novelraw Chapter 211: The Price of the Champion's Gift
Chapter 211: The Price of the Champion's Gift
The Emperor pushed the sisters' bodies into the underground magma.
Watching the two corpses gradually sink, she let out a soft sigh.
When she transformed back into the Golden Calamity Dragon King and flew up into the sky, she suddenly sensed the entire world beginning to tremble.
The Emperor, who had been standing below, even lost her balance for a moment. By the time she soared into the sky,
she realized the entire world was gradually coming to life!
The moment she rushed into the sky, she spotted across from Bai Mei and Shion,
the gray-green Magical Girl that Ailin had transformed into earlier had actually reappeared!
Not only that, but the aura emanating from her body was actually much more powerful than when Ailin had transformed!
A thousand sword lights erupted from the gray-green Magical Girl's body!
Yet Shion walked leisurely through the rain of swords towards the gray-green Magical Girl,completely unharmed by the sword lights.
"As rain, isn't this a bit too light?"
The Emperor saw that the gray-green Magical Girl's face showed no trace of panic.
Only absolute focus and a smile that seemed to have let go of everything.
All her mana poured into her feet!
"What about this!"
Then the Emperor finally understood why the world was shaking and seemed to be coming alive.
Under the gray-green Magical Girl's mana infusion, the entire world truly transformed into a ferocious Disaster Beast!
The fact that this old world had been polluted by curses and activated into a Disaster Beast
should be known to anyone with some understanding of curses.
But Ailin hadn't been able to master the method of controlling this Living Planet, even having to learn from Bai Mei, transforming her mana into sword blades to increase her attack power.
Jade Fox was different. As a veteran Magical Girl, she knew at a glance how to maximize the power of a Pseudo-Full Bloom Magical Girl!
Her old bones weren't just for show!
She almost completely fused her entire body's mana with the Living Planet beneath her feet, thoroughly awakening this colossal Disaster Beast!
This was also because the mana of Pseudo-Full Bloom wasn't purely Pure Mana.
Since it fused with Ailin's Personal Reality, the nature of the mana was very special—a unique fusion mana primarily composed of gray-white dregs, supplemented by Pure Mana and Polluted Magic.
Shion watched the opponent's manipulation method, and her originally battle-eager purple eyes suddenly brightened.
She had been extremely interested in the gray-white dregs before, but so far hadn't figured out their specific usage.
Now, seeing the Pseudo-Full Bloom Magical Girl controlled by Jade Fox use the gray-white dregs as the core to fuse Polluted Magic and Pure Mana, everything suddenly became clear.
For a long time, the inability to use more Polluted Magic while in Magical Girl form had been a bottleneck that the Emperor found difficult to break through.
She had tried many methods. No matter how much she strengthened her Personal Reality, she couldn't apply Polluted Magic within a Magical Girl's body, let alone achieve complete fusion.
She could only create unstable materials like the Buddha's Fury Lotus, which were fine for attacks but using them for self-enhancement resulted in self-destruction.
The more she self-destructed, the more she realized what extraordinary talent Keke's tutoring teacher—the captain—possessed, helping Keke skip the most difficult hurdle. Without using dregs' polluted magic, she already had the Yin-Yang Magic Collapse Body.
Describing her as a once-in-ten-thousand-years top-grade supreme true talent was no longer sufficient.
This was a peerless prodigy pillar that could be used to fill the other shore, encountered once in 129,600 years!
And in the Witch Shion state, the rejection of Pure Mana was equally visible to the naked eye.
How to fuse the power of a Witch and a Magical Girl was a method Shion absolutely had to find after reaching Full Bloom.
After all, Full Bloom was the end for Magical Girls, not the end of the [Taiyi True Position Yin-Yang Cultivation Dao].
And certainly not her end!
She wanted to step into the realm beyond Full Bloom!
Now, the method of mana manipulation demonstrated by Jade Fox before her gave her ample inspiration.
If it were dregs' polluted magic, perhaps it could achieve the fused use of Polluted Magic and Pure Mana...
"Where are you looking!"
Jade Fox wore a bright smile on her face.
It was like returning to the first time she became a Magical Girl.
No need to consider more problems, no need for confusion or hesitation, and certainly no need for regret or anxiety.
Just fight.
Fight, fight, keep fighting!
Just keep running forward!
The fully activated Living Planet suddenly opened its mouth and swallowed Shion in one gulp!
