Tang Xiao and the others already understood why this journey was necessary!
This was no longer simply a contest for a Two-Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
It was a matter of their sect's survival!
If Spirit Hall managed to gather the Soul Rings of all Four Holy Beasts as well,
they would be unable to preserve their sect even if they kept their mountain sealed!
"As long as we take down one Soul Beast this time, we won't have come for nothing."
"No matter who lands the final blow, don't hesitate. Absorb the Soul Ring immediately!"
The elders all heard him clearly, and none objected.
After all, every one of them was qualified to absorb the Vermilion Bird's Soul Ring!
They had no idea.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had already reached the outskirts of the volcano ahead of them!
"No matter what, we cannot let anyone from Spirit Hall absorb the Soul Ring!" Tang Xiao added.
The elders remained silent.
In another direction.
The clouds in the sky suddenly parted to either side, and an enormous azure bird flew through them.
Azure Luan Douluo had already unleashed his Martial Soul Avatar.
Behind him, a streak of icy-blue light followed closely.
Light Feather Douluo rode an arrow formed from ice, moving just as swiftly!
Both men could fly, and both were above rank ninety-five.
They traveled far faster than the Clear Sky Sect!
But the closer they drew to Crimson Flame Volcano, the faster the frost around Light Feather Douluo dissipated.
He frowned. "This place really is uncomfortable."
"Your ice abilities will be affected by the environment," Azure Luan Douluo's voice came from ahead.
"Don't rush into the lava zone later."
Light Feather Douluo snorted coldly.
"Flames can counter ice, but ice can suppress flames too."
"We'll have to fight before we know which counters which!"
This was also one of the reasons Qian Daoliu had sent him here.
Fire could counter ice, but conversely, ice could counter fire too.
Even so, he did not let his guard down in the slightest.
The Vermilion Bird could live in lava for long periods.
Clearly, it was not the same kind of creature as ordinary fire-type Soul Beasts!
However fierce other fire-type Soul Beasts were, they were still flesh and blood. They could not go to such extremes as the Vermilion Bird!
"Your Soul Skills are all ranged attacks anyway. Just wait for an opening later," Azure Luan Douluo reminded him.
"Don't act rashly before we have a clear grasp of its strength."
"Mm," Light Feather Douluo answered.
As the two accelerated once more, Crimson Flame Volcano appeared at the edge of their vision!
Still, seeing it and reaching it were two very different things.
Sea God Island.
The Black Tortoise still remained in the northern waters, its shell floating on the sea like a black mountain range.
Its enormous serpent head swayed slowly above the shell.
From beginning to end, it had barely moved and did not seem particularly intent on attacking Sea God Island.
Yet not a single Soul Master on Sea God Island dared lower their guard.
Bo Saixi and the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians still stood at the very front of the shore.
A Sea Soul Master responsible for patrolling the outer waters hurried over.
"Great Enshrined!"
"We've spotted three unfamiliar ships to the northwest."
"Everyone aboard is a Sea Soul Master, and they're approaching Sea God Island!"
Bo Saixi frowned slightly.
The Heavenly Screen had already revealed the Black Tortoise's location.
The news that Soul Rings could be replaced had driven every Soul Master into a frenzy.
The mainland Soul Masters could not arrive so soon, and probably would not dare come either.
But the Sea Soul Masters living in the nearby waters were another matter entirely!
"Make them leave," Bo Saixi said calmly.
"Outside Soul Masters are not permitted to linger near Sea God Island."
"What if they refuse to listen?" the Sea Soul Master asked.
The scepter in Bo Saixi's hand lightly tapped the ground.
A ring of pale-blue light immediately spread outward.
"Kill them!"
"If they dare come any closer, sink their ships outright!"
"Yes!" Several Sea Soul Masters immediately accepted the order and left.
Sea Dragon Douluo looked toward the distant Black Tortoise and said with a somewhat grave expression,
"At this rate, more and more Sea Soul Masters will arrive."
"If they all gather nearby, someone is bound to lose control and attack the Black Tortoise."
"If they anger this big fellow..."
Of course, Bo Saixi understood this.
The real trouble was not the unusually quiet Black Tortoise.
It was those Soul Masters whose heads had been turned by the Two-Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring!
"Expand the patrol area."
"No unfamiliar Soul Masters are permitted within a hundred li of Sea God Island!"
"Without my orders, no one on the island may attack the Black Tortoise either!"
"A few of you go and help."
Bo Saixi directed her final sentence at the Sacred Pillar Douluos.
The Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians each set to work.
The schools of Demon Soul Great White Sharks in the sea also began driving away the Sea Soul Masters' ships that kept approaching.
Of all the battlefields where the Four Holy Beasts were located,
the Black Tortoise's seemed to have the fewest people.
But the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians of Sea God Island were here, along with the Limit Douluo Bo Saixi and countless Sea Soul Beasts.
On top of that, the entire sea was the Black Tortoise's home ground!
No matter how one looked at it, this was the hardest place to interfere!
Crimson Flame Volcano.
Sword Douluo suddenly stopped and looked into the distance.
"Someone's coming!" Bone Douluo turned to look as well.
Only Ning Fengzhi showed little reaction. His Soul Power was comparatively weak, after all.
Both Douluos had sensed several powerful Soul Power presences rapidly approaching.
Every one of those presences had reached the Titled Douluo level!
"So many Titled Douluos?" Bone Douluo's expression immediately darkened.
They had originally thought Crimson Flame Volcano would have the least competition.
Yet several Titled Douluos had arrived all at once!
Before long, the phantom of an enormous Clear Sky Hammer appeared in the distant sky.
Heavy fluctuations of Soul Power swept toward them, dispersing every wave of heat along the way.
They immediately recognized the newcomers. "The Clear Sky Sect!"
Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted slightly.
The Clear Sky Sect had kept its mountain gates sealed for years.
To think the appearance of the Four Holy Beasts had drawn even these people out!
But before the Clear Sky Sect's group could approach,
another powerful force tore open the clouds high above.
The silhouette of an azure luan bird emerged from behind the clouds, closely followed by an icy-blue streak of arrow light!
"Spirit Hall's Enshrined!"
This time, Bone Douluo completely lost his composure.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The Clear Sky Sect.
Spirit Hall's Worship Hall!
All three major powers had actually chosen the Vermilion Bird!
The battlefield that originally had the fewest people had suddenly switched to hell mode!
Tang Xiao and the others also sensed the presences around them.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, and the two Enshrined, Azure Luan and Guang Ling.
These were all familiar faces to Tang Xiao and the others, and their expressions could not help darkening at the sight.
Azure Luan and Guang Ling also slowed in midair.
The powerhouses of the three sides stared at one another through the scorching air, all falling silent.
Now this was trouble!
Just then.
The entire Crimson Flame Volcano suddenly began shaking violently.
The lava that had accumulated in the crater for so long suddenly surged into the sky!
Vast sheets of flame dyed the dim sky crimson.
Immediately afterward, a pair of crimson wings that blotted out the sky and sun slowly unfurled from within the volcano!
Whoosh!
A terrifying wave of heat swept outward.
Even Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Tang Xiao, and the others had to release their Soul Power to withstand it!