Zhu Yan struggled to stand, only to find her wings could no longer move. Large clumps of feathers had fallen off her body, revealing charred skin underneath. Her aura grew fainter by the second, and the fire spirit origin in her dantian teetered on the brink of collapse.
The Demonized Roc was in no better shape. One of its wings had been seared by the Lihuo flames, half its black feathers gone, its own aura equally depleted.
Seeing Zhu Yan and the Demonized Roc both gravely wounded, the other ferocious beasts swarmed toward the Sacred Fire Altar and the Wood Armor Guards in a frenzy. By now, fewer than twenty Wood Armor Guards remained, every single one bearing fatal wounds, barely able to hold back the beastly onslaught.
The sacred fire on the altar flickered even dimmer. The faint golden shield surrounding it was crisscrossed with cracks, ready to shatter at any moment.
Muya stared at the advancing beasts, then at the dying Zhu Yan. A flicker of despair crossed his eyes. Was the Spiritual Plant Clan truly destined for annihilation? Was the sacred fire really going to be snuffed out?
At this critical juncture, a surge of dense earth-element spiritual energy rolled in from the northern horizon. Steady and mighty like towering mountains, it instantly dispelled a portion of the thick demon aura. Then, countless massive figures burst out of the rock crevices on the volcano's slopes, charging toward the battlefield with unwavering strides—like mountains bursting out of the earth.
——The Rock Bear Clan of the Northern Region had arrived!
The Rock Bear Clan was an ancient tribe of the Northern Region. Their towering bodies were forged from solid rock, granting them unparalleled defense and strength. They were favored by earth-element spiritual energy, excelling at close-quarters combat and defense.
Their stone shields and spears were crafted from the hardest black iron stone of the Northern Region, capable of withstanding powerful attacks and the erosion of feral aura.
Only a hundred-odd Rock Bear warriors had come to reinforce the line. Every one of them bore battle scars, proof they had fought their way here from the war-torn Northern Region. Their stone bodies were covered in scratches and wounds; some were even missing limbs. Yet their eyes blazed with unwavering resolve, free of any fear.
Shi Jian, the clan leader of the Rock Bear Clan, marched at the forefront. He was taller than any other warrior, standing over three zhang tall. The rock grain on his body was distinct, exuding a thick aura of earth-element spiritual energy.
His stone shield was larger and thicker than those of his clansmen, etched with intricate earth-element runes that amplified its defensive power. His voice boomed like two boulders colliding—deep, powerful, and echoing across the entire battlefield: "Lady Vermilion Bird! Clan Leader Muya! The Rock Bear Clan of the Northern Region is here to aid you!"
"Though only a hundred of us remain, we are willing to fight the beasts to the death! Our stone shields can block demon flames—we shall build a wall for the sacred fire! Our stone spears can pierce beastly armor—we shall rid the Primordial World of this scourge!"
Shi Jian's words, filled with the resolve to fight to the death, invigorated the remaining warriors on the battlefield.
Zhu Yan looked at the approaching Rock Bear warriors, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes. She struggled to gather the last wisp of power in her body, shouting toward them: "Thank you, Clan Leader Shi Jian! Thank you, fellow warriors of the Rock Bear Clan! The sacred fire must not be extinguished! The Volcano of Immortality must not be lost!"
"The sacred fire shall never die! The volcano shall never fall!" The Rock Bear warriors roared in unison, their voices shaking the valleys. They charged onto the battlefield in an instant, shielding the Wood Armor Guards and the Sacred Fire Altar behind them.
Raising their stone shields, they formed a solid wall of stone, blocking the beasts' charge.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The ferocious beasts slammed into the stone wall, the sound echoing densely across the field. Though the Rock Bear shields were tough, they could barely withstand the beasts' powerful impacts and the erosion of feral aura.
The earth-element runes on the shields dimmed gradually, soon riddled with holes corroded by the feral aura.
A young Rock Bear warrior had his shield pierced by the fangs of a Demonized Boar. The fangs sank deep into his stone body, sending stone chips flying in all directions. He let out a pained roar, yet did not retreat an inch. Instead, he raised his stone spear with his other hand, stabbing fiercely at the boar's eye.
The moment the spear pierced the eye, the Demonized Boar let out a shrill scream, shaking its head violently and smashing the young warrior's stone body to smithereens.
Shi Jian watched his clansman fall, grief and anger burning in his eyes. He lifted his stone shield abruptly, charging straight at the Demonized Roc—who had regained some strength and was preparing to pounce on the Sacred Fire Altar once more.
"Monster! Daring to harm the sacred fire!" Shi Jian roared, holding his shield high and planting himself firmly in front of the Demonized Roc. The roc's claws, wreathed in blazing demon flames, slammed heavily onto the shield.
With a crisp crack, the shield under Shi Jian's hands caved inward instantly. The earth-element runes on its surface shattered completely, and the shield was covered with cracks.
Shi Jian's body was sent reeling backward by the immense force, cracks spreading across his stone form. Red stone blood seeped out from the fissures. Yet he did not retreat an inch, clinging tightly to his shield and using his own body to block the Demonized Roc's attack.
"Die!" Shi Jian roared, releasing one hand to seize the roc's beak, pressing its head down firmly to pin it in place. The Demonized Roc let out an enraged shriek, shaking its head wildly in a futile attempt to break free. Its claws raked across Shi Jian's stone body, leaving deep gashes and sending stone chips flying.
"Clan Leader!" Seeing this, the Rock Bear warriors behind him charged toward the Demonized Roc in unison. They raised their stone spears, stabbing fiercely at its eyes, wings, and other vulnerable spots. The spears sank into the roc's body, and black blood gushed out, splattering onto Shi Jian's stone form with a sizzling sound, corroding his body.
