“So many of them...”
Meng Lei couldn’t help but gasp.
“Actually, you don’t need to worry, sir.” The Golden Colossal Dragon Person spoke up again. He said, “We’ve already reported the situation to His Majesty. I believe that in no time, His Majesty will dispatch experts here to destroy that evil half-deity treant!”
“The empire’s experts?” Meng Lei was startled. “Can the empire’s experts stand against a half-deity?”
“Typical experts definitely can’t, unless it’s a half-deity.” Ol’ Amos nodded and said, “If a half-deity really comes forward, then dealing with that Tree of Life won’t be a problem. I’m just afraid that the Emperor can’t get them to do it.”
“Is there also a half-deity in the Dragon God Empire?” Meng Lei was a little startled. “Why haven’t I heard anyone mentioning it before?”
“Duh! If the great Dragon God Empire didn’t have a half-deity presence, it’d have been destroyed by other empires a long time ago!”
Ol’ Amos scoffed derisively and said, “And it’s not just the Dragon God Empire. The Titan Empire, the Beast People Empire, the Fairy Empire, and even some ancient clans living in seclusion—all of them have half-deity presences among them.
“It’s just that half-deities, as existences that stand above Saint Domains and below deities, represent the strongest form of combat power in Heaven’s Vault Continent. They usually only exist as strategic deterrents.
“In most typical situations, half-deities tend to stay behind the scenes. Unless situations such as the empire facing the threat of subjugation arise, they almost never make an appearance.”
“I see!” Realization dawned upon Meng Lei, who then asked, “Ol’ President, what did you mean when you said that His Majesty might not be able to get the half-deity to come forward?”
“The emperor can command ordinary Saint Domains, but if he wants to request something of a half-deity... It’s a hard task to achieve!” Ol’ Amos said dispassionately, “In truth, even a Saint Domain limits-level expert can ignore the emperor if they want to.”
Meng Lei shook his head lightly as he remarked, “Looks like not even the emperor is almighty.”
“Almighty? You’re thinking too much.”
Ol’ Amos was rather disdainful as he said, “Heaven’s Vault Continent is ultimately a world where the strong rule. Power will always come first and foremost.
“Status is but just something that comes with power.
“There are many experts in the Dragon God Empire who don’t fear the emperor at all. In fact, even the emperor has to bow respectfully in greeting when he meets the Dragon Kings who stand above the Saint Domain realm and the half-deities.
“Remember this—in the Dragon God Empire, there is no lack of people who can be the emperor, but there are only so many Dragon Kings and half-deities. You can do without an emperor, but you can’t do without a Dragon King or a half-deity!”
“In other words, whether the empire’s half-deity will make an appearance or not depends on whether they’ll act on account of the emperor?”
Meng Lei was rendered speechless.
“Exactly! After all, most half-deities are striving hard for the goal of deification. To them, time is even more valuable than Laws of Nature Origin Crystals. Where are they going to find the time to bother with trifling matters like this?”
Ol’ Amos shook his head.
“What should we do, then?”
“What should we do? Leave, of course!”
Ol’ Amos snorted and said, “It goes back to the same thing—a gentleman does not put himself in harm’s way. Whether or not the empire’s half-deity comes, you have to ensure your safety first and foremost!
“I’m reminding you—your little princess housemate may be beautiful and gorgeous, but she’s not worth you putting yourself in danger yet!”
“Ol’ President, you must’ve been a cold and heartless scumbag when you were young, right?”
Meng Lei couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes.
“A scumbag? Please, I’m a lifelong bachelor!”
Chapter 188: God’s Domain, The Hammer of Destruction
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“W-what’s that?”
“It’s... It’s so huge!”
“To think there’s such a lofty and majestic tree in this world... How inconceivable!”
“That tree is so massive! It’s probably no ordinary tree?”
A gigantic tree towering straight into the sky appeared on the Dragon God Cathedral’s huge magic screen.
