The night sky was torn open as if by a savage gash, an abyss roaring in like a flood dragon with destructive force.
At that very instant, thanks to Diya’s cry, Robin, who had lost consciousness, finally recovered and deployed those few Tribulation-Crossing Artifacts at the most critical juncture!
A massive "BOOM!" echoed, as if heaven and earth had collapsed, shaking the world.
Dozens of meters directly above Robin, three spirit-gleaming artifacts formed a triangle, perfectly intercepting the first bolt of heavenly lightning!
This was truly a moment balanced on a knife’s edge. Had Robin been even a fraction slower, everyone present would have been utterly annihilated, leaving not even dust behind; even the omnipotent Zhong Shenxiu could not bring them back to life!
However, although the first lightning bolt was blocked, Robin paid a price, sustaining an injury. A mouthful of blood erupted, and her entire body swayed precariously!
In truth, if she hadn't been afflicted by the inner demon, and if her response hadn't been so rushed, Robin could have blocked this first bolt of heavenly lightning with ease.
"Princess Robin!" Bellidanti was the first to witness Robin spitting blood, her heart seizing in alarm.
"Sister!" Diya lunged forward instinctively!
"D-don't come over!" Robin choked out, struggling to command them. But the effort made her vomit another mouthful of blood—this time, it was black.
Robin knew her condition; the black miasma swirling around her was something even she struggled to resist. If Diya and these mere mortals were to touch it, they would certainly be instantly consumed and perish!
Originally, Robin had intended to urge the two of them to flee this place quickly. She was acutely aware of the terror of the Heavenly Tribulation, and she knew she couldn't hold out for long in her current state! But when she surveyed the surroundings, she abandoned that thought.
Within a one-mile radius centered on her, nothing seemed disturbed. But outside this boundary, it was utter devastation—charred wasteland everywhere, interspersed with pits of varying sizes!
These were caused by the residual shockwaves of the heavenly lightning. If Bellidanti and Diya left now, they would only hasten their deaths!
The soldiers lingering on the periphery had miraculously survived. But their faces had turned the color of ash; they had never witnessed such terrifying destructive power, let alone heard tales of it! Some were already reduced to incontinence from sheer terror!
Death is certainly frightening, but the feeling of awaiting death is far more dreadful!
In just a brief moment, the second bolt of heavenly lightning was already nearing completion. Robin's situation was dire: on one hand, she had to control the artifacts; on the other, she had to fight the black miasma consuming her. She faced not only the danger of the lightning but also the imminent threat of losing her sanity again!
Robin arduously supported her failing body. She cast a desolate glance at Diya, who was now dissolved in tears. She understood she could not die yet; she had to persevere as long as there was a glimmer of hope!
Gritting her teeth, Robin formed hand seals and pointed into the air, injecting more spiritual power into the three artifacts. The consequence of this action was immediate: the rate at which the black miasma corroded her body doubled, and she spewed several streams of black blood in quick succession!
"Little sister!" Diya screamed hoarsely, a sound so agonizing it could shatter hearts.
Just then, the second bolt of heavenly lightning descended, fiercer and more terrifying than the first!
Another tremendous "BOOM!" reverberated, causing dizziness and a ringing roar in the ears. Bellidanti, unable to care for herself, forced her eyes open to look toward Robin. The sight that met her paralyzed her where she stood!
There, Robin had collapsed onto the ground. Her clothes were ripped in numerous places, revealing shocking, gaping wounds as if she had been struck by thousands of blades. Black blood surged ceaselessly from the injuries!
"Princess Robin!" Bellidanti felt as if her own heart was breaking, crying out before throwing herself toward Robin.
If it weren't for having to save them, if she hadn't brought out the Palace Master’s corpse, Robin wouldn't be like this. If only I could be stronger, none of this tragedy would have occurred!
Bellidanti’s lips were bleeding where she bit them, yet the pain was nothing compared to the torment of self-reproach!
"No... don't come... over," Robin managed to speak with immense effort. Her eyes were entirely swallowed by the black gas, rendered vacant and lifeless.
Just as Bellidanti was about to touch the black miasma, an invisible force violently shoved her back.
This was Robin using the last vestiges of her strength to prevent Bellidanti’s reckless move.
The third bolt of heavenly lightning took longer to brew than the previous two, and its power was exponentially greater! Intercepting the first two had already pushed Robin past her current limits, and the three artifacts now hovered two meters above her, their light dimmed. Their precarious suspension indicated they could offer no further resistance!
