Chapter 371
And she could only ride...
Oh, Aurora is a legendary Liuli Holy Light Dragon after all. With him as her bodyguard, her luck isn't too bad.
If this were a game, she'd at least be a whale (someone who spends a lot of money on in-game purchases), while Charlotte is a cheater and doesn't count.
Tang Liuli used a mental victory method to strongly motivate herself, and then continued to painstakingly digest the Magic Element, water the [Cocoon of the Heart], and wait for the Soul Flower to bloom.
Aurora lowered her dragon eyes, looking down at the clouds and the scattered city-states, and solemnly warned:
"Aisha, stay alert! The people on the airship vanished in an instant. We're being watched."
Tang Liuli, like a cat with its fur standing on end, subconsciously activated [Spiritual Might]. Her emerald green pupils became even more lustrous, radiating dazzling arcs of light. Her Supernatural Senses were revived, and her spiritual threads extended tens of thousands of meters.
This scope is already quite large.
Strangely, she couldn't detect any soul presence from anyone.
Not to mention the towns on the ground, even the airships behind them, carrying tens of thousands of people, could only glimpse vast amounts of nothingness, just as Aurora had said.
When? How did the other person manage to separate themselves from those people so instantly?
Sister Aurora is a legend. Her soul has been baptized and transformed, allowing her to easily sense the origin and laws of the world. Furthermore, due to the Emperor's influence, she is protected by the Golden Sea, making her immune to ordinary illusions.
Most importantly, neither the Oath Family nor the other Tower Masters had any reason to attack a Grand Duke who was positioned as a puppet. The enemies were either fanatical believers in the gods or Cult of Disaster Gods.
But the former has neither the logic nor the ability to take the people from the airship away first.
So... he's the Archbishop of the Cult of Disaster Gods?
The girl was depressed. She vaguely guessed the truth. If the Cult of Disaster Gods was targeting Magical Girl, then it was only natural that she, who had rescued many contestants while riding a legendary Holy Dragon, would be the focus of attention.
If you think about it even worse, she was even used as a tool to find Magical Girl; the enemy deliberately waited until she officially went to the Imperial Capital and stopped looking for the other Magical Girl before making their move.
In other words, the other party might not risk fighting a legend to cause trouble for them, but would instead take these "spoils of war" and leave, find Magical Girl in the crowd, plant the seeds of calamity in them, and offer them as sacrifices to their respective Disaster God.
No, we have to find everyone.
Tang Liuli was more serious than ever before. This was no longer a matter of losing face. Even if the Planet Consciousness's gift allowed everyone to leave the ideal country in time, recover from all their injuries, and avoid death.
However, once they experience the terror of being implanted with the calamity and mutated into a non-human monster, they will not only suffer great mental torment, but if they collapse directly, their lanterns may even dim, break, or even... degenerate!
Tang Liuli took a deep breath. She was the one who brought those girls onto the airship, and she had to take responsibility and protect them. She couldn't waste any more time.
The girl downed more than a dozen bottles of potions in one go. She suppressed the urge to vomit, the flame in her eyes burning brightly as she unleashed her [Spiritual Might] to its maximum.
In the next instant, 71 threads extended from her slender fingertips, forcibly linking to the 71 Magical Girl who had once stayed in the airship at a speed that pierced through dimensions.
These are spiritual threads that have evolved from Emotional Link. They can anchor the soul's aura that it has sensed, and the farther the distance, the more magic power needs to be inputted.
The girl's face was pale, her eyes cold and stern. She reached back and grasped the 71 threads, pursing her pink lips, and wrapped them around her palm like a dragon knight holding reins. Connecting with Aurora's thoughts, she whispered:
"Sister Aurora, follow the direction I'm pointing you in. No one can take the Fes Family's fortune from me. The enemy hasn't even run 100,000 meters yet. We must stop them, and then... tear them to shreds!"
The words had faded.
The Holy Dragon changed direction, her streamlined body soaring through the sky. Her already incredible speed was propelled wildly by the massive amount of burning and extinguishing Magic Element, and she left Autumn Maple Territory in just a few breaths.
"As you wish, Aisha."
"Those children were all exceptionally talented; it's such a pity they sacrificed themselves here."
