"Mr. Teng, it's no problem to ask the Flame Divine Bird to make a move when the time comes, right?" Mu Yunjui needed a definitive answer from Teng Qingshan to feel at ease.

"If we truly encounter a crisis, I will have it act," Teng Qingshan nodded.

Mu Yunjui was overjoyed. "Now I can finally relax."

While Mu Yunjui and Teng Qingshan were conferring, the two opposing factions, communicating from a distance, had already reached a stalemate.

"Duan Shijin, Fu Dao! You two are being too greedy, disregarding the lives of your subordinate soldiers. In that case... don't blame us," Wu Baiwei's cold, sharp voice carried across from the enemy army outside the fortifications.

Duan Shijin’s face darkened, and he roared furiously, "Wu Baiwei, you insidious wretch! It's not that we disregard our men; it's you who press us relentlessly. If you truly possessed compassion, you would take your army and leave quickly, and no one would have to die! Hmph, if you want to fight, then fight; stop being so sanctimonious. I truly don't know what the Female Martial Saint ever saw in a petty man like you!"

"Hmph," Wu Baiwei couldn't help but become exasperated.

The two family heads, facing each other from a distance of over a hundred zhang, had clearly abandoned all pretense of civility.

"Hmph hmph, our Duan family and the Fu family have nothing but brave men and valiant warriors!" Duan Shijin declared loudly. "We won't pursue and kill you, but if you dare to advance and force the issue, we are hardly spineless cowards! Our many soldiers will show you just how formidable we are!"

Fu Dao also laughed heartily. "Whether you come soft or hard, bring it on! Our two families will meet you head-on!"

...

This brief exchange before the lines made the intentions of both sides perfectly clear. Evidently, the allied forces of the Duan and Fu families were absolutely unwilling to relinquish the prize within their grasp. Whether to fight or retreat now rested entirely in the hands of the other five major families!

Inside a large tent within the Fire Flow Iron Gorge.

"Xiao Jun, where is Qingluan?" Teng Qingshan inquired.

Li Jun, Teng Shou, Yang Dong, and the Gale Eagle were present, but Qingluan was missing.

"Qingluan is in Ox Head Mountain; I don't know the exact location," Li Jun replied with a faint smile. "But if you need it for something, just call out, and it will arrive."

"Call it here," Teng Qingshan said.

"Preparing to have Qingluan take action?" Li Jun asked inquisitively. Mu Yunjui and Teng Qingshan’s previous conversation had been conducted in low tones. Although Li Jun was nearby, she hadn't clearly heard their discussion.

"Mm," Teng Qingshan nodded. "But I still need to ask Qingluan."

Qingluan was his friend, not his servant. If Qingluan truly didn't wish to comply, Teng Qingshan couldn't force it.

Li Jun immediately tilted her head back and let out a sharp, high-pitched cry: "Yoo~~~"

The cry seemed to tear through the sky, spreading rapidly.

In just a moment—

A phantom trail of flame left a streak in mid-air as it shot into the large tent, landing beside Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, and the others. Its noble, crown-like crest feathers, its seven-hued tail plumes, and the flames naturally swirling around its entire body made the divine bird, 'Qingluan,' utterly mesmerizing.

"Little Qing," Li Jun affectionately stroked Qingluan's feathers.

Qingluan had already retracted the flames around its body and appeared to greatly enjoy Li Jun's touch.

Just then—

"Kill!!!"

"Kill!!!"

Shouts of killing, surging like a tide, rushed in from the west. Soon, high-pitched yells erupted from their own side as well. In an instant, the entire Fire Flow Iron Gorge reverberated with deafening noise. Teng Qingshan faintly felt that the ambient temperature had risen by a noticeable degree.

"They're fighting," Li Jun exclaimed in surprise.

"It's on the western front," Yang Dong took a deep breath, his eyes faintly gleaming as he looked at Teng Qingshan. "Teacher, let me go take a look."

Teng Qingshan glanced at him and nodded. "Go ahead, but be careful."

"Yes!" Yang Dong immediately grabbed his bamboo pole with excitement and left the tent.

"A'Shou, go look after your junior brother," Teng Qingshan instructed.

"Yes, Teacher."

Teng Shou, standing still, resembled a fierce beast, and he too exited the tent.

"Kill!" "Kill!!!" The outside shouts resembled a relentless tide, threatening to swallow the tent whole.

"Xiao Jun," Teng Qingshan’s voice involuntarily rose slightly, fearing Li Jun wouldn't hear him over the clamor. "Ask Qingluan if it is willing to act if our side encounters danger later, when I request its help."

Li Jun nodded and immediately turned to question Qingluan.

"Yoo~~ Yoo-yoo~~" Qingluan chirped excitedly in response.

Li Jun turned back to Teng Qingshan in astonishment.

"What is it?" Teng Qingshan asked immediately.

"It... it's very happy. It even asked... how many people it gets to kill," Li Jun said with a hint of helplessness. "Why does Qingluan enjoy slaughter so much?"

Teng Qingshan's heart stirred. In the writings about the Nine Provinces Continent, although Qingluan was recorded as the unrivaled divine bird beneath the Void Realm, the reason it was called the foremost beneath the Void Realm was due to its spectacular battle records and terrifying capacity for slaughter—Qingluan was indeed a fierce bird!

"As long as it agrees, that's fine," Teng Qingshan nodded. "Ask it again how long the flames it spits can last."

Li Jun went to inquire of Qingluan once more.

Qingluan was currently speaking animatedly, occasionally glancing with its beautiful eyes toward Teng Qingshan, seemingly quite expectant.

"Little Qing says it can spew many types of flames," Li Jun explained. "Different flames last for different durations. Its strongest flame is the black-purple one. Slightly weaker are black flames, and weaker still are white flames. The weakest is the red flame!"

