Category: The Saintess Has A Showdown

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 31

    Chapter 31: Saint-Rank Descends

    “The Fear talent, Saint-rank can break it.”

    “A Saint-rank spirit beast would simply ignore the fear field.”

    “Of course, that’s just theoretical. Fear only affects those of the same rank or lower. A Saint-rank spirit beast would crush it with a single blow, regardless of any aura suppression.”

    Inside the Hellfire Dragon, Hong Tao waved her hand dismissively.

    She was simply explaining how to counter the Fear talent in theory, not suggesting it was a practical solution to the current crisis.

    Relying on the senior instructors’ spirit beasts to overcome their fear was a hundred thousand times more realistic. Furthermore, this attack hadn’t escalated to the point where a Saint-rank was needed.

    “Saint-rank?”

    That’s right!!

    If a Saint-rank spirit beast appeared, the Mist Crow’s fear field would be nullified.

    A dangerous idea formed in the blue-haired girl’s mind, her deep blue tears shimmering in her icy eyes.

    She didn’t have a Saint-rank spirit beast, but…

    “That big guy just glanced over here. It must have sensed the Hellfire Dragon’s aura. Some Wind Demon Palace brats might come to attack us soon.”

    “Lady Hong Tao, could you get a little closer to the Eight-Headed Mist Crow?”

    Hearing Gong Lianyue’s strange request, the red-haired girl, who had been observing the outside world, paused and turned to her with a puzzled expression.

    “If we get any closer, we’ll be in its line of sight. Aren’t your spirit beasts afraid?”

    “They are afraid, but we can’t indulge them. We must overcome our fears and face danger with a smile. We might be safe now thanks to Lady Hong Tao’s help, but we might not be so lucky next time.”

    “…”

    Looking at Gong Lianyue’s serious expression, Hong Tao’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

    She hadn’t expected the daughter of the Vice Palace Master Shui Qinghou, the leader of the conservative, non-confrontational faction, to have such an attitude. She was completely different from her mother.

    After a moment of stunned silence, she praised, “Well said! If everyone in the Sea Concubine Palace were like you, we wouldn’t be held back by such insignificant opponents.”

    “After this, the Sea Concubine Palace needs to increase its practical combat training. What’s the point of cultivating endlessly if you end up being defeated by someone of a lower rank? It’s just embarrassing.”

    “Then I’ll get closer and let your spirit beast experience it firsthand!!”


    Meanwhile, above the center of Fallen Whale Island, a swirling black cloud storm covered the sky.

    The fierce winds left the surrounding area barren. A blurry figure could be seen amidst the black mist and the eight crow heads.

    The black-robed woman’s silver-gray hair was disheveled like weeds, her skin pale and sickly. Her court dress, slit from the thigh upwards, was held together at the side by a few red threads, her ample bosom practically spilling out, her appearance vulgar and indecent.

    She wore a cracked black crow mask, lounging languidly on one of the Mist Crow’s heads, yawning casually.

    “What is it this time? A Scallop or a Pegasus?”

    “…”

    “Mmm~~~ It’s a Dawn and Dusk Stage Hellfire Dragon. Interesting. Don’t intercept it. Let it come and play.”

    Hearing the crow-masked woman’s command, the Wind Demon Palace members gathered at the Mist Crow’s feet, ready to intercept, stopped and exchanged helpless glances.

    Although the Eight-Headed Mist Crow’s Fear talent was powerful, its master was… frivolous, causing the results of this attack to fall short of expectations.

    After waiting for a few minutes, there was still no movement. The crow-masked woman sighed in boredom.

    Were they just here to observe?

    The Hellfire Dragon’s massive body stopped in the forest two kilometers away, cautiously scanning its surroundings.

    “This is as far as we go. We can’t get any closer.”

    Although the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, to maximize its fear field, shouldn’t move on its own, Hong Tao’s heart was still pounding. She couldn’t stay calm.

    Wind-attribute spirit beast auras surrounded them from all directions. There were even a few high-rank ones among them. Being surrounded would be dangerous.

    “Alright, thank you for the ride.”

    “Eh?”

    While Hong Tao was still stunned, Gong Lianyue jumped out of the amber space.

    Sliding down the sticky esophagus for a few seconds, she landed gently, a pure, water-blue aura erupting from her body, washing away the saliva and grime.

    From here, she could clearly see the strange figure in the sky, the eight crow heads writhing like snakes, radiating a terrifying wind aura.

    This spirit beast was truly disgusting. Its master must be some kind of extreme pervert.

    They probably play snake games with their spirit beast every night, right? Ugh!!

    “Wait, what are you doing?! Come back!!!”

    Hong Tao’s anxious cries came from behind, but Gong Lianyue didn’t even turn her head, walking straight towards the Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

    Sorry, Shui Qingyue no longer exists. From now on, it’s the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace—Gong Lianyue.


    A few minutes later, watching the blue-haired girl emerge from the forest, the Wind Demon Palace members all wore strange expressions.

    Including the crow-masked woman, the atmosphere was silent, eerily so.

    Blue hair, but wearing a Wind Demon Palace uniform… Was she going to say something like, “Haha, the Sea Concubine Palace Spirit Masters are so weak. I defeated them effortlessly”?

    That would be too stupid. No one would believe it. Did she think she could impersonate a Wind Demon Palace Spirit Master just by changing her uniform?

    With the Eight-Headed Mist Crow’s terrifying aura looming overhead, Gong Lianyue tried to avoid looking at it, maintaining a calm expression as she walked into the circle of Wind Demon Palace members.

    “Um, excuse me, I changed into these clothes earlier to trick someone. I didn’t mean to insult your intelligence.”

    Noticing their strange expressions, Gong Lianyue tugged at her collar, kindly offering an explanation.

    So that was it!

    Everyone’s expressions turned to understanding. They had been startled, thinking there was actually someone with an underdeveloped brain in the Sea Concubine Palace.

    After the explanation, Gong Lianyue continued,

    “And now, I’m here to announce that every single one of you will die a gruesome death.”

    “Everything you’ve done to the Sea Concubine Palace will be returned to you tenfold.”

    “…”
    “…”

    Looking at the blue-haired girl’s serious expression, a few Wind Demon Palace members wanted to laugh, but they noticed the crow-masked woman sitting atop the Mist Crow wasn’t laughing.

    How was that possible? Even they found this situation hilarious. How could this woman, with her incredibly low laugh threshold, not be laughing?!

    Not only was she not laughing, but the crow-masked woman’s aura had become incredibly serious. They could almost imagine her grim expression beneath the mask.

    “What are you afraid of?”

    She stroked one of the Mist Crow’s heads, clearly sensing its trembling and fear.

    This was an ominous sign, as if something terrible was about to happen.

    Poof!

    The next second, a cloud of pink mist erupted from the blue-haired girl, spreading rapidly in all directions.

    The outline of the pink mist gradually took the shape of a giant fox tail, covering an area of several hundred meters.

    Instantly, all the Wind Demon Palace members’ spirit beasts began to wail as if they had lost their minds, driven to madness.

    Even the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, with its Fear talent, was no exception. Its eight disgusting heads thrashed and shrieked.

    The crow-masked woman stared at the pink fox tail in shock, a sense of absurdity washing over her.

    How was this possible? This unparalleled pressure… was it… the aura of a Saint-rank?

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 30

    Chapter 30: Saint-Rank Can Break It

    –Fallen Whale Island

    Thud!

    Some creature passed nearby, its heavy footsteps causing the ground to cave in, leaving a trail of terrifying footprints.

    Within the dense forest, a massive, thirty-meter-long fire dragon slowly revealed itself, its savage appearance radiating an unparalleled dominance.

    An Illumination Stage, high-rank Hellfire Dragon. Crimson scales, burning with fiery sparks, and a thick, spiked tail that tore through the nearby trees.

    –Meanwhile, inside the fire dragon…

    “I can’t believe that Shui Qinghou actually has an illegitimate daughter…”

    Lost in thought, the red-haired girl sighed and muttered to herself.

