“Submit or die!”

The Dragon Rulers and the company of Golden Crow Guardians surrounded everyone in Sycamore Mountain with unmatched might that made people feel a sense of pressure like never before.

“Submit? Keep dreaming!” Huang Mountain Ruler bellowed fiercely.

Her husband had just been murdered by the Dragon Rulers, and now they wanted to force her to submit to their might? It was impossible for a woman like her.

“Hmph. Huang Mountain Ruler, you might not cherish your life, but it doesn’t mean the other phoenixes want to perish with you too,” the Golden Dragon Ruler scoffed.

He scanned his gaze over all the other phoenixes and said, “We have this place heavily surrounded. Surrender and we shall spare your lives!”

The moment he said that, it sparked a heated discussion among the phoenixes.

The basic instinct of all lives was to survive, even for the phoenixes. If chances allowed, they would not wish to die here as well.

Now, the Golden Dragon Ruler had made them an offer.

“Mountain Ruler, why don’t we… surrender?” asked one of the phoenixes reluctantly.

“Impossible!”

The Huang Mountain Ruler scoffed, “I’d rather fight to the death today than submit to Divine Dragon Island and the Honorable Yokai Hall.”

Then, she turned around to the phoenixes behind her with a grim look on his face. After taking a deep breath, she said, “However, the ember of Sycamore Mountain cannot die here. If any one of you wants to surrender, I won’t blame you either.”

She knew they wanted to live, and she was not that selfish to drag every one of them down either.

“Mhmm…”

The Phoenixes exchanged looks with each other.

“My patience is running out, and so is your time,” the Golden Dragon Ruler said.

The divine dragons behind him were already restless, longing for some slaughter and blood.

“I-I surrender.”

One of the phoenixes raised his hand. He did not want to die yet.

“I’m sorry, Mountain Ruler.” He glanced at Huang Mountain Ruler in embarrassment as he voiced out his thoughts.

The Huang Mountain Ruler did not say anything.

Following the first phoenix to surrender, many others surrendered as well. In the end, only less than ten percent of the phoenixes did not choose to surrender.

“I am a phoenix, a divine beast, and I will never surrender!”

“Hmph! If it’s my life you want, come and take it!”

Huang Mountain Ruler looked at Qing Feng and Chu Hong beside her and sighed helplessly. Then, she said, “Qing Feng, Chu Hong, you two should leave as well.”

Qing Feng shook her head. “Mother, I will never leave your side.”

“I’m here to repay my debts, not to surrender.”

Chu Hong stepped forward. The aura of the pure-blooded Godly Phoenix, awakened for a second time, gushed out without any restraints. Golden-red Phoenix’s Flame surged into the sky and burned the horizon. It even put some pressure on the Dragon Rulers opposite her.

“Is that the second awakening of the pure-blooded Godly Phoenix? How powerful. Even if you want to surrender, I won’t allow it either!”

There was anger and hatred in the Golden Dragon Ruler’s eyes. “It’s because of you that Chu Kuangren severely injured my Divine Dragon Island and humiliated my son. Now, Chu Kuangren has even murdered my son!

“Do you think I will let you go just like that? Stop dreaming!”

The Golden Dragon Ruler glared at Chu Hong as the might of a Heavenly Immortal erupted.

Despite having awakened her pure-blooded Godly Phoenix a second time, Chu Hong’s cultivation level was just a Ninth-grade Immortal. It was difficult for her to face the might from two realms above her all on her own. However, she clenched her teeth and refused to step back.

“Your son had it coming. Don’t blame it on others,” Chu Hong said coldly.

“You’re asking for it!” With that, the Golden Dragon Ruler lost his patience. He raised his hand as he channeled his Immortal’s Core energy.

“I will kill you right here, right now, and Chu Kuangren will get a taste of how it feels to lose someone he cares so much about!”

As he put his hand forward, his Immortal’s Core energy transformed into a golden dragon claw.

Chu Hong quickly channeled her Phoenix’s Flame to its fullest potential to face the dragon claw strike. Huang Mountain Ruler, Qing Feng, and Huang Yinghong also joined the battle.

The Phoenix’s Flame and the Azure Phoenix’s power collided with the golden dragon claw in succession.

Kaboom!

The burst of energy tore the void into shreds and emitted a powerful shockwave.

