After parrying the opponent's attack with a two-finger block, Tantai Bingyun felt a surge of focus. A fierce killing intent flashed in her eyes. She floated unsupported in the air, a guqin manifesting, and impassioned plucking erupted from her delicate hands. This music transformed into streaks of sword energy, shaped like lotus petals, which instantly condensed into a massive sword, cleaving down upon the winged man.

Her Azure Lotus Sword Melody demanded exceptionally rigorous cultivation aptitude. Even within the Celestial Sound Palace, few could master this art. Yet, its power was undeniably extraordinary. When Lei Dong previously battled her, he was forced to unleash the first transformation of the Heavenly Demon Metamorphosis—Unrivaled Under Heaven—just to barely contend with it.

Now, with her cultivation at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, unleashing the Azure Lotus Sword Melody at full power, that tyrannical and formidable slash—even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would hesitate to meet it head-on. How could this mere early-stage winged man possibly withstand it?

The male winged man desired to evade, yet the immense, oppressive aura firmly locked him down. For an instant—a mere flicker—that colossal azure sword, moving with the speed of reflected light, cleaved him from head to toe into two halves. Every particle of protective gangqi, every shield, was utterly annihilated by this single strike. Even the male winged man’s Nascent Soul could not escape; it was instantly shredded to dust within the furious azure sword energy. This truly validated Tantai Bingyun’s earlier words: beaten until soul and spirit were utterly extinguished.

The female winged person gasped in shock, never expecting the opponent would dare strike a member of the Winged God Clan, let alone with such brutal severity. Furthermore, that mortal woman was too fearsome, too terrifying. The female winged person hurriedly spread her wings, attempting to flee. However, the Crimson Luan carrying Lei Dong was already prepared. It darted to her side and unleashed a torrent of Heaven Burning Flame, warping the very air it touched.

The female winged person could not escape in time and was engulfed in the sea of fire. She managed to raise a pure white light shield, appearing battered but safe from mortal peril. Yet, any attempt to flee was forcefully driven back by the relentless, powerful heat waves battering her shield wall.

The current Crimson Luan was no easy adversary either. Having spent so long adventuring in the Azure Wave Mystic Realm alongside Tantai Bingyun, it had amassed countless major and minor combat experiences. Coupled with its bloodline advancement, its cultivation now matched Tantai Bingyun’s, having reached the mid-stage of Form Transformation. That core Natal True Fire, while unable to kill the female winged person instantly, would eventually refine her if given enough time.

But there was no time for the Crimson Luan to be patient. After finishing off one, Tantai Bingyun’s slender fingers flew again, striking out a continuous barrage of sound waves that struck the female winged person like relentless blades. In just two or three breaths, the female winged person’s Light Shield shattered.

Stripped of her protection, the female winged person could not possibly withstand the True Fire inherited from the Phoenix lineage for long with mere flesh. She did not last more than a few breaths before being burned into a charred husk.

It took only about a dozen breaths to eliminate both winged individuals from start to finish. However, the male winged man's earlier mention of the Light King Ajiana suggested that individual was a Divine Transformation expert within the Winged God Clan. Indeed, without a Divine Transformation expert guarding them, these winged folk would scarcely dare cause trouble on the Night Yaksha King’s territory.

Yet, Lei Dong was somewhat stunned speechless as he watched Tantai Bingyun dispatch these two early-stage Nascent Soul winged people so effortlessly. Powerful—she was truly overwhelmingly powerful. While Tantai Bingyun was leveraging superior strength against the weak, and a standard mid-stage Nascent Soul expert would predictably win a one-on-one fight against two early-stage opponents, winning was one thing; achieving it with such thunderous momentum was another. Lei Dong himself, at his peak, could destroy two early-stage foes, but it required using the ghost swarm tactic, wearing them down slowly; such swift execution was impossible.

Such formidable capability suggested she might even stand a chance against ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

However, just as the pair prepared to retreat, an overwhelming, suffocating aura suddenly descended upon them.

Simultaneously, a wrathful, mingled female voice roared, “How audacious! To dare slay the elite of my clan, perish! Spear of Judgment!”

The voice seemed imbued with endless majesty, causing the listeners’ hearts to pound violently, and their imposing momentum instantly dimmed by half. In the sky, a colossal, radiant spear, nearly ten zhang long, tore through the void, stabbing viciously toward Tantai Bingyun and the Crimson Luan.

It had arrived so quickly. The oppressive pressure forced Tantai Bingyun to halt momentarily. The formidable might of the radiant spear was something she dared not meet head-on. A pair of wings burst from her back, and carrying Lei Dong and the Crimson Luan, she flashed away rapidly, landing several miles distant, narrowly avoiding the ferocious thrust.

The radiant spear plunged deep into the ocean, causing seawater to erupt into the sky, blasting countless fish high into the air.

Wings of the God King?

The newcomer murmured the phrase, her fury escalating. Among the Winged God Clan, using parts of a kinsman’s body to forge magical artifacts was a grave taboo, let alone when those wings clearly radiated a potent monarchical aura—undoubtedly the remains of a fallen Winged God King.