    With the misunderstanding cleared, Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief.

    This beautiful red-haired girl must be the Saintess Candidate Hong Tao. Bai He had provided information about her: red hair and a Hellfire Dragon…

    “By the way, Lady Hong Tao, why did you let me in? I was clearly wearing Wind Demon Palace clothes.”

    “Hm? Because your hair is blue. And you were being chased by someone from the Wind Demon Palace. I was just wondering if you were playing some kind of trick.”

    Having her identity guessed, Hong Tao explained without surprise.

    Although she wasn’t a household name in the Sea Concubine Palace, recognizing her added credibility to the story.

    After all, possessing a high-rank fire-attribute spirit beast in a water-attribute spirit domain was quite a remarkable thing.

    Hair color…?

    Gong Lianyue was speechless. At least with the Wind Demon Palace, she had changed her entire outfit. It was somewhat understandable that she had fooled them.

    But Hong Tao was ridiculous. She had identified her as a Sea Concubine Palace member based solely on her hair color. Couldn’t she be a little more thorough?

    “Lady Hong Tao, what’s going on? What’s the situation on the island? Why did my spirit beast lose control?”

    “When I was pretending to be from the Wind Demon Palace, they mentioned something here that could suppress us. What is it?”

    Hong Tao didn’t answer any of Gong Lianyue’s questions.

    She stood up and traced a square shape on the reddish-amber membrane, creating an opening.

    “See for yourself.”

    Hong Tao sighed and collapsed back down, her face pale.

    Using some kind of spirit technique, the opening in the flesh displayed the scene from the Hellfire Dragon’s perspective.

    Gong Lianyue’s breath hitched, her heart heavy, as she watched.

    “This is…?”

    Through the Hellfire Dragon’s long-range vision, she saw a massive, dark figure floating above the island.

    Fierce winds and black mist erupted from the figure, spreading outwards and engulfing the entire island, spreading fear.

    Its terrifying, nearly hundred-meter-tall body resembled a demon god. Two massive black wings blotted out the sky, eight crow heads emerging from its swirling, mist-like body.

    This was the culprit behind the attack on Fallen Whale Island, the high-rank spirit beast—the Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

    Judging by its size, it was at the peak of the Dead Sea Stage. No wonder it hadn’t been detected by the Ice Shield Palace!!!

    Gong Lianyue suddenly understood why the Wind Demon Palace girl had seen through her disguise. They hadn’t even considered the Ice Shield Palace. It didn’t matter how vague her questions were.

    The Twelve Palaces of Ice were meant to intercept Samsara Stage Spirit Masters. No one could have predicted an attack from someone below that level.

    “Wait, the Eight-Headed Mist Crow is only a high-rank spirit beast. Why aren’t the two Samsara Stage instructors doing anything?” Realizing something was wrong, Gong Lianyue quickly asked.

    If it were just the Mist Crow, the Sea Concubine Palace wouldn’t be in such dire straits, and the little fox wouldn’t be so terrified.

    “This Eight-Headed Mist Crow has the Fear talent,” Hong Tao sighed.

    “Fear… talent…?”

    After a few seconds of stunned silence, the blue-haired girl’s expression turned strange, a sense of absurdity washing over her.

    Although it seemed unreal, it explained the current situation perfectly.

    Talents were unique to companion spirit beasts; wild spirit beasts didn’t have them.

    The higher the rank of the spirit beast, the greater the probability of obtaining a good talent upon contracting, like the Cloud Dream Flower’s [Cultivation Amplification].

    Most low-rank spirit beasts had no talent, mid-rank spirit beasts had a moderate chance, and high-rank spirit beasts always had one.

    And this Eight-Headed Mist Crow actually possessed the [Fear] talent, the tenth most powerful talent in the talent compendium…

    It projected fear onto surrounding creatures, causing all low, mid, and high-rank spirit beasts within its range to perceive themselves as one rank lower.

    This meant that when other high-rank spirit beasts sensed its aura, they felt as if they had suddenly become mid-rank, unable to muster the will to fight.

    Not to mention mid and low-rank spirit beasts, who would probably be scared out of their minds.

    No wonder the little fox was so terrified…

    Saint-rank spirit beasts were rare, but the Sea Region still had a dozen or so. This Fear talent was, in a sense, even more fortunate than having a Saint-rank spirit beast.

    “Those two instructors’ pampered spirit beasts probably can’t even stay calm. They’re probably hiding somewhere, waiting for an opportunity. We can’t count on them.”

    “I’m different. My Hellfire Dragon crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. It’s not afraid of that thing.”

    “Roar!!”

    Hong Tao said proudly, and the Hellfire Dragon outside roared in agreement.

    For a fire-type Spirit Master to reach this position in a water-type spirit palace, one could only imagine the brutal training she had endured.

    “Then why don’t you try fighting it?” Gong Lianyue asked, puzzled.

    “Duh, although we’re not afraid, we can’t win! That thing is almost at the Samsara Stage, and I’ve just barely entered Dawn and Dusk!” Hong Tao’s tone was matter-of-fact.

    Gong Lianyue sighed worriedly. Even two Samsara Stage senior instructors couldn’t fight it. The other Sea Concubine Palace members must have suffered heavy casualties.

    And in such a crisis, she, the Sorrowful Saintess, was pathetically hiding inside a Hellfire Dragon, afraid to even reveal her identity…

    “Don’t worry so much. Reinforcements from the Sea Concubine Palace will arrive tomorrow, and the two instructors are definitely eliminating enemies in secret.”

    “At least you’ll be safe with me!!”

    “So we can’t do anything until reinforcements arrive? Is there no way to counter the Fear talent?” Gong Lianyue asked sadly.

    “As for countering Fear, I can only think of two ways, but neither is likely to work. One is for the two senior instructors’ spirit beasts to muster up the courage to fight, but they’ve never experienced a real battle, which is ridiculous.”

    “And the other way?”

    “Saint-rank can break it,” Hong Tao hesitated for a moment before answering.

    “…”

    “Saint-rank can break it?” Gong Lianyue repeated, the deep blue tears in her eyes shimmering.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 29

    Chapter 29: The Illegitimate Daughter

    –Fallen Whale Island

    “Gulp!”

    The Water Element and the blue-haired girl, fleeing just ahead, were swallowed whole. This horrifying sight caused the pursuing Stone Lord to screech to a halt, almost throwing the Wind Demon Palace girl from its shoulder.

    She clung to the Stone Lord, her heart pounding, staring nervously at the flames ahead.

    After a few tense seconds, the girl’s delicate face was flushed red from the scorching heat, her entire body feeling like it was on fire.

    Sweat drenched her, but she didn’t even bother to wipe it away, her eyes fixed on the scene before her.

    “Who’s there!?”

    “Show yourself!!!”

    With a forced shout, the temperature of the flames intensified, turning the surrounding air crimson.

    A rustling sound came from the forest ahead, the flickering sparks now visible.

    Suddenly, a shadow loomed overhead, both the Stone Lord and the Wind Demon Palace girl freezing in shock.

    A massive “head,” as large as the Stone Lord itself, emerged from the forest. Long, savage whiskers trailed through the sparks, crimson scales covering its skin, flames erupting from the crevices.

    Even the towering Stone Lord seemed small compared to this fiery dragon head, let alone its entire body.

    A high-rank spirit beast—the Hellfire Dragon!!

    Thud!

    The next second, the Stone Lord’s knees buckled, and it knelt before the dragon’s head.

    “D-Don’t, don’t, don’t… don’t be scared! Although it was high-rank, b-but its aura has been suppressed to mid-rank! It’s the same level as you!!”

    The Wind Demon Palace girl trembled uncontrollably, desperately trying to reassure the terrified Stone Lord.

    She was only at the Illumination Stage. Facing a Dawn and Dusk Stage, high-rank spirit beast in the outside world would be a death sentence. But on Fallen Whale Island, there was still a chance.

    And not just a chance to escape, but a chance to win!

