An inexplicable wave of pressure instantly washed over Ancestor Golden Bell.
That pressure swiftly transformed into a thick, suffocating sense of crisis—the kind where life and death hang on a single heartbeat.
A powerhouse's instincts were still formidable. The moment Ancestor Golden Bell saw the Vermilion Bird divine creature suddenly charge out, he realized there might be a trap.
In that instant, he abandoned any thought of capturing
But just as he attempted to recall the bell, Long Xiaoxuan's Dharma Body flickered into view once more—and this time, it swelled to several times its original size in a flash.
It began circling around the golden bell in ceaseless orbits.
Before long, the golden bell had been thoroughly ensnared by Long Xiaoxuan's Coiling Dragon divine ability. Ancestor Golden Bell frantically pinched through hand seals, but all he could manage was to make the bell emit muffled groans. It was still drifting in his direction, but agonizingly slow.
With its speed hampered, the golden bell's return speed clearly couldn't keep up with Ancestor Golden Bell's defensive rhythm.
How could the Vermilion Bird divine creature let such an opportunity slip? It pressed its attack relentlessly, its Dharma Body flickering as countless Vermilion Bird feathers transformed into streaks of flame. Like a meteor shower, they blanketed the entire area within several thousand meters of Ancestor Golden Bell.
The light conjured from those feathers blazed with scorching heat, as though igniting the very void. And the blades woven into those fiery streaks were razor-sharp beyond measure, capable of slicing through earth and sky alike.
Without the golden bell's protection, Ancestor Golden Bell's defensive capability had dropped by at least two-thirds. Never had he imagined that the Vermilion Bird divine creature's attack would suddenly shift its rhythm.
Previously, when it attacked with its talons, Ancestor Golden Bell had managed to barely hold it off with his physical defenses alone.
But now, in the blink of an eye, the Vermilion Bird divine creature had switched to a feather attack—the difference in both method and power was night and day.
Once his rhythm was disrupted, Ancestor Golden Bell was thrown into utter chaos. In desperation, he snatched out several defensive talismans and hurled them into the void, hoping to use them to withstand the onslaught of Vermilion Bird feathers.
But once the Vermilion Bird divine creature had seized control of the rhythm, would it ever allow Ancestor Golden Bell a chance to fight back?
Moreover, its attack had come first—and Ancestor Golden Bell's talismans came after. Before the talismans could even activate, the Vermilion Bird divine creature swept its wings, unleashing a tremendous pulling force that snatched the talismans away outright.
Ancestor Golden Bell's face drained of color. Only then did he remember to use his movement technique to dodge.
But his speed was clearly already too late.
In the blink of an eye, Ancestor Golden Bell was dragged into the vortex by the Vermilion Bird feathers.
He clearly had no intention of surrendering without a fight. Even caught in the vortex, he continued to fight with everything he had, darting and weaving in every direction.
To Ancestor Golden Bell's mild surprise, although the Vermilion Bird feathers appeared overwhelming and their density of attack was absurdly high, his movement technique allowed him to barely hold his own within the vortex.
"Could it be that this area-of-effect attack by the Vermilion Bird feathers is all flash and no substance?" A flicker of hope sparked in Ancestor Golden Bell's heart.
He had already been close to despair. Covered by the tidal wave of attacks formed by the Vermilion Bird feathers, he had almost accepted his death.
He never expected that amid this storm of attacks, he might actually survive by sheer luck.
In that moment, the despair that had gripped Ancestor Golden Bell suddenly gave way to a sliver of hope.
"I have to live—I must live!" The fierce will to survive made him even more resolute. Against the razor-edged fire feathers, he relied entirely on his movement technique to evade.
At the same time, he extended his spiritual sense to summon his seven accomplices to his aid.
"You lot—get over here now!" Ancestor Golden Bell bellowed.
The seven of them had been accelerating as well, closing in steadily. But as they drew near, they discovered the battlefield had undergone a dramatic change. Especially when they saw the Vermilion Bird divine creature streak across the sky, a primal terror seized them, and they involuntarily slowed their approach.
Now that Ancestor Golden Bell had shouted at them, it would be hard to justify lingering any longer.
After all, the situation they now faced had exceeded all their expectations.
If they hesitated out of fear and it cost Ancestor Golden Bell his life, they would be hard-pressed to escape blame afterward. Had they not been nearby, perhaps no one could have held them accountable.
But if they were right there on the scene, too afraid to step in and help, then even a hundred tongues couldn't explain that away later.
"Listen, everyone—that Vermilion Bird is terrifying. The seven of us must move as one. Either we all go in together, or we all pull back together. If we each act on our own, we'll be picked off one by one!"
"Well said—we advance and retreat as one. Help Ancestor Golden Bell escape first. Once he's free, we'll have a chance!"
"So what do we do? All attack the Vermilion Bird together?"
"Are you confident you can withstand those feathers?"
The seven of them were far from unanimous. Clearly, they were still deeply wary of the Vermilion Bird divine creature's devastating attacks.
"Everyone, listen to me." A man in white spoke up.
"What brilliant idea do you have?"
"Look—Ancestor Golden Bell's golden bell is his strongest defensive treasure. That bell has been ensnared by that true dragon and can't return to defend him. If we send two people to attack the true dragon and free the golden bell, then Ancestor Golden Bell's defensive power will be restored in an instant. Wouldn't that be far more useful than all of us charging at the Vermilion Bird?"
Clearly, all of them were deeply afraid of the Vermilion Bird divine creature, and none wanted to face it head-on at this moment.
His suggestion was met with immediate, unanimous approval.