NOVPUBThe lanterns and city lights lit up brightly as the sun began to set. Despite being near the border with the danger zone, the people looked relaxed, as if it was an ordinary city.
The city guards were patrolling and carrying out their duties as usual. However, four troops of around two hundred warriors hurried to assemble at the city’s west gate.
Those troops would be dispatched for several night missions, the demonic beast and monster subjugations.
Ely sipped her warm tea in serenity as she gazed at the distant city wall. The city’s defence system went into standby, and about eight hundred people would go out to make contributions and fortune in the subjugation missions.
She knew the rising heroes wouldn’t miss such an opportunity to shine, considering they held great power that would continue to grow in difficult situations. The battlefield was the best choice to hone their skills.
"According to our intel, there are four monster raid points, two villages and two towns. The warriors will be divided into four troops for tonight’s missions." Gabriella read the report from her intel. 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
"Could it be the ancient demonic beasts of the Ancient Night Secret Realm?" Ely glanced at Gabriella.
"Those monster hordes migrating to the south. They will trample down the two villages and towns not far from here based on their route." Gabriella spread a map onto the table and pointed at several spots.
"Those monsters just want to go south for warmer places. They only migrate annually, but why is this a subjugation mission? Those troops can win without fighting by herding those monsters to take another route." Jophiel rested her cheek against her hand.
"Yes, but it requires great effort and power to scare and herd thousands of monsters simultaneously. The best way is to hunt and herd some onto their proper migration routes. They should have taken the route near the river, not this path." Gabriella pointed at the river.
"Why bother? We won’t get involved. Those warriors need some food and make a fortune. Monsters and demonic beasts can overpopulate if their numbers are not controlled. See what happened in the Ancient Night Secret Realm." Yuuki then sipped her tea elegantly.
"Oh~ So be it." Jophiel nodded in understanding and was no longer bothered by it.
"Hmm-mm~" Ely nodded in agreement with Yuuki. She then remembered the spider lady, and she immediately asked that. "Yuuki, what about the spider lady? Did she accept our offer or choose to leave?"
"I managed to persuade the spider lady. She agreed to join our Sacred Mountain. I gave her some spirit stones, and she is currently recovering." Yuuki placed a storage pouch on the table.
"Um, you take care of her until we get back."
"Her name is Ranee Arachne, the 8th Rank Spider Queen of the Arachne Clan. She suffered a terrible betrayal and is the sole survivor of a tragedy that wiped out her entire clan. She had no place to go, and that’s how she immediately accepted our offer for her safety."
"Oh, my Goddess... That’s so terrible. Then, it’s the right decision for us to recruit her. Our mountain is the safest place for her to take refuge."
Ely covered her mouth in surprise. The spider lady was so pitiful. However, she suddenly realized something.
"Wait, then what about that burgundy spider? That little one might be related to her. Ah! The spider lady is its queen, and the little spider wished to tell us its queen was trapped in that silk cocoon. After that, the little spider went to wander?" Ely dropped her fist onto her open palm, but she wasn’t too sure about her conclusion.
"Hum, the little spider might be too ashamed to meet its queen. It left soon after we saved the spider queen." Jophiel smiled and nodded in approval.
"The culprit is the horde of black spiders that our master exterminated last week. But those black spiders could trap the 8th Rank Spider Queen and wipe out her entire clan. Apart from the betrayal, there are obviously still more powerful existences that want her to die." Gabriella put her hand to her chin as she came up with suspicion.
"So, there are still the stronger creatures who might still be hunting her? The spiders in that cave are probably only a small part, and there are still Spider King and the like. The fight between spider demon clans, huh... She is the only burgundy spider alive. Also, the little spider guide. I shouldn’t have let that little one go." Ely heaved a subtle sigh.
"He went by his decision. He will cultivate and become stronger to avenge his clan’s demise one day. His mother is safe in our hands, so the little spider immediately left after trying hard to tell us that his mother was trapped inside the silk cocoon. That is what a real man could do for his mother and family." Yuuki crossed her arms and nodded in understanding.
Unfortunately, the Spider Queen was meditating to recover inside the storage pouch. If she was there to overhear the conversation, she might have fainted from irritation at everyone’s conclusion.