    “Stone Lord, you train your muscles every day, yearning for power. Isn’t it to defeat those high and mighty high-rank spirit beasts!?”

    “Get up! This is your only chance! Fight!”

    “Absorb the essence of a high-rank spirit beast and become even stronger!!”

    Whoosh~~~

    The Hellfire Dragon exhaled gently, a scorching breath sweeping over the passionate Wind Demon Palace girl, instantly turning her into charcoal.

    Dreams are beautiful, but reality is harsh.


    Inside the Hellfire Dragon

    A scorching heat enveloped her. Under this terrifying temperature, the Water Element couldn’t even maintain its form and retreated to her spirit space.

    The blue-haired girl squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself as she slid down a sticky, slippery esophagus, landing with a plop on something soft and springy, like jelly.

    Gong Lianyue nervously opened her eyes, stunned by the strange sight before her.

    She was trapped inside a completely sealed, reddish-amber membrane, about the size of a bedroom.

    Despite being inside a fiery monster, she felt strangely safe, even feeling no heat at all.

    In the corner of this amber space lay a beautiful red-haired girl, her face pale as if injured.

    The Sea Concubine Palace uniform the girl wore put Gong Lianyue completely at ease.

    “You…”

    “Don’t move!!” As Gong Lianyue was about to approach, the red-haired girl suddenly barked, startling her.

    “Are you from the Sea Concubine Palace or the Storm Realm? Show me your identity token in three seconds.”

    “If you make any sudden movements, you’ll be incinerated.”

    “…”
    “…”

    Hearing the question, Gong Lianyue froze, realizing she was still wearing the Wind Demon Palace uniform.

    Prove her identity? That was easy.

    She just needed to show her token and roll her eyes back…

    Gong Lianyue reached into her skirt to retrieve her token, but she suddenly froze. Wouldn’t that reveal her identity as the Saintess?

    The Saintess, being chased around like a fugitive… even if she showed her token, would they believe her?

    If the real Sorrowful Saintess were here, she would use her invincible Variant Water Emperor to save the day.

    “Are you from the Storm Realm?”

    Seeing the blue-haired girl hesitate, the red-haired girl narrowed her eyes dangerously.

    Gong Lianyue felt the temperature within the amber membrane rise, as if she would be incinerated any second. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

    “I’m from the Sea Concubine Palace.”

    “Identity token?”

    “I changed clothes when I disguised myself as a Storm Realm Spirit Master, and we swapped tokens. I only have a Wind Demon Palace token now…”

    “Fine, I’ll give you another chance. Tell me something only a Sea Concubine Palace member would know. When did you join? Tell me some interesting gossip from within the Palace.”

    Facing the red-haired girl’s interrogation, Gong Lianyue gulped, her heart pounding.

    “I… I’m Shui Qingyue, Shui Qinghou’s illegitimate daughter. Most Sea Concubine Palace members probably don’t know that.”

    “Shui Qinghou’s illegitimate daughter!?”

    The red-haired girl abruptly stood up, her face filled with disbelief.

    What a reaction!

    Gong Lianyue had just made up an excuse, not expecting such a strong response.

    “What’s your relationship with Gong Lianyue?”

    The red-haired girl’s expression suddenly brightened. It seemed she was a gossip lover too.

    Ah—to address the Saintess so casually, how rude!

    But this wasn’t the time to worry about such things…

    Gong Lianyue shyly twirled a strand of hair, imitating the adoring tone of the girls from the Soul Prison Trial.

    “Sister Gong treats me like her own sister. She’s a very kind and gentle person.”

    “If she were on Fallen Whale Island, I wouldn’t be chased around by enemies, boohoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo~~”

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 28

    Chapter 28: A Cowardly Little Person

    –Fallen Whale Island

    “Senior Sister, it was a pathetically weak Water Element!”

    “A Water Element? Not bad.”

    The black-haired, masked girl nodded and lightly jumped down from the massive Stone Lord, seemingly completely at ease.

    Although the girl’s water-blue hair was a bit strange, the Wind Shadow Fox was solid proof of her identity. No one would suspect her.

    As the black-haired girl carelessly examined the corpse, Gong Lianyue almost couldn’t resist having the little fox attack.

    No, she had to wait. She needed to understand the situation first…

    The Cloud Dream Flower’s condition was unstable, and the powerful Stone Lord was too close. If they couldn’t kill them both in one strike, they would be in grave danger.

    After some thought, Gong Lianyue abandoned the idea of a sneak attack. She would rely on her superb acting skills!

    “Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑!!!”

    “That Water Element was scared witless. I killed it without even trying. It wasn’t even satisfying~~~”

    Hearing the blue-haired girl’s convincingly arrogant laughter, the Wind Demon Palace girl stood up, holding three nutrient potions, and tossed them to her.

    Catching the potions clumsily, the girl’s teardrop eyes narrowed beneath the mask.

    These were potions from the Sea Concubine Palace uniform. She had been too hasty in changing clothes and had forgotten to take them…

    “You don’t even search a body properly. With your carelessness, you wouldn’t survive a day on the battlefield.”

    “And what’s there to be proud of, defeating a defenseless low-rank spirit beast by relying on that thing’s aura?”

    The Wind Demon Palace girl frowned, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

    Whew~~

    Hearing the displeasure in the girl’s tone, Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t revealed any flaws.

    Wait, “that thing”?

    She seemed to have stumbled upon some important information!

    Before Gong Lianyue could ponder further, she suddenly noticed the nutrient potions in her hand.

    This girl was unexpectedly kind…

    Not only had she returned the spoils, but she had also spoken up for the dead enemy…

    Gong Lianyue had always thought everyone in the Storm Realm was a ruthless, murderous psychopath. This girl’s actions surprised her.

    “I’m sorry.”

    “Hmph!” Seeing the blue-haired girl apologize, the Wind Demon Palace girl sneered. She had seen plenty of cowardly people like this.

    Acting tough against weak spirit beasts, but cowering before stronger opponents, not daring to talk back.

    “By the way, Senior Sister, that… that being… it can defeat a Saint-rank spirit beast, right?”

    Gong Lianyue’s question was subtly vague, but the Wind Demon Palace girl didn’t notice. She scoffed, “Ridiculous. That thing? Compared to a Saint-rank? It’s just a bully, preying on the weak.”

    Eh? It wasn’t a Saint-rank spirit beast?!

    Gong Lianyue was confused. If that was the case, why hadn’t the senior instructor who had landed earlier intervened?

    Although she had gained some information, it was still vague. She still didn’t know the reason for the attack.

    “Senior Sister, what if we are discovered by the Ice Shield Palace?”

    When Gong Lianyue asked again, the Wind Demon Palace girl didn’t respond.

    She stood silently, her gaze fixed on the Wind Shadow Fox on the blue-haired girl’s shoulder, sensing something amiss.

    “Why is your spirit beast trembling so much?”

    What? Had she been discovered?

    Gong Lianyue’s breath hitched. She stammered,

    “Um, it’s also a little scared of that… No matter how much I comfort it, it’s still like this. There’s nothing I can do~~”

    “Scared of what? What is ‘that’? Tell me.”

    Gong Lianyue had thought she could get away with it, but it had completely backfired.

    The Wind Demon Palace girl’s voice turned serious, the towering Stone Lord behind her leaning down, radiating a terrifying pressure.

    “Uh, it’s scared of that…” Gong Lianyue stammered, scratching her head, unsure how she had been exposed.

    “That, that, that is…”

    “Deep Sea!!!”

    Boom!

    The illusion descended, the crushing pressure of the deep sea.

    However, in less than a second, the Stone Lord broke free, its dark eyes widening as it swung its massive arm down.

    A terrifying shadow enveloped Gong Lianyue as a water-shaped figure materialized before her.

    Boom!!!

    The ground shattered, a violent hurricane erupting, the surrounding trees uprooted and thrown about.

    Shaken by the wind, the Wind Demon Palace girl snapped out of the Deep Sea illusion. Seeing the blue-haired girl being carried away by the Water Element, her face turned livid.

