The Vermilion Bird's speed was absolutely terrifying. In the blink of an eye, it had already closed in on the scene.
The six cultivators frowned as they gazed up at the sky.
That stretch of sky had seemingly been set ablaze. The clouds churned and rolled, and a sea of fire raged across the heavens, as if it intended to burn everything between heaven and earth to ashes.
"What is that?" a cultivator from Little Soup Island cried out in alarm.
The white-browed elder's expression was grim. "Everyone, be on guard. Whoever's coming is not friendly."
Even someone as savage as Boss Luo was stunned by the terrifying celestial phenomenon before him. For a moment, the ferocity in his eyes was replaced entirely by fear.
The endless sea of fire pressed forward, and in mere moments, it had arrived before the group.
From within that inferno, a divine beast suddenly emerged. Its wings spread wide, blotting out the sky and sun, like a lotus blooming within flames — noble and striking.
The Vermilion Bird had finally arrived!
The Vermilion Bird let out a piercing cry toward the heavens. In an instant, the colors of sky and earth shifted, clouds scattered in all directions, and countless waves rolled and crashed with earth-shaking force.
One cry, and heaven and earth trembled!
This display of might filled
As he'd hoped — the Vermilion Bird had fully recovered to its ancient peak state. In fact, it appeared to have even broken through further, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to its former near-death condition.
"Senior Vermilion Bird, congratulations! It seems your time on Corpse Purgatory Hell Island over the years has borne fruit. Your cultivation has made real gains — truly cause for celebration!"
Jiang Chen's tone was brimming with joy, his pride in the Vermilion Bird entirely genuine.
The Vermilion Bird laughed heartily. "I've only managed a modest breakthrough. You should see little Xuan. Now that's what you call real progress!"
Brother Dragon?
In that very instant, amid the roar of mountain-like waves — boom, boom, boom!
Six consecutive blasts tore through the air, launching six colossal waterspouts that spiraled into the sky with violent force, sweeping straight toward the six cultivators from Little Soup Island.
The attack came without warning. Those six, formidable as they were in their own right, were completely caught off guard.
Fortunately, their cultivation ran deep. Though the waterspout struck them by surprise, they managed to barely shield themselves from being swept away entirely.
Still, the experience nearly cost them half their lives.
What was happening?
The next moment, their vision blurred as a tremendously powerful waterspout spiraled upward through the void. Coiled atop that column of water was a True Dragon's dharma form, soaring through the nine heavens.
A True Dragon!
The six cultivators from Little Soup Island were dumbfounded. They could scarcely believe their own eyes — they were looking at the dharma form of a True Dragon.
Brother Dragon!
Jiang Chen was overjoyed as well. Seeing Long Xuan display such overwhelming power, he understood immediately — Brother Dragon's progress was no less impressive than his own.
Jiang Chen had broken through multiple times, reaching the fourth level of the Celestial realm, which was already an extraordinary achievement. But seeing the rate at which Long Xuan had advanced, even he had to admit his admiration.
Brother Dragon's cultivation had likely reached the fourth level of the Celestial realm as well — perhaps even the fifth.
Otherwise, even as a descendant of the True Dragon, there was no way a single sweep could have nearly swallowed six high-level Celestial cultivators whole.
In terms of combat power, Long Xuan was likely already on par with high-level Celestial cultivators.
The six cultivators from Little Soup Island stared at the spectacle in utter disbelief. They had never imagined that a True Dragon would be lurking in these waters.
And that even more terrifying creature high in the sky — it looked like the legendary Vermilion Bird!
Heavens!
What kind of people had laid ambush in these waters with such allies? A True Dragon and a Vermilion Bird — those were the bloodlines of two of the Four Great Divine Beasts from antiquity!
These men, while not the strongest in the Myriad Abyss Island, were still people of considerable knowledge. The legends of the Four Great Divine Beasts were well within their awareness.
"Grand Elder Lu, is this… is this one of the legendary Four Great Divine Beasts?"
"I don't know," the white-browed elder replied. His mind was in complete disarray. His Silkworm of Death threads — those instruments impervious to both water and fire — had been devoured in an instant by the tide of flame. Every last thought in his head had been consumed by fear.
For a moment, he could not speak at all.
"Everyone, stay sharp. If we can't win, we scatter and run," the white-browed elder finally managed, having not entirely lost his wits. He issued the warning in a low voice to all his companions.
But Boss Luo still harbored some defiance. "Grand Elder Lu, there are six of us. Are we really going to cower before them? Even if they carry the bloodlines of the Four Divine Beasts, so what? As long as they're not at their peak, there's no reason we can't stand and fight together!"
A chance?
The white-browed elder's lips curled with a hint of mockery. "Boss Luo, your Silver Sword Gang is going to get us all killed. My Silkworm of Death threads are immune to water and fire alike, yet that sea of flame devoured them without effort. That Vermilion Bird, even if it isn't at its peak, is absolutely not something you or I can hope to contend with."