Solar Blood Masters (157)

Chapter 157 - Thienika’s Cruel Awakening!

DRIP! DRIP!

Thienika’s tears splashed onto Raphael’s lifeless form. They were warm, salty droplets that mingled with the blood oozing from his wounds.

It was a heartbreaking sight, a proof of the depth of her grief, for who said that trees couldn't cry or feel emotions? Such assumptions, they were the folly of those who’d never tasted the bitter sting of loss, the agony of watching a loved one slip away into oblivion.

Thienika, the ancient Draconic Star Lumber, wept. Her tears, they were not simply water, they were the very essence of her ancient heart, a potent blend of starlight and sorrow that flowed with an intensity that had even the hardiest of Calamities in the arena leaking tears.

The audience, who moments before were buzzing with excitement, now watched in stunned silence. The battle, the thrill of victory… it all faded into the background as Thienika's grief resonated through the Grand Mound Arena, touching the very cores of those who’d thought themselves immune to such sentiments.

Whispers of admiration and sympathy filled the stands.

“That bull… he fought well. For a 2nd Layer Nightmare Calamity, he’d lasted a long time against a monster like Lingshi. Such strength. Such determination. He deserved those 500,000 years.”

“He was a true warrior.”

“He protected his team until the very end. A true Breath Taker.”

Even Qi Fenwei, who’d prided herself on her cold indifference, felt a lump forming in her throat. She touched her eye, surprised to discover she was also shedding a tear.

As for Lu Jade, whose injured body lay near the edge of the platform, a strange smile spread across his snout. “It’s… it’s all a dream… right? Big Brother Raphael… He can’t be… dead. He’s too strong! It has to be a nightmare… I’ll wake up soon…” He mumbled deliriously. His mind was unable to comprehend the reality of Raphael’s demise.

Meanwhile, Lingshi watched this display of grief with a detached annoyance. After knocking Lu Ruby unconscious with a swift chop to the neck to quiet her ramblings, he turned his gaze back to Raphael’s lifeless form.

“Stop wasting your tears crying over that dead thing. Old tree, if you know what’s good for you, you’d best piss off… so I can get back what is mine.”

Thienika ignored him. Her tears continued to flow like a river, and her roots burrowed deeper into Raphael's wounds, desperately trying to channel her life force, her Solar Essence, into his shattered body.

Lingshi scowled, "Stubborn old fool. You dare defy me?”

He extended a hand towards her, his Solar Essence flared.

WHOOSH!

A blast of pure energy, potent and deadly, shot forth.

But…

“Regal Counter!”

Thienika’s staff slammed against the air. And the energy blast was deflected! It reversed trajectory back towards Lingshi with an amplified intensity!

“Argh!”

He was thrown backward again.

“You… AGAIN?!” He was livid. How could a mere 1st Layer Calamity withstand his attacks, not once, not twice, but now a third time?!

“You are only delaying the inevitable!”

He scrambled to his feet. This time, he wouldn't hold back.

He charged toward Thienika, unleashing a flurry of blows. His claws slashed. His tail whipped. His head butted. His fists slammed into her barrier, each attack fueled by a growing frustration. His movements were too fast for the naked eye to follow.

But every single attack…

It was repelled by Thienika’s ‘Regal Counter’!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The platform shook violently beneath the force of their clash. Yet, Thienika remained unscathed. Her shield, though flickering precariously, held firm.

The crowd watched in stunned disbelief.

“How is that possible? Is she truly just a 1st Layer Calamity?”

“She's deflecting every single one of Lingshi’s attacks!”

“That tree woman… She’s a monster!”

BOOM!

Lingshi’s final attack was met with another ‘Regal Counter’. And with a resounding thud, he crashed onto the stage once more.

He lay there wheezing and baffled.

“No matter what I do… I can't penetrate that woman’s defenses…”

He was frustrated. He could feel his control over his Emperor Calamity power waning, fading into those deep, primal instincts that had been suppressed for millennia. His very being was resisting his command!

He wanted to unleash his rage.

But his mind, fueled by a dreadful realization, screamed.

‘If I can’t get my Gem of Knowledge back before that bull slips into oblivion then… all of my stored knowledge, the wisdom I’ve amassed over TWELVE MILLION years, it’ll be fragmented! Scattered across the void! I can't allow that to happen! I won't!’

His panicked thoughts were interrupted by Gastaroid’s mocking voice.

“Muwahahaha! You’re weak as shit, turtle. You can't even penetrate a 1st Layer Calamity’s barrier, and you call yourself an Emperor Calamity? What a JOKE!”

"SHUT UP!”

Lingshi was livid. He scrambled to his feet once more. He slammed against Thienika’s shield, and to his surprise…

A crack appeared!

“YES! Finally!”

He gathered his Solar Essence and was preparing a technique that would obliterate both the barrier and that tree woman. A final solution.

Meanwhile, Thienika continued weeping. And as her tears flowed… she saw it.

Raphael’s Solar Consciousness materialized above his shattered form.

A yellow sun, a blue sun, and a small, white sun, oscillating in perfect harmony.

It was a magnificent yet heartbreaking sight, a confirmation that had even those most hardened warriors in the arena shedding a tear.

“NOOOOO!”

Thienika’s wails echoed.

She was like a loving mother, unable to accept her son's death. Her grief was a raw, untamed force of nature, an ancient sorrow that had the very air itself trembling.

“Hahahaha! So he’s finally dead. Get OUT of my way, woman. That Solar Consciousness… and the gem… they are MINE!”

Lingshi unleashed his attack!

