Chapter Ninety-Two: Advancing to the Intermediate Prayer Level

Boom, boom, boom. Accompanied by blasts of green laser striking the Seraphic Sevenfold Ring, the seven petals began to diminish and shatter one by one. Though the Seraphic Sevenfold Ring possessed the concept of absolute defense against ranged attacks, its protection was not without limits, precisely seven layers for seven attacks.

“Projection: Seraphic Sevenfold Ring.” After seven assaults, before the first ring—now reduced to its central core—could vanish, Xiao Yuan Zhuang projected a second Seraphic Sevenfold Ring. Faced with the lethal barrage from turret-class demons, she had no choice but to rely on this passive and sole method of defense, abandoning any thoughts of conserving divine power.

The Seraphic Sevenfold Ring was no ordinary artifact; such conceptual armaments consumed tremendous divine energy. Each projection drained a quarter of Xiao Yuan Zhuang’s power, and with the second projection, less than half remained—at best, she could summon it once more before succumbing to the embarrassment of lacking the strength to wield her artifacts.

Fortunately, after twelve strikes from the green aurora outside the city, the attacks ceased. The demons likely believed their target could not possibly survive such a relentless onslaught. Seeing the second ring reduced to only two petals, Xiao Yuan Zhuang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She had endured. Frowning slightly to suppress the urge to retaliate, Xiao Yuan Zhuang ensured there were no more enemies nearby before returning from the roof of the driver’s cabin, climbing down, and hopping back into the passenger seat.

Had she acted recklessly and counterattacked, things would hardly have ended so simply. Though Chloe’s transformation granted her formidable ranged firepower, such a response would reveal to the demons that their target still lived, inviting continued laser bombardment.

The turret-class demons’ lasers did not cover a wide area across the city, but for an individual, their range was enough to obliterate several squads.

“Are you hurt, Captain?” As Xiao Yuan Zhuang landed back in the vehicle, Jian Fu in the driver’s seat asked with concern. Though it was the first time seeing her in this form, he had heard Lu Xiaowei’s startled cry earlier, so he only showed mild surprise at her new appearance, without any exaggerated reaction.

“I’m fine. Just used up a lot of divine power, nothing else.” She waved off his concern, but Xiao Yuan Zhuang did not lower her guard. With her hawk-like vision, she scanned outside, wary of a sudden attack from an evil god.

The detonation marker from the high-ranking demon’s self-destruction likely served not just to guide those outside the city but also to alert hidden evil gods within. There might well be one watching her every move nearby—she could not afford to relax.

However, after a whole day of routine transport, Xiao Yuan Zhuang began to doubt her own assessment. Night was falling, and under darkness, demons gained a slight boost in power, increasing the pressure on frontline fighters even more than during the day.

But for her transport team, things were easier now. The most urgent supplies had all arrived, and now they were moving the backup batch.

After a day’s exhaustion, many were feeling worn out. Commander Wang Tian Shang adjusted the strategy, having the fourth group take over while the first three rested; later, each group would split into two shifts, alternating between day and night transport.

With the final batch delivered and the wounded returned to the medical support division, Xiao Yuan Zhuang’s team could finally pause. When their truck rolled into the garage and she jumped down to ensure safety, Xiao Yuan Zhuang released her transformation, which she’d maintained for a full eight hours.

The instant she reverted, her legs felt weak—her divine energy was depleted. Though not as severe as previous overdraws, her reserves were almost gone; had she delayed any longer, she’d soon have reverted automatically, unable to maintain her divine form.

“Are you alright, Captain?” Jian Fu had noticed her pallor during the transformation, and as she nearly collapsed from exhaustion after stepping out, he caught her and asked with concern.

Whether as a subordinate or a senior colleague, Jian Fu admired his young captain. Her abilities and composure were commendable, and most importantly, she never sought to outshine others in areas where she was less skilled. She always fulfilled her duties exactly as needed—no more, no less—but when the situation called for it, she could display her unique talents.

Doing too much could rob subordinates of opportunities to grow, fostering laziness and complacency; doing too little would create pressure and rebellious attitudes. So, even though she was just a captain, it wasn’t an easy role. Though their time together was short, Xiao Yuan Zhuang had always performed admirably.

“I’m fine—just need to recover a bit. You all go rest and eat.” She waved them off but accepted Jian Fu’s help, sitting against a partition wall in the garage. She sent the others to eat, choosing instead to rest and replenish her divine power.

Having said this, Xiao Yuan Zhuang closed her eyes, reaching out to her guardian spirit to restore her depleted energy. As she connected, her nearly empty reserves began to surge, absorbing the guardian’s aura and converting it into her own power.

“Alright, we’ll head out then.” Seeing Xiao Yuan Zhuang begin her cultivation, Jian Fu signaled to his companions and led them away. The others exchanged glances, then dispersed, leaving her alone.

The previous trial with her guardian spirit had raised Xiao Yuan Zhuang’s cultivation potential to the fifth tier, quadrupling her training speed compared to the lowest level. With the added effects of earlier elixirs, her absorption rate was now seven or eight times faster than before. As the guardian’s aura, guided by her will, flooded into her, the nearly dry nebula vortex inside her rapidly filled.

New divine power was born, gradually filling the vortex, and through her mental vision, Xiao Yuan Zhuang saw that the fresh power glowed more golden than before. When her reserves were fully replenished, a flash of gold illuminated the vortex, and a new black, blank card emerged.