### Chapter 166: Long Night’s Golden Radiance (2)
The flames were still raging, charred trees crashing down with a “crackling” sound. A woman in a red dress stood amidst the fire, clutching a scarlet orb. Her silver hair danced in the flames as she gracefully approached me. Just as I was about to rush forward, a sudden buzzing of divine miracles echoed from somewhere far away.
Buzz—
Before I could react, a fierce golden light erupted before me, showering down from above the thicket and casting a dazzling glow over the fire-lit night. I couldn’t help but squint; my forward momentum stalled as I saw the woman bathed in golden radiance, her actions frozen in the moment.
A colossal crucifix arose behind her, radiating blinding white light. Countless strands of visible golden energy swirled, driving back the surrounding flames and morphing into thick golden chains that snaked around and, in the blink of an eye, bound her to the cross.
Then, I heard a second buzzing of divine miracles coming from another direction. The golden light in my vision intensified, nearly blinding me. A gigantic golden bell formed above the woman’s head and tolled—clang—
Suddenly, the pressure in the air skyrocketed.
My heart raced, my brain barely processing what was happening when a deep-seated dread of the bell had me subconsciously performing a “Moon Step,” retreating twenty to thirty meters to gain some distance. The frigid wind howled past me; I steadied myself on a protruding bluestone, no longer feeling the pressure of the golden bell, and turned to gaze toward the source of the rumbling.
Who was it? It was Daniel and the gang…
“Get the relic! Hurry hurry hurry—”
A sparkling figure burst from the darkness—one, two… and there’s another on the left! Three people approached from three sides, charging toward the seemingly securely bound woman. Sharp holy lances shot forth, condensing into a flock of white light birds that dove down from the golden glow of the night, circling above Miss Meiser’s head.
With a loud “bang,” a holy lance pierced her chest, and raging infernal fire erupted in an instant. The first figure lunged forward, but in the moment before touching the bl**d pearl, he suddenly halted as if struck by a cannonball, “whoosh!” he flew backward!
Following behind him, the second and third figures attacked from either side of Miss Meiser; bl**d-like energy wriggled around her, wrapping around the incoming golden figures.
In a flash, the person who had just been sent flying swung an arm in the air, golden light bursting forth as the circling birds swooped down, flapping their wings to devour the bl**d serpents entangled around the two figures. The white feathers ignited in infernal fire, and the birds plummeted as points of light, but the bl**d serpents multiplied, ensnaring the attacking duo as they too were flung into the air.
In a blink, chaos erupted as all three figures came charging in but were sent flying. Time hadn’t even crested two seconds; during their aerial retreat, they ignited in golden light, clashing with the bl**d serpents. One of them managed to escape, reappearing behind the woman to mount another attack!
The night was too dense, the light too intense. I stood at a distance, unable to see their faces, but I knew their identities. As realization dawned, I shouted, “Daniel!”
“Attack! Quickly! Grab that pearl—”
The shout came from the first guy who got blasted back. He had regained his footing, glowing with golden light, and with a furious roar, more birds formed from white light shot towards the woman. In the next moment, the chains binding Miss Meiser began to rattle with a “clatter,” then cracked, and the scarlet hellfire surged forth. The bell above continued to chime, but the woman was on the move!
She turned and snapped her hand out, lightning-quick, grabbing the neck of the ambusher and pulling her close—I recognized her as Olivia, struggling valiantly against the burning wildfires, but unable to escape, tossed like a chick toward the towering golden cross with a thud, the crucifix fell over with a tremendous noise, and Olivia’s struggles ceased.
“Olivia!”
That was Karl’s anguished roar.
Moon Step—
Bang!
With a sudden burst, I shattered the bluestone under my feet and zipped between the flock of birds, racing toward Miss Meiser, my eyes locked on the pearl in her grasp. Golden light wrapped around me, the pressure of the bell flickering in and out for a moment, but just as I was about to reach the woman, she whirled around, that orb embedded in Olivia’s neck was suddenly turned toward me, and a torrent of twisted scarlet light surged forth, engulfing the flock of birds as my body abruptly slowed…
This isn’t the bell’s pressure… what is happening…
“Ugh!”
A great, weird force smashed into me from the front. The woman hadn’t even moved, the surrounding wind was still, yet I felt a flash and was slammed with a grunt, almost choking on air, swirling in a mass of red light, I shot up into the sky like a broken kite.
