Chang Xiuying felt her heart tightening. The silver radiance that passed through her heart seems like it left something. Her oceanic life energy keeps on expanding and deepening at the same time. Her body trembled vigorously as the energy that is being suppressed were slowly wakening. The three jade bracelets and the crystal necklace hummed, these accessories cracked and eventually shattered as the materials can't handle the sudden flow of her power.
A large undulation shot forth around Chang Xiuying. Her oceanic life energy inside her body shook and created a rampaging tsunami. Meanwhile, her stacked mental chains in her brain continued to make annoying clanging noises. She felt these two phenomena, the sudden burst of power in addition to the things she keeps on feeling outside of this body, will slowly take her sanity away.
Even though Xue said that she's already at the penultimate stage of mental cultivation, it seems to her that it's not. If so, she would be able to bear the torment she's experiencing right now, but it's not.
The controller of the body has gone berserk in its unconscious state, however, Chang Xiuying still felt all of the pain that has been inflicted to her. No matter how she split her consciousness to experience the pain in half, it's ineffective!
She's completely awake and the body is unconscious!
...
The body whipped her vine arms, she stomped her rock legs that caused a huge commotion at the underground ruins. The black-clothed group initially wanted to suppress the girl but decided not to. The only thing that is practical is to escape!
The girl retracted her right arm and raised it with force. All of the entrances of the underground ruins was blocked by the lump of rocks and was reinforced by the vines.
"We're finished! The descent of the Primordial Entity is already upon us!"
"Curse this cult! All I can feel is suffering!"
"Don't be foolish! You're one of the people who got turned on with her blood!"
"Aaaah! This is the end!"
"Our Highness, please grant us protection!"
"No! Unrivaled Shekinah! Please let me off! I was only dragged here because of my family! Please let me off!"
"Unrivaled Shekinah! Have mercy on us! Mercy!"
But the body of the girl only spread her arms as a response. The whole group who were begging got confused by her action. Suddenly, countless spikes surfaced from the ground, whether it is a sharp vine or a sharp rock, every spike impaled some of the group and blood flowed down on those spikes.
The stubborn individuals released their blood-like vines as it coursed its way through her head and heart!
PUCHI!
The blood-like vine stopped mid-air. The individuals that released the vines were already pale as white when they stare at the bloodied vine impaled in their chests, they collapsed on the ground as they all died from fatal impalement.
Slaughter. This became a one-sided slaughter. The girl looked like an evil incarnate as multiple thick vines keep on wriggling behind her, ready to kill anyone.
Suddenly, a thick vine stabbed her behind and goes through her stomach. When the thick vine retreated, she controlled some plant vines and covered her injury. She looked at the person who attacked her who was plunging down with a powerful aura.
"Please do forgive me, your highness. This is the only thing that I can do to save you."
The girl clenched her teeth and growled. The man who she trusted ever since she's a child, her Uncle!
Damn Imperial Family!
Rocks immediately formed a dome around the girl and were supported by thick vines. The rock dome was still in the air with the vines under it like a spider web. Inside the dome, the girl vomited fresh blood. She collapsed as her vine and rocked limbs disintegrated, that only left her limbless body with a hole in her stomach. She was actually surprised that she made it this far with this kind of injuries.
In her last moment, she can only think about the child she's protecting for almost 12 years. Her mouth curved into a weak smile as she died with no regrets.
...
In the Central Marsh:
Yao Yun got cold sweat all over his body. Yao Chen supported her son as the procedure keeps on draining his life energy. Irene and Jiang Hao stood alertly by the side. Elodiaren looked at the group worriedly and the girl, Shin Mei, happily played with the flower in her hands while stealing glances at the group that is 150 meters away from them. They are watching at the tree that is average by its peers in terms of height.
Elodiaren's expression grew stern. "It's here."
"What's here?" Shin Mei focused her attention on Elodiaren.
"You already knew, don't ask."
