(A/N: Give me powerstones for daily uploads)
...
{3rd Pov}
Days passed as the Chinese Team continued exploring the world and challenging one country after another for their respective tokens, while Astreo and Xyra simply followed along in the background, treating the entire journey like a well-deserved vacation.
In India, while the Chinese team was busy insulting everyone and loudly proclaiming why fair skin was superior to "brownie" skin and referring to Indians as "Ah San," Astreo and Xyra were enjoying themselves immensely.
They had Dosa in the morning, Biryani in the afternoon, Chai in the evening, followed by Butter Chicken for dinner, savoring every dish without any care for the ridiculous comments of the Chinese team and their show of racism.
In South Korea, while the Chinese Team was busy insulting Koreans and calling them "slaves," Astreo was happily having an entire full Korean palate for lunch, followed by a variety of local snacks that he found interesting purely because of their taste and novelty.
In Egypt, while the Chinese Team metaphorically ate sand with their mouths due to their constant bickering, tension, and insulting attitude, Astreo was instead visiting the Egyptian Museum.
There, displayed behind protective glass, were materials recovered from pyramids that still contained traces of genuine undead energy—though weakened or broken—giving them significant historical and magical value on display.
He was having Kushari, enjoying the hearty Egyptian dish with great satisfaction, while the Chinese team was forced to eat monster camel meat, while he was having Fool Medammes and Ta'meya.
At the same time, the Chinese team was fighting bitterly for the Egyptian token, learning firsthand what real Earth Element combat was actually like in a true battlefield environment.
In South America, while the Chinese team struggled their way through dense jungles—facing poisonous insects, aggressive magical beasts, humidity, and miserable living conditions—Astreo was relaxing in Rio, enjoying his life to the fullest.
He was surrounded by dozens of enthusiastic milfs and tourists vying for his attention, while one very angry dragoness waifu was barely restraining herself from unleashing an Abyssal Flame Breath on all the women she believed were trying to steal her husband and his "precious unborn seeds" for themselves!
Ahem.
Eventually, after the Chinese team suffered defeat at the hands of the American, British, and German teams—each defeat humiliating them to the point that their morale could hardly be called intact anymore—they finally proceeded to Venice, the final destination of their long and exhausting World Tournament journey.
In the battles against the American, British, and German teams, all of their opponents fielded participants who were Advanced Tier Mages.
In stark contrast, the Chinese team only had three members who could be classified as Advanced Tier Mages, while the rest were all stuck at Intermediate Tier.
Due to this overwhelming disparity in power and combat experience, China naturally suffered crushing defeats.
To make matters worse, Qin Yu'er—who was arguably their strongest member—had deliberately decided to stop showing her real strength out of the growing fear that her identity as a Calamity bearer would be discovered by others.
Because of this personal decision, she failed to demonstrate the terrifying combat prowess she had displayed during the Japanese token match and Sea Battlefield.
As a result, the Chinese team lost miserably to all three countries, failing to win even a single match.
They were humiliated in both one-on-one duels and even during the team battle, where they were defeated so quickly that it became clear to all observers just how large the difference in strength really was.
By this point, nearly everyone in the Chinese team was harboring resentment toward Qin Yu'er.
They believed that her poor performance had been the primary reason for their loss.
In their minds, this was especially unforgivable because Qin Yu'er had proven earlier that she was capable of defeating a Commander Level Beast completely on her own.
If she had that level of strength, then there was no reason for her to hold back in the other matches, especially when the team needed her the most.
From Qin Yu'er's perspective, however, she had no choice.
Ever since her encounter with the Star Emperor, she had been living in constant fear that the moment she unleashed her true abilities, her identity as an Ice Calamity bearer would be exposed.
To her, refusing to reveal her full power was a necessary form of self-preservation.
Yet to the rest of the Chinese team, her caution simply looked like arrogance and selfishness.
In their eyes, Qin Yu'er was the reason they were losing, and as resentment accumulated, so did their hostility and suspicion toward her.
Which was honestly hilarious, because if one looked at the situation objectively, it became obvious that except for the three capable members on the Chinese team, the rest of them were simply trash.
They had not entered the team through genuine merit or combat accomplishments, but rather through obtaining votes from Clans and organizations that had substantial backing and political influence.
In simple terms, their positions were bought, not earned.
This alone proved how trash they really were, because even after experiencing so many real combat challenges during the journey around the world, they still failed to break through to the High-Tier.
Meanwhile, the true elites from other nations were already High-Tier participants or stronger.
The disparity was impossible to ignore, yet the Chinese team members chose to express resentment toward Qin Yu'er instead of acknowledging their own incompetence.
Now that they had arrived in Venice, despite suffering humiliating defeats at the hands of the European teams and the American team, the Chinese team still managed to qualify for the preliminaries.
Their previous victories and token acquisitions were just enough to let them crawl through to this stage.
Astreo, who had been in Venice as well, finally got serious.
He understood perfectly that unlike the previous stages of the tournament, the preliminaries in Venice would involve powerful individuals—including Forbidden Curse Tier Mages—who would most definitely be scrutinizing everything that happened.
Such individuals might even be capable of detecting him, especially if he continued spying on the Chinese team from close proximity.
He also knew that it was now only a matter of time before Qin Yu'er was exposed as a Calamity bearer.
Her refusal to use her full strength up until now, combined with the political nature of the tournament and the hostility she had silently accumulated, made her exposure inevitable.
Thus, with the stage set and the world watching, the matches for the World Tournament officially began.
…
The matches in the World Tournament followed a very strict and standardized pattern that had been used for many years.
First, there would be a series of 1v1 matches between the participating countries to test individual combat ability, raw magical strength, and personal spellcasting mastery.
After that, there would be team matches in special terrain, which were created and controlled by powerful experts specifically to simulate battlefield environments, natural disasters, or enhanced elemental fields.
