Northern Dea Plateau, at the border with the Northern Frontier Mountains.
Accompanied by the violent crashes of countless meteors striking the earth, a massive red-black floating island, so vast it blocked out the sky and sun, was slowly gliding across the heavens at an altitude of ten thousand meters.
Wherever the floating island passed, waves of scorching heat surged up, with blazing magma everywhere.
The volcano at the center of the island would intermittently erupt, spewing out several gigantic meteors.
Directly beneath the floating island, more than a dozen teams of Adventurers rode their warhorses at full speed, chasing after the island, hoping to unearth Celestial Fire Gems of immeasurable value from the meteors that rained down.
“Humans are truly greedy. They’ve been chasing me for hundreds of years and still aren’t tired of it. Well, this lot has followed me all the way from the central region to here. I suppose it’s time to throw them a bone.”
Within a boiling hot spring on Huoyun Island, Heavenly Fire reclined in the water, her long red dress floating around her. Her fiery figure was partially obscured by the rising steam.
With a mere thought, she slipped an Intermediate Meteorfire Stone into the next falling meteor, then continued observing the humans pursuing her, wondering if any were worth cultivating.
Over the years, the Gods had monopolized nearly ninety percent of human geniuses, and with discrimination in Faith, the Disasters had never managed to build up a strong human following of their own.
“Sigh, still not a single one with Fire Element talent,” Heavenly Fire let out a sigh.
Not long ago, she had lost a fairly talented Disciple. If she remembered correctly, her name was Ariel.
Unfortunately, that Ariel fell into a trap set by a Blood Demon and the Gods, so Heavenly Fire had no choice but to painfully let her go.
“If I keep going a bit farther, it’ll be those low-tier humans from the Dea Plateau chasing me next, won’t it? Speaking of which, is there a Holy Maiden among them now? I’m quite curious to meet her.”
And that Blood Demon—such arrogance for a mere high-tier Demon, daring to insult me, simply because it has a God backing it.
Shameless creature, are you still in the Dea Plateau? You’d better hope I don’t catch you!”
Bang!
Suddenly, a figure appeared at the edge of Huoyun Island.
At the same time, scorching magma erupted in sequence around the figure, forming a message in the air that only Heavenly Fire could comprehend:
[Personnel Identification System: Ariel. No abnormalities detected.]
This was the Personnel Identification System Heavenly Fire had specially set up on Huoyun Island.
After all, she feared that someday some terror from the Mist might suddenly land on the island.
But for hundreds of years, only her own Disciples had come. This time was no exception.
“Ariel? Wasn’t she captured by that Blood Demon? How has she suddenly returned?”
Heavenly Fire immediately stepped out of the hot spring, manipulating the magma near Ariel to show her the way. The water on her body evaporated in an instant.
“Come here.”
Heavenly Fire’s solemn voice rang out across the entire floating island. The magma around Ariel formed arrows, guiding her.
Five minutes later, Ariel stood before Heavenly Fire, her expression icy, and she did not kneel.
No bow of respect?
Heavenly Fire tilted her head slightly. Was Ariel throwing a little tantrum because she had been abandoned so decisively?
Maybe now she ought to apologize. But she was one of the Five Great Disasters, King Rank! And as the object of Ariel’s Faith, how could she lower herself to apologize to her own Disciple?
S-So not rescuing Ariel was merely a test for her, and everything was under control! Heavenly Fire nodded to herself in self-assurance. See, Ariel has come back safe and sound!
Yet, after this incident, Ariel’s entire demeanor seemed drastically changed.
A sinister aura had replaced her former carefree air, and her originally orange-red eyes, like a solar halo, had become even more vivid—though now, they looked less like fire and more like… blood?
“Ariel, you—”
“Stop right there.”
Heavenly Fire had just started to speak when Ariel raised a hand, cutting her off.
Then, Ariel slowly clenched her raised hand into a fist and extended her middle finger.
“People who do evil usually die from talking too much. I don’t feel like wasting words with you now!”
As Ariel finished speaking, her middle finger fully extended, a strange, bloody wind erupted from her body, rushing straight into Heavenly Fire’s nostrils!
Something’s wrong. This Ariel is completely wrong!
Heavenly Fire, cautious for centuries, immediately leaped back with all her strength to put distance between herself and Ariel.
Though her reaction was swift, her enemy had already prepared an attack the very moment she set foot on Huoyun Island!
“Pu!”
With no warning, Heavenly Fire saw only a flash of crimson before her eyes, then felt an icy chill spreading from her neck throughout her entire body, followed by a hot sensation trickling down her shoulder.
Clenching her teeth and turning her head slightly, Heavenly Fire saw a crystalline, blood-red blade piercing her neck.
The heat she felt was her own blood, still warm from her body.
“Cough!” A mouthful of blood spilled from Heavenly Fire’s lips as her whole body stiffened and she crashed to the ground, shrouded in billowing smoke and dust!
Who was it?! Someone had hidden within Ariel’s body to assassinate her, and had even managed to break through her Epic-level Protective Gear and King Rank physique.
Not even that Shadow Demon could have done such a thing!
A brutal truth lay before Heavenly Fire: she had been grievously wounded in a single blow!
That strike had seemed plain, yet Heavenly Fire could sense she’d been hit by several skills simultaneously, including “Weakpoint Critical” and “Absolute Penetration.”
The rest she didn’t even recognize.
Fortunately, she was tough-skinned and, with the active protection of her top-tier Epic-level Defensive Gear, the Disaster Red Dress, she hadn’t been killed outright!
“Oh? You actually survived my most powerful penetration combo? Interesting.”
In midair, Truth—now in her true form—looked down coldly at Heavenly Fire, half-concealed in the swirling dust.
Honestly, this Heavenly Fire didn’t even have a Mage’s Soul, and usually wore such high-defense gear.
Even with a full rank advantage, she hadn’t been able to finish her in a single blow!
Damn, if she couldn’t kill her instantly, the rest would be a slog.
Although hiding within Ariel had allowed her to bypass the island’s “facial recognition,” she hadn’t expected Heavenly Fire to be wearing such a turtle shell!
As an Assassin, defeating a heavily armored mage head-on was usually a fool’s dream—there was nothing for it but to flee.
Everyone knew that an Assassin was only at their most dangerous when hidden.
Even the Gods were wary of a Stealth Attack. But after an Assassin landed their deadliest blow… they were as helpless as a dog.
Everyone would unanimously target the Assassin with full force; unless their teammates could fully protect them and let them hide again, the Assassin was basically finished for the rest of the fight.
Still, Truth had two advantages now: a whole rank above Heavenly Fire, and the “Diligence and Hard Work” she had honed in the PVP Arena.
“It’s you?!”
At this moment, Heavenly Fire finally recognized the one who had attacked her as the very Blood Demon who’d once traded insults with her from afar.
She hadn’t expected it to be so strong! She’d almost died!
Was it Ninth Rank, or King Rank? No, Demons were suppressed by the Demon Gods and couldn’t break through to King Rank, so it had to be Ninth Rank!
And you’d already used your most powerful Stealth Attack, hadn’t you?
Heh, looking pretty confident, but don’t think that just because you’ve wounded me you can secure victory. Don’t forget, this is my domain!
With a thought, Heavenly Fire sealed off the entirety of Huoyun Island. In an instant, the whole island began to boil.
Countless tongues of flame swept through the air, weaving giant rings of fire that swiftly formed a Magic Circle even O’Mily would find troublesome.
Today, this Blood Demon will not escape!