Tang Liuli sensed the increasingly close location and explained earnestly:
"Sister Aurora, the enemy is not a god relegated to the outer reaches of the world, but a completely alien foe from beyond."
"Therefore, they will most likely use a power that is neither magic nor air, and may not even be related to alchemy. We must be careful."
Aurora didn't ask about the source of the information, but simply indicated that she understood. She vibrated out the wavelength of space, concealed the airship behind her into the scales on her body, and then broke through the thick sea of clouds, accelerating once again.
The girl holds the "reins," intently guiding the direction, her jet-black hair dancing with it, the ends tinged with shimmering fireflies. Her soft aristocratic gown transforms into a knight's uniform, consisting of a shirt, vest, coat, cape, and boots.
This Magic Armor, distinct from stage outfits and more idol-like, is a new look created subconsciously while riding a dragon.
Tang Liuli controlled the legendary Holy Dragon, looking down at the distant land. Her emerald eyes reflected the firelight, and past memories flowed by like water. She took a deep breath and made up her mind.
At this moment, the fear of soaring through the sky and the unease of facing the enemy transformed into a burning resolve.
Aurora understood her intentions through the Mental Link. The trailing flames she dragged grew increasingly intense, and the Magic Element rings that could shatter and reform at any moment increased her speed layer by layer.
Rumble rumble rumble!!!
Tang Liuli swooped down with it, and she and the Holy Dragon descended like the aurora borealis, crashing into the black tide filled with calamity energy. They swept up a ring of energy waves that bombarded the elements, sending hundreds of thousands of Calamity Beasts flying. The terrifying dragon's might radiated for hundreds of miles, stirring up a diffusion field that shattered the air.
It was a surging force that made the earth howl, the wilderness shatter, and all things go silent. Everything was moving around Aurora's point of impact, as if a shaky tablecloth had been lifted after being pulled away, its folds sometimes unfolding and sometimes piling up, with dust dancing along with it.
At this moment, the Black Tide and the Calamity Beasts are but dust particles. As the Dragon Language chants intertwine at high speed, the Magic Element in the air are repeatedly utilized, and the unfolding spells, with the waves of earth they create, construct thousands upon thousands of earth-type magical puppets.
Sparkling fragments of light shimmered in the ocean-like dust, while abstract pieces constructed from flames, aurora borealis, cold currents, thunder, water splashes, and composite Magic Element clashed together to create a continuous and magnificent explosion.
This eerie scene, resembling shimmering waves or a movie playing in reverse, ravages the black tide within massive bubbles, repeating endlessly, an incessant, bubbling bombardment that engulfs and crushes the calamity, leaving behind only vast amounts of ashes.
--Unlimited Spell · Elemental Conservation.
This is a spell engraved in the bloodline of the Liuli Holy Light Dragon. She can confine a large amount of Magic Element to a certain area, constantly peeling it back to its original form for repeated use, achieving the result of infinitely releasing the spell.
Aurora thus cleared the area, her dragon eyes glowing with elemental Rainbow Light, piercing through the scattered dust, ashes, and dirt, looking towards a distant blond man in a suit, smiling as if watching a play.
Tang Liuli's shared vision allowed her to see the threads connecting the Magical Girl's soul, and those 71 threads were currently intertwined into a bundle, forming Rainbow Light of light that fell into the hourglass in the man's hand.
Aurora whispered to herself:
"Aisha, he's the culprit."
Tang Liuli cautiously looked at the other person. Compared to the other Archbishop, the man before her seemed far too normal. And... did his abilities involve space?
Whether they transferred everyone from the airship in one go, or stuffed them into an hourglass, it all seemed too bizarre.
However, although spatial powers can do the same thing, if the opponent's abilities are limited to the scope of the Disaster God' s authority, manipulating space seems rather ordinary.
The girl, holding a red ribbon and tying her black hair into a ponytail, sat atop the Holy Dragon's back. Looking down at the villain who maintained his elegance amidst the sandstorm, she upheld the dignity of the Grand Duke of Vows, revealing no trace of her true intentions, and softly said:
"Where did you hide my companion?"
With Thousand Faces full of admiration, he didn't answer the question, but simply clapped his hands and laughed:
"They located the location and arrived at the scene in just 7 seconds."
