"Within a hundred thousand miles, not a single living creature will remain. These mountains and rivers are most beautiful only when stained red with blood!"
Seeing the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow thwarted, Qiongqi was somewhat surprised, but its murderous intent only grew fiercer. Its emerald eyes gleamed coldly, reflecting a terrifying thirst for slaughter.
It commanded the vicious beasts, then took action itself, shaking off Zhu Yan and charging into the distance, arriving at another lord's territory.
The Purple Mountain Clan was horrified. Amid the vast mist, an enormous creature towering between heaven and earth opened its maw like a sea of blood, swallowing everything in every direction.
Little Red Bird pursued from behind, opening its beak to spew a swath of radiant light. Surging divine flames formed a crimson immortal sword that slashed at Qiongqi, but it was still a step too late.
Demonic light swept across the land, enveloping tens of millions of living creatures and turning them into a raging flood that poured into that blood-sea maw.
Even the Purple Mountain Clan's Sacrificial Spirit was powerless to fight back. It exploded in midair, becoming a cloud of bloody mist that was swallowed whole.
Living beings were truly plunged into a sea of suffering!
Thus, the Purple Mountain Clan was exterminated.
Little Red Bird was utterly furious. Like someone afraid of smashing a precious vessel while throwing at a rat, it held back, for ordinary people's bodies were too frail for it to unleash its full might. Qiongqi, however, had no such scruples, opening its maw and swallowing them.
Fortunately, Zhu Yan arrived as well and blocked Qiongqi's path. Working together, the two managed to suppress the vicious beast.
Yet the Mountain Treasure tugged at their hearts, and they had already fought each other on and off for two and a half years. It was difficult to set aside their past grievances and cooperate fully on such short notice.
Divine fire burned away half the sky, the vicious beast tore the heavens apart, and an iron staff pierced the clouds. The battle grew ever more intense, all three fighting to the death without retreating.
The crystalline, snow-white piece of bone changed hands several times. Each of them obtained it in turn, but none could truly secure it, for the others would attack together.
Meanwhile, the battle between Shi Zhao and the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow also grew increasingly fierce.
Although her Primordial Spirit was powerful enough to rival a Venerable, and even surpassed one with the Tattered Cloth's support, her actual cultivation was shallow. She lacked a corresponding cultivation realm.
In a genuine fight, she might hold her own for a short while, but over time, relying solely on her Primordial Spirit's power would inevitably leave her at a growing disadvantage. She would be no match for this vicious bird.
Thus, from the very beginning, she had used the Bian Battle Spear blessed by the Willow Deity.
This was a Divine Artifact refined from Bian's horn, a treasure secretly bestowed upon her by the Human Emperor of the Stone Kingdom. He had been far more generous than the penny-pinching Martial King Manor, displaying true magnanimity.
"Get lost!"
Boundless light erupted from Shi Zhao's body, as though divine flames were burning around her. She seemed cast entirely from gold as she gripped the battle spear and swung it with all her might, warping even the void.
The Bian Precious Technique shook the heavens, unleashing a dazzling light that collided with the Black Feather Demon Furnace.
Boom!!
A violent explosion erupted. The ringing of metal deafened the ears, shattered rocks burst through the clouds, and divine light spread outward like a boundless ocean.
Her fighting spirit soared into the heavens. Flourishing her battle spear, she battered the demon furnace until it shattered and exploded with a thunderous roar.
"Roar!" The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow threw back its head and howled. Black feathers whirled as it unleashed dozens of especially thick feathers wrapped in runes of order, sending them slashing forward like immortal swords.
Shi Zhao's long hair danced wildly, her eyes blazing like suns. She quickly adapted to this immense power, and the fighting spirit in her eyes burned ever brighter.
Within her, the Tattered Cloth emitted strands of dawn light. Though it did not add much power, its most important effect was stabilizing her Primordial Spirit, allowing it to remain unharmed even outside her physical body.
