The blood mist over the South China Sea airspace grew thicker and more viscous. The stench of charred flesh mingled with the metallic-sweet scent of dragon and phoenix blood, congealing into a nauseating miasma in the air.
Ao Lie stared at the seven-colored spirit phoenix hovering before him, his muscles tensing beneath his crimson scales like a drawn bow. The image of Ao Bing being burned to ashes still lingered before his eyes, sending an uncontrollable chill down his spine.
Yet as the Dragon King ruling the South China Sea, he forced down his fear. Spinning the fire spirit spear in his palm, the scarlet flames at its tip surged three feet high, pointing directly at Yuanfeng's head. He tried to suppress the newly freed Phoenix Empress with the dragon clan's majesty. "Yuanfeng! You dared to break the confinement personally laid by Lord Ancestral Dragon—this is a blatant violation of the dragon-phoenix alliance! Submit and return to the North China Sea's sea eye to be bound, or else..."
"Or else what?"
Yuanfeng's voice rang out suddenly, calm yet carrying a searing intensity that could incinerate all things.
Before the words faded, the Nanming Li Fire around her erupted violently. Seven-colored flames swept across the sky like a tsunami, instantly igniting the suspended blood mist into a churning sea of fire.
Her glazed phoenix eyes held no warmth—only three hundred years of pent-up malice and killing intent, fixed 死死 on Ao Bing—the chief culprit who had guarded her for three centuries and personally reinforced the Ice Soul Formation.
"Three hundred years ago, you trapped me with the Ice Soul Formation. For three hundred years, you watched as the dragon clan slaughtered my Phoenix Clan people. Today, I'll start with you, the villain who guarded the North China Sea's sea eye!"
As the shout fell, Yuanfeng's right wing suddenly flapped. Countless seven-colored phoenix feathers detached, converging mid-air into a zhang-long fire-feather arrow.
The arrow shaft was woven from the purest Nirvana Fire, its tip glowing with a ghostly purple luster. The moment it took shape, it tore through the void, scorching a black trail in the air with a hissing screech—like a stream of light straight for Ao Bing's heart.
The tyrannical aura made the surrounding dragon clan soldiers tremble uncontrollably, not a single one daring to step forward to intercept.
Ao Bing's face turned as pale as paper, his pupils contracting sharply with fear. He had never seen such terrifying flames—the destructive power within them made even his ice spirit origin tremble.
No longer caring about maintaining his Dragon King dignity, he clutched the Ice Soul Seal tightly with both hands, pouring all his ice spirit power into it frantically. "Insolent wretch! Behold my Ice Soul Formation!"
The Ice Soul Seal exploded to a zhang in size, glowing with a cold pale blue ghostly light. Countless thick ice walls instantly condensed before him, layer upon layer like dozens of ice fortresses. Each ice wall was infused with the essence of the North China Sea's extreme cold spiritual vein, its hardness comparable to an innate spiritual treasure.
Ao Bing even bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of lifeblood. As the blood splattered on the ice walls, a layer of crystal ice armor formed on their surface—an attempt to block the fire-feather arrow's attack.
Yet in Yuanfeng's eyes, this was nothing but futile struggle.
The moment the fire-feather arrow collided with the first ice wall, there was no earth-shaking crash—only a crisp hissing sound.
The ice wall, capable of withstanding a full-powered strike from a Golden Immortal, melted instantly like snow under the scorching sun, turning into billowing steam. Before the steam could disperse, it was ignited by the arrow's intense heat, forming a small sea of fire that twisted the surrounding air. The fire-feather arrow cut through five ice walls in succession, its flames growing brighter with each penetration. By the time it hit the final ice wall, the arrow had transformed into a ball of ghostly purple fire, enveloping the Ice Soul Seal tightly.
"Crack——"
The Ice Soul Seal let out a crisp sound of overloading. The ice armor on its surface cracked rapidly, then began to twist and deform, its pale blue spiritual light fading quickly.