It stood erect in the continent’s center, towering tall and straight into the sky above the sea of forests. The mountains were reduced to mere props while the ancient trees became its background.
It was simply too huge and too majestic—one could neither see to the top nor the ends of it.
The moment it entered their sights, it astounded everyone, ranging all the way from Emperor Frederick the 32nd to every single civil and martial official. All of them were dumbstruck and flabbergasted.
Frederick the 32nd was terribly alarmed. “Why didn’t the surveillance team discover a lifeform like that in the Lost Continent?”
Nobody knew whether or not they had discovered it, but Frederick the 32nd had already realized that the Lost Continent was far more unsafe than what he’d thought. The contestants... They were in danger!
“Reporting!”
It was at this moment that a golden-armored knight walked out of the teleportation magic circle. “Your Majesty, a half-deity lifeform has appeared in the Lost Continent. 100 contestants, including Prince Barbarossa and the others, have been captured, and their lives are in peril!”
“What?”
Everyone got up at once, an indescribable astoundment brimming in their eyes. All of them were shocked.
The emperor barked fiercely, “Are you sure?”
The golden-armored knight replied loudly, “Your Majesty, it is the absolute truth!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
All the Saint Domain experts turned to the emperor at once. The princes, princesses, nobles, and officials also turned to him.
Everyone knew that things had gotten serious.
A half-deity lifeform had appeared in the Lost Continent, and it had captured 100 contestants, including Prince Barbarossa.
This was no longer an accident on a small scale but a serious matter that threatened to undermine the empire’s core.
Once mishandled, not only would the empire make an enemy out of a half-deity, but it would also cause irreversible losses for the empire.
This was an extremely serious matter.
Frederick the 32nd, who was facing everyone’s anxious, anticipative eyes, slowly closed his eyes. He said, “By sending all the contestants to the Lost Continent without careful consideration when we aren’t yet clear on the situation in the Lost Continent, I have sinned!”
“Your Majesty!”
Everyone exclaimed in low voices.
“However, it is nigh the time to pursue the matter of accountability now. What’s most imperative right now is to dispatch men to the Lost Continent and rescue the contestants!” Frederick the 32nd stepped forward. “Summon the senior statesmen’s assembly at once and order the Grand Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder to follow me to Dragon Island to request aid from the grandmasters!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
An official bowed in acknowledgment and hastily went to deliver the imperial order.
“My beloved subjects, you’re dismissed!” said Frederick the 32nd as he looked at everyone.
President Luke hurriedly stepped forward and requested, “Your Majesty, the contestants are in critical peril. I am willing to head to the Lost Continent in advance to investigate the situation. If it is permissible, perhaps that may help a little with the situation!”
“Me too, Your Majesty!”
“We canno
t stand by and wait idly while our students are trapped. I request to head to the Lost Continent in advance to investigate the situation!”
“Your Majesty...”
For a moment there, all the academy presidents and teachers-in-charge requested to be deployed to the Lost Continent to rescue their students.
“I am greatly moved by your sincerity, my beloved subjects. Unfortunately, a half-deity occupies the Lost Continent. All of you heading there is no different from moths flying into the fire—seeking death!” Frederick the 32nd shook his head lightly. “Everyone had better just wait for my good news. As long as the grandmasters are willing to help, a mere native half-deity can be wiped out with just a flick of the fingers.”
“Your Majesty!”
“My mind is set. Say no more!”
Frederick the 32nd threw back his long sleeves, and then, he rose into the air and flitted toward the palace. A group of palace attendants, princes, and princesses hastily followed after him.
“This...”
All the Saint Domains looked at one another, sighing one by one.
In the Lost Continent...
“Protecting the safety of all the contestants and ensuring that the exchange competition doesn’t suffer interference from external forces—these are missions, as well as our duty, that His Majesty the Emperor has given us, the Holy Knight Order!”
