... I owe everything to Fellow Daoist Zhang's divine might. Had I come alone, let alone obtaining lotus petals, I likely would not even have been able to approach the core of this Annihilation Lotus Pool, much less deal with those terrifyingly powerful Giant Spirit Clan warriors."
Zhang Shuai smiled faintly and waved a hand. "No need for courtesy, Fellow Daoist Renxiao. Why not try picking some lotus petals and azure lotus seeds from this Primal Chaos Azure Lotus?"
Renxiao said, "Though I know it will be difficult, we have come this far. Besides, the Giant Spirit Clan has shown us respect and will not interfere. It would be hard to justify not giving it a try. I'll go first."
With that, Renxiao Divine Venerable's expression turned solemn as he stepped forward. In an instant, the Eternal Dao aura that had been restrained around him erupted! A vast, boundless blazing domain, seemingly composed of endless violet-gold divine flames, burst outward with him at its center, instantly covering an area of tens of thousands of miles!
Within the domain, the temperature soared. Even the dense, viscous deathly aura of annihilation sizzled as it was burned away, retreating backward.
Standing at the center of the sea of flames, Renxiao gave a