Chapter 423 The Strongest Starlight Blooms - Socially Anxious Witch in the Apocalypse

Luo He–that is the name of this fallen Supreme God. To be precise, it's a phonetic transcription; the exact spelling and meaning are no longer significant. A long time ago, he was born on a dump planet at the edge of the universe. At six years old, Luo He's father died, buried under the cascade of waste from the sky as he scavenged. By eleven, his mother had succumbed to exhaustion. Thus, Luo He became an orphan scavenger. Fortune smiled on him when he retrieved a peculiar soul ring from the refuse. Inside the ring resided the fragmented soul of an old man with a white beard. From that point, Luo He's ascent began, setting him on a path to godhood. At sixteen, he killed the illegitimate son of an interstellar governor, thus incurring the governor's wrath and a relentless pursuit. During his escape, Luo He aligned with multiple renowned factions, each recognizing his potential and entrusting him with their legacies, hoping he would transform the world. Before long, the governor's forces caught up, annihilating the factions that harbored Luo He. The enmity between them grew deeper. When Luo He ascended to godhood, the vengeful governor arrived, poised to strike him down. The old man's soul within the ring perished trying to protect Luo He in the ensuing battle. After this confrontation, Luo He's mind became twisted. Perhaps it had been warped long before. As a god, Luo He traversed various star realms, cultivating strength before returning to obliterate the governor's forces, fulfilling his promise to those who had sheltered him. He changed the world, changed the universe. Subsequently, Luo He participated in several wars among gods, narrowly escaping death repeatedly. Luo He came to realize a truth. Gods are merely larger ants. Determined, he embarked on a journey to become the mightiest, the supreme ruler of the universe. Under this ambition, Luo He seemed to grow without limits, progressing at an astonishing pace until he truly became the Supreme God of the universe. He was invincible. Then, his newfound supremacy drew external enemies. Luo He waged a deadly battle, managing to slay his opponent, only to discover it to be merely an avatar. Had the true form arrived, his fate would have been certain death. Luo He realized his universe was not as powerful as he believed, and his title of Supreme God, merely empty. He needed more power. But how to progress further became a dilemma. Luo He departed from his universe on a quest, fortuitously discovering a secret method. The method revealed that by sacrificing the universe of his birth, he could seize its essence and ascend further. Initially, Luo He was torn. He remembered those who had died for him. Indecision gripped him. Yet after suffering repeated humiliating defeats, he resolved to use the secret method to blood sacrifice the entire universe. Unbeknownst to Luo He, the so-called secret method was a ploy. During the blood sacrifice, he was ambushed, nearly perishing. In the battle, most of the universe's essence was seized, and he was cursed by the endless wraiths of the sacrificed universe. Luo He roared towards the sky, blood streaming, realizing it was all a scheme, but with the universe sacrificed, there was no turning back. He believed that by finding a place to heal and recover, he could return to his prime and exact revenge. However, Luo He didn't anticipate that under the curse, his power would continually wane. More troubling was that no matter what universe he entered, he would be marked. Soon, many formidable beings would hunt him. Only in universes teetering on the brink of destruction could he linger a bit longer. But as soon as he made his move, being marked was inevitable. Thus, the witch must be slain swiftly. Boom! The void shattered as the attack of the fallen Supreme God, Luo He, was intercepted. Surprise flickered on his face; he hadn't anticipated that the witch, Su Miao, would possess such formidable strength to repel his surprise assault. Su Miao remained expressionless, elegantly wielding an alloy staff, smashing fiercely towards the chaos. There was elegance, tinged with a touch of anger. Boom! A massive explosion tore through the void. Luo He was forced to retreat again, looking grim. The gods seeking opportunities in the Abyss of Ruins shivered at the destructive aura. "Who is that?" "Someone just mentioned it—a fallen Supreme God who performed a universe blood sacrifice." "What a joke, a Supreme God? If a Supreme God is here, what exactly is in this Abyss of Ruins?" "He's not just after the witch; he wants to kill us all." "Dammit, maybe he's planning to blood sacrifice this inner world." "No, I've seen Supreme Gods before. One look from them could kill us all." "That's why he's a fallen Supreme. He's broken the divine threshold. We might destroy other worlds, invade other universes, but blood sacrifice an entire universe? How could he dare? I hope the witch can kill this fallen Supreme God." "Hiss, the witch actually stopped the attack. Is she done pretending?" "The witch might really be able to kill him." "Don't jinx it!" "……" Time was of the essence. Luo He had to end this quickly. He made up his mind, his hands coming together in a gesture, invoking the elements—earth, wind, water, fire—mimicking the universe's rebirth as endless laws converged. He intended to kill the witch in one strike. This was his ultimate move, the greatest testament to his former supremacy. This killer blow required some moments to prepare. Theoretically, it would put him in an extremely dangerous state. But should the witch dare to use this moment for a close-range assault, it would spell her doom. As for any