Chapter 937. Day And Night Cycle. Tengliu's Desperate Resistance.
With [Day And Night Cycle] unfurled, Yasenia's aura transcended. The power this skill gave her was incredibly high. The reason for it was how [Day And Night Cycle] worked. As a skill derived from the combined stages of [Absorption Of Celestial Light] of her cultivation technique, it absorbed all types of energy, including Celestial Energy.
Therefore, when activated, the dragoness's strength increased severalfold. The pure energy that circulated around her meridians roared with strength like never before. It was the first time Yasenia used [Day And Night Cycle] in real combat after her tribulation, and the aura surrounding her made everyone who looked feel suffocated.
Yasenia's chant started, her voice like a whisper of the goddess of the Moon, echoey and all-reaching.
"In the depth of the [Moonless Night],
The world's quiet, the pilgrimage begins,
Yet far above, the [Starry Sky] alights,"
As Yasenia spun with her sword, a massive domain unfurled, dominating the entire arena. The silvery glow, all-encompassing, manifested together with a dark phantom sky littered with glittering white orbs.
Tengliu looked around, her face serious. 'This is one of, if not Yasenia's strongest skill. I must be careful.' She used all her buffing auras, increasing her own strength to the limits, and prepared to welcome the Empyrean Dragon.
The whisper of the dragoness echoed once more while Yasenia's irises became silver.
"Guiding us through the silent winds.
The [Crescent Moon] is birthed, tender and new,
As time flows, it grows in view."
As her verse ended, Yasenia's sword radiated waves of silver light. Unlike the first time she used her skill, frost covered the surroundings because of the sheer volume of Moon Energy being emitted by [Draconic Heart]'s core.
Tengliu's black pupil reflected the soft silver glow, and following that, Yasenia's [Draconic Heart] blurred. Several thousands of attacks were done in a motion that seemed so gentle that it wouldn't even hurt a child.
Tengliu's brain and soul burned as her future sight had trouble keeping up with predicting how the Empyrean Cosmos Dragon's attacks would reach her. Still, using her resilience, speed, and strength as a high-level Epoch Core, Tengliu retaliated with a storm of attacks.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each time her fists met with one of the [Crescent Moon] skills flying her way, her talons dragged on the hard ground, creating sparks. 'So heavy! Why are these attacks so heavy!?'
"ENOUGH!"
Tengliu's aura burst outward together with a stormy shockwave, shattering most of the crescents coming her way. Then, she stomped the ground and streaked across the arena, her fist covered in energies powerful enough to twist space around it. "[Fatestorm]!"
As the attack came her way, the time seemed to slow down as only Yasenia's chant occurred. This surprised even Tatyana. 'Domain Authority!? She is able to control everything within her domain, similar to what an Intent Domain does… Day And Night might be more complex than I initially thought.'
"The [Crescent Moon] waxes and glows,
Until it becomes the radiant [Full Moon].
In the dance of the night, as I chant and call,
The [Waning Moon] rises, its light to recall."
As the dragon's enchanting whisper reverberated with the World around her, Yasenia placed her sword vertically, and even when she was floating several meters above the ground, she stabbed downward.
A silver beam of light shot down, hitting an invisible sphere that quickly gained a silvery glow with a surface image similar to that of the Moon itself.
BOOOM!
Tengliu's attack struck [Draconic Full Moon], yet the sphere didn't even budge. Tengliu's face crumpled. 'What kind of defense is this!?'
What Tengliu was unaware of was that when there was a full moon or during the [Day And Night Cycle] skill, [Draconic Full Moon] could block one attack, regardless of what it was, as long as it wasn't a realm beyond Yasenia's strength.
Right after Tengliu's attack was mercilessly nullified, Yasenia's entire figure glowed silver as [Draconic Waning Moon] enveloped her. This skill that gave Yasenia the powers of the Moon made the already terrifying dragoness even more dreadful to face.
Tengliu remembered the chant and quickly entered a defensive stance. 'Crescent Moon is coming!'
As she expected, her brain and soul began hurting again as Yasenia's [Draconic Crescent Moon] attacks covered the sky, falling like a rain of meteors.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One after another arrived, carrying a mix of Moon and Celestial energy, increasing their lethality enough to hurt Tengliu's body each time one of them was not fully blocked.
Blood started sprouting as deep cuts that froze right after covering Tengliu's entire body.
After an incessant barrage that lasted long enough to make half of Tengliu's body drip with blood, the dragoness stopped and chanted one more time.
"[Dawn] approaches, the night fades away,
The Moon disappears with the break of day.
Yet with the Sun's ascent, a shift draws near,
For in its wake, the [Starfall] appears."
This time, her tone increased a notch, and the phantom sky brightened. The seductive creature's deep and mellow voice made everyone feel reverential. As Yasenia pointed skyward, the glow of [Draconic Heart]'s core shifted from silver to white.
Then, the several thousands of stars perched in the sky fell as if the strings that attached them to the firmament were cut. Tengliu's lips arched as she gritted her teeth. 'Can you not be this strong, Little Yasenia? Aren't you still at the second level? Why do I feel like I am the one fighting a senior!?'
Tengliu's energy reserves plummeted as she used one of, if not her strongest skill. "[FATESTORM]!"
BOOOOOM!
The Harpy Matrairch punched skyward, and a terrifying shockwave of pure Fate and Storm energies swallowed the sky above her.
Yet, some white stars managed to survive the attack and rained on her.
White explosions covered the area where Tengliu stood, and when those disappeared, the figure of a more beaten down Tengliu appeared.
However, Tengliu was not relaxed, as the sword of the dragon woman in the sky began falling. 'Right… [Dawn]…'
WHOOOM!
