Southern Region, Volcano of Immortality.
This once sacred realm of supreme yang and blazing fire in the Primordial World, where surging magma and billowing Lihuo flames once ruled, was the cradle of the Spiritual Plant Clan's life origin and the inheritance foundation of the Vermilion Bird Clan.
But today, it had become a suffocating purgatory of scorched earth. Every inch of land groaned in agony, and every wisp of air reeked of death.
Black-red demon flames blotted out the sky, obscuring the sun and moon. Only the eerie flickering glow of the burning demon flames illuminated the devastated volcanic landscape. The once crimson-hot magma had been corrupted by black demon aura, turning into thick inky sludge that oozed sluggishly through the volcanic gullies.
Wherever it flowed, rocks crumbled, vegetation turned to ash, and even the hard volcanic rock was riddled with holes, emitting a pungent mix of sulfur and decay.
At the summit of the volcano, around the Sacred Fire Altar—the Spiritual Plant Clan's ancestral guardian—the battle had reached a desperate, white-hot pitch. The ground was littered with severed limbs and broken bodies: shattered trunks of the Spiritual Plant Clan's Wood Armor Guards, charred corpses of ferocious beasts, and fragmented stone remains of the Rock Bear Clan warriors.
Dark red blood mingled with inky demon blood, soaking the earth around the altar, adding a bloody heat to the already scorching air.
Only fifty-odd Wood Armor Guards remained—they were the Spiritual Plant Clan's last line of defense. Forged from primordial spirit wood interwoven with golden metal vines, these warriors possessed tough, resilient bodies from the spirit wood, and the golden metal vines granted them sharpness to resist feral aura.
In their hands were Spirit-Burning Staffs, sacred relics of the clan. Each staff was wreathed in Nanming Lihuo—the supreme yang fire shared with the Vermilion Bird Clan after a sacred pact was forged. It should have blazed like a scorching sun, but now the flames on the staffs flickered dimly, like candle flames in the wind, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.
They formed a tight circle, shielding the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire at their center. The sacred fire on the altar was the source of the Spiritual Plant Clan's life force, brimming with endless vitality and supreme yang power. If it went out, the entire clan would be doomed to extinction.
At this moment, the sacred fire's glow was also fading, suppressed by the dense demon flames and feral aura surrounding it. It could barely maintain a faint golden shield, struggling to fend off the outside corruption.
"Roar——" A colossal Demonized Lizard, dragging its long tail and wreathed in blazing demon flames, hurtled toward the Wood Armor Guards' formation. Its scales were as black as jade, with demon flames seeping from the gaps. From its mouth, it spewed a jet of black fire, carrying the power to corrode everything, straight at the frontline Wood Armor Guard.
The guard did not flinch. He raised his Spirit-Burning Staff, and the Nanming Lihuo on it flared slightly, forming a small wall of fire to block the demon flame's onslaught. But the demon flame's power exceeded his wildest imagination.
With a sizzling sound, the fire wall was swallowed instantly, and the black fire jet slammed into his wooden body.
The body forged from primordial spirit wood ignited at once, and the golden metal vines let out a shrill cracking sound. He let out a muffled roar, yet still held his Spirit-Burning Staff firmly, stabbing fiercely at the Demonized Lizard's eye.
Though faint, the Nanming Lihuo on the staff was still the nemesis of demon flames. The moment it pierced the lizard's eye, a sizzling sound erupted, and black blood gushed out.
The Demonized Lizard let out a shrill shriek, shaking its head violently and smashing the guard's body to pieces. Fragments of primordial spirit wood and broken golden metal vines scattered in all directions, falling to the ground and burning to ashes in the demon flames in an instant, leaving only a wisp of faint green spiritual light to fade into the air.
Such sacrifices happened every second. Of the fifty-odd Wood Armor Guards, more than half had fallen under the beasts' relentless attacks, yet the remaining warriors gritted their teeth and held on, forming a final barrier for the sacred fire with their bodies.
Muya, the acting clan leader of the Spiritual Plant Clan, stood before the Sacred Fire Altar. He was Elder Qingmang's disciple and the core of the clan at this desperate hour. His body, once made of vibrant cyan-green primordial spirit wood brimming with vitality, was now charred black and cracked in many places, revealing the equally charred wood grain beneath.
One of his arms had been completely corroded by demon flames, leaving only a charred broken stump. Black demon aura continued to erode his remaining body.
But Muya did not retreat an inch. With his only remaining arm, he clung tightly to the base of the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire, using his own body to block most of the demon flames and feral aura heading for the fire. There was no fear in his eyes—only unwavering resolve.
His Spirit-Burning Staff leaned against the ground, its flame faint yet burning tenaciously, carrying unyielding vitality, as if telling the tale of the Spiritual Plant Clan's indomitable will.
"Defend the sacred fire... never let it go out..." Muya murmured, his voice hoarse and weak. With every word, black blood foam trickled from the corner of his mouth. His mind echoed with Elder Qingmang's final instruction before she left: "Muya, the sacred fire is the root of our clan. No matter the cost, you must protect it."
He knew he bore the hope of the entire Spiritual Plant Clan. Even if he had to burn to ashes, he would not let the elder down, and he would not let his clan perish.
On the other side of the battlefield, Zhu Yan, the Innate Vermilion Bird, was locked in a fierce battle with a Demonized Roc. Zhu Yan's figure was agile, her body covered in crimson feathers shimmering with the light of Nanming Lihuo, like burning flames.
As a primordial divine being of the Primordial World, she wielded Nanming Lihuo with unparalleled mastery. But at this moment, her condition was dire.
