Chapter 150. Messy Battle
As preparation for her death, Juliana began nurturing her granddaughter.
She took her granddaughter around the world to slay demons and raise her level.
She even found one of the storage areas where the demon cult kept their demons.
Inside an underground cave, Juliana coldly watched the hundreds of demons, with her granddaughter standing behind her.
Although killing hundreds of demons of varying levels is difficult even for her, thanks to the cave’s complex terrain, she slowly and steadily killed them.
Before the Demon Cult could realize their demons were being killed, Juliana had killed half the demons inside the cave and fled far away with her granddaughter.
Thanks to the boost from the demons captured by the Demon Cult, it only took five years for Juliana’s granddaughter to reach the limit of her potential at Upper Level 2.
Once her granddaughter’s level stopped increasing no matter how many demons were killed near her, Juliana taught her the training method to advance to Level 4.
Before she began the power inheritance ritual, Juliana spent another five years teaching her granddaughter all her knowledge, leaving the remaining knowledge in books in her laboratory.
Juliana also called the current empress and told her to announce her death.
Although she isn't certain what Juliana plans, the empress happily goes along with it. After all, once Juliana’s death is announced, she'll truly become the indisputable ruler of the empire, free from any interference by Juliana.
While the Starry Sea Empire holds a massive ceremony to mourn the founding empress’s death, inside Juliana's laboratory that's been filled with many water-element magic materials, Juliana and her granddaughter undressed and cut deep wounds on their bodies’ vital points.
While the wounds were still bleeding, both of them pressed their bodies against each other as closely as possible. They made sure the area they'd cut was in contact with each other's wounds.
Using their blessed power, both of them controlled the blood in their bodies, directing it to follow a specific circulation pattern and flow through the wounds in their body, combining their bodies' blood circulation into one.
With Juliana’s strength having reached Mid Level 4, her mana-infused blood easily strengthened her granddaughter’s body.
At the same time, the mana from the surrounding water-element magic materials was absorbed into their bodies. It instantly became fuel to help Juliana's granddaughter raise her level.
They stayed like that for a whole week.
By the time a week passed, Juliana’s complexion had become much worse.
Her wrinkles deepened, her back grew more hunched, and even her glossy blonde hair had turned ashen white.
On the other hand, Juliana's granddaughter quickly rose in level and had reached Peak Level 3.
Separating their bodies, both of them quickly drank the potions they'd prepared to heal their wounds.
Juliana's complexion also improved after she drank the potions.
Seeing her granddaughter, Juliana said, “Rest for a moment, then immediately advance to Level 4. I've already prepared the necessary materials and will also guide you directly.”
Her granddaughter nodded.
After a short nap, she meditated briefly to regain her focus before attempting to break through to Level 4 using the method Juliana had taught her.
With the sheer amount of water-element magic materials and Juliana’s direct guidance, Juliana's granddaughter steadily advanced and soon broke through to Level 4.
Juliana’s granddaughter calmed her fluctuating power for a day before opening her eyes.
Seeing her most treasured granddaughter, Juliana smiled and ruffled her hair. “My good granddaughter, Silvia. It's finally time for you to follow your destiny.”
Hearing Juliana’s soothsayer-like words, Silvia rolled her eyes. “Grandma, you're talking weirdly again. Have you eaten your medicine?”
Although she replied with sarcasm, traces of concern could be seen in Silvia’s eyes.
As one of the participants in the power inheritance ritual, she knew that Juliana, already extremely old, was barely clinging to life after the ritual had further weakened her.
Feeling her granddaughter's concern, Juliana ignored the sarcasm and said, “You don't need to be sad. Thanks to the creator’s grace, I've lived beyond my destined lifespan and even achieved my wish. There's nothing left for me to regret in this world.”
Then Juliana rubbed her chin, “Hmm… actually, I still have one thing I wish to do. So let's finish it and die without regret.”
Juliana directly told her most trusted subordinate to gather the people on the list she provided and inform them that the empress will announce Juliana’s ‘last will’.
Since Juliana announced her death, many people with their own conspiracies have entered the Starry Sea Empire’s territory.
To ensure the empire's stability during her granddaughter’s rule, Juliana is finally ready to reel in the bait she has scattered and finish every troublemaker once and for all.
The lists she gave consisted of high-ranking spies from demon cults and the Temple whom she had uncovered, along with a few useless ministers' and other corrupt officials’ names to muddy the waters.
Inside the empire's study, the current empress heard the news and cracked the pen in her hand. “What is mother trying to do now? Why doesn't that old fart just drop dead immediately? Why did she make me an empress if she'll still control this damn empire!”
Although she was extremely angry, the current empress didn't immediately confront Juliana; instead, she made her own preparations. But before she even began her preparations, Juliana had entered her study, with Silvia standing behind her.
Without any nonsense, Juliana immediately said, “Please abdicate. I’ve found a more suitable candidate for the Empress position.”
Although it sounds like a request, Juliana's voice is incredibly firm.
Seeing the unwillingness and hatred in her daughter's eyes, Juliana knew the current empress definitely wouldn't willingly abdicate.
To prevent a civil war and ensure her Empire could be kept intact, Juliana directly used her water-element blessed power to behead her daughter.
Her daughter looked wide-eyed at Juliana’s expressionless face. Before she died, the current empress mouthed a word.
‘You monster…’
After beheading her own daughter, Juliana coughed some blood.
Behind her, Silvia asked while trembling, “Why? Why did you kill aunt Ahelis?”
