"Lords of the Sky Feather Forest, I believe there has been some misunderstanding between us."
The Empress of the Underworld spoke, attempting to explain and de-escalate the situation. After all, she truly didn't want the Underworld to be scapegoated for Ji Mo's actions.
However, the eight lords were here for Ying Menglong, and having confirmed their target was present, they launched their attack without hesitation.
Whoosh...
A gale swept through, kicking up sand and stones.
The black raptor in mid-air struck first, its entire body shrouded in black mist. Countless dark rays rained down, like falling meteorites.
It was a killing blow from the outset, its immense pressure engulfing the surroundings. The ferocious dark rays, carrying the force of ten thousand pounds, smashed down, creating massive craters.
Instantly, the earth shook and mountains trembled, dust billowed, and debris flew through the air.
"Too arrogant! Do you truly believe our Underworld fears your mere Sky Feather Forest? Kill it!"
The Empress of the Underworld was furious and refused to be intimidated. She ordered the Fourth General to counterattack.
To redeem himself and avoid being branded a traitor, the Fourth General immediately shot into the sky, heading towards the aerial battle.
"You feathered beast, daring to disrespect our Empress! You shall be executed."
His body glowed brilliantly, and a rune on his brow pulsed, emitting a peculiar beam of light.
This was a mental attack, bypassing physical defenses and targeting the soul. Avian creatures generally had small brains and relatively weak mental defenses.
The Fourth General, experienced and cunning, exploited his advantage against their weakness, intending to subdue the opponent with ease.
But this time, he miscalculated.
The black raptor was completely unaffected. It let out a contemptuous chuckle, flapped its wings, tearing through the void. Sharp gusts of wind struck the Fourth General.
*Pfft...*
Scarlet blood splattered. A gaping hole was torn in the Fourth General's waist, nearly bisecting him.
"This... How is this possible?"
The Fourth General was utterly shocked.
When had the lords of the Sky Feather Forest become so terrifying?
Not only could they easily withstand his mental assault, but the power of their attacks also far exceeded his expectations.
"There's the aura of residual divine blood. It has consumed divine blood, receiving an unimaginable boost in all aspects!"
Ying Menglong, being a divine beast, immediately sensed something was amiss and understood the reason.
Furthermore, the other seven lords also carried similar auras. This meant that all eight lords from the Sky Feather Forest had consumed the essence blood of divine beings beforehand, which was why they dared to provoke them with such confidence.
But where did the Sky Feather Forest obtain so much divine blood?
Ying Menglong immediately smelled a conspiracy, sensing that things were not as simple as they seemed.
The divine blood was naturally provided by the man in golden armor, serving as a down payment for the eight lords to act. Otherwise, given their nature of never acting without profit, would they have been so quick to attack?
The Empress of the Underworld's expression turned grim. Had the Sky Feather Forest paid such a heavy price, intending to kill her without regard for the consequences?
"Even the Great Immortal Kong Xu couldn't kill me back then. Do you feathered beasts think you can kill me just by consuming divine blood?"
The Empress of the Underworld's raven hair danced without wind. Her delicate body erupted with a radiant glow, as if she were about to ignite.
She ascended into the air, forming hand seals. The surrounding void shimmered with fire, and fierce flames swept across the sky, engulfing the black raptor and dyeing half the sky red.
"Ah..."
A scream echoed.
The black raptor was engulfed in flames, emitting a charred stench.
But the divine blood was still effective, instantly repairing the raptor's injuries and extinguishing the flames on its body.
"Kill!"
A two-headed griffin roared.
It led the remaining lords of the Sky Feather Forest into battle.
As long as they killed Ying Menglong, they would receive more divine blood and unimaginable rewards from the man in golden armor. Anyone who dared to stop them from getting rich would die.
"Empress of the Underworld, you were nearly killed by Great Immortal Kong Xu back then. Your injuries have not healed, and you are no match for us. Since you insist on protecting Ying Menglong, don't blame us for eliminating you as well."
The two-headed griffin exuded a murderous aura, its two heads spewing beams of red and blue light.
The other lords also roared, unleashing powerful energies. Fueled by the enhanced state provided by the divine blood, they unleashed various divine abilities, relentlessly attacking.
"You want to kill Ying Menglong?!"
The Empress of the Underworld was so enraged she almost spat blood.
If only they had said so earlier! Had she known they weren't targeting her, she wouldn't have gotten involved.
Now it was too late to stop.
Becoming an unwitting scapegoat for no reason truly made her furious.
She and the Fourth General were being besieged by the eight lords and were no match for them. The situation was dire.
"Kill me? With just you lot?"
Ying Menglong did not stand idly by.
These lowly creatures, having merely consumed a drop of divine blood, truly believed they could harm her?
Ying Menglong unfurled her fair, jade-like arms. Laws manifested in swathes behind her, and dragon qi surged. A pair of luminous, iridescent wings unfurled.
The man in golden armor, observing from the shadows, was instantly dumbfounded.
"Ying Menglong has truly grown wings? How is this possible?"
He clearly found it hard to believe. By all rights, Ying Menglong's bloodline defect was incurable and could not be healed.
Subsequently, the strength Ying Menglong displayed further shocked him.
In martial arts, speed was paramount.
And Ying Long, being a natural favorite of speed, with Ying Menglong's special luminous wings, unleashed speed beyond imagination.
Her body radiated a hazy glow, and she vanished from her original position in an instant.
Even the man in golden armor couldn't track her flight path; she was simply too fast.
*Bang...*
Black feathers flew, accompanied by large splashes of blood.
A bloody hole appeared in the abdomen of the black raptor, eliciting a shrill cry.
Under the effect of the divine blood, the wound was rapidly healing, but then a flash of bright light streaked past, and its wound was torn open again, its intestines exposed.
It had become a living target, unable to react.
Following that, the two-headed griffin also let out a scream. The jaw of one of its heads was directly broken, its face twisted.
Feathers flew, blood splattered, and clouds of blood mist burst forth continuously.
With her astonishing speed, Ying Menglong forced the eight lords to retreat steadily.
Finally, she compelled the eight lords to band together, activating various magical artifacts to defend themselves, unleashing torrents of spells to bombard their surroundings, thereby regaining some ground.
"How could this be? Not only has Ying Menglong overcome her bloodline defect, but her own bloodline has ascended even higher. If allowed to grow, who in the dragon race will be able to contend with her in the future? She cannot be allowed to live; she must be strangled in her cradle."
The man in golden armor's face contorted with ferocity. He finally decided to intervene personally.
Although this would violate the Dragon Clan's covenant, he could no longer afford to care.
He took out a dragon horn, which pulsed with seven-colored divine light. A sacred aura surged, and brilliant radiance spread everywhere.
The dragon horn was conjured by the man in golden armor, floating into the air and sealing off the entire area.
This place instantly became his domain.
Ying Menglong suddenly felt as if she had fallen into a swamp. Her speed drastically reduced, revealing her form.
The Empress of the Underworld felt immense pressure, her body as if being crushed by mountains. The surging divine might made her tremble with fear.
The Fourth General fared the worst. His legs buckled, beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his face was pale with terror: "This is... a divine artifact!"