Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's expression grew grave as she sensed the immense power contained within this strike, far surpassing any previous attacks.
Her hands moved swiftly, forming seals as a colossal projection of Irminsul, the World Tree, materialized behind her. A vast sea of Dendro Divine Power surged forth, constructing layer upon layer of dazzling Emerald Barriers before herself, Lumine, and Fidelle. Ancient, intricate runes flowed across the barriers' surfaces.
BOOM—!
The crimson pillar of Destruction, infused with roiling Black Fog, slammed violently into the Emerald Barriers.
The first barrier shattered instantly, followed by the second, the third... The sound of shattering barriers echoed incessantly, scattering shards of emerald light in all directions.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata gritted her teeth, relentlessly pouring Divine Power into the barriers. Fine beads of sweat glistened on her smooth forehead.
Lumine and Fidelle poured their entire Elemental Energy into the barriers, assisting the Dendro Archon in her desperate defense.
After a tense stalemate, the final barrier barely managed to withstand the cataclysmic strike, but it was now riddled with cracks.
Seizing the moment, a glint of determination flashed in Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's eyes. She raised both hands upward, as if drawing upon the Ley Line Power of the entire Desert.
"Dreams of all beings, wisdom of the minds, purge the impurities!"
A gentle yet immense power coalesced from the void. This was no ordinary attack, but a torrent born from the principles of the "Void" device, channeling the collective wisdom and pure dream energy of Sumeru's people.
Nahida had once used this technique to help Lumine defeat Scaramouche. Now, wielded by Rukkhadevata, its restrictions were fewer and its power greater.
The energy manifested as countless shimmering golden rune-chains, descending like a celestial net upon Chu Xi. They sought to infiltrate her mechanical body, purify the Forbidden Knowledge within, and suppress her core.
As the rune-chains coiled around Chu Xi, the black mist surrounding her churned violently, like boiling oil doused in cold water, yet was forcibly contained.
For the first time, Chu Xi's movements faltered noticeably. She emitted an inhuman shriek—a mix of mechanical grinding and animalistic roars—as she resisted the purifying force emanating from Irminsul and the collective wisdom of the world.
Seeing this, Lumine mustered her last reserves of strength. Her sword transformed into a streak of light, slashing relentlessly at Chu Xi's lower body, seeking to destabilize her balance and create an opening for Rukkhadevata to seize complete control.
Fidelle also raised her great hammer, aiming for Chu Xi's upper body.
Lumine and Fidelle's attacks arrived in an instant. Seeing Chu Xi offer no resistance, both instinctively held back their full force. Fidelle even shifted her focus from Chu Xi's head to her chest.
Clang—
Two deafening crashes echoed as Chu Xi staggered sideways.
Under the relentless assault of the Wisdom Torrent and Lumine and Fidelle's harassment, the black mist surrounding Chu Xi had noticeably dimmed, and the mechanical hum of her operating systems grew erratic and intermittent.
She stood frozen, head bowed, as if completely suppressed.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata breathed heavily, maintaining the Wisdom Torrent with unwavering focus. She dared not falter for even a moment.
She could sense the Forbidden Knowledge within Chu Xi—its stubborn resilience and maddening intensity. Merely suppressing it had already taxed her divine consciousness to its limits.
Yet, just as Rukkhadevata attempted to reinforce the seal, Chu Xi suddenly snapped her head up. Deep within her pitch-black eyes, a crimson light flared wildly, burning with primal lust for destruction.
Warning... core overload... The Forbidden... Liberated...
The cold, mechanical voice sputtered from her lips in disjointed fragments.
In the next moment, an even more violent and concentrated Forbidden Knowledge Black Mist erupted explosively from every crevice of her body.
This was no longer mere mist, but a nearly viscous, pitch-like black substance!
The golden rune chains binding her shattered inch by inch, transforming into specks of light that vanished into the air.
The powerful shockwave sent Lumine flying backward once more and forced Greater Lord Rukkhadevata to retreat hastily. The forced interruption of the Wisdom Stream backfired, causing a trickle of golden blood to seep from the corner of her lips.
This devastating shockwave showed no signs of abating. Instead, the vast majority of its force was precisely and mercilessly directed toward Fidelle, who stood nearby.
"Fidelle! Watch out!" Lumine's desperate shout was drowned out by the roar of energy.
Fidelle's pupils contracted sharply. She barely managed to instinctively raise her massive hammer, taller than herself, to block the incoming onslaught.
In an instant, the pitch-like black torrent engulfed her. This wasn't a random energy explosion; it was more like a meticulously executed execution.
At the moment of the explosion, Chu Xi's eyes—burning with crimson and pitch-black flames—seemed to briefly, coldly lock onto Fidelle's position.
Crack—
A sickeningly crisp bone-cracking sound echoed through the air, piercing even the roar of clashing energies.
"Ugh—!"
Fidelle let out a short, piercing scream of agony.
Under the absolute force of the impact, the warhammer in her hands was flung from her grip like a toy.
The force didn't stop there; it brutally targeted her right arm, which had been wielding the hammer.
Fidelle's right arm twisted at an unnatural, bone-chilling angle. The ulna and radius of her forearm had shattered completely, with bone fragments piercing through muscle and skin, revealing stark white shards.
Almost instantly, a terrifying purple bruise and swelling began to spread.
The excruciating pain drained all color from Fidelle's face, leaving it ashen as paper, cold sweat beading on her skin.
Her body went limp, and she collapsed to her knees on the sandy ground. Her left hand gripped desperately above the shoulder of her twisted right arm as her entire body trembled violently out of control, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Meanwhile, Chu Xi's mechanical body roared with the strain of overload, its surface glowing crimson.
She seemed to have briefly broken free from all restraints, but at a cost. Her physical functions were clearly teetering on the brink of collapse.
She ceased her attack, instead glaring fiercely at Rukkhadevata, Lumine, and Fidelle with her eyes blazing crimson and pitch-black.
Suddenly, the sand beneath her feet collapsed, forming a deep pit corroded by black mist.
Twisted energy wings unfurled from the mechanical structure on her back, unleashing her final burst of power. She transformed into a streak of black and crimson light, leaving a long trail of flame as she shot skyward with incredible speed. In an instant, she vanished beyond the desert horizon, leaving behind only desecrated, deathly silent sand and lingering wisps of black mist.
"Fidelle!"
Ignoring her own injuries, Lumine scrambled over to Fidelle's side.
Seeing Fidelle's twisted and mangled right arm, Lumine's heart plummeted. Her eyes filled with shock, fury, and heartache.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata immediately stepped forward. Her brow furrowed as she assessed Fidelle's horrific injuries. She extended a hand, enveloping Fidelle's wounded arm in a gentle, emerald-green light, attempting to stabilize her condition and alleviate the pain with her Life Divine Power.
"Ugh... hrr..."
Fidelle gritted her teeth so hard her lower lip bled. The excruciating pain made it nearly impossible for her to speak; she could only let out stifled groans.
Bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, evaporating instantly upon contact with the scorching sand.
Black mist swirled around her mangled right arm, relentlessly corroding the limb and amplifying the pain tenfold. Even Rukkhadevata's divine power proved ineffective against it!
Fidelle's left hand opened, summoning a purple Battle-Axe into her grasp.