The supreme lord bit his tongue. The city’s Vermilion Bird guardian had been partly why he hadn’t ordered an immediate assault. He feared the golems even more, but the ancient bird had been the one to appear instead. The turn of events both startled and disquieted him.

Why was the Vermilion Bird so recklessly expending its energy when so close to death? Wasn’t this accelerating its own demise? This was highly startling.

The golems’ absence also disquieted him. Had they all followed Jiang Chen to the Ninesuns Sky Sect? If so, it didn’t bode well for Elder Peng and Elder Mo’s ambush. There were eight stone brothers after all.

They might not have recovered their full strength and couldn’t match the two elders in individual fighting prowess potential. But even with the advantage of surprise, two elders against eight golems was a tall...