Phoenix Den, a remote zone within Flame Canyon, was known for spawning many different kinds of high rank flying mounts. However, obtaining one of them came at a great price. Asskickers United never dispatched troops there, nor did most other guilds, simply because it was too dangerous. Angel Corps were the only ones who dared to explore that place. According to rumours, they suffered heavy losses with very little to show for their efforts. Now it appeared those reports were a bit off.

The Vermillion Garudas were likely all captured in the Phoenix Den. As for the Scarlet Flame Dragon, it’d been spotted there many times stealing phoenix eggs.

These several flying mounts caught Nie Yan and Xie Yao completely off guard.

“GRAAOH!” The Darkwing Dragon thrashed about violently, but it couldn’t break free. In fact, the more it struggled, the tighter the flame nets became. It became hard to breathe under the pressure.

Meanwhile, the Scarlet Flame Dragon and Immortal Phoenix were in a fierce struggle. The Immortal Phoenix was dealt a mortal blow during the initial ambust, leaving it at a disadvantage. It was caught again by the Scarlet Flame Dragon’s claws.

The rider of Scarlet Flame Dragon was a Warrior. His appearance was very familiar, someone Nie Yan had encountered several times before—Stone Splitter!

“So this is all a phoenix amounts to? Pathetic!” Stone Splitter sneered.

If it weren’t for your ambush, my Immortal Phoenix would not be in such a sorry state!

A large number of Rank 5 and 6 flying mounts were assisting the Scarlet Flame Dragon. Every time it attacked, they would get in the phoenix’s way, leaving it unable to dodge the Scarlet Flame Dragon’s attacks. Before long, it suffered serious injuries.

「Don’t worry about me! Just run!」Nie Yan anxiously cried out. He knew the situation was extremely grave. The Darkwing Dragon couldn’t escape. He couldn’t allow Xie Yao’s phoenix to be dragged in as well! Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others weren’t off any better. They were fighting their way out of a fierce battle, their losses quickly racking up, and in no shape to come help them.

Xie Yao steeled her heart and commanded her phoenix to escape.

“Think you can get away so easily? Dream on!” Stone Splitter snorted. The Scarlet Flame Dragon swooped down and grabbed onto the phoenix’s neck.

Xie Yao had her phoenix fire a jet of flames at the Scarlet Flame Dragon, only for a Rank 6 Thunder Hawk to swoop in from the side. BANG! The flames burned both flying mount and rider, its force sending them flying. An instant kill!

However, the phoenix’s only chance to escape was gone!

Xie Yao despaired. She waved her staff, casting Ethereal as her body vanished out of sight.

“SCREEEEH!” the phoenix let out a mournful cry before erupting into flames and disappearing into nothing.

Stone Splitter checked his notification.

Stone Splitter coldly chuckled. “Immortal my ass.”

Stone Splitter had his Scarlet Flame Dragon turn around and pounce toward the Darkwing Dragon.

The flame nets were too tight. Nie Yan glanced at his hotbar. The icon to recall his flying mount was grayed out. The situation felt eerily similar to the one in the underworld not so long ago. He didn’t like it one bit.

Several Rank 6 flying mounts swooped down from above in an attempt to kill Nie Yan. He leaped into the air and landed on the back of a Thunder Hawk. With a flash of his blade, the rider was instantly killed. Nie Yan switched his weapon to Zennarde’s Sword.

Annihilation Slash!

An enormous flaming azure sword cleaved through the air, instantly engulfing five Rank 6 flying mounts.

BOOOM! The tip of the attack struck one of the Vermillion Garudas, knocking it off course as it suffered heavy injuries.

One of the flame nets binding the Darkwing Dragon dissipated.

Sadly, Nie Yan only had a single Annihilation Slash. Ordinary skills wouldn’t work on Rank 7 flying mounts.

“Dammit!” Nie Yan cursed. He had underestimated Angel Corps’ strength, and because of that had fallen into their ambush. To make matters worse, he’d never seen the Vermillion Garuda before, in this life or the past one. He didn’t know its skills, or how to deal with it. Alas, it was already too late for regrets.

After killing the Immortal Phoenix, the Scarlet Flame Dragon’s next target was the Darkwing Dragon.

With Annihilation Slash on cooldown, Nie Yan was out of skills that could deal with high rank flying mounts.

The Scarlet Flame Dragon opened its maw and fired out a flame blast.

Adjudicator of God!

BOOOM! The Darkwing Dragon writhed in pain from the attack. Nie Yan was more fortunate, a golden membrane protecting him from the scorching hot flames.

It was already too late to save the Darkwing Dragon. Sensing the pain and suffering it was in, Nie Yan’s eyes went bloodshot. Clenching the handle of his dagger until the veins on his arm bulged out, he locked eyes with Stone Splitter.

“Nirvana Flame, glare at me all you want! If you have the guts, I’m standing right here! Let’s see how you’ll kill me!” Stone Splitter taunted. He didn’t know why, but he felt his legs go somewhat weak seeing Nie Yan standing within the flames like a god. He didn’t dare to let his Scarlet Flame Dragon approach too close.

