White mist spread throughout the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Sylvia's water dragon was gradually suppressed by the flames, its momentum halted in moments.
Yet Sylvia still wore a satisfied smile.
Even now, she could hardly unleash the full power contained within the Fullbottle.
For one, it held the greater part of an Emanator's strength; for another, the Path of Destruction's energy was rather ill-suited to her own nature.
Still, being able to clash head-on with Phantylia in her current state proved that her recent progress had been effective.
Sylvia flipped backward and lashed out with a kick!
It struck true against Phantylia's core. The two separated upon contact, quickly putting distance between them.
Yet Phantylia's flames clung like stubborn parasites, bearing down with relentless, oppressive force.
Watching as the flames suppressing her grew denser and heavier, the seawater evaporated layer by layer, the mist thickening until it swallowed both their forms.
Sylvia steadied herself mid-air with controlled currents. Gazing at the thick fog around her, she suddenly summoned a howling, frigid gale.
At the same time, she flipped and raised her blade. A violent tremor, mingled with flames refined to their utmost limit, was unleashed toward the sky with a mighty swing!
BOOM—!!
One sword cleaved the heavens!
The furious tremors, interwoven with a sky full of frost, instantly shredded Phantylia's wall of fire.
The Permanence and Destruction energies woven within clashed head-on with Phantylia's power in the most primal collision!
The opposing forces of the Paths erupted into a ferocious explosion.
Intense light and heat burst forth in an instant.
Like a blazing sun, it illuminated the entire Scalegorge Waterscape.
Even spreading all the way to the Alchemy Commission, which bordered the Scalegorge Waterscape.
The Scalegorge Waterscape used the Ichor Lines to suppress the Ambrosial Arbor, while the Alchemy Commission lay right beside that sea.
Though separate delves and barriers lay between them, the shockwaves from Sylvia and Phantylia's battle shattered spatial barriers already weakened by the Arbor's revival.
Having just arrived at the Alchemy Commission to command the Cloud Knights and oversee the situation, Fu Xuan turned to gaze at the horizon.
The faint, sun-like brilliance rising from above the Lunarescent Depths made her eyes widen sharply.
"What happened?"
She hastily opened her Third Eye, but the involvement of an Emanator rendered the vision hazy.
Yet within that blurred image, Sylvia's greatsword and the sky filled with flames were still recognizable.
"Damn it! Something's happened in the Scalegorge Waterscape!"
Fu Xuan's expression changed drastically as she realized trouble had already broken out there.
Sylvia was facing an enemy.
She quickly contacted Jing Yuan.
When she had set out, Jing Yuan—after speaking with the Express crew—had also begun making his way to the Scalegorge Waterscape.
The three from the Astral Express had been asked to head to the Artisanship Commission to assist.
The plan was to regroup at the Alchemy Commission, after which Fu Xuan would proceed to the Scalegorge Waterscape together with them.
But Dan Heng, acting alone, was already heading toward the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Anxiously speeding along on his starskiff, he glanced at his phone.
The most recent call log was from Jing Yuan's device.
"The Scalegorge Waterscape…"
Logically, that was the last place Dan Heng wanted to approach.
What he never expected was for Jing Yuan to actively call him and inform him of the current situation.
Someone among the Vidyadhara was deliberately causing trouble, loosening a corner of the seal. A Stellaron had been placed beneath the Scalegorge Waterscape seal.
With Sylvia's help, Dan Shu held the token and entered the seal first.
As for later matters like Phantylia, Dan Heng was less concerned.
Hearing that members of the Vidyadhara had secretly participated in reviving the Ambrosial Arbor on the Xianzhou, his usually calm emotions surged with uncontrollable anger.
Though he had been exiled and was no longer the High Elder, Dan Heng still considered himself Vidyadhara.
Now, some individuals were digging at the very roots of their people!
Dan Heng wearily closed his eyes. Though he hated any mention of his past life, this trip today was clearly unavoidable.
--+--
Heavy rain fell across the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Above the downpour, Sylvia, blade in hand, broke through Phantylia's blockade.
She immediately shifted direction, unleashing raging flames of her own.
The nearly identical Destruction energy, mingled with the power of Permanence.
Sylvia clenched her teeth, enduring the groans of protest from her overloaded body.
She drew out as much power as possible from the Fullbottle, her aura briefly rivaling Phantylia's below in a standoff.
"You wretched thing!!!"
Phantylia's furious shriek echoed from within the flames.
This power should have been hers!
In fact, Sylvia hadn't processed it at all—Phantylia could still sense that vast, forcibly severed portion of energy.
Yet though she could perceive it, she couldn't recall it.
She could only watch helplessly as Sylvia used her power, the power of a Lord Ravager, to attack her, the genuine Lord Ravager.
The water dragon, having left the sea, was transformed by Sylvia into a fire dragon.
Using the power of Cloudhymn magic and that of the Heliobi, Sylvia replaced the controlled water with flames saturated with Destruction energy.
As Sylvia raised her blade high and brought it crashing down toward Phantylia's location!
BOOM—!!
This time, Sylvia's crushing blow from above, aided by howling winds, smashed Phantylia down into the Lunarescent Depths.
The terrifying force stirred massive waves in the ancient waters.
The entire sea surface seemed to cave in from the impact.
"Hmph…"
Sylvia let out a low grunt. The feedback from that last strike felt off.
Phantylia had deliberately absorbed the force, likely using it to dive deeper beneath the Ancient Sea, toward the Ambrosial Arbor.
"Ahahaha—!! Sylvia, did you really think I'd fight you to the death out here? I bet there's your little helper waiting under this sea for the fruit to ripen, aren't there?"
Phantylia's mocking, shrill laughter rose from beneath the water.
Her tone was completely different from the earlier rage.
"Hehehe—Is it Dan Shu? Or someone else? She's dead for sure! And you, Sylvia, you can only wait out here while I devour your companion!"
Sylvia simply ignored her.
Dan Shu sought death wholeheartedly. Sylvia couldn't stop her, nor did she have reason to.
In Sylvia's view, the best end for Dan Shu was to die on the battlefield, not to be judged by the Xianzhou as it was now.
A Xianzhou that hadn't yet cured its chronic ills, nor restored justice for the Dan Shu of the past—what right did it have to punish the present Dan Shu?
The Luofu was indeed changing, but it hadn't fully transformed yet.
Rather than exhaust herself holding Phantylia back here, it was better to let Dan Shu continue tormenting Phantylia's psyche.
If Dan Shu held on long enough, she might even manage to mock the belated Jing Yuan a few times.
Sylvia stood poised in the void, sword in hand.
Looking down at Phantylia, who had already plunged into the sea depths,
She let out a derisive snort.
Go on.
When you see an unfinished fruit, and watch as Dan Shu swallows it whole, let's see if you can still laugh then.
Now that you've willingly entered the seal, Phantylia, it's my turn to catch the turtle in the jar.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.