Following those matches, the contestants would enter a treasure hunting segment inside a special dimension, a pocket world where rare magical artifacts, cultivation resources, and elemental treasures existed brought from outside.
The performance inside this dimension mattered greatly, because not only did it reflect the cooperative ability of a team, but it also directly granted tangible assets.
After this, there would be another round of team matches determined by a draw, and finally, after all of that, the top two teams would battle in a decisive match.
The winner of that last confrontation would be crowned the champion of the tournament.
It was also important to note that the winning teams did not directly receive the massive pool of resources that the participating countries had contributed to the overall tournament.
Those pooled resources would be distributed to all participating nations based on final rankings and alliances.
Instead, what the winning teams did receive were all the treasures they found inside the treasure dimension, and such treasures could be priceless.
No matter how rare, ancient, or overwhelmingly powerful the items were, they were allowed to keep everything.
On top of that, the finalists would be taken to the Parthenon Temple to receive a permanent blessing for their element, something that was considered priceless by most mages.
The first matchups of the tournament were not selected by random draw but were arranged according to token value, meaning the teams that had acquired specific tokens and proven their qualifications were sorted into the early match structure based on the relative importance of those tokens.
Because of this, China's first opponent in the official preliminaries was the Mexican Team, who they defeated without much difficulty after Qin Yu'er and Zu Xingyi personally participated.
They achieved a clean score of three to zero.
After their initial victory, China proceeded to battle another country in the next round.
The match was harder and required more effort from the team, but ultimately they still managed to secure another win, boosting their morale and confidence for the upcoming stages.
After winning all three of their country-versus-country 1v1 style matches, the Chinese National Team successfully advanced into the Team Match Qualifier Stage.
For this stage, the battlefield terrain was randomly selected, and the final choice turned out to be a Scorching Desert environment.
Their designated opponent for the Team Match: the Egyptian National Team.
The Chinese team collectively felt as if they had been forced to swallow a large chunk of sour tofu.
To them, it felt absurd and completely unfair.
Was this some sort of joke arranged by the heavens?
Out of all the possible teams and all the possible terrains, they had to face the Egyptian team specifically in a desert environment?
Egypt was widely known for producing an unusually large number of Earth Element Mages, and they were also famous for their powerful and well-trained Undead Mages.
In recent decades, Egypt had been investing heavily into undead studies due to the massive amount of undead-type resources they possessed as a country.
Because of that, their necromantic cultivation, undead research, and undead combat corps had advanced to a terrifying level.
In short, this terrain was practically tailor-made for the Egyptian team, giving them both a natural advantage and a strategic edge before the match even began.
However, there was nothing that the Chinese team could do about the situation.
The terrain selection could not be changed, complaints would do nothing, and even their team captain understood that arguing would only waste time.
In the end, the Chinese National Team could only suppress their dissatisfaction, swallow their frustration, and prepare themselves as earnestly as possible before entering the battlefield to begin the match.
The battle was now being broadcast globally, since from this point onward the real competition finally began.
People in multiple countries were glued to their televisions, especially citizens from Egypt and China, who were watching the match with intense interest and anticipation.
In the Bo City Orphanage, all the children were gathered in front of an old television set that was currently airing the broadcast.
The children were watching with excitement, chattering among themselves about how cool mages looked on the battlefield.
Grandma Yu stood behind them with her arms folded, observing both the screen and the children with a nostalgic expression.
She quietly wondered if Astreo and the other children who had left the orphanage were also watching the World Tournament at this very moment.
The question stayed in her heart without an answer, and she sighed softly.
Meanwhile, in the Mu Family Mansion in Bo City, the atmosphere was completely different. Mo Fan, Mu Ningxue, and a few of Mo Fan's close friends — including Zhang Xiaohou — were seated in front of a massive television set, staring at the broadcast with extreme focus.
Beside them sat the ever-arrogant Young Master Mu Bai, who had also brought several of his personal lackeys and goons to watch the match.
Mu Zhuoyun, Ningxue's father, did not appreciate seeing unknown children inside his prestigious mansion.
In his eyes, most of them appeared to be nobodies without background or worth.
However, since Mu Bai had invited his own group of lackeys alongside his daughter, and considering they were all still children, Mu Zhuoyun reluctantly tolerated their presence.
His face maintained a neutral expression, but internally he still held onto his own pride and superiority.
'In the future, my daughter will naturally understand the difference between people like us and those commoners,' Mu Zhuoyun thought to himself with a haughty and self-satisfied mindset, convinced of his own correctness.
As the match between the Egyptian team and the Chinese team officially began, it became immediately clear to everyone watching that the Chinese team was at a significant disadvantage.
The Egyptian team quickly demonstrated how terrifyingly effective their Earth Element mastery could be in an environment like the desert.
The scorching sands, unstable terrain, and relentless heat worked in their favor from the very first exchange.
Basic Earth Element spells that would normally be considered low-grade, inefficient, or outright useless in most environments — such as delay, soft ground, and quicksand-type immobilization spells — suddenly became exceptionally deadly in this desert battlefield.
The Egyptian mages used the terrain like seasoned veterans, causing the desert floor beneath the Chinese participants to constantly shift, sink, or trap their legs.
Even their footing became unpredictable, and several Chinese participants almost collapsed forward simply from trying to keep their balance.
At the very least, these Earth Element spells prevented the Chinese team from successfully casting their magic in a stable manner.
Without stable footing, the construction of Star Tracks and Constellations became disrupted, which resulted in failed spell casting and constant interruptions.
With their spells failing repeatedly, the Chinese team members were practically reduced to helpless lambs waiting to be taken down one by one.
By the time a few more minutes passed, only four members of the Chinese team remained standing, while the Egyptian team had only lost two of their own members.
The disadvantage was obvious and painful to watch.
Zu Xingyi's expression turned incredibly dark as he observed the battlefield and realized just how terrible the situation had become.
His jaw clenched tightly, and his hands trembled slightly from frustration.
