Yaohua didn't dare to move a muscle. She had transformed into a feather and was nestled in Xuanshang's bosom. Normally, she wouldn't have shown the slightest trace of her presence, but the old caged-bird's look just now seemed to have pierced through Xuanshang and seen right through her!
She couldn't fathom the cultivation levels of these old caged-birds. Moreover, there were tens of thousands of caged-birds here. If it wasn't absolutely necessary, she really didn't want to engage in a head - on confrontation.
The old caged-bird sized Xuanshang up for a while, then suddenly tossed him into the Heavenly Demon Pond.
"Ah!" Xuanshang let out a shrill scream. Before he had even merged with the demonic qi, falling into the pond at this moment was like having his bones and blood scraped by several steel knives. He would surely perish in an instant.
Seeing that Xuanshang didn't betray her even in such a dire situation, Yaohua couldn't help but be touched. It seemed that all the caged-birds who could cultivate with the Heavenly Demon qi were heartless and unrighteous. Xuanshang still retained some sense of honor and righteousness, which was why he couldn't merge with the demonic qi.
If he died, her feather would lose its host and would have to sink into the pond, where it would be eroded by the demonic qi. Her strength would decline significantly, and sooner or later, she would be discovered by these old caged-birds. Instead of waiting for that, she might as well take a risk.
Hearing the scream, the other caged-birds showed envy and jealousy instead: "Humph, this Xuanshang is really lucky. He can get so close to the Heavenly Demon qi."
"Hehe, not everyone can advance in the Heavenly Demon qi. Maybe he'll just die there."
The demonic qi magnified the negative emotions of the caged-birds. They watched Xuanshang struggle in the pond with malicious glee, as if enjoying a show.
At this moment, a soft white light appeared and enveloped Xuanshang.
This time, all the caged-birds opened their eyes wide: "How could there be the aura of a phoenix here?"
The old caged-bird sneered: "Xuanshang, you've colluded with the phoenix clan!"
He slapped at the white light. At the same time, Yaohua transformed back into her human form, her red clothes fluttering in the wild wind.
As soon as she made her move, she went all out.
The clear cry of a phoenix rang out, and a fiery phoenix charged towards the old caged-birds.
All the caged-birds were shocked: "What kind of divine ability is this!"
The fiery phoenix suddenly swelled in size and flapped its wings. Wherever the flames reached, the caged-birds retreated, and the demonic qi made a hissing sound. In the blink of an eye, most of it disappeared.
The clan leader cried out in pain: "My demonic qi... Bitch, die!"
Before his voice faded, Yaohua had already drawn her sword.
The dazzling sword light and the flames illuminated the dark underground palace filled with demonic qi.
Boom!
The fiery phoenix charged towards the old caged-birds, while she slashed the Heavenly Demon Pond with one strike.
The oldest caged-bird scoffed: "Just a petty trick."
Then, he transformed into a human form, and a bell appeared in his hand. He gently shook it.
Dingling~
This soft tinkling sound actually drowned out all the noise. Yaohua, the fiery phoenix, and the sword light were all sucked into it!
"Fortunately, Elder Hanyu has the Sumeru Bell." The clan leader said with a lingering fear.
Elder Hanyu said gravely: "The phoenix clan is naturally immune to demonic qi. It seems that if we want to succeed, we must exterminate this clan first."
The other caged-birds all laughed excitedly: "Exterminate the phoenix clan, eat the phoenixes! Long live the elder!"
But at this moment, the Sumeru Bell suddenly trembled violently.
Elder Hanyu was shocked: "The blood contract between this bell and me has been broken!"
At the same time, the space outside the Sumeru Bell twisted, and the fiery phoenix broke through the confinement.
The elders knew something was wrong and each used their divine abilities to attack the fiery phoenix.
Yaohua's figure with the sword in hand slowly appeared.
At this time, someone shouted: "The phoenix clan is restrained by our clan. Why don't we use our innate divine abilities?"
A strong sense of crisis welled up in Yaohua's heart. She instinctively strengthened the defense around her, but it was already too late. All the caged-birds in the cave opened their mouths and spat out black light.
That was their power of destruction, specifically designed to restrain phoenixes.
Wherever the light reached, the phoenix true fire disappeared without a trace, and the demonic qi returned.
The fiery phoenix held the sword in its beak and collided with the power of destruction.
Yaohua fought against the caged-birds alone. The body of the fiery phoenix gradually became transparent, and the defense around her was also weakened. Gusts of gale wind scratched bloodstains on her body.
Qingcang's warning was reasonable. The caged-bird clan was very powerful. It was too arrogant of her to come here alone.
Was she really going to die here today?
At this moment, the abandoned Sumeru Bell suddenly trembled slightly.
Dingling~
All the caged-birds were sucked into the bell.
The huge underground palace fell into complete silence.
Yaohua couldn't stop her attack in time, and the fiery phoenix rushed violently towards the wall of the underground palace, crashing through a big hole.
Cries of pain and curses came from outside the hole. Several caged-birds looked over suspiciously: "There was such a commotion inside just now. What's going on? Could it be that someone has broken through again?"
Looking at the empty underground palace, they fell silent.
Yaohua picked up the Sumeru Bell and tentatively asked: "Big Brother Spirit of the Artifact, can you also suck in the other caged-birds?"
The Sumeru Bell just stayed there quietly, looking like an ordinary bell.
She scratched her head, feeling a bit confused.
This bell had just defied its master's order and released her, and then suddenly sucked in all the caged-birds. Didn't it develop self - awareness?
She didn't know where this thing came from. The spirit of the artifact was so haughty that it even bothered to ignore her.
However, the battle just now gave her some inspiration.
She pursed her lips and flipped her palm, taking out many magic treasures.
Two hours later, outside the Divine Lord's Hall, Envoy Tuyang looked at her, and her usually calm and composed expression froze a bit: "Say that again?"
Yaohua handed the bell and other storage magic treasures to her and said a bit sheepishly: "Envoy, it was really this bell that swallowed the elders of the caged-bird clan by itself. I originally wanted to capture the main culprits and hand them over to the Heavenly Court, but this bell just wouldn't listen to me!"
Tuyang frowned slightly: "This bell... looks so ordinary. How could it swallow so many powerful caged-birds?"
She raised her hand and conjured a water mirror. In the mirror appeared the current situation of the caged-bird clan - empty.
All the caged-birds had been captured by Yaohua and brought to the Divine Lord's Hall.
Tuyang nodded and said: "You can go back first. I'll hand over the bell to the Divine Lord later. Let the Divine Lord decide."
Yaohua smiled and said: "I have a caged-bird under my command that hasn't been infected by the demonic qi. I've branded it with my soul. It worked with me from the inside this time and made great contributions. I wonder if its life can be spared?"
As she spoke, she released Xuanshang.
Tuyang thought for a moment and said: "There's really no demonic qi... Since it's your pet, you can take it away."
After leaving the Immortal Realm, Yaohua happily rode on the caged-bird, in a great mood.
Xuanshang was full of grief and indignation: "Let go of me - My caged-bird clan and the phoenixes are sworn enemies!"
"Tsk tsk, you've captured the whole clan and still want to enslave them. You're really heartless." The system's voice suddenly rang out.
Yaohua remained unmoved: "You've known me for a long time. I've wanted it as my mount for ages. By the way, how are you doing now?"
"After leaving the ice field, my energy has been slowly recovering." The system said, "Thanks to the Heavenly Demon Pond just now, otherwise I wouldn't have awakened so soon."
Yaohua felt a bit complicated.