"Ugh…"
Shortly after Zhou Yi departed, Bai Xue slowly regained consciousness. Her weary eyes fluttered open, radiating a soft, lingering affection like ripples across a tranquil lake.
She tried to move, wanting to check on Qian Renxue and Zhou Yi's impending duel, but her body refused to cooperate—utterly drained after the past three days.
Bai Xue collapsed back onto the bed, her delicate brows furrowing. Instinctively, her hand reached down to touch her lower abdomen.
Had she advanced to the Golden Core stage?
Not just one, but two?
"That damned scoundrel!"
Bai Xue cursed under her breath, her captivating eyes gazing blankly at the ceiling as she murmured softly:
"Xue'er, your mother has done all she can to help you. What happens next is up to you!"
For Qian Renxue's sake, she had endured unimaginable torment these past three days.
She had even resorted to unconventional methods.
But in doing so, she came to understand Zhou Yi's overwhelming strength and terror. Trying to exhaust his energy was a futile effort.
Truthfully, Bai Xue held little hope that Qian Renxue could defeat Zhou Yi.
At this point, all she could pray for was that Zhou Yi, out of their profound bond, would show mercy to Qian Renxue.
Azure Lake.
The vast expanse of emerald-green waters shimmered under the moonlight, reflecting its brilliance. A massive crowd had gathered around the lake, their eyes glued to the center, brimming with anticipation.
"Martial Ancestor is here!"
A shout of astonishment rang out, immediately reigniting the crowd's spirit. Heads turned upward in unison.
A solitary figure strode gracefully across the moonlit sky, each step in mid-air as if ascending a celestial path. The faint glow of moonlight enveloped him, making him appear like a deity descending to the mortal realm.
Excitement swept through the audience. Their gazes burned with fervor, and even their breathing seemed to pause.
"Martial Ancestor, you've finally arrived!"
A voice, cold and ethereal, suddenly echoed across the heavens. The once dimly moonlit sky instantly burst into brilliance.
Rays of resplendent golden light descended from the heavens, tearing apart the night's veil. Gradually, an awe-inspiring, radiant figure emerged.
"Wow! Is that the Angel God, Qian Renxue?"
"She's stunning!"
"This is love at first sight!"
"Mom, I think I've found the one!"
"She's incredible!"
The moment Qian Renxue appeared, countless admiring eyes sparkled as if their gazes might physically attach themselves to her.
She stood proudly, wielding the Angelic Sword and clad in the Angelic Divine Armor.
The dazzling golden armor appeared tailor-made to fit her body perfectly.
The breastplate curved gracefully, the waist armor tapered elegantly, and her golden battle skirt extended slightly past her thighs. Her rounded shoulder guards and other intricately designed pieces of armor encased her form in divine splendor.
A small halo adorned her forehead, encircling her angelic sigil. At the center of the halo, a gem in the shape of a tiny angel radiated a mesmerizing golden light.
Feather-like patterns adorned every part of the armor, and six luminous, transparent golden wings extended majestically from her back.
As the wings fluttered gently, golden ripples spread outward, emanating from her as the center.
The hilt of the crimson-gold Angelic Sword resembled outspread angel wings, and golden flames engulfed Qian Renxue entirely, imbuing her with divine brilliance.
The overwhelming golden radiance that pierced through the darkness originated from the angelic gem embedded in her halo.
"I've arrived!"
Zhou Yi's gaze roamed over Qian Renxue's radiant form. Seeing her clad in her Angelic God-tier divine attire, memories of her ascension during the Angelic Nine Trials surfaced in his mind.
The golden armor looked as though it had been forged from liquid sunlight.
"Today, I will avenge my grandfather and defeat you!"
Qian Renxue felt a shiver under Zhou Yi's intense scrutiny, as though his gaze pierced through her very soul. Raising the Angelic Sword, she pointed its edge at him, her voice icy.
In an instant, her golden light flared. Ten radiant soul rings emerged, encircling her body in breathtaking splendor.
Black, black, black, black, black, black, red, red, red, gold.
Each of the first nine rings shimmered with a faint golden sheen, as though wrapped in gilded brilliance. The sight left the crowd utterly stunned.
