And at the very same moment she felt "hit," Caelus, appearing before her, had just clenched his fist and swung it toward her exquisite yet pale cheek.
Effect before cause.
Caelus anchored the result of "the Ice Empress's face being hit by his fist," and the World's rules automatically corrected Karma to ensure this result inevitably occurred.
That mysterious stinging sensation was the eerie manifestation of the result appearing before the cause.
Although the Ice Empress didn't understand why, her combat instincts made her immediately raise her hand, precisely blocking Caelus's seemingly non-threatening fist.
Her strength far exceeded Caelus's, making this block incredibly easy.
"Stupid..."
She was about to mock him when she saw a smirk play on the corner of Caelus's mouth, as if his scheme had succeeded.
At the very moment her palm made contact with Caelus's fist—
"Boom-Crack—!!!"
An incredibly abrupt crimson lightning bolt, carrying an aura of destruction and judgment, seemed to tear through the Void Realm and appeared out of nowhere, striking the Ice Empress squarely on the head.
"Arghhh—!!!"
The Ice Empress let out a shrill, agonized scream.
This crimson lightning was no ordinary bolt; the power within it seemed to strike directly at the Soul.
Her body, already on the verge of collapse, felt as if it had been thrown into a furnace. Her Origin seemed to violently vibrate and dissipate under this strike.
The emerald light surrounding her instantly dimmed. Her petite body emitted wisps of white smoke and, like a puppet with its strings cut, fell straight onto the cold snow with a "thud." Her aura became even weaker, almost like a candle flickering in the wind.
And the hundred thousand year snow lotus she had been guarding so tightly in her arms slipped out due to the sudden heavy blow, rolling to the side.
Caelus calmly stepped forward and bent down to pick up the snow lotus, which radiated a soft glow and the aura of life.
"Give... it... back... to me..."
Even though the Ice Empress's consciousness was blurred and her entire body was in agonizing pain, her gaze remained fixed on the snow lotus in Caelus's hand. Her voice was weak but carried a deep obsession.
That was the Snow Empress's last hope, more important than her own life.
However, to her and Zhang Lexuan's surprise in the distance, Caelus had no intention of taking it. He simply looked down at the snow lotus and then, without hesitation, gently placed it back within the Ice Empress's reach.
"Fine, I'll give it back to you."
"?!"
The Ice Empress was completely bewildered.
This human... did he not see how precious this hundred thousand year snow lotus was?
Why did he return it so easily? What on earth was he trying to do?
Caelus ignored her shock. Instead, he crouched down and reached out a finger, gently poking the Ice Empress's cheek, which appeared exceptionally pale due to weakness and pain.
"You're dying."
He stated a cold fact.
The Ice Empress's face darkened, a surge of nameless anger rising, but it was overshadowed by a deep sense of powerlessness.
She turned her head away to avoid Caelus's finger, but still used all her strength to pull the snow lotus back into her arms, as if it were her final sustenance.
"If you're going to kill me, just do it."
She snorted coldly and closed her eyes, assuming a posture of one awaiting execution.
Defeat was defeat; she, the Ice Empress, would not stoop to begging a human for mercy.
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