Category: The Saintess Has A Showdown

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 101-102

    Chapter 101: A Righteous 2v1

    At the bottom of the abyss at the edge of the Wind Valley, as the icy mist dissipated, an unbelievable sight was revealed.

    Standing protectively before the Sorrowful Saintess was a massive Snow Woman, her pale face and shroud-like robe giving her the appearance of a beautiful corpse, her expression cold and indifferent.

    Ten threads, woven between her hands, danced in the air like musical notes, forming a vast, web-like domain.

    The Frost Snow Woman, a Saint-rank spirit beast!

    Beside her, a purple, star-like elemental figure, two massive, terrifying crystalline arms with icy eyes slowly emerging from the void behind it.

    Unlike its seemingly weak and delicate body, it radiated a destructive aura, like a falling star.

    The Ice Soul Cold Star, a Saint-rank spirit beast.

    Two Saint-ranks descended.

    Luo Kuxin’s eyes widened in disbelief. In a single moment, the Sorrowful Saintess had undergone a complete transformation.

    Not only had she instantly crossed the threshold of the Dead Sea Stage, a feat beyond human comprehension, but she had also silently contracted with the Frost Snow Woman!

    As expected, she was also one of those…

    The Frost Snow Woman, who had previously left the Wind Valley, had returned. This time, her size was much smaller, similar to a normal human.

    Barely over 1.5 meters tall, her rank seemingly having dropped from peak Dead Sea Stage to early Dead Sea Stage…

    Due to her smaller size, her long, flowing white hair and wide, shroud-like robe seemed disproportionately large, a strangely comical sight.

    The two Saint-rank spirit beasts, standing protectively before the Sorrowful Saintess, radiated a terrifying icy aura that whipped the silver rabbit woman’s long ears around, pushing her back.

    “Squee!!!”

    The Tyrant Demon Seed shrieked, its eyebrows and the corners of its mouth curving upwards into a crescent moon shape, like a crazed grin.

    The massive silver sphere on its back began to shrink, countless hairs falling off and converging into hundreds of rabbit clones.

    Some were ugly, some were as large as elephants, some had monkey-like faces, and some had mismatched legs, a grotesque sight.

    Since they were mass-produced, without careful sculpting, these rabbits resembled… abominations.

    Despite their bizarre appearances, their auras were identical to the original, powerful enough to suppress most high-rank spirit beasts…

    “Squee, squee, squee, squee!!!!!”

    With a chorus of shrill cries, the rabbit army charged, their speed incredible, scaling cliffs and leaping through the air, surrounding their enemies in seconds.

    The fastest among them, a silver rabbit with more than ten legs, its movements creating a violent hurricane, reached the Sorrowful Saintess almost instantly.

    Strangely, its body, still in midair, suddenly exploded, its blood and gore scattered by the icy wind.

    Not just this one, but more than ten other rabbits also exploded in a shower of gore.

    [Soul Embroidery: Ice Dust Cross]

    Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!!!

    The Snow Woman in her shroud-like robe, her threads dancing wildly, unleashed a fan-shaped wave of icy energy, painting the valley crimson.

    Not a single rabbit could get within ten meters, their remains and fragments littering the ground.

    While the rabbit army was being slaughtered, the silver rabbit woman continued her squats, seemingly unconcerned.

    The muscles in her slender legs bulged and rippled with each movement, a grotesque and terrifying sight, the oppressive aura intensifying with each repetition.

    Carrying the weight of her massive tail, she completed ten squats, each one more difficult than the last, before finally standing up, just as the last of her rabbit clones was destroyed.

    Boom!!!

    A deafening explosion echoed from behind, a violent shockwave rippling outwards.

    The silver rabbit woman, dragging her massive tail, transformed into a silver blur, accelerating, breaking the sound barrier, the ground shattering beneath her feet.

    The sheer force of her movement was like a missile strike, a silver streak piercing the sky.

    [Battle Technique – Enhanced Leap]

    Facing the incoming silver blur, the Frost Snow Woman’s threads quickly condensed, forming a protective cocoon around her.

    Each white thread vibrated faintly as if alive, weaving a hard, impenetrable barrier.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    The silver streak collided with the white cocoon, a violent shockwave erupting, tearing through the sky.

    The impact distorted the very air, the world turning upside down, everything a blur.

    Another boom, and the earth crumbled, the silver arc of energy shattering everything in its path, the protective threads snapping and scattering.

    Ultimately, a support-type spirit beast couldn’t defeat a ferocious, offensive beast.

    The rabbit woman’s powerful leg pierced through the cocoon, its momentum unhindered, its massive foot looming larger and larger in the Frost Snow Woman’s gentle eyes.

    Just then, the Ice Soul Cold Star, silent until now, finally acted.

    Three purple barriers materialized before the silver rabbit woman, blocking her path.

    Bang, bang, bang!!!

    The rabbit woman’s powerful kick effortlessly shattered the three barriers, but a purple light awaited her.

    The massive crystalline arm’s fingertip, pointed towards the incoming kick, condensed a sphere of purple spirit energy, the icy eye on its wrist tilting upwards in a mocking expression.

    [Battle Technique – Death Tribulation]

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    The point-blank explosion of the purple star sent the rabbit woman flying backwards even faster than she had arrived, tumbling through the air for more than a hundred meters. Before she could even land, she was ensnared by a web of threads.

    The Frost Snow Woman’s threads tightened, dragging the rabbit woman across the cliff face, sending rocks and debris flying, before throwing her to the ground.

    Bang!

    A deafening crash as the silver rabbit woman hit the ground, a cloud of dust erupting.

    As the dust settled, a massive crater, radiating a terrifying aura, was revealed, the silver rabbit woman lying within, her hair disheveled, her appearance slightly disheveled.

    “T-Too… too strong…”

    The Wrathful Saintess, having witnessed the entire battle, was stunned. The invincible Tyrant Demon Seed, facing the Sorrowful Saintess’s spirit beasts, was actually losing!!!


    Chapter 102: World-Shattering

    A single clash between Saint-ranks, and mountains crumbled, the earth shattering.

    The ground in the abyss cracked and collapsed, debris flying everywhere, the remnants of the rabbit army scattered across the landscape, a river of blood flowing.

    Lying in the massive crater, the silver rabbit woman coughed up a mouthful of blood, her graceful body sliding to the side, seemingly unharmed.

    The bloodlust in her crimson eyes intensified, like two beautiful blood-red amber gems.

    Then, in a surprisingly human-like gesture, the Tyrant Demon Seed beckoned towards the purple elemental figure.

    As if to say—

    “Come at me!!!”

    The graceful, female, elemental figure, like a purple star spirit floating in the air, didn’t respond.

    However, the massive crystalline arms on either side of it slowly clasped together in a prayer-like gesture, a terrifying surge of spirit energy building.

    It was the classic pre-attack charge-up pose of a raid boss. Any sensible opponent would interrupt it immediately, but the Tyrant Demon Seed simply watched.

    After ten seconds of uneventful charging, as the silver rabbit woman grew impatient…

    Disaster struck.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A violent purple light, like a bolt of lightning, tore through the sky, scorching the air a thousand meters above, a terrifying, ripping sound echoing.

    Its descent was so ferocious, it created a trail of smoke and fire like a falling meteor, dyeing the sky purple.

    Many unsuspecting Spirit Masters in the Wind Valley noticed the spectacle in the sky, their screams echoing.

    A few seconds later, the falling purple object drew closer, its form becoming visible—a massive planet formed from swirling purple clouds!

    Deep purple vortexes covered its surface, swirling and flowing like a living entity, engulfing everything in sight.

    [Battle Technique – Death Tribulation]

    A wave of despair washed over anyone who stood beneath this purple star, a terrifying sensation of being torn apart.

    Facing this descending celestial body, the silver rabbit woman’s fighting spirit surged, her eyes blood red.

    The next second, she adopted a primal, animalistic stance, her four limbs on the ground like an ordinary rabbit, her massive tail swaying behind her.

    Bang!!!

    A surge of spirit energy, like blood mist, enveloped her powerful legs, her already thick rabbit feet swelling to ten times their normal size, thicker than elephant legs.

    Her veins bulged like steel pipes, her blood thickened to the hardness of diamonds, her muscles tempered to an incredible density.

    The air around the rabbit woman, her posture grotesque, began to crack, the earth shattering like an earthquake.

    [Battle Technique – Moon Collapse]


    “This isn’t normal. Neither of them is normal…!!!”

    The Wrathful Saintess muttered, barely able to speak, the shockwave from the clashing auras almost crushing her, throwing her clear of the battlefield.

    This was on a completely different level from her fight against the Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower. Although both were Saint-rank battles, they were incomparable.

    Of course, this was because she had been utterly defeated by the Sword Princess Flower, resorting to using a vial of the little fox’s… bodily fluids… stolen from the Misty Heart Lotus, to subdue it, never witnessing its true power.

    As the purple star descended and the silver rabbit woman’s powerful legs tensed, reaching their limit—

    Boom!

    With a deafening roar, the rabbit woman shot towards the sky like a rocket, the ground beneath her feet turning to dust.

    The valley, unable to withstand the force, shattered, the abyss widening, the earth collapsing.

    The distorted silver streak, propelled upwards, accelerating, breaking the sound barrier, the wind pressure distorting her beautiful face.

    And then, the falling purple star and the rising silver streak collided.

    This world-shaking moment was witnessed only by the Wrathful Saintess.

    Everything around her vanished, as if losing all form and substance.

    Luo Kuxin stared at the blinding light in the sky, oblivious to everything else, even the valley crumbling around her.

    A moment later, the world before her turned white, only black and white outlines remaining, like a distorted, abstract drawing.

    She was deaf, then blind…

    Like a moth drawn to a flame, a grotesque and mesmerizing sight.

    With the blinding light as the epicenter, everything around it began to vanish, birds, insects…

    Then the trees, the rocks, the cliff faces, the earth, and the sky, erased from existence, not even ashes remaining.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A massive explosion ripped through the valley, a blinding flash that made it impossible to open one’s eyes.

    A deafening roar, a world-shattering aura, the earth-shaking impact turning the Wind Valley upside down.

    The might of Saint-ranks, terrifying and destructive.

    Having reached this level of destruction, there was no point in trying to maintain a low profile.

    This was originally the Tyrant Demon Seed’s territory. The Wind Realm wouldn’t investigate any disturbances here, assuming it was just some foolish intruders meeting their demise.

    But now, they had affected half the Wind Valley. Who knew how many Spirit Masters had been caught in the crossfire?

    A green figure emerged from the ruins, staring in disbelief at the transformed valley, its original landscape unrecognizable.

    What had happened?

    Had the Tyrant Demon Seed been defeated, or had the Ice Soul Cold Star’s energy been depleted?

    As she looked towards the battlefield, a massive wave of dust and debris obscured everything, making it impossible to determine the victor.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 99-100

    Chapter 99: The Strongest Saint-rank

    One minute earlier, at the Ice Shield Palace defensive line—

    At the very top of the palace, a green-haired girl scanned the distant sky, as if searching for something.

    A moment later, her gaze settled on a powerful life force at the edge of the Wind Valley.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed was there.

    Swish!

    The green spirit energy swirling around the girl dissipated, the aura of the Misty Heart Lotus fading. Then, a cherry-blossom pink hue washed over her hair.

    Like a magical girl transformation, her shimmering green hair instantly turned a vibrant pink.

    At the same time, a flower bloomed.

    A beautiful, delicate cherry blossom, more like a sword than a flower, appeared beside her.

    The small flower stretched languidly, swaying gently, as if enjoying the moment.

    The moment the pink cherry blossom sword appeared, the girl’s face turned pale, her body weakened, as if all her energy had been drained.

    Enduring the dizziness and pain, she pointed towards the Wind Valley, then brought her fingers to her head, mimicking rabbit ears.

    “Poo, poo, poo, poo, poo” (A sound of amusement, like a human giggling)

    The little flower covered its… mouth… with a petal and giggled, a sound like a human passing gas.

    Although her actions seemed frivolous, no one at the Ice Shield Palace defensive line was in any state to judge. A terrifying, overwhelming aura, radiating for miles, had knocked all the Spirit Masters below the Dead Sea Stage unconscious.

    This was the true power of a Saint-rank spirit beast, the Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower!

    The little flower’s petals straightened, pointing towards the sky, and a magnificent, seven-foot-long, cherry blossom-colored sword slowly emerged from its center.

    The petals closed around the blade, resembling an arrow more than a sword…

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    The next second, a pink comet shot towards the sky at an impossible speed, tearing through the hurricane and vanishing into the distance.

    The palace tower, unable to withstand the recoil, crumbled into ruins.


    Edge of the Wind Valley

    The pink comet streaked across the sky, the sonic boom echoing through the valley, the air distorting, the mountains trembling.

    A blurry sword, enveloped in cherry blossom petals, filled the silver rabbit’s widening, bloodshot eyes, its terrifying sword intent piercing its gaze.

    Swish!!!!

    Before it could react, the falling sword struck the kneeling silver rabbit head-on.

    The illusory sword pierced its body. The rabbit turned its head, looking for injuries, but found none. There wasn’t a single scratch on its skin.

    The next second, its world shattered—

    Its vision fragmented, sliced by pink lines.

    Not just its vision, but its very existence began to unravel.

    Like a shattered mirror, shimmering cherry blossom cuts flickered in the air around it, as if space itself was being torn apart.

    The sword cuts didn’t disappear, but remained suspended in the air, embedded in the rabbit’s body, a gruesome sight.

    Flash, flash, flash, flash, flash!!!

    Finally, the countless cherry blossom sword energies erupted simultaneously, and the silver rabbit’s body exploded.

    Cherry blossoms scattered, blood and flesh flew.

    A bloody rain fell, drenching the abyss, painting the chasm crimson.

    Completely unexpected. The invincible Tyrant Demon Seed, defeated by a single strike from the Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower!

    Witnessing this entire scene, Gong Lianyue’s heart pounded. So this was a battle between Saint-ranks…

    What had the Wrathful Saintess done? Could the Misty Heart Lotus, a support-type spirit beast, unleash such a powerful attack?

    Regardless, the two of them, working together, had defeated an offensive Saint-rank spirit beast!

    The silver rabbit, its body destroyed, was dead, leaving behind only a shimmering, silver life core, floating and rotating gently in the air.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed’s life core!

    Gong Lianyue had expected Luo Kuxin to rush forward and claim it, but the green-haired girl simply stared at the core, her eyes filled with dread.

    Around the core, a grating, whirring sound, like a loom, echoed as silver fur materialized.

    As the two girls watched in despair, more than ten identical silver rabbits emerged from the void.

    Their fur, physique, eyes, and auras were all exactly the same.

    This wasn’t the Tyrant Demon Seed’s true form, but a mere puppet, a disposable toy.

    They had exhausted all their strength, all their trump cards, even pushing their spirit beasts to the brink of death, only to defeat… a single clone of the Tyrant Demon Seed…

    Luo Kuxin stared at the silver core, then at the Sorrowful Saintess, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her.

    “So, even now, you’re not going to reveal your true power?”

    “…”

    Hearing the Wrathful Saintess’s sarcastic tone, Gong Lianyue remained silent, resigned to her fate.

