Chapter 844: Chasing Can't Catch Me

"Will this fall again?" Bi Linglong asked, her face incredibly pale. Evidently, she had no desire to relive the recent harrowing experience.

"Not likely in the short term," Zu An replied after observing the floating island. It wasn't very large, perhaps a few hundred square meters, dotted with rocks and trees, and it floated in the air.

He had seen similar floating islands in movies and games, so their existence didn't particularly surprise him. However, he couldn't comprehend the principle behind its levitation, especially when everything else around them was plummeting.

Below them, the sky had imperceptibly filled with a thick layer of dark mist, quickly obscuring the red streak from view.

Thunder and lightning erupted within the heavy, dark clouds, with many bolts appearing to roll and tumble within the cloud mass.

"These clouds seem to be getting denser and rising at a visible rate, aren't they?" Bi Linglong remarked, when suddenly a massive fireball descended from above them.

"Look out!" Zu An exclaimed, swiftly pulling her back with lightning-fast reflexes.

The enormous fireball barely scraped the edge of the floating island before plummeting. Despite only brushing a small portion, it caused the ground where they had just stood to shatter, and a small section of the island broke away, falling into the abyss.

The entire floating island trembled violently, as if it might disintegrate at any moment.

Sensing the island's instability, Zu An quickly guided her to its very center.

"Are we going to die?" Bi Linglong whispered, clutching his arm tightly. Feeling the island's tremors, she knew that if it shattered, a fall would mean certain death.

"Don't worry," Zu An chuckled, comforting her. "The fortune teller said I'm destined to marry ten wives, and I'm nowhere near that number yet. How could I die so easily?"

"Pfft, that fortune teller wasn't any good anyway," Bi Linglong retorted, her face flushed as she spat lightly. This man was truly incorrigible, still joking around at a time like this.

Yet, a flicker of admiration sparked within her. His bright smile inexplicably calmed her chaotic mind. She usually considered herself mentally strong, but compared to him, she fell short. His unwavering optimism truly had the power to influence those around him.

Just then, a voice, clearly struggling to suppress its fury, echoed from a distance: "How long do you two intend to embrace?"

[Rage value from Zhao Hao: 433433433...]

They quickly turned to see Zhao Ruizhi on another floating island in the distance, glaring at them with eyes blazing with fury. Clearly, he hadn't fallen into the 'abyss of the sky' below but had found refuge on this much larger island, which resembled a small mountain. He Li and the surviving guards from Prince Qi's manor were also present on that island.

They could even vaguely discern numerous fierce beasts within the mountain forests, though at that moment, they were all fearfully surveying their surroundings, showing no inclination to fight.

Seeing his murderous gaze, the color drained from Bi Linglong's face. The emperor's power had clearly left an indelible shadow in her heart over the years.

Sensing that escape was likely impossible this time, she found an unexpected surge of courage, rose onto her tiptoes, and kissed Zu An on the cheek.

Zu An froze, utterly unprepared for her sudden gesture.

The others in the distance were equally stunned. The Crown Princess… what was she doing?

Only He Li inwardly gasped in disbelief, then subtly shifted back. He had just survived a monumental upheaval and certainly didn't wish to be implicated in this new predicament.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Zhao Ruizhi exclaimed, his anger turning into a furious laugh. "Die!"

The moment the words left his lips, he soared towards them. Despite the hundred-zhang distance, it was negligible for him.

Despair flooded Bi Linglong's heart. She could only cling tightly to the man beside her, as if only his presence could offer a sliver of solace.

Zu An's hair stood on end. Though he knew he was no match, it was not his nature to surrender and await death.

At that very moment, more than a dozen blinding purple lightning bolts suddenly shot up from the clouds below. Each bolt was almost as thick as a dragon, yet their destructive power far surpassed that of any beast.

These lightning bolts almost instantly locked onto Zhao Ruizhi in mid-air, engulfing him completely.

Zu An's heart surged with elation. Was the emperor about to be struck dead by lightning? What incredible luck today! He vowed to erect a plaque for the Thunder God back home and offer daily incense and prayers.

Incidentally, the mysterious lightning that had caused his transmigration in his previous life usually filled him with apprehension. Yet, today, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and even kinship towards the bolts.

His hope, however, was short-lived. Zhao Ruizhi's body emitted a golden glow, forming a golden shield, like an eggshell, that forcefully repelled the dozen terrifying lightning bolts.

