Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Buzz!

The two heavenly eyes in the sky disappeared.

Ba had assessed Zhu Erer’s strength and concluded that there was no need to use her heavenly eye anymore. Gu Hai did not want to use his heavenly eye again, as it consumed too much energy.

However, this was not the impression of others.

The stone slabs in Essence Genesis Hall’s plaza had shattered, and dust billowed into the air, but it could not obscure everyone’s sight.

In the eyes of the onlookers, Gu Hai remained in his original position. His outstretched right index finger seemed to hover calmly in midair, as if he had just completed a trivial task, like crushing an ant.

Zhu Liuliu, the seemingly formidable Vermilion Bird Prime, had been defeated in an instant?

Zhu Liuliu’s countless injuries and the massive gash on his fist represented a devastating defeat. After all, Gu Hai, his opponent, had not even had his hair ruffled.

It was a clear distinction in strength.

The stronger they were, the more they understood the power behind Gu Hai’s finger.

Lin Waner could not help feeling delighted.

Jingwei’s eyes bulged with surprise. When did Gu Hai become this formidable? He didn’t seem this powerful the last time we encountered each other. Zhu Liuliu is at the consummation of the spiritual souls, yet Zhu Liuliu was defeated by a single finger?

Ba’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Gu Hai.

However, Zhu Liuliu and Zhu Erer were in shock.

Is this really our enemy?

If not for the protection of Master’s energy a moment ago, Zhu Erer would have been even more badly injured.

No wonder Master forbade us from seeking revenge.

On the other hand, Jiangchen knitted his brows and muttered to himself, “The Heaven Splitting Ax? That can’t be. The Heaven Splitting Ax was destroyed long ago.”

Ming glanced at Gu Hai with a hint of confusion.

Ming could tell that Gu Hai was only at the eighth layer of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm. There was no mistaking that.

However, Gu Hai could defeat Zhu Liuliu in an instant with that level of strength?

“We have no desire for bloodshed in Essence Genesis Hall. If you seek revenge, come to Borderless Heavenly Capital, and we will entertain you at any time,” Gu Hai declared solemnly.

“Humph!” Zhu Liuliu wore a sullen expression, apparently unwilling.

“Sixth Younger Brother, stand down!” Zhu Erer suddenly said.

“Second Elder Brother, I can’t just let this go. He killed Qiqi, yet I can’t seek vengeance? I was too eager earlier, and I’m sure he used some kind of sneak attack. I don’t believe I would lose so miserably. He hasn’t even reached the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm yet. I’m confident I can kill him!” Zhu Liuliu protested.

“Have you forgotten Eldest Brother’s words?” Zhu Erer admonished sternly.

Zhu Liuliu, consumed by anger, had lost his rationality. However, Zhu Erer could still see things clearly and realized Gu Hai was not as weak as he appeared. Continuing the fight might not yield good results.

“Eldest Brother? Eldest Brother does not know the situation!” Zhu Liuliu objected, still unreconciled.

“What about our master’s words? Aren’t you going to listen to him?” Zhu Erer admonished once more.

Zhu Liuliu’s face stiffened abruptly. Clearly, Sa was the one to be feared the most.

“Humph! You’re getting off easy!” Zhu Liuliu glared at Gu Hai with lingering resentment.

“Hah!” Gu Hai chuckled coldly but paid no further attention to Zhu Liuliu.

With a sweep of his imperial robes, Gu Hai calmly resumed his seat.

Gu Hai’s single finger had secured his position sitting there. With this display of strength, no one dared to object.

Zhu Erer was also angry, but he had to suppress his anger. There were more important matters to attend to today, like assessing the current situation of the world.

Zhu Erer gave Ba a cold glance, harboring some resentment, but his hatred for Ba was not as great as his hatred for Gu Hai. Ba’s previous display of her heavenly eye had already proven her strength, so Zhu Erer did not want to provoke her.

There was one seat left. Zhu Erer sat in the last seat on the left column, albeit somewhat uncomfortably.

All six seats had now been taken. At this moment, the leaders of the various factions refrained from vying for seats.