Qin Yu'er's female friend was also gritting her teeth so hard that her jaw hurt.
Her eyes reflected sheer panic and stubbornness.
To her, losing here was not just embarrassing — it was unacceptable.
Losing meant stepping away from her dream.
Losing meant acknowledging that she was weaker than the European teams, weaker than the Americans, weaker than the Egyptians, and weaker than Qin Yu'er's extraordinary performance that had been overshadowing her.
Most importantly losing meant disappointing her family and clan, which would punish her for failure like having her married off to some other Clan's Young Master for connections.
For her, this tournament represented everything she had worked for, everything she wanted to prove, and everything she believed she deserved.
Losing was something she absolutely could not afford.
She suddenly turned to look directly at Qin Yu'er, and a strange light flashed in her eyes.
At that moment she didn't care at all whether Qin Yu'er had cultivated some forbidden technique, or whether she possessed a special ability that came from some kind of evil or mysterious origin. None of that mattered in comparison to her desire to win.
"Yu'er! Stop holding back!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Qin Yu'er visibly flinched upon hearing her shout, her body reacting on instinct.
While she hesitated, the Egyptian team seized the opening and prepared another wave of spells — Earth magic surged through the scorching desert sand.
Fortunately, the Chinese team captain and Zu Xingyi immediately intercepted and countered the attack, barely preventing disaster.
"We are losing! If we lose this match then so many people will die in the future because of lack of resources!" she cried out again with desperation in her voice.
Qin Yu'er froze on the spot, her eyes widening, because she understood the meaning behind those words instantly.
The World Tournament wasn't only about national pride — it benefitted the common population the most, and also the military strength of the entire country.
The resources distributed as rewards supported the growth of Novice to Advanced Tier Mages across the nation.
If China obtained more resources, fewer ordinary people would die in monster attacks and defensive front line battles.
The irony of it all hit her — the majority of the Chinese national team consisted of Young Masters and Young Misses from major clans who cared mainly about face and their own benefits, yet the resources gained from this tournament would never be accumulated solely for the clans, but instead would be distributed to ordinary citizens and common soldiers.
In the end, Qin Yu'er made her choice.
She inhaled deeply, shut down her hesitation, and ceased suppressing herself.
Her magic erupted like a blizzard unleashed from the heavens — a powerful High-Tier Ice spell bordering the threshold of Super Tier in pure destructive strength.
The entire battlefield froze in an instant as the desert terrain was overridden by thick ice, frost, and crystalline frozen pillars that spread outward at terrifying speed.
"Y-Yes! We have won!" Zu Xingyi shouted, practically jumping in place as he cheered, and several of the remaining team members joined him in celebration.
Their faces were filled with shock and excitement, as if they themselves could barely believe the result.
Across the entire country of China, countless people who were watching the live broadcast erupted into energetic applause and loud cries of victory.
For the common populace who sat in front of their television screens, computers, or public broadcast displays, the result provided a brief moment of collective joy.
Zu Xingyi then walked over to Qin Yu'er, wearing the confident grin that could only belong to a lecherous Young Master-type character in some story, and said with exaggerated gratitude,
"Qin Yu'er! Thanks to you, we have won!"
Qin Yu'er nodded gently with a small and humble smile, not basking in their praise.
However, before the atmosphere could settle, the sky above Venice abruptly shifted.
The clouds darkened and thick snowflakes began to drift down from the heavens.
Within seconds, the cheerful noise vanished entirely.
A pin-drop silence swallowed the entire battlefield.
Not only were the injured Chinese and Egyptian participants silent, but even the healer squads, the support personnel, the Captain, Zu Xingyi, and Qin Yu'er's so-called friend turned completely speechless.
Changing the weather — especially on such a massive scale — was a phenomenon that belonged strictly to the realm of Forbidden Tier Magic.
Such environmental alteration wasn't merely a spell; it was equivalent to temporarily modifying the laws of nature within a region.
By now, the snowstorm had intensified rapidly and was beginning to cover the entirety of Venice in a blanket of white frost, immediately triggering alerts among the local defensive forces, monitoring departments, and the Forbidden Curse Tier Association.
Soon a large number of people rushed over to the battlefield, and among them were several Super Tier Mages whose sheer presence immediately changed the atmosphere.
Their arrival made it clear that the situation had escalated beyond a simple team match.
"We have identified that the source of this Snow Storm is originating from this exact location! All personnel and all tournament participants must comply with our screening procedures immediately!" a man with an extremely strict and authoritative expression announced.
His tone made it obvious that no argument would be tolerated, and that even members of national teams were expected to obey.
At the same time, the television broadcast that had been airing the match to the entire world suddenly cut off without warning.
The abrupt interruption caused immediate confusion among viewers in China and other countries who had been watching excitedly only moments ago.
Back on the battlefield, it was not surprising in the slightest that nearly every pair of eyes shifted directly toward Qin Yu'er.
Within the Chinese Team, within the Egyptian Team, and even among the foreign officials and healers present, everyone instinctively regarded her as the most suspicious person.
After all, she was clearly the strongest Ice Mage present in the vicinity, and therefore the most likely source of the abnormal phenomenon.
"Miss Qin Yu'er, you are now suspected of being a Super Tier Mage, or even worse… a Forbidden Tier Mage," a Judicator of the Holy Judgement Court said, narrowing his eyes while studying her carefully.
He wasn't stupid in the slightest.
In fact, he had been observing her from the moment the battle ended, and the instant the weather began to shift unnaturally he knew who had to be responsible for the excessive environmental alteration.
The abnormal snowstorm was too concentrated, too precise, and too sudden to be a natural weather change.
Only a mage far beyond High-Tier could accomplish something like this.
"I– I am not a Forbidden Tier Mage!" Qin Yu'er hurriedly denied, her voice trembling slightly as she faced the accusation.
The Judicator narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her reaction with suspicion before stepping forward without hesitation.
