Struck Dead by a Tribulation Storm
"Greetings?" The Celestial Empress shot Evan Xiao a sideways look and snorted. "What greetings? You pop in every night, and now you bring her here to parade in front of me during the day! Are you trying to spice up my misery or what?"
Evan Xiao said, "Celestial Empress, I just wanted to bring her to ask how you're feeling today."
"How do you think I'm doing?" The Celestial Empress quipped. "Right now, it's mostly your sister's problem. I just get poked with a needle every few days—so glamorous, right?"
"Today is the forty-seventh day, right?"
The Empress nodded. "The day after tomorrow... we'll know for sure!"
Evan Xiao glanced at Grace, who was staring blankly into her cup, and said, "Aren't you going to give Mother the Iceheart Dew?"
"Oh!" Grace tightened her grip on the cup and handed it over with both hands.
The Celestial Empress took it and drank it all in one go.
...
On the forty-ninth morning, Grace went to Vivian Xiao to retrieve the pill that had absorbed the Celestial Empress's Storm Core.
By evening, at the usual time, they went to see the Celestial Empress again.
Legend has it that the mortal world was created by the gods. The four seasons, wind, thunder, rain, and lightning—all modeled after the Divine Realm.
So yes, it rains and thunders in the Divine Realm too.
But the lightning in the Divine Realm isn't quite the same as in the mortal world.
The golden-white ones are just regular weather lightning.
The purple-gold lightning is called Reversed Lightning—a rare phenomenon in the Divine Realm, said to turn fate upside down when it strikes.
And then there's the red kind—Tribulation Lightning, infamous for appearing only when gods face their heavenly trials. If it hits, even the strongest can be obliterated.
This kind is the most terrifying. Many gods have had their Soul Core shattered and their spirits destroyed by it during a trial...
...
It's said that whenever there's a thunderstorm, the Empress has to take a special pill and hide inside a protective barrier, or she'll attract lightning.
But her Storm Core is problematic, with almost no resistance to lightning. She'd had a close call before and nearly lost her Divine Rank.
Luckily, the weather was perfect that day.
Clear skies for miles, just the right temperature—perfect for healing the Celestial Empress.
Today was the final day of treatment, and the most important moment. The Celestial Emperor, Crown Prince, Princess Vivian Xiao, and others were all present.
Grace took out a pill and handed it to the Celestial Empress. "Your Majesty, please take this pill!"
The Celestial Empress didn't say anything, just took the pill and swallowed it.
After taking it, she sat cross-legged on the couch, channeling her Divine Power to refine the pill.
Just in case the weather changed, the Celestial Emperor had people stationed outside as a precaution.
At first, everything seemed normal.
But suddenly, there was a deafening boom—"KABOOM!"
A monstrous red bolt of lightning tore through the roof and struck the Celestial Empress square on the head, sizzling with fury.
That was Tribulation Lightning—the deadliest kind, only seen during a god's trial!
Tribulation Lightning—here, of all places!
Everyone from the Divine Clan in the room was so stunned by the lightning that they stumbled back several steps.
Those with weaker cultivation felt their vital energy surge uncontrollably.
The moment the Tribulation Lightning struck, Grace found herself swept into a broad, warm embrace.
When Grace snapped back to her senses, she saw smoke curling from the Celestial Empress's head as she collapsed, stiff as a board.
"Qingke!" The Celestial Emperor cried out in shock, rushing to her side.
The Celestial Emperor's cultivation was unfathomable.
He could sense that the Empress's Soul Core was completely lifeless.
The dignified Celestial Empress... actually slain by a single, merciless bolt of Tribulation Lightning!
Vivian Xiao screamed, her voice cracking with terror, "Mother! Mother! What happened to you? Wake up! Please, wake up!"
The Celestial Emperor shook his head in grief. "Yuan'er, your mother's Soul Core... is gone..."
"No! No, that's impossible!" Vivian Xiao poured her Divine Power into the Celestial Empress's Soul Core, only to recoil as if burned, shaking her head wildly in denial. "No! No! Mother can't be gone! She can't be!"