Starting with SSS-rank talent, I contracted the Forbidden Ferocity.

Chapter Seventy-Four: Night Feather Steps to Fifth Rank, Beacon Fire Spreads Through the Pass

The ashes of the Nether Phoenix hung in front of Ye Yu.

The Flame Core was thrown out by Shen Ye.

The moment the two materials came into contact with the Netherfire, the entire Crimson Abyss Fire Nest fell silent.

It's not that the sound disappeared.

Instead, all the flames bowed their heads.

The magma stopped churning.

The fire veins no longer roared.

Even the Flame Prison Clan soldiers rushing in from outside instinctively stopped in their tracks.

The fire cores within them are filled with fear.

The dark Netherfire engulfed the Nether Phoenix's ashes and the Flame Lord's fire core.

Night Feather spreads its wings.

Dark gold patterns spread from the root of the feather all the way to the tip, like ancient fire veins awakening within its body.

[Consumes 15000 Evolution Points.]

[Night Feather absorbs the Nether Phoenix Ash Bones and the Flame Lord Fire Core.]

[Level Up: Mid-Tier 4 → Peak Tier 4]

[Bloodline Awakening Level Increased: 41.2% → 58.7%]

[Status: Half-step to fifth-tier transformation.]

[Skill Awakening: Nether Phoenix Annihilation.]

boom!

A blurry phantom of a phoenix spread its wings behind Ye Yu.

The faint shadow was very faint.

But this caused all the Flame Prison Clan members deep within the Fire Nest to kneel down simultaneously.

It is not submission.

It's like the blood vessels are being suppressed so much that they can't lift their heads.

Shen Ye's body also received a return of nourishment.

Blood and qi surged.

My spirits soared.

It's just one thin threshold away from the late stage of the fourth tier.

Qin Wuji stared at Ye Yu, his gaze slightly narrowed.

"Half-step to the fifth rank".

Li Xuance said softly:

"Its flame rank is even higher than that of the Azure Sky Sword Phoenix."

Chu Jinglan looked at Shen Ye.

"Could your tamed beast truly one day reach the realm of mythology?"

Shen Ye said:

"Not in the future."

"It's moving."

Long Yuan got up from the ground, his chest caved in by Yan Kui's impact, but he still stared at Ye Yu, his golden pupils surging with fighting spirit.

Jie Chen leaned on Shen Ye's shoulder and lazily yawned.

It was as if it were only natural for Ye Yu to become stronger.

At the entrance to the Fire Nest, the deputy general of the Flame Prison Clan finally broke free from the suppression of his bloodline.

He saw Yan Kui's corpse, and his eyes blazed with fury.

"The camp commander is dead!"

"Charge in!"

"Avenge our commander!"

Hundreds of elite Flame Prison Clan soldiers poured into the main nest.

Shen Ye turned around.

Night Feather landed in mid-air, its wings fluttering slowly.

The new skill is being demonstrated for the first time.

"Nether Phoenix Annihilates Feathers".

The dark gold patterns lit up.

Hundreds of dark feather blades burst forth from between Nightfeather's wings.

Each feather blade resembled a small ghost fire dagger, trailing a dark gold tail flame as it pierced through the air.

The Flame Prison Clan's fire armor was easily pierced.

The ghost fire enters the body.

The fire core burns.

The soul is burned.

A shower of feathers fell, and not a single Flame Prisoner remained standing at the entrance to the main nest.

[Slaying elite members of the Flame Prison Clan.]

[Gained Evolution Points: 400.]

[Slayed the Centurion of the Infernal Clan.]

[Gained Evolution Points: 1000.]

System prompts kept popping up.

Shen Ye glanced at it but didn't stop.

Ye Yu had just completed a half-step transformation, and his aura was not yet completely stable.

The Crimson Abyss Fire Nest won't last much longer either.

After Yan Kui's death, the Fire Vein Array completely went out of control.

The underground magma, like a ferocious beast that had been suppressed for too long, began to violently assault the mountain.

Chu Jinglan said in a deep voice:

"The fire nest is about to collapse."

Qin Wuji put away the infant body of Emperor Lei Zupeng.

"withdraw."

Shen Ye, however, looked down at the lava throne.

A system notification appears.

[Hidden resource detected: Fire Pulse Source Crystal.]

[Can be used to enhance fire and lightning-type beast tamers, and can also be exchanged for demon-suppressing military merits.]

Shen Ye said:

"Wait ten more breaths."

Qin Wuji looked at him.

"You found something again?"

Shen Ye nodded.

"Fire Vein Source Crystal".

