Chapter 143: Flamingo Fiercely Confronts Crimson Flame

Seeing Bai Mu approach with tremendous momentum, Nalan had no choice but to forcefully channel the demonic spirit within his body to offer resistance.

The two forces collided mid-air, producing a continuous, sharp, sizzling sound that filled the ears instantly.

The Azure Dragon Sword Qi was inherently a supreme, pure, and righteous energy. Once infused with the Qi of Karmic Flame, it became incomparably masculine and fierce. How could mere demonic spirit energy of the demon race possibly withstand the onslaught of the Azure Dragon Sword Qi?

At the very first encounter, the Azure Dragon Sword Qi sliced through the demonic spirit energy as easily as cutting vegetables, repelling it completely. Even Nalan's physical body was forced backward by the rebound of the two colliding powers.

At this moment, Chiyan's Azure Wood Spiritual Qi had already condensed into a glowing orb and struck forward, while Qingluo, wielding sword techniques imbued with demonic energy, silently thrust toward Bai Mu's back.

With nowhere left to retreat, Bai Mu gritted his teeth and poured eighty percent of his cultivation into his feet. He leaped high into the air with a sudden bound, executing the Shadowless Phantom Kick precisely at the retreating Nalan, sending Nalan flying backward like a tattered leather sack.

Taking advantage of the moment when Nalan's defense crumbled on the left, Bai Mu gathered his momentum and surged forward, breaking through the encirclement of the three in a single breath. Without looking back, he ran desperately toward the foot of the mountain for his life.

Chiyan, whose previous attack had missed its mark, quickly withdrew his palm power and bolted swiftly in the direction of Bai Mu's escape.

However, no sooner had he moved his feet than he felt a surge of scorching flame qi descending from above his head, giving an ominous sensation of five thunders striking the crown.

It was already too late to dodge. He could only forcibly steady his mind and hurriedly expel a stream of raging fire from his palms, meeting the incoming flame qi head-on.

Bang! Bang...

Several loud explosions echoed within the blazing fire, causing the entire mountain peak to tremble slightly.

Chiyan himself was driven backward by the momentum generated by the two fireballs, only managing to steady his footing after stumbling back several zhang, kicking up a storm of flying sand and stones along the way.

When he finally steadied his mind and looked ahead, his path was completely blocked by a giant scarlet flame bird.

At this moment, the scarlet flame bird was engulfed in raging flames, glaring fiercely with a predatory gaze.

Sweeping his peripheral vision toward the foot of the mountain, Bai Mu's figure had already vanished deep into the misty, boundless forest.

"Damn beast!"

Chiyan cursed angrily in his heart, yet he did not make another move to attack.

With his countless combat experiences, he could roughly deduce after that hard clash just now that the strength of this scarlet flame bird was not far inferior to his own. If he pressed the attack forcefully, it might provoke the creature to unleash its innate karmic fire against him.

Although Chiyan himself originated from the world's very first fire-tree in silver bloom, possessing both Azure Wood Spiritual Qi and an innate affinity for fire—allowing him to react in time and expel a fireball to counter the surprise attack—he was well aware of the stakes.

The flame qi the scarlet flame bird had just expelled was merely ordinary fire. If pushed to the extreme, the creature would undoubtedly unleash its innate karmic fire. Having practiced in the Red Flame Ancient Cave for thousands of years, its innate karmic fire must be terrifyingly powerful. Once it touched him, even his true form as a fire-tree in silver bloom would likely be utterly destroyed beyond redemption.

Thus, he hesitated in place, not daring to rashly launch an offensive.

A moment later, Chiyan suppressed the anger in his heart and shouted sternly, "Huolie, I have no interest in entangling with you. If you know what's good for you, make way at once, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

"And what if you're impolite?"

The scarlet flame bird circled unyieldingly in the air, retorting offhandedly and disdainfully, "Do you really think I, the Scarlet Flame Bird, would fear a ten-thousand-year-old tree sprite like you?"

"Others may fear your Azure Wood Spiritual Qi and Netherworld Evil Qi, but I hold the Scarlet Flame Bird's eyes in no regard. If you provoke my anger, I will burn your tree sprite and vine monsters to ashes in a single blaze."

"Humph!"

Hearing the creature insult him as a tree sprite, Chiyan flew into a rage and roared furiously, "Huolie, you are also a sprite that has cultivated for thousands of years. Do you really intend to offend our Netherworld Evil Clan for the sake of a total stranger of the human race?"

"Offend them I will!"

The scarlet flame bird cast a condescending glance from the sky at the raging Chiyan and replied unyieldingly, "Although our Scarlet Flame Bird clan has not entered the divine registry, since ancient times we have been the protectors of the Primordial Ancestral God and the Heavenly Emperor Lingxiao. How noble is our status? We simply disdain to associate with demonic evils like you from the Southern Wilderness."

"Besides, having cultivated in the Southern Wilderness Red Flame Ancient Cave all these years, I have heard more than enough of the evil deeds committed by your Netherworld Evil Clan. Even if you didn't come to trouble me, one day I would join forces with Lichen to storm Xuandan Mountain and teach you a lesson."

"Judging by your tone, this battle today is unavoidable then?" Chiyan asked through clenched teeth, while secretly gathering all his Azure Wood Spiritual Qi into his palms, hoping to swiftly resolve the battle later.

Unexpectedly, the scarlet flame bird in the air ahead merely glanced dismissively toward the foot of the mountain, cast another disdainful look at the furious Chiyan, and then spread its wings slightly, darting swiftly back into the depths of the Red Flame Ancient Cave.

As soon as its form vanished completely into the cavern dwelling, the previously wide-open stone gates slammed shut with a rumbling sound. Aside from swirling dust, the entire cave returned to absolute silence.

Damn it!

Seeing this, Chiyan slapped his own forehead and muttered with a sudden flash of realization, "I actually fell for this feathered beast's delaying tactic."

Glancing quickly at the cave entrance, he was shocked to find that the two demon siblings had long since slipped away without a trace.

Gripped by sudden panic, Chiyan hurriedly exerted all his foot strength to pursue the direction of Bai Mu's escape.

Meanwhile, after breaking through the encirclement of Chiyan and the other three, Bai Mu immediately took Huoliuli and bolted at full speed toward the foot of the mountain, leaving his pursuers far behind in an instant.

After running for about the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea, the subtropical broad-leaved forest at the foot of the mountain came clearly into view, and the fire-glowing figure of the Bifang bird was unmistakably visible amidst the trees.

Realizing he was returning triumphant with a full harvest, a surge of quiet joy welled up in his heart.

Just as his racing figure was about to plunge into the woods, a flash of green light suddenly appeared from the flank, and a slender, sharp sword leisurely thrust out from the left side of the forest.

The sword body, wreathed in an eerie cyan glow, pierced straight toward Bai Mu's face. Behind the weapon was Princess Qingluo's delicate and lovely face, yet her eyes flashed with a ruthless and merciless light, completely disregarding the fact that Bai Mu had saved her life just days before.

Racing at top speed, Bai Mu never expected anyone to launch a surprise attack here. In his extreme haste, he could only manage to twist his waist, shifting his entire body horizontally by about two feet. He managed to narrowly and thrillingly miss his vital parts, but as the sword edge brushed past his face, it still mercilessly slashed across Bai Mu's left arm, causing fresh blood to spurt out instantly.

Despicable!

Bai Mu cursed inwardly, forcibly enduring the pain in his arm. Without looking back, he charged forward into the broad-leaved forest, covering nearly another fifty meters in a flash.