The lightning pillar didn’t quite reach all the way to the ground . Rather , it stopped just above Saeward’s head , where a steely portal swirled . Looking at it filled Zac with immense pressure , as though the overflowing energy in the atrium was just a small candle to the raging sun hiding within .
That gate leads to Saeward’s Inner World , - Kruta whispered . - The aura is wrong , just like the tribulation , but he should already have entered the Middle-stage going by the clues . -
Then why the tribulation? - Zac whispered .
Probably because of how he tries to break through . He’s not doing so well . He didn’t actually manage to prevent the first bolt from breaking in . Is he so confident in the stability of his foundations that he wants to refine his world? -
Zac wasn’t so sure . He’d heard a few things of tribulations among Monarchs . It wasn’t much different from previous ones , except that it was the Inner World that was mainly targeted . Like with other tribulations , one could hide from or defy the Heavens . By fully taking on the Tribulation Lightning , you could temper and expand your Inner World . Of course , that was incredibly dangerous .
Only the most daring and powerful scions would do something like that . Saeward , who chose such a cruel and desperate method to progress , was unlikely to have great foundations . Zac’s gaze shifted between the destroyed barrier and the broken shards of the crumbled dais , his eyes filled with suspicion .
The Tribulation Lightning had descended the second the dais crumbled . He’d already guessed he ruined Saeward’s outer defense against the Tribulation Lightning . Had he also destroyed Saeward’s method to delay and weaken his punishment? It was no wonder he was in a bad way .
The first bolt dissipated , yet it remained burned into Zac’s vision . Smoke rose from the puppet , and the engraved garments were covered in tatters . Whatever was going on inside Saeward’s Inner World had to be even crazier . Zac could tell the lightning within was weakening , and the barrier quickly reformed .
But the Heavens had already regrouped .
A second blast followed the first , this one carrying even greater force . A loud crash erupted next to Zac , and he shuddered upon seeing a piece of rubble from the dais had just barely missed him . Kruta was right ; the lightning didn’t reach them . Of course , the force involved in the strikes was problem enough . Looking at Saeward , Zac guessed they wouldn’t have to endure much longer .
The protective garment had been reduced to ash , and crackling fissures covered the puppet beneath . One of its arms was gone , and the spirituality it contained seemed to be on the verge of collapse . It had been pushed to the ground by the second blast , looking ready to throw in the towel . Yet it got back onto its feet , preparing to meet the next tribulation . It didn’t have to wait long .
The world shook as a bolt twice the size of the previous ones swallowed Saeward whole . Zac couldn’t see anything but felt a powerful impression of unwillingness from within . Saeward wasn’t able to hold on , but he was also unable to let go . Of course , the Heavens didn’t care about the will and opinions of cultivators , and a deep rumble reached the depths of Zac’s soul . The light faded soon after , displaying a fully scorched puppet lying prone on the ground .
The black hair was gone , and the purple alloy was now a mottled black that still released smoke . There was not a speck of spirituality left within the puppet or even the ground around it—almost like the Heavens had created a persistent Void Zone] . Only a few lingering arcs of lightning remained , and the clouds started to disperse .
Zac sighed as he looked at the desolate scene . He felt no pity for Saeward . If anything , he was happy he’d played an important role in his fall . But his demise was a stark reminder of the stakes involved when defying the Heavens . That was doubly true for someone like him , who’d have to withstand Tribulation Lightning every step of the way .
Whew , - Kruta exhaled as he ate a Healing Pill . - Three out of six . Thank the ancestors he didn’t manage to enter the second cycle . Those blasts would have been tough to deal with . -
Uh huh , - Zac hummed as he looked at the fading arcs of lightning .
What are you looking at? - Kruta asked .
Zac shot forward , stopping within a few meters of the fallen puppet . There were no signs of life even at this distance , yet Zac didn’t dare stay long . He grabbed a couple of arcs with his remaining arm and flashed back . The Tribulation Lightning didn’t seem to mind—it was happy to continue its mission of extinction . Unfortunately , it had encountered its match in Void Heart] .
Had it been the main lightning bolts , Zac wouldn’t have dared . But some lingering sparks now that the Heavens had left? He’d have to be crazy not to let his Hidden Node swallow some of that .
You’re stealing Tribulation Lightning? - Kruta said with wide eyes .
They’re pretty good for tempering yourself , - Zac explained .
Kruta was about to answer , but his and Zac’s eyes suddenly shot toward the hallway .
She’s here . -
Damn , she tricked me , - Kruta swore . - She erased the tracking mark at the last second . -
Zac’s heart thumped , and he urged the Creation Energy in his body to conjure another arm . It cost a chunk of lifespan , but he couldn’t hold back at this junction . What was with her aura? If there was one thing Zac was confident in , then it was his recovery ability . Yet Valsa somehow seemed stronger than when they fought .
Truthfully , Zac expected that Valsa’s source of confidence had come from being able to control Hero Souls . It would have explained why she could pass through the battlefield , and why she dared attack without her underlings . Except Kruta had a trick that would have immobilized the Hero Souls for a second—enough to turn the tables on Valsa and end things in one go .
Zac was even more confident after seeing Saeward extract all that energy from the battlefield . With Valsa’s War Array gone and Kruta fighting for real , they’d just might be able to finish the job .
As it turned out , they’d made a massive miscalculation . Valsa’s confidence didn’t come from outside aid but from her own power .
The princess stormed the castle with the force and momentum of a Primordial Beast . It’d be lucky enough if they withstood her opening salvo . Had she cracked another one of the gemstones on her crown? Or had she activated another berserking treasure? If so , she was really risking everything . Even Zac had a hard time using two such items in a row , and his constitution was beyond sturdy .
There was no time , so Zac gritted his teeth and activated his available skills : Ancestral Woods] and Primal Edict] . Unfortunately , both Arcadian Crusade] and Arcadia’s Judgement] were still on cooldown . They were in trouble . He hadn’t expected to be caught in a tribulation and wasn’t ready to meet her head-on .
Can you buy me a few seconds? - Zac asked .
Kruta had a serious expression as he nodded and rushed to the hallway’s entrance . The gate had already been blasted off its hinges , and the array on the ground had grown dim . Valsa had just passed through the outer gates , and her aura was a beacon to Zac’s senses . Thankfully , she was alone , but there were no Hero Souls to impede her path .
Kruta wasted no time as he stabbed his two swords into the ground . The castle shook as a storm of blades emerged from the rocks , turning the long hallway into a deadly gauntlet—a veritable maw of a Primordial Beast , filled with rows and rows of teeth . Together , they formed a powerful domain . Even Zac would have to be careful to enter that place .
A few ancestral trees prevented Valsa from simply jumping through , and the sword array was joined by the ferocious vines of Primal Edict] . Few guests could get through the hallway in one piece , but it wouldn’t be enough to keep Valsa at bay . He only needed a little bit of time .