"Is he even human?" Zu An's eyes widened in disbelief. The thought of confronting such a formidable opponent filled him with a profound sense of powerlessness, despite his resolute spirit.

To his relief, Zhao Ruizhi wasn't completely unscathed. After enduring the barrage of lightning, his golden shield developed numerous cracks before shattering into fragments the very next moment.

Just then, the clouds below churned, and countless lightning bolts seemed to gather once more. His expression shifted, and he swiftly retreated to his previous floating island. Only then, with their target gone, did the lightning bolts gradually subside.

Zhao Ruizhi stood at the edge of his island, glaring at the oppressive dark clouds below, his face a stormy gray.

However, upon seeing the 'despicable couple' still embracing tightly on the opposite island, a surge of malevolent fury erupted within him. He instantly unleashed a golden streak of energy towards them.

Since he couldn't approach them directly, destroying them from afar would achieve the same result!

But as soon as the golden energy left his island, several terrifying lightning bolts materialized, instantly shattering it.

"Empress Teacher, what in the world is happening?" Zu An's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Hmph, just moments ago you were enjoying yourself so much with the Crown Princess, and now you remember me?" Mi Li's displeased voice echoed, though she proceeded to explain, "With the emergence of this new secret realm, the laws of heaven and earth are being reconstructed. The elemental forces are in an extremely unstable state, meaning any significant disturbance will provoke their furious backlash. That emperor's cultivation is so profound that even a minor action from him can trigger the maximum extent of elemental power. While such natural power is formidable under normal circumstances, in this volatile environment, it paradoxically makes him an entity rejected by the very heavens."

Zu An's excitement grew. "So, the emperor can't attack now?" he pressed.

"Roughly speaking, yes. The more power he exerts, the greater the backlash from the heavens and earth. So, for now, you should be safe." Mi Li was about to elaborate when she noticed Zu An had already moved to the edge of their floating island, gesturing wildly and singing towards Zhao Ruizhi:

"You can't catch me, there's no way, I'm just that strong! You can't catch me, la la la la la!"

Mi Li was speechless.

Bi Linglong was speechless.

Zhao Ruizhi was speechless.

Even Mi Li found his current behavior exasperating, let alone Zhao Ruizhi.

His eyes turned bloodshot, and he breathed heavily through his nose, glaring at Zu An with a look that promised violence.

His form flickered, and he charged again, this time with significantly greater speed.

Unfortunately, this intensified charge also provoked a far more terrifying reaction from the heavens and earth.

Dozens of thick lightning bolts wove into a net of pure purple, almost liquid-like energy that enveloped him. These were unlike any ordinary lightning bolts. Even from a distance, the very ground at the edge of their island was charred and crystallized by the raw electrical power, making the true intensity at the center of the storm unfathomable.

Even with the emperor's immense power, he couldn't withstand it. His outer golden shield quickly shattered, and then the rings on his hand flashed with golden light, each deflecting successive lightning bolts.

Bi Linglong gazed in astonishment at the jewel-encrusted rings on his hand. She had often seen them before, assuming they were merely decorative gifts from the Empress, intended to adorn her beloved son. She had never imagined they were all powerful magic artifacts.

To withstand such terrifying lightning, they must undoubtedly be artifacts of the highest caliber.

Alas, the power of heaven and earth proved too overwhelming to resist easily. The rings on Zhao Ruizhi's hand flashed repeatedly, each shattering after enduring for only a second or two.

However, this brief respite allowed Zhao Ruizhi to find an opportunity to retreat to his original floating island.

Gone was his previous calm demeanor. His hair stood on end like a bird's nest, his face was scorched in several places, and the hands hidden in his sleeves trembled faintly. Clearly, he had been severely battered by the lightning.

Zu An inwardly lamented. Upon hearing Mi Li's explanation, he had unhesitatingly unleashed his 'verbal assault' skill, intending to provoke the emperor into a reckless attack, hoping to use the heavens' power to eliminate him and remove a future threat. Alas, he hadn't anticipated the emperor's incredible resilience; even that terrifying sea of lightning couldn't claim his life.

From his distant island, Zhao Ruizhi quietly fixed his gaze on Zu An. The blood-red fury slowly receded from his eyes, and then he turned and walked towards the mountains behind him.

Zu An was taken aback. What on earth? Had his 'verbal assault' failed? Shouldn't the emperor have relentlessly pursued him until either one of them was dead?

This should be the only update for today. Normal updates will resume tomorrow.