Chapter 448: After the Fall

The angel had fallen.

That magnificent process was clearly visible even from the surface.

Near the twilight line of Taixu Lingjiu, people witnessed in full the moment when the pure white Mother Vine blossomed like a nova in space—a fourth moon seemed to appear in the sky, its brightness second only to the sun. The flowers bloomed at the instant of day and night's alternation, and during the few seconds of their peak bloom, people could even make out the structure of its petals and branches.

But that blooming was fleeting. Before those left on the surface could understand what they were seeing, the pure white nova hanging in the dusk silently disintegrated into skyward crystal shards. The drifting crystalline substance formed a "mist" in space that reflected sunlight and could nearly cover half a continent. Most of it dissipated and vanished into the cosmos like evaporating mist, while some larger crystals remained in this world.

These powerless crystal remnants fell toward Taixu Lingjiu, but practically all of them were intercepted on the spot by the planetary defense forces that had long since been on alert. The few fragments that slipped through the defense net burned into bright streaks of fire in the atmosphere, lighting up the night as they fell from west to east, and burned up completely before hitting the ground.

***

At the deepest level of the Suppression Tower at Thousand Peaks Spirit Mountain.

The terrestrial vein surge that day was exceptionally active.

Mottled "vein currents" carrying a faint glow surged up from deep underground, flowing silently through the cavern that was filled with Demon Suppression pillars. The magma around the grotto shimmered with a strange luster tainted by the terrestrial veins, slowly undulating with the changes in the flow.

The Snake Lady, who had coiled herself into a big heap of snake ball and was lying under one of the Demon Suppression pillars snoring like thunder, woke from a nightmare about eating a poisonous mushroom that turned her scales scorched black. She suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby. Startled, she looked up in the direction of the noise, only to see the terrifying "Blight Comet" floating in midair, constantly tumbling and charging about.

The Demon Suppression pillars anchoring the chains emitted a low hum, and as the Blight Comet moved, dense runes occasionally flashed across their surfaces—a sight that was downright frightening.

"You... what the hell are you doing?!" the Snake Lady shouted, putting on a brave face but inwardly weak. "If you're not sleeping, I still want to sleep!"

The Blight Comet abruptly turned its body. Its hollow, pitch-black eye sockets seemed to reflect infinite terror and calamity, causing the blustering serpent to instantly shrink into a smaller heap.

But after just a moment, the stone ball shifted its attention away from the worthless snake demon that posed no threat. It continued tumbling in midair, muttering incessantly: "No, this isn't right... how can nothing happen, how can nothing happen... A great calamity has loomed over this planet, it should have arrived by now... This is the most certain I've felt in years. How could it, how could... how dare it!!!"

The stone ball suddenly grew inexplicably furious, constantly muttering "how dare it, how could it," while it began frantically charging left and right against the surrounding seals. Interspersed were phrases like "only the Blight Goddess has the right to rewrite" and "I have weakened, I have been abandoned"—mutterings that others couldn't understand, seemingly nearly manic.

In the next instant, the surrounding array of Demon Suppression pillars and countless chains immediately reacted. With a resonant hum, all the Demon Suppression pillars burst with golden light, dense runes lighting up all at once. Every chain was infused with spiritual power and covered in fine electric sparks. Then, accompanied by countless bolts of thunder and lightning that erupted from between the pillars, all the iron chains suddenly tightened. Amid the screeching sound of metal grinding against stone, the Blight Comet was instantly bound tightly in midair!

Immediately afterward, the terrestrial vein surges around were also drawn by the many formations in the cavern. Streams of light surged along the pillars and chains together, instantly submerging the stone ball!

The terrestrial vein currents roared through the cave, True Spirit lightning scattered everywhere across the platform. The Snake Lady, coiled next to one of the pillars, couldn't dodge in time and was struck by lightning at least six or seven times on the spot. Her entire body convulsed as she writhed frantically on the spot, screaming at the top of her lungs: "Fuck, are you people trying to fry me?! I'm just lying here peacefully, minding my own business... argh! Yuan He! Yuan He!! I'm not playing anymore! Let me out, I'm a protected fucking species—"

At the center of the platform, the Blight Comet also trembled violently within the chains' confinement, making terrifying noises as it desperately tried to dodge the terrestrial vein streams surging toward it, but it couldn't avoid being enshrouded. It let out an involuntary shout, but as soon as it opened its mouth, a big gulp (of terrestrial vein current) filled it. The whole ball then went even crazier, tumbling and struggling in midair.

The moment it struggled, the Demon Suppression pillars reacted even more intensely, and then even more lightning began bombarding the entire cave indiscriminately. The Snake Lady was struck by lightning, wailing: "Yuan He, you son of a bitch... fuck, stop feeding that ball crap! Damn it—"

As she shouted, the Blight Comet, having just managed to close its mouth, couldn't hold it in and roared in fury: "You slimy worm, don't put it so disgus—"

Then it got another big gulp.

By this time, the Snake Lady had finally untangled herself, but before she could crawl out, another immortal lightning struck her body. Her whole body convulsing, she could only raise the only tail that still moved, pointing desperately toward the top of the cave:

"I hate you all, you fucking troublemakers... feeding the ball crap, using lightning to strike a protected animal..."

