Su Qing clenched his hands tightly, the sweat seeping into his palms betraying his anxiety.
Knowing the plot in advance was no guarantee of success. One wrong step could plunge him into eternal damnation.
"Get ready to retreat." Su Qing took several deep breaths before addressing the others.
Elsewhere, Liu Qing stared unblinkingly at the black egg. By now, they had no way back.
They had suffered devastating losses on this expedition. If they abandoned the Nine Nether Sparrow and returned, they could only ask their patriarch to end his seclusion early to stabilize the situation, ruining all his efforts at the final hurdle.
But if they obtained the Nine Nether Sparrow, they could not only make up for the Liu Domain's losses but also take its strength to new heights.
As the last streak of light flowed into the egg, the thunder of stampeding spirit beasts vanished, and the world abruptly fell silent.
Crack!
A faint cracking sound suddenly broke the silence. It was quiet, yet unmistakable in the stillness.
Fine cracks appeared across the black egg's surface, and streams of black flame poured from them, enveloping it.
Su Qing stared fixedly at it, beads of cold sweat dripping from his chin as he murmured.
"The Nine Nether Sparrow is coming out."
The cracks in the shell grew ever denser. With a clear cry that rang throughout the world, black flames swept across the sky.
Finally, amid a crisp shattering sound, a black wing seemingly large enough to blot out a mountain broke through the shell.
Black flames filled the sky.
An enormous shadow stretched her elegant body amid the flames, like an undying bird reborn from the ashes strewn across the heavens.
A terrifying spiritual pressure swept across the world.
Just as Su Qing's nerves stretched to their breaking point, thunder rang out.
Above the boundless black flames, the thunderclouds that had just dispersed gathered once more. Masses of clouds converged like pools of ink, and bolts of lightning flashed within them like black dragons.
The sky was black, and the earth was black; the lightning was black, and the fire was black; the clouds were black, and the bird was black too.
At the sight, Su Qing breathed a sigh of relief and gulped down air.
What did he fear most?
What he feared most was the Nine Nether Sparrow killing every bystander before undergoing her tribulation.
Because they were those bystanders.
Once the Nine Nether Sparrow began her tribulation, however, they would be safe.
"Heh! Hahahahaha!"
Su Qing laughed heartily.
"Everyone, no need to run. Come on, let's kill those Liu Domain bastards!"
Seeing that some of the Mu Domain's men still looked puzzled, Su Qing explained, "Didn't I tell you earlier? The Nine Nether Sparrow failed her last evolution and has been lying dormant here. Now she still refuses to give up and wants to try again."
"What worried me before was that she might kill us before evolving. But once she starts, her eyes will be fixed solely on the Black God Lightning Tribulation. They'll have to be."
"She's already failed once. The Nine Nether Sparrow escaped with her life that time, but if she fails again, she might not be so lucky."
"So while undergoing her tribulation, she'll devote every ounce of her attention to the Black God Lightning Tribulation, and we'll be safe."
The others understood at once, though they also felt some regret.
If the Nine Nether Sparrow failed and vanished like smoke in the lightning tribulation, her soul essence would naturally dissipate as well.
Still, they had already reaped considerable rewards on this expedition, and now was the perfect chance to reap even more.
Before the Mu Domain's men could approach, however, Liu Qing led his subordinates into a valley and fled the moment he saw the Nine Nether Sparrow begin her tribulation.
The valley had numerous branching paths, and before long, they could no longer make out any trace of the Liu Domain's party.
Seeing that they could not catch up, Mu Feng and the others could only stop in disappointment.
By then, the Nine Nether Sparrow had challenged the Black God Lightning Tribulation. The boundless black flames transformed into countless pillars of fire that shot straight toward the thunderclouds.
The Black God Lightning Tribulation refused to yield. As the black clouds churned, bolts of lightning converged into a winding black dragon and plunged straight toward the Nine Nether Sparrow.
The lightning was black, and the flames were black too; yet when they collided, they unleashed a dazzling white light.
Boom!
First came a blinding white flash, then a shock wave spread outward, shattering the earth and setting the dark clouds roiling.
Only then came the deafening crash.
The black lightning shattered the pillars of fire, scattering sparks that fell back into the sea of flames.