Even so, she had no intention of revenge since the dark knight demon literally saved her from that super bitter betrayal. As for the little burgundy spider, nobody knew that it was her.
The flesh was a 0th Rank spider demon, but the soul was the Spider Queen. Ely previously didn’t bother to look deep into the little spider’s soul...
The sun had set, and Ely was pretty bored. Even so, she still had to wait for Sylvia to come out of the enlightenment meditation. Based on the information from her grimoire, Sylvia would pass through tribulation and achieve a godhood ascension, albeit partially.
Everyone hoped Sylvia’s tribulation wasn’t violent. Various countermeasures and layers of protection have been prepared to overcome them.
Ely still had to stay there to monitor the situation. She used her free time to paint a portrait with high artistic value. The recent events inspired her to create a masterpiece of a fierce struggle in hell.
About an hour later, the clear night sky suddenly became overcast. The bright twin moons could not be seen, and a catastrophe seemed about to descend upon the world.
"Ely, we probably shouldn’t allow Sylvi to enter the state of enlightenment here. If she doesn’t stop her meditation, I’m afraid her tribulation will engulf the entire city soon. It’s probably a godhood tribulation." Yuuki looked up at the cloudy sky worriedly.
"Tribulation? Will it be that bad?" Ely glanced at her disciples. They were also clueless because their tribulation was always calm and peaceful when they broke through to the next rank.
"Sylvi is a devil, and her path is dark and demonic. She cannot be compared to those who followed your teachings and methods from the start." Yuuki shook her head.
"Hmm, this is bad then." Ely put on her brush. Her painting was almost done, but the current situation could get out of control.
She tidied up her painting equipment. She and everyone rushed to the underground training ground to pick up Sylvia.
Disrupting someone’s meditation while in the enlightenment state would hurt that person. However, Ely was smart enough to ask everyone to bring the cushion seat where Sylvia was meditating along with the ground below it.
They carried Sylvia like they were moving a Buddha statue to a vacant area some distance away.
*Rumble!* *Rumble!*
Black lightning flashed around Sylvia, and thick blood qi spread like a mass of whips.
The heavenly thunder gathered in the sky as if the sky didn’t want the devil to cross the mortal boundary, even if it wasn’t an actual ascension.
*Boom!*
Sylvia’s dark energy soared and exploded like a bomb, knocking everyone away. Yuuki was even pushed several meters backwards.
*Thud*
Sylvia fell to the ground in the same cross-legged meditation position, not bothered by anything. However, she slowly opened her eyes.
A pair of glowing red eyes blazed like fire amid the darkness.
*Rumble!*
The heavenly thunder fell like a massive pillar of lightning with a catastrophic level of danger.
"Ha!" Sylvia got up and soared to the sky. Her dark energy and blood qi accumulated to clash with the heavenly thunder.
"..." Ely looked back, then at the sky. She was anxious, and everyone around her felt the same way.
They were only about four hundred meters from the city, and Sylvia’s tribulation would spread for several kilometers. It could last a few minutes, but it could also take a few hours.
Regardless, calamity would descend upon the world. The 10th Rank tribulation was a deadly catastrophe for any mortal!
Ely clasped her hands in prayer. She knew her Goddess Master might protect her and everyone.
"This is just a breakthrough, and you want to reduce me to ashes!? Come to me, as I shall beat you up!" Sylvia exclaimed as she charged into the heavenly thunder as if prepared to face even the worst consequences.
*Bam!*
A clash occurred, but the heavenly thunder spread like lightning whips, delivering a heavy slap to Sylvia’s cheek.
*Slap* *Bam!*
Sylvia got slapped hard and slammed back to the ground. The heavenly thunder left, and the cloudy sky slowly faded away. Her tribulation ended just like that.
"What’s the meaning of this!?" Sylvia held her bruised cheek in surprise, anger, and annoyance. It was painful but also embarrassing.
She had already been through several tribulations, but it was the first time it humiliated her.
Even so, she wondered why her tribulation was so quick this time. It didn’t even last more than ten seconds.
Sylvia sighed and looked to the side. Ely, Yuuki, and Ely’s two disciples run over in dismay. She could only smile shyly.
