At the summit of Mt. Firmament, the snow accumulates year-round without melting. Fierce winds howl like enraged beasts, whipping up vast clouds of snow mist.
The giant dragon's winding body resembles a mountain range in the sky. She quietly gazes down at the figure rapidly approaching from below.
A pair of dragon horns sprouts from that figure's head. Amid the swirling blizzard, he darts swiftly, crossing dozens of meters with each flash.
Before the person can get close, Jué slightly opens Her mouth. Between Her sharp, saw-like teeth, terrifying energy accumulates wildly in a short time, finally erupting abruptly into dazzling white light.
Celestial Court Radiance—Celestial Court Radiance personally unleashed by the Sentinel.
With just a slight display of edge, the Sentinel's strike already surpasses any Celestial Court Radiance previously released by Noah.
An invisible ring of time flow circles beside Noah, attempting to freeze and stagnate him, but this time flow ring exists for less than an instant before being completely shattered by a Sentinel phantom.
Noah proceeds unhurriedly. The hand seals in his hands have become second nature, reaching the realm of effortless mastery.
A solidified phantom, seemingly materialized into substance and with momentum no less than Jué's, appears. The phantom raises its head from the ground, unyieldingly spewing the same white light.
Boom!
The terrifying energies collide and annihilate in mid-air, unleashing horrific ripples that heavily stir up the wind and snow on Mt. Firmament, causing the entire mountain to quake incessantly.
Thick snow mud slides down from the summit, triggering massive avalanches. Snow waves several feet high surge down toward Noah from on high.
Noah lets out a cold snort. The dragon horns on his head instantly vanish, replaced by blazing golden radiance in his eyes. The massive snow waves are frozen in place in an instant.
When time flows again, the enormous snow waves are cleaved into pieces by a golden sword beam that swells against the wind, reversing back toward the peak of Mt. Firmament.
The golden sword beam's momentum does not diminish, landing precisely on the Sentinel's body, yet it fails to cause any harm to Jué.
"Heh, an invisible time flow barrier consolidated around my body serves as defense. Though you possess my Arbiter's power, compared to the Arbiter, you fall far short."
Jué smiles lightly in disdain, Her voice stirring layers of echoes across Mt. Firmament:
"If this is your level, you cannot even scratch my skin, let alone demand the power of time sequence from me."
"I was merely afraid of accidentally shattering Mt. Firmament, so I haven't used full force."
Noah's footsteps show no sign of slowing:
"And you—do you not consider opening your domain [Realm of Time Sequence]? Of course, after all, the key is in Rover's hands."
"It seems you truly know a great deal."
Jué surges upward, flying higher and higher, straight toward the heavens:
"Since you hold back due to Mt. Firmament, why not join me in this broader sky!"
Noah shakes his head.
He isn't foolish enough to compete in someone else's strongest domain.
Having truly chosen to oppose the Sentinel, he now senses an extremely oppressive frequency from Jué.
This special frequency carries an innate divine pressure, suppressing the resonance power of all his characters, weakening them by a few degrees uncontrollably.
Coupled with the Sentinel's own time flow barrier on Her body, if he hadn't pulled high-chain Jinhsi, he absolutely would not have fared well today.
Gazing at the Sentinel flying ever higher, Noah clasps his palms together, as if encompassing heaven and earth within them. Dazzling white electric light flickers between his palms:
"Respond, wish for clear peace!"
[Jinhsi Fifth Chain Bonus: Resonance Liberation damage multiplier increased by 120%.]
A massive golden lightning bolt descends from the vault of heaven, like divine punishment piercing heaven and earth, crashing down with thunderous might.
The brilliant lightning explodes instantly on the Sentinel's dragon body. The radiance is so intense, like countless blazing suns erupting simultaneously, illuminating the entire vast Mt. Firmament.
In that instant, Jué emits an unprecedented cry of pain, plummeting from the extreme heights. A charred cavity appears on Her body.
Golden dragon blood sprinkles from the cavity. With just one bolt of lightning, Noah pierces through Her proudly boasted defense, striking Her down from the sky.
