Chapter 286: End

Zhu Lian, or the devil who assumed the name Zhu Lian, finally faced his end.

The enraged Elemental Lord, per the summoner's contract, took away the "devil." Bound by a being of this rank, its soul was doomed to eternal torment.

"A fire god summoning? That's truly excessive."

Li En knew the meaning of "surtr (fire)" — his elder (fire) was furnace-fire, while Dai Niya's flame had always been "Surtr's Fire (Fire God's Fire)."

When the "Monarch" fused with "Fire God's Fire," it became the "Authority of the Fire God."

She did not summon the Fire God; she commanded elemental beings in the name of the Fire God (elemental gods do not exist). Thus, the suspected Monarch-level Elemental Lord naturally felt humiliated.

A being of this rank should not be summoned by mortals; even having just one arm dragged into the mortal realm was an insult to it.

"The Dragon's Authority really has an absurd upper limit." Dragons are born with the privilege to command elements.

Dragon Tongue Speakers are, after all, sorcerers; their spellcasting relies on instinct, lacking the precision and modular structure of wizards, yet gaining greater "freedom."

Wizards manipulate rules and elemental forces through study, experimentation, and ancestral knowledge — this is what is called magic. Sorcerers cast spells entirely by instinct; though severely limited (far fewer spells), they can modify and adjust spells by instinct alone.

"I think it'll work — that's enough!" Before all these "I reckon"-level spell variants and overmagic techniques, sorcerers had driven wizards to rage more than once.

Li En increasingly understood the power of "Dragon Tongue" — it was always merely a mold, its strength never fixed. It was a collection of modules containing "concepts," capable of being assembled, revised, and enhanced.

Its greatest advantage, perhaps, was this ever-changing flexibility; as a bloodline ability system, its upper limit was the user themselves.

"Divine Power."

When a god's chosen infused Dragon Tongue with divine power, the resulting spells manifested as "divine-tier" incantations.

Normally, the spell should summon at most a single large fire elemental — yet it directly summoned a high-rank Elemental Lord.

"Huh."

Dai Niya spread her hands, divine fire gathering upon them.

As a chosen one, she not only held the title of "Princess," but also possessed a dragon bloodline with an astonishing upper limit.

Her current state was clearly not normal; even chosen ones don't reach this absurd level — gods aren't fools; no one could endure an open-ended supply of divine power.

Perhaps this was her historic moment — her god was granting her near-infinite support.

Her actions were miracles; her deeds would become the source of faith. Regardless, this "debt of salvation" ensured the entire city, even the kingdom, remembered the "Mirror Maiden's" grace — her spread of faith would now proceed far more smoothly.

In times of disaster, certain restrictions cease to be restrictions; even a race's patron deity may transcend its "race-restricted" identity.

The Demon Tide has always been a crisis, yet also an opportunity. Race deities are often "baseline," their upper limits directly tied to their race's prosperity. Given the dark elves' condition, the Mirror Maiden had always been a third- or even fourth-rate deity.

This time, having poured out so much divine power, the Mirror Maiden had clearly gone all-in.

The Mirror Spirit displayed the battlefield's events to the city's citizens, and Dai Niya's striking figure slaying the culprit Zhu Lian spread everywhere.

This was a miracle. Though it may seem like an ordinary battle now, after being refined by the church, the royal house, and poets, after "the sedimentation of history," it would naturally become a "great feat" worthy of being written into the gospels.

"Time is running short — keep going."

Dai Niya's words were abrupt, but Li En instantly understood.

Perhaps her power was drained significantly, or the Mirror God had deemed it sufficient and began withdrawing resources.

A chosen in normal state remains powerful, but that strength usually comes from their own cultivation. Only a chosen in "divine favor" state is truly terrifyingly strong.

"Boom!"

Dai Niya unleashed another burst of divine lightning, shattering the entire altar.

Use this divine possession state to accelerate the end of this battle.

"konungrsurtr (Descent of the Fire God)"

This time, the ground still turned into pools of magma, and elemental beings crawled forth — but Li En could sense most were merely low- to mid-rank entities.

"Go — destroy every altar."

Elemental legions were spellcasters' favorites—tireless, powerful, and crucially, lacking the cunning and deceit of lower-planar denizens, and the arrogance and fastidiousness of upper-planar ones.

This, considered the most usable "tool," became the main force of the third unit, beginning further slaughter.

As Zhu Lian's residence and base, this was deep within the cultists' stronghold; not far away lay the main battlefield in fierce combat.

Perfect — strike from within and without to crush the invading demons.

"Let's go — end this all." Dai Niya touched the ring on her hand, perhaps finally possessing her own confidence.