Chapter 1052: The End of the Floating City

ParrasFloatingCity is the Empire's largest floating city!

More than two hundred years ago, Kai'ersitong, to attract people to his domain, poured countless effort and blood, and built ParrasFloatingCity without regard to cost.

The entire floating city rests on a massive red rock as its base, its surface polished smooth like dreamlike crystal, with the top leveled to build the city. Outside the giant rock are three concentric city rings, linked by golden corridors; walking on the bridges feels like strolling on clouds.

Dozens of towers rise from the ground within the city, shimmering with magical aura.

Between the towers are beautiful gardens and fountains; a dozen rivers run through the city, spilling from its outer edge into waterfalls that scatter into mist and rainbows in the sky, framing the red giant rock that supports the whole city, like a fairyland.

ParrasFloatingCity is like a unique grand masterpiece, earning Kai'ersitong a great reputation.

Since its completion, Kai'ersitong has continuously expanded his floating city, investing countless resources and wealth; because its area is vast, a second Ten-ring Spell was installed, making it the Empire's only floating city capable of casting two Ten-ring Spells.

But today.

This historically largest, most magnificent, most indestructible floating city has been shot down!

Millions of Nuosiruier's residents opened their eyes and saw ParrasFloatingCity falling from the sky; instantly, everyone was stunned.

Even the heavens' gods echoed with shock.

The embodiments of the Empire's three gods—God of Magic's expression shifted slightly; having seen a Star Destroyer, they remained composed; the God of Justice's holy radiance flared; the Mother Earth, staring at the Star Destroyer, could not hide her surprise.

Explosions continuously rang over ParrasFloatingCity, like successive thunderclaps, unending.

More than six thousand Thunder Spear Missiles, each as powerful as an Eight-Ring Spell, in one barrage destroyed almost every building in the city.

The towers collapsed one by one, turning into ruins.

The people on the floating city were blown to fragments, burned to ash; fewer than thirty percent survived.

ParrasFloatingCity also had the largest population among all floating cities, about three hundred thousand; the battle erupted suddenly, most did not evacuate, were carried together in a leap to Nuosiruier, and perished in the flames before understanding what happened.

The most magnificent and beautiful floating city turned in an instant into a human inferno.

The floating city stores backup energy; when the Iola Core's power is cut, it activates automatically.

However, that barrage of Thunder Spear Missiles was too lethal; hundreds of missiles penetrated the floating city and exploded, destroying the rune array that stored energy, rendering emergency measures ineffective.

"No…"

A desperate roar echoed from Kai'ersitong's tower.

He watched helplessly as the floating city he poured countless effort into fell apart toward ruin, while he could do nothing.

The Wizards and residents of the city cried out deafeningly.

God of Magic let out a sigh, reached toward the falling ParrasFloatingCity, made a voided grasp; a massive divine power erupted within ParrasFloatingCity, instantly repairing part of the rune array damaged by the Thunder Spear Missiles, successfully activating the backup energy.

ParrasFloatingCity barely regained balance, its descent slowed, and it gently descended toward the mountains.

They were saved.

However, the people on Flaniss Floating City who saw this scene felt boundless terror; the Transcendent Army, originally on standby at Eight-Leaf Plaza, instantly scrambled like a pot about to explode.

The Eight-Leaf members, several legendary Wizards leading the army, all wore terrified faces.

Ma Youfu, in the tower's top level, let out a scream.

"Teacher!"

Tim*Kenan's complexion also changed dramatically; the attacks from those small floating cities far exceeded his expectations, not only casting spells at incredible speed but also at extreme range!

He noticed a detail.

The largest steel fortress was still gathering energy, not attacking; that massive cannon barrel, after ParrasFloatingCity fell, turned toward Flaniss!

But by then, Flaniss's attack had already been released.

The ultimate Arcane Fireball transformed into a beam of light, flying away like lightning, straight toward the largest steel fortress above the West Mountain region.

"We retreat!"

Tim*Kenan no longer dared to hope for victory and chose to retreat without hesitation.

Because of the Iola Core's energy output limit, the floating city, while maintaining its protective barrier, must either cast offensive spells or perform a planar leap to retreat; it can choose only one.

Flaniss's magical glow faded, the Arcane barrier expanded with full force, becoming thicker and sturdier; the entire floating city rippled with void waves, simultaneously soaring backward, increasing the distance.

This is a sign of abandoning the attack and preparing to leap.

However, Flaniss requires five minutes to initiate a planar leap, which is already fast for a floating city, yet at this moment every person in Flaniss, including Tim*Kenan, felt each second stretched endlessly.

Five minutes is enough for the enemy's beams to fire ten volleys!

Boom—

The ultimate Arcane Fireball hit the target.

On the Victory-class Star Destroyer, Lei En sat steadily on the captain's throne, never considering dodging the enemy's spell, allowing the ultimate Arcane Fireball to strike the Star Destroyer.

