Chapter 144: The Roc Spreads Its Wings

The news of the emergence of the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds was soon carried into the Roc Tribe by a flock of flying birds.

The Radiant Sun Demonic Cult, due to its worship of the Golden Crow, domesticated various spiritual birds and fierce avian beasts in the southern borderlands. Among them was a species of communication bird specifically used for transmitting messages, known as the "Snake Parrot." It had a snake tail, three legs, and possessed the head of a parrot with emerald green feathers. Mated in pairs of yin and yang, they could communicate across a distance of a thousand miles.

The fact that Qin Wu and the others had targeted the demonic cult disciples was quickly learned by the Roc Tribe.

The Radiant Sun Demonic Cult utilized seven transforming divine divisions—namely the Bi Fang, Vermilion Bird, Roc, Peacock, Swan Goose, Crane, and Ghost Carriage—to rule over the vast territories of the southern border. Originally, the plan targeting the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds was carried out by the Roc Tribe alone.

In previous years, the Left Envoy of the Roc had obtained the *Supreme Cloud-Formed Dragon-Micro Jade-Splendor True Scripture*, through which he calculated the spiritual veins of the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds, intending to take possession of the immortal mansion and elevate the Roc Tribe to become the leader of the seven avian divisions. Sima Kang was precisely sent by his master to scout the path ahead.

Some time ago, the Left Envoy of the Roc had dealings with the loose immortal Qinghong at the entrance of the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds. However, at that time, the Left Envoy was not in his true physical form, and the emergence of the Liling Immortal Mansion was imminent, so he temporarily set aside the matter of the Firmament Mansion.

Now, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Qinghong had gathered a group of Xuanmen immortals at the southern gateway to provoke them, immediately infuriating the Left Envoy of the Roc.

"While I have been busy with the matters of the tribulation and have not yet made a move against you lot, how dare you capture members of our divine cult!" As one of the three envoys of the Roc Tribe, the Left Envoy held a high and weighty position, managing all affairs of the tribe and being responsible for the sacrificial rituals to the Roc Demonic God.

Filled with burning anger, he proceeded straight to the throne of the Golden Roc Divine Lord and requested a red-embroidered banner.

This object was the Three-Saints Divine Fire Banner, which recorded the imprints of the disciples of the southern demonic cult's Roc Tribe; Sima Kang's blood-oath imprint was inscribed upon it.

A fierce expression flashed across the Left Envoy's face as he laughed grimly, "Sima Kang, oh Sima Kang, since you dared to betray the divine cult, you must have anticipated this consequence!" Having thought this, the Left Envoy shook the flag banner, and roaring flames erupted from it, forming a giant golden-flaming roc in the air, utilizing Sima Kang's imprint to execute him.

At that moment, Sima Kang was tidying up inside the immortal mansion with Musheng. Suddenly, his body stiffened as endless flames seemed to burn within his five viscera, attempting to reduce his entire being to ashes.

"Not good! The divine cult has cast a curse on me." Sima Kang immediately regulated his breath and sat in meditation. Seeing that something was amiss, Musheng hurried to find Qinghong.

Qinghong and his companions were at the entrance of the immortal mansion, awaiting the next wave of demonic cultivators. Hearing Musheng's words, he immediately offered his apologies to everyone.

"There is a minor matter within my dwelling; I must excuse myself for a moment." He rushed toward the back and beheld the roaring flames flickering around Sima Kang. Were it not for a phoenix feather pasted across his chest, he would have been slain by the flame-formed divine bird resembling a golden roc.

"Senior Feng's phoenix feather truly possesses extraordinary marvels. Moreover, his methods seem to precisely restrain the southern demonic cult's lineage." Qinghong stretched out a finger, and a verdant stream of water enveloped Sima Kang.

"Gather your mind and calm your spirit; I shall assist you in suppressing the demonic fire."

The scorching demonic flames sputtered in sprays, but they were extinguished one by one within Xun Yi's Three-Light Divine Water, unable to harm Sima Kang's life.

In the distance, the Left Envoy of the Roc continuously shook the flag banner, but after several attempts, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, failing to take Sima Kang's life.

Witnessing this scene, the Left Envoy's expression darkened. He withdrew the Three-Saints Divine Fire Banner and thought to himself, "It seems there is a master practicing spells by this fellow's side, actually able to block our divine cult's blood curse! Could it be that the loose immortal Qinghong possesses such means?"

Consequently, the Left Envoy summoned his companions, and shortly thereafter, the other two arrived beneath the Golden Roc Demonic God. The golden roc bird perched upon the altar was the very essence of the cultivation arts they practiced.

"Two younger brothers, I now intend to make a move against the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds. What opinions do the two of you have?" He recounted what had just transpired.

The two envoys looked at each other and began to ponder thoughtfully.

