Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 682 Fire River Island, Burning Sea Fire Phoenix
In the depths of the East China Sea, the scenery suddenly changes.

The vast, boundless blue was replaced by a deathly dark red and billowing black smoke.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, and the intense heat distorted the view.

Even from miles away, the scorching heat still burned the skin of the soldiers on the fleet.

This is a boiling, deadly sea—

Fire Island.

This island is not a tranquil island, but a majestic, active volcano rising from the ocean like the skeleton of a giant beast.

The magma flowed like blood vessels along the rugged black rock walls, converging into the sea, rising up thick smoke and water vapor that blotted out the sky, and emitting an endless roar.

"Woo——"

The massive bow of the Zhenhai Ship cleaved through the scorching waves, hovering to the side and front of the lava volcano.

Zhang Yuan stepped forward and stood on the ship's top deck, as steady as a reef, his dark robe sleeves fluttering in the sea breeze and heat waves.

Beside him, the figure of Yin Jiuyou, the head of the Netherworld Bureau, appeared silently, like a shadowy figure.

“My lord,” Yin Jiuyou’s voice was hoarse with excitement as he pointed to the dazzling orange-red halo at the deepest part of the crater, “this is the ‘firewood in the furnace’ you’ve been looking for, the perfect flame to hone the alchemy skills of the Secret Medicine Department and the weapon-forging techniques of the Ministry of Works—the Burning Sea Fire Phoenix!”

Zhang Yuan nodded.

By using the method of divine soul to view the memories of the monsters in the East Sea, and with the records in the ancient books of the Heavenly Suppression Bureau, the East Sea no longer held any secrets from him.

The Burning Sea Fire Phoenix that Yin Jiuyou was tasked with finding this time is said to be a descendant of a mutated phoenix bloodline. It is inherently violent, feeds on the poisonous fire of the earth's core, and dwells year-round in this heaven-defying fire vein.

It possesses an innate and exquisite control over the power of fire. Its Phoenix Fire is domineering and unparalleled. It is neither metal nor wood, yet it can melt metal and sever jade, burn souls and forge spirits. Furthermore, it contains a trace of the true meaning of Nirvana, making it the supreme ignition source for alchemy and weapon crafting.

"I went to great lengths to locate its lair. If this operation succeeds, we will be able to obtain the Secret Medicine Division's 'Burning Vein Body Refining' plan and the Ministry of Works' 'Nirvana Soul Forging Fire' for forging divine weapons!" A hint of excitement flashed in Yin Jiuyou's eyes.

Finding the Fire Phoenix of the Burning Sea is even more difficult than setting up a plan at Seven Star Reef.

He paused, his voice filled with awe and solemnity, "However... this phoenix is ​​a peak second-level Grandmaster, a rare beast at the Tongyou level, with unfathomable supernatural powers, and it has a unique advantage in the fire vein, making it extremely dangerous."

As if to confirm Yin Jiuyou's words, the halo in the crater suddenly expanded!

A cry that pierced through gold and split rocks, containing boundless majesty and fury, resounded across the sea and sky, and the rolling waves of sound stirred up a raging storm of flames!
Phew——!
A gigantic figure with a wingspan of over a hundred feet burst out of the volcano!

Its shape resembles the legendary phoenix, but its feathers are not colorful and auspicious; instead, they burn with eerie flames that are as deep as ink and have a bluish edge.

Each tail feather tipped with a flickering, dark golden rune-like flame.

With each flap of its wings, two inverted waterfalls of lava seemed to rise between the sea and the sky! It was none other than the Burning Sea Fire Phoenix!
Its deep, abyss-like pupils leap with a savage flame that burns everything in its path, as it looks down upon the uninvited guests who surround its lair.

"Array up!"

Yu Wanjun's roar was like thunder, breaking the suffocating feeling brought by the Fire Phoenix's oppressive aura.

"drink--!"

The 50,000 new soldiers roared simultaneously, and the Xuan Turtle Shield crashed heavily onto the ship's deck, its demonic runes flashing wildly.

Having experienced the baptism of bloody battle in the East Sea, the half-demon guards were even more ferocious. At this moment, without saying a word, they tacitly relied on the shield formation to unleash their blood and qi power!

"Buzz—!" The combined power of fifty thousand people caused the void to tremble!
The dazzling golden light projected by the Zhenhai Pillar merged with the dark bronze energy they activated, instantly condensing into a magnificent mountain and sea array phantom that covered the entire fleet!

