Legend says that the Vermilion Bird drives the sun chariot to banish the night, patrolling the East Pole Province to bring light to the world.
Only during the Shengyu Festival does the Red Crow descend upon the Court of Ancient Kings to rest for a brief moment.
That is also when it is closest to the mortal realm.
A crimson sun broke the sea level, appearing as if it had risen from the depths of the Boundless Sea, heading straight for Yudu.
The subjects within the Royal Capital all shared the same illusion.
The sun in their vision grew increasingly massive, appearing as if it were within reach, something they could touch just by stretching out a hand.
“So the legend is true.”
Qin Xing bowed her head in respect, but the Star Maiden from the high heavens was seeing such a sight for the first time.
Her mouth hung open in shock, her eyes filled with awe.
One could not look directly at the light of the Golden Crow.
It was piercingly bright but did not burn with a scorching pain.
Ji Shiyu squinted and spread her five fingers, feeling only a gentle warmth that swept away the chill of the winter night.
At this very moment, two suns appeared in the sky simultaneously.
One hung high overhead, while the other descended into the mortal world.
The cold Demonic Energy permeating every corner of the Royal Capital had nowhere to hide.
All evil things retreated as the Spirit Seizing Grand Formation was broken, and the last wisps of lingering black mist vanished.
As the Golden Crow descended and the sun orb bloomed, countless golden paths of light shot toward the sky from all directions of the Wang Palace.
The Dianli flowed in reverse, pouring upward.
Then, everyone witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
One by one, the golden lines quietly turned red.
A dull, crimson light, appearing as if it had been stained with blood, polluted the fierce sun with an unholy gore.
In the next second, the sunlight began to tremble violently.
The Vermilion Bird let out a frenzied screech, seemingly trying to sever the red lines, only to be bound and entangled by even more threads of blood.
The warm light was replaced by a bloody glow that radiated an ominous aura.
Everyone was shaken.
They did not know what strange mutation was occurring deep within the Wang Palace that could cause the Holy Bird such agony.
In an instant, the descending sun was stripped of all its warmth, its light flickering out.
As the radiance receded and the blazing fireball lost its luster, the Vermilion Bird revealed its curled-up form.
It was a giant, dark-gold bird covered in pitch-black feathers, not nearly as beautiful as the world praised it to be.
The red lines were like poison-tipped arrows, piercing through the giant bird’s body and dragging it toward the earth.
The Vermilion Bird let out a sorrowful cry.
It struggled with all its might but was powerless, unable to maintain its resistance against the blood-light’s erosion.
It plummeted toward the northeast.
The sky suddenly darkened, a portion of its light stolen in an instant.
“The sun… has fallen?”
The citizens in the City Center who witnessed this were dumbfounded.
The faces of the Royal Court Retainers looked even worse.
They understood clearly what this signified—the Royal Court had fallen, and the Nation Master must have been killed.
Ji Shiyu covered her mouth, saying in shock, “How could… this happen?”
“This is likely their true goal.”
Qin Xing was deeply worried.
She had never expected the Demon Sect to take this opportunity to strike at the protector of the East Pole Province.
She was very concerned for Jing Tan’er.
Yun Liu withdrew his gaze and muttered to himself.
In that case, the final act should be coming to a close.
‘Thank you for teaching me a lesson, Miss Ling Tong. Unfortunately, the entertainment ends here.’
Even with Ao Tian, Yun Liu had not revealed the full picture of the Black Crow Night of the Stolen Kingdom.
Such a precise “prophecy” would only push him into an abyss.
Therefore, he had torn his modified script into fragments and given them to different people for safekeeping, allowing them to discover and explore on their own while playing their roles.
Canghai, Ao Tian, Jing Tan’er, and even the Soul Capturing Banner Master…
Deep within the Wang Palace, the Fake Princess stepped out of the great hall and stretched.
The King’s Seal was no longer of any use, so she tossed it aside casually.
“Oh? Was the Spirit Seizing Grand Formation broken that quickly? What a bunch of useless trash.”
The Skin Painting Demonic Woman, who was neither Jing Tan’er nor Ling Tong, gave a slight smile and licked the blood from her fingertips.
