As the Invictus aligned its massive hull to point directly at the spiritual node where the Exodus was taking place, the heavens themselves seemed to scream in protest. The violet sky turned a bruised, pitch-black, and hundreds of thousands of lightning bolts—each as thick as a skyscraper—began to rain down in a chaotic barrage.
The bolts weren't hitting the ground; they were hunting. The smaller escort ships were struck repeatedly, their runic shields flickering and popping like bubbles. Inside the main bridge, Elder Xuan Ni stumbled, his knees buckling as he felt his cultivation base suppressed by an invisible, crushing weight.
"Open Sky!" Xuan Ni roared, clutching the armrest of his throne. "What is happening? My spiritual sea is freezing!"
