Li Yao gritted her teeth as another wave of excruciating pain shot through her being. She deconstructed yet another portion of her core painstakingly, her hands trembling slightly from the strain. Despite having repeated this process countless times throughout the night, the agony remained just as intense with each attempt—a burning, tearing sensation that threatened to break her concentration.
"Why isn't this getting any easier?" she thought, sweat beading on her forehead as she pushed through the pain.
She examined her core, noting with satisfaction that it now pulsed with pure lightning energy, the transformation nearly complete. Only a few sections remained untouched by her reconstruction process.
"Just a few more," she encouraged herself, drawing a deep breath before continuing the grueling task.
The Empress's voice resonated within her consciousness, carrying a note of urgency. [Be ready, the tribulation is almost starting.]
