Chapter 687: Crystal Cores Everywhere

The transparent figure inside her dantian became clearer.

Purple and golden threads moved through the silver light surrounding it.

The purple threads came from the lightning she had absorbed.

The golden ones carried a small amount of heavenly power from the final bolt and blessed rain.

Chu Miao did not know what benefits they would bring yet.

For now, they had strengthened her transformed energy and made her foundation more stable.

Her divine sense continued expanding.

It passed through the crater and covered the surrounding ruins.

The entire City K appeared inside her mind.

She could sense the ashes left by millions of zombies.

Crystal cores were scattered everywhere.

Some were exposed on the roads, while others were buried beneath collapsed buildings.

There were so many that collecting them would take some time, even with their divine senses.

Chu Miao also searched for surviving zombies.

She found several weak energy fluctuations near the outskirts of the city.

Those zombies had been outside the sealing array when the tribulation began.

However, the eighty-first bolt had sent lightning through the streets and killed most of them.

The few that remained were severely injured.

They were no longer a threat.

Ye Xuan noticed her divine sense moving through the city.

“Can you see everything clearly?”

“Yes.”

“How far does your divine sense reach?”

Chu Miao extended it beyond the city.

It passed the highway barricades and continued toward the surrounding towns.

Only after reaching several hundred kilometers did she feel some strain.

She withdrew it.

“Farther than yours did immediately after your breakthrough.”

Ye Xuan gave her a helpless look.

“You are comparing us again.”

“I am only stating a fact.”

“Of course.”

Amusement flashed in Chu Miao’s eyes.

This was one of the things she liked about their relationship.

They could tease each other without worrying that the other person would feel threatened.

Ye Xuan was proud of her strength.

He had never wanted her to become weaker so he could protect her.

He preferred knowing that even when he was not nearby, she could protect herself and everyone around her.

The blessed rain continued for several minutes.

The White Tiger’s body slowly grew larger.

Its white fur became brighter, and the dark stripes across its body gained a faint golden glow.

Its claws became longer and sharper before returning to their normal size.

The ancient pressure surrounding it also increased.

The Black Tortoise remained quiet, but the patterns on its shell became clearer.

The lines resembled a complicated formation.

A faint layer of water appeared around its body, even though there was no water nearby.

Ye Xuan sensed his connection with it strengthening.

The Black Tortoise had recovered another small part of its former power.

When the rain began weakening, the White Tiger raised its head.

“Is that all?”

The Black Tortoise opened its eyes.

“You should be grateful.”

“I am grateful. I only think it could have lasted longer.”

“The heavenly dao does not negotiate.”

The White Tiger looked toward the clear sky.

“That is unfortunate.”

The last golden drops disappeared before reaching the ground.

The blessed rain had ended.

The White Tiger stood and shook its fur.

Several remaining droplets flew toward the Black Tortoise.

A transparent water barrier appeared above its shell and blocked them.

The White Tiger stared at it.

“You could have absorbed those.”

“They were covered in your fur.”

“My fur is clean.”

The Black Tortoise did not answer.

The White Tiger walked around it and examined the patterns on its shell.

“You look almost the same.”

“So do you.”

“My fur is brighter.”

“You are still white.”

Chu Miao listened to their conversation with an amused expression.

After the tension of the tribulation, their small disagreement made the destroyed city feel less gloomy.

She stood slowly.

Her injuries had completely healed.

Her combat uniform was still ruined, but the robe Ye Xuan gave her covered it.

She circulated her spiritual energy once.

A powerful but controlled pressure spread from her body.

The White Tiger and Black Tortoise stopped arguing and looked at her.

Ye Xuan immediately felt the difference.

“How is it?”

“My cultivation is stable.”

“And your space element?”

Chu Miao raised her hand.

A small passage opened beside her.

It looked ordinary at first, but the space within it was more stable than any passage she had created before.

She extended her divine sense through it.

The other end appeared outside City K, hundreds of kilometers away.

Before her breakthrough, creating such a long passage would have required preparation and a large amount of spiritual energy.

Now, she could do it with a wave of her hand.

Chu Miao closed the passage.

“My control has improved.”

“That is an understatement.”

She smiled.

Her strength had not fallen behind Ye Xuan’s.

In terms of physical power and lightning, he had an advantage.

However, her space element, divine sense, swordsmanship, and arrays gave her more methods of attack.

If they fought seriously, neither would win easily.

That was enough for her.

The White Tiger returned to its smaller form and walked to Chu Miao’s side.

The Black Tortoise also reduced its size before moving beside Ye Xuan.

Chu Miao opened the Soul Ring and sent both divine beasts inside.

Ye Xuan remained beside her.

“We should collect the crystal cores before leaving.”

“Yes. But first, I need to change.”

She entered the Soul Ring and reappeared a few minutes later in clean clothes.

Ye Xuan had used that time to replace his damaged outer robe.

They were preparing to collect the crystal cores when both stopped.

A deep vibration came from the Soul Ring.

Chu Miao immediately turned her attention inward.

The ground inside the space was trembling.

The spiritual spring rose several meters before spreading through the streams.

Mist covered the mountains.

The White Tiger and Black Tortoise, who had just entered, looked around cautiously.

Beyond the region Chu Miao had already explored, the barrier hiding the sealed part of the Soul Ring began to crack.

Golden light escaped through the openings.

Chu Miao and Ye Xuan exchanged looks.

Her advancement had awakened something inside the Soul Ring.