"Elegant decision-making, decisive judgment, and calm will."
"Tang Liuli, you not only possess the talent of Magical Girl, but also the potential to be a warrior and a leader."
The man sighed regretfully as he finished speaking:
"But it's a real pity, I wasn't even planning to see you this time. Rather than picking unripe fruit in advance, I'd rather see it ripen and slowly rot in the soil."
"Here's what we'll do: just hand over the Oath Ring and leave."
Thousand Faces spoke, the curve of his smiling mask deepened, and he casually shook the hourglass, still speaking with his usual amiable manner:
"As for these Magical Girl? Don't worry, in my script, only half of them will suffer a mental breakdown, while the other half will become excellent warriors after this ordeal."
"This is a great deal, isn't it?"
Tang Liuli's expression remained unchanged. She was an experiential actor, and imitation was faster than rapid maturation and strength. Coincidentally, she had the most outstanding warrior in her memory.
The girl mirrored the boy's demeanor, ignoring the shock of Thousand Faces learning her true name. While calmly considering her reasons, she ruthlessly relayed her thoughts to Aurora, issuing the order to kill the other and preserve the hourglass.
If you feel conflicted or hesitant, you can linger at their grave for as long as you like.
Only a dead bishop is a good bishop.
The Holy Dragon abandoned her chanting. The remaining Magic Element around her dissipated like water calming after a tsunami, causing the surrounding space to vibrate with energy. The coordinates were successfully anchored in an instant.
Thus, hundreds and thousands of dimensional slashes, intersecting from different angles, covered a distance of ten thousand meters centered on the blond man, forming a spherical sea urchin composed of dense black lines in a silent and silky slicing motion.
--Forbidden Spell: Imprisoning Void Slash.
With just a breath, the Thousand Faces and everything within its range were shredded to dust. The billowing blood mist exploded and was annihilated in the chain reaction of explosions caused by the collision of the dimensional slashes, leaving not a trace of ashes.
Only that small hourglass was teleported into Tang Liuli's hand the instant it touched the Dimensional Slash. However, before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, the hourglass in her hand vanished into thin air and evaporated on the spot.
The blond man stood unharmed amidst the ongoing spatial bombardment. He glanced down at the Hundred-Faced Dice hovering before him, casually retrieved the hourglass from the void, and smiled as he said:
"It seems the negotiations have failed."
"There's no other way, Duke Tiffany, you'll have to hold off the Holy Dragon."
Amidst the sandstorm, a white-haired man, as majestic as a raging lion, slowly emerged. His face was handsome yet cold and hard, and behind him was a heavy, massive blade.
Most striking was the illusory yet terrifying magic, which, with an extremely condensed density, surrounded his entire body. The faint aura emanating from it reached directly to the dome, displaying an exaggeratedly domineering aura, almost shaking the earth and the heavens with its very existence.
Before Lucy deciphered the technology of the Magic God Mechanism, August Tiffany was the Empire's foremost alchemist, surpassing even Ahadfeil Oath Family of the same rank. Following in the footsteps of the Emperor, he reconstructed the concept of life energy—qi.
Whether as a warrior, magic swordsman, sorcerer, alchemist, or blacksmith, he is among the legendary figures, one of only two all-rounders in Tiffany's history.
As for why he wasn't called the only one, it's because he also had a daughter named Lucy Tiffany.
Undoubtedly, in the eyes of the world, Miss Tiffany, who is closest to the Crown Prince Young Lady, still has an insurmountable gap in actual Combat Power compared to her father.
Aurora's dragon eyes were icy cold, and her mood grew increasingly solemn. Without Orga Fies, a fellow legendary mage and the previous generation's Grand Duke, fighting alongside her, her chances of defeating August were only 10%, or even lower.
What truly weighed on my mood was the significance of the opponent playing here.
The Oath Ring mentioned by Thousand Faces, combined with the Black Tide phenomenon she witnessed along the way, led her to a terrifying truth: the other party was not targeting the Fes Family, but rather... betrayed the Empire!
"August Tiffany, have you forgotten the oath your family swore to the Emperor?"
"Never to touch the tokens of other Oath Family —can I assume that by attempting to violate this ironclad rule, you have abandoned your loyalty to the Emperor, the Empire, and humanity?"