long-range attacks, they would merely become part of his ultimate strike. "Witch, die!" Luo He declared. A destructive aura engulfed billions of miles. The gods trembled in terror; some demons and evil gods who could not escape in time felt despair. A skill that required charging… Su Miao watched Luo He prepare his ultimate move, observing the intertwining laws around him. She tightly gripped the Starshard Staff, offering six fragments of divinity, two divine cores, and several demon king shards, transforming them into pure magical energy. Simultaneously, overwhelming magical energy flooded into the Starshard Staff, compressing furiously. For reasons unknown, in sensing this terrifying magical energy, Su Miao felt a tinge of excitement. This is the inner world, not the Earth universe; she could unleash Starlight Burst with impunity, the most powerful Starlight Burst to date. Starlight Burst! Boom! In an instant, darkness enveloped everything, as though a torrent of starlight compressed from countless star domains rushed toward Luo He. In that moment, Luo He realized he had underestimated the witch, Su Miao. Her power exceeded his expectations. However, he was once a bona fide Supreme God! "Witch, die!" Thunder, woven from countless laws, blasted out, colliding with Su Miao's Starlight Burst. In an instant, mountains crumbled, the sun and moon sank, chaos engulfed the heavens and earth, consuming all life. The gods who witnessed this battle halted their breath in that moment. Hundreds of demons and evil gods who failed to escape were obliterated by the devastating impact, dying gruesomely on the spot. A few who fled quickly were still affected, gravely injured, fleeing thousands of miles without pause. Even the Abyss of Ruins near the battlefield disintegrated partially under this apocalyptic impact, stirring great turmoil within, a sight of extreme horror. Su Miao gripped the Starshard Staff tightly, pouring nearly boundless magical energy into it. The dense magical energy of the inner world also gathered frantically, supporting her attack. Perhaps she had been suppressed by impending doom for too long. Perhaps she felt small and weak for too long. Today, facing the assault of a fallen Supreme God, Su Miao experienced the threat of facing death directly. At this moment, her true heart broke free from the protection of absolute rationality, unleashing the most powerful strike of her life. Then, the outcome became clear. The attack unleashed by the fallen Supreme God Luo He seemed powerful, but shackled and distracted. If you can't kill me, then you will be the one who dies! She had never seen a fallen Supreme God's core, perhaps it was superior to the newly acquired divine core! The witch's hat flew off, pink hair billowing, and Su Miao, gripping the Starshard Staff, quivered, yet the power of the Starlight Burst attack surged threefold! Instantly, the starlight torrent pierced through the laws and thunder of the fallen Supreme God Luo He. How is this possible?! Luo He's face was marked by disbelief. Luo He couldn't believe that the witch, Su Miao, shattered his attack; how could this witch possess such formidable power? As the fallen Supreme God, his arsenal was vast. He immediately summoned several artifacts. First was a mirror, his lifebound artifact capable of reflecting any enemy attack. Though his declining power had cursed this artifact, using it to deal with a witch should have posed no problem. However, just as he brought out the mirror to counterattack Su Miao, the curse within him erupted. A shroud of pitch-black malice clouded his lifebound artifact and activated the curse within the mirror. Luo He let out a wretched scream. He was filled with rage, trying to reverse the curse, but it was too late. The starlight torrent struck the mirror, overshadowed by the black malice, and it shattered within 0.06 seconds. For a brief moment, Luo He saw those dark resentments ignite with excitement in the starlight torrent, being obliterated to nothingness. The witch's attack could actually annihilate the curse of resenting souls entwined with him. It felt like he had discovered a new world. Immediately, he adjusted his strategy, suppressing the curse inside while actively moving towards the starlight torrent. Intertwining countless laws, a turtle-shell-like defensive bastion formed around Luo He. Success! The remaining task was to guide the cursed spirits out, letting them willingly face the torrent. If fortune sided with him, he could rid himself of these endless cursed spirits and return to his supreme status. Hahaha! Then he would blood sacrifice this universe too! This time, victory would be his! He would finally track down the adversaries who once deceived him and kill them all. As for this witch, considering her significant contribution, perhaps he could begrudgingly spare her life, assigning her the task of cleansing the curses and resentful spirits generated by subsequent universe sacrifices. ... "Is the fallen Supreme God being suppressed?" "Is this the true power of the witch?!" Great Demon Lord Kento, having fled quickly, stood at a distance watching the battle, his heart gripped by fear. He had underestimated Su Miao's power, never imagining she could battle a fallen Supreme God. Even with a decline in this Supreme God's power, he was still someone to be revered. Not to mention, this fallen Supreme God had once sacrificed an entire universe. "Northern Kun Demon of the Taboo Abyss Sea really died in vain," said a three-headed, six-armed demon god coldly. "Unless the Taboo Abyss Sea wishes to make an enemy of the witch." An ancient tree-like demon god said, "No, the issue isn't whether the Taboo Abyss Sea would oppose the witch, but rather if