129,600 years of cultivation.
No amount of feebleness could suppress the delight the Ant Goddess felt upon rising to that rank, the rank that now allowed her to meet True Gods as an equal. But little did she know that while she relished in her success, the long-awaited wish of 129,600 years of cultivation, someone watched her from afar. That someone naturally was Yvonne. And as soon as the cosmic tribulation dispersed, Yvonne vanished from the serpent tribe, turned into a wave of dark sand, and snuck onto the World Tree.
And before the weakened Ant Goddess could sense her presence, Yvonne emerged from the shadow, unleashed Konrad's Chthonian Dagger, and struck!
In a barely audible piercing sound, the Chthonian Dagger pierced the World Tree, and erupted in a massive explosion of chthonian energies that spread throughout the tree and intensified its perpetual wailing as it sought and assailed all life in its path!
And for the first time in more than one-hundred thousand years of cultivation, the Ant Goddess' prime position within the World Tree worked against her as she bore the brunt of the sudden strike!
The chthonian energies barreled into her, forcing her out of her recovery stage to assault her internal organs, energy center, and soul! Her life essence was forced into action, but corrupted by the chthonian force, it fell in disarray, failed to cope, failed to adapt, and allowed the eldritch power to wreak havoc within the Ant Goddess' unstable body!
*BOOM*
*PUH*
One ringing explosion echoed from within the Ant Goddess' body, and while struggling to suppress that force whose origin she knew far too well, she spurted a massive gush of blood! Starting from her lower abdomen, black marks stretched across her body to cover her from head to toe!
Mustering the full might of her available cultivation base, she fought to contain the damage and managed to stop it from reaching an irreversible level. Alas, what damage it did, was already far too much!
Rage, fury, and outrage burned to the extreme within the Ant Goddess, enflaming her heart with a potency she didn't believe those emotions capable of.
Careless!
She was far too careless! Confident in the belief that no one would risk approaching her during the Cosmic Tribulation and that in the aftermath, the combination between hers and the World Tree's defenses would keep her safe, she allowed herself to indulge in that short moment of glory, all to give those heinous creatures the opportunity to deal her this heavy blow!
"Hateful! Incomparably hateful!"
The Ant Goddess snarled and unleashed the World Trees' roots onto Yvonne!
They burst from underground and soared toward her. But before they could hit home, Yvonne's lips curled into a smirk, and bright forest-green light erupted from her form. When the roots reached those forest-colored forces, they stopped, trembled, and recoiled, returning whence they came!
The Ant Goddess' eyes widened in disbelief.
"The Essence Ruler Physique?"
The Ant Goddess wondered in a stupor. The Essence Ruler Physique was unique to the Nature Spirits, and those rare few able to snatch it from them. Not only did it grant the user an innate ability at controlling life essence, it also enabled them to dominate the earth, water, nature, and life laws of others!
Although the Ant Goddess had obtained the report claiming Yvonne refined the Tree Ancestor's blood, she didn't expect her to succeed in unlocking that physique! Through it, even her demonic blood wouldn't stop the World Tree from being partial to her!
Worse, that physique stood infinitely close to the God Rank, needing only a step to breakthrough!
"Why? WHY? SOMEONE TELL ME WHY?!!!"
The Ant Goddess snarled, unable to endure this turn of events. This was too much to bear. First, she confronted that detestable deviant of an emperor, and not only had her daughter ruined in his hands but also suffered a crushing defeat!
Then, she dispatched her armies against the Infernal Cult, but was forced into retreat before she could even graze their barrier! And now that she finally succeeded in breaking through?
A sneak attack, a grievous injury, and the inability to vent her frustration!
Wronged! Never in her life did she ever feel so wronged!
"Konrad of the Jade Dynasty, if I don't feast on your heart and drink from your skull, my name is not Nessriane!"
Nessriane, the Ant Goddess, roared, and her voice resounded throughout the Ancient Crystal World, startling all, without exception.
Of course, Yvonne had already departed from the scene to return to her headquarters.
…
Meanwhile, in the underground domain beneath the World Tree, the wild echo of the name "Konrad" hacked at the eardrums of a petite woman, who curled into a ball while recalling the degrading events she'd endured at the man's hands.
"In you, I don't need a woman. I need a slave."
"What an unsightly disappointment."
"Yo, darling Goddess, hurry up and come bargain for your worthless daughter before I feed her to my hounds."
"You're one of the finest cum-drainers I've had in a while."
The derogatory words and images swirled without end within Ilkaalt's mind as she relieved the events that filled with the epitome of pain and shameful bliss. And the atrocious realization that down, she wished to receive his abuse all over again, plunged her into a deeper abyme.
Her pride and dignity had been trampled to no end, leaving nothing behind, but worse, all that degradation served no purpose besides branding her as a cheap whore. And every day, she saw the scene of her impending death.
Rage and hatred seared her heart, rage, and hatred all aimed at the man that made her feel like the lowest of trash:
Konrad!
"Remember, my name is Konrad."
And indeed, she remembered, never would she forget.
"I will not sit and wait for death. Konrad, I can't forgive you. I will have my revenge!"
Ilkaalt snarled, and on that night, she volunteered to lead the Zenith Ant's Saint-level army to raze the Barbarian Continent to the ground while the Sages contended with the Infernal Cult.
Her goal? Rob the life essence of those billions of citizens to forcefully increase her strength and avert her woeful fate!
Little did she know that this cry of rebellion went according to Konrad's plans, and brought her ever closer to the fate she now struggled against.