The southern Radiant Sun Demonic Cult worshipped the Golden Crow, alongside seven kinds of divine and fierce birds. Each of the seven transforming divine divisions was managed by three human-immortal-grade envoys responsible for sacrificial rites. This was a rule inherited from the ancient Four-Directions Cult, being the remnants of the thirty-three demonic god traditions of the ancient Four-Directions Cult.

The gathering of the three envoys beneath the statue of the Golden Roc Demonic God formed the very core of power within the Roc Tribe.

The Right Envoy spoke cautiously, " Eldest Brother, those disciples were captured by the Xuanmen. Presumably, they will eventually be imprisoned in the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. For now, there is no need to worry about their safety. In my opinion, this matter requires careful deliberation."

"Deliberation? Deliberate on what?" the Central Envoy of the Roc sneered. "Mere Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds. When we calculated it previously, there wasn't even a single human immortal inside. Even if that loose immortal Qinghong has taken residence in the mansion, what achievements can he possibly accomplish? He invited friends to assist him in a brawl precisely to target our divine cult. Since that is the case, we shall simply fight them!"

"We must not act rashly or imprudently. In my view, we should still notify the Cult Master and wait for reinforcements from the cult."

"Wait for reinforcements from the cult? By then, to whom will the credit belong? Not long ago at the Myriad Saints Assembly, our Roc Tribe repeatedly made fools of ourselves. This rare opportunity to stand out in the spotlight—why should we cede it to them? Eldest Brother, if you trust me, give me three thousand White Crow Soldiers, and I will personally lead them to encircle and suppress the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds."

The Left Envoy had originally intended to use a borrowed knife to kill someone, having other divisions of the cult share the danger. But recalling the Myriad Saints Assembly from not long ago, he thought to himself: At the Myriad Saints Assembly, we were humiliated by the Netherworld Sect, becoming their stepping stone. This caused our Roc Tribe's reputation among the seven transforming divine divisions to decline day by day. Now, this immortal mansion is precisely the time for us to establish our prestige.

Therefore, he said, "Second Brother, I shall go with you! The Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds—we are determined to take it! Third Brother, what is your view?"

The Right Envoy hesitated in his heart, shook his head, and said, "The three of us are responsible for sacrificing to the Golden Roc Divine Lord and cannot all leave the altar. This time, I shall remain behind to guard it."

Seeing his attitude, the Central Envoy scoffed, "Then Third Brother stays here, and Second Brother and I will go deal with the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds."

Subsequently, the two envoys mustered five thousand White Crow divine soldiers of the Roc Tribe and charged toward the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds.

Once the two departed with their disciples, the Right Envoy felt uneasy and headed toward the profound altar deep within the Roc Tribe. This place was where the various elder predecessors of the Roc Tribe were in secluded cultivation.

The Radiant Sun Demonic Cult possessed an orderly hierarchy; aside from the Cult Master's lineage which worshipped the Golden Crow, the seven divisions each had three envoys honoring demonic gods. Disciples of each division cultivated their respective division's core scriptures, and upon mastering their cultivation arts, they could either ascend to the dignity of the three envoys or proceed to the depths of the sect for further cultivation.

The person the Right Envoy sought was a reclusive demonic cultivator.

"Uncle, Eldest Brother and Second Brother have gone to the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds, and I fear the two of them may fail. I earnestly request Uncle to secretly protect them to prevent them from falling into disaster."

That demonic person had a hooked nose, a sharp beak, and ribs that sprouted twin wings, resembling a bird-person, and was currently hanging upside down from an iron-wood tree.

Hearing the Right Envoy's words, the bird-person opened his eyes. "What, in the southern borderlands, is there still anyone who dares to look for trouble with us?"

"The killing tribulation has already begun; one cannot fail to be cautious. This trip to the Immortal Mansion of the Firmament Clouds is likely a Xuanmen trap." The three envoys were merely at the Divine Aspect realm, barely capable of "transforming into a roc" to fly through the heavens. However, the Iron-Winged Daoist before him was a demonic cultivator at the Profound-Passing realm—the retired Central Envoy of the previous generation.

Thinking of the killing tribulation, the Iron-Winged Daoist felt a chill in his heart and nodded. "Very well, then this old man shall take the trouble to make this trip!" His wings trembled behind him, accompanied faintly by a hurricane, and following the directions provided by the Right Envoy, he rushed toward the immortal mansion.

...

Qinghong smoothly assisted Sima Kang in suppressing the demonic fire and once again arrived at the entrance of the immortal mansion, cupping his hands in greeting. "I was tied up with trivial matters just now, keeping you all waiting for a long time."

Seeing him return, Qin Wu suddenly spoke, "Fellow Daoist, I also caught a glimpse of your steward just now; does he not seem to be a person of the Xuanmen? Judging by his cultivation, it appears to be the Qi of Turbid Miasma." Qin Wu spoke tactfully, but the other immortals all understood. This was a subtle insinuation that Qinghong was harboring members of the demonic path.

