She'd braced herself, thinking all her mother's karmic tribulation might crash down on her.
But, unexpectedly, it didn't.
Her ascension was actually pretty easy...
With a wave of her hand, she cast a spell and swapped into a formal Divine Robe.
Clothes make the woman, just like gold makes the Buddha shine.
The moment she changed, her presence transformed completely.
Elegant posture, dazzling divine radiance—standing tall as a goddess, her aura was unmistakable!
"You... you're Lucia Lu! That aura! That bearing! There's no mistake!" Jenna's voice trembled.
Lily Bai said, "I told you before, I have rune talismans that boost cultivation."
"You're not just a talisman cheat! You're Lucia Lu!" Jenna looked rattled, her face flushing and paling as she pointed at Lily, shouting in shock.
Lily Bai smiled faintly, summoned Entwined Heart, and began to play.
Entwined Heart, her Divine Artifact, was born of heaven and earth itself.
Its power had no upper limit.
The stronger its wielder, the stronger it became.
Sharp notes stabbed into Jenna's mind—she clutched her head, writhing and screaming in agony.
"Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain!" The Celestial Empress's voice rang in Jenna's ears.
Jenna's eyes flashed—she instantly summoned the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain.
The black chain spun out, forming a massive encircling Spell Array, layer after layer tightening around Lily Bai, sealing her inside an inescapable Spirit Barrier.
At the same time, the other end of the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain pierced the void, reaching deep into the ancient ruins.
Lily Bai opened her Heaven's Eyes and examined the chain closely.
There were two spell arrays on the chain.
One was designed to trap her.
The other was meant to destroy the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain itself!
She'd already foreseen both arrays in her divination yesterday.
The corners of Lily Bai's mouth curled up; she summoned the painting she'd made yesterday and set it alight with Rune Fire.
The painting vanished, turning to black ash in an instant, disappearing from ordinary sight.
But Lily Bai could still see the runes and images lingering in the air.
She waved her hand, sending the runes streaking into Jenna's body, where they vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, the painting's light-form of the Celestial Empress flew straight to the Empress herself, sinking into her body.
Jenna felt nothing.
But the Celestial Empress felt it immediately.
Suddenly, a Celestial Relic appeared in her divine consciousness.
An intimately familiar Celestial Relic—the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain!
"Ah! What is this?" The Celestial Empress cried out in alarm.
Everyone turned to her, baffled, asking what was wrong.
"Just now—did Lily Bai cast some sort of Rune Talisman on me?" The Celestial Empress's voice rose sharply.
"I didn't see anything!" The ladies beside her looked blank. "She's busy fighting in the arena—she wouldn't have the energy to cast a charm on you, would she?"
"That's right! We didn't see anything!" they all echoed.
But the Celestial Empress was certain—the sudden appearance of the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain in her divine consciousness had everything to do with the Rune Talisman Lily Bai had just ignited.
"Summon Immortal Lord Chengyun!" she ordered urgently.
Immortal Lord Chengyun was Gavin Yuan's divine attendant—a skilled Rune Master.
He happened to be here with Gavin Yuan, and quickly came to the Celestial Empress's side.
"Celestial Empress, what are your orders?" Chengyun asked, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Check me—am I under the effect of some talisman?" the Empress demanded.
Chengyun opened his Heaven's Eyes and looked her over. "I don't see any talisman effects," he replied.
"Impossible! Why would the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain appear in my divine consciousness?"
Chengyun said, "You're in a Blood Rite state with the chain! When a Celestial Relic is bloodbound, it naturally appears in your divine consciousness."
"Blood Rite state? I've never bloodbound myself to the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain! Why would I perform a Blood Rite on a mere Celestial Relic?" the Empress cried.
"But that's what I see—you're definitely in a Blood Rite with it," Chengyun said respectfully.