The thick, golden barrier, layer upon layer, was like an ancient divine mountain descending, forcibly isolating the overwhelming heat wave and the invisible demonic power that swept in!

A flash of anger, as if he had been offended, crossed the Fire Phoenix's eyes!
Boo!
With a sudden flap of its wings, tens of thousands of meteorites, imbued with dark blue flames, rained down from the sky like a storm!

Their target is the fleet and the new army's main force!
Countless lava monsters and fire lizard demons roared as they crawled out of the reefs and lava.

These are monstrous creatures that live alongside volcanoes. They tread on boiling seawater and launch a suicidal charge against the fleet like a red tide!
"Shield wall, Yu!"

Yuchi Changshan roared, standing at the front of the formation with his shield in hand, his Zhanlang Spear flashing with lightning.

"Boom! Boom boom boom—!"

The dark blue fire meteor crashed into the golden mountain phantom, exploding into countless fiery ripples, causing the entire fleet to shake violently.

The shockwaves from the impact caused many new soldiers to groan and bleed from the corners of their mouths, but the great formation remained unmoved!

The massive shield of the Xuan Turtle formed an impenetrable wall, which withstood the first wave of the sea's fury!
At the same time, the crossbows on the flanks of the fleet fired simultaneously, and specially made ice arrows of the Sea-Covering Pearl and bone-corroding fishbone arrows intertwined to form a net, accurately killing the stone monsters that rushed at them and blasting them into burning rubble all over the sky.

"Suppress the fire veins!"

Zhang Yuan's calm voice resounded in the minds of everyone in the Nine Yang Sword Sect.

Pei Lie, an elder of the Nine Yang Sword Sect, bristled with anger, his eyes blazing with sword intent: "Nine Yang disciples, heed my command! Nine Heavens Sword Prison, rise!"

"Clang clang clang clang—!"

Ten thousand longswords were drawn simultaneously, their sword light converging into a torrent!
Unlike the previously scattered sharpness, the sword intent at this moment was extremely restrained and condensed.

The wills of 100,000 sword cultivators merged into one, drawing upon the sharp, murderous aura of metal from the heavens above!

"Sword Prison! Fall!"

One hundred thousand flying swords transformed into a dazzling galaxy stretching across the sky!

This river of swords was not a random slashing and hacking, but rather it circled around the core volcano of Fire River Island, intersecting and interweaving to form a huge cage-like sword prison constructed entirely of sword energy!
The chilling chains of sword intent crisscrossed and pressed down heavily!

This sword prison does not directly attack the Fire Phoenix; its purpose is more to—

It isolates the power of the earth's fire, suppressing and continuously weakening the island's raging fire vein spiritual energy!
Chi Chi Chi -!
The edge of the Sword Prison touched the rolling lava and the surging stone monster, instantly freezing, cutting, and turning them into dust!
The eruption of subterranean fire from the volcano was visibly weakened, and the dark blue flames flowing over the Fire Phoenix seemed to dim slightly!
It roared angrily under the Sword Prison, its wings bursting with flames as it violently rammed into the Sword Prison's walls, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound and sending sparks flying!

"You beast!"

A cold glint flashed in Lu Tianshu's eyes as the Demon-Suppressing Bureau Chief's eyes, and the Demon-Locking Tower on his shoulder suddenly rose into the air!
The golden rune chains transformed into countless writhing dragons, ignoring spatial distance, and instantly coiled around the Fire Phoenix's enormous body!

The demon-suppressing runes on the chains flickered wildly, attempting to lock down its immense demonic power and absolute control over the flames.

"Zheng——"

With a shout, Poison Lady Qing, the deputy head of the Secret Medicine Bureau, unleashed countless emerald green poison lines from her fingertips. These lines did not attack the Fire Phoenix itself, but rather precisely ignited the edges of the gushing fissures in the earth!
Using poison to counteract fire, the Azure Phosphorus Poisonous Smoke blended into the Fire Vein's aura, causing the raging earth fire to suddenly become somewhat sticky and weak, further slowing down the Fire Phoenix's power recovery.

Bai Zhi, the deputy head of the Demon Suppression Division, moved, and the phantom of a nine-tailed fox solidified behind her.

(End of this chapter)