Ao Bing could clearly feel his connection to the Ice Soul Seal severing rapidly. A scorching aura surged into his body through the seal, burning his meridians. Before he could react, the fire-feather arrow had pierced the Ice Soul Seal, its flames flaring brighter as it stabbed precisely into his chest.
"N-No... Impossible! I... I am the North China Sea... Dragon King..."
A gurgling sound escaped Ao Bing's throat, his eyes filled with unbelievable despair.
He looked down at the blood hole in his chest, from which golden dragon blood gushed forth. The moment the dragon blood touched the air, it was ignited by the residual flames of the fire-feather arrow, engulfing his body in roaring fire.
He could clearly feel his ice spirit origin being rapidly incinerated by Nanming Li Fire, surging from his limbs to his dantian. Every inch of his flesh endured extreme pain, his soul as if thrown into a melting pot, about to be burned to nothingness.
He wanted to summon the North China Sea Ice Soul Army for help, to beg the Ancestral Dragon for rescue—but found himself unable to even open his mouth.
The flames had burned through his throat, silencing all his cries.
He could only stare at Yuanfeng, the terrified dragon eyes reflecting her cold, emotionless face. With his last ounce of strength, he whispered, "Lord... Ancestral Dragon... help..."
Before the words fell, Ao Bing's body rapidly dissolved in the flames.
First, his scales charred and fell off, revealing burning flesh beneath. Then the flesh turned to ashes, not even his bones spared. In the span of a moment, the once-arrogant North China Sea Dragon King was reduced to a cloud of ashes, scattered by the wind into the blood mist.
Deprived of its master's support, the Ice Soul Seal clanged down into the blood sea below. The once-precious treasure that had suppressed the North China Sea was now twisted and charred. As it fell into the blood water, it let out a hissing sound, emitting a wisp of black smoke, and lost all its spiritual light—leaving only a broken wreckage floating in the blood waves, stirring insignificant ripples.
Witnessing this, the surrounding North China Sea Ice Soul Army was terrified out of their wits. These soldiers, who had guarded the North China Sea for years, were accustomed to relying on the Ice Soul Formation's power. They had never seen anyone kill a Dragon King or destroy the Ice Soul Seal so effortlessly.
Fear spread through the army like a plague. Some soldiers even forgot their weapons, turning to flee.
But Yuanfeng had already laid a sky-spanning fire net. The moment any soldier tried to escape into the net, they were instantly devoured by the seven-colored flames, turning to charred coal before they could scream, and falling into the blood sea.
Yuanfeng didn't even glance at the soldiers. Her gaze, sharp as poisoned blades, slowly turned to Dragon King Ao Ze of the West China Sea.
The killing intent in her phoenix eyes burned brighter than before. The pain of being confined by the Water Spirit Lock three hundred years ago, the agony of her feathers being eroded by Heavenly River Black Water—all surged into her mind, tinting the flames around her with a violent scarlet hue.
Ao Ze and Ao Lie stared in stunned silence, their blood seemingly freezing in their veins.
They had never seen Yuanfeng display such terrifying strength. Three hundred years of confinement had not weakened her—in fact, it had refined her Nanming Li Fire, even giving it hints of Nirvana Fire.
To easily burn even Ao Bing's Ice Soul Seal—such power far exceeded their comprehension. Ao Ze's legs trembled uncontrollably, and fine beads of sweat formed on his silver-white black ice armor, evaporating under the surrounding high temperature.
"Ao Ze, prepare to die!"
Yuanfeng's voice was cold as ice, as if emanating from the depths of the Underworld.
She slowly raised her phoenix claw, a wisp of ghostly purple Nirvana Fire condensing at its tip. Though the flame seemed faint, it contained terrifying power capable of purifying souls.
She fixed her gaze on Ao Ze, speaking each word with deep-seated hatred. "Back then, by the Ancestral Dragon's order, you reinforced the Water Spirit Lock with Heavenly River Black Water. You watched as the chains tore my feathers and left me covered in blood, as I endured unimaginable torment in the depths of the sea eye. Today, I'll let you experience the agony of being burned alive, of having your soul completely destroyed!"
"No! You can't kill me! I am the West China Sea Dragon King!"