    However, just as she was composing her last words, the silver rabbits suddenly froze.

    Motionless, their life force dimming.

    Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!!

    Suddenly, the rabbits exploded, their flesh and blood converging into a single, dense blood sphere.

    The sphere expanded rapidly, growing to the size of a house, then covered itself in a layer of silver fur.

    Floating in the air, the silver, furry sphere pulsed gently, like a giant, fluffy rabbit tail.

    “…”

    “Whoosh!”

    The next second, as the two girls watched in disbelief, a delicate, white arm emerged from within the sphere, followed by a long, shapely leg.

    Finally, a silver-haired woman, covered in a white, viscous fluid, was… expelled from the rabbit tail, two soft, fluffy rabbit ears twitching adorably on her head.

    The silver-haired, rabbit-eared woman slowly raised her head, her body barely covered by a few strands of fur.

    Her figure was perfect, her beauty captivating even by human standards, a bewitching, otherworldly allure. The only unusual feature was—

    The massive rabbit tail, larger than a house, swaying gently behind her, as if she were carrying a building on her back…

    The silver-haired woman straightened, her vacant eyes colder than a god’s, looking down at the two girls as if they were insects.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A terrifying pressure erupted, a wave of despairing aura sweeping outwards, the air itself cracking.

    A violent Saint-rank aura instantly suppressed everything in sight. This was the Tyrant Demon Seed’s true form.

    Pushed back by the silver-haired rabbit woman’s chilling aura, although she hadn’t even moved, Gong Lianyue felt her heart pounding, a sensation likely shared by Luo Kuxin beside her.

    Her vision dimmed, a sense of despairing helplessness overwhelming all other emotions…

    This was… beyond comprehension. The surrounding aura had completely transformed.

    The Swallow God hadn’t been lying. No one would willingly face this being twice.

    What had driven them to the brink of despair before had been merely a clone. Now, facing its true form, Gong Lianyue felt true despair.

    Not just herself, powerless, but even the Wrathful Saintess and the Swallow God, who had reached the Dead Sea Stage, even with their access to a fraction of Saint-rank power, couldn’t possibly defeat a wild Saint-rank spirit beast at its full strength.

    This Wind Realm Gatekeeper, the Tyrant Demon Seed, was undoubtedly the strongest Saint-rank they had ever encountered!!!


    Chapter 100: Saint-Rank Contract!!!

    Having encountered the Tyrant Demon Seed just before entering the Storm Realm, and after exhausting all their strength to defeat it, they discovered it had merely been the first phase of the boss battle.

    The despair they faced now was even more profound, any resistance futile…

    As the silver-haired rabbit woman revealed her true form, a terrifying, oppressive aura filled the valley, making it difficult to even breathe.

    The surrounding air distorted into a chaotic storm of spirit energy, a crushing weight pressing down on their minds.

    “It’s useless. We can’t defeat this thing. Let’s escape and find another way,” Luo Kuxin said, a bitter smile on her face.

    Having just contracted the Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower, she seemed to have overestimated her own strength, humbled by this harsh reality check.

    If the Sword Princess Flower were still wild and uncontracted, it might have been able to exchange a few blows with this monster. But with her current meager spirit energy, she could barely unleash a single attack before being drained, unable to access its true Saint-rank power.

    Escape…?

    Gong Lianyue didn’t react, not even a flicker in her cold, indifferent eyes.

    She didn’t know what gave Luo Kuxin the confidence to even consider escape, but under the silver rabbit woman’s gaze, she could barely even breathe, on the verge of suffocating.

    Any sudden movement, and they would explode like balloons, their deaths swift and meaningless.

    The silver-eyed rabbit woman, her massive tail swaying behind her, finally moved, her gaze fixed on the two motionless girls.

    Creak—

    A sickening crunch echoed as the rabbit woman’s muscles tensed, her body bending slightly under the weight of her massive tail.

    She crouched down, the muscles in her slender legs bulging, swelling to several times their normal size. The crescent moon patterns on her inner thighs glowed, almost sparking against the air.

    Her body, honed and tempered to perfection, her legs like sculpted marble, their density incredible.

    Boom!!

    The next second, the rabbit woman vanished, the ground beneath her feet pulverized.

    Like a white meteor, she streaked across the sky, the terrifying impact echoing through the valley.

    “Ugh!”

    Luo Kuxin, caught completely off guard, her eyes bulging, her body arching like a shrimp, was struck.

    The rabbit woman’s powerful kick, delivered with a deceptively soft yet incredibly dense leg, sent the green-haired girl flying, her body exploding in a shower of gore.

    Luo Kuxin died instantly. Gong Lianyue’s gaze, however, was still fixed on the spot where the rabbit woman had been standing a moment ago, her mind unable to process the terrifying speed.

    Planting her foot firmly on the ground to stop her momentum, the silver rabbit woman, without pausing, spun around and kicked the blue-haired girl in the face.

    Bang!

    Just as the blow was about to land, a purple star-shaped barrier materialized, shielding the girl.

    A powerful shockwave rippled outwards, and Gong Lianyue was sent flying like a rag doll, tumbling across the ground before collapsing at the edge of the chasm.

    She shook her head groggily, her vision blurry, unsure of what had just happened.

    The spot where she had been standing was now a crater, the ground shattered for hundreds of meters.

    It seemed the kick had missed…

    The silver rabbit woman didn’t pursue, but looked up at the sky, seemingly admiring her own power.

    Unlike the Wrathful Saintess and the Swallow God, who merely played with borrowed Saint-rank power, this was true Saint-rank might, a force of nature, a world-destroying beast!

    “I’m dying. Please take my ashes back to the Ice Shield Palace.”

    A weak voice came from below.

    A faint, glowing green figure emerged from the ground, its expression pitiful.

    Gong Lianyue was speechless. Who would believe that? This probably wasn’t even her real body!

    Besides, she couldn’t even escape herself. How was she supposed to carry someone’s ashes back?

    Exhaling deeply, Gong Lianyue’s heart calmed, her ice-blue, teardrop eyes returning to normal.

    “Seventeen seconds…” she said.

    “What?”

    “If I’m still alive in seventeen seconds, we can escape!!”

    Hearing the specific number, Luo Kuxin paused. Why seventeen?

    She herself had said “one minute,” but had actually meant 64 seconds. What was the significance of this precise number?

    Click—

    Suddenly, the blue-haired girl’s teardrop eyes flipped over like mirrors, revealing a spinning, ice-blue stopwatch.

    Her eye socket the face of the watch, her pupil the hand, slowly ticking backwards.

    This wasn’t the usual sideways rotation, but a complete flip, revealing the back of her iris…

    The back of the Sorrowful Saintess’s eyes… was a stopwatch!

    And it was about to reach a specific time.

    This stopwatch within her eyes had been ticking for a long, long time, counting down to this precise moment.

    What would happen in seventeen seconds?

    Luo Kuxin stared at Gong Lianyue, then her green eyes widened in sudden realization.

    At the same time, the silver rabbit woman, seemingly having recovered, stretched casually. Her slender, white legs bent, her muscles tensing and bulging, a white aura swirling around her.

    The same move as before. Impossible to dodge, a guaranteed kill.

    Facing death, Gong Lianyue’s expression remained calm. She slowly pulled out an exquisite wooden box from the void.

    [Blazing Soul Grass]

    Without even looking, she opened the box, grabbed the blood-red herb inside, and shoved it into her mouth, a surge of potent spirit energy rushing through her body.

    The silver rabbit woman’s leg was now coiled like a spring about to unleash its devastating power, the white aura at her heel intensifying.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    Just as the rabbit woman launched herself forward, a strange sound echoed in their minds.

    With a whoosh, at the very last moment, both Gong Lianyue and the Wrathful Saintess vanished.


    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 217]
    [Soul Prison Trial, Third Level: The Dark Ages]

    Within the foul-smelling, oppressive cell, the blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl sat in meditation, cultivating.

    Trapped in this pig-infested prison, she had given up on everything, focusing solely on absorbing the Blazing Soul Grass’s spirit energy.

    Facing death in the real world, what did her Soul Prison Trial qualifications even matter?

    Whether due to the Blazing Soul Grass’s effect or the Dual Soul Body sensing her predicament, instead of simply absorbing the elixir’s energy, her soul cores began to release their own stored spirit energy, further accelerating her cultivation.

    As the spirit energy surged through her, the two soul cores gradually dimmed, like sinking into a dark, lifeless abyss.

    Sinking into the Dead Sea, giving birth to Samsara.

    Illumination, Dawn and Dusk, Dead Sea. Gong Lianyue was pushing towards the third stage.

    For most Spirit Masters, the Dead Sea Stage wasn’t particularly significant, merely a quantitative increase in spirit energy compared to the Dawn and Dusk Stage, not a qualitative one.

    Only for Saint-rank Spirit Masters did the massive spirit energy reserves of the Dead Sea Stage allow them to access a fraction of their Saint-rank power…

    Gong Lianyue wasn’t a Saint-rank Spirit Master, but she had a reason to reach the Dead Sea Stage, a reason related to this Soul Prison Trial.

    “Sigh…”

    The girl with seven stars on her face sighed. It seemed Her Highness was facing some trouble in the real world.

    Entering the trial and immediately starting to cultivate without a word… what could be more important than the Soul Prison Trial?

    Whatever, she had learned many powerful spirit techniques after returning last week. She would definitely protect Her Highness from these pig-men!

    The Blazing Soul Grass’s potent energy, like a raging fire, exploded within Gong Lianyue’s soul cores. Her face turned pale, but her consciousness grew colder and heavier, sinking into a dark, despairing sea.

    Whoosh~~~~

    After an unknown amount of time, the sound of flowing water echoed.

    As Gong Lianyue’s consciousness returned and her eyes opened, a torrent of spirit energy, like a tidal wave, erupted from her cores, washing over the darkness.

    A beautiful, shimmering purple sea of stars appeared, while in the distant, black void, an endless aura of death lingered.

    Her soul transformed into a sea, her spirit energy increasing tenfold. This was the sign of reaching the Dead Sea Stage.

    The Sorrowful Saintess, sinking into the Dead Sea!!!

    “I’ll leave the rest to you…”

    Gong Lianyue exhaled, a sense of relief washing over her, as a frosty white core materialized in her soul’s sea, held gently in her hand.


    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 217, concluded.]

    As the voice echoed in her mind, Luo Kuxin, prepared, immediately opened her eyes.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    At the same time, a white streak, like a beam of light, tore through the valley, a deafening roar echoing for miles.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed, its power earth-shattering, unleashed a devastating kick. Although it felt the impact, it hadn’t connected.

    With its strength, this was impossible.

    As the dust settled, the silver rabbit woman’s cold expression shifted to shock.

    A massive ice coffin had appeared before her, a chilling aura emanating from the crack in its lid, completely unharmed by her attack.

    The blue-haired girl was frozen within a dreamlike purple crystal, her legs drawn up, like a sleeping beauty.

    To the girl’s right, a mysterious purple, elemental, female figure floated, its translucent body shimmering with star-like patterns.

    And to her left, a beautiful Snow Woman in a shroud-like robe, her long hair swirling, her hands weaving threads of energy, radiated an icy aura.

    In a single second, the world had changed.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 97-98

    Chapter 97: The Weaver of the Sun Returns

    “?”

    At the bottom of the Wind Valley cliff, in the deep abyss carved by giant fist prints…

    The Tyrant Demon Seed looked down at the green figure that had suddenly sprouted from the ground beside its feet, its eyes widening in surprise.

    After a moment of stunned silence, it carefully stepped on the figure.

    Pop!

    A sound like a bursting balloon, and a splatter of… vibrant green… innards.

    Casually flicking away the strangely colored gore, the silver rabbit twitched its nose, its bloodlust intensifying.

    Just as it was about to approach the blue-haired girl…

    Splat—

    Another green figure emerged from the ground beneath its feet. The silver rabbit froze, staring at the new arrival.

    Ah, I’m dead. Wait, I’m not dead yet!

    Bang!

    Bang, bang, bang!!

    The silver rabbit began frantically stomping on the green figures popping up around it like a demented game of whack-a-mole. The Wrathful Saintess, in turn, increased the speed at which her clones appeared, creating a flickering, afterimage-like effect.

    Watching this bizarre and comical scene, a slight twitch disturbed the Sorrowful Saintess’s otherwise expressionless face, a flicker of amusement that, on her, looked more like a grimace of pain.

    “Hey.”

    A voice from below startled the blue-haired girl, and she looked down.

    Luo Kuxin’s head was poking out from the ground beneath her feet. This time, it wasn’t an illusory green form, but her actual body.

    “I’m trying to buy you some time. Aren’t you going to charge up your ultimate move?”

    “Huh?” Gong Lianyue was taken aback.

    Ultimate move? She didn’t have any ultimate moves…

    As the two Saintesses whispered, the silver rabbit, seemingly annoyed by the endless stream of green “moles,” increased the force of its stomps, sending dirt and debris flying with each impact.

    “Fine, let me handle it. Just buy me one minute, okay?” Luo Kuxin urged, her voice filled with anxiety as her clones were slaughtered.

    “One minute? One minute, huh? Alright…”

    Gong Lianyue hesitantly glanced at the silver rabbit. Stalling the Tyrant Demon Seed for a minute without a Saint-rank spirit beast… It seemed she would have to rely on luck.

    The only good news was that the Tyrant Demon Seed wasn’t releasing any Saint-rank aura suppression. The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower could maintain its composure and full strength.

    Boom!!!

    The silver rabbit landed another powerful stomp, the earth shaking, cracks spreading for hundreds of meters.

    Instantly, all traces of the green clones vanished.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed slowly turned its head, its blood-red eyes fixated on the two delicate girls before it.

    A thick, almost tangible, bloodlust washed over them, making their scalps tingle.

    However, at this critical moment, Luo Kuxin closed her eyes, a serene expression on her face, as if she had given up all hope of survival, praying only for a quick and painless death, preferably with her body intact.

    As she closed her eyes, the spirit energy around her dissipated, and she became like an ordinary, defenseless village girl.

    Gong Lianyue felt a cold sweat trickling down her back. The Wrathful Saintess actually trusted her this much, even recalling her spirit beast.

    Doing this during a battle was like stripping naked in public.

    And now, she had to face this ferocious beast alone for a whole minute…

    The blood-soaked silver rabbit was only ten meters away, a distance it could cross in the blink of an eye.

    Gong Lianyue swallowed hard, her heart pounding, forcing herself to meet the rabbit’s gaze.

    This wasn’t a suicidal act, but a calculated gamble.

    Closing her eyes, then opening them—

    The Sorrowful Saintess’s second form, [Show-Off Form], activated!!!

    In an instant, her cold, teardrop eyes overflowed, turning a shimmering, ocean-like blue, a calm and ethereal gaze, like a deity possessing her body.

    Seeing this, the Tyrant Demon Seed paused, its ferocious advance faltering, seemingly intimidated.

    Now!

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A blazing sun, incinerating everything.

    Like a miniature sun falling from the sky, a scorching white light erupted, engulfing the sky and earth in flames.

    A crimson figure quickly materialized, swirling flames forming a massive, fiery fox.

