The East King Duke knew the temperament of the Wu Clan; they could not withstand a provocation. His words were directed not only at Qiang Liang but at all the Ancestral Witches present. He wanted to ignite their fighting spirit, seize the Three Immortals Island, and go head-to-head with the Three Crows.
As soon as he finished speaking, Qiang Liang erupted in fury. Terrifying thunder rippled around his body, shaking the void.
"I'll kill you first!"
"Enough, Qiang Liang! The East King Duke has a point," the God of Fire (Zhu Rong) interjected, stopping his brother. His voice was heavy. "The location of these three immortal islands is crucial. Even if they are the Crows' territory, so what? Are we inferior to them?"
"Our Wu Clan is destined to unify the Great Desolation. These islands, and the East Sea itself, will be ours sooner or later."
"Even the Sun Star will be taken eventually. Why fear a few mere Golden Crows?" He continued with an arrogant look. While Zhu Rong knew the Crows were powerful, they now possessed the Twelve Capital Gods Fiend Formation.
What was there to fear?
"Zhu Rong is right. Since we've reached the East Sea, let's take the Three Immortals Island first," Ju Mang added, appearing unbothered. The Crows weren't even on the islands right now. Taking them would be as easy as flipping a palm.
"Hmm. It's feasible," Candle Nine Nethers said plainly, divine light swirling in his eyes.
"Strike!" Gonggong roared. Remembering his past encounters, his voice was exceptionally loud, startling even his brothers.
Seven Ancestral Witches had come this time: Candle Nine Nethers, Ju Mang, Zhu Rong, Gonggong, Qiang Liang, Xi Zi, and She Bi Shi. They were nearly unanimous in their decision to seize the islands.
Then, Gonggong let out a long roar, churning up hundreds of millions of waves to form a divine bridge. Thousands of Wu warriors marched across, descending upon the vicinity of the Three Immortals Island.
"Board the islands! From now on, this is Wu territory—it shall be renamed the Three Witch Islands!" Gonggong shouted, leading the charge with a magnificent Aura.
But at that moment, a playful voice rang out.
"When did the Three Immortals Island become Wu territory? I don't recall getting a notice!"
The Ancestral Witches' expressions shifted instantly. That voice was far too familiar.
They watched as two golden silhouettes slowly rose, radiating a boundless pressure like two miniature suns.
"Di Jun? Tai Yi? Why are you here?" Gonggong's face changed dramatically. He hadn't expected the Golden Crows to be on the island. Wasn't the Sun Star their nest?
"A joke. The Three Immortals Island is our territory. Is it so surprising for us to be here?" Tai Yi said with a cold sneer, looking down at the Ancestral Witches with utter disdain.
"Just the two of you?" Candle Nine Nethers interrupted, his voice solemn. His gaze swept the surroundings, searching for any sign of Ling Xiao.
"Stop looking. My Third Brother isn't here!" Di Jun saw through his intent and spoke quite openly.
Upon hearing this, the Ancestral Witches felt an inexplicable surge of relief.
Why didn't you say so earlier?
If Ling Xiao wasn't here, what the hell was there to fear? Di Jun and Tai Yi were strong, but there were seven Ancestral Witches plus the East King Duke.
"Hmph! I didn't ask you that. Since Ling Xiao isn't here, we'll settle with you two first." Candle Nine Nethers regained his arrogance, speaking with a haughty air.
"Everyone, let's strike together. Delay invites trouble," the East King Duke urged, sensing that things weren't as simple as they seemed.
"Hehe. East King Duke, when did you become a lackey for the Witches?" Tai Yi mocked, his eyes filled with contempt.
Then, the Chaos Bell appeared, floating above his head. Chaos Qi billowed out, clearing the heavens and earth.
"Nonsense! This is for the Primordial Order! What do you know?" the Duke retorted sharply. Being called a lackey in public wounded his pride immensely.
"Enough talk! Strike!" Zhu Rong roared. The seawater around him began to boil, and within millions of miles, the water dared not approach him. Where he stood, the seabed had become dry land.