They had assumed that the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm was the pinnacle of strength in the world. However, this group of cultivators at the consummation of the spiritual souls had taught them otherwise. In the eyes of these individuals seated, their once-considered-mighty strength was nothing but a joke.

In the left column: Jiangchen, Ba, and Zhu Erer.

In the right column: Ming, Gu Hai, and Bai Zizai.

All six seats were occupied, but Zhu Liuliu had yet to take a seat.

He touched his wounds; the Vermilion Bird clan possessed a talent beyond ordinary people for self-healing.

In an instant, his wounds disappeared. His tattered clothes were replaced by a new red robe, but there was no seat left.

Do I have to stand behind Second Elder Brother, like the other people?

Although the seven Vermilion Bird Primes respected their seniority, they were all proud individuals.

Stand like the imperial emperors and sect masters? What a joke! Those people are simply trash. How can I be compared to them?

Zhu Liuliu naturally refused.

There were six seats in total, and Zhu Liuliu would not ask the Myriad Age Daoist Sect to add another seat for him, nor would he take out a seat for himself. That left only one option: to compete.

Jiangchen? His master had forbidden him from challenging Jiangchen.

Ba and Gu Hai? Clearly, he could not compete with them.

Bai Zizai? They were quite familiar with each other, and there was no need to confront him over a seat.

That left only the first seat on the left column.

Zhu Liuliu’s gaze shifted to Ming.

“Kid, what’s your name?” Zhu Liuliu suddenly asked in a haughty tone.

The people around them were a bit stunned. Was Zhu Liuliu looking for trouble again—moreover, with Ming?

They had already witnessed Ming’s abilities earlier. They knew that Ming was not easy to mess with. After all, he could sit on equal footing with Jiangchen. Could he really be weaker?

“I’m the Nine Yin Sect’s sect master from the nether realm’s south. My name is Ming,” Ming replied with a faint smile.

Ming’s attitude was similar to Jiangchen’s—very friendly and without much pretense. Perhaps, at their level, they no longer cared about appearances. Sometimes, their friendliness stemmed from a need to alleviate their inner loneliness, as having people around made them feel more alive.

“Ming?” Zhu Liuliu’s eyebrows knitted slightly.

Not far away, Zhu Erer cudgeled his brain for this name. Although he had only been resurrected for five days, these five days had involved some information gathering. The Nether Fire Divine Commanders’ reports were one aspect, and there were also inquiries made with experts across the land. However, the information he had gathered did not include this person named Ming.

Originally, Zhu Erer had wanted to stop Zhu Liuliu from causing trouble but eventually did not after some thought.

“Ming? Alright, get out of your seat, and I’ll spare your life!” Zhu Liuliu said coldly.

Zhu Liuliu was still in a rage, and he was still immersed in the achievements of ancient times. In the ancient era, he was one of the Vermilion Bird Primes, among the strongest in the world. Besides their master, who could make him bow his head? So, even though he did not know Ming’s background, he still had the confidence to order him to leave.

However, Ming put down his wineglass and smiled.

“Hah! Spare my life? I’m curious. How do you plan to kill me, with your Vermilion Bird Divine Flame?” Ming said, smiling as he sized up Zhu Liuliu.

“You actually know about the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame?” Zhu Liuliu’s expression darkened.

Most people only knew that the vermilion birds could use the Southern Bright Li Flame; very few knew about the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame.

“Is this a well-kept secret? The Vermilion Bird Divine Flame is just an improved version of the sun’s core flames drawn from the center of the sun, right? Wherever there’s a sun, you can use the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame!” Ming said with a faint smile.

Zhu Liuliu’s expression changed. This was a secret of the vermilion bird race.

“Brat, how do you know this? You’d better speak up, or I’ll make sure you live a life worse than death!” Zhu Liuliu said coldly.

“You have just arrived from the nether realm and haven’t started extracting the sun’s core flames in the land of the living, have you? In other words, you can’t use the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame at all. It seems I was overly cautious!” Ming shook his head.

“Humph! You know quite a bit, but what difference does it make? With the sun in the sky, I can have as much of the sun’s core flames as I want. Get off your seat now, or I’ll show you the might of the sun’s core flames!” Zhu Liuliu said, his tone icy.