"What is it that I knew?" The girl smiled and tilted her head. Elodiaren didn't pay heed to the girl's words and irritating smile. He started to doubt himself if he is really one of the Four Great Kings in their homeland or his status won't work unless he's at his own territory.
Starting from now, Elodiaren didn't blink as the procedure goes on. He's afraid that the caster would lose focus once the final phase starts, that will also decide the fate of Chang Xiuying whether to wake up or sleep for eternity.
Shin Mei looked at the anxious expression of Elodiaren. "What are you so worried of, boss?"
"I can't interfere. Whatever the outcome is... I have to accept it."
"Why is that? That you cannot interfere?"
"Long story." Elodiaren shook his head. Shin Mei decided to keep quiet, she didn't want to press her question to the anxious King.
Meanwhile, the final phase of the retrieval began. Yao Yun started to heighten all of his senses to never let anything distract him. A bright radiance came out of Chang Xiuying's eyes as it slowly formed into a ball. However, there was another tiny ball inside of the big sphere. A jade ornament hovered around as it slowly assisted the procedure secretly.
The string of connection is slowly making its way to the jaded ornament. Yao Yun looked dazed at this strange phenomenon. His hands slowed down and the insertion of life energy became rigid. The string of connection is slowly vanishing. Yao Chen smacked her son's head. "Focus!"
"Ah! Yes!" Yao Yun started to speed up his movement.
"Not good!" Yao Chen exclaimed heavily.
"Jiang Hao! Felstead! Transfer your energies!"
"What's happening?" Irene anxiously asked. Jiang Hao already started transferring his energy to Yao Yun as he already anticipated this.
"If you asked more, the procedure will fail!" Yao Chen bellowed angrily.
"Eh? Ah. Okay! " Irene quickly opened a path towards Yao Yun's energy and filled it.
Jiang Hao stole a glance at the corner of his eyes. He breathed a silent sigh and focused all of his attention into transferring.
Yao Yun coughed out blood as it is really too much for his young body. But the brand that he instilled on Chang Xiuying is now gone! How can he still retrieve it if it's gone? Furthermore, he still hasn't told the branding to his mother. He steeled his heart then spoke in a calm voice to his mother, he explained everything without stopping his hands.
Yao Chen's voice quivered. "You... you... what are you planning!?"
"I know that she'll leave the Central Marsh! I, at least, want to have her location known!"
"You brat! You used an incomplete guide to perform a branding!"
"I used my own knowledge and constructed a new one! However, I didn't know that this will be the result..."
Yao Chen sighed. "After this is over, perform it one more time and we'll see what punishment I'll give to you. For now, I'll do it. Since your trace had disappeared and all." She started to raised her hands and swiped every string of life that is slowly dispersing around Chang Xiuying.
A strong white radiance formed and entered Chang Xiuying's body. Yao Chen gently controlled the path of the white radiance. In just a few moments, golden radiance erupted from the ball of light.
Elodiaren sighed in relief when he saw the color of the radiance. If it became red, then it's really the end for the girl he loves. Thankfully, it's gold. Now, he can breathe with ease without the weight in his heart. Shin Mei stared at the now relaxed King. She still can't understand the things that are happening around her, she even thought that is it really worth worrying for?
...
Chang Xiuying felt hopeless as she lied down lifelessly. Catching her breath became a pain as her body can't contain the astonishing growth of her life energy. She felt that she will explode anytime, or die anytime, this is actually her lifetime goal but was always stopped with responsibilities. Since the opportunity arises, she might just have to take this.
Suddenly, a white string flowed down towards her. It first entered her body and this made her body warm all over. Then it entered her brain and calmed the chains down. The calmness of her body resulted to something as it restricted her body more from the sudden outburst of power.
Chang Xiuying's breathing stabilizes then she fainted. The strong golden glow formed a hand, gripped her entire body gently, and retrieved her before disappearing in the abyss.