With a brandish of the broadsword in his hand, the Golden Colossal Dragon Person shouted, “Where doth our duty lie?”
“With glory it lies!”
“With glory it lies!”
“With glory it lies!”
The knights of the Holy Knight Order roared.
“For the Holy Knight Order’s duty and for the Holy Knight Order’s glory, I order all of you to continue to attack!”
“With glory it lies!”
“With glory it lies!”
Boom, boom, boom!
The Royal Holy Knight Order resumed their attacks on the golden shield. With their great strength and sheer numbers, thousands upon thousands of attacks struck the golden shield, causing the thin golden shield to shake violently as if it’d shatter any moment!
“Evil deity, release the contestants at once!” The Golden Colossal Dragon Person shouted as he attacked, “The half-deity expert from the Dragon God Empire is descending any moment now...”
This was originally just an insignificant threat, but unexpectedly, the Tree of Life, upon hearing the threat, seemed to have been triggered.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Up to 100 vines suddenly flew into the air and morphed into innumerable pythons that assailed the 100-odd contestants. The vines weren’t particularly fast. They moved at snail-like speeds; hence the contestants easily evaded their attacks.
However, an aged voice suddenly rang out the next moment.
“God’s Domain!”
Buzz!
A strange energy wave descended.
Instantly, the 100-odd contestants were frozen to the spot as if their acupoints had been sealed. They stood there just like that, still and motionless.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The vines crept over slowly and wound around the contestants again and again. In no time, they had wrapped around them and turned them into dumplings.
“What’s going on?”
Everyone was rather dumbstruck.
“God’s Domain! That’s God’s Domain!” Ol’ Amos exclaimed, “It’s an ability that only half-deities can use. Not only can it freeze space-time, but it can also imprison everything in the world. As expected, the Tree of Life really is a half-deity. We can be completely sure of that now!”
“God’s Domain?”
A huge jolt went through Meng Lei!
“Go, Meng Lei! Hurry and leave!” Ol’ Amos urged him, “It was triggered by that fool just now. On the off-chance that the Tree of Life goes berserk and tries to break the seal at all cost, all of you will die!”
“Leave?”
Meng Lei couldn’t help but look at Abbe, and the moment he did, an intense shiver went through him.
The vines winding around the contestants had actually stabbed into them and were madly absorbing their lifeforce.
“Help!”
“Help me!”
“I don’t want to die!”
All the contestants whom the vines had wound around were actually visibly shriveling up.
Abbe was no exception to that, either. Little by little, her jade-like, crystal-clear skin started to lose its luster, shriveling and drying up bit by bit...
“Abbe!”
Meng Lei was terribly shocked.
“Go! You little bastard, go!” Ol’ Amos urged him loudly. “You won’t be able to save her! You won’t! Leave this place immediately! Out of sight, out of mind...”
“But Ol’ President...”
Meng Lei was in a struggle.
“There are no but’s to be had! The two of you are just mere acquaintances. That bit of friendship is not worth risking your life for!”
Ol’ Amos berated him loudly, “Besides, what can you do even if you rush in there? Can you save her? You can’t!
“Not only will you not be able to save her, but you’ll even throw your own life away instead! It’s... not worth it!
“Meng Lei, you’re a Saint Domain. Be more rational!”
Meng Lei fell silent. He was indeed rather weak at the moment.
“Don’t bother with me, Meng Lei!” Abbe shook her head hard. “This is what I’ve chosen. I have no regrets. There’s no need for you to throw your own life away!”
Then, she suddenly smiled. Next to her gradually-shriveling skin, her smile seemed as though a flower that was gradually withering and looked extraordinarily tragic.
“I was born into the royal family and was all by myself since I was young with no-one loving or doting on me. I had no family, no friends... Until I met you.
“You saved me twice. To me, you’re my only friend. If anything untoward happens to you because of me, I will live in guilt, regret, distress, and pain for the rest of my life!