He seized her wrist firmly as if detaining a criminal.
"What are you doing?!" Zu Xingyi immediately shouted in anger, his expression distorting the moment he saw Yu'er being grabbed in such a manner.
To him it looked no different from harassment, and instinctively his protective instincts flared up.
"I would recommend you stop before you do something stupid!" the Judicator snapped back sharply, not loosening his grip.
"I am merely verifying her Magic Cultivation level."
However, instead of calming down, Zu Xingyi's anger only intensified.
His face darkened further, and the veins on his forehead bulged with fury.
In the magical world, probing into another mage's Spiritual Sea was considered an extremely serious taboo.
It wasn't just about privacy or dignity — spiritual probing was dangerous.
Through such an invasive method, one could not only confirm another person's cultivation but could also potentially damage or outright abolish their cultivation altogether if malicious intent was used, or even by accident if the probing force was too overwhelming.
This was why no sane High-Tier or Super Tier Mage would casually allow anyone from an external force — especially someone from a foreign organization — to touch their Soul Realm, let alone examine it.
Even members of the same clan or family avoided this unless under extreme emergencies.
To Zu Xingyi, the Judicator's action wasn't simply an investigation.
It was equivalent to placing Qin Yu'er's entire future, power, and very identity on the chopping block.
Qin Yu'er, despite feeling extremely nervous and tense inside, tried her best to cooperate with the Judicator.
She remained still and did not resist as he continued his probing attempt.
Within a short moment, the Judicator's expression shifted when he entered her Spiritual Sea and observed her magic cultivation for himself.
He quickly realized she had been telling the truth — inside her Spiritual Sea there was only a single Ice Constellation present…
But then he froze.
Only an Ice Constellation?!
His eyes widened slightly in disbelief.
For someone as strong as Qin Yu'er to have awakened only a single Element went against common logic.
Even for geniuses or rare talents, the minimum was typically two or three awakened Elements by her age, especially for someone capable of displaying High-Tier power bordering Super Tier.
The Judicator frowned, wondering if something was wrong, and decided to probe deeper into her Spiritual Sea for confirmation. However—
"Arghh!"
His body violently jerked backwards as he was struck by a powerful spiritual backlash.
The force hurled him away like a ragdoll, smashing him across the battlefield and sending him tumbling dozens of meters before he crashed into the frozen sandy terrain.
At that instant an enormous surge of Ice Magic erupted from Qin Yu'er without restraint.
Frost exploded outward like a tidal wave, instantly freezing the surrounding ground solid.
The temperature plummeted to frightening levels as the frost spread beyond the designated battle terrain, creeping into the spectator areas and reinforcing the snowstorm that still enveloped Venice.
"Ice Calamity! She is an Ice Calamity Witch!" the Judicator yelled with panic in his voice as he forced himself to stand up.
His exclamation immediately alerted the other officials, staff members, and Super Tier mages who had gathered.
Qin Yu'er's magic was now completely out of control — her Spiritual Sea was raging, her Ice Core was destabilizing, and her presence began fluctuating violently as her power spiraled into a berserk state.
...
Meanwhile, at the Holy City, the Magistrates and Clergymen who had been urgently notified of the situation held an immediate emergency discussion.
After reviewing the reports detailing the abnormal snowfall, the weather distortion, and the spiritual backlash inflicted upon a Judicator, they swiftly reached a collective conclusion.
They decided that the Natural Ice Calamity — which in this case was Qin Yu'er — must be sealed away once her identity and abilities were fully exposed to them.
In their reasoning, allowing a naturally born Calamity bearer to continue growing unchecked was too dangerous.
Such individuals could threaten not only their own country but the entire balance of the magical world if they ever reached Super Tier or higher.
Without wasting time, they issued direct orders to the Heresy Judgement Court.
Immediately afterward, a specialized team consisting of multiple Judicators, Clerics, and a Super Tier Space Mage activated a high-grade teleportation formation.
In a matter of seconds, they teleported as a group from the Holy City straight to Venice, bypassing all political protocols due to the emergency classification placed on Calamity bearers.
…
Qin Yu'er sucked in a trembling breath as she finally processed the level of destruction she had caused.
The crushed terrain, the fractured buildings at the perimeter of the battlefield, and the frozen sand dunes that had been transformed into glaciers all testified to how easily her power had run wild.
However, none of that frightened her as much as the sight surrounding her now.
Dozens of Judicators, Clergymen, tournament officials, and various staff members had circled around her position, forming a containment perimeter.
Many of them had already drawn magical weapons or activated defensive items, as if they were preparing for the possibility that she might suddenly attack.
Qin Yu'er wasn't just concerned — she was terrified.
Her heart hammered violently inside her chest as she realized that she was no longer being viewed as a fellow participant or even a human mage.
In their eyes, she was being treated as a Calamity-class anomaly that must be controlled, neutralized, or sealed.
"Qin Yu'er! As a Holy Court Judicator, I hereby place you under arrest! Any form of non-compliance will result in immediate retaliation!" the man shouted with an arrogant tone, his voice carrying the full weight of authority.
His eyes were filled with visible anger, irritation, and perhaps even fear.
"What are you people doing?! Why are you trying to arrest her?! It was clearly you who tried to attack her first!" Zu Xingyi yelled back in outrage, already preparing to activate his cursed elemental magic.
The idea that Qin Yu'er was being treated like a criminal infuriated him to no end.
"She is utilizing Forbidden Magic! Therefore she must be subdued and put down before she causes an irreversible disaster," a new voice suddenly cut in sharply.
Several figures appeared from behind the other staff members.
They wore distinct uniforms and long coats that identified them as mages from the Heresy Judgement Court.
The moment they stepped forward, the crowd instinctively moved aside.
Their presence alone made the atmosphere even heavier.
Qin Yu'er began trembling involuntarily the moment she felt the oppressive aura radiating from them.
Each member of the Heresy Court carried a level of killing intent and judgment that surpassed normal officials.
