“ROAR—!!”
The Undying Fire Phoenix let out a deafening cry and shot into the sky. With a sweep of its skeletal wings, it slashed toward Ye Wushuang.
Though the phoenix’s true power lay in flame manipulation, its current state—reduced to bones—left it no different from the Undying Specters they’d faced earlier. Fire was beyond its reach.
Yet even without magic, the sheer physical force behind its attack was terrifying.
This was one of the Ten Ancient Calamities, a being that once rivaled true dragons in might. A single strike from its bones carried enough power to obliterate mountains.
The wing descended like a guillotine, aiming to crush Ye Wushuang where he stood.
Before Ye Wushuang could react, two figures burst from the shadows—
“Your Majesty, MOVE!”
Two Immortal Emperor experts from the Divine Dragon Imperial Family, hidden until now, lunged forward.
They had felt it—the overwhelming threat radiating from the phoenix. Even they, at the Emperor Realm, stood no real chance.
But they charged anyway, unleashing their most potent techniques.
BOOM—!!
The entire Flame Prison trembled as their attacks collided with the phoenix’s strike. Flames surged like a stormy sea, the impact sending shockwaves through the molten landscape.
Miraculously, they blocked the blow.
Yet the Undying Fire Phoenix wasn’t surprised.
If anything, it seemed relieved.
“Ah, so the two little worms hiding in the dark finally show themselves!”
“Arrogant beast!” one of the Emperors shouted. “Our Divine Dragon Imperial Family has Supremes of its own! You may be powerful, but you cannot defy us!”
“Divine Dragon Family?” The phoenix’s laughter was mocking. “You’re nothing but diluted dragon-blooded mutts. I could create a hundred ‘phoenix-blooded’ clans stronger than you with a flick of my wing!”
And it was right.
As a true Divine Phoenix, its bloodline far surpassed the diluted lineage of the so-called dragon descendants. Given time, it could easily outmatch them.
The two Emperors knew this.
Which was why, even as they stood their ground, they sent a frantic mental message to Ye Wushuang:
“Your Majesty, take the treasures and RUN! We’ll hold it off!”
Ye Wushuang was stunned.
He’d had no idea the Imperial Family had secretly assigned two Emperors to guard him—let alone that they’d followed him into the Flame Prison.
Now, they were willing to die just to buy him seconds.
The realization struck him hard.
But their defiance only enraged the phoenix further.
“Just because I’m reduced to bones doesn’t mean I’m DEAD!”
“Since you’re so eager to throw away your lives…”
“Then witness TRUE Divine Phoenix Arts!”
A skeletal claw swelled into a colossal talon, blotting out the sky as it slammed down toward the two Emperors.
The sheer force of it trapped them like insects in amber.
Even as bones, those talons gleamed like divine weapons, sharp enough to split the heavens.
Yet the Emperors did not retreat.
They met the attack head-on, desperate to buy Ye Wushuang time.
CRUNCH.
The talons pierced straight through their bodies.
Blood drenched the skeletal claws.
Had the phoenix been at full strength, the two would’ve been vaporized instantly.
But even weakened, the damage was catastrophic.
Gaping holes burned through their chests, searing with residual phoenix flames that prevented healing. They were bleeding out, their life force draining fast.
Yet still, they fought.
“Your Majesty—GO!”
“Don’t worry about us! ESCAPE!”
Their voices were raw with urgency.
The Undying Fire Phoenix only laughed harder.
“You think two puny Emperors can stop ME?”
“You want him to flee? Fine.”
“I’ll let you LIVE just long enough to watch—”
“As I take his body… and END HIM!”
With a casual flap, it hurled the two Emperors aside like ragdolls.
Then, grinning, it turned toward Ye Wushuang.
To it, he was nothing—an insect to be crushed at leisure.
But what it didn’t see…
Was the Sky-Overturning Seal already glowing in Ye Wushuang’s grip.