Boom!
The battle erupted instantly. Seven Ancestral Witches and the East King Duke—eight Quasi-Saint level Powerhouses—swarmed Di Jun and Tai Yi.
The two brothers took on four each, their division of labor orderly and precise.
The combat aura dominated the world. With the Chaos Bell atop his head and hair like crackling lightning, Tai Yi radiated a golden divine light. From the very first exchange, he displayed an invincible posture, physically batting an Ancestral Witch away.
In truth, both he and Di Jun were at the Hun Yuan Golden Immortal Middle Stage, nearing the Late Stage. Their combat power was peerless, allowing them to easily dominate the Witches.
With every movement, Chaos Qi overflowed as if they were opening a new world. They were entwined in Law chains, looking incredibly powerful.
"So strong!" The Ancestral Witch fighting Tai Yi felt a surge of terror. This level of combat power was beyond their imagination.
Slap!
Tai Yi's hand, manifested from Law, swept out at a speed that surpassed time, striking Zhu Rong square in the face. The blow extinguished the flames on the Witch's visage, and his entire head nearly spun off his shoulders.
"Beast!" Zhu Rong roared in a mixture of shock and fury. He had never suffered such humiliation; it drove him to the brink of madness. He simply could not accept it.
"You seek death!" Tai Yi's cold eyes flashed like lightning, erupting with a staggering murderous intent. He threw a punch that shattered the infinite Void Realm.
Zhu Rong's face paled as he exerted every ounce of his power to block.
Crack!
A crisp, massive sound of breaking bone followed a pained roar. Zhu Rong's arms hung limp and broken; his chest had been caved in by the force of the blow.
"Haha! A pack of blind fools, looking for trouble! Do you regret it now?"
Di Jun laughed with peerless dominance. Above his head floated a mirror—the Innate Supreme Treasure: Grand Void Mirror!
This was his first time using it against an enemy. His evaluation was simple:
Truly fragrant!
Under the illumination of the Grand Void Mirror, every attack from his opponents was laid bare. This was the easiest fight he had ever fought. Even facing the East King Duke and Candle Nine Nethers, he remained composed, suppressing them with ease.
Hum—
The Grand Void Mirror pivoted its offensive, shooting out a beam of pitch-black divine light. With a loud crack, the Void Realm crumbled. Under this light, the East King Duke let out a blood-curdling scream as half of his body was dissolved, vanishing into nothingness.
"What did you do to me?!" The Duke was terrified by this eerie method—he could no longer feel the part of his Clone body that had disappeared.
It was truly gone!
Seeing this, the Ancestral Witches' expressions changed. They began to harbor thoughts of retreat; this fight was impossible to win.
Di Jun and Tai Yi were in high spirits, their battle intent soaring. They had no intention of letting their foes go easily. They unleashed their full power, nearly melting the surrounding world. Swathes of Wu warriors were crushed into a mist of blood, vanishing between heaven and earth.
Finally, Candle Nine Nethers utilized the Law of Time. With the combined effort of the Witches, Qiang Liang dragged the heavily injured Zhu Rong along as they fled frantically.
Meanwhile, Ling Xiao had naturally sensed the battle at the Three Immortals Island. However, he wasn't worried; Di Jun and Tai Yi's performance had not disappointed him.
He emerged from the Dragon Clan treasury with a satisfied expression, flanked by the hollowed-out and despondent Old Dragon and Ao Zhan.
"Your Dragon Clan is far too hospitable. I'll certainly come back next time."
Ling Xiao dropped this final sentence as he departed, nearly scaring the souls out of the Old Dragon and Ao Zhan's bodies.
Upon returning to the Three Immortals Island, Di Jun and Tai Yi had just come back from their pursuit of the Witches, naturally full of boasts.
"Those Witches are truly weak. Without their formation, they are practically nothing," Tai Yi remarked, deeply disappointed by their performance.
"Second Brother, hearing you say that reminds me... what if they form their array to fight us next time? What should we do then?" Di Jun asked.