“Go, Meng Lei! Live on! Live on properly!”
Abbe’s eyes gradually dimmed and dulled. A single teardrop rolled off the corner of her eye on her dried-up face.
“Your only friend?” Meng Lei took a deep breath. “Maybe I can’t stay so miserly anymore!”
Then, he licked his lips and ordered, “System, be on standby at all times. Let’s go crazy together later!”
Then...
“Shatter!”
With a shout, Meng Lei smashed his fist against the golden shield!
“What are you doing, brat!?” Ol’ Amos was aghast. “Are you crazy?!”
“Don’t worry, Ol’ President! I know what I’m doing!”
Meng Lei continued to launch a series of frenzied attacks on the golden shield, much like a raging bull.
Bam, bam, bam!
It was just a pity that despite the golden shield shaking violently as if it would shatter any moment, it ultimately didn’t. With a silent curse, a dark golden hammer appeared in Meng Lei’s hand.
“C’mon, break!!”
Meng Lei leaped high into the air and smashed the hammer down madly.
Boom!
A shocking, thunderous boom erupted. Amid crisp-sounding cracks, a few cracks appeared on the surface of the golden shield. Then, more and more of them appeared, instantly spreading throughout the golden shield like a spider web!
Crash!
The golden shield broke apart in an instant the next moment, turning into countless glowing particles that dissipated into the universe.
“Abbe!”
“Break!”
As Meng Lei smashed the dark gold hammer about in a frenzy, the vines that had wound around Abbe broke at the roots. Then, Meng Lei reached out and caught hold of her.
“How are you feeling, Abbe?”
Abbe’s peerless beauty from before was nowhere in sight
anymore. What was left was just a dry, shriveled-up face covered in wrinkles.
“M-Meng Lei!” As though she had heard him, Abbe slowly opened her eyes and said weakly, “Meng... Meng Lei, don’t... Don’t b-bother... wi... with me... Go... H-hurry... And go!”
“Ol’ President, what do I do now?” Meng Lei hurriedly looked at Ol’ Amos and asked, “Can she still be saved?”
“Sigh, what a sin!” Ol’ Amos let out a faint sigh and said, “The Tree of Vitality’s branch can save her.”
“The Tree of Vitality’s branch? Right, right! The Tree of Vitality’s branch! Why did I throw that out of my mind?”
Meng Lei hastily brought out the Tree of Vitality’s branch. Then, he asked, “How do I use this thing, Ol’ President?”
Ol’ Amos sighed again and again as he replied, “Squeeze out the lifeforce essence in it and feed it to her.”
“Alright!”
Meng Lei nodded, and then, he squeezed the branch forcefully.
“Abbe! Open your mouth!”
One drop, two, three...
Then, something amazing happened!
As if rain descending upon dry riverbeds!
As if the spring breeze blowing across a frozen creek!
As if the blazing sun shining upon the moistened ground!
Chapter 189: Facing The Evil Deity, Extreme Credit Redemption
Something amazing happened.
Bit by bit, Abbe’s face started to plump up and turn rosy. Her weak aura also began to strengthen again...
“It works! The Tree of Vitality’s branch is working!” Meng Lei couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief. “How are you feeling, Abbe?”
“You shouldn’t have saved me, Meng Lei.”
Abbe, who had recovered a bit of spirit, stared at Meng Lei in a daze as a layer of mist formed in her beautiful eyes. “You shouldn’t have!”
“No matter what, we’re housemates and classmates. It’s inexcusable behavior if I leave you to die when saving you is within my means.”
With a laugh, Meng Lei helped Abbe up and said, “Let’s go. We’ll leave this place and talk again when we reach somewhere safe.”
“Okay!”
Abbe didn’t speak any further. She rested her head against Meng Lei’s chest, listening to his strong heartbeat...
Picking Up Attributes From Today c1-406 Page 105