"I told you not to put it like that—"

Crackle—

"Fuck, I'm charred!"

***

In the upper layers of the Suppression Tower, several inner disciples responsible for monitoring the spiritual vein flows around the tower were stationed at a formation node. One of them suddenly tilted his head, puzzled: "...What's that noise from below?"

Another disciple looked around: "I don't hear anything..."

As they spoke, a third disciple was examining a jade tablet. He suddenly slapped his thigh: "Ah, Junior Brothers, look at this pattern of spiritual vein flow. Loss and gain complement each other, increase and decrease mirror each other. It faintly hints at the Great Dao's perfect harmony and conjugate circulation. Truly marvelous! We brothers have guarded this formation for ten years and never seen such a sight. I've been stuck at my current realm for years, but seeing this conjugate circulation, I faintly have some enlightenment. I feel I might break through within a few years..."

The two junior brothers immediately clasped their fists:

"Ah, congratulations, Senior Brother! Congratulations! To glimpse such mystery from the spiritual vein flow!"

"Congratulations and good fortune! After Senior Brother breaks through, you must treat—"

The room suddenly fell silent. The three looked at each other, then suddenly realized, and all rushed toward a nearby jade platform at the same time:

"No!"

***

Before the grand hall of Queyun Palace, Yuan He Zhenren, who had stayed behind at the sect, raised his head to the sky. He watched the fading pure white remnants plunge into the distant night, gradually dissipating among the stars. After a long while, he let out a light sigh.

"This calamity has finally passed safely," Yuan He Zhenren shook his head, looking at the ancient bronze mirror floating beside him. The mirror reflected the scene aboard the "Tai'a," where Yuan Ling Zhenren stood in the frame. "Second Senior Brother, what's the situation up there?"

"We're busy gathering the scattered crystal fragments," Yuan Ling Zhenren said with a smile. "According to experience from the Borderlands, remnants after an angel's fall are generally no longer dangerous. But there's still that group of heretics from the Hermetic Order eyeing these remains. We can't let them get their hands on the 'Angel Catalyst.'"

"And what about Mr. Yu?" Yuan He Zhenren asked again, his expression involuntarily turning serious when he said the words "Mr. Yu."

A being capable of destroying two Dusk Angels in succession... it was hard to describe with mere terms like "expert." At this moment, even Yuan He Zhenren, who usually didn't involve himself much in sect governance and only studied the Dao in the mountains, truly felt the psychological state of that Borderlands Special Affairs Bureau chief on a daily basis.

"The 'Dimension Traveler' just sent word," Yuan Ling Zhenren said with a slightly peculiar expression. "He said he needs to rest a bit... Said fighting an angel was kind of tiring..."

Yuan He: "..."

Both old men felt those words were somewhat inhuman, but couldn't think of specific complaints at the moment. They exchanged glances across the Lingxi Mirror, then sighed in unison.

It was a relaxed sigh.

"Thus, 'Angel Fall' has occurred twice," Yuan Ling Zhenren said with a hint of emotion. "This at least proves that Dusk Angels can indeed 'die,' and this process can be replicated. One more of those unsolvable calamities hanging over all living beings is gone. Next, I'll send the news to the Borderlands—honestly, I'm a bit curious how that 'Chief' will react this time."

Yuan He Zhenren thought for a moment, a strange smile appearing on his face: "Probably no expression change either."

***

Baili Qing, sitting behind her desk, suddenly frowned slightly, then raised a hand to rub her nose.

A pair of indifferent eyes briefly appeared in the air before her, and a cool voice entered her mind: "What's wrong, sister?"

"...Nothing. Nose itched a bit." Baili Qing said casually.

"Then that might have been a sneeze, but the signal decayed due to the distance."

Baili Qing stopped moving, looked up at the eyes floating in the air: "What nonsense are you talking?"

The eyes drifted to the side.

Baili Qing frowned imperceptibly. After a moment's hesitation, she suddenly spoke: "Is it my imagination? You seem to have recovered some of your former—"

The eyes did not respond, but quickly dissipated from her view.

The next second, the office door was pushed open abruptly, and Song Cheng, his face glowing, appeared before Baili Qing in a flurry.

The moment he pushed the door, Song Cheng felt a surge of killing intent. The bureau chief sat calmly behind the desk, but her peaceful gaze seemed to nail him with cold light, causing an instant layer of cold sweat.

Bad timing? Interrupted the chief in something? Could he retreat along the original path and still save his weekend leave this week?

Song Cheng's mind was buzzing, but his random thoughts were soon interrupted by the voice from across the room: "What is it?"

Song Cheng quickly swallowed, controlled his breathing, and adjusted his expression: "Angel fallen, Chief—just received a message from the Feiyu Star Domain: the Star-Borne has been removed from the list."

The killing intent vanished instantly.

Baili Qing behind the desk rose abruptly.

In that instant, the chief, who rarely showed expression changes, had her face shift several times. Song Cheng even thought he saw the corner of her eye twitch. Nervous, he subconsciously watched the Chief Lady across from him, hesitating whether he should add something: "Chief, over at Wutong Road—"

But Baili Qing only took a light breath and waved her hand at Song Cheng.

"I have my own arrangements for Wutong Road. Also, there's something else—go tell the Administrative Department to replace this damned desk..."

(Chapter End)