[Jinhsi Fourth Chain Bonus: When releasing Resonance Liberation or Resonance Skill, all characters gain 20% all-attribute damage bonus.]
Low chains may require some technique; high chains allow mindless spamming.
No matter how you hit, the damage explodes!
The Sentinel finally lands. Noah has long been prepared.
"Photosynthesis Conversion!"
Green vines entwine the Sentinel. Noah steps on the rapidly growing vines to close in quickly. A star flower blooms on Jué's body.
"All Things Have Spirit!"
Countless plants grow wildly. Noah fills Verina's Concerto, switches to on-field Jinhsi, then instantly switches back to Rover for field entry. The Emerald of Genesis in his hand outputs frantically—not aiming for damage, but to fill Concerto again as quickly as possible.
Intro Skill—character Jinhsi enters the field a second time!
[Jinhsi Third Chain Bonus: After releasing Intro Skill, gain one layer of Exiled Immortal effect; each layer increases attack by 22%, stackable up to two layers.]
Jué finally rises from paralysis. She cannot comprehend what kind of person Noah is—not only possessing the Arbiter's resonance ability but also Jinhsi's resonance ability.
But none of that matters now, because what She must face is:
Two layers of Exiled Immortal + four layers of Thaw of Eons + fifty points of full Dawnlight + Verina inherent skill amplification + Verina Concerto skill amplification + Rejuvenating Glow five-piece set amplification + Forest Dweller's Pot golden cuisine amplification + six-chain Jinhsi + max-level technique Noah.
"You're strong, but still a bit short."
Noah gently shakes his head. The Sentinel phantom circles beside him. Scorching white light spews forth along with his words.
The white light, which should have fallen rapidly, actually pauses in mid-air for a moment. Jué twists Her body, narrowly dodging this terrifying strike.
Behind Her, several towering mountain peaks are neatly sliced like tofu before this white light containing infinite power.
"Well done!"
She breathes heavily, actually voicing praise.
===✧✦✧===
On the other side.
Amid the raging blizzard, Changli holds Jinhsi in her arms, struggling to walk on the snowy mountain.
"The wind on Mt. Firmament—how can it be so fierce!"
A snowflake lands on Changli's cheek, melting before it can drift away.
She carefully channels her Fusion fire ability, gradually transferring warmth into Jinhsi's increasingly cold body.
Even though Noah withstands the resonance power generated from colliding with the Sentinel, the sympathetic resonance frequency still triggers Jinhsi's own severe injuries.
Now, this body's vitality is gradually fading away.
"Jinhsi, hold on. Current Magistrate, hold on! Teacher... I won't allow you to die."
Changli gasps for breath. The icy air stings her brain painfully, yet the vast blizzard tirelessly whips up large swaths of snowflakes, making her progress arduous in this perpetually frozen mountain range.
From the hazy blizzard, she squints and sees on the distant summit: one person and one dragon shifting lights and shadows, battling without cease, violent energy overflowing.
If the distance is too great, the resonance effect will also diminish.
Changli can only force herself onward, wanting to get even a little closer to this meat-grinder-like battlefield.
She never imagined Noah would be this strong—able to fight the Sentinel to a standstill, even faintly gaining the upper hand.
Moreover, as Noah continuously unleashes powers of various attributes, the Jinhsi in her arms flickers with light like a faulty bulb.
"Noah! Don't use other powers—only use Jinhsi's power—I beg you!"
This woman, always composed and in control, is now panicked. Her hoarse shouts are carried away by the cold wind, vanishing without a trace.
Boom!
Another dragon roar and thunderous explosion.
A vast avalanche, nearly blotting out the sky, surges toward her. The ultimate oppressive force of heaven and earth's might suffocates.
Changli cups Jinhsi's head with her right hand, shielding Jinhsi's body with her own, standing in snow up to her knees, tightly closing her eyes.
One second, two seconds... Changli raises her head. That mountain-collapsing avalanche actually hovers in mid-air, even—slowly retreating backward.
As if played in reverse.
Changli looks down at the Jinhsi in her arms emitting white light, tears of joy streaming:
"Jinhsi... did you succeed?"
A pair of dragon horns slowly emerges from Jinhsi's head.