    She quickly reviewed what she had said, relieved that she hadn’t revealed any crucial information. She wiped the cold sweat from her brow.

    “Unforgivable! I will tear you to pieces!”

    “Roar!!!”

    Sensing its master’s fury, the Stone Lord roared, the terrifying sound waves cracking the surrounding ground.

    Lifting the Wind Demon Palace girl onto its shoulder, the stone giant, like an enraged gorilla, began to run on all fours.


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

    Feeling the ground tremble and the wind approaching from behind, the blue-haired girl ripped off her mask, her face covered in sweat.

    Why had she been discovered? Shouldn’t it have been the mention of the Ice Shield Palace, a mistake in their shared knowledge?

    This was bad. A mere Illumination Stage Stone Lord, not even as strong as the Dawn and Dusk Stage Black Mud Whale from half a month ago, was actually pushing her to this point.

    Gong Lianyue had slaughtered hundreds of same-rank Blazing Sprites in the Sea Abyss Secret Realm!

    What was that “thing” the girl had mentioned? It wasn’t a Saint-rank spirit beast, but it had completely crippled the little fox’s abilities!

    Thankfully, the Water Element wasn’t affected, or she would have already died at the hands of that Wind Element.

    “It’s getting closer. What should I do…?”

    Stopping her frantic thoughts, Gong Lianyue looked back anxiously.

    The rampaging green giant was closing in, smashing through boulders and trees without hesitation.

    There were only twenty meters between them now. She would be caught and killed in four or five seconds.

    Whoosh~~~~~

    Just as Gong Lianyue was at her wit’s end, she felt an incredible wave of heat wash over her face, her ice-blue, teardrop eyes narrowing.

    Such hot wind. What was this?

    A scorching heat swept towards her from ahead, making her feel like she was about to burst into flames.

    Hot sparks danced in the air before her, like the intense heat deep within a volcano.

    “Awooo!”

    As the Water Element burst out of the forest, a hellish inferno suddenly erupted.

    A massive beast, covered in flames, swallowed the Water Element whole, both spirit beast and master disappearing into its maw.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 27

    Chapter 27: Is That All?

    –Fallen Whale Island

    Surrounded by dense forest, the elemental figures of wind and water stood facing each other, the atmosphere tense.

    The masked woman with purple pigtails looked smug. Ninety-nine percent of the Sea Region was water, with only one percent land. If a full-scale war broke out in the Sea Region, they would undoubtedly lose.

    But on that one percent of land or islands, without the advantage of seawater, water-type spirit beasts lost their edge.

    This was why she had made such a bold claim. On open land, a Wind Element could take on ten Water Elements!

    “The Wind Element is stronger, faster, and my spirit technique talent is superior. I’ve already won!!”

    “Spirit Technique – Wind Drill!”

    The purple-haired woman let out a burst of arrogant laughter, a silver whirlwind of spirit energy erupting from her body and enveloping the Wind Element.

    Boosted by the buff, the Wind Element’s right arm swelled, distorting and transforming into a ferocious drill.

    The power of a low-rank spirit beast was limited, but enhanced by this spirit technique, the violent hurricane now affected the surrounding trees for dozens of meters, radiating a terrifying aura.

    “It’s useless to hide. I’ll just kill your spirit beast directly.”

    With a vicious snarl, the purple-haired woman commanded the Wind Element to attack.

    Boom!!

    The next second, the violent wind arm instantly tore through the Water Element and the trees behind it, sending it flying more than ten meters. It tumbled pathetically across the ground.

    Blown away by the attack, the Water Element’s form dispersed, but its life core, protected by a layer of ice, remained undamaged.

    “Phew~~” The blue-haired girl, hiding in the shadows, breathed a sigh of relief as she carefully approached the purple-haired woman from the side.

    Water Element versus Wind Element, a battle between the same species but different attributes. It was bound to be an exciting duel.

    That must be what the woman was thinking… right?

    Unfortunately, despite being the Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue had no mercy.

    The Wind Element is stronger than the Water Element? Who cares? It’s just a low-rank small fry. Let’s see if the little fox can handle it.

    In those few seconds, Gong Lianyue had almost entered the Cloud Dream Flower’s attack range.

    “What the hell? It took a direct hit from the Wind Element, and its core is completely undamaged?”

    Seeing the Water Element’s intact core, the purple-haired woman was stunned.

    The only way to defeat an incorporeal elemental spirit beast was to shatter its life core. Although this Water Element was weak, its core seemed abnormally durable.

    [Ice Binding Contract]

    As the scattered water coalesced, the Water Element brought its hands together, a diamond-shaped snowflake pattern appearing on its back.

    Whoosh~

    The water froze, forming a sharp, massive ice spear. With a burst of water propulsion, the spear shot forward.

    “Wind Element, block it!!” the purple-haired woman yelled.

    Facing the incoming ice spear, the Wind Element casually extended its arms, shielding its master.

    The next second, just as the ice spear was about to hit, a dreamlike, watery ripple enveloped the area.

    [Deep Sea]

    Boom!

    Their vision went black as both the Wind Element and the purple-haired woman’s consciousness plunged into the endless depths of the sea.

    Towering waves engulfed them, swirling currents pulling them down, their consciousness sinking towards the seabed.

    Caught off guard, the Wind Element was completely defenseless. The ice spear pierced through it easily, continuing towards the purple-haired woman.

    At the very last moment, the Deep Sea illusion suddenly dissipated.

    The Cloud Dream Flower’s illusion was supposed to disable the enemy, allowing the Water Element’s battle technique to deliver the killing blow. A flawless combination…

    But at the crucial moment, the little fox had faltered, releasing the Deep Sea illusion.

    “An illusion?”

    Her consciousness returning to reality, the purple-haired woman opened her eyes with a gasp, a flash of icy coldness piercing her vision.

    Swish! The ice spear pierced through her forehead.

    Huh, is that all?

    As her consciousness faded, the woman scoffed. That power, that force… not even a third of the Wind Element’s full strength!

    Is that it? Is that all?!

    So weak, pathetically weak!!!

    Pierced through the brain, she had a clear understanding of the attack’s strength. Her assessment was accurate, undeniable.

    Truth be told, the Wind Element was stronger than the Water Element.

    Thud!

    The purple-haired woman, her eyes losing their light, collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole in her forehead oozing blood.

    With the Spirit Master’s death, the Wind Element shattered, a silver life core falling to the ground and dissipating.

    “…”

    “Phew, I won~~~”

    Cautiously waiting for more than ten seconds, the blue-haired girl emerged from the shadows, her heart pounding.

    Gong Lianyue nervously stroked the trembling little fox. Seemingly affected by the terrifying aura, its illusion was now less than a tenth of its original strength, barely able to trap even the low-rank Wind Element for more than a few seconds. If the woman had reacted faster, they would have been in trouble.

    It was this difficult to deal with a low-rank spirit beast. It almost failed. Wouldn’t mid-rank opponents be even more challenging…?

    Approaching the body, perhaps because her hands were already stained with the blood of thousands of Blazing Sprites, Gong Lianyue felt nothing, her expression remaining indifferent.

    “Which faction in the Storm Realm does this bitch belong to?”

    The girl roughly ripped off the woman’s mask and began searching her body, finding a wooden identity token.

    The token was engraved with three characters: [Wind Demon Palace].

    “Wind Demon Palace… never heard of it…”

    Gong Lianyue muttered to herself. She couldn’t even remember all ten factions of the Sea Region Alliance, let alone the factions of the Storm Realm.

    She only knew of the Wound of Wind and the Gray Citadel. She had never heard of the Wind Demon Palace. It was probably a low-ranking faction.

    Just as the blue-haired girl was rummaging through the body, a fierce gust of wind swept down from the sky, heading straight towards her.

    “Crap, the commotion from the battle has been noticed…!!!”

    Gong Lianyue stumbled back in alarm, her teardrop eyes suddenly narrowing. Then, she calmly turned and walked back.