Wracked with agony, the Demonized Roc grew even more feral. It shook its head violently, slamming Shi Jian's body against the nearby volcanic rock. With a deafening bang, Shi Jian's stone body shattered instantly, stone chips scattering everywhere. Red stone blood dyed the volcanic rock crimson.
Yet his hand remained clamped tightly around the roc's beak, refusing to let go.
"Kill it... defend the sacred fire..." Shi Jian forced out his last words, addressing the Rock Bear warriors beside him. Then his body crumbled completely into a pile of stone dust, scattering across the volcanic rock—leaving only a wisp of faint earth-element spiritual light to fade into the air.
"Clan Leader!" The Rock Bear warriors let out grief-stricken roars, tears and anger filling their eyes. They channeled their sorrow into strength, attacking the Demonized Roc with even greater ferocity. Stone spears pierced its body repeatedly, black blood flowing endlessly. The roc's aura grew fainter with each passing moment.
Muya watched Shi Jian's shattered remains, then glanced at the fallen Wood Armor Guards and Rock Bear warriors around him. Grief and resolve intertwined in his heart. He knew the Rock Bear Clan's reinforcement had temporarily eased the crisis, but the beasts still outnumbered them by far, their power still formidable.
With only the remaining warriors, they could not hold the line for long.
He looked at the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire on the altar, then at the dying Zhu Yan. A resolute decision took shape in his mind. He lifted his Spirit-Burning Staff abruptly, a look of relief and determination flashing in his eyes.
"Lady Vermilion Bird! The sacred fire must not be extinguished! The Spiritual Plant Clan must not perish! I am willing to use my wooden body as kindling, burning every last part of myself to protect the sacred fire!"
Zhu Yan's eyes widened in shock and grief when she saw this: "Muya! No! You are the hope of the Spiritual Plant Clan!"
"Lady Vermilion Bird, the hope of the Spiritual Plant Clan is the sacred fire—not me!" Muya's voice was firm and resolute. He channeled his spiritual plant origin abruptly, drawing the Lihuo flames of the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire onto his own body. In an instant, his body was engulfed by blazing Lihuo.
His cyan-green wooden form sizzled under the flames, fire bursting forth from every inch of his body.
There was no pain on Muya's face—only resolve and relief. He knew his sacrifice would amplify the sacred fire's power, buying Zhu Yan and the remaining warriors more time. He took step after step toward the Demonized Roc, the flames trailing behind him like a burning chain, radiating scorching light.
"Monster! Meet your end!" Muya roared, charging at the Demonized Roc like a burning fire dragon. The roc stared at the approaching Muya, fear flickering in its eyes. It tried to retreat, but the Rock Bear warriors had it completely surrounded, leaving it no room to escape.
Muya's body slammed into the Demonized Roc's wing, and the blazing Lihuo spread across the roc's body instantly. Lihuo was the nemesis of demon flames—the roc's wing charred black in the blink of an eye, black blood flowing endlessly. It let out a shrill scream of agony.
Muya's body burned to ash bit by bit, yet he clung tightly to the roc's wing, letting the Lihuo flames consume everything without restraint.
"Burn my wooden body to protect the sacred fire! Burn my origin to defend the Primordial World!" Muya's voice, filled with solemnity and resolve, echoed across the sea of fire. At last, his body was reduced to ashes completely. Only a wisp of pure spiritual plant origin broke free from the Lihuo flames, merging into the Spiritual Plant Sacred Fire on the altar.
As the wisp of spiritual plant origin fused with the fire, the Sacred Fire on the altar blazed with sudden intensity. The pale golden flames erupted into brilliant gold. A towering golden pillar of fire shot up from the altar, dispelling the surrounding demon flames and feral aura in an instant.
The golden flames spread like a massive net, enshrouding the entire Volcano of Immortality. Countless weak ferocious beasts were incinerated to ashes by the golden fire in the blink of an eye.
Tears streamed down Zhu Yan's face as she watched Muya turn to ash. Grief and anger surged to the peak of her heart. She knew Muya had sacrificed his life to give her one final chance. She stared at the Demonized Roc, engulfed in Lihuo flames, then at the surrounding beasts—her eyes blazing with unwavering resolve.
"Muya, rest assured. I will not let your sacrifice be in vain!" Zhu Yan murmured, her voice filled with boundless grief and determination. She flapped her wings suddenly, soaring into the sky. Looking down at the beasts below, then at the Sacred Fire Altar, protected by the golden flames, she made her final decision.
Her body was still gripped by the Demonized Roc's claws, large clumps of feathers falling off her wings, stone blood dripping continuously. Yet there was no fear in her eyes—only fearlessness and resolve.
"I am Zhu Yan, the Innate Vermilion Bird! I wield the Nanming Lihuo and guard the vitality of the Primordial World! How dare you monsters run amok here!"
Zhu Yan's voice shook the entire Volcano of Immortality, carrying the divine majesty and wrath of an innate sacred being. She detonated the last wisp of her fire spirit origin abruptly. The Nanming Lihuo within her body surged to its absolute limit. Her figure transformed into a colossal red fire lotus—every petal radiating Nanming Lihuo, a force capable of destroying all things.
"Nanming Lihuo—incinerate all evil! With my origin, purify the Primordial World!"
The red fire lotus, carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth, swept toward the Demonized Roc and the surrounding beasts, devouring them all in an instant.
The moment the fire lotus bloomed, endless Nanming Lihuo engulfed the entire Volcano of Immortality. The black demon flames and feral aura vanished without a trace, burned away by the sacred fire.
The Demonized Roc let out a final shrill scream, its body completely consumed by the Lihuo flames, turning to ash.