Black lightning descended directly from the sky, the earth-shattering thunder reverberating for hundreds of miles, echoing throughout the Black Nether Abyss, causing tens of thousands of spirit beasts to roar in terror, trembling and collapsing to the ground, not daring to move.
Everyone hiding in the black valley watched the scene in the sky with trepidation. Even Mu Feng and Liu Qingtian, the two strongest experts in the Northern Spirit Realm, felt their hearts filled with fear. This energy was too terrifying; if it impacted their bodies, it was likely that not even a speck of ash would remain.
“Kwoork!”
As the furious black lightning struck, a sharp, painful cry rang out, filled with desperate unwillingness.
—The Nine Nether Sparrow must fail!
Hearing that cry, Mu Chen also flinched. The Black Divine Lightning Tribulation was unexpectedly powerful; even a formidable creature like the Nine Nether Sparrow was not strong enough to resist.
In the sky, the raging black lightning continuously suppressed and pushed the black flames back to the ground. No matter how hard the Nine Nether Sparrow struggled, it could not advance even half a step.
The black flames were finally forced back completely. The Nine Nether Sparrow’s shrill cry carried a sense of tragic hopelessness. It had not expected that, having failed once, it would fail again, just as before.
The black lightning, imbued with destructive power, quickly pressed down, striking the Nine Nether Sparrow’s true form, causing it to cry out in pain. On its colossal body, the mysterious feathers were now burning fiercely.
The black flames surged, and the temperature in the world suddenly skyrocketed.
—Run quickly, the Nine Nether Sparrow has gone mad, it wants to self-detonate!
Mu Feng saw the black flames engulfing the Nine Nether Sparrow erupt violently, his face changing drastically. He shouted, embracing Mu Chen, and his body, swift as lightning, fled rapidly out of the valley.
Right behind him, Zhou Ye, Duan Wei, and their subordinates, their faces pale with fear, hastily followed. A self-detonating Nine Nether Sparrow—the terror of the explosion was not something they had the ability to withstand!
On the other side, Liu Yu’s group also realized the situation, their faces turning ashen. They quickly tucked their tails between their legs and ran out in a panic.
From this moment on, they had completely abandoned any thought of seizing the Nine Nether Sparrow.
As the two groups fled frantically, the black flames on the Nine Nether Sparrow’s body grew increasingly violent. Suddenly, its two colossal wings spread open, a fierce wind rose in the heavens and earth, and its enormous body erupted with black flames accompanied by a terrifying explosion.
The black flames swept out madly, even the black lightning with its terrifying power was shattered, and the black lightning clouds high in the sky were pierced and torn apart by the surging black flames.
This entire expanse of heaven and earth became like a steaming cage. The scorching temperature caused the forest to directly ignite.
Although Mu Feng had moved far away from the center of the explosion, the shockwaves, amplified by the wind, still struck him and everyone else, sending them flying a long distance, tumbling to the ground.
Mu Feng stood up, looking at the sky, his expression solemn. There, at the location where the Nine Nether Sparrow had self-detonated, a beautiful black fire lotus bloomed in mid-air, like a meteor appearing across the sky, dragging a long fiery tail that covered the heavens and earth as it fell, a scene like the end of the world.
“Boom! Boom!”
Wherever the black flames fell, the ground was scattered, huge gaping holes appeared, and cracks spread. The black valley instantly became desolate and chaotic, as if it had just experienced a terrifying natural disaster.
—Go quickly!
Mu Feng roared, "This is no place to stand around idly. If by chance a remnant of that meteor-like black flame were to fall nearby, I'm afraid it wouldn't be good."
"Whoosh!"
A whistling sound accompanied by a scorching, melting heat pressed down. Mu Feng hastily looked up, his expression drastically changing. He cursed under his breath, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." A streak of black flame shot across the sky, indeed heading their way.
Mu Feng watched the black flame rapidly grow larger, his face turning pale. Knowing he couldn't escape in time, he glanced at Zhou Ye. The two quickly stepped forward and roared, powerful spiritual energy surging out, transforming into a thick spiritual energy wall to protect the group.
The black flame, with its long, inky black tail, shrieked as it fell, striking the spiritual energy wall with immense force.
"Boom!"
Mu Chen clearly saw a crack appear in the ground beneath his feet. The scorching heat slapped his face, making his skin feel a burning pain.
The spiritual energy wall desperately withstood the black flame's attack. Sweat poured down Mu Feng and Zhou Ye's foreheads like rain. Maintaining the spiritual energy wall against the fiercely clinging black flame caused their hands to ache in spasms.
Nevertheless, the two persisted in holding on. They understood that if the black flame were to break through the spiritual energy wall, their subordinates behind them would suffer severe injuries at best, and death at worst.
"Rip."
The spiritual energy wall trembled, vaguely distorting. The sound it emitted caused alarm, making Mu Chen behind them feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy, retreating step by step in a panic.
"Be careful, we can't hold it!"
The spiritual energy wall distorted more and more violently. Mu Feng and Zhou Ye finally couldn't bear it any longer and roared. The spiritual energy wall exploded and scattered, sending the two flying backward.
The black flame, like a meteorite descending to the mortal realm, had most of its power limited and neutralized by Mu Feng and Zhou Ye. But when it impacted Duan Wei's group, it still caused serious damage, sending most of them skidding across the ground or rolling for hundreds of meters before they could painstakingly regain their balance.
Mu Chen's body was no different. He was sent flying, crashing into a giant rock. A sweet liquid rose in his throat, and he coughed up blood, his bones feeling as if they were broken into pieces.
"That thing is too powerful."
Mu Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and forced a smile as he stood up. That was just a tiny spark. If the entire flame had fallen on them, they would have been reduced to ashes in an instant. The power of the Nine Nether Phoenix's self-detonation was truly terrifying.
Mu Chen swayed as he stood up. Just as he was about to go to Mu Feng, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly looked up, inadvertently seeing a small streak of black flame heading towards him.
"Little Mu Zi!"
Mu Feng immediately noticed the change and cried out in alarm, his body instantly rushing towards Mu Chen's position.
However, his speed was nowhere near that of the lightning-fast black flame. Even Mu Chen himself could only watch as the black spark grew larger and larger.
"This is bad."
Only that thought flashed through Mu Chen's mind before he immediately felt a scorching heat pressing against his face. Pain flooded his brain, his vision turned black, and he fell headfirst.
At that moment, he vaguely saw some light appearing within the black flame. Following that was an endless surge of pain, and everything returned to the dark night.