Ascension—throughout the ages, it had always been something worth celebrating.
But Lu Ye felt a subtle tension instead.
The reason? That damned sly old fox, the Great Sage of the Ninth Heaven, had introduced fixed ascension points.
Sure, Lu Ye could’ve stayed in the Third Heaven longer. He could’ve waited until he was strong enough to rampage through the Fourth Heaven before ascending.
But he didn’t.
The system had informed him that Anli hadn’t successfully ascended yet—and he needed to get there, fast.
Even if all he managed was to catch a glimpse of Anli from afar, Lu Ye would be satisfied.
After all, they were so deeply in love!!!
When Anli underwent tribulation, she hadn’t drawn upon the essence of the Source of Darkness, so the Heavenly Dao couldn’t strike during her ascension.
Shen Xitong’s authority wasn’t enough to launch an attack from the Third Heaven to reach Anli in the Fourth.
But if Lu Ye got there fast enough—if he saw Anli in person—then Shen Xitong could act.
Time was of the essence.
Lu Ye’s figure emerged at the Ascension Pool in the Fourth Heaven.
All around him, swarms of people filled the sky. Countless crazed and greedy eyes locked onto Lu Ye.
And the moment he appeared, all of those eyes turned blood-red.
The fragrance of the path had taken effect!
Boom!
Countless figures charged toward Lu Ye.
Without a word, Lu Ye activated the Heavenly Demon Blood Evacuation Technique.
He burned a massive amount of blood essence. A red stream of light streaked across the sky, weaving through the flurry of attacks.
Boom!
He was struck.
Relying on the fifth-tier of his Nine Tribulations Indestructible Body, he tanked the hit. But even so, his body cracked apart. The fragrance of his path erupted even more intensely.
If Shangguan Huanling were to see Lu Ye using this escape technique, she would’ve been stunned.
Something’s wrong—why could his Heavenly Demon Blood Evacuation Technique make sharp turns?
Hers could only go straight!
Even in this state, Lu Ye maneuvered fluidly, dodging attacks with abrupt angles—but he still suffered severe injuries. Half his body was shattered.
He broke through the encirclement.
And charged straight toward where Anli was undergoing tribulation!
At that moment, Anli had already endured eight lightning bolts. The ninth was still condensing.
A sense of unease stirred in her chest.
But it wasn’t too strong. Just one more bolt, and she would ascend.
Once she reached the Fifth Heaven, she’d be closer to the Source of Darkness, with even more authority. She could trick Lu Ye layer by layer until he was ruined.
This was so much more fun than her previous dull existence.
Her last life had been comfortable—but utterly boring.
The lightning condensed.
Anli was fully prepared.
Come. The final bolt!
...Still condensing?
Why hadn’t it formed yet?
Still waiting?
Suddenly, a blood-red streak with a blazing tail of flame shot across the sky—like a straight spear of light—racing toward her.
The heavens themselves seemed to split apart before it.
Wait for me!
Wait for me!
Even just one glimpse—I must see you!
Lu Ye had never missed Anli this intensely. If he couldn’t see her one last time before she ascended, his heart would ache.
They were so deeply in love!
No!
No!
No!
The final tribulation bolt still hadn’t descended.
Anli couldn’t take it anymore. Was the Heavenly Tribulation seriously stalling for time?
The Heavenly Dao—this was outright malicious!
“If you won’t come down, then I’ll come up!” she shouted.
She launched herself toward the tribulation cloud.
And then—suddenly—the cloud rose.
Anli: ????
“Don’t run!” she roared.
She accelerated.
The tribulation cloud sped up too!
Unfortunately, it could only move vertically. Its central point had to remain locked onto Anli, or else it would’ve been bouncing around the heavens like a headless chicken.
In all of history, there had probably never been anyone whose tribulation required chasing after the cloud!
Finally, she caught it.
Anli burst into the tribulation cloud. At that point, the lightning could no longer dodge. It could only strike her with everything it had.
But with the help of the Source of Darkness, her strength was formidable.
The lightning couldn’t destroy her.
Boom boom boom...
Thunderous booms echoed across the sky. The blood-red light streaked ever closer.
Lu Ye had arrived.
In his eyes—reflected the image of Anli, ascending.
Boom!
A dark-purple bolt of lightning suddenly crashed toward «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» her.
Anli had already reached the limit of ascension. Half her body was becoming illusory.
But when she saw that dark-purple thunderbolt heading straight for her—
She hadn’t even used the power of the Source of Darkness yet! How could the Heavenly Dao still strike her?!
She was stunned. Since when had the Heavenly Dao stopped playing by the rules?
What happened to its laws?
Its emotionless, impartial order?
Its blind fairness?
This bolt of thunder was powerful enough to kill her. This went way beyond what the Heavenly Dao was supposed to do.
Helpless, Anli was forced to call upon the power of the Source of Darkness to shield herself.
“Ding. Just waiting for that,” the system chimed.
The instant that dark power appeared, black lightning bolts erupted—piercing deep into the void.
One of them struck Anli.
She screamed. Her body exploded in half and disintegrated.
Somewhere deep in the unknown void, black thunder slammed into dense clouds of darkness. Agonized screams echoed nonstop.
“Ding. So satisfying!”
The system was elated.
Not only could it strike Anli—it could strike the Source of Darkness too.
The system couldn’t believe that such a beautiful moment could even exist in this world.
The blood-colored glow around Lu Ye faded.
His body was in tatters—one leg gone, his face pale as death.
He had burned through massive amounts of blood essence.
His body shattered again.
But Lu Ye was truly content. In the end, he had seen her.
He’d really seen her one last time.
How wonderful...
...Wait a second?
Why did he sound like a creepy stalker?
Lu Ye shook his head, clearing the mess from his mind.
“Ding. Host, there’s something I need to tell you,” the system said sheepishly.
“Don’t.”
“Ding. I must. I must!”
Lu Ye already knew this couldn’t be anything good. But... fine.
He was in a good mood after all.
“Go ahead.”
“Ding. Um, I just violated the rules a bit by using tribulation lightning earlier, so now I’m going to get divine retribution. Since you’re my Host, could you take the hit for me?”
Lu Ye: ...
“Aren’t you working for the Heavenly Dao?”
“Ding. The Heavenly Dao is just like that—so, so stupid. Host, be careful—it’s coming!”
Lu Ye looked up.
In the sky, tribulation clouds gathered again. Massive waves of thunderous energy spread out, filled with divine wrath.
Lu Ye: ...
What kind of terrifying thunder energy was this?
You're telling me I just killed some small fry at the Sky-Piercing Realm, and this retribution is at the level of the Earth Realm?!
Is that even reasonable?
IS THAT EVEN REASONABLE?!
“Damn it! This life—I swear I’ll dethrone that damn Heavenly Dao someday!”
Lu Ye gritted his teeth and cursed.