Immortal Maiden Yuzhi's expression startled, and she turned her gaze toward Qinghong. She saw this successor of the Firmament Clouds smiling as he said, "Did fellow Daoists forget? Back then at the Liling Sect, I mentioned that when my junior sister and I were young and hot-headed, there were many ill-intentioned individuals attempting to covet our immortal mansion. Therefore, we used the immortal mansion as a trap to capture those demonic cultivators one by one. Although some were killed by us, others showed signs of remorse and were temporarily kept within the dwelling. The person just now was precisely one of them. When his blood oath flared up, I merely stepped in to help suppress it."

Hearing of a blood oath, Li Jingshan asked with astonishment, "Senior Brother is capable of lifting the demonic sect's blood oath?"

The demonic sect's blood oath was the cornerstone upon which the demonic sect was able to exist. Without the constraint of the blood oath, given the oppressive style of the demonic sect from top to bottom, the demonic sect would not have been able to survive even without the Xuanmen immortals making a move.

"The demonic sect's blood oaths are bizarre and varied, and I once studied them myself. If the attributes oppose each other, it is perhaps possible to barely suppress them to some extent." Qinghong clapped his hands together. "All things in heaven and earth generate and restrain one another; just as curses are born, methods to restrain them will arise in the future. Fellow Daoist Qin, if the demonic sect possesses a blood oath closely tied to thunder techniques, could you break it?"

"If it involves thunder techniques, naturally our Taixiao Palace is paramount!" Qin Wu said with a proud expression. "Our Divine Heaven Thunder Technique is the lord of all thunder; what is there that cannot be broken?"

"Precisely this reasoning. That fire curse is related to the southern demonic cult, and my Three-Light Divine Water just happens to suppress it."

Just as the Heavenly Fragrance Jade Dew could dissolve the "Blood-Cicada Curse," the Three-Light Divine Water could likewise temporarily suppress the demonic fire of the Radiant Sun Demonic Cult.

Yuming of the Liling Sect spoke, "Let us set those matters aside for now. Presently, the people of the demonic cult have already arrived, and judging by the situation... it is the Roc division?" He possessed sharp vision; as the Left Envoy of the Roc led his forces to arrive, he immediately perceived it.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanchu became spirited. "The Roc division? Their cultivation of the *Heavenly Roc Profound Mystery Scripture* is hailed as a surviving remnant text of the Four-Directions Cult. We must be on guard against them."

Wu He remarked, "Speaking of the Four-Directions Cult, I heard people say that the momentum of the ancient Four-Directions Cult surpassed even the current Blood Sea Demonic Path. Were they truly that powerful back then?"

Looking at the current Four-Directions Demonic Cult, even if the four major demonic cults were combined, it would still be difficult for them to contend with a few Xuanmen grotto-heavens. In ancient times, were they really that strong?

"Little brother Wu must not be careless. The Four-Directions Cult was ancient demonic Dao, ranking alongside the Blood Sea and the Black Sage as the three major demonic paths. Speaking of which, the Heavenly Heart Demonic Sect, the White Lotus Pure Sect, and the Netherworld Evil Sect only rose to prominence later; how could they possibly have a history as ancient as the three major demonic paths?"

The three major demonic paths had split; the Blood Sea remained the undisputed leader of the demonic sect. The Four-Directions Cult had split into four factions, while the Black Sage Path had split into the Black Sage Sect and the Six-Armed Demonic God Sect.

"Moreover, the Four-Directions Cult back then was hailed alongside the Blood Sea as the direct lineage of the Demon Ancestor, bearing the title of the 'Twin Pillars.' Had the ancient Tiangang Cult not paid the price of extermination, and numerous ancient qi refiners joined forces to drive the Azure Cloud Manifesting Subduing Demons Great Formation, how else could they have been resolved? Furthermore, although the Four-Directions Cult declined, it still occupied four-tenths of the demonic sect's influence. From this, one can glimpse the power of their prime."

"Indeed." Qin Wu also admonished Wu He, "Our Taixiao Palace eradicates demons and defends the Dao, but we must not give rise to arrogant thoughts. This Four-Directions Cult is different from our Xuanmen. The demonic path maintains ancient customs, mostly centered around sacrificing to demonic gods. The Four-Directions Cult pays homage to demonic gods and cultivates demonic arts through the bodies of demonic gods. Their Thirty-Three Heavens Demonic God Dao is by no means inferior to the Supreme *Three Grottoes True Scripture* and our *Divine Heaven True Scripture*."

The foundational heritage of the Four-Directions Cult was the Thirty-Three Heavens Demonic Gods. Unfortunately, in the ancient great war, the Thirty-Three Heavens Demonic Gods were shattered into pieces, while the Thirty-Six Tiangang Divine Tokens of the Tiangang Cult also scattered without a trace.

Listening attentively on the side, Qinghong thought silently to himself: "The Tiangang Cult? Come to think of it, a portion of what Lady Chen has learned is related to the Tiangang Cult."

While several of them were conversing, the Left Envoy of the Roc led his disciples to descend at the entrance of the immortal mansion.