Xue Ji used a puppet inscribed with a transposition spell to swap places with herself. She hid near the heavenly tribulation lightning, using it both as cover and as a means to deliver a heavy blow to Cain.
“This thing is really hard to kill. Even with such formidable power, I still couldn’t take him down.”
Observing Cain within the sphere of tribulation lightning, Xue Ji didn’t notice Ling Xiaoxiao who had already arrived beside her.
The Phoenix Feather within Xue Ji’s body suddenly showed signs of wanting to leave. Ling Xiaoxiao stood before her, looking at her with an apologetic gaze.
“Xiao Ji, I need to take this back for now.”
“No.”
Xue Ji refused outright, leaving Ling Xiaoxiao somewhat at a loss.
Seeing her flustered state, Xue Ji patted her own left chest and said, “Since you gave it to me, it’s mine. This time, you’re borrowing it from me. Understand?”
Xue Ji’s attitude had become much more assertive than before. She was tired of being manipulated by various forces, which ended up hurting those close to her. She refused to stay silent any longer; she wanted to open her heart to those she loved and who loved her.
“Ling Xiaoxiao, what’s between us isn’t finished. Even though I’m still very confused right now, one thing I am certain of,” Xue Ji’s eyes were deadly serious, “I want you to come back alive.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Xiaoxiao could no longer restrain the impulse in her heart and pulled Xue Ji into an embrace.
“Don’t worry,” Ling Xiaoxiao whispered, playfully nipping Xue Ji’s cheek, “I told you, once I return this time, we’ll get married.”
Remembering those words, Xue Ji’s heart skipped a beat, and she finally released the Phoenix Feather that had remained within her body.
As the feather returned to Ling Xiaoxiao, her aura instantly exploded, skyrocketing at an astonishing rate until it faintly surpassed Cain’s, only then slowing its ascent.
“What exactly is this feather?” Xue Ji asked.
“My life-bound magical artifact. I sealed a portion of my soul and spiritual energy within it to nurture and preserve it.”
“So, you mean you put a part of yourself inside my body before?” Xue Ji said, suddenly feeling the phrasing was strange.
“That’s right. Xiao Ji, you had just returned and weren’t adapted to the spiritual energy environment, yet your soul was incredibly powerful—the exact opposite of my situation at the time.” Here, she offered Xue Ji an apologetic look. “I meant no harm. If I offended you, I’ll make it up to you when I get back.”
“I have no intention of letting you go alone,” Xue Ji declared, grabbing Ling Xiaoxiao’s hand and following along without room for argument.
“But you…” Ling Xiaoxiao started to protest, then felt the still-immense power radiating from Xue Ji.
“Something whose origin I haven’t even figured out, how could I truly rely on it?” Xue Ji tilted her head, grinning triumphantly.
Over the past few months, she had been researching the mutual conversion of spiritual energy and magical power. Although the efficiency wasn’t high, it was enough for one bout of extravagance.
Seeing her like this, the gloom in Ling Xiaoxiao’s heart dissipated entirely. She no longer wanted to die, never again. She would face the inner demon of a millennium, cross the chasm to Deification, and live.
Ling Xiaoxiao summoned her spirit sword. This time, she called it by its name: Red Bereavement. Her master had left it to her. The pain of the past had made her choose to forget, but this time, for no particular reason, she remembered.
The sword’s surface shattered, revealing a snow-white blade that emitted a strange red glow.
Looking at the sword, Xue Ji felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. If she had thought a bit harder, she would have recalled that in Ling Xiaoxiao’s memories, her own life-bound spirit sword from her past life was this very one.
This battle was the most powerful clash between participants since the spiritual energy resurgence. Its outcome would shape the future of the entire world.
Under the emergency coordination of the Paranormal Alliance, on-site paranormal unit members initiated a live broadcast. This broadcast was watched by high-level officials worldwide.
Divine Fire of the Chongming Bird continuously surged around Ling Xiaoxiao, transforming into a blazing sun as she charged directly at Cain, who had just emerged from the tribulation lightning.
“Despicable! You Huaxia people have no martial honor, attacking when someone is vulnerable!”
Still numb and tingling all over, Cain had no way to dodge this strike. Ling Xiaoxiao’s sword pierced his heart. The邪-dispelling flames exploded inside him, and countless fiery feathers shot forth from his body, as dazzling as fireworks.
After landing this strike, Ling Xiaoxiao flung out a Bagua Trigram Disk, trapping Cain within it.
Cain decisive abandoned his body, his head fleeing alone, only to find the surrounding sky encircled by trails of flame.
Xue Ji controlled all the fiery feathers, combining them with her own flames to cast a super-tier spell.
“O Dragon King who rules over magma and sky, grant me the authority to govern the fiery hell. With the soul of a false god, let the heavens burn!”
The spiritual energy within Xue Ji instantly diminished by more than half. Super-tier magic touched upon the domain of the divine; even at her peak, she wouldn’t use it lightly.
A hundred-meter-wide magic circle unfolded above Cain’s head. Out in the cosmos, a meteor shattered, then vanished.
Fragments of the meteor appeared from within the magic circle, reassembling with Cain’s head at the core, imprisoning him within the meteorite.
The fiery feathers gradually outlined the shape of a giant dragon, whose claws gripped the meteorite and easily crushed it.
A massive explosion reverberated across Europe. The sight of the dragon shattering the meteorite left high-level officials of various nations in awe.
The site of the explosion continuously radiated light and heat like a miniature star.
What creature could possibly survive such a divine spectacle?
Could Cain?
On his own, absolutely not.
As he felt the footsteps of death approaching, he yielded to a certain existence.
Simultaneously, back at the Huaxia battlefield, Shaya and the others were about to finish off Xino, who had transformed into a demonic flower, when the flower withered on its own.
A putrid, twisted aura spread out, forcing everyone to retreat immediately.
During the retreat, Song Liangpeng, who possessed the vampire antibody, had his arm scratched by a thorn, shedding a few drops of blood.
These blood drops were enveloped by a mysterious force and vanished to parts unknown.
BOOM!
The third heavenly tribulation struck. Ling Xiaoxiao’s tribulation was特殊; this time, it actually descended in human form.
And the face of the newcomer was familiar to both Ling Xiaoxiao and Xue Ji.
The tribulation lightning had taken the form of Ling Xiaoxiao’s master. Every smile and frown was vividly lifelike, causing both of them to dazed for a moment.
The sight of the pale girl figure left the watching high-level officials exchanging bewildered glances. How could lightning transform into a human shape?
“Xiao Ji, don’t intervene,” Ling Xiaoxiao said, pointing her sword at the lightning幻化的 figure, her gaze resolute.
However, before Xue Ji could respond, another tribulation lightning descended, transforming into the likeness of Ling Xiaoxiao herself.
This second incarnated tribulation pointed its sword at Xue Ji. It seemed the heavenly judgment had identified both of them as targets.
Now, Xue Ji couldn’t run even if she wanted to.
“Ling Xiaoxiao, I really owe you one,” Xue Ji gritted her teeth, complaining to Ling Xiaoxiao beside her.