Chapter 146: Shayleaf Awakens
The clash between Elton and Raschlong intensified, each exchange of blades shaking the ground beneath their feet. Sparks flew as the Blue Star Heavenly Destroyer met the Mortal Lord's twin red swords, the ringing metal echoing through the miasma-soaked forest.
Christy and Tongsheng stood guard before Shayleaf, eyes fixed on the furious duel. Every strike from Raschlong was heavier than the last, his demonic ki whipping through the air in oppressive waves. Elton's movements grew sharper, but the strain was clear—Raschlong was pressing him more and more with every exchange.
Despite the pressure, no decisive blow had been landed yet. Elton grit his teeth, refusing to yield an inch.
A sudden fluctuation rippled from behind Christy and Tongsheng.
Shayleaf's body trembled, her breathing sharp and uneven. Roots and vines around her pulsed with violent energy, and the bloody miasma seemed to twist unnaturally toward her.
The surge was chaotic at first—winds howled, the trees shook, and even Raschlong's footing wavered as the ground cracked beneath him. But slowly, that wild storm of energy transformed.
A majestic and oppressive aura radiated from Shayleaf, blending the cold allure of a royal vampire with the ethereal grace of a Fanged Elf. The pressure carried a faint whisper of something greater—a power brushing the threshold of the Mortal Shedding Realm.
Raschlong's crimson eyes narrowed. His strikes slowed for the briefest moment, wariness flickering across his face.
That pause was all Elton needed.
—Heaven-Piercing Radiance Fang!—
Blue and gold sword-light erupted from his blade—this time laced with the flow of a Royal Elven magic. The dual forces intertwined, magnifying each other until the air around the strike warped under its intensity.
The attack tore through Raschlong's guard, ripping into his side and carving a deep wound across his armor and flesh. His Mortal Lord body is what really saved him from a crippling blow, but blood still poured freely from the gash.
Raschlong staggered back, teeth bared in fury.
He wasn't seeing Shayleaf as the bigger threat—not yet—but the oppressive wave of her power and Elton's sudden boost had shaken his rhythm. He couldn't afford another "unexpected occurrence."
In a blur, Raschlong began angling his movements, his eyes flicking toward Shayleaf's position more than once.
Christy's gaze hardened. "He's looking for an opening to attack Shayleaf…"
Shayleaf's energy suddenly exploded outward again, but this time it was controlled. Her eyes snapped open, eyes blazing with bright gold, green, and red light. She slowly rose to her feet with a grim expression.
Magic surged around her in a high concentration, thick enough to distort the air—just shy of stepping into the Mortal Shedding Realm. The ground under her feet bloomed and bled at the same time, a perfect manifestation of bloody nature magic.
Her voice rang out, shaking the battlefield:
"Don't you dare harm Sister Chrissy and Brother Elly again, you disgusting demon!!!"
A wave of destructive magic burst forth, crimson vines and jagged roots tearing through the battlefield. Enemy cultivators and beasts were ripped apart or entangled, the miasma scattering as if fleeing from her presence.
Even Raschlong braced himself, his armor ringing under the impact of the wave.
Now wounded and having weathered a continuous onslaught from Elton, Christy, Tongsheng, and the surging Crimson-eyed warriors—Raschlong found himself in an unfamiliar position.
His lips curled into a grim smile.
"So be it… I'll crush you all at once."
The ground split beneath his feet as he raised both red swords high. A spiraling pillar of purple-black demonic ki erupted around him, warping the air with heat and pressure.
Christy's face paled.
"He's… going to use an extremely powerful ability! Everyone look out!"
The energy built higher and higher—until the world itself seemed to hold its breath.