Qin Wuji's eyes flickered.

"Where?"

Shen Ye pointed to the lava throne below.

Long Yuan walked over and smashed the throne with a single punch.

boom!

Reddish magma erupted.

At the center of the magma, a fist-sized piece of red gold crystal floated, its interior resembling a fire bolt sealed within.

Shen Ye raised his hand and took out the crystal.

Just as Qin Wuji was about to speak, Shen Ye tossed him the Fire Vein Source Crystal.

Qin Wuji caught it and was slightly taken aback.

"Give me?"

Shen Ye said:

"Your Emperor Thunder Ancestor Peng will come in handy."

Qin Wuji remained silent for a moment.

Thanks.

Meng Qianqiu laughed from the side:

"It's rare that you can even divide things."

Shen Ye looked at him.

"you want?"

Meng Qianqiu shook his head.

"I don't need fire."

Li Xuance looked up at the constantly cracking dome.

"If we keep talking, we'll be buried along with the fire nest."

Chu Jinglan raised his hand, and the sea tide enveloped everyone.

Zhu Jiu unfolds the Nine Netherworld Shadow Realm.

The five of them simultaneously sank into the shadows and retreated along the underground fire vein passage they had come from.

The very next moment after they left the fire nest.

boom!

The entire Crimson Abyss Fire Nest collapsed.

Lava shot into the sky, and a crimson pillar of fire illuminated half of the night sky.

The Fifth Vanguard Battalion of the Flame Prison Clan was completely annihilated.

In the distance, the Demon Suppression Army Order trembled simultaneously.

[Reconnaissance mission to the Crimson Abyss Fire Nest completed.]

[Bonus objective completed: Slay Yan Kui.]

[Hidden objective completed: Destroy the Crimson Abyss Fire Nest.]

[Military merits being tallied...]

Shen Ye has earned 52000 military merits.

Qin Wuji has earned 18000 military merits.

Li Xuance has earned 16000 military merits.

Chu Jinglan has earned 15000 military merits.

Meng Qianqiu has earned 15000 military merits.

Qin Wuji looked at his watch and suddenly smiled.

"This is more profitable than defending the city."

Meng Qianqiu said:

"They'd die faster than those defending the city."

Shen Ye remained silent.

He looked at the ruins of the Fire Nest.

Night Feather landed back on his shoulder, its dark gold patterns slowly disappearing into the depths of its wings.

A system notification appears.

Side Quest: Crimson Abyss Fire Nest, Completed.

[Reward: Nightfeather's fifth-tier evolution path unlocked.]

[Reward: 20000 Evolution Points.]

[Reward: 3 Flame Prison Clan Talent Fragments]

[Nightfeather is currently missing the following material for its fifth-tier evolution: 1 unit of Nether Phoenix's Blood.]

Shen Ye's eyes flickered slightly.

The Blood and Soul of the Phoenix.

Ye Yu is only missing one last core material to truly reach the fifth tier.

Just then, a rapid horn sounded from the direction of Zhenmo Pass.

A sound.

Two sounds.

Third tone.

The sound of horns pierced through the blood-red clouds, carrying a chilling, ominous tone.

Qin Wuji's expression changed drastically.

"This is the highest alert level for Zhenmo Pass."

Chu Jinglan looked towards the horizon.

Beneath the blood-red clouds, several immense and suffocating auras were approaching the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

Li Xuance whispered:

"It's not a test."

"It's the main force attacking the city."

Shen Ye put away the military order, his eyes instantly turning cold.

They have just destroyed the Crimson Abyss Fire Nest, and the Fifth Vanguard Battalion of the Flame Prison Clan has been wiped out.

The main forces of all races then pressed towards the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

What a coincidence.

It was as if they had predicted their departure from the pass.

In the distance, amidst the blood-red clouds, a massive black shadow slowly raised its head.

The aura of the Shadow Demon race.

On Shen Ye's shoulder, Jie Chen also opened his eyes.

Shen Ye's voice was very soft:

"The Shadow Demons are using a diversionary tactic."

Qin Wuji gripped the Thunder Spear tightly.

"Return to the gate."

Shen Ye raised his eyes and looked in the direction of Zhenmo Pass.

"There's still time."

The Nine Netherworlds of Zhu Jiu unfold.

Night Feather flapped its wings, and the Netherfire, at the half-step fifth rank, tore through the blood mist in front of it.

The five of them transformed into a shadow and sped toward the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

And this moment.

Above the seventh defense line of Zhenmo Pass.

The blood-red cloud split open.

A huge purple eye opened again.