Jin Lie

This was an immense gain. Lei Chong naturally dared not be careless. He hurriedly summoned a spirit body, while his true body began studying the rune bone in earnest.

Whoosh!

In an instant, flames erupted from his body, and densely packed crimson runes enveloped him.

Boom!

A fiery red bird flew over, swooping up from the ancient tree. It was a divine bird formed from scarlet symbols, incomparably powerful.

The place seethed as those domineering runes gathered behind Lei Chong, forming a Vermilion Bird of unparalleled terror.

Flames wreathed the Vermilion Bird, and crimson light surged from its body. It gently beat its wings, displaying a bearing that could strike up through the nine heavens.

Lei Chong pondered for a long time before slowly stretching his limbs. His arms became wings, his legs stepped on the void, and a domineering presence erupted from his body.

He rose into the air and continued to execute the technique, displaying the most domineering aspect of the Immortal Ancient Vermilion Bird to the fullest. A supreme yang, tyrannical might blotted out the sky and covered the earth.

The Immortal Ancient Vermilion Bird controlled fire essence and burned all the gods and demons of the heavens to ashes. It had a masculine, domineering side.

Whoosh!

The Vermilion Bird soared into the sky, divine fire burning upon its body as though it could burn down the palaces of the nine heavens and incinerate all the darkness and chill of the nine netherworlds.

This was the complete Vermilion Bird Precious Technique. Not only could it control flames, but it could also manifest various killing techniques, all of them exceedingly domineering.

Though it fell short of the Ten Fiends' techniques, it could definitely be counted among the strongest precious techniques beneath them.

He had only just grasped it, yet it already possessed terrifying might.

Lei Chong did not rush. He remained seated cross-legged, studying it.

At that moment, on the other side of the enormous mountain, the various factions stood before the passage.

They looked up at the True Phoenix nest atop the mountain, their eyes gleaming with a daunting light.

But the formations ahead blocked the path up the mountain.

"Quick, find a way. Whatever it takes, you must break through these formations," a powerful Divine Being said, instructing the Venerables under his command.

The other factions did the same, all trying to find a way to break the formations.

The first to act was a Golden-Winged Great Peng. He spread a pair of enormous wings that transformed into two Heavenly Blades. Their cold light was chilling, a terrifying sight.

He was Jin Lie of the Archaic Divine Mountain, and he intended to force the formation open.

Boom!

The golden Heavenly Blades slashed down on the formation's screen of light. Sparks flew everywhere, metal clanged, and golden feathers scattered across the ground.

The tremendous force sent Jin Lie flying, blood spraying from his mouth and nose.

"Fool," someone immediately sneered. The formation here had been laid down by a True Phoenix. How could a mere Venerable be allowed to break it with brute force?

Breaking the formation here would surely require special means.

Everyone else was trying to find a way, yet Jin Lie alone had acted rashly.

Jin Lie glared at the speaker, then turned and withdrew to the side. Had he not just been injured, he would certainly have taught that person a lesson.

The rest fell silent and began studying the formation in earnest.

Suddenly, the formation's screen of light flashed, and several illusory figures appeared. They seemed to circle the enormous mountain, and even more to be guarding it.

They were the silhouettes of several birds, flames burning upon each of them.

"The formation has changed. That silhouette looks like a Vermilion Bird, that one looks like a Bi Fang, and that one is a Li Fire Crow..." Several silhouettes appeared in succession, and the people there recognized them all.

"They're all divine birds that control flames. Could they have been the True Phoenix's followers?" someone immediately speculated.

"After the Immortal Ancient True Phoenix underwent nirvana, did they join forces to lay down the formation to protect it?" others immediately made the connection.

"In other words, for us to enter from here, those divine birds must reappear. How could that possibly happen?" someone said, shaking his head in denial.

"There's no need to recreate them completely. Perhaps learning their precious techniques would open the formation as well," another speculated.

"That's impossible too. These were true divine birds. The precious techniques of their descendant remnants have deteriorated badly. I'm afraid they wouldn't work," a Divine Being from the Immortal Mountain sighed.

Hearing the Divine Being's words, everyone felt deeply helpless.

"Wait, where are the first two who came in? They sent out spirit bodies to investigate long ago, but they aren't here now. Could they have found something?" the green-haired Demon Spider Divine Being said.

"Quick, send people to find those two. They must know something," someone immediately said, ordering his subordinates to search.

On the vast ancient tree, divine fire burned all around Lei Chong.

Suddenly, all the divine fire went out. Lei Chong rose into the air and continued to stretch his body, displaying a sharp and domineering Dao art, with a momentum that seemed capable of breaking through the firmament and attaining the Great Dao.

He took out several magical artifacts and threw them into the void, then swooped in to attack. Spreading his limbs, he was as agile as a Vermilion Bird, able to strike down the stars in the nine heavens.

Crack!

The magical artifacts shattered easily. They were all genuine Venerable weapons, yet under that terrifying attack, he had broken them with ease.

This domineering art was exceptionally suited to a decisive battle. Sharp and fierce, its strikes could practically shake the stars of the heavens!

There was no need to think hard about it. A true Vermilion Bird of the past could surely look down upon the Immortal Ancient era. Plucking stars, seizing the sun, and destroying great stars would have posed no problem at all.

Hum!

Lei Chong slowly opened his eyes and let out a roar toward the space before him. Flames gathered in his mouth, forming a burning Vermilion Bird.

The Vermilion Bird spread its wings and sent a wave of flame forward with a beat. The heat was so terrifying that it burned the void until it trembled.

His Vermilion Bird Art had reached its initial stage. He could conceal divine fire within his body and unleash it at any time, truly capable of injuring others without a trace.

Lei Chong reached out and grasped for the rune bone in the nest.

At the same time, runes lit up in his palm. They were the perfected Vermilion Bird runes.

Hum!

The instant he gripped the rune bone, a vibrating hum came from all around. It seemed to resist his grasp, but the resistance was not very strong, and he held it in his palm.

The next moment, Lei Chong exerted force with his hand. With the Vermilion Bird runes this time, the rune bone suddenly became much lighter, and he lifted it from the nest.

"I actually got hold of it." Lei Chong's eyes lit up.

Although he had learned the Vermilion Bird Art and the rune bone was no longer useful to him, the Primal True Feather behind it was also a treasure.

Besides, if he took the rune bone away, no one else could learn the Vermilion Bird Art.

Then, if they wanted to break the formation, they could not do without him.

Just then, the void ahead trembled and fierce winds howled, forming wind blades. Amid them, a streak of golden light rushed toward him.

Swish!

It was a Golden-Winged Great Peng. He was moving at extreme speed, his outstretched wings like two Heavenly Blades that tore gashes in the sky.

"Just as I thought, something strange is going on." Jin Lie landed atop the tree, his golden pupils unusually daunting, though the excitement on his face was impossible to conceal.

After everyone noticed something amiss earlier, Jin Lie had immediately been unable to sit still.

He was a Golden-Winged Great Peng, and he possessed extreme speed. With just a light beat of his wings, he could leave everyone else behind.

With his keen eyes as well, he had indeed found Lei Chong.

"Hmph, now that I'm here, get down from there. What right do you have to study it?" Jin Lie raised a hand, his tone icy.