A storm of Moon and Sun energies froze and scorched everything in their way while all the Moon Energy Yasenia accumulated transformed into Sun Energy.
With no other way, Tengliu used [Fatestorm] once more, barely managing to block the overcharged attack.
"The [Sunrise] bursts, and the sky is alight,
Colors unfurl, banishing the night.
Yet time is the keeper of all things bright,
Turning the heavens to a canvas of white."
Without a single second of hesitation, Yasenia used several of her movement skills and fell from the sky, charging at Tengliu.
With a defiant smile, Tengliu charged at Yasenia, and another clash began. Kicks, punches, sword strikes, and different skills were exchanged while Yasenia focused on using just [Draconic Sunrise].
Tengliu looked into Yasenia's eyes and saw that her gaze was much more alive than when her irises were red. This gave the intelligent harpy a clue. 'I see, [Day And Night Cycle] is her last barrage.'
This made the Harpy Matriarch's will light ablaze. "As if I can die so easily! Throw everything at me!"
Her shout echoed, carrying her will to live everywhere. Tatyana's eyes shone in appreciation. Not everyone could keep that attitude after being utterly and helplessly dominated by someone several times younger than them.
As they exchanged attacks, the dragoness looked at Tengliu and chanted once more. Her voice now was loud and clear, booming outward with the strength of the midday sun!
"[Sunrise] ascends, morphing to [Noon]!
The sky transforms to a deep blue tune!
Time passes swiftly, its hands moving fast,
As the day leans forward to its middle cast!"
Draheart sped up, creating several golden streaks of light and pushing Tengliu back. The sharp and searing edge of the weapon was so dangerous that Tengliu had given up on blocking it with her hands, mainly counting on dodges and parries by hitting the side of the large sword.
Even then, Yasenia managed to land a few strikes, creating new wounds on her already damaged body. The mix of Moon and Sun energies was deeply hurting her.
After the barrage of sunrises, Tengliu's defense crumbled, and the dragoness managed to land a kick to her stomach. Tengliu bent like a bow and flew backward while the dragoness pointed at the phantom sun that stood right above her.
Tengliu laughed and took out three more life-saving artifacts, one of them a present she had received from Yasenia herself a few months ago. It was an instant, one-time use, defensive formation.
"Let's hope this holds, hahaha."
Then, Draconic Noon descended upon the land.
Everything was swallowed as the attack burst forth with the brilliance of a thousand suns accompanied by Yasenia's deep and reverberating dragon roar.
ROAAR!
BOOOOOM!
Tatyana looked at the arena's integrity and was surprised. 'It's trembling quite a bit… Is Tengliu alive?'
Once the [Draconic Noon] beam dissipated, Tengliu's scorched figure was seen. Her arms crossed before her body. While her silver plumage had been severely damaged, the Harpy was still alive. Throwing a pill into her mouth, powerful regenerative energies covered her.
As Yasenia chanted her following verse, Tengliu's body regenerated from 80% of its damage.
"The [Sunset] comes, burning the sky,
A blaze of colors, a final goodbye.
From ashes, the day succumbs to rest,
Its success wrapped in the twilight's crest."
Yet, she didn't stop in this verse. As energy gathered around her, her chant continued to echo.
"When the [Sun set]s tired, and the night unfolds,
The [Dawn] whispers promises, tales yet untold.
The day transpired, the sky turns black,
And in its shadow, night comes back."
Tengliu and the others were surprised and looked at Yasenia closely. They all realized that she was heavily perspiring. Everyone shared the same thought. 'She is running out of energy.'
Seeing the dragoness run at her again, Tengliu took a stance and fought back seriously. Unlike the swift battle style the dragoness used until now, the blows this time were heavy and imposing.
A full-body-strength blow accompanied a step that used the momentum to interlock with a tail strike. Right after, the dragoness used her shoulder to crumble Tengliu's posture, and from the back, [Draconic Sunset] ignited, blowing a terrifying blast of scorching heat forward.
The Fate-attributed harpy's gaze followed each of Yasenia's attacks accurately. Yet, even when she knew they were coming, the heaviness and strength behind those attacks were such that her guard kept being blasted open while injuries accumulated once more.
Tengliu kept being pushed back, and while she wanted to retaliate with quick strikes, the thought of receiving [Draconic Sunset] with her body made her rethink it twice. 'She is almost out of gas, just bear. Don't counterattack, defend, defend, DEFEND!'
The dragoness's meridians were overworked, her body ached, and her thoughts were sparse. She had already been fighting for more than an hour against Tengliu while constantly using high-consumption attacks. The last half an hour or so had been using [Celestial Energy] as well.
The main reason for this reckless use was that she knew Tengliu's energy reserves were far more profound than hers. Tengliu, who was in the high levels of the fifth realm, could accumulate energy much more efficiently and in a condensed manner.
"[DRACONIC DUSK]!"
With her roar, an explosion of pure Sun and Moon condensed energies blew Tengliu flying once more. However, Yasenia knew that it was far from over.
Then, like an all-encompassing whisper coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, her voice echoed. 'Tengliu, if you don't survive, that's your fate.'
"The dark draws near, the stars ignite,
In the eternal cycle, the world takes flight."
Yasenia flew skyward as the accumulated stars in the sky rotated into a terrifying galaxy of giant white spheres.
"Time rears its head, and all falls still…"
The dragoness circled the area Tengliu was with her sword, summoning a massive, transparent silver ring.
"...As [Midnight] reigns with a gentle thrill."
The dragoness and everything else hanging in the skies plunged toward Tengliu.
"[Falling Sky]."
As if she carried the weight of the Moon down to earth, Yasenia fell like a silver meteor, impacting the ground with enough strength even to crack space in several places.