“There can only be one ruler in an empire, and you're the true empress I choose to continue our Empire’s reign.”
Juliana sat at the study seat where her daughter had sat. “Now then, let's wait for those spies, traitors, and useless things to gather.”
Juliana sat in the study room and dozed off as Silvia silently accompanied her.
Outside the room, Juliana’s subordinate silently handled Ahelis’ guards.
When the next day arrived, the palace was incredibly busy, and many ministers and other court officials had gathered in the throne room.
Although they all lived in the capital city, the distance between the palace and their house was considerable. Even with the carriage, some of them still heaved from exhaustion.
Nevertheless, all of them had bright eyes as they waited patiently for the so-called ‘last will’ that might give clues to the rumored life-extending method and the advanced Level 4 training method.
As they waited patiently, Juliana walked with Silvia along a path reserved for the emperor. As they walked, Juliana drank a potion to overdraw her energy so she could use her full power, albeit temporarily.
She also matched the faces to the names on her lists before nodding slightly.
When the invited ministers and court officials saw Juliana, they wore shocked expressions.
While others whispered to each other, some with sharp minds looked at the lists of invited guests and paled. They realized those invited were either useless or suspected of being spies or of having betrayed the empire.
The sharp-minded ministers and court officials prepared to flee, but Juliana merely waved her hand, and several water jets shot from her, piercing their heads.
Some of them responded in time, using their blessed power to summon an earth wall or using wind walls to divert the water jets before dodging. But Juliaan simply waved her hand once more and summoned another batch of water jets that finally killed them.
The remaining ministers and court officials panicked, some screaming, others begging for mercy, or straight up trying to run away.
Juliana casually stood at the entrance, cast a second-circle double-earth-element spell, and created two earth walls at opposite ends of the throne hall that shot toward each other, squishing the ministers and court officials who didn’t evade in time.
As for the remaining people, Juliana cast a second-circle fire-wind-element spell and summoned a massive fireball that exploded, blasting hot winds in all directions.
After those spells, less than half of the ministers and officials she summoned remained.
Juliana looked at the remaining people and found three who definitely weren’t among her ministers and court officials.
Those three caught her attention because they seemed detached from the panicked ministers around them.
She narrowed her eyes and cast a third-circle spell using water, ice, and wind.
The instant she cast it, the surrounding wind howled and the temperature in the throne room dropped.
Soon, many ice spikes sprouted around Juliana, impaling everyone in the throne room.
The ministers screamed and begged for mercy, but soon all of them were pierced by the ice spikes Juliana summoned.
After every summoned minister and court official died, Juliana looked at the three remaining people and sneered, “I never expected my humble gathering to be attended by three other Level 4 experts. What brings the High Priest’s left-hand man and right-hand man, along with the vice leader of the Demon Cult, to my humble court meeting?”
One of them, a woman, simply stood in silence. Meanwhile, the two men who stood near each other smiled gently. One of them, who looked like a middle-aged man, bowed slightly. “My apologies, former empress. We're just here to fulfill the order from the god of magic himself.”
“And what can it be?” Juliana asked while secretly preparing her spell.
“Our first order is to collect the rumored life-extending method for the god of magic. But it seems we’ve come at an inappropriate time.” The man smiled gently before suddenly releasing his blessed power and shooting several earth spikes at the woman standing at a distance from him. “And my second order is to kill every heretic, especially those from the Demon Cult.”
The other priest followed suit and immediately used his blessed power to shoot lightning at the female Demon Cult vice leader.
Although the priests attacked out of nowhere, the Demon Cult’s vice leader was already prepared and cast the earth-element spell she had ready to create a shield around her.
“As expected of someone from that filthy place. All you fanatic mutts can do is sneak attack,” the Demon Cult’s vice leader said sarcastically.
The shield met the lightning bolt and the earth spike, nullifying both and sending rock shards flying.
Before she could ready another spell, the Demon Cult’s vice leader quickly evaded a bolt of lightning the priest shot.
The lightning bolt charred the ground, while the Demon Cult’s vice leader escaped. But the Temple’s priest quickly followed with another attack.
Somehow, Juliana, who should’ve been the protagonist of the event, has become a mere spectator. The two Level 4 priests worked together to fight the Level 4 Demon Cult’s vice leaders, giving her some time to think about something else.
After studying the combatants from both sides, Juliana recalled the priest’s goal.
‘Although I am unsure whether it's in a dream or reality, I am certain I’ve met the creator who gave me a fruit capable of extending my lifespan. So, why does the god of magic need something that can increase lifespan? So desperate that the Temple actually sent two Level 4 experts. Is the god of magic that much weaker than the creator? Or is there another secret?’
Soon, the battle between the two priests and the Demon Cult’s vice leader was almost over, with the vice leader trying to flee. But one of the priests immediately used half of his blessed power and some spellcasting materials to block every passage.
The cornered vice leader went mad and, while protecting herself, cast a fourth-circle spell that shot a massive wind blast toward one of the priests.
The wind blast instantly knocked the priest back. The priest shot back like a cannonball and hit a wall, cracking and shattering it.
Using the remaining mana in her body, the Demon Cult’s vice leader prepared to use her earth-element power to open a hole in the palace wall to flee, but suddenly an ice spike pierced her chest as she focused on the remaining Temple priest.
Looking back, she saw Juliana had just finished casting an ice-element spell.
With eyes wide open, the Demon Cult’s vice leader dropped to the floor.
With the Demon Cult’s vice leader’s death, only the two priests, Juliana, and Silvia remained in the ruined throne room.