Chapter 157

Bei Fang continent.

Countless fire rains fell from the sky, as if the whole field were ablaze.

These fire rains poured down from the heavens; anything they touched instantly ignited, whether water or soil, anything within the Five Elements and Three Powers was turned to flying ash.

The cries of living beings never ceased; even the water drawn by the Dragon Clan's Water Control Technique could not escape being dried up.

Such harsh measures naturally aroused the displeasure of many Bei Fang Innate Divine Saints; continuing this way would only turn Bei Fang into a barren wasteland.

Under Yu Qiang's leadership, many Innate Divine Saints gathered, demanding that the Vermilion Bird stop this extreme behavior, but their pleas went unanswered.

"Now you're afraid? What were you doing before?"

"Since arriving in Bei Fang, the Vermilion Bird has never felt so exhilarated."

Now all resistance from the two clans collapses like dry twigs before the Vermilion Bird Seven Mansions Myriad Phenomena Fire Virtue Grand Formation, shattering at the slightest touch.

Despite the warnings of countless Innate Divine Saints, she paid no heed.

Unbeknownst to her, with each of her movements, invisible calamity qi continually shrouded her mind and obscured her spirit.

It drove her down a mad path from which there was no return, pushing her toward her own doom.

North Sea.

"We can't let the Vermilion Bird continue like this; her mind is completely clouded by calamity qi, and Bei Fang cannot withstand such harm."

The fury in the eyes of countless Innate Divine Saints was plain to see; the aftermath of the Ferocious Beast Great Calamity had only just subsided, yet now the Vermilion Bird's actions are no different from that calamity. Yu Qiang, seated as chief, looked down at the murmuring gods and said, "We once tried to negotiate with her, but were ignored; now we all seek a solution."

"As a heavenly deity, she runs rampant across the Primordial Wasteland, destroying the land we depend on; she deserves death."

"Moreover, you may not know that she previously tried to ambush me on the shores of the North Sea, but failed."

"In that battle I lost my Black Yin Arrow; now that she brings about her own doom, I can settle old and new grudges at once."

"But this is also personal for me, so you may decide for yourselves whether to slay the Vermilion Bird."

Yu Qiang concealed many details of that battle, omitting the Kunpeng, for he is ultimately a Bei Fang Divine Saint.

Given the current situation, Yu Qiang will not allow anything that could threaten the unity of the Bei Fang Innate Divine Saints to arise.

Even if the Kunpeng does not recklessly seek its own demise, Yu Qiang wouldn't bother to pursue it over a mere spiritual treasure.

Anyway, knowledge of the Black Yin Arrow has long spread throughout Bei Fang, losing its essential use, and he has also obtained something better from the Dragon Clan.

"Kill!"

Everyone agreed that the Vermilion Bird has now crossed their line; not killing her would not appease their anger.

"Very well, since you all agree, I will take the lead in surrounding and slaying the Vermilion Bird."

"You need not worry about pressure from the Phoenix Clan; they are currently hard-pressed by the Dragon Clan and can barely look after themselves, let alone spare strength for Bei Fang."

"If we want to deal with the Vermilion Bird, facing her formation is an unavoidable problem for us."

"I once asked the Dragon Clan, and they too lack a formation of this caliber."

"As far as I know, in the Primordial Wasteland only Yunmeng Marsh and the West could possibly have such a formation, and these places are beyond our influence."

I have carefully observed that the Vermilion Bird Seven Mansions Myriad Phenomena Fire Virtue Grand Formation takes the Vermilion Bird as its core, complemented by six Great Luo Golden Immortals.

Our target must be the Great Luo Golden Immortals other than the Vermilion Bird; only by preventing them from forming the formation can we hope to slay the Vermilion Bird.

The gods fell into silent contemplation, for attacking the Vermilion Bird alone seems unlikely; she will surely array a formation with the Phoenix Clan. But if we strike the Phoenix Clan's members, we would directly enter the Three Clans War—actively inviting calamity, contrary to our original aim.

Yet they cannot bear to watch them so devastate Bei Fang's heaven and earth, ruining Bei Fang, while the Phoenix Clan could retreat to the South or East.

But they have no retreat, and none wish to relive the wandering life they endured during the Ferocious Beast Great Calamity.

Suddenly one of them closed his eyes and muttered:

"Let's kill her; it's just a calamity. We escaped once before—this time we shouldn't keep running. Isn't that why we cultivate?"

Everyone fell silent, Yu Qiang included.

He approached the Dragon Clan, thinking they offered the best hope of quickly unifying the Primordial Wasteland and keeping Bei Fang from falling into war—"Count me in."

"Hmm, I'll join as well."

Their voices rose one after another, though the atmosphere remained heavy.

"We Bei Fang beings have never been known for ferocity and cruelty; why can't I see even a trace of the old spirit today?"

"We all crawled out of slaughter; we've experienced calamity before—why put on this show? If you lack courage, I alone can do it."

"A few Great Luo Golden Immortals, if ambushed, would not be a match for me in a single strike; if the Phoenix Clan seeks retribution, my death would settle it."

"Afterward, to surround and slay the Vermilion Bird, we all must act—we are all Innate Divine Saints, and the Phoenix Clan has no reason to meddle in our internal disputes."

"Moreover, I need to borrow a treasure from Lord Yu Qiang; I hope he will agree to lend me the Covering Heaven Transforming Qi Vessel."

Everyone's faces shifted with his words, and they gritted their teeth.

"What are you pretending to be a hero for? Do you think I lack courage compared to you? Count me in for this mission."

"Count me in as well."

The crowd's mood grew heated, no longer as gloomy as before, and they even began vying for the quota to kill Phoenix Clan members.

Until Yu Qiang put an end to it, saying, "Since we've made up our minds, there's no need to scramble; we'll all take part in the calamity anyway. We'll be dragged into this murky water—do the Phoenix Clan really expect to come out unscathed, with only a few Great Luo Golden Immortals dying?"

Having said that, Yu Qiang's face showed a cruel excitement.

After a moment of shock, everyone's expression hardly differed from Yu Qiang's.

Indeed, we Innate Divine Saints are so noble, yet now we are being dragged into that murky water—how could the Phoenix Clan that drags us in possibly suffer only such a slight loss! "Bei Fang Phoenix Clan, exterminate!"

One of them spoke slowly.

Perhaps the peace has lasted too long; a sudden calamity has made the beings of the Primordial Wasteland forget that Bei Fang has always been the most chaotic, most treacherous and cruel continent.

"It serves them right; the cultivation resources they've hoarded should also be used to relieve us."

One of them chuckled.

This drew everyone's approval.

"Yeah, Bei Fang is impoverished, since the ferocious beast calamity, it's even more so; where can there be innate divinities like us, possessing only a single innate spiritual treasure, and even that is merely a low-grade one."

As soon as these words were spoken, the discussion atmosphere among everyone became much more fervent.

(End of chapter)