    Two slender, crimson fox tails, like ribbons, swayed gently, holding aloft a giant fireball. With the scorching fireball as its epicenter, everything in sight was engulfed and consumed by the flames, waves of intense heat washing outwards.

    [Possessing the Divine – Bloodbath Fox Sovereign, Weaver of the Sun]

    “Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo?”

    Seeing the massive Flame Fox emerge from the inferno, the silver rabbit stumbled back, its eyes wide with shock, letting out a series of confused chirps.

    The Sorrowful Saintess’s divine eyes, combined with the terrifying, sun-like presence of the Bloodbath Fox Sovereign, completely overwhelmed the Tyrant Demon Seed.

    “Is this… really the Tyrant Demon Seed…?”

    However, Gong Lianyue was puzzled.

    Not only was it not radiating a Saint-rank aura, but this silver rabbit wasn’t displaying the earth-shattering power He Daoqi had described, the power to shatter a valley with a single punch.

    Could it be… that it was actually just a high-rank spirit beast, its strength honed through countless battles?

    Had the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion lost simply because she was at a lower level? If they were both at the Dead Sea Stage, the outcome might have been different…

    Realizing this, Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief.

    If it was just an ordinary, Dead Sea Stage, high-rank spirit beast, the Cloud Dream Flower could easily suppress and defeat it. She had been worried for nothing!

    Suddenly, the silver rabbit’s panicked expression vanished, replaced by a chilling indifference.

    Facing the terrifying Bloodbath Fox Sovereign, it casually swung its arm, a seemingly weak and effortless punch.

    Gong Lianyue froze. The fiery illusion of the Cloud Dream Flower began to fade, dissipating like dust.

    The heat, the ground, the trees, the cliff face—everything crumbled into dust, a swirling sandstorm obscuring her vision.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A delayed, deafening sonic boom, the terrifying force of the punch carving a massive gash in the valley, the surrounding spirit energy distorting chaotically.

    The fully recovered Iron Jade Ice Scorpion shielded the two girls with its massive, armored body, absorbing the full force of the impact.

    Hidden behind the scorpion, Gong Lianyue’s water-blue hair whipped wildly around her, her eyes wide with shock.

    Thirty seconds remained of the time Luo Kuxin had promised her…


    Chapter 98: The Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower

    30 seconds!

    29 seconds—

    At the bottom of the abyss, watching the silver rabbit slowly approach, Gong Lianyue felt her blood run cold.

    That punch… it had been different from the others, its power utterly devastating.

    And yet, the rabbit still hadn’t released any Saint-rank aura. It was like a… lifeless puppet.

    Seeing the massive scorpion standing before it again, the silver rabbit grinned, a chilling crescent moon smile.

    Without hesitation, it lunged forward.

    “It’s over, it’s all over…”

    Despair filled Gong Lianyue’s heart. The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion had only lasted two seconds before. It couldn’t possibly withstand the rabbit for another twenty.

    This rabbit’s power was far beyond her comprehension, a terrifying being she couldn’t possibly defeat.

    The silver rabbit reached the scorpion, the two facing each other, neither yielding.

    Bang!!

    A flash of silver, a blur of motion. The rabbit, grinning, punched the scorpion’s head with impossible speed.

    The impact sent dust and debris flying, a sharp, metallic clang echoing, like grinding teeth.

    As the dust settled, Gong Lianyue’s eyes widened in disbelief, the rabbit’s grin fading.

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion stood motionless, its body covered in a shimmering, jade-like film, like a frozen fossil.

    [Battle Technique – Jade Shatter]

    Like a piece of polished jade, its shimmering, crystalline armor glowed beautifully in the darkness.

    Had the battle technique’s proficiency increased…?

    Seeing this, the silver rabbit’s face contorted in anger, its fist clenching.

    The next second, it unleashed a flurry of punches, faster than a rabbit in heat, a storm of blows raining down upon the scorpion.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!

    The earth trembled, the valley walls and floor shattering, the deafening barrage almost bursting her eardrums.

    The silver rabbit, in a frenzy, continued its relentless assault, the dust and debris obscuring everything.

    Gong Lianyue frantically shifted her eye form, her icy gaze piercing through the dust cloud, finally seeing the battle clearly.

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, under the rabbit’s relentless assault, its jade armor cracking and shattering, remained unmoved, not retreating a single step.

    Boom!!!

    With a final, resounding crash, the scorpion’s jade armor shattered completely as it was sent flying by a powerful blow.

    Thud!

    The silver rabbit, its face still contorted in rage, was about to pursue when its knee buckled, and it collapsed before the blue-haired girl.

    A black wound, spreading like a virus, had appeared on its left foot.

    [Five-Leaf Clover]

    As the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion was sent flying, its tail had lashed out, piercing the rabbit’s foot.

    The rapidly spreading, corrosive poison melted the rabbit’s lower leg, forcing it to kneel before the Sorrowful Saintess, a gesture of submission.

    Both Gong Lianyue and the silver rabbit froze, staring at each other for ten seconds, the same amount of time the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion had managed to withstand its attacks.

    The potent, incurable poison seemed to be of little concern to the rabbit.

    Its focus was on the fact that it was kneeling before this blue-haired girl.

    A humiliation so profound, it was a greater offense than killing its father…

    The rabbit’s adorable face twisted grotesquely, a demonic rage, an unimaginable killing intent radiating from its body.

    Although not a Saint-rank, this twisted bloodlust was enough to terrify even ordinary high-rank spirit beasts.

    3 seconds!!

    Thanks to the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s sudden awakening, and the rabbit’s momentary lapse in focus, she had made it!

    Recalling the injured scorpion, Gong Lianyue looked down at the silver rabbit with a cold, mocking smile, her expression filled with disdain.

    “…”
    “…”

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A terrifying roar, the rabbit’s bloodshot eyes filled with rage, as it unleashed a punch from its kneeling position.

    This punch was even more powerful than the one that had shattered the Weaver of the Sun’s illusion, the entire valley trembling under its force.

    However, the Sorrowful Saintess’s pitying expression remained unchanged, as if lamenting the rabbit’s foolishness.

    Bang—

    The rabbit’s terrifyingly powerful fist struck an ice-blue core, a sickening crunch echoing, a sonic boom, a shockwave.

    But this time, it didn’t budge.

    The Water Element Commander’s life core floated in the air, its icy shell undamaged.

    Time’s up. Recalling the core, Gong Lianyue turned away, her movements casual and elegant, not even sparing the silver rabbit a glance.

    Meanwhile, Luo Kuxin, slowly opening her eyes, looked back and forth between the stunned rabbit and the unharmed blue-haired girl, a strange expression on her face.

    Gong Lianyue, suppressing her trembling, walked over to Luo Kuxin.

    “What were you doing?”

    “What?”

    “Don’t play innocent! Where’s your ultimate move?!”

    Gong Lianyue’s heart pounded as she looked at the unresponsive green-haired girl.

    She had thought they were safe, but she had been betrayed by her own teammate! This woman didn’t have any ultimate move!

    Or so she thought…

    Hearing the Sorrowful Saintess’s angry question, Luo Kuxin smiled mysteriously and looked towards the distant horizon.

    Not just her, but the silver rabbit, still kneeling on one knee, also looked up, its expression serious.

    What was there?

    Gong Lianyue slowly raised her head, her teardrop eyes widening in disbelief.

    Whoosh————

    A piercing sound, a dazzling pink meteor streaking across the sky from the distant horizon, heading straight towards them.

    The falling meteor accelerated, breaking the sound barrier, the shockwave echoing through the Wind Valley, pink sparks scattering everywhere.

    As the pink meteor grew larger in the rabbit’s eyes, it finally saw what it was.

    A streak of cherry blossom sword energy, originating from the entrance to the Wind Valley and extending all the way to the bottom of the abyss.

    The Seven-Foot Sword Princess Flower, its single sword chilling nineteen realms!

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 95-96

    Chapter 95: A Multi-Person Sport

    “The water spirit energy is becoming thinner. We must be close…”

    “We won’t be able to replenish our spirit energy beyond this point. One or two full-powered battles will likely exhaust us. Let’s try to avoid unnecessary fights.”

    As they approached the Storm Realm, the surrounding winds intensified, making it difficult to even breathe.

    Leading the way through a narrow crevice at the edge of the Wind Valley, the veiled Blissful Saintess’s expression was grim.

    Gong Lianyue didn’t care about the warning.

    Forty Life Fruits. If that wasn’t enough to recover, then there was only one explanation: when people are killed, they die.

    What did stamina have to do with facing overwhelmingly powerful enemies?

    Luo Kuxin also remained silent, lost in her own thoughts.

    Hearing no response, the Blissful Saintess turned around, then her face contorted in anger.

    While she was risking her life scouting ahead, what were these two Saintesses’ spirit beasts doing?!

    Two flowers and a vine were entangled with a small fox, writhing and squirming, like some kind of… multi-person sport.

    Instead of conserving their spirit beasts’ energy, they were engaging in… this!

    “Hey, don’t you think this is a bit strange?”

    “What?” The Blissful Saintess, about to scold them, was distracted by Luo Kuxin’s question.

    “Didn’t the Swallow God say this was an emergency passage? We’ve been walking for four or five hours and haven’t seen the end. This is longer than the main gate’s path.”

    “…”

    “Could we be lost?” Luo Kuxin asked.

    “Impossible. We would have encountered a Saint-rank spirit beast by now.”

    “But this path is getting narrower. This can’t be an emergency passage!”

    “Well, I don’t know either!!”

    As the Wrathful Saintess and the Blissful Saintess bickered, Gong Lianyue suddenly stopped, her teardrop eyes narrowing, focusing on something in the distance.

    At the top of the cliff, a silver-gray, humanoid rabbit spirit beast was doing squats, a rather comical sight.

    The rabbit’s physique was similar to a delicate human girl, its soft, floppy ears dangling and swaying with each squat, inviting a gentle caress.

    “Wow, what a cute bunny! Much cuter than our Snowtooth Rabbits!” Luo Kuxin exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. She really wanted to compare the force of this bunny’s punch with a Snowtooth Rabbit’s!

    “What species is that?”

    The Blissful Saintess frowned. She considered herself a spirit beast expert, having memorized the entire compendium since childhood. Encountering an unknown species so soon after entering the Wind Realm was a blow to her pride.

    Just then, the silver rabbit stopped its squats and looked at the three intruders with gentle eyes.

    Curiosity in its gaze, the rabbit, effortlessly traversing the near-vertical cliff face, slowly approached the three girls.

    “It’s spotted us!”

    “Aaaaaah, it’s so cute! I can’t take it~~~”

    Luo Kuxin, her girlish heart overflowing, rushed towards the rabbit excitedly.

    Your tastes are… interesting, Gong Lianyue thought, her eye twitching.

    She didn’t find this upright rabbit cute at all. It looked rather unsettling, like a kangaroo.

    What puzzled her even more was that this spirit beast seemed to be wild. There was no trace of a Spirit Master nearby.

    Both Wind Realm and Sea Region spirit beasts should have avoided the mixed spirit energy of the Wind Valley…

    As the green-haired girl approached, the silver rabbit’s mouth suddenly stretched into a wide, terrifying grin.

    Bang!

    The next second, the running green-haired girl exploded, reduced to a bloody mess.

    “…”
    “…”

    The sudden, gruesome scene stunned both the Blissful Saintess and Gong Lianyue. The flower and vine wrapped around the little fox shattered like glass.

    The Wrathful Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace, dead before even officially entering the Storm Realm?

    This was like a poorly written horror movie, a romantic scene turning gruesome, the loving couple suddenly devoured by a shark while playing in a pool.

    Green blood, like spilled paint, dripped from the rabbit’s fist, the pungent metallic scent snapping the remaining two girls out of their shock.

    Luo Kuxin had been killed by a single punch from this rabbit!

    And they hadn’t even seen it move.

    If Luo Kuxin were still alive, she would definitely reconsider comparing this rabbit’s punch to a Snowtooth Rabbit’s…

    Swish!!

    A silver fist, the size of a sandbag, filled Gong Lianyue’s vision, growing larger as it approached. The rabbit, as if teleporting, had crossed dozens of meters in an instant, appearing before the blue-haired girl.

    It was a speed she couldn’t possibly react to, yet the air around her suddenly solidified, time slowing down, like a dying person’s life flashing before their eyes.

    As if divinely guided, in her final moments, the girl’s mind raced.

    [Jade Shatter]

    Boom!

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion materialized, its jade pincer clashing with the rabbit’s fist.

    The terrifying impact shattered the nearby cliff face, the shockwave deafening, sending the Blissful Saintess tumbling backwards.

    A few seconds later, as the dust settled, a massive crater was revealed.

    The scorpion’s pincer, the one that had clashed with the rabbit, was shattered, crumbling like gravel.

    What the…?

    Hiding behind the scorpion, Gong Lianyue’s expressionless face contorted in shock.

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, far larger and more powerful than the silver rabbit, its pincers enhanced by Jade Shatter, had been severely injured by a single punch.

    The silver rabbit, a dissatisfied expression on its face, glared at the scorpion and punched again.

    Boom!

    Boom, boom, boom!!!

    The scorpion blocked the rabbit’s flurry of punches with its remaining pincer, the impact shattering the surrounding rock face.

    After the terrifying barrage, the scorpion, both its pincers broken, was struck by another punch, its upper body exploding in a shower of gore.

    Her spirit beast dead, her soul core shattered, the blue-haired girl collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

    Less than a minute after entering the Storm Realm, one Saintess was dead, the other incapacitated.

    The Blissful Saintess’s face was contorted in disbelief. She turned stiffly, looking back at the narrow crevice they had come through. Could it be?!

    Having easily dispatched the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, the cute, fluffy silver rabbit stretched, glancing at the veiled, silver-haired woman before losing interest.

    It looked back at where the blue-haired girl had fallen, but the spot was empty.

    The rabbit’s adorable face froze. It quickly dropped to the ground and looked over the edge of the cliff, the sound of something falling reaching its ears.

    “…”
    “…”


    Chapter 96: All Saintesses Defeated

    Whoosh, whoosh—

    Plummeting from the cliff, the wind whipping at her clothes, the blue-haired girl slowly opened her cold, teardrop eyes.

    As a Dual Soul Body with two soul cores, she possessed two distinct spiritual presences.

    Logically, this should have resulted in a split personality, but Gong Lianyue hadn’t experienced any such symptoms yet, or perhaps she simply hadn’t noticed.

    When a spirit beast died and its soul core shattered, she could use her other core to quickly repair it, reviving the spirit beast at full strength.

    In fact, she hadn’t even truly lost consciousness this time. Years of tempering her will with the Steel Moon Chapter had allowed her to withstand the mental shock of a shattered soul core.

    Within her spirit space, the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s dimmed aura had already been restored.

    Of course, the Dual Soul Body wasn’t the same as the Heavenly Lotus Body, which granted instant revival.

    The Heavenly Lotus Body essentially negated death, granting immortality. The Dual Soul Body’s method of restoring a shattered core was more akin to reincarnation, a completely different concept.

    As the blue-haired girl plummeted, she suddenly vanished, replaced by a frost-covered soul core, falling rapidly towards the abyss below.