She immediately understood that resisting would be pointless.
Against ordinary mages she could fight, but against these individuals — many of whom were High-Tier or even Super Tier — it was not even a comparison.
"I— I surrender," Qin Yu'er said, her voice shaking.
She raised both hands slightly to show she wasn't preparing to cast magic, doing everything she could to reduce tension.
However, despite her clear words of surrender, the Space Mage from the Judgement Court only coldly snorted.
Without hesitation he released a spatial attack — a razor-sharp spatial tear cut through the air like a blade and shot straight toward her.
Qin Yu'er reacted purely on instinct, twisting her body and narrowly avoiding fatal damage.
Even so, the spatial slash grazed her waist, ripping through her clothes and leaving a burning gash that immediately started bleeding through the frost on her skin.
"Why?! I said I am surrendering!" Qin Yu'er screamed, both in anger and in complete confusion.
She could not understand why they would still attack her when she had already chosen not to resist.
"We must ensure that you are harmless. Therefore, we will need to cut off your limbs to make certain you cannot escape or retaliate," the Space Mage stated flatly, as if he were announcing a simple procedural step instead of something horrifying.
The moment those words left his mouth, a sudden chill spread through everyone present except for the members of the Holy Judgement Court and the Heresy Judgement Court.
Even the Chinese and Egyptian staff, medics, and participants who had just been frozen moments ago stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
Cutting off all her limbs?!
That wasn't just severe — it was insanely brutal.
Yet for the Heresy Judgement Court, such a method was considered standard protocol when detaining individuals classified as "Calamity-level anomalies."
To them, Qin Yu'er wasn't a participant in a prestigious global tournament, nor a citizen, nor even a human mage.
She was categorized as an Ice Calamity Witch, and therefore a dangerous environmental entity that needed to be controlled at any cost.
Their logic was cold and practical:
Qin Yu'er must remain alive so she could be sealed properly.
Dead Calamity bearers served no purpose.
But restraining a fully conscious and high-tier Calamity bearer was very difficult and can be simplified if they physically removed her
means to resist. Severing all four limbs was simply the most efficient route.
Afterward, once she is detained, regeneration magic or healing artifacts could restore the limbs to ensure the seal's structural integrity.
Of course, that entire process meant Qin Yu'er would be forced to experience horrific pain, trauma, and helplessness — all while being treated as if she were no more than a dangerous magical beast to be harvested and locked away.
Qin Yu'er stared at them in horror, her mind unable to process how quickly events had escalated.
She genuinely could not believe that one of humanity's so-called highest judicial authorities would resort to such an inhuman, barbaric method without hesitation.
At that moment she finally understood:
They were not treating her as a person at all.
In their eyes, she wasn't human.
She was a Calamity, a magical threat, and nothing more.
"I will not allow you all to harm her!" Zu Xingyi roared, firmly taking Qin Yu'er's side as he stepped in front of her protectively.
His stance made it clear he was prepared to fight if necessary, consequences be damned.
However, before he could even cast a spell, the Team Captain immediately backed away from them, distancing himself without hesitation.
At the same time, Qin Yu'er's so-called friend also moved hurriedly to stand beside the Judicators and the Heresy Court members as if she had been on their side from the beginning.
"Sir! Thank God you all are here! This bitch was about to freeze me!" her friend suddenly cried out dramatically.
The words were sharp, exaggerated, and filled with fake fear — designed to make Qin Yu'er look as malicious and unstable as possible.
Qin Yu'er, who had already been overwhelmed by shock and fear, instantly froze when she heard that accusation.
It took her a full second to even process what she had just heard.
"Yeyue?" she whispered in disbelief, staring at her with wide, trembling eyes.
She genuinely could not believe her closest teammate was betraying her so casually.
"Don't call me by my name!" Yeyue snapped, stepping back as if Qin Yu'er were infected with some kind of plague.
"Just know that I am not your friend from now on! To think you manipulated us this whole time! I thought you were genuinely strong, but it turns out you were practicing Forbidden Magic!"
Her voice was intentionally loud — loud enough for every official, staff member, healer, and even foreign mage present to hear her clearly.
It was obvious she wanted to ensure that no one would associate her with Qin Yu'er in any way, as if merely being seen as her teammate would stain her reputation.
Qin Yu'er stood there stunned, the betrayal hitting her far harder than the snowstorm backlash or the Judicator's spiritual probe.
This was the same woman she had laughed with, strategized with, and trusted during multiple battles.
Someone she had considered her best friend — someone who had stood by her side through difficult fights and intense matches — had abandoned her in the blink of an eye, without any hesitation or guilt.
But that wasn't the end of it.
"Zu Xingyi! You brat! What the hell do you think you are doing?!" a voice suddenly boomed across the battlefield.
Zu Xingyi's eyes widened sharply as he turned to see who had spoken.
His heart nearly stopped when he realized it was his own grandfather wearing the official robes of the Holy Judgement Court.
Yes — his grandfather was a Super Tier Mage and a member of the Holy Judgement Court itself.
In Zu Xingyi's mind, his grandfather represented authority, power, and someone who could handle anything.
"Grandfather! Thank god you are here, you must help Qin Yu'—" he hurriedly tried to plead, thinking that now everything would be resolved and Qin Yu'er would be protected.
However, before he could even finish his sentence, his grandfather cut him off with a furious shout:
"Help you?! Brat, if you don't come here this instant and stop protecting her, then even I won't be able to stop them from executing you!"
His voice wasn't just angry — it was anxious and strained, like someone who was panicking internally.
The worry in his tone made it clear that this situation was far beyond a simple arrest or disciplinary punishment.
Zu Xingyi stood frozen in place, completely stunned.
To him, his grandfather was nearly omnipotent.
A Super Tier Mage, a member of one of the most feared judicial organizations, and a man who always acted as though the world itself bowed to him.