    She recalled the Water Element and then took off her clothes, along with the clothes of the corpse…


    Boom!

    Half a minute later, a towering figure descended from the sky, creating a three-meter-wide crater in the ground.

    Mid-rank spirit beast: Stone Lord.

    A seven to eight-meter-tall, green giant made of solid rock emerged from the crater, a short, black-haired girl in a mask sitting on its shoulder.

    The masked girl looked down at the trembling blue-haired girl at the giant’s feet, her furrowed brow slowly relaxing.

    Blue hair? She had initially thought it was an enemy, but the silver-gray fox perched on the girl’s shoulder dispelled her suspicion. That was a low-rank spirit beast from the Storm Realm, the Wind Shadow Fox.

    The blue-haired girl wore the Wind Demon Palace’s signature fat-baby mask, their standard uniform, and their token at her waist.

    Even the Palace Master of the Wind Demon Palace would mistake her for one of their own.

    “You just killed someone from the Sea Concubine Palace. What was her spirit beast?”

    “Senior Sister, it was a pathetically weak Water Element!” The blue-haired girl slowly raised her head, her teardrop eyes shimmering beneath the mask.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 26

    Chapter 26: The Wind Element

    The ominous dark clouds stretched for dozens of miles, the swirling storm engulfing Fallen Whale Island, leaving no escape for even the smallest insect.

    From the distant sky, the cloud formation resembled a giant devil, radiating a sinister aura.

    As the two Sea Halberd Behemoths were torn apart by the fierce winds, their flesh and blood rained down from the sky, some of the Sea Concubine Palace members trapped within also caught in the maelstrom.

    If a Spirit Master lost consciousness, their spirit beast would be forcibly recalled.

    The terrifying impact of the collision with the hurricane instantly swept through the behemoths’ bodies. Many Spirit Masters, including Gong Lianyue, were knocked unconscious, swept into the swirling black clouds, their lives hanging by a thread.


    Fallen Whale Island

    Drip

    Drip, drip

    In a dark, damp cave, clear water droplets fell from the stone walls, landing on the girl’s delicate face.

    “Mmm…”

    A few minutes later, the blue-haired girl groaned and slowly opened her ice-blue, teardrop eyes.

    Her vision was blurry and dim. Her body ached all over, her head heavy.

    What was going on? Was she on Fallen Whale Island?!

    Gong Lianyue was completely confused. The Saintess selection had been going smoothly, so how had such a violent collision occurred? Had the Sea Halberd Behemoths crashed into a reef?

    Weren’t they being escorted by a Samsara Stage senior instructor? How could such a basic mistake happen?

    [Water Element]

    Whoosh~~~

    Ripples of water spread through the air, condensing into a blue, watery figure that gently lifted the girl.

    The Water Element, supporting the girl’s hips with one hand, slowly floated towards the cave entrance.

    Emerging from the cave, Gong Lianyue expected her vision to clear, but the sky outside was still dark, covered by a thick layer of black clouds, obscuring the sun and moon.

    The island, enveloped by the dark clouds, was shrouded in an oppressive darkness that made it difficult to breathe.

    Not only was the environment oppressive, but simply being within these black clouds induced an inexplicable sense of dread and fear.

    “Is this… caused by a wind-attribute spirit beast…?”

    Looking at the dark clouds covering the sky, recalling her teacher’s warning, Gong Lianyue gasped, her heart pounding.

    Spirit Masters from the Storm Realm had attacked the Sea Concubine Palace’s Saintess selection? How was that possible?!

    How dare they? And what was their purpose?

    Gong Lianyue felt a sense of disbelief.

    She would rather believe this was a drill, a part of the Saintess selection, with someone secretly observing the participants’ reactions.

    After all, the moment a Samsara Stage spirit beast entered the Sea Region, it would be detected by the Ice Shield Palace. It would be impossible to break through the defenses of the Twelve Palaces of Ice.

    Unless… there were no Samsara Stage Spirit Masters among the invaders…

    [Scared]
    [Go home]

    The Cloud Dream Flower’s emotions surged through her soul core, confusing Gong Lianyue even further. Just what level of power could infiltrate the Sea Concubine Palace undetected?

    After a while, the little fox, still reluctant, was forcibly summoned, trembling in her arms.

    Even the low-rank Water Element wasn’t afraid. What was the little fox so scared of?

    Comforting the little fox, Gong Lianyue felt a sense of relief and lingering fear.

    Judging by the violent hurricane at the edge of Fallen Whale Island, they must have been swept inside while still within the Sea Halberd Behemoth. And yet, she had survived without the protection of her spirit beast. She was quite lucky, having been blown into a safe cave.

    She wondered how the other members of the Sea Concubine Palace were doing. Those who had been knocked unconscious were probably in grave danger…

    “Should I use Tidal Wave to gather everyone?”

    After a moment of hesitation, Gong Lianyue quickly dismissed the idea. If there really were enemies, doing so would be like walking into a trap.

    The situation on the island was unknown. Acting rashly would be dangerous. She had to find the first group of members and instructors who had landed.

    Making up her mind, Gong Lianyue had the Water Element scout ahead through the forest, while she followed, maintaining the 50-meter limit of her spirit beast’s range.

    Her greatest fear was that there was a Dead Sea Stage Saint-rank spirit beast on the island. That would explain how they had bypassed the Ice Shield Palace’s detection. A Dead Sea Stage could easily crush a Samsara Stage, annihilating the entire Sea Concubine Palace force.

    That would also explain the little fox’s terror…

    Rustle—

    Gong Lianyue held her breath. Through the Water Element’s senses, she heard the rustling of leaves.

    Fifty meters ahead, the blue, water-shaped figure floated motionless, waiting.

    The wind picked up in the forest ahead, the rustling of leaves growing louder.

    Boom!

    Rumble!!

    A few seconds later, a fierce gust of wind swept through, uprooting several thick trees.

    The surrounding grass was flattened by the wind pressure, and the Water Element was blown apart, water splashing everywhere.

    “Idiot, trying to hide your presence in front of a wind-type Spirit Master? The sound of flowing water is deafening.”

    A raspy female voice echoed from the forest as the swirling wind condensed around a gray, diamond-shaped crystal.

    Through the shared senses with the Water Element, the blue-haired girl’s reversed teardrop pupils constricted, her expression stunned.

    “T-This is…”

    Before the Water Element appeared a silver-gray, humanoid figure radiating a powerful wind aura.

    One blue, one silver, the two elemental figures were similar in build and facial features, like siblings.

    This was… a Wind Element!!!

    Gong Lianyue’s heart sank. Wind Elements were spirit beasts born only in the Storm Realm. Something had definitely gone wrong on this trip to Fallen Whale Island.

    The Sea Region and the Storm Realm had a centuries-old feud. Occasionally contracting one or two wind-attribute spirit beasts was fine, but there was no way they would find a large number of wind-type Spirit Masters for a training exercise.

    Just then, a gloomy woman in a black uniform emerged from the forest, following behind the wind figure.

    Her face was hidden behind a creepy, chubby-baby mask, braided pigtails hanging down to her waist. She had a decent figure, though her thighs were a bit… wide-set.

    “Hahaha, let me guess. That little milk doll trembling in the distance… Your Water Element has probably never even killed a chicken, right?”

    “Even if I stood still and let you hit me, could you even make me bleed?”

    The woman shifted her mask slightly, a harsh, mocking laughter escaping her lips.

    She was a battle-hardened veteran, while her opponent was inexperienced. The difference in experience was insurmountable, not to mention that Wind Elements were inherently stronger than Water Elements.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 25

    Chapter 25: Panic

    Boom!!!

    With a sonic boom like a falling comet, the white-winged pegasus, trailing will-o’-the-wisp fire, vanished from sight.

    The deafening roar, almost as loud as a modern airliner, caused the seawater below to churn and surge.

    Meanwhile, within the palace inside the Sea Halberd Behemoth…

    “Eh? Why did Instructor Youying leave first?!”