The Emperor, who had flown up due to the shaking world beneath her feet, narrowed her pupils slightly and immediately prepared to expand her Golden Calamity Dragon's body to personally engage in a life-or-death struggle with that Living Planet!
But before she could fly over, a white figure stood on her head, then crouched down, gently placing a hand on her head.
"Master is in high spirits right now. Disturbing her would earn you a scolding."
The Emperor looked at Bai Mei, who was softly advising her, and just as she was about to retort something,
she saw the purple streaks spreading across the Living Planet's body.
It wasn't overflowing mana explosions, nor were there any cracks on its body.
The vast, raging purple mana that usually erupted violently was now like a stream—gentle, delicate.
Like blood vessels, densely covering the entire body of the Living Planet!
Jade Fox manipulated her mana again, making the Living Planet devour the surrounding planets, trying to restrain Shion within the Living Planet.
However, the Living Planet had only devoured half of the planet ahead when its entire body suddenly began to shrink.
Both Jade Fox and the Emperor stared in shock at the continuously compressed Living Planet.
Only Bai Mei wore a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, seeming completely unsurprised.
The enormous Living Planet, amid a shrill, mournful wail, was forcibly compressed by the purple mana to the size of a city.
Then, it was compressed to the size of a basketball court.
Next, it was compressed to the size of a basketball.
At this moment, the Magical Girl who had been devoured by the Living Planet now appeared before everyone's eyes.
She had emerged from the Living Planet at some unknown time.
Not a single injury on her entire body, even her Magical Outfit was brand new, without a speck of dust.
A basketball-sized Living Planet floated in her right hand.
Purple mana threads coiled around her fingertips, and these mana threads connected to the dense network of purple blood vessels inside the Living Planet like veins!
Then, her delicate, boneless white fingers gently contracted with force.
The basketball-sized Living Planet shrank again! Even becoming a tiny sphere small enough to be held in Shion's little hand!
Within the Golden Calamity Dragon King's body, the Emperor's pupils contracted slightly, her dragon mouth slightly agape.
She, Bai Mei, and even that gray-green Magical Girl now floated in the chaotic space.
An entire world, without any loss of mass, had been completely compressed and gathered by Shion!
In that fair, soft little hand.
She held an entire world just like that!
Jade Fox gazed at the purple-haired Magical Girl with shining eyes.
Yet she still didn't give up. After her Magic Wand dissipated, she dove into the world held in Shion's hand.
The world transformed into a Disaster Beast, continuously flowing with curses that spread from the purple mana threads, climbing towards Shion's body!
"Magical Girl of the Black Mountain Realm."
Shion didn't even glance at it, just looked at the Magical Girl fighting with all her heart in the distance.
"Hold your head high."
The girl's small hand suddenly clenched!
The entire world exploded violently in her hand!
Fierce spatial storm turbulence tore through the surroundings, vaguely seeming to form a black hole that would devour everything around!
Yet under the cover of purple mana, everything returned to calm in an instant.
As if nothing had ever happened.
"You did your best. You are worthy of being the guardian of the Black Mountain Realm."
At the moment the world crumbled, Jade Fox's entire Magical Outfit also suddenly exploded!
Her entire body scattered like dust blown by the spatial storm.
But the Magical Girl's face was no longer confused or worried.
At the moment she gradually vanished, she simply revealed a pure, brilliant smile.
"Yes, this is... my wish and miracle..."
Until the Magical Girl completely disappeared, the Dream Core finally fell intact into Shion's hand.
The purple-haired Magical Girl weighed it in her hand and finally nodded.
Had a satisfying fight, retrieved the item too.
And perfectly acted as a guide of the Great Dao once, leading a lost seeker back to the right path.
Another gain on her merit record.
And obtained the intel that dregs' polluted magic could fuse Polluted and Pure Mana.
This dungeon run was an absolute win.
More, please.
As for other old world dungeon journeys, after I obtain the Mental Landscape, I should start them as soon as possible too.
Having made up her mind, she turned her head and looked towards the Golden Calamity Dragon King and her chief true-transmission disciple.
"Let's go back."
Dazedly following Shion's instructions to act.
Only after returning inside Shion's body did the Emperor snap back to reality, then suddenly realize.
Unknowingly.
Shion had completely destroyed another old world.
Just... on a whim...
......