Yet at this moment, that same grandfather was openly admitting that even he could not protect Qin Yu'er — or even Zu Xingyi himself — if he continued to interfere.
He finally started understanding something.
Qin Yu'er was not merely in trouble… she was a target that even the highest authorities did not dare defend.
"If you want women, I will give you many! Just leave her alone! She is just one bitch!" Zu Xingyi's grandfather roared, his voice trembling as he threw a nervous glance toward the members of the Heresy Judgement Court.
His expression made it clear that he was terrified of provoking them any further.
Qin Yu'er was already completely surrounded, and the only reason the Heresy Judgement Court had not acted yet was because Zu Xingyi was the grandson of a Holy Judgement Court officer, and because members of both the Chinese team and the Egyptian team were present as witnesses.
If they acted openly right now, it could harm the others — but that did not mean they would actually hesitate when the time came.
In fact, the situation itself already proved how dangerous the Heresy Judgement Court truly was.
Normally, they would have already taken action without exchanging a single word.
They were known for being fanatical, aggressive, and merciless — to them, hesitation was equivalent to disobedience, and disobedience was equivalent to heresy.
Yet here they were, showing an unusual level of restraint, which only made the atmosphere even more suffocating and ominous.
Zu Xingyi's grandfather understood this better than anyone.
The moment the Heresy Judgement Court officially moved, they would not consider Zu Xingyi, nor care about family ties, nor care about the feelings of the Chinese team, nor consider any diplomatic consequences.
If anyone — absolutely anyone — dared to hinder their actions or get in their way, they would kill them instantly in the name of Justice.
And the terrifying part was that no country, no Magic Institution, no Clan, and no other Organisation would be able to seek compensation or justice for the person killed.
Even worse, the family of the person who dared to intervene would also have to pay a heavy price, either politically or financially, and if they refused, they would be punished without mercy.
This scene was enough to show everyone watching exactly how terrifying the power and influence of the Heresy Judgement Court was — and more importantly, the Holy City that stood behind them.
Their authority was not based on morality, nor negotiation, nor diplomacy.
It was based on absolute force, political dominance, and the unspoken rule that their decisions could not be questioned.
Even the greatest clans, the wealthiest families, and the most powerful officials would bow their heads when faced with the Heresy Judgement Court.
And now, that unstoppable power was focusing entirely on Qin Yu'er.
Zu Xingyi faltered upon hearing his grandpa's words.
His earlier boldness collapsed instantly as he re-evaluated the situation with actual clarity rather than emotion.
The reality was crushingly obvious — he was merely a High-Tier Mage with a delayed casting Element like Curse, surrounded on all sides by multiple Super-Tier Mages from the Holy Judgement Court and the Heresy Judgement Court.
Even if he was strong among his peers, in this environment his strength was equivalent to a pebble being thrown at a steel wall.
He quickly realized that he was not even that close to Qin Yu'er.
In fact, after that strange shift in her personality — caused by Astreo's warning that she kept to herself — she had become distant and reserved.
The gentle atmosphere between them that once hinted at a possible romantic development in the original timeline never fully bloomed here.
From Qin Yu'er's perspective he was simply a teammate, nothing more.
And with that instant clarity, he understood the absurdity of risking everything for her.
Without hesitation, and with the speed of someone who had suddenly remembered his own future, he darted toward his grandfather's side.
The shift was so abrupt it looked as if he had never even known Qin Yu'er at all.
His grandfather's words echoed inside his mind: Why risk everything for one woman when he could have countless others?
He was a Young Master.
Since when did a Young Master ever lack women?
With just a single attempt — a smile, a few sweet words, and a bit of attention — a reputed school beauty admired by hundreds would happily cling to him, hoping to become his girlfriend or fiancée moaning under his body that very same night, her virginity lost.
And after a short time, if she failed to keep his interest, she would be exchanged for a new woman without any effort or consequence, like changing clothes to suit the weather.
So why should he stand here stupidly and fight for a woman who barely bothered about him, who never reciprocated his feelings, and who now carried a terrifying label like "Ice Calamity Witch"?
He was brave, yes — but he was not foolish.
And in that moment he made the decision all self-serving Young Masters would make.
He chose himself.
Qin Yu'er's eyes gradually lost the spark they once held, the light dimming as the realization sank into her very core — the last person she trusted had betrayed her without hesitation.
Zu Xingyi, who once showed interest in her and acted as if he wished to protect her, had abandoned her at the first sign of danger.
Now there was no one left. She was truly and completely alone.
She closed her eyes for a moment, suppressing the ache in her chest.
Instead of blaming Zu Xingyi or cursing his decision, she shook her head as if denying those thoughts.
She had always been someone who carried burdens in silence and this time would be no different.
Slowly, she raised her head and looked directly at the members of the Holy Judgement Court and the Heresy Judgement Court, who had surrounded her in a way that left no avenue for escape.
"I am indeed an Ice Calamity Witch," Qin Yu'er admitted without any attempt to deny the truth.
Her voice did not tremble, but the pain behind it was unmistakable.
"All my life I have endured because of this power. Since childhood I have struggled to control it. I lived alone in isolation on hills and mountains, far away from ordinary people, because I did not want to harm anyone. When I finally managed to gain control over this cursed gift, the first thing I wished to do was change how the world viewed me."
She paused, her breath shaky, though she continued forcing herself to speak.
"Please," she pleaded, and her voice finally cracked.
"I beg you all… just give me one more chance."
Then she lowered herself to the ground.
Qin Yu'er knelt in front of everyone — mages, officials, foreigners, spectators from various countries — and pressed both hands against the cold surface.
By kneeling, she was openly showing sincerity.
She removed every shred of resistance and defensiveness, and in doing so became the easiest possible target for any attack.
A single move from any Court member could take her life or cripple her without effort.
She was completely defenseless now.
Her actions made many people fall silent.
Even those who disliked her or feared her felt a subtle shift inside — either discomfort, guilt, or shock.
