Playing cards, I am your ancestor!-Chapter 289 He was also counted in_1

No one could tell her the answer.

Just as she currently guessed, she couldn’t confirm if Helena had caused the storm’s center.

They could only watch helplessly as the Thunder Tribulation, as if it had eyes, struck, devastating areas where the Fiend’s influence had accumulated over many years. Many of their shady dealings had unfolded there.

The people of Ceylon City could do nothing but watch.

Of course, while Ceylon City was suffering, Wen Jiang wasn’t faring much better.

She was literally coughing up blood.

Channeling too much Spiritual Energy in a short period could put the body under immense strain. This might have been manageable in her former body, but this current one was different.

Blood drenched her chest, veins throbbed on her forehead. The pressure on her had reached its limit; if she let up now, she would probably faint immediately.

One bolt, two bolts...

She noticed the bolts of the Thunder Tribulation. Initially slow and brief, they were now becoming more frequent and intense.

How long had this agonizingly slow passage of time lasted?

BOOM—

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!

Mountains were split and shattered by the lightning, and the earth shook as if the apocalypse had arrived.

Wen Jiang’s figure still darted through the trembling mountains, truly dancing on a knife’s edge.

CRACK!

Over a dozen more bolts of lightning struck. Wen Jiang, already near exhaustion, faltered. A forceful cough wracked her body. Unable to bear the strain any longer, she sank to one knee, propping herself up with a hand.

Shennong Shi quickly lowered its head, once again shielding Wen Jiang. It had existed for a long time, repeatedly taking damage for her, and could no longer withstand it. Finally, with a wobble, even as it attempted to reach for herbs from its basket, it couldn’t hold on and dispersed back into nature’s spiritual energy.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough—"

This violent barrage had drained Shennong Shi to its limit. Wen Jiang herself felt like battered old bellows, wracked with constant coughs.

The pain in her chest was indescribable, like a raging fire—an agony intense enough to drive one mad. Her body even faintly emitted a scorched smell.

Walking on the scorched earth, ravaged by the Thunder Tribulation, she herself had absorbed the residual power of countless lightning strikes.

WHOOSH—

The several hundred cards she had prepared were all shattered; she had no strength left.

The power of this Heavenly Tribulation had exceeded her expectations. In this world, devoid of magical treasures or medicinal herbs, she could only rely on her physical body and cards to resist.

And now, she had reached her ultimate limit.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Lying on the ground, Wen Jiang saw that the massive Thunder Tribulation had not yet dissipated. Within it, winds and clouds were gathering, signaling that the next wave of heavenly lightning would be even more formidable.

Yet this time, Wen Jiang was powerless to resist.

Perhaps this was the final judgment, granting Wen Jiang a brief respite.

But it wasn’t enough, not unless she could rest for a day or two.

This Thunder Tribulation was clearly determined to take her life.

Her limit had been reached.

"No, you still have more."

Xing Wu appeared at some point. Within Ceylon City’s territory, he could move freely.

He looked at Wen Jiang, who lay collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, so weak she could barely turn her eyes towards him.

He descended towards Wen Jiang, hovering face-to-face with her as she lay on the ground. They were so close that Wen Jiang thought she could see faint blood vessels beneath Xing Wu’s pale skin.

He wasn’t human, yet he had such things?

"The strength of the Heavenly Tribulation is calculated based on all your abilities. From start to finish, you never accounted for the System, but the Tribulation doesn’t ignore it."

Wen Jiang: "..."

She suddenly understood. If she had an ounce of strength left, she would have throttled Xing Wu.

"You... you cur..."

Her voice was faint, a rare moment of such weakness.

That’s right! The man before her was an SSR Card; he must have been factored into the Heavenly Tribulation’s calculations separately! He was her possession! So she had to bear an additional portion of the Tribulation’s power because of him. Was it because of Xing Wu that this Thunder Tribulation exceeded her expectations?

Though she was cursing him vehemently in her mind, her face remained expressionless.

Accustomed to fighting alone, Wen Jiang had never considered such things during previous Tribulations. This was the first time she realized that being bound to the System meant its System Cards were also factored in.

She had Shennong Shi, but because she also possessed the God of Desire Card, did that mean a double debuff? And what about Gabriel? Wasn’t that Card counted this time?!

Her pitch-black pupils stared unblinkingly at Xing Wu. He met her gaze directly, his own eyes luminous like glazed gems. Then, he spoke softly, "A one-month cooldown and 10,000 Points. The price is steep, but I am your Card, a part of your combat power. Please remember to call upon us in critical moments."

The moment he finished speaking, the System’s mechanical voice in Wen Jiang’s mind began to glitch.

[Warning! The SSR Card God of Desire - Sub-spirit is being used! 10,000 Points will be deducted!]

[Detected that the host’s current constitution and Points are insufficient to support this Card’s activation. The Card will be penalized with a one-month cooldown period. Additionally, a repair liability of 5,000 Points has been incurred. The host currently owes a total of -13,000 Points.]

[Warning: The System is in a state of severe negative Points. If this deficit is not rectified within one month, irreversible disturbances will occur in the world’s programming! The host will bear sole responsibility for all ensuing consequences!]

[The host must replenish the Points immediately, within one month!!]

A barrage of System notifications chimed in Wen Jiang’s mind, giving her a splitting headache. But as she opened her eyes and met Xing Wu’s gaze, a spark of understanding ignited within her.

Xing Wu’s lips curved into that same bewitching smile. "I told you I would be very useful to you."

With that, his form ascended once more. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She looked up. Above, the massive storm continued to gather, fatal lightning flickering ominously within it.

He closed his eyes, positioning himself above Wen Jiang. A black light erupted, instantly enveloping him. Then, with a BOOM, dozens of formidable lightning bolts struck down towards Wen Jiang.

Her eyes closed instinctively against the aftershock. Through her slitted eyelids, she saw only the black radiance withstanding all the heavenly lightning.

The System’s mechanical, grating voice echoed in her ears once more.

[The SSR Card God of Desire - Sub-spirit has sustained severe damage. Please spend 5,000 Points for its repair promptly; otherwise, the Card will become void.]

As the roar of the Thunder Tribulation left a faint ringing in her ears, Wen Jiang communicated with Zero Egg.

If I said that with him gone, the next Thunder Tribulation wouldn’t count him and would be easier for me, would that make me seem heartless?

Zero Egg hesitated for a moment. Not really. You don’t seem like the type to feel guilty.

Wen Jiang: ...