    A shapely female instructor, peering through the behemoth’s transparent eyeball, saw the green meteor streak across the sky and cried out in surprise.

    Youying, a senior instructor tasked with escorting them, how could she abandon her duty and leave alone?

    “She said there was an anomaly on Fallen Whale Island. What should we do? Return for reinforcements, or stay put?”

    “Those were the orders of a senior instructor. We have no choice but to stay here. If the Saintess selection is delayed, it’s not our responsibility.”

    “Sigh, I have a private tutoring session tonight!!”

    The instructors left behind in the palace began to discuss amongst themselves. They were former classmates who had participated in the Saintess selection together and were much closer than they usually appeared.

    Within the Sea Concubine Palace, the current Palace Master held the most authority, followed by the Vice Palace Masters in charge of various duties.

    Senior instructors also held a high position, responsible for training specialized, covert combat units, the core strength of the Sea Concubine Palace.

    Next were the instructors like themselves, responsible for teaching ordinary members, but with no power to interfere with the decisions of the higher-ups.

    Since the senior instructor had given the order, they could only remain where they were.

    And so, the two Sea Halberd Behemoths floated quietly on the surface, gently swaying with the currents.

    Unnoticed, perhaps due to a shift in wind direction, the flowing seawater began to converge and swirl.

    The closer they got to Fallen Whale Island, the faster the current spun, pushing the two behemoths forward.


    Two hours later…

    “Chirp, chirp, chirp…!”

    Awakened from her meditation by the fox’s cries, the blue-haired girl inside a single-person cabin lowered her head in confusion.

    The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, transformed into a black fox, was anxiously biting at her dress, then pointing its paw insistently towards a wall.

    “What is it? Is there something there?”

    Gong Lianyue walked over to the corner and knocked on the icy wall where the little fox was pointing.

    Thud!

    Thud, thud!

    The wall, made of an unknown ice crystal, was thick and solid, probably as hard as the monolith in the Monolith Temple. Difficult to break.

    Gong Lianyue felt around the ice wall, then turned around, puzzled. She had thought there might be a hidden door.

    “What are you looking for?”

    “Chirp, chirp, chirp!!”

    The little fox pointed at the wall again, then began to frantically wave its paws as if having a seizure.

    [Scared]
    [Go home]

    Sensing its intense emotions, Gong Lianyue asked thoughtfully, “Are you saying there’s something terrifying in that direction?”

    “Chirp!” The little fox nodded frantically, its fur standing on end as it trembled on the bed.

    That direction… should be Fallen Whale Island…

    Could it be that a senior instructor had summoned their spirit beast, and it had scared the little fox?

    Gong Lianyue glanced at the Water Element, which was facing the wall as punishment. The troublesome child didn’t seem to be reacting strongly.

    “Wait, it’s this late already. Shouldn’t we have arrived?”

    “Why wasn’t there any notification about a delay?”

    Rumble!

    Just as Gong Lianyue was about to go out and ask, the entire crystal palace began to shake violently, throwing her off balance. She almost fell, but the Water Element caught her just in time.

    Something was wrong with the Sea Halberd Behemoths. They were thrashing wildly in the sea, ignoring all commands.

    Not only the behemoths, but all the spirit beasts of the Sea Concubine Palace members, including the instructors’, were becoming restless.

    The lower the rank of the spirit beast, the more frantic it became. Even the little fox was no exception, even trying to burrow into Gong Lianyue’s underwear.

    “What’s happening?”

    In the main hall, an instructor stared at the outside world in shock. All she saw was a dark, cloudy sky and the massive island looming close by.

    Was that… Fallen Whale Island?!

    Somehow, the Sea Halberd Behemoths had been pushed forward by swirling currents. They hadn’t stopped at all.

    A terrifying aura emanated from the dark clouds, sending all the spirit beasts into a frenzy of fear.

    All creatures in the surrounding sea, from flocks of birds migrating in the sky to marine life passing below, were being drawn into the swirling black clouds.

    The violent winds on the surface of the clouds disrupted the ocean currents. The Sea Halberd Behemoths thrashed and wailed in terror, but they couldn’t escape the swirling water, being pulled towards Fallen Whale Island.

    At such a critical moment, the only senior instructor was nowhere to be found.

    Feeling the behemoth’s panic and the shaking of the palace, Gong Lianyue, held in the Water Element’s arms, also sensed something was wrong.

    For the Cloud Dream Flower to feel this much fear, it had to be caused by a higher-ranking spirit beast.

    But Saint-rank spirit beasts were incredibly rare in the entire Sea Region. How could one appear on Fallen Whale Island right before the Saintess selection?

    Unfortunately, the cabin was completely sealed, and she couldn’t see what was happening outside.

    “Awooo!”

    Tossed about in the terrifying black vortex, about to crash into the storm, the Sea Halberd Behemoth let out a deafening cry.

    A few seconds later, with no way to stop themselves, the two behemoths slammed into the swirling barrier of wind.

    Boom!!!

    A deafening crash, like a plane hitting the ground. The Sea Halberd Behemoths were instantly mangled, a bloody, gruesome mess.

    Inside the behemoth, Gong Lianyue felt a sharp blow to her head, her vision going black as she lost consciousness.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 24

    Chapter 24: Fallen Whale Island’s Anomaly

    Vast, boundless clouds drifted, azure seawater surged and churned.

    Two massive Sea Halberd Behemoths swam swiftly across the ocean, dividing the calm surface, creating a frenzy of waves.

    Two hours had passed since their departure. In every direction, only the endless ocean stretched to the horizon.

    Within a cabin of the behemoth’s internal palace, the blue-haired girl sat in meditation, water-type spirit energy swirling around her, condensing into a rotating sphere.

    Gong Lianyue had easily blended into the group of preliminary participants, unrecognized.

    This was because few people had actually seen the Saintess’s true face. They relied on her eyes and makeup for identification.

    The Sea Region was a breeding ground for blue-haired girls. Blue hair was more common than black hair. In the eyes of others, she was just another pretty village girl.

    “Phew~~”

    Completing a cycle of spirit energy circulation, the girl exhaled a stream of cool water, a frown creasing her brow.

    The longer she meditated, the closer she got to breaking through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage, the more she sensed the peculiarity of her body.

    Two cores. One was a pure sky blue, like the ocean, its surface flowing with gentle currents. This was undoubtedly the water-attribute soul core that had birthed the Water Element.

    The other was a frozen deep blue, covered in a chilling frost that seemed to freeze even her thoughts.

    Judging from their purity, the ice-attribute soul core radiated a purer and more powerful energy than the water-attribute one. Yet, the two had clashed and merged, leaving only the Water Element.

    “You prodigal thing, swallowing your sibling and then an Ice Soul Stone. You better have dual ice and water attributes for me to even consider forgiving you…”

    Gong Lianyue sighed regretfully. The Water Element was a low-rank spirit beast and thus only had one battle technique slot.

    This meant that even if the combination of water and ice could create some unique techniques, she wouldn’t have a chance to try them.

    Ice Binding Contract. This technique would be bound to the Water Element for life, accompanying it to the end of its evolution—the Dead Sea Stage.

    “I need to find another spirit beast soon…” Gong Lianyue pondered. With the little fox’s invincible illusion and the Dual Soul Body trait, she was practically unstoppable in the early stages.

    But what if she encountered a powerful, defensive spirit beast that the Water Element couldn’t even scratch?

    Wouldn’t that be too embarrassing~~~

    Therefore, she needed to contract a powerful offensive spirit beast to compensate for her lack of attack power.

    A mid-rank Ice Sky Spirit or Blazing Sprite would be good. Their destructive power was at least ten times greater than the current Water Element.

    “Speaking of which, isn’t the final reward for this Saintess selection a high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion?”

    Thinking about new spirit beasts, Gong Lianyue suddenly remembered the information released by the Sea Concubine Palace.

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, a powerful spirit beast with both offensive and defensive capabilities, also possessed the additional attributes of ice and poison.

    Gong Lianyue craved it, but she felt her chances of winning the Saintess selection were slim.