Seeing someone who had the power to freeze an entire arena kneel so willingly was a heavy sight that overshadowed all previous hostilities.
For a brief moment, there was only silence and the falling snow.
She was putting down all of her pride and lowering every single one of her defenses to display her utmost sincerity.
For a Chinese woman who had grown up independent, strong, and carrying both modern confidence and traditional values, kneeling in such a manner was not simply begging — it was equivalent to placing her very dignity on the ground.
For many Chinese, especially those with strong beliefs regarding pride, reputation, and personal integrity, kneeling was harder than choosing death.
Pride mattered more than life itself.
It was common knowledge throughout the world that Chinese people valued saving face above almost everything else.
Reputation and dignity formed the foundation of how they interacted with society.
Because of that, one could only imagine how difficult Qin Yu'er's current decision was, how heavy the emotional weight must have felt on her shoulders, and how genuine she was being with every word that left her mouth.
She was not kneeling for leverage or for manipulation — she was kneeling because she truly wanted her existence to be recognized beyond the label of "Calamity."
She was willing to surrender completely.
She was begging for a chance to prove herself, to prove that she could be something more than a monster the world had decided she was.
Her heart was laid bare in front of the mages, officials, and spectators, hoping that someone — anyone — would choose understanding instead of fear.
But it did not matter.
In the very next moment, without hesitation, a Space Spell was activated.
The spell sliced through the air with surgical precision and instantly severed Qin Yu'er's wrists.
Both of her palms were cut clean off from her hands, hitting the ground with a dull and sickening sound.
"Arghhhhh!" Qin Yu'er screamed in agony as blood sprayed violently out of the fresh wounds on her hands.
The severing of her palms instantly triggered her Ice Magic, which reacted directly to her emotional shock and pain.
Ice surged outward in an uncontrolled burst, forming a dense and jagged Ice Barrier around her body, while numerous sharp ice spikes began spreading across the ground in every direction.
Before anyone could react properly, a shout echoed through the battlefield.
"Holy Execution: Punishment Axe!"
A Super Tier Light Mage, who had clearly been preparing the spell ever since the first star alignment of his casting sequence, unleashed a massive Tier 3 Super Tier Magic.
A colossal one-sided Axe made entirely out of condensed Light Mana manifested high in the sky.
The weapon was enormous, easily comparable to the size of a skyscraper, and the sheer pressure it emitted made it obvious that its purpose was not restraint, but execution.
Seeing the formation of this attack, Qin Yu'er felt pure terror wash over her.
In that moment she finally understood that they had been preparing a lethal strike against her from the very beginning.
They never intended to arrest her, nor had they intended to seal her peacefully.
There was no intention of granting her mercy or allowing another chance.
From the very start, their goal was to take her away half-dead or kill her outright.
Driven by nothing but instinct and fear, Qin Yu'er erupted with even more Ice Magic, channeling everything she could muster in a desperate attempt to defend herself.
Her Ice surged upward, colliding directly against the descending Punishment Axe. The two forces met with overwhelming force, and the impact instantly overloaded the dimensional space.
The entire Terrain — which was originally constructed as a controlled battlefield inside a dimensional pocket — was annihilated in an instant.
The aftermath of the clash tore through the space, causing the pocket dimension to rupture.
The resulting explosion spread outward uncontrollably, destroying massive sections of the stadium outside and sending shockwaves throughout the area.
By this point, the stadium — along with every other active Terrain being used for the World Tournament — had already been fully evacuated.
Not a single spectator or civilian remained.
This fact alone demonstrated just how deeply the Heresy Judgement Court had planned out this entire event.
Their level of preparation, coordination, and execution was far from amateurish.
It was cold, calculated, and efficient to a terrifying degree.
Meanwhile, Qin Yu'er let out another agonizing scream as the explosive aftermath of the attack struck her body once more.
The collision of Light and Ice hadn't merely damaged the Terrain; it had burned the very flesh off her arms and scorched her skin in places where her defensive magic had failed to react in time.
The areas around her elbows were blackened, and sections of muscle were exposed.
Her palms, which had already been severed earlier, were completely gone, and blood continued dripping down from the open wounds, staining the icy floor beneath her.
Only Qin Yu'er herself truly understood the intensity of the pain she was going through.
The pain was beyond ordinary physical agony — it was layered with exhaustion, betrayal, shock, and the mental overload of her magic going berserk.
She had endured humiliation, accusations, and fear.
She had watched her teammates abandon her one after another, and finally even the people she considered closest to her had turned their backs on her without hesitation.
After one betrayal after another, something inside her snapped.
Qin Yu'er clenched her teeth, rage flickering inside her eyes.
She had endured enough.
If this was going to end with her death, then she would fight until the very end.
If the price of dragging down her enemies was her life, she was prepared to pay that price.
However, a single glance at her condition made the reality obvious.
Fighting in her current state was practically unrealistic.
She was severely injured, surrounded by overwhelming forces, and her body was already near its limit.
'It seems someone has been betrayed.'
Suddenly, a voice echoed directly inside her mind. It was a voice she instantly recognized — a voice she had heard before in that strange, dungeon-like space.
The voice belonged to him.
The Star Emperor.
'L-Lord Star Emperor?!' Qin Yu'er replied within her mind, startled that the mysterious being had reached out to her at a moment like this.
She immediately heard him chuckle in response, that same deep and hoarse voice echoing through her consciousness.
'You seem to be in quite a pinch right now. At this rate, you already know that you cannot last in this battle. Qin Yu'er, this is the final offer I will extend to you. The terms this time will be harsher and less forgiving than before, but I will guarantee that you survive… and I will ensure that you thrive under my protection.'
Qin Yu'er hesitated.
Her biting pain, her missing palms, the betrayal of her teammates, and the cold fear of the Judgement Court made her thoughts chaotic.
She did not know what to answer.
This time, there truly was no easy choice.