A semi-transparent force field materialized, over fifty meters thick; the Arcane flame erupted a crater, with high temperature, explosion, and erosion—after the terrifying energy burst, it vanished instantly, not even damaging a single piece of armor.

"Just like that."

Lei En said softly, unsurprised by the result.

The Victory-class Star Destroyer measures a full length of 2,100 meters, more than three times that of an Empire-class, with volume over ten times larger, providing ample space to construct thicker armor, larger rune arrays, and more power sources.

"Augustus" installed three Iola Cores, tripling its energy output limit, and its deflection field's defensive power surged accordingly!

Additionally, the Victory-class possesses two super‑giant Titan Furnaces; at full power, its main cannon's potency reaches an Eleven-ring Spell!

It also has 128 dual‑mounted Electric Light Cannons, twenty Sky‑Holding Colossi, five hundred missile launch units, and a stock of ten thousand Thunder Spear Missiles.

Eight hangars can transport up to one hundred thousand Transcendent Army troops!

This is a sky fortress!

In attack, defense, and speed, Augustus has no weakness; in the Prime Material Plane it is invincible, and even the avatars of the gods appear powerless before it. Even if a deity's true form descends, Lei En is confident he could hold out for a long time.

A mere ultimate Arcane Fireball, whose potency ranks among the lowest of Ten-ring Spells, attempting to breach Augustus is sheer folly.

Its attack effect is only slightly better than scratching an itch.

The Augustus's main cannon is still charging; to distinguish it from the Empire-class main guns, Lei En named it the "Annihilation Cannon".

Charging the Annihilation Cannon takes forty‑five seconds, and a single discharge consumes three hundred pounds of source crystals.

Ten seconds left…

Lei En silently counted in his mind, looked up at the sky, and saw a meteor a hundred meters in diameter falling from high above.

Ten-ring Spell—Meteorite Art!

It was released by KangJieladeGreatSage from the Ien Floating City, the strongest earth‑type spell, perhaps unrivaled.

Meteorite Art is not formed by condensed energy, but summons a massive rock from the earth‑element plane; it is a tangible object of staggering weight, whose high‑altitude fall inflicts terrifying damage—a purely physical attack.

Lei En's thought shifted, and the Electric Light Cannon on the deck of the Augustus fired skyward.

The Electric Light Cannons of eight Empire-class Star Destroyers also launched bolts of lightning, forming hundreds of links that converged on the meteor from all directions.

Bang bang bang bang…

Countless shards splintered; in a few seconds the meteor shed a layer under the Electric Light Cannon, its volume reduced by a third.

Boom!

With a deafening crash, the meteor struck the upper deck of the Augustus solidly.

The deflection field had already fully opened, and the massive meteor instantly shattered into countless pieces, releasing a terrifying shock that made the entire Star Destroyer shudder.

But that was all.

The Augustus merely shook, then stabilized; its altitude didn't drop, and the countless fragments were repelled by the field, leaving it unscathed.

In the Ien Floating City, the GrandSage shook his head helplessly.

"Too strong!"

Millions of mortals in Nuosiruier were stunned beyond measure; the Ten-ring Spell could not inflict any damage.

Even the gods above took notice.

On the plaza of the Temple of Truth, an Imperial Senator exclaimed, "Eleven-ring! At least an Eleven-ring Spell is needed to threaten the Consul's Floating City!"

"Just a threat…"

"The Consul's Floating City's defenses are so strong, what about its offense?" many Imperial Senators noted that the Augustus was still charging and had not yet launched an attack.

While people were shocked, they also saw nine steel fortresses launch a volley of Thunder Spear Missiles.

Although they did not know the name of the Thunder Spear Missiles, they had witnessed its destructive power—one barrage had razed Duke Hong Shi's Floating City. Now, over two thousand missiles were launched, streaking like lightning toward Flaniss.

Everyone's hearts were suspended in dread.

Could Flaniss also be following in the wake of Palas?

Suddenly, the sky fell into darkness again—not true darkness, but a stark contrast caused by an overwhelming brightness from something.

This time everyone saw the attack clearly.

The Augustus fired a massive beam dozens of meters wide, like a white sword, instantly tearing Nuosiruier's dark sky.

To the observers, the instant seemed to stretch endlessly; within a hundred‑mile radius the world fell utterly silent, only that beam remaining in view. Yet the sensation was fleeting—in a heartbeat the beam crossed over thirty miles and struck Flaniss.

Flaniss's barrier was pierced.

The Ten-ring VijesCui Arcane Barrier, powered by the Iola Core, had its defense pushed to the limit, yet before that beam it was as fragile as paper.

The white light pierced the barrier, skimming the city's high towers, crossing the Floating City, and shot out from the opposite side.

The beam didn't extinguish until it was over sixty miles away.

