There was a sudden earthquake.
The people huddled closer in their homes as they trembled in fear. The area around the Pink tree had the most rumbling as it was slowly tilting down to the ground. Those that were outside and stopped moving, quickly warned the people that were inside their homes that the Pink tree was going to fall. They immediately stumbled out of their houses along with their children as they marveled at the fall of the Pink tree. Its leaves turned brown and its trunk wilted. Then, finally, it fell along with its roots. The Divine Lightning Barrier weakened, they noticed, as they didn't know whether to be glad or not.
The tremor stopped.
Emersyn stood up from her crouching position and stared at the barrier that protected these people from the outside. The towering buildings became more apparent. She turned to look around and saw that the pagodas were shining brightly, their string of energies were connected to the barrier, supporting its remaining life. The independent world of Central Marsh was also slowly being connected to the outside, she noticed from high above the barrier.
Her feet took off as she ignored the surprised gazes of the Jiang Family. However, Yao Yun followed her intently. When she stopped, he also stopped two steps behind her. They were at the center of the Central Marsh, looking at the fallen Pink tree that almost filled their sight.
"I guess, this tree was the one keeping up the barrier all along…," Yao Yun muttered.
Emersyn smiled wryly. She reflected the light energy from her body then pitch black wings sprouted from her back.
"Eh? Emersyn?" Yao Yun sniffed the air. When the apparent scent of Emersyn, that was mysteriously trapped in her body, was disappearing, he jumped then clutched on something as he ascended to the sky with the help of something.
"..."
"Emersyn, I can smell it's you. I didn't know you could fly and disappear from my sight."
"..."
"How did you do that? I have never seen anyone do it. Where did you really come from?"
"Don't ask," Emersyn rolled her eyes then accelerated towards the sky. She always sent her energy towards the barrier to see if she already escaped its clasps.
"Then… how is your scent trapped in your body?"
"How should I know…?"
"Where are we going?"
"Outside."
"Outside?"
When Emersyn finally felt a change, she dashed right through, successfully escaping the Central Marsh. They were in the sea of clouds and Yao Yun was shivering from the cold. Descending on a whitish ground filled with thick snow, Yao Yun jumped down from where Emersyn was hovering. He stepped on the snow carefully and a circular gust of wind appeared beneath his feet, making him light. He looked around the unfamiliar dark world. There were tall buildings that didn't have any signs of life and the temperature was below freezing point, the snow submerging five floors of the buildings. His teeth chattered then turned to look at Emersyn, worried.
"Here," Emersyn offered two jackets created with mana threads; a regular and an insulated one.
"Ta-tank yo---"
"No problem," she replied as she lightly descended on the snow, her breath creating a mist. She could also feel the mana, so thick that it felt murky.
"I feel… feel warm now."
"That's great then."
"But… What is this uncomfortable feeling? I feel sick now..."
Emersyn turned to Yao Yun then saw how pale he had become. She quickly covered him with her Life Energy to protect him from the dense mana while also letting his body slowly get accustomed to it.
"Are you fine now?"
"Yes… somewhat."
"Great. We are going to that place," Emersyn said as she pointed at the tallest building of the abandoned city.
"What are we going to do there?"
"I will search the area, of course."
"... so, why did we leave the Central Marsh?"
"It would only be a matter of time before the barrier disappears."
"Wait… so, does that mean… the people will be trapped here forever?! There wouldn't be any teleportation spells to get them out of here. This… they won't be able to survive! What should I do…?"
"We can't avoid that, Yao Yun," Emersyn interjected as she dressed herself in her winter suit and boots.
"But..."
"Here, your boots and gloves."
"Oh… thanks. Wait… how did you know my size?"
"Measured it. Let's go," Emersyn said as she turned around and headed towards the city with her hands in her pockets.
"Wait!"
Emersyn could hear guttural growls coming at the center of the city and heavy footsteps against the hard snow. Yao Yun seemed to notice it later than her as he crouched down and hid behind the roof of a building.
"... they are far, Yao Yun. They aren't moving towards us either."