Keke was staring blankly at the starry sky above.
She seemed to sense a faint vibration within the space.
But she wasn't entirely sure if her perception was correct, since there really wasn't any danger or battle around now.
She glanced at this vibration; others hadn't noticed it either.
Maybe it was just her imagination.
But the vibration from deep within the space reminded her over and over that her perception wasn't false.
Keke couldn't sleep.
Earlier, the Golden Calamity Dragon King had caused quite a commotion in Guangzhou, making quite a stir, but the Disaster Control Bureau's response was also swift.
After the Golden Calamity Dragon King left, Guangzhou provided temporary housing for all affected residents within two hours.
By now, except for a few patrolling Magical Girls, most people had fallen asleep, and the entire South China region had sunk into tranquility.
As if the enormous golden Calamity Dragon King that had illuminated all of South China earlier was fake.
Tomorrow, there would probably be many reports.
For South China, the appearance of such a large, powerful Disaster Beast would likely put everyone on high alert.
But for Keke, what mattered more was.
Big brother still hadn't returned.
She glanced at the time; it was almost 3 AM.
Still no sign of him, no reply to her messages, and his phone was unreachable.
When going out, at least say what you're going to do...
South China is so chaotic right now, suddenly running out, and still not back by now, with the Saint Hall and Golden Calamity Dragon King appearing earlier,
how could she not worry?
Although she knew he was most likely with Teacher Shion and probably not in much danger.
But the incident with the Heart Image Remnant last time made Keke feel extremely uneasy.
She could only sit on the rooftop, hugging her legs, counting stars while waiting for big brother to return.
As for Yiyi, An Shiyu, and the others, they were already asleep inside the house.
After all, they also thought Teacher Shion was most likely there, so there was no danger, and they could sleep peacefully.
Rubbing her cheek against her knee, Keke decided she wouldn't sleep until big brother returned.
If big brother didn't come back tonight, she wouldn't sleep tonight.
Tomorrow, she'd ask everyone to help look for big brother, or ask the Magical Girls of the Azure Cloud Sect about his whereabouts.
But she heard that most Magical Girls in the Azure Cloud Sect actually didn't know Teacher Shion's whereabouts either. Teacher Shion was always mysterious, acting independently even within the sect...
"Keke, why aren't you sleeping yet?"
"Ah, don't bother me, I can't sleep..."
She answered instinctively, repeating what she'd been saying when Yiyi kept pestering her earlier.
Then realizing something, Keke suddenly stood up.
Her foot slipped, and she almost fell!
Luckily, the girl who asked reached out and caught her.
Under the moonlight, Keke looked at the frowning purple-haired Magical Girl, and all the messy emotions in her heart were instantly cleared away.
"Teacher Shion!"
"Why shout so loudly?"
"S-sorry..."
Pulling her over and making Keke sit properly, Shion sat down beside her. "Not sleeping at night, be careful you won't grow taller."
What's with that, the same thing big brother says.
"I'm only in middle school, I still have time to grow."
Teacher Shion is the one who won't grow taller because she's always active at night...
She muttered this in her heart but didn't dare say it out loud.
The weather in South China right now was actually a bit cold, especially tonight with many places having power outages. Only starlight and moonlight provided illumination, making it feel dark and cold subconsciously.
But for some reason, with Teacher Shion sitting beside her, Keke suddenly
didn't feel cold anymore.
Carefully leaning closer, she touched Teacher Shion with her shoulder.
There was no reaction, and the teacher's body was indeed very warm.
As if she had just used mana, radiating residual warmth and evaporating a very pleasant body fragrance.
Her gaze involuntarily drifted to that face that made her heartbeat skip half a beat.
For a moment, she felt dizzy again.
Then Keke immediately bit her lip hard, forcing herself not to look at that face so adorable it made her heart palpitate.
"T-teacher, my brother, is my brother okay?"
"Hmm, too tired, already asleep."
Keke stared blankly, instinctively asking, "Sleeping where?"
She regretted it as soon as she asked.
Then she heard Teacher Shion say nonchalantly, "Of course sleeping in my room. Don't worry, it's very safe."
No, no, very dangerous!
This is South China! You can't just do whatever you want!
What if someone discovers you messing around outside? I heard hotels these days often have hidden cameras!
Images of big brother and Teacher Shion hugging and sleeping in bed together involuntarily appeared in her mind, and then...