The lightning in the sky possessed no mercy. The colossal pillar of light continued to gather, weaving dynamically through the dark clouds. Given the circumstances, it seemed this third strike would be the final one.
Robin lay motionless in the pool of blood. Her limbs were still, yet she could clearly feel the faint, sweet energy within her gradually growing stronger!
There was no fear on Robin's face, only reluctance and deep affection. In this moment, thoughts of many things crossed her mind, but the most frequent was of Zhong Shenxiu!
Master, Robin cannot stay by your side any longer. Will you blame me? Master, I long to see you one last time. If there is a next life, Robin still wishes to follow you!
The third bolt of heavenly lightning finally reached its zenith of power, and at the same moment, Robin's body inexplicably began to float. She turned toward Bellidanti and Diya, offering a tragic smile, and used the last scrap of her meager power to envelop them within the three artifacts for protection, launching herself upward toward the high sky!
Robin was clearly attempting to sacrifice herself to save Bellidanti and Diya. The Tribulation was drawn by her; if she died, the lightning would cease! Whether this course of action would work was unknown, but it was the only thing Robin could do!
"No!" Bellidanti roared, her voice cracking with despair. She understood the meaning behind Robin's expression perfectly; it was the same look the Palace Master Pagie wore before she died!
But her cry had no effect. The third bolt of heavenly lightning descended nonetheless, aimed directly at Robin, who had already accepted her fate!
"Master, Robin goes ahead of you!" As this thought surfaced, Robin finally lost consciousness.
Just as the lightning neared Robin, a figure appeared in the far distance of the sky, streaking toward them with a speed faster than lightning!
And this person was none other than a grim-faced Zhong Shenxiu!
It was a contest of speed—who would arrive first?
The scene shifted back to the front of the Merchant Guild in the "City of Dream Evening."
Upon hearing that strange laughter, every cell in Bi'er’s body nearly died of fright. Not just because the laugh was horrifying, but because it emanated from someone who should have been dead. The longsword had clearly pierced straight through his throat; why was he laughing?
At this moment, Zachary was not only laughing but also scrutinizing Bi'er with his sinister, green-glowing eyes, as if looking at a delectable meal!
Reacting purely on instinct, Bi'er maximized his Battle Qi and executed several instantaneous magic spells, all aimed at Zachary’s head!
However, another terrifying sight unfolded before him. Zachary's head detached itself and flew toward him, mouth agape, ready to bite!
Because Bi'er's sword lost its point of resistance, he instantly lost balance and staggered backward, having no time to change direction and evade the attack!
"Ah!" A shriek tore from Bi'er’s throat. He had been caught squarely by Zachary!
At the critical moment, he managed to use his hand to block Zachary’s intended bite toward his throat, but inevitably, his hand became the target.
A searing pain instantly shot from the point of impact through his entire body, becoming unbearable!
Bi'er could feel the bone in his arm being crushed, but that wasn't the worst part. The worst was the sensation of a dreadful power surging upward along his limb, relentlessly destroying the tissues inside him. If this power reached his brain, the consequences would be unthinkable!
In that moment, Bi'er went berserk, swinging his sword at Zachary’s severed head with all his might! "***Get your mouth off me!" As Bi'er roared, the sword struck Zachary's head solidly.
A sharp "CLANG" sounded. Not only was Zachary's head completely unharmed, but the hand Bi'er used to swing the sword was instantly jolted numb!
Bi'er’s eyeballs nearly popped out. Was this thing even a head?!
"Die! Die for me!" Bi'er hacked down again wildly, but the result was the same—utterly useless!
Bi'er was despairing to the point of tears, thinking how utterly foolish he was to come looking for trouble here. Now, he might lose his life, and all his ambitions for hegemony would be dashed!
Just then, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and Bi'er’s vision blurred!
This was disastrous. Bi'er’s heart hammered with panic; he knew if he didn't do something immediately, he was finished!
Biting his lip and stomping his foot, Bi'er redirected his longsword, hacking off one of his own arms. Simultaneously, a spray of foul-smelling green blood erupted!
Ignoring the pain, Bi'er used his Wind Magic to turn and flee; all he wanted was to escape this perilous spot immediately.
However, just as his body lifted off the ground, two unidentified flying objects chased after him—they were Zachary’s severed arms! They had transformed into two tracking missiles!
"Damn your ancestors, is this ever going to end!?" Bi'er was truly losing his mind.