Her left wing had a bone-deep gash torn open by the Demonized Roc's claws. Crimson blood dripped continuously from the wound, falling onto the scorching volcanic rock and igniting tiny red flames. Yet these flames were swallowed by the surrounding demon aura as soon as they flared, and even her own wound struggled to heal.
Zhu Yan knew this was because she had burned three-tenths of her origin power to fend off the beasts' assaults, drastically weakening her Nanming Lihuo and severely impairing her self-healing ability.
The Demonized Roc was originally a rare species of roc in the Primordial World. Corrupted by demon aura, it had become even more violent and bloodthirsty. Its colossal body spread its wings, nearly blotting out half the sky. Its black feathers were wreathed in blazing demon flames, and its sharp claws and beak glinted with cold light, carrying the power of destruction.
"Screech——" The Demonized Roc let out a shrill cry, flapping its wings violently. Countless feathers wreathed in demon flames shot toward Zhu Yan like a black arrow rain. At the same time, it spewed a massive jet of black fire from its mouth, brimming with dense feral aura, hurtling straight at her.
There was no fear in Zhu Yan's eyes—only cold killing intent. She flapped her wings suddenly, her figure darting like an arrow released from the bowstring to avoid the black fire jet. At the same time, she condensed the remaining Nanming Lihuo in her body into a fire wall, holding it before her.
"Puff! Puff! Puff!" The demon-flame feathers slammed into the fire wall, making a dense cracking sound. Many feathers were incinerated completely, but some managed to break through the fire wall's defense, landing on Zhu Yan and igniting her feathers.
Zhu Yan let out a muffled groan of pain, yet still did not retreat an inch. She knew she could not fall—if she did, the Wood Armor Guards and the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire would be completely exposed to the beasts' attacks.
She accelerated suddenly, her figure transforming into a streak of red lightning, charging toward the Demonized Roc's wing. Her sharp beak, imbued with the power of Nanming Lihuo, pecked fiercely at the wound on the roc's wing.
"Screech——" The Demonized Roc let out a shrill shriek. Its wing was pierced by Zhu Yan's beak, and black blood gushed out. Enraged, it flapped its wings violently, trying to swat Zhu Yan away. But Zhu Yan was extremely agile, clinging tightly to its wing and attacking its weak points repeatedly with her beak and claws.
Yet the Demonized Roc's power was simply too great. After burning three-tenths of her origin power, Zhu Yan's strength had dropped drastically. After several rounds of combat, she gradually fell into a disadvantage. Her wounds multiplied, and crimson blood dripped continuously, dyeing a large area of volcanic rock red.
"Defend the sacred fire! It is the hope of the Spiritual Plant Clan! It is the vitality of the Primordial World!" Zhu Yan's voice was tired yet firm and powerful, echoing across the entire battlefield. She condensed the remaining Nanming Lihuo in her body once more, forming a thicker fire wall that stood before the Wood Armor Guards and the Sacred Fire Altar, blocking the joint assault of the Demonized Roc and other ferocious beasts.
The flames on the wall were eroded bit by bit by feral aura and demon flames. The red flames dimmed gradually, and even streaks of black lines began to appear. A wisp of crimson blood trickled from the corner of Zhu Yan's mouth. She could clearly feel the fire spirit origin in her dantian becoming unstable, on the verge of collapsing.
If her origin collapsed, she would not only lose all her cultivation but might even perish completely.
But she could not retreat—she had no choice but to hold on. Looking at the Wood Armor Guards falling one after another behind her, and at Muya clinging to the sacred fire's defense, her resolve grew stronger. She was the Innate Vermilion Bird, one of the guardians of the Primordial World. Even if it cost her life, she would defend this land and protect the hope of the Spiritual Plant Clan.
A Wood Armor Guard was entangled by the spider silk of a Demonized Tarantula. The silk was brimming with dense demon aura, igniting his wooden body instantly. He let out a painful roar, yet did not struggle at all. Instead, he raised his Spirit-Burning Staff suddenly, charging toward the Demonized Tarantula.
Though faint, the Nanming Lihuo on the Spirit-Burning Staff flared instantly under his urging, enveloping his entire body.
"Perish together with this monster!" He roared, charging into the Demonized Tarantula like a burning fire dragon. With a deafening bang, his body and the tarantula exploded simultaneously. Black blood and charred wooden fragments scattered in all directions. Several nearby ferocious beasts were caught in the explosion's flames and shockwave, burning severely in an instant.
Scenes like this unfolded continuously on the battlefield. Though weak in power, the Spiritual Plant Clan's Wood Armor Guards possessed unwavering resolve. They used their lives to fend off the beasts' assaults time and again, buying precious time for Zhu Yan and the Sacred Fire Altar.
Witnessing this scene, a flash of grief crossed Zhu Yan's eyes, yet it only strengthened her determination. She flapped her wings suddenly, charging toward the Demonized Roc once more. This time, she held nothing back, burning another portion of her unstable fire spirit origin. The power of Nanming Lihuo surged instantly, and her figure transformed into a colossal red firebird, carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth, hurtling straight at the Demonized Roc.
"Screech——" The Demonized Roc sensed the mortal threat, a flash of fear crossing its eyes, yet it was unwilling to retreat. It also burned its own demon origin, and the black demon flames flared instantly, colliding fiercely with Zhu Yan's Nanming Lihuo.
"Boom——"
A deafening explosion shook the heavens and earth. The red Lihuo and black demon flames clashed violently, forming a massive energy shockwave that shattered the surrounding volcanic rock to dust. Countless ferocious beasts were caught in the shockwave, burning to ashes in an instant. Both Zhu Yan and the Demonized Roc were sent flying by the impact, crashing heavily onto the volcanic rock.