"The black-purple flame lasts the shortest time, only several dozen breaths. The black flame can last quite a while, perhaps about—" Li Jun started to elaborate in detail.

"We don't need anything that powerful; the ordinary red flame will suffice. How long does the ordinary red flame last?" Teng Qingshan asked directly.

Teng Qingshan understood clearly that the flames spat by innate Golden Core demon beasts capable of breathing fire were usually black. Innate Void Core level demon beasts produced white flames, which could already crack stone and mountains. Even the weakest red flame from Qingluan would not be colder than lava.

"Qingluan said... it has as much red flame as needed," Li Jun reported back.

"As much as needed?" Teng Qingshan was astonished, marveling at Qingluan's innate talent. As a divine bird born of fire, capable of manipulating flames, its body was naturally enveloped in fire under normal circumstances... controlling the weakest tier of red flame truly meant it had an endless supply.

"Tell it that it only needs to use the red flame when the time comes, and I will tell it when to act," Teng Qingshan stated.

"Mm," Li Jun immediately conveyed the message.

Though the battle raged outside like a tempest, Teng Qingshan remained calm within the tent. He knew that if his intervention was required, Mu Yunjui would certainly come to fetch him.

"Mr. Teng, Mr. Teng," an urgent voice traveled from afar.

"Let's go, follow me out."

Teng Qingshan immediately led Li Jun, Qingluan, and the Gale Eagle out of the tent.

Mu Yunjui and the Duan family head, Duan Shijin, looked rather disheveled, their faces smeared with dirt. Mu Yunjui was particularly anxious. "Mr. Teng, the situation is dire! Quickly, follow me."

"What happened?" Teng Qingshan asked.

"We initially committed everything to defending against the ferocious attacks of the enemy on the west line, but I never expected... those five families and the Tianfeng family to be so ruthless! Their frenzied assault on the west was merely a diversion. Their true target is South Dwarf Mountain!"

"South Dwarf Mountain?" Teng Qingshan paused in surprise.

The Fire Flow Iron Gorge had a North Dwarf Mountain on one side and a South Dwarf Mountain on the other. South Dwarf Mountain was only about thirty zhang high.

"When the fighting began, there was conflict at North Dwarf Mountain, South Dwarf Mountain, and the Eastern Entrance, so we didn't pay them much mind. After all, we felt confident... but we never expected the Cold Feather Guard of the Tianfeng family, leading the elite soldiers from the other five families, to suddenly launch a fierce attack on South Dwarf Mountain while mixed among the ordinary troops."

"The summit of South Dwarf Mountain is small; we only have about eight hundred soldiers up there, and they are nearly overwhelmed," Mu Yunjui urged anxiously.

"Xiao Jun, go up," Teng Qingshan commanded.

Li Jun immediately leaped onto Qingluan's back, while Teng Qingshan jumped onto the Gale Eagle's back.

"Yoo~~"

"Yoo~~"

Two high-pitched calls sounded as Teng Qingshan and Li Jun soared rapidly into the sky, riding the Gale Eagle and Qingluan. Looking down from above, Teng Qingshan immediately saw the entire battle layout of the Fire Flow Iron Gorge... The fighting on the southeast, southwest, north, and east fronts was intense.

Especially on South Dwarf Mountain, a group of special soldiers clad in silver armor was slaughtering nearly all the Duan and Fu family soldiers stationed there.

"Xiao Jun, have Qingluan burn that spot on South Dwarf Mountain!" Teng Qingshan ordered in a deep voice, pointing his right finger toward South Dwarf Mountain.

...

Iron Sword Martial Saint, Wu Baiwei, and the others were concealed within their armies, watching South Dwarf Mountain, and smiles involuntarily appeared on their faces.

"Hahaha, the Cold Feather Guard truly lives up to its reputation! Once South Dwarf Mountain is taken, we can swiftly dispatch the main army into the gorge from there!" Wu Baiwei laughed heartily.

"The Fire Flow Iron Ore vein belongs to my Tianfeng family!" The Iron Sword Martial Saint's eyes gleamed.

Just as the Iron Sword Martial Saint and his group began to feel exhilarated—

"Yoo~~~"

Following a high-pitched cry, the beautiful divine bird, which seemed otherworldly, descended. A captivating maiden sat upon its back. As the bird’s wings fluttered slightly, torrents of flame continuously poured down from them, instantly enveloping the entire mountaintop in a sea of fire.

"Ah!"

"Run!"

Regardless of their military discipline, they instantly collapsed when faced with the overwhelming flames. Even the strongest armor could not completely insulate against the fire, as they still needed to breathe! Moreover, these were Qingluan's flames; even the lowest-tier flame spat by Qingluan possessed terrifying heat!

Screams and cries rose continuously—some leaped down from the summit, others collapsed into the sea of fire. At this moment, no matter how stringent their discipline, it proved useless against the merciless flames.

In just a few dozen breaths, the entire mountaintop was burned to ash.

"That—" Iron Sword Martial Saint, Wu Baiwei, the Dong family's Grand Elder, the Tantai family head, Yan Baishou, Xiahou An, and the others were all stunned speechless.

They stared at the pair in mid-air, appearing like an immortal couple, riding their avian mounts.

"Teng, Teng Qingshan!"

The Iron Sword Martial Saint, the Female Martial Saint, Yan Baishou, and the others fixed their gazes on the two figures high above.

After incinerating South Dwarf Mountain, the man on the back of the giant eagle pointed toward the most intense fighting on the western front: "Go there!" His loud voice echoed in the ears of nearly every soldier. Immediately, the two avian mounts flew toward the western battle line.