    After all, she had never even seen a high-rank offensive spirit beast and couldn’t comprehend the strength of the Saintess Candidates.

    Against those terrifying, same-rank offensive spirit beasts, would the little fox’s Deep Sea illusion still be so effective…?

    Not to mention a weakling like the Water Element. It would probably be knocked out in seconds.

    Gong Lianyue glanced at the motionless, water-shaped figure and suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. It was her companion spirit beast, the one that had been with her from the beginning.

    “Forget it, I’ll keep feeding you. Although you’re just a low-rank small fry, if you can utilize that strange ice-water combination, you can still hold your own against weaker mid-rank spirit beasts.”

    “But you have to work harder in battles from now on, and no more wasting resources, understand?”

    As Gong Lianyue lectured the Water Element, the elemental figure suddenly turned its head, looking indifferent.

    “Hey—y-you, you, you, are you… going through puberty?!” The blue-haired girl shrieked in shock.

    The Water Element stared blankly to the side, unresponsive, as if looking through the wall at something in the distance.

    Something was wrong. It wasn’t even responding to her commands. This was the first time it had acted so rebellious.

    “This is infuriating!!!”

    “Boohoo, Mommy doesn’t want to live anymore!”

    After a while, the incident ended with the character on the Water Element’s back changing to [卜].


    Meanwhile, in the outside world…

    “What’s that?”

    Sitting on the broad back of the Sea Halberd Behemoth, the green-robed woman suddenly sensed something.

    She quickly focused her spirit energy into her eyes, gazing intently towards Fallen Whale Island.

    With her enhanced vision, she saw a dense, dark cloud shrouding the sea hundreds of miles ahead, emanating an ominous aura.

    The dark cloud was expanding, fierce winds swirling around it, forming invisible, sharp blades.

    Any creature that approached would be sucked into the spiraling tornado and torn to shreds. It was impossible to see what was happening inside.

    “What the hell? Is Fallen Whale Island under attack?!”

    The massive storm cloud loomed over Fallen Whale Island. The green-robed woman gasped and jumped up.

    A Spirit Master invasion from the Storm Realm? Had the higher-ups of the Sea Concubine Palace actually been right? How was that possible?!

    Such a terrifying aura, filled with a profound evil… What level of spirit beast was that?

    What about Senior Instructor Shui Yan and the first group of members…?

    The green-robed woman’s face was filled with worry, but she didn’t panic.

    Although the aura within the dark cloud was incredibly powerful, Shui Yan was even stronger than her and wouldn’t be easily defeated.

    “There’s an anomaly on Fallen Whale Island. I’m going to investigate. You are responsible for protecting the other members.”

    “Stay here and don’t move until I return!!!”

    After issuing her commands to the instructors within the two Sea Halberd Behemoths, a fluorescent green spirit energy erupted from the green-robed woman, shimmering around her like stars.

    The terrifying aura emanating from the approaching storm caused the two Sea Halberd Behemoths to tremble restlessly, the crystal palaces within their bellies shaking violently.

    “Ooo!!”

    The next second, a flash of green light, and a pegasus with a green, will-o’-the-wisp horn appeared behind the green-robed woman.

    The pegasus, with its snow-white coat and graceful physique, had massive white wings that almost covered the sky. Green will-o’-the-wisps flickered beneath its hooves, its powerful aura causing the surrounding sea to surge.

    After the woman mounted the pegasus, it flapped its wings and soared into the sky, its hooves trailing green fire.

    Boom!!

    A sonic boom echoed for miles.

    The pegasus, at a speed more than ten times faster than the Sea Halberd Behemoths, raced towards Fallen Whale Island like a meteor streaking across the sky, disappearing from sight in seconds.

    Meanwhile, the instructors within the behemoths were completely bewildered, unsure of what had just happened.

    Gong Lianyue, equally unaware, was busy reprimanding the rebellious Water Element.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 23

    Chapter 23: The Sea Halberd Behemoths

    –Saintess Selection Day

    Along the coast of the Sea Concubine Palace, the endless azure seawater stretched to the horizon, waves rolling, the line between sea and sky blurred.

    Two massive, nearly hundred-meter-long, dark whales rested in the shallows, only half their bodies above the surface, like two enormous cruise ships lined up neatly.

    These were the Sea Halberd Behemoths, transport-type mid-rank spirit beasts specifically bred by the Sea Concubine Palace.

    Due to the Sea Halberd Behemoths’ unique nature, they could be commanded without a contract, as long as they were fed regularly.

    “Participants heading to Fallen Whale Island, form two lines! After your identity tokens are checked, board the Sea Halberd Behemoths. We will depart in two groups!!”

    “Damn it, why two groups? Doesn’t that mean I have to wait here for four or five hours?”

    “Stop complaining. You’re a senior instructor!”

    Standing on the broad, soft back of a Sea Halberd Behemoth, two women in instructor robes whispered to each other after issuing their commands.

    One Sea Halberd Behemoth could carry 200 people, and over 700 members of the Sea Concubine Palace were participating in the Saintess selection. Two behemoths, in two groups, was just about right.

    Four or five hours was nothing. It would pass quickly with a bit of cultivation. No one complained much.

    They had been preparing for this day for years. A few hours wouldn’t make a difference.

    Of course, they weren’t aiming for the Saintess position, but for the generous rewards and rankings, hoping to secure a place for themselves in the future of the Sea Concubine Palace.

    “Weren’t there seven or eight of these last week? Where did they all go?” the woman in the light green instructor robe asked, puzzled.

    “No choice. The Ice Shield Palace just finished their Saintess ceremony. Their forces are spread thin, and their defenses are struggling, so we sent all the Sea Halberd Behemoths to support them a few days ago,” the other woman in blue robes sighed. The Saintess selection wasn’t just the Sea Concubine Palace’s affair.

    The ten factions of the Sea Region Alliance selected their Saintesses in reverse order of ranking. The Ice Shield Palace was ranked fourth, while the Sea Concubine Palace was third.

    The first six factions had already chosen their Saintesses. After the Wrathful Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace, it was naturally the turn of the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace.

    After them would be the Grieving Saintess of the Cold Court and the Desireless Saintess of the Winter Floating Sky.

    Incidentally, all the women who ultimately inherited the will of the Saintess were the ones initially appointed by their respective factions. Without exception…

    “Alright, I’ll take the first 400 people. You stay here and wait.”

    After chatting for a bit, seeing that the first group was ready, the blue-robed instructor dismissed the green-robed one.

    The green-robed woman jumped off the Sea Halberd Behemoth without a word.

    The next second, the two whale-like behemoths opened their massive jaws, swallowing the hundred members standing in line in one gulp.

    “…”
    “…”

    Watching the departing Sea Halberd Behemoths, Gong Lianyue’s eye twitched. She had thought they would ride on the behemoths’ backs, but they were actually swallowed?

    She had already removed the teardrop beauty marks from her face and altered her eyes to their normal appearance, blending in with the second group of members.

    The apprentice instructors were checking the identity tokens of the members in line. Gong Lianyue also took out her special Saintess token, her expression calm.

    A few minutes later, an apprentice instructor approached her.

    “Show me your identity token.”

    Gong Lianyue calmly handed over the token, engraved with [Saintess] on one side and [Sorrow] on the other.

    Glancing at it briefly, the apprentice instructor was about to return the token when her hand suddenly trembled, almost dropping it.

    “S-Saint…”

    [Shhh~~ Don’t make a fuss. This is a secret mission.]

    Hearing the soft whisper in her ear, the apprentice instructor looked at the expressionless blue-haired girl, gulping nervously.

    The hierarchy within the Sea Concubine Palace was Palace Master → Vice Palace Master → Saintess → Senior Instructor → Instructor → Apprentice Instructor → Elite Member → Ordinary Member → Prospective Member (Awakening Stage).

    If it were an ordinary member playing these tricks, she would have already smacked them. But this was a genuine Saintess token, practically equivalent to a direct order from the higher-ups.