Ming smiled faintly, raising his wineglass. “Well, then, give it a try. My wine has cooled down a bit!”

“Hah! Hahahaha! Some people are simply reckless. They know how powerful my Vermilion Bird Divine Flame is, yet they still boast. Well, I’ll show you the might of the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame. And, Gu Hai, you succeeded in your sneak attack earlier because I didn’t use my Vermilion Bird Divine Flame. This time, you both will get to experience it!” Zhu Liuliu shouted coldly.

Screech!

As a vermilion bird’s cry rang out, the image of a Great Dao appeared behind him, soaring towards the sun.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a rolling sea of golden flames rushed down from the sun above towards the ground.

Even while high in the sky, the terrifying heat of these golden flames was palpable to everyone in Essence Genesis Hall’s plaza.

Ba’s eyes narrowed since the flames she had recently undergone a baptism with were indeed the sun’s core flames. She was well aware of the immense might these flames held, as they represented the very essence of the sun’s fire—something she could withstand only because she was the fire-attributed zombie ancestor.

She had always believed that, apart from herself, no one else in the world could harness their might. Yet, to her astonishment, the vermilion bird was evidently capable of doing so.

“Could the legend be true? Was the vermilion bird truly born from the center of the sun?” Ba’s expression darkened with uncertainty.

The sun’s core flames cascaded from the sun, and the entire plaza of Essence Genesis Hall below seemed like it would soon melt under the scorching intensity.

However, at that very moment, Ming raised his wineglass high towards the sky.

Whoosh!

The vast sun’s core flames surged into Ming’s wineglass, transforming into a radiant golden light that blazed within the vessel.

The ambient temperature plummeted dramatically.

“What? This can’t be! Besides my vermilion bird race, who else could possibly wield the sun’s core flames?” Zhu Liuliu’s face contorted in sheer disbelief.

On the other hand, Ming raised his wineglass to take a sip, and a faint smile graced his lips. “Indeed, the taste has improved.”

This tranquil scene left Zhu Liuliu seething with frustration.

“Heating your wine?! Heating your wine?! The sun’s core flames, heed my will! I desire over three kilometers of core flames to incinerate him!” Zhu Liuliu roared with determination.

However, Ming furrowed his brow and cautioned, “Creating the sun’s core flames in the heart of the sun is no simple feat. It takes a year to create a wisp, a decade to form a handful, a century to accumulate a three-meter clump. A three-kilometer clump? That’s the culmination of ten millennia. Since you fail to cherish them, you are unworthy of wielding such power.”

“What did you just say? Hahaha! Are you afraid now? Since the ancient battle against the shamans, only my vermilion bird race has faced the sun’s core flames without fear. I bet you weren’t aware of that!” Zhu Liuliu sneered haughtily.

“I’ve never harbored fear,” calmly remarked Jiangchen from a short distance away.

Zhu Liuliu grew increasingly frustrated. Damn it! Why are you interjecting? I just made a bold declaration, and you respond with a slap to my face?

“Jiangchen doesn’t count; he’s an anomaly. Besides my vermilion bird race and Jiangchen, there isn’t another soul brave enough to confront the sun’s core flames. Reduce him to ashes!” Zhu Liuliu roared.

Boom!

Once again, the roaring sun’s core flames poured down from the sky, rushing towards Ming and Gu Hai.

However, Ming raised his head to gaze at the sun. “Oh, Sun, since he does not value your accumulation, do not allow him to summon your core flames any longer!”

“Hahahaha! Are you speaking to the sun? Would the sun bother with you?” Zhu Liuliu taunted.

Boom!

Suddenly, the sun itself gaped open and forcefully retracted its cascading core flames.

Zhu Liuliu: “…”

This is strange. The sun really listened to him? How can this be?

“That’s impossible. The sun’s core flames, heed my call! Emerge!” Zhu Liuliu shouted in frustration.

However, an eerie silence prevailed.

The sun was quiet, refusing to release even a single wisp of its core flames, in utter disregard of Zhu Liuliu’s demands.

Zhu Liuliu: “…”