But it was the tenth ring that truly shocked them—a pure golden soul ring. It appeared to be woven from golden angelic feathers, massive in size, with a diameter exceeding three meters. This extraordinary soul ring didn't align with the others but instead hovered behind Qian Renxue, encircling her wings like a divine halo.
"Her soul rings are unbelievable! That last one must be a god's domain!"
"But what about the first nine? How can they be six black and three red?"
"She must have undergone some evolution after becoming a god!"
"This is eye-opening!"
The crowd buzzed with astonishment.
Opposite her, Zhou Yi remained unperturbed.
If he revealed his own soul rings, it would undoubtedly leave everyone dumbstruck.
"Make your move."
Zhou Yi's gaze held a trace of admiration as he observed Qian Renxue. To him, this battle was nothing more than a game.
Qian Renxue was entirely out of his league.
Even so, he preferred their earlier battles during her Angelic Nine Trials.
Back then, an ascended Qian Renxue had been capable of battling him fiercely for hundreds of exchanges.
If Zhou Yi had restrained himself slightly, their duels could have lasted for days.
"Today, I will defeat you!"
Sensing Zhou Yi's condescension and disdain, Qian Renxue let out a cold snort. Her delicate face turned grim as a blazing flame erupted in midair, condensing into a massive Angelic Divine Sword spanning hundreds of meters.
As the Angelic Divine Sword appeared, a vast divine aura swept across the battlefield, suffocating the spectators with its oppressive presence.
"This is the power of a god? Terrifying!"
Tang San, overwhelmed with awe, clenched his fists tightly as his eyes remained glued to the sky, determined to see how Zhou Yi would respond.
The next moment stunned everyone.
The colossal Angelic Divine Sword, engulfed in golden flames, descended with the force of a mountain crashing down. Yet, Zhou Yi didn't dodge or raise a hand to counter.
He stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile playing on his lips as he gazed at Qian Renxue.
And then—
A bizarre scene unfolded. The terrifying sword, as it approached within tens of meters of Zhou Yi, seemed to fall into an invisible mire.
Eventually, it disintegrated soundlessly, transforming into countless fiery embers that scattered like the most resplendent fireworks, illuminating the night sky and dispelling the darkness.
"Gasp! So this is the Martial Ancestor?"
"Such strength!"
The crowd was astounded. Despite Qian Renxue's overwhelming power as the Angelic God, Zhou Yi had effortlessly nullified her attack without even lifting a finger.
"Martial Ancestor is amazing!"
"Martial Ancestor is so handsome!"
Among the audience, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Meng Yiran, Ye Lingling, Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, and Hu Liena—all found their hearts racing.
He was so handsome.
So powerful.
So utterly mesmerizing. Which woman could possibly resist such a man?
"How strong!"
Qian Renxue's gaze grew solemn. Though she had known Zhou Yi's strength surpassed hers, she hadn't expected it to be so overwhelming. Even as the Angelic God, she found him unfathomable.
Her earlier strike hadn't been her full strength.
Yet it wasn't something any ordinary god could withstand.
"I can't lose!"
Thinking of her grandfather's greatest wish, Qian Renxue bit her lip, her expression turning resolute.
Blinding crimson-gold light erupted from every part of her Angelic Battle Armor. Her right hand gripped the Angelic Divine Sword tightly as she solemnly traced a massive arc downward from her right shoulder.
The arc left behind a series of afterimages trailing behind the Divine Sword.
As the arc completed its circle, a radiant crimson-gold halo enveloped Qian Renxue's body.
From within the halo, golden light surged like a blazing sun descending from the heavens, appearing behind Qian Renxue.
The darkness vanished, as if night had turned into day.
A scorching sun now hung high in the sky.
And Qian Renxue stood as the sun itself, radiating boundless light and heat.
"Angel Domain."
Raising the Angelic Divine Sword above her head, Qian Renxue held nothing back this time.
With the release of her Angel Domain, the sky transformed entirely into a sea of gold. The only distinct feature amidst this golden world was the radiant crimson-gold disc behind Qian Renxue, glowing like a miniature sun.
In an instant, the heavens and earth seemed to be consumed entirely by the golden brilliance.
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