*Thud!*
In that split second, Xia Xin moved on pure instinct. She shoved Xila with both hands, pushing her back a step with her meager strength.
*Swish!*
Blood sprayed instantly. Xia Xin’s mind went blank. Agony ripped through her entire body in a flash, draining every ounce of strength. She didn’t even have the breath to scream.
*Ugh… So painful…*
*Why… did I step out like that…?*
Xia Xin couldn’t grasp what had driven her in that moment. Now, she lacked even the strength to seek the answer.
*Whoosh!*
The tail retracted, dragging Xia Xin’s limp body with it. It released her midair. She plunged into the massive vat in the workshop, swallowed by the boiling alchemy liquid.
"Witch Miss!" Xila’s raw scream tore through the air, a surge of pain and fury erupting within her—but Xia Xin could no longer hear it.
"Calamity Witch… She actually… did this!" Kreuz’s face was etched with pure shock. He stared upward, disbelief choking his voice. "If the Calamity Witch’s body serves as nourishment… It’s done! O great Demon God, descend upon this World!"
"You… filthy beast!" Xila gritted her teeth. Elements around her turned violently chaotic, surging toward her palms and igniting into searing flames.
*BOOM!!!*
The explosion ripped through the air. Flames ignited the alchemical mist, engulfing the entire workshop in a cataclysmic blast.
All Xila wanted was to shred that wretched creature to pieces!
*Swish!*
Unexpectedly, a flash of light sliced through the chaos. The raging explosion was forcibly suppressed. As smoke cleared… the seal in the sky had vanished.
*It’s out!*
*Swish!*
A shadow darted past Xila. A gash tore across her chest before she could react. *What was that?! Too fast to see!*
*Tch… Whatever it is… how dare you do that to Witch Miss… I’ll never forgive you!*
Rage ignited Xila’s body. Power surged within her. No matter the cost, she’d tear this thing apart!
*ROAR!*
The shadow lunged at her back—but in that instant, scorching flames flash-froze into glacial ice, spreading rapidly and trapping the figure.
*ROAR! ROAR!!!*
Xila whirled around. The so-called Ancient Demon Remnant was a beastkin girl… with a metallic tail thrashing as it snarled at her.
*No! Not snarling!*
Light flared in its maw. A beam lanced out, grazing Xila’s cheek and leaving a bloody streak.
*What kind of attack is this?!*
*What monster is this?!*
But no matter what—it had to be destroyed. At any cost.
…
…
What does death feel like?
Xia Xin didn’t know.
Though she’d died once before, she still couldn’t answer that question.
Now, she felt like a drowning person—unable to breathe, too weak to struggle, sinking slowly into icy darkness. Everything had already slipped beyond her reach.
*Is it… really over like this…?* Xia Xin never imagined her second life would be so brief, leaving no trace on this world.
*Fine. Like a dream that lasted a few extra days…*
Just as she surrendered, a beam of light pierced the darkness before her.
It grew like a sapling, sprouting branches that stretched and intertwined, blossoming into a towering tree right before her eyes.
*This is…?*
Xia Xin reached out, touching a branch—
*Huh? Why did it snap?*
At her touch, the light behind the branch dissolved.
*What’s happening?*
She blinked. Her vision cleared. There was no ocean—only green alchemy liquid surrounding her. *Ah! My eyes sting! My whole body aches!*
*Wait… this pain… Does it mean I’m not dead?!*
*Gurgle! Gwaaah!*
A sound reached her. Someone had grabbed her hand, pulling her upward.
*Gah!*
Breaking the liquid’s surface, Xia Xin gasped for air—*cough!*—she’d never endure being soaked in boiling alchemy liquid again!
*Ow! Ow! Ow! My body’s on fire!*
"Xia… Xia Xin! Are you alright?!"
Xia Xin turned. Sally had pulled her out. She’d… jumped straight into the scalding liquid?!
*Sniff… This kid really is an angel.*
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Explosions echoed from above. Xia Xin crawled out of the vat and looked up—*Gasp!* What was *that*?!
A small beastkin-like creature clashed with Xila midair. Magic and raw power collided, triggering blast after blast.
*Xila… Is that really Xila?!*
Behind Xila, a pitch-black wing beat fiercely. System text flickered before Xia Xin’s eyes:
【Your retainer "Xila Alighieri" has awakened a new power.】
【Devil King's Wings: Wrath (Forged in extreme fury. Grants immense physical fortitude and signifies qualification to become the Demon King.)】
More notifications flooded in:
【Task III: "Release the Ancient Demon Remnant" completed. Reward: Massive Constitution boost.】
【Immersion in alchemical potion has greatly enhanced your Constitution.】
【Immersion in alchemical potion has greatly enhanced your Magic Aptitude.】
【Immersion in alchemical potion has greatly enhanced your Poison Resistance.】
【Due to unknown cause, you touched █████. The story’s path has shifted unpredictably.】
Xia Xin stared, dumbfounded.
*Was I down for only minutes?*
*And what’s this "unpredictable shift"?*
*Is it Xila’s Demon King wing? Or…*
Something was approaching from the sky.
Xia Xin looked up. The workshop ceiling had long been blown apart by the battle. Through the hole, a streak of fire streaked toward them.
*No… No way!*
*That thing is—*