Either she died here after being humiliated and dismembered, or she bowed to the Star Emperor and accepted whatever came afterwards.
Just as she hesitated for the final time, a man from the Judgement Court suddenly yelled, his voice filled with intensity and alarm.
"I can feel Psychic Waves from a very powerful mage! State your identity immediately! Who is it?!"
It was a Super Tier Mage shouting.
His sudden declaration caught the attention of several other mages, who immediately activated barriers and detection spells, observing their surroundings with heightened vigilance.
Astreo, who had been using Psychic Magic to communicate with Qin Yu'er, wanted to click his tongue in annoyance at being detected so quickly, but he refrained from saying anything aloud.
'Psychic waves?' Qin Yu'er thought in disbelief.
'They can detect Lord Star Emperor's Psychic Magic?!'
To Qin Yu'er, the Star Emperor was an Emperor-level being — someone so far beyond mortal comprehension that even peak mages should not have been able to sense his presence.
The idea that a mere Super Tier Mage could detect even a trace of him shocked her to the core.
Although the thought made her suspicious about the true nature of the Star Emperor, she didn't have any time to dwell on it.
Her arms were burning, her blood continued to pour, and the unbearable pain in her severed palms made it impossible for her to think clearly.
The Judgement Court members were still surrounding her, and any hesitation might result in her immediate death.
Her survival was on the edge of a blade.
Astreo remained completely silent.
He understood that if he tried to explain anything now, it would inevitably sound like an excuse.
Worse, attempting to justify himself would only make Qin Yu'er more suspicious and damage the impression he had been painstakingly constructing.
In truth, Astreo was not a true Emperor as he claimed.
Although with his Chaos Armour he could emulate the aura and combat prowess of one, at most he could be considered a Lesser Emperor in terms of actual strength and status.
He also didn't bother to ask Qin Yu'er whether she accepted his offer or not.
If he asked directly, it would sound like begging, as if he desperately needed her to choose him.
That would put him in a disadvantageous position and undermine the image he had built up as the Star Emperor—someone above mortal whims, mortal emotions, and mortal negotiations.
From Astreo's perspective, it would be better for Qin Yu'er to die here than to serve him while thinking he was someone who could be coerced, doubted, or manipulated.
Qin Yu'er gritted her teeth, blood dripping down her wrists while pain burned through her arms.
Her breathing was heavy and ragged as she looked around at the Super Tier mages and Judgement Court members who had gathered like vultures circling a dying prey.
Despite her fear and disbelief, she made up her mind on what to do next.
She decided to test the so-called Star Emperor directly—whether he was truly what he claimed, a being capable of altering the world, or merely a pretender hiding behind illusions and theatrics.
If the Star Emperor was genuine, she would know once he made his appearance.
"I accept! I am willing to be your servant!" Qin Yu'er roared with all the force she could muster through her pain and despair.
The words echoed through the frozen debris of the shattered terrain.
For a moment, there was only silence—until she heard a low, amused chuckle ring directly into her ears.
"Not bad, human. You made the correct decision."
The voice was clearly feminine, yet it carried an overwhelming authority and an arrogant undertone that didn't match the cold, hoarse baritone of the Star Emperor she had spoken to previously.
Qin Yu'er blinked, her vision blurred from blood loss and exhaustion, before realizing that someone had appeared in front of her—someone who had casually blocked the barrage of attacks fired by the surrounding Super Tier mages.
Those same mages were now frozen in shock, momentarily stunned by the absurdity of what they were seeing.
The newcomer stood tall and elegant.
[Image]
She possessed an unmistakably humanoid body and shape, but her features immediately made it clear she could not be human.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, while two sleek, polished, abyss-black horns curved upward from the sides of her head.
Their existence alone shattered any doubts about her race and origin.
"A-Are you… Star Emperor?" Qin Yu'er asked in disbelief, mind reeling as she tried to reconcile everything she was seeing and hearing.
The horned woman chuckled again, her voice carrying a mixture of amusement and seductive disdain.
"I? Hardly. I am but a servant of the Lord Star Emperor. These insects are not worthy of him intervening personally."
Her words were laced with open mockery, and the term 'insects' directed at a group of Super Tier mages made the Judgement Court mages clench their teeth in fury.
Their faces twisted as they began to prepare another round of spells—this time determined to kill whatever creature dared to insult them.
'A servant of Lord Star Emperor!' Qin Yu'er was shocked at first, but her shock quickly shifted into a strange sense of relief. If anything, it proved that the Star Emperor had not deceived her.
A true Emperor-level being having servants made complete sense—especially considering how casually this horned woman had blocked multiple Super Tier magic spells that would have annihilated most High-Tier mages.
The ease with which she acted also indicated her cultivation was at least that of a Great Monarch, if not something even higher.
"A Dragon-kin? Hmph! Even if you are a Monarch, you will die today for obstructing us!" a Super Tier Fire Mage from the Heresy Judgement Court scoffed, his arrogance towering larger than Mount Tai itself.
Flames danced at his fingertips as if he already imagined incinerating Xyra in the next breath.
Xyra merely chuckled, the sound low and amused, as if the mage's confidence was nothing but a joke.
"Uhhh, insects buzzing like they own the world never fail to amuse me… How about we begin with proper introductions?" she said, her voice echoing with disdain and playful cruelty.
"I am Xyra, the Abyssal Dragon and the most faithful servant of Lord Star Emperor!"
She declared these words without any hesitation, her tone brimming with pride as if she was announcing a royal decree.
The surrounding Super Tier mages flinched involuntarily at the mention of 'Abyssal Dragon,' and even the Judicators momentarily paused.
Her proclamation was not merely loud—it was a warning, an identity reveal, and a challenge all at once.
The siege against Qin Yu'er, which had seemed like a hopeless execution only moments earlier, had taken a drastic turn that no one present could have predicted.
The balance of power shifted so violently that even the onlookers felt as if they were witnessing history rewriting itself in real time.
To be continued...
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