Terrified out of his wits, Ao Ze had no thought of resistance left. He turned to flee, his black water power surging wildly, transforming into a dense blue stream of light—fast as lightning—attempting to break through Yuanfeng's blockade and escape to the West China Sea.
But Yuanfeng had already laid a net of heaven and earth. The moment Ao Ze turned to run, her left wing flapped again. The sky-full of flames instantly condensed into a giant seven-colored fire net, closing in from all directions and blocking his retreat completely. As the fire net fell, it wrapped around his limbs like red-hot iron chains, digging deep into his scales.
"Ah——!"
A shrill scream burst from Ao Ze's lips. Flames spread rapidly along his limbs, burning his scales with a hissing sound. The air was instantly filled with the thick stench of roasted meat.
The black ice armor melted quickly in the flames, turning into molten iron that dripped down his body, scalding his skin. Ao Ze could clearly feel his flesh being roasted bit by bit—the bone-deep pain almost causing him to faint.
"Ao Lie! Save me! Hurry and save me!"
Ao Ze screamed for help, his voice distorted by pain. The black water power in his body surged frantically, trying to freeze the fire net. But against Nirvana Fire, his black water power was like a drop in the bucket—unable to freeze the flames, it instead fueled them, making the fire burn even brighter.
Watching this, Ao Lie's heart was torn between fear and hesitation.
He knew that if he didn't join forces to fight Yuanfeng today, he would share the same fate.
Ao Bing was dead, Ao Ze captured. If he fell too, the Three Seas Dragon Clans would be completely annihilated.
Gritting his teeth, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. He poured all his fire spirit power into the fire spirit spear. The spear shaft instantly swelled to several zhang in length, its scarlet flames like a roaring fire dragon, carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth. He smashed it toward Yuanfeng's back heart, trying to force her to divert her attention to defend.
But Yuanfeng didn't even blink.
The moment the spear was about to hit her, a thick wall of fire automatically appeared before her, trapping the spear tightly. The wall's temperature was so high that the spear shaft instantly turned red-hot, even starting to melt.
Ao Lie could clearly feel a searing pain in his palm, as if it were being roasted. He struggled with all his strength to pull the spear out, but it was as if welded into the fire wall—immovable.
At the same time, the Nirvana Fire at Yuanfeng's fingertips flared again. She slowly raised her hand, its tip glowing with ghostly purple light, and gently pointed toward Ao Ze's brow. Her movements were slow, carrying a cat-and-mouse cruelty—as if savoring Ao Ze's desperate struggles.
"Ah——!"
A shrill scream pierced the sky, more horrific than any before.
The moment the Nirvana Fire touched Ao Ze's brow, it surged into his body instantly, spreading rapidly along his meridians. His body was engulfed by flames at a visible rate—first his hair burned away completely, then his skin charred and fell off, revealing burning muscle beneath, and finally even his bones began to burn with a crackling sound.
His soul was not spared. The Nirvana Fire was slowly purifying his soul, the pain of his soul being burned a hundred times more intense than physical agony.
Ao Ze's consciousness faded rapidly. He could feel his soul being torn apart and burned bit by bit, not even a wisp of residual soul left behind. Moments later, his body was reduced to a cloud of black ashes, scattered by the wind into the air, disappearing completely from heaven and earth.
In the blink of an eye, the once-arrogant Dragon Kings of two seas had fallen one after another.
Watching this, only bone-deep fear remained in Ao Lie's heart.
He was completely desperate. If even Ao Bing and Ao Ze were no match for her, he stood no chance of surviving even one of Yuanfeng's attacks.
No longer caring about the honor of the Three Seas Dragon Clans, he only wanted to escape this place of death. He suddenly let go of the fire spirit spear, turning to flee toward the South China Sea—abandoning the dragon clan soldiers behind him.
But he had barely taken half a step when Yuanfeng's figure appeared before him like a ghost, blocking his path.
Her seven-colored phoenix claw, glowing with sky-burning cold light, clamped tightly onto his shoulder. The claw tips easily pierced his crimson scales, sinking deep into his flesh. Blood dripped from her fingers, falling into the blood sea below and stirring tiny ripples.