The Scarlet Dragon’s flame blast had a cooldown!

Nie Yan swapped out Zennarde’s Sword back for the Bloody Dagger. He thought of a plan as he gradually realized one thing. The Darkwing Dragon couldn’t be saved this time!

He glanced at the Resurrection Crystal in his bag. His heart turned cold. He had no choice. This was the only way!

「Stone Splitter, you idiot! What are you doing!? Quickly kill him. Don’t give Nirvana Flame the chance to escape!」Soaring Angel cursed.

“The boss gave a command! Don’t let Nirvana Flame get away!”

Stone Splitter immediately had the Scarlet Flame Dragon pounce forward.

Nie Yan couldn’t face the Scarlet Flame Dragon head-on. He extended his hand and shot a webline at its back. However, as soon as the webbing came in contact with the flames on the Scarlet Flame Dragon’s scales, it went up in smoke.

The webline didn’t play well with fire!

Seeing the Scarlet Flame Dragon charging forward, Nie Yan leaped aside, dodging its claws, then came back in with a kick to its head.

Nie Yan’s attack dealt no damage. The Scarlet Flame Dragon ignored him completely, instead clawing down on the Darkwing Dragon’s neck.

“GRAAoooh...” the Darkwing Dragon let out a mournful cry.

After being continuously burned by the flame nets for so long, the Darkwing Dragon was already greatly weakened. With this fatal blow from the Scarlet Flame Dragon, it finally succumbed to death.

Nie Yan chanted an incantation. With a flash of light, the Darkwing Dragon’s corpse disappeared.

The players from Angel Corps were caught off guard. They looked at the spot where only a moment ago the massive corpse of the Darkwing Dragon was.

In this brief moment of distraction, Nie Yan leaped toward a nearby Wind Serpent. Cut Throat! He instantly took out its rider.

“Stone Splitter, he’s over there!”

“Don’t let him run!” Stone Splitter roared.

Nie Yan started chanting on the Wind Serpent’s back. Flying mounts came swooping down towards him from every direction.

“Stone Splitter, t-the phoenix is reviving!”

“What!?” Stone Splitter turned around and looked into the distance. Where the phoenix died, a small ember blazed. Slowly, the silhouette of an enormous bird emerged. Xie Yao, who had vanished earlier, appeared on its back.

Phoenix Rebirth!

After the phoenix revived, it flapped its wings and fled away.

“Stone Splitter, she’s running!”

“Shit! So fast!”

The revived phoenix disappeared behind the horizon in the blink of an eye.

“It doesn’t matter! Take out Nirvana Flame!”

A murder of flying mounts swooped down on Nie Yan.

Seeing these flying mounts fast approaching, Nie Yan coldly smiled. “I’ll remember this debt today. Count my words, I’ll come back to settle this score!” He silently counted down in his mind. Five, four, three, two, one. With a flash of light, he disappeared.

The players from Angel Corps were all dumbstruck.

“Fatty, use your spatial magic to pull him back!”

“Quickly, we only have five seconds!”

A chubby Magister hurriedly waved his staff. A powerful magic ripple spread out. After several seconds, he grimaced. “What Nirvana Flame used wasn’t an Unknown Transfer Scroll, but some kind of fixed point teleportation magic. My spatial magic isn’t of high enough rank to pull him back.”

“Fuck! You useless sack of shit! Why can’t that fat of yours go to your brain instead!” Stone Splitter cursed. “Fuck, we let him escape again!”

The Magisters’ face turned red like a tomato. He angrily shouted, “I need at least Rank 13 spatial magic to pull him back. Do you think anyone has that at this stage of the game!? I’ve never seen anyone with higher than Rank 8! So, fuck off!”

“Whatever.” Stone splitter snorted. It appeared Nie Yan had already planned his escape.

Stone Splitter turned back and gazed into the distance. Xie Yao’s phoenix was already long gone.

Watching everything from the live feed, Soaring Angel slammed his armrest. “Those useless idiots! They can’t get anything done right!” Nie Yan had slipped right out of their grasp, again! And the phoenix they worked so hard to kill suddenly revived and fled away. Their only achievement was killing the Darkwing Dragon. However, more than its confirmed death they didn’t get. Its corpse had disappeared, and with it the Life Core within its head. The threat of revival was real. Though for most players an impossibility, Nie Yan was one of the few exceptions. Other than an intact corpse, he would need an incredibly rare Resurrection Crystal to bring it back to life. Soaring Angel could only pray Asskickers United didn’t have one.

Soaring Angel tapped his armest in agitation and shot up from his seat. Did this count as a victory or a loss? Even though they hadn’t obtained a single Life Core, they had succeeded in the ambush. He had his army outside Okoron launch a second wave of attacks.

Nie Yan returned to the guild headquarters in Okoron and entered the main hall. He worried for Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others. They too were in a fierce battle last he heard. He hurriedly ordered them to withdraw.

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

After a while, Xie Yao walked into the main hall. Thankfully, her phoenix had the Rebirth skill, giving it an extra life. With its revival, it had undergone a huge transformation.