"You sure?"
"I am."
They traversed through the snowy ground then came face to face with the window glasses of the tallest building. There weren't any entrances, so Emersyn pressed her fingers on the thick bulletproof glass then it shattered, emitting a loud sound. Then, they heard surprised growls from afar.
Yao Yun immediately came to a realization.
"Wait, why didn't you just fly?!"
"It's too tiring."
"Why do we need to go up?!"
"To see the landscape. Didn't you just ask that?"
"And why aren't we moving on?! Those… monsters or whatever they would be are coming at us!"
"Hmm," Emersyn smiled at him, which struck him speechless by its beauty. She pointed at different directions then said, "They are coming."
"Come on!!! Don't dilly dally anymore!" Yao Yun immediately grabbed Emersyn's hand then ran through the hallway, their footsteps ringing through the marbled floor. At the same time, they could hear more growls and the shattering of the windows, and heavy footsteps against the floor. Yao Yun panicked as he desperately pulled Emersyn up the flight of stairs.
"Hurry up!"
Emersyn pressed her finger on her chin then looked down below where she could feel more than a dozen monsters that contained far more greater mana than the Calamity rank monsters. She then looked at Yao Yun with a complicated gaze if she should let him fight against these powerful monsters or she should just fight them as a form of training.
After a few moments of deliberations, she opened her mouth, "I'm tired, Yao Yun."
"Don't lie!!! You're stronger than me!!!"
"..."
"I can sense anything, so stop your ministrations!!!"
"... fine..."
"Good, so, just run!!!"
"You know… your shouts are giving away our position."
"Do you want to fight them?!"
"..."
"If so, be my guest! I will just escape!"
Yao Yun let Emersyn go then continued climbing up the stairs. Left alone, Emersyn stared down and saw monsters covered in fur with their elongated arms and huge hands climbing the stairs like a madman. Their faces were hideous and their canines were protruding from their mouths.
"Hmm… will they taste good?" She mused.
When she opened the door of the twenty-fifth floor and tried to hide, all of the monsters just passed through her location and headed straight to the uppermost floor where Yao Yun was running towards. She snickered as she opened the door.
Then, she heard his cries, "WHY ARE YOU ALL CHASING ME?! EMERSYN?! ARE YOU OKAY?! YOU DIDN'T DIE, RIGHT?! HELP ME!"
Emersyn smiled then hopped on the railing and climbed the shaft like an agile monkey. She soon surpassed the monsters that attempted to reach out to her, then she came neck to neck with Yao Yun.
"Yo! Nice seeing you here, brother!"
Yao Yun heaved then mumbled under his breath, "You even act like her..."
"Have you ever felt like… eating some humanoid monsters?"
"Wait, they are humanoid?!"
"Of course they are. You can look down. See for yourself."
"No way!"
"Aw man… I am planning on eating them. Will you join me?"
"Nononono! Those are real monsters! I am only a Gold-level practitioner! The gap is too wide!!!"
"Well, you can totally move like you're not Gold though. Well, whatever," Emersyn sighed as she landed on the railing. "Then, see you at the top! Bring them all in to me!"
"What?!"
"Bye-byee!"
"Wait a freaking moment!!! I am already exhausted!"
"Just keep it up~"
Then she completely became a silhouette in Yao Yun's eyes.
"..."
A loud growl broke him out of his stupor as his panic grew stronger as the monsters almost caught up to him. He shrieked then pushed his body forward, stumbling along the way. When he passed by one floor, he saw a huge number 124 then 125. He could see that his vision were failing him as he pushed himself harder, finally seeing the destroyed door towards the roof. He screamed delightfully then barged into the opening, climbing the rock-like structure of the snowy floor and saw Emersyn grinning at him.
"You finally arrived. I was getting bored of waiting."
"... you…!!!"
*GROWL!*
"There are the main course~" Emersyn cracked her fingers then released the membrane that kept her power hidden inside her body. Yao Yun felt faint as he smelled that familiar flowery scent, further relaxing his exhausted body.