"Ao Lie, you killed my Phoenix Clan elders, murdered my daughter Feng Xi, incited war between dragons and phoenixes, and slaughtered tens of millions of my clansmen... Do you think you can escape?"
Yuanfeng's voice was like a voice from hell, each word carrying a bone-chilling cold that struck Ao Lie's heart. Her phoenix claw tightened slightly, shattering his scales instantly. White bones were visible in the mangled wound, and the excruciating pain made Ao Lie tremble all over.
"Your son Ao Yu died at the Luo River—nothing to do with my Phoenix Clan. Yet you took your anger out on us, burning down my clan's parasol forest and killing countless young phoenixes and elders!"
Yuanfeng's voice grew colder, the killing intent in her eyes almost tangible. "Today, I'll use your life to repay the lives of tens of millions of my clansmen! I'll use your dragon core to pay homage to my daughter's soul!"
"Yuanfeng! How dare you touch me! Lord Ancestral Dragon will not spare you! He will avenge me and completely annihilate your Phoenix Clan!"
Ao Lie roared, his voice trembling with fear. The fire spirit power in his body surged wildly, trying to break free from Yuanfeng's grip. But her strength was as heavy as a mountain—no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.
He could clearly feel Yuanfeng's phoenix claw tightening little by little, his dragon core beginning to be crushed, sending a tearing pain through him.
Just as Yuanfeng's claw was about to pierce Ao Lie's chest, an overwhelming surge of dragon energy suddenly erupted across heaven and earth!
This golden-crimson dragon energy, like a pillar of light connecting heaven and earth, swept over from the East China Sea direction.
Wherever it passed, seawater surged backward in towering waves, clouds were completely shattered, and even the Nanming Li Fire around Yuanfeng was forced back three points.
The suspended blood mist was scattered by the dragon energy, revealing the mountain of corpses below—Phoenix Clan and Dragon Clan alike, piled layer upon layer, indistinguishable from each other. Some corpses were still burning, emitting a putrid stench—a horrific sight.
"Yuanfeng, spare him!"
A majestic voice echoed across the universe, thunderous in everyone's ears.
The Ancestral Dragon's figure descended from the sky. Clad in a golden-patterned dragon robe, the golden-crimson dragon energy around him was solid as tangible. Each step he took made the void tremble slightly.
His dragon pupils were filled with undeniable authority, his gaze like two golden-crimson lightning bolts, fixed 死死 on Yuanfeng's claw clamping Ao Lie—carrying a clear warning. "Though Ao Lie is at fault, he is still one of the Four Seas Dragon Kings, ruling the South China Sea waters. The dragon clan's punishment shall be decided by me! If you dare to harm him in the slightest, you will be declaring war on the entire dragon clan!"
Ancestral Dragon!
These two words struck everyone like a bolt of thunder. The first divine dragon in the Primordial World, the progenitor of the dragon clan, ruler of the Four Seas waters—a peerless innate powerhouse with unfathomable strength!
Seeing this, the Phoenix Clan juniors held their breath, their faces turning pale.
Even Feng Qi tightened his grip on the parasol staff, his knuckles white with tension, his eyes filled with awe.
He knew the Ancestral Dragon's strength all too well. In Yuanfeng's prime, she had been slightly inferior to him in battle. Now, having just broken free from confinement, her origin had not yet fully recovered. If the Ancestral Dragon truly intended to protect Ao Lie, things would not end well today.
The surviving Phoenix Clan juniors even began to tremble. The Ancestral Dragon's pressure was so terrifying that breathing became difficult.
Ao Lie, however, clung to this lifeline, his eyes bursting with ecstatic light. He screamed, "Lord Ancestral Dragon! Save me! Yuanfeng is crazy! She killed Ao Bing and Ao Ze, and intends to slaughter all of us dragons! Kill her quickly, avenge our fallen clansmen!"
