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The woman strolling through the sky had exquisite eyebrows and beautiful thick hair; she looked almost like a painting.
There was no wind, yet her white clothes fluttered freely. Every step she took was light and graceful, yet she traveled a hundred meters in the blink of an eye, stopping where the lightning had fallen.
Lady benefactor, thank you for your assistance,” said the Buddha, his jade glass body still emanating light.
"You're too kind," she said with a leisurely smile. "The Jade Glass Body is the mark of a ruler. Even if I hadn’t come, the heavenly lightning couldn't possibly have harmed you."
He nodded slightly as if agreeing with her. She looked up into the sky with a calm smile.
“But," she said. "It seems that a certain family of God Realm really needs a good beating.”
“Father, it’s the Lady Providence.”
Outside the lightning pool, Xiao Yan’s emotions were in complete turmoil. He swallowed nervously, his anxiety obvious from his expression.
Little did he know, Xiao Ting was frowning deeply too. Since that woman had appeared, the situation had become much harder to handle.
He took a deep breath, then spoke into the lightning pool.
“I hadn’t realized Lady Providence was present. I apologize for my rudeness," he said. "However, I am currently busy with a tribulation, and don’t understand why you saw fit to stop my lightning.'
His voice resounded through the sky, leaving the nearby group of immortals completely dumbfounded.
A deity.
The one who’d spoken now was obviously a mighty figure of the God Realm.
And hadn’t he just called that woman “Lady Providence?” Could she be someone from the God Realm too?
She chuckled softly and said, “do you really not know why I stopped your lightning?”
“I truly don’t know.”
“Heh…..” she laughed helplessly. He refused to confess even now. “It seems as if you refuse to admit to your crimes.”
“I truly don’t know what crimes I’ve committed,” snorted Xiao Ting, expression grim as he gazed into the lightning pool. “My Xiao family is responsible for distributing tribulation lightning throughout creation. Today, someone reached Divine Bestowal, so I sent him a lightning tribulation. What’s wrong with that?”
“Then, how many bolts did you send?”
Here it was.
Xiao Ting squinted. This woman really had been there watching the whole time, so why hadn’t he discovered her earlier?
Her position transcended the Six Realms, and if let slip anything that could be used against them, he'd be in real trouble down the line.
Still, there was no need to worry; he’d long since prepared an excuse.
“Lady Providence, what do you mean?”
“Even ‘Lightning consumes the heart,’ has at most eighty-one bolts, yet after reaching that number you sent even more lightning. In doing so, you defied the will of the High Father. Since that's the case, do you still refuse to admit your crimes?”
“You must be joking,” said Xiao Ting, expression utterly composed. “Since the God Realm was first formed, lightning punishments have been under the domain of our Xiao Family. You've never seen a tribulation with more than eighty-one bolts, but the history of the God Realm is long and filled with countless talents.
“What are you saying?” said Lady Providence, expression unsightly.
“What I’m trying to tell you is, eighty-one bolts isn’t the limit. There's actually an even higher level, the ninety-nine bolt tribulation. In the distant past, numerous talented seniors of the god race underwent that trial.”
“Then why didn’t I know about it?”
“You haven’t been through it, how could you possibly have known?”
Hearing this, she couldn’t help but sneer. This was an excellent excuse. Just like rumors said, Xiao Ting really was a wily old fox. If it were any other emperor, they might've panicked upon seeing her and let something slip.
But this Xiao Ting had refused to admit any fault from the very start. His demeanor was relaxed, his words clear and logical. More than anything, his unwillingness to admit fault even if it killed him was a true masterstroke.
"So, you won't confess no matter what."
“Lady Providence, please don’t make rash accusations," he replied. "Since the God Realm was first formed, my family has controlled tribulation lightning, and we naturally know much more about it than you do. This highest level of heavenly lightning was originally a secret of our clan. Since you insist on accusing me of crimes, I had no choice but to tell you about it. Still, I hope that you can keep the secret and prevent word from spreading. Otherwise, even ten thousand deaths will be insufficient to atone for my crimes."
“Well said,” she smiled calmly, then let the matter drop. “Then I’m curious, why did you send lightning to attack bystanders?”
“You must be joking again,” said Xiao Ting, laughing calmly. “I only sent lightning to a single place, the position of the one undergoing tribulation. Lightning bolts don’t have eyes. Those bystanders entered the lightning's attack range. What would you have me do about it? Heavenly lightning is intended to baptize the one who reached Divine Bestowal, but those onlookers foolishly tried to block it. I haven’t reproached them for it, so why are you reproaching me?"
“Oh really?”
“Lady Providence, please don't abuse your status. In truth, before the bolt fell, I sensed a ripple in space. The one undergoing tribulation and that ignorant girl who tried blocking it are both in your hands now, aren’t they?”
The crowd looked intently at the Lady Providence, especially Su Liu'er.
“Hah….”
She didn't deny it. With a slight grin and a burst of gentle laughter, she waved her right hand in the air. Two figures appeared before her.
“Big sister.”
“Big brother Zichen.”
“Zichen.”
As she did this, the onlookers gasped in astonishment.
“So you discovered me after all," she said. "Even so, I'm taking them with me. If I let them go, what, will you keep sending lightning at them?
“I wouldn’t dare,” he replied with a calm smile. “How could I be so brazen as to exceed my authority and send lightning to attack someone you want to protect? Furthermore, that boy has yet to overcome his tribulation, but his godhead has already shattered. Even if he wakes up, he has no fate with the God Realm. Since he has no means of ascending to the God Realm, there’s no longer any need for me to concern myself with him.”
As soon as she heard this, Lady Providence frowned deeply. Ye Zichen’s godhead really had shattered.
“Xiao Ting!”
“Lady Providence, why are you calling me this time?” he said with a slight grin. “This boy’s godhead shattered; all I can say is his will was too weak. That has nothing to do with me. Furthermore, shouldn't you be in the Profound Pavillion right now? Why have you appeared now in a lower realm? And what sort of relationship do you have with this mortal? I will have to report all of this to the God Emperor for further consideration."
“Are you threatening me?”
“I wouldn’t dare. I’m simply completely loyal to the God Emperor. It's only natural that I report everything I see and hear “
“Do what you want.”
With that, she no longer argued with him.
Just now, she had clearly sensed that Ye Zichen’s breathing was becoming progressively more disordered. She had to hurry and treat his wounds.
As for Xiao Ting, she could trouble him at her leisure after returning God Realm
Although Xiao Ting's speech had been modest and deferential, it was obvious to her that he didn’t really take her seriously.
“Then I’ll be on my way," he said. However, just as he was about to leave the lightning pool, she suddenly called out.
“Wait a moment!"