    The Saintess secretly participating in the preliminaries? Could there be some special reason?

    Returning the token, the apprentice instructor moved on to the next participant in silence, her heart filled with anxiety.

    “Whew~~”

    Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief. Tidal Wave was quite useful indeed.


    After waiting for a long time, two massive blue whales appeared in the distance, swimming towards the Sea Concubine Palace at a speed comparable to a high-speed train.

    It seemed the first 400 members had arrived safely.

    “The second group can board now!!”

    The green-robed instructor waved impatiently, urging the remaining participants to get closer so the behemoths could swallow them easily.

    She was the only senior instructor escorting this group, along with five instructors and a dozen apprentice instructors.

    This force was enough to destroy a small mortal nation. She felt it was unnecessary, but she couldn’t question the higher-ups’ decision.

    “Ahwu~”

    As the Sea Halberd Behemoth opened its massive jaws, the 200 members, their faces filled with nervousness, were swallowed in one gulp.

    A moment later, Gong Lianyue opened her eyes, slightly startled.

    There was no terrifying sensation of being swallowed whole. Before her was a luxurious underwater palace, blue water flowing gently through the air.

    Corals and blue crystals adorned the vast hall, connected to hundreds of rooms, a complex and intricate maze like a luxurious cruise ship cabin!!

    It wasn’t that Gong Lianyue was unsophisticated, but everyone riding a Sea Halberd Behemoth for the first time was stunned.

    “Alright, everyone choose a room to rest. You will be notified upon arrival.”

    Several apprentice instructors from the Sea Concubine Palace directed the members to their respective rooms.

    Gong Lianyue casually entered a nearby room. The interior was even more luxurious, the walls and floor made of blue crystals, a veritable crystal palace.

    Even a king’s bedchamber couldn’t compare…

    Once all the members and instructors were settled, the green-robed woman, as the senior instructor, sat on the back of one of the Sea Halberd Behemoths, acting as escort.

    “Ooo!”

    A whale’s cry, echoing for kilometers, caused the crystal palace within its belly to tremble slightly.

    The two massive Sea Halberd Behemoths slowly descended into the deep sea, leaving the coast of the Sea Concubine Palace and heading towards Fallen Whale Island.

    –The Saintess selection was about to begin.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 22

    Chapter 22: Spirit Energy Form

    [Spirit Technique – Tidal Wave]

    Gong Lianyue had always coveted her teacher’s spirit technique. When she inquired at the spirit technique market, it cost a whopping 2200 contribution points.

    Expanding spirit energy outwards in the form of ocean waves, it could transmit sound for several kilometers. It was practically a forced telemarketing call, unpredictable and unavoidable.

    Most importantly, it was a perfect tool for showing off. She didn’t even need to open her mouth to speak; her thoughts would be transmitted directly into others’ minds.

    Since she had essentially gotten 2200 contribution points for free, a little trouble was worth it.

    Anyway, during the Saintess selection, she would just roll her eyes back, and no one would recognize her. Perfect!

    With some time left before the deadline, Gong Lianyue entered a frenzied state of cultivation.

    She first exchanged 1000 contribution points for a large quantity of spirit crystals to accelerate cultivation, then bought two Life Fruits for 100 contribution points each to restore her spirit beasts’ vitality, just in case.

    Every two days, she visited the Sea Abyss Secret Realm. Through repeated killing and absorption, the purity of her soul cores skyrocketed.

    One deep blue soul core was already full of spirit energy, and the other ice-blue soul core was nearing its limit, just a step away from breaking through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage.

    Unfortunately, her second attempt at the Monolith Temple was fruitless.

    Over the past week, the Water Element’s rank hadn’t changed, and Gong Lianyue had given up on the idea of it evolving. She had resigned herself to fate.

    The unmutated, low-rank Water Element was pathetically weak. Even with all its might, it couldn’t leave a single scratch on the massive rock.

    [1]

    Frustrated, Gong Lianyue used her spirit energy to write a large “1”(|)

    on the Water Element’s back as punishment for wasting the Ice Soul Stone.

    If it couldn’t make a crack next time, she would add another stroke, turning it into a [卜].

    Naturally, after that would be 上 → 止 → 正.

    Spare the rod, spoil the child. Spirit beasts must be disciplined from a young age.


    Sea Concubine Palace, Sea Abyss Secret Realm

    With her last Sea Abyss Secret Realm entry, the blue-haired girl sat comfortably on a large boulder, enjoying the sea breeze.

    She held the water scroll in her hands as if reading a newspaper, while the little fox and the Water Element behind her teamed up to slaughter waves of Blazing Sprites.

    [Deep Sea]
    [Ice Binding Contract]

    Splash, splash, wave after wave.

    The shapely maidens, bathed in flames, fell like wheat, a satisfying display of unmatched mowing.

    Those who love to criticize would say, “Blazing Sprites!!” (This line seems to be a playful jab at those who criticize the repetitive nature of this training.)

    “Tidal Wave…”

    Gong Lianyue carefully followed the instructions on the scroll, her slender fingers swirling with water, shaping and condensing it with her spirit energy.

    Every Spirit Master’s spirit energy fluctuations were unique, varying in color and form.

    For example, Lei Ji’s was crackling purple lightning, while Bai He’s was a blooming pink and white lotus.

    Her teacher, Shui Qinghou’s, spirit energy was deep blue, taking the form of a massive, swaying whale tail that could create towering waves with a single flick, majestic and powerful.

    Gong Lianyue’s own spirit energy was a lighter shade of blue, forming a spiraling vortex when fully unleashed, like an illusory water field rotating around her. (Incidentally, she had nicknamed her spirit energy fluctuation “Globe”.)

    It was rare to find two identical spirit energy forms, just as there were no two identical people in the world. Even siblings had subtle differences.

    [Tidal Wave]

    “Whoosh~~~~”

    Pure, azure water materialized, swirling rapidly around Gong Lianyue, forming layers of surging waves.

    The water flowing from her fingertips suddenly burst, carried by the sea breeze towards the battlefield.

    [Good girl, can you hear me? Make mommy a candy.]

    Pinned down by the Deep Sea illusion, the little fox suddenly perked up its ears, turning its head in confusion.

    Had it just heard Mommy’s voice?

    The blue-haired girl kept her lips tightly closed, tears of anticipation shimmering in her eyes, unsure of the outcome.

    Poof!

    The next second, pink mist exploded outwards, releasing a refreshing fragrance.

    As the shimmering dust settled, the little fox held up a candy it had conjured, lifting it high above its head.

    “Good girl! I’ll give you a real candy later.”

    “Chirp, chirp, chirp!”

    The little fox danced with joy, while the Water Element, with a large “1” on its back, executed the struggling Blazing Sprites one by one.

    It had no idea it had been deemed unworthy by its master and continued to work diligently. Poor thing.

    With less than twenty minutes left in the secret realm trial, Gong Lianyue fed them their last nutrient potion.

    “I’ve almost mastered Tidal Wave. The preliminaries are the day after tomorrow, so I should start preparing…”

    All five Sea Abyss Secret Realm entries had been used, and the resources exchanged for 1000 contribution points were also depleted.

    Gong Lianyue felt the effectiveness of this last cultivation session was minimal, barely any progress. It seemed that once spirit energy accumulation reached a certain point, it wouldn’t increase further.

    One ice-blue and one deep blue soul core radiated a brilliant light. She could clearly sense the increased density of her water spirit energy.

    Unlike other Spirit Masters, Gong Lianyue had two soul cores. Although her cultivation speed was slower, her spirit beasts had greater endurance.

    Compared to her first entry into the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, the little fox could now maintain its illusion for twice as long.

    The Water Element had also grown, now able to put up a decent fight against mid-rank Blazing Sprites.

    Unfortunately, its innate rank limited its potential, the Dead Sea Stage being its final evolution. Gong Lianyue wouldn’t waste any more resources on it.

    It was like playing a mobile game. With SSR or six/seven-star busty beauties, who would bother training low-star characters with no redeeming qualities?