She felt a bit reluctant at the thought of parting with Yun Liu so soon.
‘I really want to play with him for a while longer, but I’m getting bored of this Princess identity.’
Outside the hall, two factions stained the Royal Court with blood, locked in an endless struggle.
The incident incited by the Holy Son had yet to subside.
The young girl’s expression was mocking.
She was indifferent to who owned the throne as she quietly vanished, leaving the Wang Palace to collect her spoils of war.
***
On the Golden Coast, at the spot where the sun had fallen, the beach was covered in scorch marks.
A large, pitch-black bird lay in a sandy pit by the shore, listless.
Dense threads of blood were wrapped around its massive body like thorns.
It had struggled several times but could not break free.
“How hideous. Once the mythological halo is stripped away, the so-called Dongji Immortal Spirit is nothing more than a three-legged crow.”
A barefoot young girl crouched on a reef.
She had found the fleeing sun without much effort.
She mocked the former sun-guarding Holy Bird while observing it with curiosity.
This was also her first time seeing the Vermilion Bird’s true form.
The Red Crow had three claws and a pitch-black body, with golden light seeping from the edges of its feathers.
Its pair of golden eyes stared at the mortal who dared to desecrate it, letting out an unwilling, angry cry.
“It’s useless. Do you think you can escape my grasp?”
Ling Tong flipped her hand to reveal an exquisite bell.
Just as she was about to subdue the Dongji Immortal Spirit, she suddenly retreated warily.
A person had appeared out of thin air where she had been standing.
Not just a person, but also a fat chicken.
Golden hair and exquisite features—it was the future cauldron personally designated by the Holy Son… and her little talking pet?
“It’s you, my dear friend. Weren’t you supposed to be… wait, when did you get so big? How did you do it? Teach me!”
Ling Tong’s heart skipped a beat as she gave a wicked grin, gesturing toward “Ji Shiyu’s” curvaceous figure.
Even if the information read from Jing Tan’er’s essence blood had known nothing of the little yellow-haired girl’s background, she could clearly feel the proportions were wrong after spending some time together.
‘Why is she here…’
That being said, regardless of whether it was Ji Shiyu or not, anyone appearing here had to die.
A cold light flashed in Ling Tong’s eyes.
The Red Crow stared blankly at the little chicken with three-colored fiery feathers on the girl’s shoulder.
It actually let out a cheerful cry.
Its physical vessel slowly shrank, transforming into a naked, black-haired woman.
Ji Xingshu’s expression was calm.
Before she could speak, the Yellow Chicken on her shoulder was already cursing loudly.
“Still pretending? Stop wasting words on her. She dared to bully my subordinate and played us for monkeys. Get her!”
Ji Xingshu’s gaze turned cold.
Although the Palace of the Heavenly Pivot Star had no grievances with the Demon Sect, she was in a hurry to get back and manipulate her child’s father.
Even if it was just an Avatar, every gesture of the Celestial Pivot Palace Master could destroy a dynasty.
If she hadn’t been afraid of hurting the innocent, she wouldn’t have waited until now to strike.
“This place… should be far enough from Yudu, shouldn’t it?”
Ji Xingshu’s hands shone brilliantly.
Her voice was cold as she formed the seals for the Great Star Derivation Art, preparing for a quick resolution.
This intriguing sentence made the hair on Ling Tong’s neck stand up.
‘Wait, what is with this Spirit Breath?’
It wasn’t just “Ji Shiyu’s” chest and hips that had grown larger.
When did a yellow-haired girl in the Stage of Refining Void pop up in the East Pole Province!?
***
Meanwhile, Yun Liu’s group had just carried Xiao Xinran back to the Sundial Immortal Mansion.
He and Qin Cha were immediately pulled inside to help by the people of the Radiant Light Sect before they even had time to catch their breath.
In times like this, every Alchemist was precious.
Shanhai Pavilion simply could not accommodate that many refugees from the capital.
Mister Canghai could only set up a temporary medical clinic in the City Center, working with Li Su to treat the wounded.
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