High above, Ajiana, known as the Light King, pursued furiously. She held her hands crossed over her chest, palms angled slightly downward. Boundless, majestic light power surged from her body, concentrating between her palms. With her seductive lips, she spat out a few words: “Great Light Cannon!”

Boom!

A blinding radiance flared across the entire sky. A beam of intense light, thick as a water barrel, violently blasted toward Tantai Bingyun and her company.

“How bold.”

A majestic, angry shout washed over Lei Dong and Tantai Bingyun like celestial music. A whirlpool churned on the sea surface, and a vibrant azure column of water surged upward to meet the light beam. Where the two collided, light and water scattered everywhere, nearly obscuring heaven and earth. It was as if a torrential storm had broken over the sea, countless droplets pouring down.

Yet, Ajiana’s fatal strike was dissipated into nothingness amidst this deluge. A figure clad in golden armor, wielding a trident, ugly yet imposing, blocked the path before Lei Dong and the others. His gaze, cold and tangible, shot toward the sky: “Ajiana, I showed you deference out of the past cordiality between our two clans. Who expected your Winged God Clan to be so domineering, unilaterally sealing off my clan’s sea region and intercepting my honored guests? This is utterly outrageous. If you wish for war, I shall accompany you. We shall see if your Winged God Clan perishes first, or if my Night Yaksha Clan is wiped out.”

The aura of a supreme expert was undeniable. The Night Yaksha King, enraged, unleashed a battle intent that swept across the heavens, firmly locking onto Ajiana in the distance. It was as if the moment she uttered the word 'war,' he would immediately unleash his millions of Night Yaksha warriors in an irreconcilable offensive.

Ajiana, high in the sky, remained silent for a moment before speaking: “Night Yaksha King Zana, are you truly going to stand against our Winged God Clan?”

“Laughable! Ajiana, it is not I who opposes your clan now, but your clan refuses to let my Night Yaksha Clan be!” The Night Yaksha King pointed his trident skyward, his battle intent blazing: “Who granted your Winged God Clan the authority to question, intercept, and drive away my clan’s honored guests within the Night Yaksha Sea territory?”

“Zana, I apologize for this matter; I will recall the patrolling and sealing forces. However, these two dared to kill my clan’s elite; their crime is unforgivable. I request Zana hand them over.” Ajiana seemed reluctant to provoke an immediate war with the Night Yaksha Clan, showing signs of stepping back.

Unfortunately, in Lei Dong’s eyes, all of this was futile.

Given the Night Yaksha King’s temperament, he would never hand over people. This wasn't merely about camaraderie; if the Night Yaksha King showed weakness by yielding people, his enemies would inevitably press their advantage. At that point, it might truly be the day the Night Yaksha Clan in the Night Yaksha Sea met its doom.

Considering this, Lei Dong also regained some spirit, raising his voice: “This Winged God Clan is truly overbearing! This junior was severely injured, saved only by Junior Sister Tantai continuously using her true essence to protect my body until we reached your esteemed presence. Yet, when we honestly requested medical aid, those Winged God Clan members immediately stated the Night Yaksha Sea was sealed and told us to return whence we came—effectively sentencing this junior to death!”

“What? So arrogant and tyrannical? Utterly inexcusable!” The Night Yaksha King feigned surprise. He scanned Lei Dong with his divine sense and then truly began to sweat: “Nephew, who exactly did you fight? How did you become so battered?” Even an absolute master like the Night Yaksha King was shocked by the severity of Lei Dong’s injuries; the fact that this man could still shout was a miracle.

Divine Transformation experts possess potent divine senses. Ajiana, hearing this, also directed a thread of her divine sense toward Lei Dong. Her expression indeed stiffened—this was a severely wounded individual; it was a miracle he hadn't died while rushing here for medical treatment. Still, even so, Ajiana absolutely did not wish to let Lei Dong and the other go, forcing herself to say with some loss of face: “Zana, regardless of the circumstances, these two killed my kinsmen. Moreover, they dared use the wings of a Winged God King to forge an artifact.”

At this point, the Night Yaksha King saw no reason for pleasantries and mocked her: “Ajiana, is there something wrong with your brain? They came seeking medical aid, not to fight! If they hadn't been pushed to the absolute limit by your clan members, how could they have retaliated? As for the artifact, tch, those wings have been preserved for who knows how many years; how can you blame the young girl? Given her strength compared to the Winged God King, what mistake was there in acquiring this item at auction? Could it be that the artifacts and spiritual treasures of your Winged God Clan were not refined using beings from other races? Enough nonsense. These two are not only my guests but also my patients. If you want war, then let us fight; I will accompany you to the very end.”

With that, he ignored Ajiana entirely and brought Lei Dong directly into the undersea city. After a brief inspection, he sighed: “Lei Dong’s injuries are grievous. Though my cultivation is considerable, I am crude and unskilled in healing such wounds. Moreover, the energy absorbed from the Water of Separation is nearly exhausted. The only thing I can do now is to keep his life barely hanging on.”

Tantai Bingyun grew anxious: “Please, Senior, think of another way.”

“There is a way, but…” The Night Yaksha King’s expression showed hesitation.