When the sky brightened again, people saw a straight pale trace spanning the horizon for a hundred miles—a ripple left by the pierced void.

In that moment, both gods and mortals fell silent.

In Flaniss's high tower, Tim*Kenan broke out in cold sweat, his face pale; the beam was clearly aimed at him, and had the Arcane Barrier not briefly blocked and altered its angle, he would already have died.

Beside him, Ma Youfu's body went rigid, his pupils reflecting the over two thousand Thunder Spear Missiles hurtling toward the city.

"We're done!"

Tim*Kenan closed his eyes in pain.

The Arcane Barrier was violently pierced, triggering a chain reaction that destroyed part of the Floating City's rune formation.

The Iola Core's energy was cut off; although stored backup power activated, keeping the Floating City aloft, other numerous rune formations failed, and a single person could not possibly withstand such a frantic bombardment.

He could do nothing.

Residents of Flaniss's Floating City gathered on the central plaza around the Eight-Leaf Legion, all screaming in terror, fleeing desperately for cover. Some Wizards abandoned their families and comrades, teleporting out of the Floating City.

On the bridge of the Augustus, Lei En watched everything expressionlessly.

"Lei En."

A faint voice sounded beside his ear; Lei En looked up at the God of Magic in the heavens, its eyes revealed above the veil, and whispered, "You have already won; cease needless slaughter, for sparing them serves you better."

The Earth Mother Goddess, her face full of compassion, also said, "Consul, please spare your subordinates."

Tiriel, God of Justice, shook his head slightly.

"I shall obey the divine decree," Lei En replied immediately.

The exchange between the deity and Lei En concluded in an instant, and the Thunder Spear Missiles soaring across the sky suddenly altered course, soaring upward again.

Some Thunder Spear Missiles missed their targets by only a few meters, whizzing overhead, their lightning‑shaped tails stinging the eardrums.

Many had already closed their eyes, awaiting death.

After a few seconds nothing happened; opening their eyes they saw the Thunder Spear Missiles all veer away, flying out of Flaniss.

"We didn't die!"

"Goddess, I actually survived…"

The hundreds of thousands of Flaniss residents, exalted beings and Wizards wept with joy; some clutched companions and sobbed, others collapsed outright.

Tim*Kenan exhaled, his eyes a mix of relief and complexity.

Ma Youfu murmured, "The Consul is still merciful."

The two watched as the Thunder Spear Missiles, after veering out of Flaniss, neither returned nor targeted another, but instead spiraled high in the sky in swarms, as agile as fish schools, a spectacular sight.

The main cannons of the eight Empire-class Star Destroyers were nearly fully recharged.

So far, people have figured out the Star Destroyer's firing pattern: a synchronized volley every thirty seconds, eight beams attacking the same target, each beam being a Ten-ring Spell; every forty‑five seconds the strongest attack, equivalent to an Eleven-ring Spell!

Ten seconds remain until the second volley.

The gods and mortals, looking at the eight iron fortresses lined up in a row, saw runes flashing on the massive cannon barrels at the front, and as they drew nearer, they were about to unleash a terrifying power.

Only two Fu Kong Cheng remain: GrandSage's Aien and PurpleFlameDuke's Tiris.

"Who will the Consul attack?"

Both Fu Kong Cheng were flying at full speed, distancing themselves from the Star Destroyer fleet, and fully sustaining an Arcane barrier. PurpleFlameDuke Magna, seeing the unfavorable situation, a few seconds earlier directly halted the "Frost Fire Storm", and took control of the floating city to initiate a Star‑realm Jump.

But it was too late.

Ten seconds later, eight Star Destroyers roared in unison and fired eight beams.

The sky darkened again.

Boom!

The Star Destroyer's target was the Tiris Fu Kong Cheng; the Arcane barrier was instantly pierced and collapsed, and the massive floating city shuddered violently, like a stumbling drunkard, as the Thunder Spear Missiles circling in the sky plunged into it, beginning a furious bombardment.

People were somewhat bewildered.

It is well known that only she herself resides in PurpleFlameDuke's Tiris Fu Kong Cheng; she had long abandoned the domain, has no family nor disciples, the floating city rarely manifests, and there are no inhabitants, making it mysterious and low‑key.

The Consul had already won by breaking the Tiris Fu Kong Cheng's barrier; why continue bombarding the floating city?

The next second.

A towering evil aura erupted within the Tiris Fu Kong Cheng; amid swirling black mist, a pale‑skinned, slender figure appeared in the city. He looked like a young man, with disheveled hair, jet‑black eyes, and a maniacal laugh issuing from his mouth.

"Hehe—hahaha…"

Amid the incomprehensible sharp laughter, a sudden anomaly rose in the sky: the sun hanging high was shrouded in a shadow, causing a solar eclipse.

"Dark Sun!"

"Deceiver Lo Xi!"

(End of chapter)