Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

Chapter 157: Chapter 96: A Myriad of Palace Lanterns

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Grey and white stone chips scattered with each strike of the sword edge, breaking and reforming again and again, reminding one of the ancient Eastern phrase 'perseverance pays off.'

Her breathing grew rapid, sweat and strands of hair sticking to her forehead. Hexia dodged the swiftly descending giant palm once more, kicking off the azure and crimson arm while flipping backward. The sword edge drew a mournful, crescent arc in the air, severing the tattered golden-red ribbon that fluttered incompletely.

Afterward, the gold covering the Godly General seemed to gradually dim, returning to a dull, earthy hue. At the same time, Hexia leapt once again, her longsword and body spinning together. Her flowing hair and the hem of her skirt formed a brief but splendid vortex in the air.

Hiss—

The longsword plunged into the bronze giant eyeball, sparking electric light and debris. Letting go of the longsword, Hexia then rapidly retreated as the colossal Godly General fell like decaying rock, smashing heavily onto the ground, paralyzed and broken.

"That should be enough, right? Even with the AI provided by the Academy, convincing the other party still requires showing sufficient strength. Otherwise, it's like a child flaunting gold in the marketplace—adults only care about the benefits, totally indifferent to your thoughts."

She hovered silently in the air, one hand holding the sword, its blade draping along her snow-white sleeve, gazing down at the silent, masked man below.

"Heh heh... heh heh heh... hahaha, are you mocking me!?" he pressed a hand to his forehead, his voice twisting before turning into a teeth-gritting growl.

If the girl before him had pleaded in a coquettish, frail manner, he might have softened, but her stubbornness made Gu Qianlou feel a complete loss of face, as if all his actions had been as ridiculous as those of a clown.

Look, Gu Yongrong's daughter. It's been only 20 years since you went out, and you could easily ruin the thing you take pride in, with such ease and flair. What was the meaning of all those years of painstaking effort? The turmoil back then not only ruined Jielou City's reputation but also dragged your sister into it. What was the value in that?

However, a spiraling snow-colored blade light intercepted him midway, with Feng Jianxue blocking his way.

"Cough cough..." Hexia knelt on the ground, clutching her right shoulder where a bloody gap had appeared, her body trembling.

Gu Qianlou ultimately showed some mercy, not striking directly at the center of her chest.

Protectors from the Sword Guardians quickly came to aid the gravely injured girl. At that moment, Ge Lianfeng looked around, spotted the nearby Ancestral Shrine, and suddenly made a decision.

"Take the princess to the Ancestral Shrine; it'll be safer there. We can also set up better defenses."

"Hmm."

The Sword Guardians surrounded Hexia, helping her towards the dust-covered Ancestral Shrine. Though its exterior was that of an ancient double-tiered building, it had been constructed with the highest-grade protection materials and security measures, making it exceptionally sturdy.

Whether Godly Generals or Sword Guardians, all true descendants of Jielou City, could easily gain entry to the Ancestral Shrine. Once inside and the protection measures activated, it would be difficult for anyone outside to breach it.

Half a minute later, Hexia felt the wound on her shoulder begin to heal. Only then did she allow herself a small sigh of relief as her gaze swept around her.

The Ancestral Shrine's decorations were far from lavish—in fact, they had a somber simplicity. Flanking the great hall were statues covered in a layer of dust, their original azure and crimson pigments faded and dull. Based on their mythological significance, they likely represented the sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, thunder, lightning - the deities of all eight directions.

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