She unleashed her Precious Technique, transforming into a golden Bian of incomparable ferocity and boundless majesty. Its golden eyes, in particular, seemed to reflect the starry rivers of all the heavens.
Bian was enormous, shaped like a tiger, with dragon horns and a dense covering of dragon scales.
The golden Bian's entire body was covered in markings and shone brilliantly. It seemed poised to force this expanse of sky apart, terrifying beyond measure. Opening its mouth, it unleashed a cascade of dazzling light like a river of stars.
Another terrifying collision erupted. Runes interwove across the sky before gradually fading.
"Who are you?!" the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow demanded in fury. Some little insect from who knew where had suddenly appeared to ambush it, preventing it from devouring living prey to replenish its vital essence.
It opened its maw and inhaled. A gigantic black hole appeared in the void, seeking to swallow Shi Zhao.
Since it claimed to swallow the heavens, it naturally possessed an ultimate Precious Technique to match.
Shi Zhao's eyes blazed with fighting spirit as she likewise unleashed her own supreme technique.
She extended her left hand, slender and fair as carved jade. Now, however, it rapidly expanded, like five primordial mountain ranges rising to fill heaven and earth. Within the haze, one river of stars after another seemed to rise and fall.
Seven great stars shone upon it, radiating endless divine brilliance.
A thunderous sound shook heaven and earth, then abruptly ceased. Silence returned to the world-the greatest sound lay beyond hearing.
Splurt!
The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow let out an enraged cry. A section of its beak had actually been blasted off. Pain pierced its bones and marrow, agonizing beyond endurance.
It was, after all, known as the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow. Some of its Precious Techniques were intimately tied to its beak, which was also the hardest part of its body.
Now that its beak had been injured and a section blasted off, it was consumed with fury.
A Venerable Level creature's vitality was as vast as the sea, making it difficult to kill. Shi Zhao gave the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow no chance to heal its injuries, unleashing her Innate Divine Ability once again.
Seven stars could be seen revolving in her palm. A strange power, brimming with demonic nature, enveloped this stretch of heaven and earth.
The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow widened its enormous, blood-moon eyes, realizing something was wrong.
My cultivation and strength are being suppressed... no, not suppressed. Part of them has inexplicably drained away. My cultivation is being whittled down constantly!
Meanwhile, Shi Zhao's aura climbed steadily. She swung her battle spear, bringing it down as though wielding a great hammer, and smashed the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow toward the distant mountains.
Blood splattered. The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow suffered a grievous injury, one wing nearly severed. It crawled out of the deep crater, its blood essence boiling as it tried to reconnect its broken body.
Yet it discovered with alarm that a mysterious power, difficult to wear away or remove, clung to its wounds. Brimming with demonic nature, it was constantly devouring its vital essence.
"What power is this?" The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow began to panic. Using runes to reconnect its broken wing, it forced its wings into motion. With tremendous speed and a trail of bloody light, it vanished in an instant.
Shi Zhao did not launch another assault. As the saying went, never pursue a desperate enemy.
Had her cultivation reached the Venerable realm, or even fallen only a little short, she would certainly have pursued it to finish the kill. As things stood, her strength was insufficient. Those few explosive attacks had nearly drained her dry.
"My mind is finally free of its knots!"
She exhaled, immediately feeling refreshed and clearheaded. Her Primordial Spirit had become more condensed as well. Once it returned to her body, it would surely nourish her flesh in turn, raising her cultivation another step.
But when she saw the devastation strewn across the nearby mountains and rivers, and the countless people sobbing, wailing, and cursing, the small spark of joy in her heart immediately vanished.
She sighed softly, pressed her lips together, and turned to leave.
Whoosh!
Just then, another shocking change occurred.
A streak of black light descended from the sky, abruptly diving toward her.
It was the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow. Insidious and vicious by nature, it could not tolerate being wounded like this and fleeing in panic.
Thus, it had never truly left. Instead, it had hidden in the shadows and doubled back, waiting for its chance to launch a sneak attack!
Before you continue