Yet Yuanfeng showed no sign of releasing her grip. At the sound of the Ancestral Dragon's voice, the flames around her not only did not diminish—they burned even brighter. Her seven-colored phoenix feathers fluttered in the wind, each one exuding a sharp killing intent.
She slowly raised her head to look at the Ancestral Dragon, her glazed phoenix eyes filled with deep-seated hatred and violence, as if she wanted to devour him as well.
"Ancestral Dragon?"
Yuanfeng's voice was icy cold, each word squeezed through her teeth, filled with mockery and malice. "Three hundred years ago, when you used the Water Spirit Lock to imprison me, suppressing me deep in the North China Sea's sea eye and making me endure unimaginable torment—did you ever think of 'sparing' me? For three hundred years, when your dragon clan soldiers slaughtered my Phoenix Clan people, burned down our parasol forest, and killed our young—did you ever think of 'sparing' us? When my daughter Feng Xi was killed by demon cultivators, your dragon clan not only refused to lend a hand, but also took advantage of our misfortune to launch a sneak attack—did you ever think of 'sparing' us then?"
Yuanfeng's voice rose higher and higher, filled with sky-burning anger, echoing across the entire South China Sea airspace. "Today, the blood of my daughter and the lives of tens of millions of my clansmen can only be repaid with dragon blood! Do you think a single word of 'spare' can erase all your sins? You're delusional!"
"Insolent!"
The Ancestral Dragon's face darkened. The golden-crimson dragon energy around him erupted violently, transforming into a ten-thousand-zhang dragon claw that grabbed toward Yuanfeng's phoenix claw.
The scales on the dragon claw glowed like golden-crimson glazed jade, each one containing the mighty power of creating heaven and earth. Wherever it passed, the void was torn into pitch-black cracks.
"I am the progenitor of the dragon clan, ruler of the Primordial World—how dare you act so recklessly here! Release Ao Lie, and this matter can still be negotiated! If you want spiritual veins, I will bestow ten innate spiritual veins upon your Phoenix Clan! If you want an apology, I will make Ao Lie kneel before your Phoenix Clan's ancestral shrine to repent for a hundred years! But if you insist on killing him, do not blame me for being ruthless!"
"Negotiated?" Yuanfeng sneered, her laughter filled with sorrow and resolve, the violence in her eyes burning brighter.
"The blood of tens of millions of my clansmen and three hundred years of torment—can these be compensated with ten spiritual veins and an apology? Ancestral Dragon, you are far too naive!"
"Blood debts! Must be repaid with blood!"
Before the words fell, Yuanfeng's phoenix claw suddenly exerted force—without the slightest hesitation!
"Squelch——"
A crisp tearing sound rang out sharply in the silent airspace. Yuanfeng's phoenix claw pierced Ao Lie's chest unimpeded, its tip precisely grasping his beating golden dragon core.
Ao Lie's body stiffened suddenly, his pupils dilating sharply, filled with unbelievable despair.
A cruel smile curved on Yuanfeng's lips. Her phoenix claw 猛地 pulled, tearing the still-beating dragon core out of his body. The moment the dragon core left his body, it was enveloped by the Nanming Li Fire around her. The golden dragon core hissed in the flames, its surface quickly charring before beginning to melt—finally burned completely to ashes, not even a trace of residue left behind.
A final mouthful of golden dragon blood spilled from Ao Lie's lips. He looked at his empty chest, a gurgling sound escaping his throat, but he could no longer speak a single word. His massive body lost all strength, collapsing softly and falling into the blood sea below. The golden dragon blood spread through the water, mixing with the blood of other clansmen—no longer distinguishable.
The Three Seas Dragon Kings—all fallen!
"You dare to be so bold!"
The Ancestral Dragon's roar shook heaven and earth, his eyes filled with anger that could almost incinerate the firmament.
He had never imagined that Yuanfeng would truly dare to kill Ao Lie right before his eyes. This was not only a provocation to his authority—it was a declaration of war against the entire dragon clan!
Golden-crimson dragon energy churned wildly around him, like boiling magma. A destructive aura erupted from his body, sweeping across the entire South China Sea airspace.