    Within the Water Element Commander’s Core – Crystal Chamber

    “He Daoqi, you deliberately led us down a dangerous path. Were you planning to die with us?”

    “Aaaaaaaah!!!

    The moment she entered the water-filled space, Gong Lianyue activated the spirit energy restraints covering He Daoqi.

    The pained screams lasted for more than ten seconds before stopping, the black-haired girl collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down her face, her body twitching.

    “I-I… I didn’t! I didn’t lie to you!” After a long while, He Daoqi stammered, her voice filled with grievance.

    “You told us not to go left, so we went right, and my spirit beast was killed in seconds by that rabbit! I’m currently falling to my death!!” Gong Lianyue raged.

    “Wait, a rabbit…?”

    He Daoqi’s breath hitched, her dull eyes widening slightly as realization dawned.

    She stared at the blue-haired girl as if she were looking at a lunatic.

    “Aaaaaaaaaah!!!

    Heh, the Sorrowful Saintess hated that look. Immediate execution.

    He Daoqi lay on the ground, twitching, then whispered weakly, “I meant left from the Wind Realm’s perspective. Wouldn’t it be the opposite direction for you, coming from the outside?”

    Gong Lianyue’s expressionless face froze. Now that she thought about it… that actually made sense!?

    “Are you stupid?! Why didn’t you say so earlier?!”

    Cursing angrily, Gong Lianyue vanished from the Crystal Chamber.

    So that silver rabbit… must have been the Storm Realm’s Gatekeeper, the Tyrant Demon Seed…

    A few seconds after the Sorrowful Saintess left, the black-haired girl slowly rose from the ground, her face pale, gasping for breath.

    She hadn’t expected the three Saintesses of the Sea Region Alliance to miss such an obvious detail.

    More than the unjustified torture, He Daoqi was worried about encountering a Saint-rank battle in her current weakened state.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed, a Saint-rank.

    That rabbit was a vicious beast on a completely different level from the Frost Snow Woman. The cliff Gong Lianyue was currently falling from had been level ground a year ago.

    It was the aftermath of her own battle against the Tyrant Demon Seed, the ground shattered by a single punch from the rabbit.

    “I hope she’s alright.”


    Whoosh, whoosh~~~

    The wind whipping through her hair, the blue-haired girl reappeared high in the air, still falling rapidly.

    As she descended, the shape of the abyss below became clearer.

    Gong Lianyue’s ice-blue, teardrop eyes narrowed. She noticed five massive gouges in the ground at the bottom of the cliff, like giant fist prints.

    She didn’t have time to be surprised!

    Boom!

    A torrent of blue water erupted from her body, forming a swirling vortex that cushioned her fall.

    A few seconds later, Gong Lianyue landed, swept along by the water, and exhaled deeply.

    After all her trials and tribulations, she was no longer paralyzed by fear when facing a Saint-rank spirit beast. However, that silver rabbit was strange. It hadn’t radiated any Saint-rank aura.

    Since she had jumped off a cliff to escape, it shouldn’t bother chasing her… right?

    Besides, the Blissful Saintess was still up there to distract it.

    As for the Wrathful Saintess… whether dead or alive, it didn’t matter. She would eventually reappear and join her in the Gray Citadel.

    Gong Lianyue stretched casually and looked towards the opening in the abyss. Exiting through there should lead her into the Storm Realm.

    However, the next second…

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A deafening explosion, like a missile strike, the ground before her shattering, sending debris flying in all directions.

    The silver rabbit, falling from above without any attempt to slow its descent, landed, creating a massive cloud of dust that obscured everything.

    Gong Lianyue’s mind froze, her fingers twitching, as she watched a blurry figure emerge from the dust cloud.

    No way, had the Blissful Saintess been eliminated already?

    Her perfect escape route… discovered!

    The Frost Snow Woman, at least, hadn’t shown much hostility. But facing a Saint-rank with clear killing intent, Gong Lianyue felt a wave of despair.

    A moment later, the silver rabbit waved its arm, dispersing the dust, and stepped forward, its adorable appearance now tinged with a menacing ferocity.

    [Saint-rank Biological Offensive Type – Tyrant Demon Seed]

    He Daoqi, the Swallow God, had said it herself. A single punch from this rabbit had nearly killed her, tearing her apart.

    Gong Lianyue knew she was no match for this silver rabbit!

    However, just as she was about to suffocate from fear…

    Pop!

    The ground cracked, and a green figure emerged from beneath the rabbit, their eyes meeting.

    “?”

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 93-94

    Chapter 93: Saintesses Assemble

    –Ice Shield Palace, Wind Valley Defensive Line

    Early morning. A thick gray fog blanketed the land, visibility reduced to less than ten meters.

    Near the entrance to the Wind Valley, a young woman in an Ice Shield Palace uniform, her green hair styled in low twintails, was doing some strange exercises, seemingly her morning routine.

    The Cold Court and Winter Floating Sky had withdrawn from the Wind Realm expedition due to their ongoing Saintess selections. The other lower-ranked factions didn’t dare to enter the Wind Realm.

    Only three factions had accepted the agreement: the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, the Wrathful Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace, and the Blissful Saintess of the Water Wish Pavilion.

    Luo Kuxin was pacing back and forth at the entrance to the Wind Valley, triggering the alarm bells intermittently, just to annoy the Storm Realm’s border patrol.

    After waiting patiently for half an hour, a figure slowly emerged from the distant fog.

    A blue-haired girl with teardrop eyes, her expression cold and indifferent, her Sea Concubine Palace uniform adorned with wave patterns that seemed to ripple and flow like living creatures.

    Ah~~~ This aloof, elegant, and noble demeanor had captivated countless Spirit Masters in the Sea Region.

    Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess!

    “Did you bring the Swallow God?”

    Luo Kuxin greeted her casually, like an old friend, her tone overly familiar.

    Gong Lianyue nodded slightly, checking the Water Element’s life core once more, the black-haired girl imprisoned within the Crystal Chamber.

    Weak and listless, He Daoqi sat in the corner of the Crystal Chamber, covered in special spirit artifacts that suppressed her spirit energy. Any attempt to use her powers would result in excruciating pain.

    She had initially been worried about the Swallow God going berserk, but after Shui Qinghou had let her experience the sensation firsthand, Gong Lianyue was no longer concerned.

    No human could withstand such torment. Even at one-tenth the intensity used on He Daoqi, she had almost collapsed.

    Even if a Saint-rank spirit beast’s aura was world-shaking, it was useless if its master was incapacitated.


    Having safely arrived at the Ice Shield Palace, Gong Lianyue and Luo Kuxin waited for the final Saintess.

    To pass the time, she summoned the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower and began to stroke it gently.

    However, the little fox was trembling uncontrollably, its face pale, its behavior unusual.

    Strange, what was wrong with it…?

    “Oh dear, is this little fox sick? Let me see!!”

    The Wrathful Saintess’s eager voice startled Gong Lianyue.

    “Chirp!!!!!”

    The terrified little fox was snatched up by the green-haired girl. It thrashed and shrieked, but Gong Lianyue, although concerned, didn’t intervene.

    It must have been traumatized by the multiple Saint-rank auras in the Wind Valley, developing a fear of this area. Playing with other spirit beasts would probably help it recover.

    Held in the green-haired girl’s arms, the Cloud Dream Flower looked utterly helpless and terrified, trembling more violently than ever before.

    A few seconds later, a glowing green vine emerged from the Wrathful Saintess’s mouth, its leaves swaying happily as it approached the little fox and began to lick it.

    The nightmare wasn’t over. As the little fox’s pupils dilated in terror, a delicate pink cherry blossom materialized.

    The blossom, with a shy yet alluring demeanor, floated over to the little fox and began rubbing itself against it.

    The vine and the blossom, one on each side, fought over the little fox like a plush toy.

    Amidst a sea of vibrant blossoms, a lone fox is lost in the soft grass. (This seems to be a play on a famous Chinese poem)

    Beautiful poetry, a soaked fox. Covered in dew, its heart-shaped eyes losing focus, the little fox passively endured the plants’ affections.

    “…”

    “So it is popular among plant-type spirit beasts,” Gong Lianyue muttered.

    Come to think of it, she had never sensed a Saint-rank aura from the Wrathful Saintess.

    And she had contracted with another seemingly harmless plant-type spirit beast. Was this woman truly a Saint-rank Spirit Master, like the Swallow God?

    Or was she, like herself, all show and no substance…? Wait, two spirit beasts?!

    Suddenly noticing both the blossom and the vine, Gong Lianyue’s breath hitched, then she quickly realized something.

    No, wait, their auras were similar. They seemed to be… the same entity—

    She had been startled, thinking Luo Kuxin also had a Dual Soul Body!

    It seemed the spirit beast had simply evolved, even growing separate petals. She almost hadn’t recognized it.

    As Gong Lianyue’s heart calmed, she suddenly felt a gaze upon her. She and Luo Kuxin looked up simultaneously.

    A veiled woman in a thick, padded coat, her long, shimmering silver hair cascading down her back, emerged from the fog.

    The veil bore the image of praying hands, the unmistakable mark of the Water Wish Pavilion.

    The Blissful Saintess, nameless, without a Saint-rank spirit beast, and largely ignored.

    Her face hidden behind the veil, the silver-haired woman scanned the two of them.

    “Gong Lianyue, Luo Kuxin?”

    Hearing the arrogant question, Gong Lianyue remained expressionless, while Luo Kuxin simply grinned foolishly.

    For some reason, this Blissful Saintess of the Water Wish Pavilion seemed to harbor a strange hostility towards them.

    Wearing such thick clothes in the Sea Region… was she ill?

    She was bundled in four or five layers of padding, as if trying to turn herself into a ball of fluff. Just how sensitive to the cold was she?

    The atmosphere between the three of them was tense. The heavily dressed Blissful Saintess’s expression was grim.

    Luo Kuxin, the Wrathful Saintess, was rumored to be a twisted individual.

    It was said that after inheriting the Wrath title, she had imprisoned the other eleven Saintess Candidates in a dungeon for seven days and nights.

    And then, she had them torture her, a way to vent their frustration and anger over losing the selection…

    Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess, her teardrop makeup like an embodiment of the Sea God’s pity.

    Initially hyped up by the Sea Concubine Palace, the other factions hadn’t taken her seriously. After all, who could have imagined those teardrops?

    Her true power had been revealed in the Wind Valley, the invincible Swallow God captured, cementing her reputation.

    “Gulp”

    The Blissful Saintess swallowed nervously.

    For the upcoming, perilous journey to the Wind Realm, these two women… were her teammates.


    Chapter 94: The Tyrant Demon Seed

    –Wind Valley

    Rolling mountains stretched for hundreds of miles, fierce hurricanes raged, and the air swirled with chaotic spirit energy.

    Within this windswept valley, where visibility was reduced to almost zero by the swirling dust and sand, three young women trudged forward, their figures slightly disheveled.

    To avoid detection, they hadn’t summoned their spirit beasts, choosing to travel on foot.

    After walking in silence for several hours, Luo Kuxin, leading the way, suddenly turned around.

    “By the way, did you know the Cangsheng Palace suddenly backed out?”

    “Huh?” Gong Lianyue paused, surprised.

    “The Cangsheng Palace suddenly entered a state of full alert an hour ago. I heard they were attacked by a more powerful faction.”

    “What? Isn’t the Cangsheng Palace under the protection of a legendary being? Would another faction dare to provoke a legendary being?”

    Gong Lianyue was bewildered.

    The Cangsheng Palace, protected by a legendary being… how could another faction dare to attack them?

    Could this be related to what had happened in the Soul Prison Trial?

    Surely not…

    “Heh, who isn’t under the protection of a legendary being? That other faction must also have one. I could claim to be the Snow Monarch’s descendant!”

    Hearing this, the veiled, silver-haired woman behind them winced. This Wrathful Saintess had no filter.

    Using the Snow Monarch’s name in such a flippant manner… only someone from the Sea Region would dare.

    “Legendary beings rarely interfere in such trivial matters unless it involves complete annihilation. Besides, the Cangsheng Palace’s legendary being is… special.”

    “Special?”

    “Yes, it is said that it fell in love with an ordinary human, not even a Spirit Master. After its beloved died, it chose to protect that world for a thousand years. It has nothing to do with the Cangsheng Palace.”

    “I see!!” Gong Lianyue nodded, unconvinced. It sounded like a fabricated story.

    She was more concerned about the Cangsheng Palace’s current situation, wondering if it was related to her revealing the silver-haired girl’s secret in the Soul Prison Trial.

    “Wait, we entered five hours ago. How did you receive news from an hour ago?” The Blissful Saintess suddenly noticed the discrepancy.

    “…”

    Luo Kuxin simply glanced at her with disdain, as if her ignorance were a grave sin.

    The Blissful Saintess winced, then continued with a forced smile, “We’ve been walking for so long. When will we arrive?”

    “Soon, but I don’t know which gate to take.”

    “What do you mean?”

    “Based on the Ice Shield Palace’s years of experience at the front lines, and the information I extracted from those Wind Realm prisoners, there are three entrances to the Wind Valley from the Storm Realm.”

    “We definitely can’t use the main gate. Although they won’t attack us if we’re discovered, it’s best to avoid any trouble.”

    Gong Lianyue also knew the reason behind Luo Kuxin’s words.

    Normally, if people from the Sea Region trespassed into the Wind Realm, they would be captured, stripped naked, and publicly humiliated.

    But with the Wind Realm Overlord’s birthday approaching, they wouldn’t dare to act rashly. If they violated the agreement and harmed the Saintesses, the enraged Sea Region Alliance would retaliate, disrupting the celebration, and no one wanted to be responsible for that.

    “Although I don’t know what to do, Miss Swallow God should know!!”


    A few minutes later, the Water Element Commander regurgitated a listless, vacant-eyed, black-haired girl, who collapsed onto the ground.

    Seeing the large, simple-minded Water Element Commander, Luo Kuxin discreetly took a few steps back.

    Then, noticing the spirit artifacts and restraints covering He Daoqi, she exclaimed,

    “Wow, I wouldn’t even dare to use that many~~~”

    “Miss He, do you know which entrance we should take?” Ignoring Luo Kuxin’s dramatics, Gong Lianyue asked softly.

    Entrance?

    Hearing the question, He Daoqi’s dazed eyes slowly focused, and she looked around in surprise.

    This was the Wind Valley. She was back in the Wind Valley?!

    Her expression flickered between elation and hesitation, then settled into a calm resignation, her eyes dimming once more.

    “It’s best to avoid the main gate. The Gray Citadel isn’t the only power in the Wind Realm. Other factions might try to disrupt the hostage exchange.”

    “As long as you safely escort me back to the Gray Citadel, I will honor the agreement and ensure your safe passage out of the Wind Realm after the Hibernating Sun’s birthday celebration.”

    “The right gate is an emergency passage. We can only use that one.”

    “What about the left gate?” the Blissful Saintess asked curiously.

    “Never use the left gate. That’s the territory of a Saint-rank spirit beast. Even Wind Realm Spirit Masters avoid it. It’s known as the Wind Realm Gatekeeper.”

    The Wind Realm Gatekeeper!!!

    Gong Lianyue, Luo Kuxin, and the Blissful Saintess exchanged glances. They had all heard of it.

