Ling Xiaoxiao charged towards Cain, channeling the Heavenly Tribulation she had been building up for so long. By now, the sheer power of the Tribulation could be keenly felt even by those watching from below.
Like the first lightning strike of an apocalyptic cataclysm, no one could face its full force directly.
The entire sky was illuminated by a pale, fierce light, with stray bolts of lightning crackling across it like fissures in the heavens, a truly awe-inspiring sight.
The space in this area was being violently distorted by the combined forces of the Tribulation and Cain’s power, rendering teleportation magic useless. Xueji had no choice but to push herself to the limit, chasing after Ling Xiaoxiao with everything she had.
“Lilith, I need your help!” Xueji couldn’t afford to hold back any longer; she needed to fly faster.
Lilith didn’t respond verbally but silently merged with her host.
Shadows once again enveloped Xueji’s form. Black bandages and chains coiled around her body, and her eyes were taken over by an aggressive, glowing red.
Her originally blue flight trajectory suddenly accelerated, leaving a stark, dark streak across the sky.
Watching from below, Pope Aliyah observed this scene and mentally raised her assessment of Xueji’s threat level.
The distance between Xueji and Ling Xiaoxiao was shrinking, now only about a hundred meters apart.
But the Heavenly Tribulation would wait no longer. The first bolt had already descended, carrying the immense, overwhelming might of the heavens and earth. A waterfall of pale lightning cascaded down.
Cain was startled by this development. His transformation not yet complete, he was forced to abort the final stage of the sacrificial ritual. According to his plan, using the bloody mist to claim the lives of these powerful humans would have perfectly met the conditions for his ascension to godhood.
His greed had now landed him in a predicament that should not have existed. At this moment, he genuinely faced the possibility of being dragged to his doom along with Ling Xiaoxiao.
As the first wave of lightning struck, this section of the sky became sealed off, trapping both Ling Xiaoxiao and Cain within. Xueji found herself just barely shut out.
Filled with frustration, she assaulted the spatial barrier. Enhanced by Lilith’s possession, her offensive capabilities had increased dozens of times over.
Her current level, further amplified by Lilith, meant that the mutated fang-beast leader she had encountered before wouldn’t have lasted a single round against her now.
Xueji coated the World Tree Staff with shadows, morphing it into a long spear. Its tip was engraved with glowing runes.
Once manifested, the divine spear’s aura, capable of piercing through all, was unstoppable.
“Divine Spear, Gungnir!”
Through her own power, Xueji had recreated the legendary artifact said to never miss its mark and penetrate any defense—the weapon of Odin, the All-Father.
A black, spiraling vortex gathered at the spear’s point. The runes flickered and changed until they locked onto Xueji’s target.
She hurled the spear. Its impact against the spatial barrier created a massive shockwave, a continuously overflowing force that pressed down upon everything between heaven and earth.
Even the powerful humans below were forced to their knees under this oppressive might.
The emergence of the divine spear commanded reverence from all. Across Europe, people simultaneously turned their gazes toward this direction.
A certain restriction that had long enveloped the territory of Romania was shattered. The events happening here were now sensed by the outside world.
The crimson mist, the pale lightning, and the jet-black divine spear painted a scene straight out of a mythical apocalypse. This bizarre spectacle instantly set the internet ablaze. Reporters nearby disregarded the danger, moving closer to the legendary vampire castle.
This recreated Gungnir truly had an effect on the spatial barrier. On the previously indestructible shield, dense, web-like cracks began to spiderweb across its surface.
“Big sister… I feel terrible,” Lilith’s voice came through, weak and strained.
Recreating such a powerful artifact placed an immense burden on Lilith, especially since the area affected by the Heavenly Tribulation had a pronounced suppressive effect on her.
“Lilith, hold on a little longer, please.”
“You… hopeless sage… Ugh!”
Xueji had no intention of stopping now. She channeled all her remaining spiritual power, holding nothing back, pouring it entirely into the divine spear.
Within the consciousness space, Lilith was in such agony she nearly blacked out.
Xueji, the cultivator, supported Lilith, helping her sit down cross-legged with her back facing her.
Even though she was just a lingering obsession from a past life, Xueji couldn’t stand idly by at this moment.
“Lilith, close your eyes. Focus your spirit and gather your qi.”
Tormented by intense pain, Lilith couldn’t respond, but she managed to enter the required meditative state.
Xueji placed her palms against Lilith’s back. The pain transmitted through them couldn’t help but remind her of past years—of the times a millennium ago when she had helplessly endured Ling Xiaoxiao’s torment.
With an ear-piercing sound of shattering, the spatial barrier was finally breached by Xueji.
The first wave of the Tribulation had engulfed Ling Xiaoxiao and Cain. The second wave had condensed into a massive meteor-like bolt, poised to crash down.
The first wave hadn’t affected them too severely yet. Xueji still had a chance to alter Ling Xiaoxiao’s fate.
Sensing a familiar presence, Ling Xiaoxiao turned her head, looking at Xueji in surprise.
She saw Xueji charging toward her, blazing with fury. Xueji grabbed her by the collar and demanded, “What do you think you’re doing! Did I rush here to save you just so you could keep trying to get yourself killed?”
Ling Xiaoxiao had never seen her this angry before. Or perhaps this was Xueji’s true temperament.
Under Xueji’s sharp gaze, Ling Xiaoxiao didn’t know what to say and could only remain silent.
“You two! How dare you ignore me, Cain, the God-King of the Vampires!”
Cain chose this inopportune moment to interrupt Xueji’s interrogation of Ling Xiaoxiao.
Xueji turned her head, her eyes filled with a fierce, ruthless glint. “You don’t get to speak here!” she snarled.
She tossed Ling Xiaoxiao aside and pointed her staff once more at Cain.
Looking at her now, Cain couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. “You couldn’t even scratch me at your full strength before. What can you do now, weakened as you are? Die!”
After absorbing the bloody mist, Cain’s form had grown gigantic, standing a full ten meters tall. His fangs elongated, his limbs twisted, making him resemble more of a beast. A pair of enormous bat-like wings, demonic in appearance, beat behind him, radiating a terrifying aura.
He accelerated instantly, closing the distance to Xueji like lightning. Before she could react, he wrenched her head from her shoulders.
Blood splattered across his face, filling him with immense pleasure.
This petite head was the perfect trophy. Cain looked down, wanting to admire his handiwork. But as he opened his hand, all he saw was an utterly ordinary stone.
Above, the massive meteor-like bolt of the Heavenly Tribulation was descending. Cain had no time to ponder; he quickly spread his wings to defend himself.
Suddenly, he felt the Tribulation was right upon him.
“What’s happening?”
“Argh! AAAAAAAAAAH!”
With a thunderous boom, the spherical lightning bolt, a hundred meters in diameter, swallowed him whole. Trapped within, Cain received the full, undiluted “electrotherapy” treatment.
Xueji watched him from below, both middle fingers raised as she shouted, “Don’t just grab stones from a mage, you idiot!”
Watching her like this, Ling Xiaoxiao felt her heartbeat quicken. Xueji was far more powerful than she had imagined. Just seeing her brought an immense sense of security.
Feeling Ling Xiaoxiao’s gaze, Xueji glanced sideways at her, her expression still angry. “What are you looking at? We’ll settle this when we get back.”
Strangely excited by being scolded like this—a feeling she’d never experienced before—Ling Xiaoxiao responded with a bright smile. “Yes. I’ll submit to whatever punishment Lady Xueji decides.”
Xueji shot her a confused look before turning her eyes away.
‘Has this fool been addled by the lightning?’v