She stepped out of the circle of onlookers, and the third bolt of lightning crashed down—striking nothing but empty air.
Now, with the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain unable to sense any living aura trapped within, it would summon a primordial tribulation bolt and self-destruct.
From a distance, Lily Bai called out to the Celestial Empress, her voice echoing: "Empress, right now only you can stop the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain from blowing itself up! If you want to go down with it, just stay put. But if you want to live a little longer, come over here and I'll show you how to save yourself."
The Celestial Empress’s face twisted in fury.
At the same time, a wave of destructive energy was closing in, fast.
...
Whenever an ancient divine artifact appears, it’s not unusual for a deity to blood-sacrifice themselves to it.
Just look at the Divine Lord and her Spiritwood Bow.
Or the generations of Divine Emperors and the Xuanyuan Sword.
But very few deities are willing to blood-sacrifice themselves to an immortal weapon.
Because when an immortal weapon is damaged, the divine body is damaged too.
If the immortal weapon is destroyed, its owner's divine body dies as well!
And in a clash between immortal weapons and divine artifacts, the immortal weapon usually doesn’t stand a chance... So unless it’s a truly extraordinary artifact, most deities won’t risk a blood sacrifice.
The Celestial Empress rushed over, asking Lily Bai, "What do I have to do to stop it from destroying itself?"
Lily Bai taught her the method.
Only the blood-bound master can stop it.
Risking a lightning strike, the Celestial Empress did exactly as Lily Bai instructed. Just before the next primordial tribulation bolt could descend, she barely managed to recall the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain.
Lily Bai reached out to her. "Empress, the duel’s over, and I won. Lend me the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain, will you? I’ll give it back once I’m done."
The Celestial Empress glared at her for a long moment, then suddenly pointed at Jenna Summers’ corpse and roared, "You actually killed Jenna! I’ll make you pay for this! And you still want the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain?"
"Didn’t we agree beforehand that we’d accept the consequences, life or death?"
"You cheated! Are you Lucia Lu or Lily Bai? You’re just an upper immortal—there’s no way a mere human could surpass the gods and suddenly ascend to High Goddess!"
"How I ascended to High Goddess has nothing to do with this duel," Lily Bai replied.
"It does matter! Lily Bai, did you use some forbidden array?" The Celestial Empress raised her voice so everyone could hear: "Did you use the same catastrophic forbidden array as the Scarlet Clan?"
The gathered Gods were puzzled, each with similar doubts.
Lily Bai looked around and spoke loudly, "The Oblivion Grand Array is only for Divine Lords and Celestial Emperors to ascend! As for me, I ascended thanks to my mother, Bianca Whitefan! Back then, she spent a hundred thousand years of cultivation saving my Divine Vein, and another hundred thousand years passing her power to me!"
At those words, the crowd of Gods suddenly understood.
So that’s how it was.
So she really is Lucia Lu.
Snow Yuan bit her lip, and for some reason, she felt... pretty happy about it!
Adrian Drake just threw himself onto Jason Xiao’s shoulder and started bawling.
"Empress, my mother has lost all her power—she’s no threat to anyone. Please, lend me the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain so I can release her and let her live out her days in peace." Lily Bai reached out to her again.
But the Celestial Empress backed away, her eyes bloodshot as she sneered, "Lily Bai, since you bound the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain to me, no one but me can use it! I won’t help you! If you want it used, you’ll have to kill me first!"
Lily Bai paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out with a swift motion!
She yanked the phantom portrait she’d planted inside the Empress right out!
The Celestial Empress instantly spat blood, her face turning paper-white.
"If I can force the blood rite, I can break it too!" Lily Bai snatched the Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain right out of her hands.