they should worry about the witch coming for them." ... "This fallen Supreme God seems suppressed, but he's still withstanding the witch's attack." "There must be a plot!" "A fallen Supreme God capable of blood-sacrifice won't succumb so easily." "It's true, the witch's attack is powerful, but with so many laws contained, such force must come at a great cost. It would be difficult to unleash a second strike." "No wonder the fallen Supreme God has no limits, he's too cunning and hard to kill." "I've heard killing a God who blood-sacrificed a universe can yield very special benefits. Too bad the witch won't get them." "When the witch eventually falls, we'll strike immediately. We cannot let this fallen Supreme God escape, or he will surely seek to kill us and recover his losses." "You must be out of your mind to brawl with a fallen Supreme God." "Don't you want the fallen Supreme God's divine core? It's legitimate." "......" The increased power of Starlight Burst could not penetrate Luo He's defense. Su Miao was a bit surprised but also delighted. When testing spells, there's no better target than this fallen Supreme God. Just as Su Miao prepared to channel more divine essence to amplify Starlight Burst's power, Luo He made a new move. He squeezed a part of the cursed spirits from his body, opening a small gap in his complex laws defense, directing these spirits toward the starlight torrent. Su Miao found herself puzzled by the fallen Supreme God's maneuver. In an instant, the cursed spirits ignited. Starlight spread, extending into Luo He's defensive shell, enveloping his very being. Over the years, the universe's cursed spirits had become inseparable from his essence. "Ah!" Luo He screamed in extreme agony. "Die! Die!" "Luo He, you truly deserve to die!" "So many looked up to you; how could you betray them?" "Do you see those children? They once saw you as a hero, and yet you destroyed everything." "Traitor, have you forgotten your master who perished saving you?" "Traitor, have you forgotten the old man who sacrificed himself for you?" "Traitor, have you forgotten them?" "Let's die together!" "..." Luo He wailed in pain, attempting to suppress the burning cursed spirits, but restraining them meant restraining himself. Yet failing to do so would see his body continue to burn until he and the spirits perished together. But suppressing them hindered his defense. He had hoped to cleanse the cursed spirits for good, but his cleverness backfired, leaving him at a dead end. Worse still, the impacted law shell that wasn't fully sealed allowed the starlight torrent to break through, striking directly at Luo He's essence, fueling the flames. At that moment, Luo He understood that Su Miao's Starlight Burst was the bane of cursed soul spirits. Once set ablaze, extinguishing them was nearly impossible. No wonder the usually hidden cursed spirits broke free in a frenzy; they intended to drag him to death. Simultaneously, the inner world's void roared with terrifying thunder, laws of destruction intertwining with malice. It was divine retribution meant to obliterate a fallen Supreme God like him. He had been discovered. "Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" The fallen Supreme God Luo He spread his arms, laughing loudly. He glared viciously at Su Miao; it was all this damned witch's fault. Why not surrender that divine core and avoid all this? Now, it was all over. Yet, even if he fell here today, he would ensure the witch met a grim fate. "Witch, let's die together!" The fallen Supreme God Luo He brandished a needle. Its material unknown, the needle's mere presence sent tremors through the inner world's realm, drastically amplifying the divine retribution's potency. With this needle, Luo He had previously slain countless formidable foes. However, every use came at a great cost, requiring tens of thousands of years to recuperate. Under normal circumstances, he would never have employed it, but facing imminent demise, what else was there to lose? Sadly, to this day, he still didn't know what material the needle was made of. However, using it against the witch, there'd be no issue. Luo He forced the black needle, aiming to kill Su Miao. Meanwhile, Su Miao noticed the black needle Luo He produced, instantly engulfed by a shadow of death. Sensing danger, she left behind a magical illusion clone, ready to flee. Suddenly, the black needle ignited... The black needle caught fire, its contained dreadful energy erupted, resulting in a deafening explosion that shattered Luo He to pieces. The magical illusion clone Su Miao left was obliterated by the shockwave. Even a Supreme God venturing into the battlefield to seek opportunity met their demise in this catastrophic blast. Blood poured from the sky, a shocking spectacle. "How is this possible?" A severely injured Luo He plummeted from the void. His entire being was ablaze with starlight fire, growing ever fiercer. Boom! The fallen Supreme God crashed into the ground, creating a deep chasm, engulfing everything in fiery starlight, uncertain how long it would burn. In the dimness, the gods could faintly see numerous apparitions emerging from the chasm, saluting the void, only to vanish in starlight flames. ... "What? The fallen Supreme God was slain by the witch? The witch perished too?" "It won't be long before this place becomes a new forbidden zone." "No, the fallen Supreme God isn't dead yet. See, the divine retribution in the sky hasn't dissipated." "Even after all that, he's still alive?" “What a pity for the witch. Had she continued to grow, who knows how terrifying she might have become.” “After this, once the divine retribution concludes, it’ll be time to reap the rewards.” “Kehehehe.” (End of Chapter)