She shook her head vigorously, stopping herself from letting her imagination run wild any further.
Keke punched her own head hard!
Stupid brain, what are you thinking about!
Even Shion was taken aback. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing, just my brain being rebellious during puberty, not listening properly. Hitting it will fix it."
"I can help you."
"No need!"
I don't want to die yet.
But Shion still reached out and rubbed her forehead.
It was a bizarre scene, like an elementary school student comforting a middle schooler.
Keke immediately quieted down.
All the things she wanted to say were instantly forgotten.
"Keke."
"Hmm."
While her mind was still wandering, she saw Teacher Shion hand over an exquisite little box.
"Winning the championship, well done."
Her gaze kept wandering over Teacher Shion's moist, soft lips. She hadn't expected Teacher Shion to say such a thing.
More than surprised, she felt bewildered.
Then she took the box in a daze, just lowering her head and habitually replying, "Thank you, teacher..."
"Open it and see."
When Keke opened it, her eyes widened.
She finally came to her senses a little.
"Dream Core?"
Her championship prize!
"Because the Disaster Control Bureau said they lost it, and I retrieved it, so it counts as my gift to you."
Thinking about it, just in case, to prevent Keke from asking Jiang Si for a gift later, Shion added, "Consider it a gift from me and your brother."
This way, she wouldn't have to think about what gift to give her later.
Giving rewards after a child wins an award is always troublesome.
Now that the old world people stole the Dream Core, it saved her a lot of trouble.
Giving the original prize as her own gift was killing multiple birds with one stone.
"Big brother... did big brother go find you to help retrieve my Dream Core..."
"Don't know."
Keke stared at the Dream Core for a while, then happily smiled, holding her Dream Core.
"Hmm, thank you, teacher. And please thank big brother for me too."
Shion didn't respond to that, just said again, "What's important is how to use the Dream Core. Besides strengthening Personal Reality, it can also fuse Personal Realities with other Magical Girls to break through to higher realms. But the method of fusing Personal Realities still needs to be found. Don't worry about it, just keep the Dream Core safe, don't lose it."
If absolutely necessary, she could make a trip to the Black Mountain Realm later and ask there.
As for Jade Fox, she was practically dying at the time, so naturally, nothing could be asked.
Just as she was considering how to help Keke improve later, she suddenly heard Keke say:
"Huh? Fuse Personal Realities?"
The little girl immediately took out a Miracle Seed from her bosom. "My friend gave me this as a gift before leaving."
Shion scanned the Miracle Seed with her mana.
Naturally, she detected the abnormality of this Miracle Seed.
It actually possessed an independent Personal Reality.
"Leia said this seed can help me fuse with others' Personal Realities. She said she prepared it for her sister, but her sister didn't believe her, so she gave this seed to me."
Shaking the gray-white seed, Keke looked curiously at her teacher. "Do you recognize this, Teacher Shion?"
"Don't recognize it."
"Okay..."
Examining it carefully again, the independent Personal Reality within the seed was almost faint to the point of being harmless.
Meaning even if fused, there was no risk of being possessed.
"You have a good friend."
Realizing this was truly a gift without any hidden dangers, Shion said this, "A very precious gift."
"Right? Leia, she's really good."
Keke gave a somewhat innocent, silly smile, holding the seed and placing it in the box together with the Dream Core. "Actually, we haven't known each other long, but I could tell she was very lonely. We only chatted for a while, and she was so happy to consider me a friend. I actually felt quite uneasy, because I didn't do anything for her, yet I took her gift..."
"Next time, give her a proper return gift."
Keke nodded seriously. "Hmm, I'll definitely prepare a good gift for her!"
"When we meet next time, give her a surprise!"
Talking about Leia, Keke naturally leaned against Teacher Shion, gazing at the night sky.
After the Golden Calamity Dragon King's baptism, the originally overcast night sky now shone with starlight, the crescent moon like a hook.
Faintly, one could almost trace the outline of a panda head among the stars.
Keke murmured absentmindedly:
"I wonder when we'll meet again. I'm so looking forward to it."
Shion then stood up. Keke almost fell again, hurriedly grabbing the teacher's skirt.
Shion glanced at her, just saying, "Go to sleep. Don't stay up late."
Keke nodded, then suddenly paused, mustering all her courage.
"T-teacher, can we... together?"
"What?"