Then the lightning pierced the sea of flames and struck the Nine Nether Sparrow.
A cry of pain rang out from within the flames, laden with fury.
As the Nine Nether Sparrow beat her wings, the boundless sea of flames swirled together wildly, forming a storm that connected heaven and earth.
The moment it took shape, the blazing storm swept toward the thunderclouds.
In response to this attack, a vortex appeared within the thunderclouds, like a funnel, with countless bolts of black lightning converging at its center.
Boom!
A pillar of black lightning struck viciously from the funnel, slamming into the heart of the blazing storm and smashing it apart.
The scattered black flames drifted like wisps of fluff back into the sea of fire.
The black flame storm, which had held the Nine Nether Sparrow's full strength, had achieved nothing. Cries of fury and defiance rang out from the sea of flames.
After that cry, the boundless black flames suddenly contracted toward the center, as though every last wisp were burrowing into the Nine Nether Sparrow's enormous body.
As the black flames shrank, the Nine Nether Sparrow's immense form finally became clearly visible to everyone.
Her eyes were fiery red, filled with fury and defiance as she stared fixedly at the thunderclouds looming overhead.
With a piercing cry, the Nine Nether Sparrow beat her wings and transformed into a streak of black flame, charging toward the ink-dark clouds with the last of her strength.
The remaining lightning within the black clouds gathered in one place and collided violently with the Nine Nether Sparrow.
Black flames rained down upon the earth.
The Nine Nether Sparrow's all-out strike had still failed. Her wretched, defiant cry echoed throughout the Black Nether Abyss.
As her final, despairing cry rang out, every black feather on her body burst into flames, and she closed her eyes with grim resolve.
"Run! The Nine Nether Sparrow is going to self-destruct!"
Seeing the Nine Nether Sparrow's feathers suddenly ignite, Mu Feng's expression changed drastically, and he shouted.
He immediately grabbed Mu Chen and shot like an arrow toward the edge of the black basin.
Behind him, Zhou Ye, Duan Wei, and the others hurried after them, their faces filled with horror.
Su Qing calmly sped along with the others. Barring any surprises, this expedition should have succeeded.
The Liu Domain's men had already fled, and Mu Chen had the lowest cultivation among the Mu Domain's party. Nine Nether's soul essence would surely choose him.
The Liu Domain had suffered a crippling blow on this expedition. Liu Qing and Liu Ming alone could not stand on equal footing with the Mu Domain. As long as the Mu Domain brought its full strength to bear and forced the Liu Family's patriarch to leave seclusion early, ruining his efforts at the final hurdle, they could reduce the risk to a minimum.
At worst, after Liu Jing broke through, Mu Chen would simply borrow Nine Nether Power and kill him in turn. Besides, the Liu Domain had already lost a Divine Soul Realm cultivator.
While Su Qing was thinking, the flames from the Nine Nether Sparrow's self-destruction blasted apart the thunderclouds and spread outward.
Even though Mu Feng's party had already reached the basin's edge, the shock wave still slammed them to the ground and sent them flying.
The black flames from the Nine Nether Sparrow's self-destruction drifted down in every direction like fireworks at a final curtain call, carrying a touch of tragic beauty.
Yet when those tragically beautiful flames struck the ground, they hit like meteors, tearing cracks across the earth.
As the group dashed away, a streak of flame swept through the air and fell directly toward them.
Flee? Dodge?
It was already too late.
Mu Feng and Zhou Ye exchanged a glance and both stepped forward. Powerful spiritual energy surged from their bodies, forming a thick wall of spiritual light in front of the group.
With a muffled thud, the black flames struck the wall of spiritual light, and searing heat swept over them.
After the wall of spiritual light absorbed most of the impact, Mu Feng and Zhou Ye could hold on no longer, and the wall shattered.
The remaining black flames surged toward them. Kunwu in hand, Su Qing swung his sword to block the flames sweeping toward him.
Despite the scorching black flames, Kunwu remained cold, its temperature utterly unchanged.
Just as Su Qing blocked the impact and was about to withdraw his sword, a small ball of black flame lunged toward him. Instinctively, he raised his sword and slashed!