Chu Hong, Huang Yinghong, and the others were immediately pushed back.

The Huang Mountain Ruler suffered even more on top of her existing injuries.

“I shall claim your lives today!”

The dragon qi around the Golden Dragon Ruler gushed out and transformed into another massive golden dragon claw.

The injured Huang Mountain Ruler released a sharp phoenix cry and transformed into her true form. While engulfed in her own Phoenix’s Flame, she threw herself towards the dragon claw.

A loud explosion later, massive Phoenix blood splashed on the sea.

The Huang Mountain Ruler crash-landed on the ground and created a huge crater upon impact. Lying in the center of the crater, her Immortal Sparks started to dim as her breath became shallow.

“Mother!”

“Mountain Ruler!”

Qing Feng and Chu Hong rushed to her side.

“Even if you give your life, it’s futile,” the Golden Dragon Ruler scoffed.

Further away, the phoenixes who surrendered saw the brutal scene, and it broke their hearts. No one had the mood to continue watching.

“Is this the end? Is there no way to turn this around anymore?” A hint of despair appeared in Qing Feng’s eyes.

The Azure Phoenix had clairvoyant abilities. She foresaw this battle and the chance for Sycamore Mountain to turn things around. However, they were at their bleakest. Where should she look for the so-called chance to turn things around?

“Huff…”

Chu Hong took a deep breath. Standing in front of the others, she ignited her Phoenix’s Flame to the fullest potential for one last attempt.

“After today, Planquilon Immortal World will have no more pure-blooded Godly Phoenix!”

The Golden Dragon Ruler released another palm strike.

A large amount of Daoist patterns intertwined in the void and formed another giant dragon claw. With terrifying Immortal’s Core energy contained in it, it tore the void into pieces as it rushed forward.

It was at that moment…

“How dare you!”

A shout came from the void.

Then, an overwhelming aura swept across the land, followed by the appearance of a green three-legged cauldron from the void flying towards the dragon claw.

A loud explosion went off when the cauldron collided with the dragon claw.

The void tore, and a vast amount of qi blasted out into every direction, shaking the sea and causing waves to tumble.

The dragon claw shattered, the Daoist patterns disintegrated, and the Golden Dragon Ruler was also pushed back several steps. After that, he looked into the distance with a grim face.

Further away, clouds rumbled as a white figure came forward. Each step he took tread across tens of thousands of kilometers and amplified the rampant aura he emanated, so much that his aura alone shrouded the realm and blanketed the sea.

Behind him were Lan Yu and Lil Fox.

He came up to Chu Hong.

Everyone else present at the scene looked at the man in horror.

“Chu Kuangren!” the Golden Dragon Ruler bellowed with his teeth gnashed.

He glared at Chu Kuangren with unmatched hatred because he was looking at the man who murdered his son, the Golden Dragon Young Master.

“You’ve done it! This is the battlefield between dragon and phoenix. No other forces are allowed to intervene, yet you set foot in here. I shall grant your death wish!”

The Golden Dragon Ruler’s killing intent was apparent.

Without further ado, he channeled his dragon qi to the limit. The golden dragon qi, accompanied by the dominating energy, swept across the battlefield.

Chu Kuangren stood firm as he raised his hand, and another Nine Province Cauldron appeared.

On top of the previous one, there were now two Nine Province Cauldrons on the battlefield. Both cauldrons, containing endless might and energy, were hurled toward the Golden Dragon Ruler to counter his dragon qi.

A deafening explosion later, the waters rumbled, and the islands crumbled under the immense power of the impact. Eventually, pieces of the islands began to sink into the sea.

After the dust settled, Chu Kuangren remained standing before everyone’s eyes as if he was a mountain from ancient times that would not budge in the face of anything.

Beside him were two Nine Province Cauldrons swirling around. Then, as the two cauldrons landed on the ground, they stopped the crumbling islands from sinking and silenced all the commotion.

The cultivators of Divine Dragon Island and the Golden Crow Guardians were surprised.

“So this is Chu Kuangren’s current power? He can stand against a Heavenly Immortal?”

“Powerful, too powerful, in fact. With his intervention, the outcome of the dragon-phoenix battle is up in the air again.”

A heated discussion sparked among the others, but Chu Kuangren remained calm. He swung his sleeve and said to the Golden Dragon Ruler, “They are under my protection now. And as for you, you shall die!”