“World Palm – Crushing Devastation!”

BOOM!

A colossal, azure palm, radiating with the power of an Emperor Calamity, slammed into Thienika's barrier!

CRACK!

The barrier shattered.

Lingshi reached out to claim his prize, but something unexpected happened.

Thienika stood firm.

Her glowing eyes shifted upon Lingshi.

And in that instant…

He froze!

“How is this possible? That tree… She’s even capable of stopping the movements of an Emperor Calamity?!”

The crowd watched in stunned disbelief. Whispers of awe and fear rippled through the stands.

Even the Emperors on their platform stared in shock, for never had they witnessed such a display of power from a mere 1st Layer Calamity!

Only Qi Hawk seemed unfazed.

He watched Thienika with a knowing sadness, and he shook his head.

“Thienika, so you’ve decided to go THIS far for that bull…?”

Julian Ringtail noticed Qi Hawk's expression. A hunch that something amazing was about to happen, had him hopping out of his seat. He walked to the edge of the platform and stared below.

“Hmmm…?”

Even Gastaroid, who was perched upon the edge of the Black Wind platform with a smug grin, now stared in shock, “How can that old hag be THAT powerful?”

Qi Fenwei also gaped at Thienika. She saw hope. Perhaps they could survive this after all.

Lu Jade, still dazed from Raphael’s death, couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

Above, Lingshi struggled against Thienika’s stasis. He tried to move, to unleash his Solar Essence, but it was futile. It felt as if the very fabric of reality was resisting him.

And as he watched…

Thienika’s Solar Essence began to spike!

It was increasing… rapidly!

From 1st Layer Calamity to 3rd… 7th… 9th Layer Calamity!

It continued.

From 1st Layer Nightmare Calamity… to 4th… 8th… 9th Layer Nightmare Calamity!

“What’s happening?!”

“Her power! It’s increasing!”

“This is unreal!”

The crowd was in awe.

Even Muburt, who’d remained silent for a while, couldn't contain his shock, "This… this is unprecedented! I’ve never witnessed such a rapid increase in cultivation level! What’s going on?!"

Lala Zhen, whose composure was legendary, also stared in disbelief.

But… this was only the beginning.

Thienika’s power kept climbing.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Several loud explosions heralded this revelation!

1st Layer Emperor Calamity!

2nd… 4th… 6th… 9th Layer Emperor Calamity!

At this level, she’d surpassed every single Emperor Calamity in Yama Yaguai!

On the Emperor’s platform, a wave of terror washed over the rulers.

For the first time in millions of years, since they'd achieved their Emperor Calamity status, they were expressing true fear for another entity… aside from Sindoll.

Their eyes widened in horror. Their Solar Essences dwindled. They began breathing heavily.

Lu Ignis was shaking uncontrollably.

“This… This is IMPOSSIBLE! That TREE! She’s… she's STRONGER than ME?! Stronger than US?!”

They could feel it! Her oppressive Solar Pressure! It was crushing them, forcing them to their knees. How crazy was this!

They were powerless.

But Thienika’s power didn’t stop there.

BOOM!

1st Layer Void Emperor Calamity!

At this insane power scaling, the barrier Lingshi had erected around the stage along with Lala Zhen’s… shattered! It exploded outwards, sending shockwaves rippling through the entire Grand Mound Arena!

And her Solar Pressure… it wasn't simply contained within the arena.

It spread!

Across Black Wind! Across Yama Yaguai!

Beasts in distant territories felt the oppressive weight.

They were forced to the ground. Some weaker Calamities even exploded. They were unable to withstand the sheer force of Thienika's Solar Pressure!

Then…

BOOM!

2nd Layer Void Emperor Calamity!

Her frail body exploded! And from within that burst of light, her TRUE form began to take shape.

The Draconic Star Lumber!

Her roots spread out, cracking the platform, weaving through the shattered pillars and those pools of blood, reaching towards the sky! Her branches extended outwards, creating a canopy of starlight! And her leaves, resembling miniature galaxies, shimmered with an ethereal glow!

“Huh, those roots…”

Lu Ignis saw Lu Ruby entangled within those roots and with a speed only he possessed, vanished down there, grabbed his daughter and then, with a final burst of power, reappeared back on the Emperor’s platform.

However…

He was bleeding profusely! Those scales on his torso were ripped apart, and  his very blood was sizzling where those tendrils touched.

“That tree…! She almost KILLED me!" He was trembling. He had never been so close to death in THIRTEEN MILLION Years!

The other Emperors stared in horror.

They were trapped.

Their Solar Essences flickered like dying embers, for at Thienika’s current cultivation level, they couldn't even teleport if they wanted to!

Julian Ringtail was baffled, and could barely hold back his laughter. This scene, it had a chilling similarity to the times he'd toyed with lesser creatures back in his youth, those ants and worms…

“Why hasn’t Sindoll done anything yet?” he whispered. “That tree… she’s obviously out of our league, or… Or could it be that even Sindoll is afraid?”

…

Qi Fenwei and Lu Jade found themselves floating in a protective green bubble. She wasn't harming them at all.

Thienika’s power kept climbing!

BOOM! BOOM!

3rd… 4th… 6th… 9th Layer Void Emperor Calamity!

At this level, the Grand Mound Arena began to crumble, and the entirety of Desolate Huang Territory, was truly… becoming desolate!

The earth shook violently! Mountains crumbled! Forests were uprooted! Rivers boiled and evaporated! Entire ecosystems were wiped out in the blink of an eye. And from those ruins, a new landscape emerged, a desolate wasteland of cracked earth and scorched sand.