    It was said that the beast had once roamed the Storm Realm, slaughtering innocent humans, until it was subdued by Saint-rank Spirit Masters, its power suppressed, and sentenced to guard the Wind Valley.

    Killing it would be a waste, but leaving it unchecked was also a problem. This was the only solution.

    They had thought it was just a legend, but it was actually guarding the Wind Realm!

    “I foolishly challenged it after I first reached the Dead Sea Stage. I almost died. When they rescued me, I was… barely recognizable.”

    “A biological, offensive type, the Tyrant Demon Seed…”

    Hearing He Daoqi’s chilling recollection, the three of them shuddered.

    Luo Kuxin and He Daoqi had barely survived their encounters with the support-type Frost Snow Woman. They couldn’t imagine how powerful an offensive Saint-rank spirit beast would be.

    Its ferocity and bloodlust far surpassed the Frost Snow Woman’s. It was a true force of nature.

    However, with this invincible woman here, even a battle wouldn’t be a problem, right?

    They all looked at the cold and indifferent, blue-haired girl—the Sorrowful Saintess.

    Gong Lianyue was slightly puzzled. He Daoqi and Luo Kuxin had exchanged glances, as if plotting something.

    After questioning He Daoqi about the Wind Realm a bit more, she had the Water Element Commander pick her up and swallow her again, a disturbingly grotesque sight.

    “Alright, let’s head to the right gate!”

    The three Saintesses chose to trust He Daoqi. If anything went wrong, they would kill her first.

    Perhaps due to the approaching birthday celebration of the Wind Realm Overlord, there were far fewer Wind Realm Spirit Masters in the Wind Valley. They encountered no one along the way, smoothly reaching the edge of the valley.

    They were about to enter the Storm Realm!

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 91-92

    Chapter 91: Saint-Rank Pressure

    –Sea Concubine Palace, Monthly Trial

    Summoning spirit beasts was forbidden in this Aura Suppression Trial because spirit beasts, more so than humans, instinctively sensed the disparity in power and the ensuing threat. When faced with a higher-rank being, it was often the inexperienced spirit beast, not the human Spirit Master, that panicked and lost control.

    The atmosphere in the Sea Dou Hall was tense, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the aura suppression to descend.

    Many here had never even seen a Samsara Stage Spirit Master, let alone a Nether Traverse Stage expert like the Six Concubines. They couldn’t comprehend the terror that was about to come.

    Just then, a shimmering starlight, radiating a faint light, bloomed in the sky.

    Its beautiful, moon-like glow captivated all who gazed upon it.

    Boom!!!

    The next second, a vast and heavy pressure, like a collapsing mountain, erupted, a wave of starlight filling the Sea Dou Hall.

    Seven stars connected to the moon, shaking the heavens. This violent aura had briefly appeared in the snowy depths of the Sea Concubine Palace before.

    –The Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox, its Saint-rank aura returning.

    Almost instantly, the minds of all the Spirit Masters present reeled as if struck by a hammer, most collapsing to the ground, unable to move.

    An unprecedented, unimaginable pressure, like the world itself shattering, a deafening roar descending upon them.

    Those with stronger wills, still struggling to resist, were forced to their knees, the air around them thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

    A Dawn and Dusk Stage girl, her face pale and drained of color, her body drenched in sweat, knelt on one knee, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Terrifying… is this the power of a Nether Traverse Stage expert?”

    Although Dawn and Dusk Stage was considered entry-level in the Sea Region, in the mortal world, they were still revered figures, guests of emperors and kings.

    And yet, facing the aura of a Nether Traverse Stage expert, she couldn’t even stand, reduced to the level of a commoner!

    “No, this isn’t Nether Traverse. This is a Saint-rank aura… It must be the Sorrowful Saintess.”

    Among the Dawn and Dusk Stage elites, the only girl still standing spoke, her voice trembling.

    Her teacher was a Nether Traverse Stage senior instructor in the Sea Concubine Palace. She could tell the difference.

    The higher the cultivation level, the denser and heavier the spirit energy. The mere release of their aura could cause discomfort in lower-level beings, suppressing their life force.

    Nether Traverse Stage experts could achieve terrifying effects, but it was still worlds apart from the aura they were currently experiencing.

    Only Saint-rank beings could evoke this sense of utter helplessness, like the sky itself was falling, a suffocating despair, the difference between a god and an ant.

    “The Sorrowful Saintess!?”

    Although everyone was terrified, no one had the strength to cry out.

    The Sorrowful Saintess had also released her spirit beast during the Saintess selection. Although they hadn’t understood it at the time, most assumed it was a Saint-rank spirit beast in disguise.

    Her baffling victory over the Cold Court Saintess Candidate without revealing her true spirit beast had misled them. Now they understood. That… thing… hadn’t even been a tenth of her true Saint-rank spirit beast’s power.

    Now, after peeling away countless layers of disguise, the terrifying being hidden behind the Saintess had finally bared its fangs.

    A mere trace of its aura was like an insurmountable wall, a level ordinary mortals could never reach.

    How could anyone possibly defeat such a being…?


    In the private room, Shui Qiu’e’s hair danced wildly in the wind, her appearance slightly disheveled.

    The spirit energy radiating from the small fox in the blue-haired girl’s arms was like a swirling vortex, a chaotic torrent that threatened to drag one into an endless abyss.

    The current situation was a mess. She couldn’t comprehend what Gong Lianyue’s spirit beast actually was.

    A Matryoshka doll within a Matryoshka doll. This was the Sorrowful Saintess’s layered deception…

    “What does the Saintess think of the quality of this year’s new recruits?” Shui Qiu’e asked, looking at the few trial participants still conscious.

    “Hmm~~”

    Gong Lianyue casually scanned the crowd, her gaze settling on a green-haired girl.

    The girl was struggling to withstand the Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox’s aura. She looked like an ordinary, albeit talented, girl from the border region, but Gong Lianyue felt a strange sense of familiarity.

    This girl looked just like the Wrathful Saintess!!!

    But it was only her appearance and aura that were similar. She didn’t sense any familiar spirit beast aura. It probably wasn’t her.

    The girl’s long, shimmering green hair was adorned with a pink cherry blossom, making her appear even more gentle than the Wrathful Saintess.

    “She’s the Wrathful Saintess’s cousin, here as an exchange student,” Shui Qiu’e explained, noticing Gong Lianyue’s puzzled expression.

    “By the way, it’s almost time to end this.”

    “Oh, okay…” As the last few remaining participants were about to faint, Gong Lianyue finally reacted.

    The Cloud Dream Flower slowly withdrew its Moonquake Fox aura and crawled back into her collar, resuming its duties as a chest pad.

    In the Sea Dou Hall, most of the participants had collapsed from the aura suppression, lying scattered on the ground in undignified positions.

    The girl who had recognized the Sorrowful Saintess earlier was pale, her lips tightly pressed together, her head throbbing, a look of frustration on her face.

    The difference in power was too vast…

    Also a Dawn and Dusk Stage Spirit Master, she couldn’t even withstand a trace of the Saint-rank spirit beast’s aura, let alone the terrifying pressure of its presence up close.

    During the Saintess selection, the Sorrowful Saintess’s spirit beast had only seemed… strange, not particularly intimidating.

    Now she understood. It had been holding back to avoid harming the audience!

    She wondered if even the entire Sea Concubine Palace could contain a rampaging Saint-rank spirit beast if it unleashed its full power.

    “That concludes this month’s trial. Your rankings will be assigned based on your survival time.”

    “This was the first, and perhaps the last, time you will experience the aura of a Saint-rank firsthand, thanks to the Saintess. Remember this feeling of helplessness. Next time you face a higher-ranked spirit beast, you won’t be so afraid.”

    Hearing Shui Qiu’e’s words, the only conscious girl clenched her fists.

    As expected, it was the Sorrowful Saintess!

    The green-haired girl with the cherry blossom hair ornament woke up, stretching languidly, her eyes narrowed.

    “It feels much weaker than before. No… isn’t it the same one?”


    Chapter 92: Blazing Soul Grass

    The latest monthly trial had taken an unexpected turn. The Sorrowful Saintess, unleashing her Saint-rank aura, had overwhelmed the participants, leaving almost no one standing after a minute.

    This incident made it clear that a hidden Saint-rank aura and a deliberately released one were two entirely different things.

    A single drop of water disappearing into the vast ocean was insignificant. How could a mere droplet compare to the boundless sea?

    The Sorrowful Saintess’s baffling display during the Saintess selection had been just the tip of the iceberg…

    –Sea Concubine Palace, in a quiet and elegant courtyard.

    Clear lake water, gently swaying curtains, and blooming lotuses.

    A graceful woman in a formal palace dress sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, her snow-white hair cascading down like soft willow branches, sweeping the dust away like a broom.

    She gently stroked the little fox nestled in her ample bosom, its paws kneading playfully, its head almost disappearing into her collar, her expression gentle and kind.

    The little fox, seemingly fascinated by the mysterious softness, refused to leave.

    Bai Ningying, former Saintess Candidate.

    Historical records showed that many Saintess Candidates, after failing to secure the Saintess position, were often imprisoned and humiliated by the Saintess.

    This practice was especially prevalent in the Storm Realm, but less so in the more peaceful Sea Region.

    Bai Ningying hadn’t suffered any unusual consequences after losing the selection. Everything remained the same, although, in many people’s eyes, her relationship with the Sorrowful Saintess wasn’t good.

    “What is it that the Saintess requires of me?”

    Ignoring the little fox practically disappearing into her cleavage, she looked up and smiled at the expressionless, blue-haired girl sitting across from her—the Sorrowful Saintess!

    She had naturally heard about the incident during the monthly trial. The little fox in her arms was likely the source of that terrifying Saint-rank aura.

    In fact, not just the Variant Water Emperor, but many intelligent, high-rank spirit beasts would enter a dormant state before their masters reached the Dead Sea Stage, maintaining an incomplete, undeveloped form.

    This was partly to avoid overwhelming their master’s weaker soul core and partly due to a beast’s instinct to seek safety.

    The lower their master’s cultivation level, the less likely they were to encounter dangerous situations.

    Minor skirmishes, like being bullied by other children, were beneath their notice.

    Revealing their Saint-rank power prematurely might attract assassins and expose them to the world’s cruelty and darkness.

    This was also why there were so many “underdog rises to power” stories in popular fantasy novels…

    Hearing the question, Gong Lianyue asked calmly,

    “Bai Ningying, I hear you’re in charge of the Sea Concubine Palace’s intelligence network and the black market?”

    “Yes, Saintess.”

    Bai Ningying didn’t hesitate, bowing respectfully.

    The Sorrowful Saintess now held absolute authority within the Sea Concubine Palace, her status far greater than before.

    The intelligence network and the black market weren’t particularly important secrets, operating with the tacit approval of the Sea Concubine Palace. It would be easy for someone of Gong Lianyue’s current status to uncover them.

    “I need elixirs that accelerate cultivation.”

    Gong Lianyue got straight to the point.

    She was about to depart for the Storm Realm, but her cultivation hadn’t progressed at all.

    The two soul cores of her Dual Soul Body were like bottomless pits, devouring all the spirit energy she absorbed.

    It was like needing 10 experience points to level up from 1 to 2 in an online game, but then needing 10,000 to reach level 3—ridiculous.

    At this rate, reaching the Dead Sea Stage would take far too long. She wouldn’t have time to contract with the Frost Snow Woman.

    “Saintess, the Contribution Hall sells cultivation-accelerating elixirs. Clear Soul Grass, 50 contribution points per stalk. With your status, you would only need to pay 40,” Bai Ningying replied with a smile.

    “That’s useless. Clear Soul Grass takes too long to digest, and the effect is minimal.”

    Gong Lianyue shook her head. The Sea Concubine Palace didn’t encourage the use of cultivation-accelerating elixirs, so the only one openly sold was Clear Soul Grass.

    She had naturally tried it before. The effect was negligible.

    “Why is the Saintess in such a hurry to accelerate her cultivation? There are currently no threats to your position within the Sea Concubine Palace.”

    “I simply heard that other Sea Region factions are selling Blazing Soul Grass and wanted to try some.”

    “Try some!?”

    Bai Ningying’s smile faltered. Blazing Soul Grass was an elixir used by Dead Sea and even Samsara Stage Spirit Masters.

    Its potent energy, if consumed by someone at the Dawn and Dusk Stage, could have serious side effects.

    She had thought only incompetent Spirit Masters would resort to such self-destructive methods to accelerate their cultivation. Gong Lianyue’s request was baffling…

    Despite this, Bai Ningying waved her hand.

    A young maid quickly approached, carrying an exquisite jade box, and carefully placed it on the stone table.

    Even sealed within the box, the potent spirit energy within was palpable.

    Blazing Soul Grass, a higher-grade cultivation elixir than Clear Soul Grass.

    As the name suggested, it forcefully propelled the soul core’s rotation with violent spirit energy, accelerating cultivation.

    “Blazing Soul Grass, 2000 contribution points per stalk.”

    “Deal.”

    Gong Lianyue gently stroked the jade box, a hint of excitement beneath her calm expression.

    Finally, she had a chance to reach the Dead Sea Stage!

    With the transaction complete, the little fox reluctantly emerged from Bai Ningying’s cleavage and was carried home by Gong Lianyue.

    Staring at the blue-haired girl’s receding figure, Bai Ningying remained silent for a moment.

    The Sorrowful Saintess wasn’t the type to rush her cultivation for a quick boost. There must be some compelling reason.

    Bai Ningying wondered if it was due to a special physique, the legendary Soul Prison Trial, or perhaps a Saint-rank spirit beast waiting to be contracted…?


    Having successfully acquired the Blazing Soul Grass from Bai Ningying, Gong Lianyue had almost everything she needed for her journey.

    One stalk of Blazing Soul Grass, three Tyrant Blood Pills, and forty Life Fruits, all at a twenty percent discount, had depleted her entire savings and two months’ allowance, a total of 7600 contribution points.

    But as long as she returned alive, with the ransom, it would all be worth it.

    Even a fraction of the ransom would cover these expenses. Miss Swallow God was truly valuable~~~

    She had briefly glanced at the long list of ransom demands. It even included an Ice Soul Stone…

    Next was a trip to the Ice Shield Palace to meet with the representatives from the other Sea Region factions!

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 89-90

    Chapter 89: The Legendary Hibernating Sun

    The Sea Region Alliance consisted of ten factions, each required to select a Saintess in reverse order of their ranking.

    So far, eight factions had completed their Saintess selections. The Sea Concubine Palace had recently chosen their Sorrowful Saintess, and next was the Cold Court’s Grieving Saintess.

    Therefore, it was unlikely that the Cold Court and the Winter Floating Sky could send representatives to the Storm Realm for the legendary being’s birthday celebration.

    The opportunity to establish a connection with a legendary being came only once in a millennium. Missing it might mean losing the chance forever.

    However, perhaps these two factions had some hidden figures who could attend in the Saintesses’ stead.

    After officially becoming the Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue gained a series of privileges within the Sea Concubine Palace:

    The fifth point was Gong Lianyue’s own request, which startled the Sea Concubine Palace higher-ups. They hadn’t anticipated such a strange demand.