What’s going on…
I couldn’t see it, couldn’t feel it—what was this power…
My vision spun as I ascended, my head swirling like a tornado. The serpent-like scarlet light flowed around me, my limbs felt both weightless and heavy, making my attempts to adjust stiffen up. I soared up outside of the golden light, climbing dozens of meters high, then began to plummet.
Gotta adjust, gotta adjust… Ice Mist…
Boom boom—
Ice mist spewed from my palms, scattering some of the bl**d light. My fingers felt a tad more nimble again. My eyes sparkled with blue light as more ice mist surged out from within, enveloping the surrounding bl**d serpents, freezing them into twisted crimson icicles that shattered in the wind.
That’s bl**d…
Once the bl**d serpents shattered, my control returned instantly. The wind whistled past my ears; in my peripheral vision, I could see I was getting close to the ground. I flipped over, “boom boom,” spitting out ice mist again, slowing my fall, then twisted to land on solid earth, staggering back a few steps, then plopping down on my backside.
I’m sweating…
Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I quickly got up and glanced toward Miss Meiser’s direction.
The golden light scattering from the night sky; Olivia lay aside, trying hard to crawl back up. Daniel, Karl, and the woman clashed again amidst the golden light, flocks of birds, holy lances, with roaring flames and countless bl**d serpents entangled. Above, the golden bell shattered into countless sparkling shards with a massive thud, scattering all around…
They were no match for her.
Amidst the raging flames, the woman moved with grand flair, her actions exquisite like a dance, the red dress fluttering. Each punch she threw ignited with searing scarlet light, blindingly bright. Even though she fought with one hand—her left still clutching the bl**d pearl—Daniel and Karl were in retreat against such overwhelming power, their golden light fading quickly and utterly unable to resist… not to mention the Jester might still be…
Huh?
Where’s the Jester!?
My heart skipped a beat.
My gaze skimmed over the fire and golden light ahead, scanning the grass, scorched earth, burned trees, the reddening night sky… streaks of light danced across as the clashes echoed. To where the Jester had originally fallen—and that place was now engulfed in flames, scarlet flames were spreading, but there was no sign of him anywhere…
Where did he go!!!
Bang! I leaped into action with another Moon Step, racing toward the inferno, blue light flashing in my eyes as thick ice mist surged from me, charging into the fire with hissing sounds drowning out everything, ice crystals swirling around me.
Ahead, the woman kicked Daniel away. Karl rushed up from another side, gripping the blade formed of white light, aimed at her throat, reaching out for the bl**d pearl, but missed while she spun away effortlessly, raising her fiery right hand in anger toward Karl’s face!
“You let him slip away—”
The next moment, a whirlwind of cold air engulfed me. I dove into the fray opportunistically, my ice-tinged fist swinging toward the woman’s towering chest!
Whoosh—
A fierce chill scattered the sparks and broke the flames, sweeping away the bl**d currents entwined around her. She sensed the strength of my punch for the first time amidst the fight and chose to retreat, her red dress floating away to a distance of four or five meters, her ice-blue eyes tinged with bl**d.
“Where did the Jester go—”
With a sudden pivot, my Moon Step took me to her side, blue light blazing in my gaze. A violent frost aura pressed down around, shaking her flames. I rained down furious punches, but she quickly blocked and dodged, the clashing sounds of our battle “swish swish” echoed. Gritting my teeth, I pushed the offensive, but that woman slipped through my attacks like an eel, however I swung—straight punches, hooks, jabs—she always dodged by a hair.
Before long, thin frost coated her body, but it didn’t hinder her movements. She calmly retreated with my onslaught. Suddenly, in my peripheral vision, her long, white leg flashed by. I thought “bad news!” and tried to dodge, but it was too late—she kicked me at the waist, my body twisted, the scene smeared, and I rolled across the ground far away with a loud crash.
Ouch…
My side felt like it was smacked with an iron rod. Pain and numbness hit me all at once. I quickly got up, one hand pressed against my waist, seeing the woman once again embroiled with Karl. Gritting my teeth, my mind raced.
I can’t match her in close combat; her martial skills are far superior to mine… Wide-area attacks are hard to control… and there are three others here… this woman is strong; I can’t win in the short term, but the Jester is gone… What should I do… Where would he go… Oh no!
Suddenly, I recalled the earlier conversation between those two heretics—the pearl still needed more bl**d; they had to k*ll more people… the town! He must be headed to the town to k*ll!
“The Jester! The Jester is headed to the town—”
“Daniel!!”
I shouted toward Daniel, who had just gotten back on his feet not far away. He didn’t even glance at me, bursting forth with golden light while replying, “Don’t worry about the town; we need to grab that pearl first!”
What…