August glanced at the Holy Dragon and said indifferently:
"Aurora, the Liuli Holy Light Dragon of this generation?"
"Your existence is a testament to the Fes Family's loyalty to the Emperor. I will not kill you. Make Aisha Fies hand over the Oath Ring, and I will let you leave."
"Otherwise, the next generation of Holy Dragon will have to be passed down through Dragon Crystal again."
Aurora felt heavy-hearted. Although Aisha was the most talented mage of the Fes Family in this generation, she was still far from being able to stand on her own, let alone participate in battles between legends.
It seems... we have no choice but to retreat.
Holy Dragon didn't know the Magical Girl at all. Without the slightest hesitation, she used the Unlimited Spell - Elemental Conservation, allowing the spell to stack infinitely. Almost instantly, like a shooting star moving in reverse, she traversed from the ground to the atmosphere, heading straight for the corridor approaching the Golden Sea.
This is the advantage of being a legendary dragon; her initial speed is faster than that of the Divine Believer Bird, and with the aid of magic, she can move freely with a slight advance. Even August has no reason to catch up with her.
But something incredible happened.
Just as Aurora was about to adjust her location and return to the Kingdom of Fes on the border of the empire, the surrounding clouds and blue sky continued to fade and crumble, as if a curtain had been lifted, instantly returning to its original state.
At the same time, Duke Tiffany had already used a sword powerful enough to cleave mountains to signal the start of the war.
During the turbulence, Tang Liuli "coincidentally" separated from the Holy Dragon. After landing safely with the help of her Magic Armor, she looked up and saw a blond man smiling at her and tossing Hundred-Faced Dice.
At this point, the battlefield was divided.
--Saint Holy Dragon Aurora VS Duke Tiffany
--She, "Aisha Faith", the Magical Girl who hasn't yet Flower Bloom, the invincible Liuli Cat Cat VS the Archbishop.
Volume 1: 345. The Emperor's Armor, the One Truth, The Trolley Problem. (5K)
--Great, we're doomed.
This is the first thought that pops into the mind of Social Anxiety Cat.
If she could initially suspect that Thousand Faces was a cultist with special calamity abilities, then after enduring Forbidden Spell unscathed, transferring the Holy Dragon back to its original location, and "coincidentally" separating herself from her sister Aurora...
Then the other party can only be Archbishop.
Moreover, judging from his words and actions, he possesses particularly strange abilities, a slightly above-average intelligence, and is arguably the most dangerous type.
Tang Liuli suppressed her trembling instincts, mustered her courage, and, like Xiao Xuan and Qing Bao, put on a confident, indifferent, and domineering demeanor, trying to "intimidate" the Archbishop in front of her who was wearing a smiling mask.
At the same time, the cat's intelligent brain began to work diligently.
The little girl began to count her chips; she didn't bestow a blessing, nor did the Flower Bloom.
Currently, all I can rely on are the basic bonuses from my Magic Armor, the nascent Destined Magic [Spiritual Might], the various gadgets given to me by Little Sakura, the extra magic power reserves of the genius "Aisha Fais" as a first-level mage, and the free spell knowledge she gave me.
But even all of this combined is at best a 50/50 chance against a top-tier mage, and they might not even be able to win, let alone face the unpredictable Disaster God authority of this Archbishop head-on.
Theoretically speaking, if she farms in the jungle and eventually reaches the [Flower Bloom] rank, she might have a chance to fight back. But right now, she's just giving away free kills and has no choice but to call for backup immediately.
Moreover, shaking Little Sakura won't work, even though the opponent can use [Heart Forging] to create an even more exaggerated ultimate move than the Forbidden Spell of the Holy Dragon.
However, the power that seems to involve cause and effect is difficult to kill in one hit, and the margin for error is too low. You still have to draw Qing Bao, Xiao Xuan (temporary enhanced version), Charlotte, and the other Captain-Class Witch.
The Green Eyed Cat grew increasingly terrified, her adorable face barely able to maintain its aloof expression. If it weren't for the fact that her Magic Armor wasn't a skirt, her legs, hidden underneath, would have been trembling embarrassingly. She desperately wanted to snatch the hourglass from the other's hand and quench her thirst in her ideal world.