    Logically, if the Lost Scroll yielded no results the first time, it wouldn’t reveal any secrets later either.

    But Gong Lianyue wanting to examine it again… did that mean she had… discovered something?

    Considering the Sorrowful Saintess’s secretive nature, hiding even a Saint-rank spirit beast to a pathological degree, it wasn’t surprising that she would keep her research on the Lost Scroll hidden as well.

    However, Gong Lianyue didn’t choose to examine the Lost Scroll again before her potentially fatal trip.

    Forcing comprehension of the Lost Scroll consumed a large number of Life Fruits, and she needed those as a safety net for her journey to the Storm Realm. It would be a waste to use them now.

    Before her departure, she accepted the Fifth Concubine’s invitation to the monthly trial, hoping to gain some useful information.


    Sea Concubine Palace, Monthly Trial

    The monthly trial was a routine assessment held by each faction in the Sea Region, like a monthly exam in school.

    The content of each trial varied but wasn’t overly complex. Within the Sea Concubine Palace, it was usually overseen by one of the Six Concubines in rotation.

    The results determined the members’ rankings, each rank receiving different rewards and treatment.

    Gong Lianyue had participated in the monthly trial a few times before, her results average. After being chosen as a Saintess Candidate, she hadn’t participated again.

    The top rank only awarded 10 contribution points, which wasn’t particularly appealing…

    The Sea Dou Hall, the same familiar venue.

    This time, however, most of the previous spectators were now participants, the arena filled with Sea Concubine Palace members.

    Ninety-nine percent of the thousands present were Illumination Stage Spirit Masters, with only a handful at the Dawn and Dusk Stage.

    In a VIP box above the arena, Gong Lianyue sipped her tea, feeling slightly awkward.

    The mature, blue-haired woman beside her was staring at her intently…

    The woman, her hair styled in an elegant updo, her demeanor graceful and dignified, wore a luxurious, flowing water-patterned dress with the character [Five] embroidered on it.

    Shui Qiu’e, the Fifth Concubine of the Sea Concubine Palace.

    “I’m honored the Saintess would accept my invitation,” she said.

    “You’re too kind, Lady Qiu’e. Please, just call me by my name,” Gong Lianyue replied calmly, unfazed by the mature beauty’s coquettish demeanor.

    The Six Concubines represented the peak of combat power within the Sea Concubine Palace. Even senior instructors who reached the Nether Traverse Stage weren’t qualified to join their ranks.

    But Shui Qiu’e radiated no oppressive aura, only a gentle, soothing warmth.

    With ten minutes remaining before the trial began, taking advantage of their private setting, Gong Lianyue couldn’t hold back any longer.

    “Lady Qiu’e, do you know what kind of spirit beast the Wind Realm Overlord is?”

    “The legendary being? Didn’t your teacher tell you?” Shui Qiu’e asked, surprised.

    The girl shook her head, tears shimmering in her eyes, as if deeply troubled.

    “…”

    After a moment of silent contemplation, Shui Qiu’e explained, “Hibernating Sun. That’s what the Spirit Masters in the Storm Realm call it.”

    The massive size of legendary-rank, biological spirit beasts, often described as capable of blotting out the sun and moon, didn’t mean they were literally as large as celestial bodies. It meant that wherever they went, darkness followed, obscuring everything in their path.

    Because human vision was limited, they couldn’t see the spirit beast’s true form and thus couldn’t determine its real name. Hence, they called it the Hibernating Sun.

    “My teacher told me this trip would be safe, that no Wind Realm Spirit Master would dare to attack us. Is that true?” Gong Lianyue asked.

    Another long silence. Shui Qiu’e covered her face with her hand and sighed.

    “During the Hibernating Sun’s birthday celebration, no Storm Realm faction will indeed attack you. But you will be going there early to exchange hostages. They might send Spirit Masters of your age group to intercept you. Be prepared for battle!”

    This…

    Gong Lianyue would never trust Shui Qinghou again. That woman was completely unreliable.

    It seemed there was no escaping this trip to the Wind Realm. Countless trials and tribulations awaited her.

    If she didn’t have the Frost Snow Woman’s core as a trump card, she would have already given up and run away.

    “Also, be wary of the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace. They might try to eliminate any competition beforehand to secure a private audience with the legendary being.”

    “Although I haven’t met them, I’ve heard their strength is on a completely different level from those Storm Realm rabble,” Shui Qiu’e warned kindly.

    Speaking of the Cangsheng Palace, Gong Lianyue thought of the arrogant, silver-haired girl from the Soul Prison Trial.

    The Cangsheng Palace had as many Nether Traverse Stage experts and Saint-rank spirit beasts as the Sea Region and Storm Realm combined. They certainly had reason to be arrogant.

    But the once mighty Penetrating You Pool had been even more arrogant, their influence spanning dozens of realms, only to be crushed by the Snow Monarch.

    Never provoke a legendary being. This was a bloody lesson learned from millennia of history.

    The Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace had adopted a different approach. Both factions had made contact with legendary beings and bore their marks of favor, practically becoming their vassals.

    So, that silver-haired girl hadn’t been arrogant because of her faction’s strength, but because she considered herself to be… distantly related to a legendary being…

    Not just the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace, but even the Storm Realm had a wild legendary being. In comparison, the Sea Region seemed rather weak and vulnerable, lacking a powerful backer.

    If other realms had legendary beings, what did the Sea Region have?

    The Sea Region had the lingering aura of the Snow Monarch’s destructive power. For a thousand years, even ordinary legendary beings hadn’t dared to approach.


    Chapter 90: The Moonquake Fox Returns

    The monthly trial determined the members’ rankings, each rank receiving different rewards and treatment.

    The first rank received 10 contribution points, the second 6, and the third only 3. Those who didn’t rank or were absent received 1.

    There were only 300 spots in the first rank, a crucial source of income for those focused on cultivation.

    Those who didn’t reach the first rank had to take on additional tasks to sustain their cultivation, such as farming, gathering herbs, or accepting bounties in the mortal world.

    These part-time jobs were time-consuming, hindering their cultivation progress, eventually leading to them falling behind and being eliminated.

    The Sea Concubine Palace was considered relatively relaxed in terms of competition. The Ice Shield Palace, with its direct combat trials, and the Cold Court, with its fierce internal factions, were far more demanding.

    Not to mention the Winter Floating Sky, the leading power of the Sea Region Alliance, which judged members solely on their cultivation speed. Speed was everything.

    At this moment, the atmosphere in the Sea Dou Hall was tense. Everyone present was a competitor.

    However, some members, having given up hope, simply sighed.

    “Sigh, I give up. I’ve been too busy reading fantasy novels to cultivate.”

    “I’m screwed too. I’m in love, and all my cultivation resources went to my girlfriend.”

    “Does anyone know what this month’s trial will be? Any hints?”

    “I know! It’s a written exam!!”

    A confident voice drew everyone’s attention.

    Standing in the crowd, a girl with long green hair, her expression calm, her voice filled with unwavering certainty, declared,

    “A written exam…?”

    The content of the monthly trial was usually randomly selected from a few recurring options. A written exam was unprecedented.

    This girl, from a border village near the Wind Valley, was clearly spouting nonsense.

    Noticing their skeptical gazes, the green-haired girl continued, unfazed, “Believe it or not, I’ll stake my horse on it. If I’m wrong, you can do whatever you want with it.”

    “Really?”

    “Yes, I’m certain. I heard that this generation of Sea Concubine Palace members aren’t very bright, so the higher-ups decided to test our intelligence with a written exam.”

    The green-haired girl spoke confidently.

    Since only those with mixed wind-attribute spirit energy had green hair, she was naturally assumed to be from the Wind Valley border region.

    But even staking her precious horse, her claim was still hard to believe.

    “Then tell us what kind of exam it is. If you know so much, you can at least give us a hint about the questions, right?”

    “It’s definitely about cultivation or spirit beast types. Just follow my answers, and you’ll be fine!!!”

    As many hesitated, torn between hope and skepticism, the monthly trial began.

    And just as the green-haired girl predicted, Shui Qiu’e, standing above the Sea Dou Hall, announced the trial’s content.

    [Aura Suppression Trial]

    The Eight-Headed Mist Crow on Fallen Whale Island, the Saint-rank battle in the Wind Valley… both incidents had caused widespread anxiety.

    The women of the Sea Region, generally gentle and averse to conflict, hadn’t experienced such large-scale battles in a long time.

    And the lack of combat experience had exposed a glaring weakness: most Spirit Masters’ spirit beasts, facing higher-ranked opponents, were too terrified to even appear, leaving their masters vulnerable.

    Therefore, it made sense for this month’s trial to be related to pressure resistance.

    It was a new type of trial, but it had nothing to do with a written exam.

    “…”
    “…”

    Under the gazes of dozens of people, the green-haired girl’s expression remained unchanged, her gaze fixed forward, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

    Although her horse, left behind as collateral, had been… dealt with, she had suffered no personal loss!

    “Now, I will explain the rules of the Aura Suppression Trial.”

    “Summoning spirit beasts is forbidden. You will resist the aura suppression with your will alone. The longer you last, the better your score.”

    “You have one minute to prepare.”

    Shui Qiu’e’s voice echoed through the hall. She then turned to the blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl beside her.

    Gong Lianyue, still unaware of the gravity of the situation, was observing the new members with interest.

    A few seconds later, she noticed Shui Qiu’e staring at her.

    “?”

    “Are you ready?” Shui Qiu’e asked with a smile.

    “Ready for what?” Gong Lianyue blinked.

    “?”

    “?” (Gong Lianyue’s internal reaction)

    If a question mark expressed confusion, then a reversed question mark meant, “Do you want to get beaten?”

    Shui Qiu’e and Gong Lianyue stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then Shui Qiu’e explained, “I invited the Saintess to attend the monthly trial so the new members could experience a Saint-rank aura, tempering their minds and broadening their horizons.”

    Although her tone was calm, her expression was… mocking, as if saying, “Did you really think we paid you just to chat?”

    Heh, that was exactly what Gong Lianyue had thought.

    Her face twitched slightly as she looked towards the center of the Sea Dou Hall. The one-minute preparation time was almost up.

    She didn’t have a Saint-rank spirit beast to summon and show off.

    But she had obtained valuable information about the Wind Realm. Revealing something in return wouldn’t hurt…

    [Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]

    “Chirp~~”

    A small, milky white, three-tailed fox emerged from Gong Lianyue’s collar, stretching languidly.

    Shui Qiu’e looked at the adorable little fox in surprise. Besides the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion and her hidden Saint-rank spirit beast, the Sorrowful Saintess had another one?!

    She couldn’t identify the fox’s species, which was precisely why Gong Lianyue dared to reveal the Cloud Dream Flower before a Nether Traverse Stage expert.

    The little fox was an extinct hybrid, the only one of its kind.

    And uniqueness was a characteristic of myths. Shui Qiu’e would never be able to identify its true species.

    [No need for a full transformation this time. Just release a bit of your aura.]

    Sensing its master’s command, the little fox nodded slightly.

    The next second, an aura completely unlike its adorable appearance erupted, a vast and powerful force sweeping through the entire hall.

    At the same time, a strange, fluorescent scarf appeared beside the Cloud Dream Flower, radiating a faint, star-like glow.

    Battle Technique: Possessing the Divine – Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 87-88

    Chapter 87: Cangsheng Palace

    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 216]
    [Soul Prison Trial, Third Level: The Dark Ages]

    “Gasp… gasp~~~”

    In the foul-smelling, gloomy cell, the chained, blue-haired girl gasped for breath, her back drenched in sweat.

    Her furious, domineering eyes gradually returned to their normal, cold, and indifferent, sea-blue hue.

    The more extreme the transformation, the more energy it consumed. This principle of ocular mechanics was universally understood, requiring no further explanation.

    After the pig-beast fled in terror, the other girls in the cell stared at the blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl in disbelief, their expressions frozen.

    The oppressive aura she had just radiated was as terrifying as a ferocious beast, sending chills down their spines.

    They knew how frail and delicate a young Spirit Master’s body was. That power… couldn’t have possibly come from a human…

    “Um, what should we do now? That pig-person will probably be back with more of its kind soon, right?”

    As they were still reeling from the display of power, a small girl with curly hair asked anxiously.

    Her words brought a chilling silence to the cell.

    Pig-type species were known for their rapid reproduction. A single tribe could easily number in the hundreds. Even a small group could devour them all.

    Staying here was a death sentence. They had to escape!

    Gong Lianyue frowned, tugging at her chains, but they didn’t budge.

    If only she had learned an offensive spirit technique… Were they just supposed to sit here and wait to be eaten…?

    Clang!

    Suddenly, the chains binding a silver-haired girl shattered, falling to the ground.

    A shimmering, green blade emerged from the back of her hand, radiating a sharp aura, effortlessly slicing through the metal shackles.

    It looked like a spirit technique used to enhance a spirit beast’s cutting ability.

    “Well done!”

    “Help us too!!!”

    Seeing this, the other girls’ eyes lit up with hope, as if she were their savior.

    However, the silver-haired girl simply glanced at them with disdain and walked out of the cell.

    “…”
    “…”

    How selfish!

    Abandoning her teammates at the start… Did she really think she could survive this trial alone?

    The silver-haired girl, her long, white legs swaying, quickly disappeared from sight, eliciting angry curses.

    But Gong Lianyue’s eyes narrowed. She had noticed a black tally mark on the inside of the girl’s thigh as she walked.

    That mark was… the Cangsheng Palace!?

    She hadn’t expected to encounter a Spirit Master from such a geographically close faction in the Soul Prison Trial. She remembered Shui Qinghou mentioning that the Cangsheng Palace would also be sending envoys to the Storm Realm for the Overlord’s birthday celebration!

    The Cangsheng Palace was a super-realm power on par with the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis. Unlike the Sea Region Alliance and the Storm Realm, which were composed of numerous smaller factions, they were a single, unified force, their name synonymous with their world.

    Compared to the formidable Cangsheng Palace, the Sea Concubine Palace was like a speck of dust, an insignificant Sorrowful Saintess not even worth their attention.

    Unless she possessed a Saint-rank spirit beast on par with the Water Moon Lantern Flower Sword Heart Crane of the Penetrating You Pool, she wouldn’t even be noticed outside her own realm.

    Therefore, even if the members of the Cangsheng Palace saw the teardrop marks on her face, they wouldn’t recognize her.

    “How can someone be so selfish?! I’m so angry!!!”

    “Don’t let me find out which faction she’s from! I’ll definitely get revenge!!!”

    “I’m going to… violate her!!!!!”

    “She seems to be from the Cangsheng Palace.”

    As the girls raged, Gong Lianyue spoke softly.

    She had simply wanted to calm them down and focus on the immediate danger, but the atmosphere suddenly turned strange.

    Wait, they weren’t actually planning to seek revenge against the Cangsheng Palace, were they? Surely not!

    “Ahem, let’s focus on the current situation. We can settle our grudges back in reality.”

    “Alright, does anyone else have offensive spirit techniques?”

    “I do, but I haven’t fully mastered it yet. I’m afraid I might hurt you.”

    “It’s okay, it’s okay. Thank you, Big Sister.”

