Giaxia saw the horror of the Supernatural for the first time.
Her weapon was nothing more than a simple one-handed sword, yet her every movement radiated an overwhelming force. Each strike against the shield felt as heavy as a dual-edged blade. Within moments, Jiasia's arm was immobilized, and a downward strike shattered her jaw.
After regaining her composure, the Queen of Azure Water abandoned all defenses. In a flash, a crossbow appeared before her. She pulled the trigger, releasing not an iron spear but a cascade of Black River's dark waters. Jie Luo swung her sword to cut the clay vessel, only to be drenched in the torrent. The evil fire crystals submerged in the water ignited upon contact with the air, rapidly turning the Pure One into a roaring column of flames.
Yet this tactic soon proved ineffective. The enemy moved around the flower beds at a speed far beyond human limits, while the crossbow could not keep up. Jiaxiaia had no choice but to erect stone walls and barbed iron railings to contain the Pure Ones. She transformed each flower pot in the garden into explosive devices filled with snow powder, and occasionally caused the ground to sink abruptly, creating deadly traps.
After killing the opponent several times in this manner, Jia Xiya noticed her breathing gradually becoming labored, with pea-sized beads of sweat sliding down her forehead. The waves of dizziness that overwhelmed her nearly made her unable to stand.
"Good job," Jeluo, reborn, didn't seize the moment to attack but instead clapped her hands. "I was surprised you could make it this far. But here's the thing—while you can alter environments and spaces through your consciousness in this world, it consumes far more energy than creating something from nothing... even comparable to resurrection. You should feel physical weakness and exhaustion. The next time you die, it might be permanent slumber." "Ha, that's better than being hanged," Jiasia gasped. "And you seem to have forgotten the screams when you were burned by the evil fire. How many times did you die this round? Three or four? I doubt you'll last longer than me." "...," Jeluo paused before speaking. "Since becoming the Purifier, the Church has prepared me extensively—from training combat skills to feeding the Inquisition Army to enhance my abilities. Those Judgment Knights, knowing they'd sacrifice themselves, willingly entered the battlefield of souls. In the realm of consciousness, they trained me through desperate battles, then calmly accepted death to pass on their insights and experience to me." Jiasia didn't interrupt. Perhaps she was buying time, but she also needed a moment's rest.
"I once devoured a Transcendent—her power was terrifying. In the War of Souls, I nearly fell, but ultimately triumphed with Devil's weapons and claimed her entire domain. The nature of Magic Power prevents me from truly becoming a Transcendent or wielding the abilities of devoured Witches, though in the realm of consciousness, such feats are effortless. Few have ever threatened me since. Over two centuries, I've devoured so many that I can't even count them. Every pain, joy, sorrow, and delight in this world feel as if I've experienced them firsthand..." She paused. "Even death is no exception." "What do you mean?" Giasia frowned.
"The gap between us," Jieluo replied calmly, "is forged by the accumulation of countless souls, making my willpower peerless. If measured by the number of deaths I've endured, I could withstand hundreds." "I'll verify that for you." She gave a cold laugh, her heart sinking... Her God state wasn't mere bravado—as evidenced by her clean kill of the guard at the dock, the Pure One possessed combat skills beyond her years. If so, she needed more powerful weapons... She had to think fast—what could easily take down an experienced, extraordinary Witch?
"The Battle of Souls isn't a contest of imagination," Jeluo seemed to see through her thoughts. "You can't magically become impervious or summon legendary weapons from ancient tales... You can't create what you haven't experienced. What you see and know is the key to victory." "I'll cover the entire garden with fiery snow powder. You won't be able to dodge it," Jiasia said coldly. "Even if you die, at least you'll drag me along!" "Even if the outcome is meaningless?" The Pure One looked at her with pity. "Then let you witness the true power of the Church." Red beams appeared behind Jeluo, coalescing into a monstrous war chariot. Its colossal size crushed the garden walls. Two metal spears protruding from its top reminded Jiasia of the Wolf King's guards' report—unprecedented crossbows attacking the walls with unimaginable range and power. Could the guards have described this behemoth?
Then she heard a hum.
The thick spear shaft effortlessly cleaved through the layered barriers set by Jiaxia, tearing her in two with minimal effort. As her body soared backward, she could still see her scattered organs and blood.
The tank unleashed a relentless barrage of lethal spears, and the resurrected foe soon repeated the same death. She couldn't even create snow powder to annihilate her enemy, as the excruciating pain blurred her vision. The earth trembled violently, cracks appeared in the sky, and amidst lightning and thunder, the garden was engulfed in raging flames.
"A strong will can only delay defeat, not change the outcome," Jie Luo closed her eyes. "You've endured long enough. Rest in peace." As her words faded, the world shattered.
...
"Over it?" Isabella pursed her lips. "Shouldn 't it've been done in a flash? You've already reverted to your original form, yet you've been silent for ages... I thought you'd truly failed." "In her memories, I discovered something intriguing," Jero opened her eyes. "These thoughts... they left me with a sense of awe." "Oh? There's actually something that can evoke such awe?" Isabella remarked nonchalantly. "That peculiar alchemical powder, you found it, right?" "Well, the alchemist calls it 'Fierce Snow Powder.' Its composition is quite simple—just common materials from the workshop." "That's all right. Return to the Holy City immediately and report to Lord Oberon," she exhaled. "The battle here will last at least three or four more days, but without the leader and the Witch, the remnants no longer pose a threat to God's Punished Army." "Let's go." Jero nodded.
"Wait..." Isabella called out to her.
"What's wrong?" Was it an illusion? Her appearance hadn't changed at all, yet she kept sensing something different in those pale red eyes. "What's wrong?" Isabella scrutinized the stranger for a moment before shaking her head. "Nothing... nothing." She must have been overthinking it.