    Knowing the girl was from the Cangsheng Palace seemed to have calmed them down.

    Heh, they could always deal with her later. There was plenty of time for revenge.

    Clang, clang—

    A tall, mature woman, her thin prison shirt barely reaching her waist, used a spirit technique, blood-red claws extending from her hands, tearing apart the chains.

    Soon, it was Gong Lianyue’s turn. With a single swipe, the blood-red claws shattered the iron shackles she had been unable to break, setting her free.

    Offensive spirit techniques were so useful…

    Gong Lianyue suspected there would be more spirit beast restrictions in later Soul Prison Trials. She was starting to consider learning some spirit techniques herself.

    Leaving the cell, the girls stared at the dozen or so dark, intersecting passages ahead, a maze-like network.

    “So, what now? Let’s split up. If we travel together, we won’t be able to escape if something happens.”

    “Then let’s form groups of two or three.”

    Gong Lianyue didn’t participate in the discussion, letting the girls arrange themselves.

    She wouldn’t rashly try to escape the prison. This was a survival trial, not an escape trial. Escaping wouldn’t count as a victory and would only attract the pig-men.

    With three sessions, they only had three hours. Forty or fifty minutes had already passed. Staying in the prison was safer.

    Lost in thought, Gong Lianyue watched as several girls suddenly began playing rock-paper-scissors.

    After a while, the winner walked over to Gong Lianyue and stood beside her obediently.

    “…”
    “…”

    So they were competing for the right to be on her team?

    They must have misunderstood something. Gong Lianyue sighed inwardly. Unfortunately, the Steel Moon within her soul core was depleted, and her eyes were dry and sore. She couldn’t replicate that intimidating aura again.

    They would regret teaming up with her soon!

    Clang, clang, clang~~~

    The sound of a bell approaching from the distance made everyone tense. Judging by the sound, more than one pig-man was coming.

    Having formed their groups, the girls scattered, each taking a different path.

    In their haste, Gong Lianyue didn’t even get a good look at her teammate before rushing into a dark, narrow passage, the other girl close behind.

    –Fifteen minutes remained in this session of the Soul Prison Trial.


    Chapter 88: Saintess Palace

    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 216]
    [Soul Prison Trial, Third Level: The Dark Ages]

    The flickering candlelight on the wall cast long, dancing shadows, foul-smelling water dripping from the ceiling. The atmosphere in the dungeon was oppressive and grim.

    Gong Lianyue carefully led the way through the narrow passage. After ten minutes of uneventful walking, she couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated.

    Had that woman from Cangsheng Palace really drawn all the attention?

    It shouldn’t have been this long without encountering a single guard…

    “There are only four or five minutes left in this session. Should we find a cell to hide in?”

    Gong Lianyue turned to her teammate, then her eyes widened slightly, startled by the girl’s unusual appearance.

    Seven shimmering stars were painted on the girl’s face, rivaling the teardrop marks on her own cheeks in terms of sheer… dramatic flair.

    However, the perfect angles and precise arrangement of her own teardrops were unmatched.

    “Ah, um… this is our faction’s mark. We paint it on ourselves,” the girl explained, noticing Gong Lianyue’s reaction.

    A faction that painted stars on their faces? She had never heard of such a thing.

    Gong Lianyue’s eyes narrowed, and she mentally counted down the time.

    “About three minutes left…”

    The danger in this trial was probably only at the beginning, or perhaps they were simply lucky and hadn’t encountered any pig-men. If they wanted any excitement, they would have to wait for the next session.

    Gong Lianyue’s gaze fell upon an empty cell, and her eyes lit up. She pulled the star-faced girl towards it.

    She pushed the girl down, then, ignoring the girl’s mixture of shyness and… enthusiasm, piled a large stack of straw on top of her.

    She wondered about the mental state of someone who could still think about such things in this dangerous situation.

    Gong Lianyue quickly burrowed into the straw, concealing herself.

    The star-faced girl seemed to find it hot under the straw, her face flushed and panting, as if she were suffocating.

    The blue-haired girl, however, remained calm and unperturbed, her mind as clear as the azure sea.

    Ignoring the strange markings on her face, although this girl was also petite, she lacked the… alluring aura of the Sorrowful Saintess.

    Pressed close together, Gong Lianyue assessed the girl’s figure, a dismissive thought crossing her mind.

    Such a plain, ordinary physique. Not at all arousing.

    She preferred much, much, much bigger.

    “We should learn some spirit techniques when we get back. We might need them.”

    “Yes, Your Highness.”

    “?”

    Before Gong Lianyue could even process the girl’s sudden use of the honorific, the girl vanished, and the world around her began to distort.

    A wave of dizziness, a sense of weightlessness, and the dark, oppressive atmosphere faded.

    Like shackles breaking, she reestablished her connection with her spirit beasts.

    The Soul Prison Trial ended, and she returned to the Sea Concubine Palace.


    Sea Concubine Palace, Saintess Palace

    Hidden in the deepest corner of the Sea Concubine Palace stood a massive, ice-covered spire, its swirling cloud patterns resembling the flowing water of a Water Element, seemingly built specifically for the current Sorrowful Saintess.

    Less than a week after inheriting the title, Gong Lianyue had moved into this impressive Saintess Palace.

    The magnificent tower, over two hundred meters tall, looked like a hidden area in an adventure game, perhaps concealing a beautiful, secluded saintess.

    Swish

    A blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl materialized at the top of the tower.

    Back in the Sea Concubine Palace, Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief, her anxiety easing.

    That Soul Prison Trial had been terrifying, a stark contrast to the previous, more leisurely levels.

    One wrong move, and she would have been eaten. She had survived this time, but she didn’t know what dangers awaited her in the next session.

    However, at this moment, Gong Lianyue faced a situation even more dire than the Soul Prison Trial.

    Death in the Soul Prison Trial only meant disqualification. Death in the real world… was permanent.

    The Sea Concubine Palace higher-ups had announced that the date for the Sorrowful Saintess to escort the Swallow God back to the Storm Realm would be decided within a week—

    Shui Qinghou had even asked her yesterday if she was ready. Heh, how could she be ready?

    She needed to at least reach the Dead Sea Stage and contract with the Frost Snow Woman to even have a chance of survival!

    “Sigh~~~”

    Gong Lianyue sighed, her heart heavy. They would likely depart next week at the latest.

    She didn’t even have a single Saint-rank spirit beast. This trip to the Wind Realm was a suicide mission.

    Even if she reached her destination safely, she would have to face the Wind Realm Overlord, a legendary-rank spirit beast. All her secrets would be laid bare.

    Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep

    As Gong Lianyue fretted, the wave-shaped calendar on the wall suddenly beeped like an alarm clock.

    This calendar was a spirit artifact made from special materials, capable of real-time communication.

    A few seconds later, a message appeared on the schedule for two days from now.

    [The Fifth Concubine invites you to attend the monthly trial for new Sea Concubine Palace members. Attendance fee: 500 contribution points.]

    The Fifth Concubine…

    Gong Lianyue paused. She remembered that the Fifth Concubine was close to her teacher. They had done homework together during their apprenticeship, more than ten years ago.

    She glanced at the other scheduled events.

    [The Chief Concubine invites you to breakfast. Cost: 100 contribution points. Declined.]
    [The Chief Concubine invites you to lunch. Cost: 100 contribution points. Declined.]
    [The Chief Concubine invites you to dinner. Cost: 100 contribution points. Declined.]
    [The Sea Concubine Palace invites you to participate in a high-level meeting regarding the Swallow God. Declined.]
    [The Sea Concubine Palace invites you to participate in a high-level meeting regarding the Sea Halberd Behemoth breeding budget. No response.]

    Come to think of it, since inheriting the title of Sorrowful Saintess, she hadn’t attended any events or meetings. That wasn’t very good…

    Since the Fifth Concubine had offered to pay for her attendance, she might as well go and take a look, relax a bit before her trip to the Wind Realm.

    Gong Lianyue tapped the new event on the calendar, and a large red circle appeared.

    [Accepted. Please attend on time.]

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 85-86

    Chapter 85: The Dark Ages

    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 216]

    [Generating world…]

    [Loading…]

    [Matching…]

    Gong Lianyue’s consciousness drifted in a dark void, a sense of confusion washing over her.

    She had successfully shattered the monolith in the previous session, obtaining a Void Moon Stone, and had been informed that the next trial would return to a team-based format.

    But each participant cleared the trials at their own pace. What if no one else cleared the second level? Would she be stuck here indefinitely?

    As Gong Lianyue looked around, she noticed a strange set of numbers in the corner of her vision.

    Like a health bar in an online game, the numbers [18/20] appeared before her.

    Was this the number of matched participants?

    She couldn’t help but marvel. The Soul Prison Trial was becoming more and more like an online game, with loading screens, completion rewards, and automatic matchmaking.

    [20/20]

    Swish—

    The moment the number reached twenty, a brilliant white light engulfed her vision.

    The girl’s consciousness faded, and she lost consciousness.

    In a hazy dream, she received a series of fragmented messages.

    [Soul Prison Trial, Third Level: The Dark Ages]

    [Objective: Survive in this world of blood and despair. Survive three sessions to proceed to the next level.]

    [Session duration changed to one hour.]

    [Those who die within three sessions will be permanently disqualified from the trial.]

    [All treasures obtained in this world can be brought back to reality.]

    A dark, cold, and damp dungeon, the air thick with the stench of blood.

    The ancient stone walls were covered in dust and insects, the air filled with a faint, chaotic spirit energy and a nauseating stench.

    Clang, clang, clang!!

    As a piercing bell rang, a blue-haired girl, her hands and feet bound by chains, slowly opened her eyes.

    Her cold eyes, like shimmering teardrops, and the six water droplet-shaped beauty marks on her cheeks, gave her an air of icy beauty and sorrowful compassion, evoking the image of a saintess.

    But associating the word “saintess” with this dungeon setting… didn’t bode well.

    “Aaaaaaaaaah, where am I?!?”

    A sudden, high-pitched scream startled Gong Lianyue, and she turned her head.

    Not just her, but the other dozen or so girls imprisoned in the dungeon also turned towards the source of the scream, a small girl with a terrified expression on her face.

    The small girl, clearly in shock, trembled uncontrollably.

    Clang, clang, clang!!

    The piercing bell rang again from the corridor outside. Another girl looked around warily and said, “Quiet! We’re already on the third level. Why are you still making such a fuss?”

    “I suggest we all keep our voices down. We can’t summon our spirit beasts here. We don’t want to attract anything unwanted.”

    There were twenty girls in total, matching the number Gong Lianyue had seen earlier.

    They all wore thin, worn-out shirts. It was a decent fit for the petite Sorrowful Saintess, covering her thighs, but for the other, more… developed girls, it was rather revealing.

    Gong Lianyue calmly observed her surroundings, a growing sense of unease washing over her.

    The air in this world disgusted her, a visceral revulsion emanating from deep within her bloodline.

    Just then, a short-haired girl asked nervously,

    “I have a bad feeling about this. Do you know what the Dark Ages refers to?”

    “Isn’t it just the name of this level?”

    “No, I mean the Dark Ages recorded in history.”

    “Tens of thousands of years ago, the concept of Spirit Masters didn’t exist in many realms. Humans were like livestock, raised and slaughtered by low-rank spirit beasts.”

    “Without Spirit Masters to guide them, these low-rank spirit beasts remained in a primitive, chaotic state and were quickly eliminated by natural selection. There are few records of this period, known as the Dark Ages.”

    “…”
    “…”

    “So, we’re in the ancient past?” Gong Lianyue asked casually.

    To her surprise, all eyes turned towards her.

    They stared at her makeup, seemingly in disbelief that it was natural, like some kind of divine or ancient bloodline mark.

    “Wait, are you a human-beast hybrid?” someone asked in surprise.

    “Eh????”

    Gong Lianyue blinked, dumbfounded. Although her face was a bit unusual, with her strange makeup, she wasn’t related to beasts! That was insulting!

    However, what the short-haired girl had said about the “Dark Ages” seemed to be true. She felt an instinctive aversion and disgust towards this world.

    During this period known as the Dark Ages, humans were merely livestock raised by spirit beasts, just like them, trapped in this dungeon.

    Clang, clang, clang!!

    Clang, clang, clang!!

    Suddenly, the sound of a bell drew everyone’s attention. A strange shadow appeared outside the cell.

    Thud. Massive footprints dented the ground as the shadow approached. As its grotesque form came into view, the girls’ faces twisted in horror.

    A four to five-meter-tall humanoid pig, its body covered in lumps of fat, adorned with various bladed weapons, drool dripping from its massive jaws.

    The pig-man’s appearance was utterly disgusting. Even more terrifying was the oversized cleaver it carried, wider than the girls’ bodies, capable of dismembering them in an instant.

    A bloody stench clung to it, as if it had recently feasted.

    As the girls watched in terror, the pig-man grabbed the twisted metal bars of the cell door with its fat, fleshy hands. With incredible strength, it slowly straightened the bars.

    The girls covered their mouths, their small bodies trembling. Even Gong Lianyue, her usually expressionless face, couldn’t help but twitch.

    What was with this horror movie scene?

    This was terrifying. She would definitely have nightmares…


    Chapter 86: The Sorrowful Saintess’s Trump Card

    [Soul Prison Trial, Session 216]
    [Soul Prison Trial, Third Level: The Dark Ages]

    Clang!

    The lock on the cold dungeon cell was ripped off, and the terrifying, massive pig-man entered, its bloodshot eyes scanning the girls’ figures.

    Heads bowed, they remained silent, a wave of terror washing over them, the oppressive atmosphere almost unbearable.

    Finally, the pig-man’s gaze settled on the girl with the most… voluptuous figure, drool dripping from its jaws.

    “We’re doomed! Bite your tongues and kill yourselves! Even if we die, we only lose our trial qualifications!!”

    “Don’t panic! Think about it, which is more important, your bodies or the Soul Prison Trial? We might not die!”

    “No, no, no, being ravaged by a pig… that’s definitely a loss, right?”

    “Just curious, is this your first time? If not, maybe…”

    “Wait, what are you four talking about!?”

    “That pig… is female…” Seeing the other girls’ optimistic chatter, Gong Lianyue couldn’t help but point out the obvious.

    The excited whispers instantly ceased, a heavy silence falling.

    The female pig-man, unable to understand human language, grunted impatiently. It raised its cleaver high above its head and brought it down.

    Chop!

    “Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!”

    Blood and gore splattered everywhere, the dungeon echoing with terrified screams.

    The voluptuous girl, the pig-man’s initial target, was reduced to a pulpy mess, returning to reality, permanently disqualified from the Soul Prison Trial.

    Regret and frustration aside, her elimination was so sudden, she was probably still confused.

    Less than twenty minutes into the third trial, the group number had dropped to nineteen.

    If they truly couldn’t use their spirit beasts in this level, then both the difficulty and danger were far greater than before. As frail humans, they were practically helpless.


    After chopping the girl into mincemeat, the pig-man bent down and began to devour the remains, making sickening, disgusting sounds.

    “Chomp, chomp, chomp~~”

    A few moments later, the pig-man stood up, letting out a satisfied grunt.

    Blood and gore were splattered everywhere, some even landing on the girls, but they didn’t react.

    They desperately suppressed their fear, waiting for the pig-man to leave.

    Its bloodshot eyes scanned the cell, finding nothing amiss. Just as it turned to leave, it suddenly stopped and turned back, startling the girls.

    Its gaze locked with the blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl’s sorrowful, indifferent eyes. What was with that look? Why was she staring at it?

    The pig-man’s expression twisted into a frown, its previously satisfied mood turning sour.

    An unhappy pig-man had an increased appetite. Its stomach suddenly rumbled.

    Clang, clang, clang!!

    Only now did they realize the bell sound was coming from inside the pig-man’s stomach…

    The pig-man lumbered towards the blue-haired girl, its eyes fixated on her pitying expression, its grip on the cleaver tightening.

    What the hell?

    Seeing the pig-man approaching angrily, Gong Lianyue was completely bewildered. She had no idea what she had done to provoke it.

    But pleading and begging were useless now. She had finally been summoned to the Soul Prison Trial. She didn’t want to be eliminated on the third level for no reason.

    It seemed she had to reveal her ultimate, hidden trump card, her absolute, one-hundred-percent guaranteed, sure-kill technique!

    Without hesitation, the tears in the blue-haired girl’s eyes shifted.

    Gong Lianyue had a secret she had kept hidden for ten years: she possessed five distinct forms.

    She called them—

    [Normal Form]
    [Show-Off Form]
    [Natural Form]
    [Rage Form]
    [Sorrow Form]

    Normal Form was her everyday appearance, cold and aloof, yet with a hint of sorrowful compassion. Just meeting her gaze was enough to make one feel insignificant, intimidated and overwhelmed.

    Show-Off Form involved letting her teardrop eyes overflow, turning them into a shimmering, ocean-like blue, a calm and ethereal gaze, like a deity possessing her body, somewhat similar to He Daoqi’s Colorless eyes.

    She had used Show-Off Form once during her awakening ceremony, leading to the misunderstanding about the Variant Water Emperor and cementing her reputation.

    Natural Form involved manipulating her pupils to create a vacant, slightly foolish expression, perfect for playing dumb. (See cover image for reference.)

    And Rage Form…

    The pig-man was about to raise its cleaver when it met the blue-haired girl’s gaze and froze, its entire body trembling.

    The ice-blue teardrop eyes deepened, intensifying, the six beauty marks on her cheeks accentuating her now-furious expression, like an empress whose anger could pierce one’s soul.

    Dominating, wrathful.

    Under the girl’s furious gaze, the pig-man felt a chilling dread, its hand trembling as it gripped the cleaver.

    An invisible pressure filled the cell, an aura unimaginable for a human.

    Was this not enough…?

    Gong Lianyue felt a surge of anxiety. This was the effect of deepening the color of her tears, creating a double-pupil effect. It was effective against humans, but clearly not enough for a pig-man that regularly consumed human flesh.

    Although she couldn’t summon her spirit beasts in this world, she could still use some ordinary spirit techniques.

    Of course, ordinary spirit techniques had no effect on spirit beasts, unless—

    Gong Lianyue channeled the silver Steel Moon within her soul core, releasing a heavy, oppressive aura. Even incomplete, it was a legendary spirit technique.

    [Heavenly Full Cold Moon – Steel Moon Chapter]

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A terrifying wave of spirit energy distorted the air, a deafening cracking sound echoing through the cell.

    The ancient, unparalleled aura of the Lost Scroll, like an invisible wave, washed over everything.

    As if struck by a hammer, the pig-man collapsed to the ground in terror, then scrambled out of the cell.

    “…”
    “…”

    The heavy pressure of the Steel Moon, combined with the blue-haired girl’s furious expression, was incredibly intimidating.

    Silence filled the cell, the other girls stunned.

    A human Spirit Master’s power was indeed insignificant against a spirit beast, but what about a human-beast hybrid?

    Could a mere pig-man possibly withstand the mysterious power hidden within her bloodline…?

    Just what was this perpetually weeping girl?

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 83-84

    Chapter 83: The Sorrowful Saintess’s True Face

    [Battle Technique: Miniature Death Tribulation]

    Instantly draining its master’s spirit energy, this Ice Spirit had brazenly unleashed a technique comparable to a Saint-rank spirit beast’s in public!!!

    The concentrated power, far exceeding even a thousand simultaneous Ice Binding Contracts, formed a swirling purple sphere of pure energy, growing larger and drawing everything into its vortex.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    The purple star exploded, the shockwave shattering the surrounding ice.

    The mysterious purple ocean vanished, and the next second…

    The scattered fragments were drawn back into the vortex, disappearing along with it.

    The purple ice at the center of the arena vanished like a burst bubble, and as the lingering purple mist dissipated, the Ice Spirit’s imposing figure was revealed.

    It floated effortlessly in the air, its deep purple, crystalline body shimmering, seemingly reveling in its victory.

    Nothing else remained.

    The Water Element Commander, the Water Swallowing Cloud, even the arena floor—all gone.

    Instead of the expected cheers and excitement, only silence filled the Sea Dou Hall.

    A low-rank Ice Spirit had defeated a high-rank Water Swallowing Cloud, but no one considered it an upset.

    Because from the very beginning, it had been a king among kings!

    Since ancient times, those who challenged Saint-ranks met with certain death, their bodies reduced to bone and dust. It was as natural as the cycle of life and death, happening millions of times a year across the world, a commonplace occurrence.

    “I… I didn’t see…”

    The Cold Court Saintess Candidate muttered in shock, her face pale and covered in blood, a terrifying sight.

    Her spirit beast dead, she, a Dead Sea Stage Spirit Master, hadn’t instantly fainted, but remained conscious, in agony.

    So close, yet she hadn’t even glimpsed the Saint-rank spirit beast’s true form.

    An unexpected turn of events. This Ice Spirit, before the eyes of numerous Sea Concubine Palace experts and tens of thousands of ordinary Spirit Masters, had effortlessly defeated a high-rank Water Swallowing Cloud without revealing a trace of its true power.

    This wasn’t just hiding one’s strength or playing possum. This was… pathological!

    It could defeat a high-rank spirit beast while still low-rank. What was the point of concealing its true form?

    The pain of the Water Swallowing Cloud’s death and shattered core was overshadowed by the girl’s outrage.

    “Since the victor of the Saintess selection has been decided, let the inheritance ceremony of the Sorrowful Saintess begin.”

    Whoosh~~~

    As a cold female voice echoed, a massive wave suddenly erupted in the center of the arena.

    Clear, sparkling water, swirling and expanding.

    The next second, as everyone watched in awe, seven graceful, blue figures emerged from the center of the vortex.

    Six of the women wore masks, their features hidden, their water-patterned robes marked with the numbers one through six, a strange sequence.

    And the last, a blue-haired girl with a unique aura, six teardrop-shaped beauty marks on her face, radiating an indescribable sorrow.

    The six masked figures were undoubtedly the Six Concubines. So this was… the Sorrowful Saintess?!

    Although some Sea Concubine Palace members had encountered her before, seeing her in this setting still evoked a sense of awe.

    Such a sorrowful, compassionate, and melancholic face!

    An aura of silent weeping surrounded her, as if she had been born to bear the burden of sorrow.

    The aura of a true Saint-rank Spirit Master was indeed different, worlds apart from ordinary humans.

    “Aaaaaaaaaah, it’s the Sorrowful Saintess!!!!!”

    “Mommy’s in love!!!”

    “I’m going to lay eggs!!!!!”

    Frantic cheers erupted. Gong Lianyue opened her eyes, her cold, ice-blue gaze falling upon the Ice Spirit.

    This cold, indifferent look elicited another round of shrill screams from the female spectators, as if a single glance from the Sorrowful Saintess could impregnate them.

    Contrary to her outward composure, Gong Lianyue was speechless, her internal monologue a torrent of unspoken thoughts.

    [Come back.]

    Although this was her first time meeting the Ice Spirit, Gong Lianyue tried to communicate with it telepathically.

    She didn’t understand what was wrong with these people, getting so excited over a low-rank Ice Spirit. Had they never seen one before?

    They seemed to have misunderstood something. She should recall it to her spirit space.

    Fortunately, the Ice Spirit seemed to understand, sending a wave of agreement. It was much more obedient than that dimwitted Water Element.

    However, the next second… Gong Lianyue’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

    The Ice Spirit’s method of returning was… disturbing.

    It reached into its throat, pulled out a large amount of water, and then… vomited out the Water Element Commander it had just swallowed.

    How such a small Ice Spirit could contain the ten-times-larger Water Element Commander was a mystery.

    After expelling the Water Element Commander, the Ice Spirit pried open its mouth and crawled inside.

    Finally, the Water Element Commander dissolved into a puddle of water, returning to Gong Lianyue’s spirit space.

    “…”
    “…”

    While everyone was still reeling from the Ice Spirit’s bizarre behavior, Gong Lianyue quickly put her eyes back in.

    Silence filled the Sea Dou Hall for several minutes. No one knew what they had just witnessed.

    How could it… reverse-Matryoshka itself?


    Chapter 84: Crowned with the Name of Sorrow

    The successor to the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace was the appointed Saintess, Gong Lianyue.

    And the rumors about her six teardrop beauty marks and downcast eyes were true. Seeing her sorrowful face, one couldn’t help but think she was born to bear the burden of sorrow… unless she had painted it on herself.

    Gong Lianyue stood in the center of the empty Sea Dou Hall, her expression cold, her heart filled with worry.

    She didn’t know how the Ice Spirit had managed to obliterate the arena. She hoped she wouldn’t be held responsible for the reconstruction costs.

    Suddenly, something fell on her head.

    “Now, let the inheritance ceremony of the Sorrowful Saintess begin!!”

    Boom!!

    As Shui Qinghou’s solemn voice echoed, a thick column of water fell from the sky, engulfing the blue-haired girl.

    Amidst the audience’s shocked screams, the cascading water spread outwards like a tidal wave, quickly flooding the center of the Sea Dou Hall.

    The six women, led by Shui Qinghou, had already retreated to a safe distance, leaving the Sorrowful Saintess alone in the deluge.

    The audience was initially alarmed, but seeing the Six Concubines’ indifferent expressions, they realized… was this the inheritance ceremony?

    Meanwhile, immersed in the swirling water, Gong Lianyue remained expressionless, relaxing as the water flowed around her.

    Since she claimed to be the second-best at holding her breath in the Sea Concubine Palace, no one dared to claim the top spot. This included even the Sea Halberd Behemoths bred by the palace. If they disagreed, they could try holding their breath for hundreds of hours.

    The girl closed her eyes, calmly waiting.

    Since the details of the inheritance ceremony were strictly confidential, Gong Lianyue knew nothing about the procedure.

    Just as her mind began to drift, a flash of light appeared before her eyes.

    Whoosh—

    As she opened her eyes, a picturesque world unfolded before her, filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

    Crystal-clear air filled the valley, the sweet scent of flowers wafting through the air, the river flowing like liquid jade, a scene of ethereal beauty, almost unreal.

    A secret realm…

    No, a dream!?

    Gong Lianyue instantly recognized the illusory nature of this place. She had never felt so disconnected from her spirit beasts, their forms and presence indistinct.

    Since this was a dream created by the inheritance ceremony, her physical body must still be in the Sea Dou Hall.

    She didn’t know the ratio of time between the dream and reality. She hoped her enthusiastic fans wouldn’t do anything strange to her body while she was out.

    The most prominent feature of the valley was a massive stone tablet reaching towards the sky, its surface covered in flowing water patterns, inscribed with countless tiny characters.

    Curious, Gong Lianyue approached and looked up at the inscription.

    [Sea Concubine’s Love Tablet]

    [Leave proof of your existence here to inherit the will of sorrow of the Sea Concubine Palace and, together with the Saintesses of the other Sea Region Alliance factions, protect this insignificant, pitiful love—The First Sorrowful Saintess, Narcissus.]

    [Future Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, when you see these words, I will likely be dead—The Second Sorrowful Saintess, Wintergreen.]

    [Um—The Third Sorrowful Saintess, Yellow Heart Lotus.]

    [Everyone below is an idiot—The Fourth Sorrowful Saintess, Zhu Qimi.]

    [Rebuttal to the above—The Fifth Sorrowful Saintess, Zhu Jiuyue.]

    [I heard the two above are mother and daughter… —The Sixth Sorrowful Saintess, XXX.]

    [Wow, these are all legendary figures! I can’t believe I’m among them now. Let me tell you a secret, future generations: those guys above all died horribly—The Seventh Sorrowful Saintess, XXX.]

    […]

    […]

    [I heard the Penetrating You Pool was destroyed by the Snow Monarch recently—The Twentieth Sorrowful Saintess, Shui Yuerong.]

    [Aaaaaah, Lady Shui Yuerong! I grew up listening to your stories! I’m your biggest fan! I can’t believe I’m meeting you here! I’m so excited!!—The Twenty-First Sorrowful Saintess, XXX.]

    [So many legendary figures, I’m trembling, too scared to speak.—The Twenty-Second Sorrowful Saintess, XXX.]

    [Nothing to say—The Twenty-Third Sorrowful Saintess, XX.]

    [I’m a transmigrator—The Twenty-Fourth Sorrowful Saintess, XXX.]

    […]

    […]

    [Heh, how boring—The Ninety-Ninth Sorrowful Saintess, Shui Yingge.]

    The Sea Concubine’s Love Tablet, recording the words of the ninety-nine Sorrowful Saintesses of the Sea Concubine Palace throughout history.

    From top to bottom, the messages started out serious, then gradually became more… eccentric, with mentions of fan-girling over idols, mother-daughter arguments across time and space, and even claims of being a transmigrator.

    Some were famous figures in history, some unknown, some even legendary.

    The last entry was from Shui Yingge, the current Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace. It was said she was devoted to her cultivation and never bothered with palace affairs. Gong Lianyue had never met her.

    Since she was here, she was also supposed to leave a message… right?

    As she focused her will, the characters on the tablet shifted.

    [XXXXXXXXXX—The One Hundredth Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue.]

    Swish!

    The picturesque scroll unfurled and vanished, the dreamlike scene disappearing in an instant.

    The strange stone tablet, like a crashing wave, surged into her heart, taking root.

    When the girl came to her senses, a strange aura clung to her, a faint, alluring scent.

    “What is this…?”

    Gong Lianyue was slightly surprised. Why was it called the Sea Concubine’s Love Tablet? What did inheriting the will of sorrow have to do with love?

    The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Why did this scent… resemble the pheromones used for spirit beast breeding?!

    She would ask the Wrathful Saintess about it later. She hoped it wasn’t what she thought it was.


    Whoosh~~~

    A few seconds later, the swirling water in the Sea Dou Hall dissipated, revealing the beautiful, aloof, blue-haired girl.

    Watery patterns, like surging waves, appeared on her Sea Concubine Palace uniform, dancing along the hem of her skirt, lifelike and vibrant.

    Bearing the Sea Concubine Palace’s unique wave insignia, from this day forward, she was the true Sorrowful Saintess.

    Holding a position second only to the Palace Master within the Sea Concubine Palace.

    At this moment, crowned with the name of Sorrow—Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess!!!