Gungnir

When she returned home, Yinhua's condition finally improved a little.

She touched her hand; just now, she felt as if she had been roasted in raging flames.

"What's wrong with me?"

Yinhua held her head, seemingly a bit unwell.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention—this body can't stay in the sunlight for too long, and also can't handle loud noises,"

Zhixi said to Yinhua while arranging the items they had bought.

"Though I apologize, from now on, you'll have to use an umbrella when you go out."

"No, it's fine, it's nothing,"

Yinhua shook her head. She felt she had no right to pick and choose about this body; just being able to stand here was already more than enough.

Turning her gaze elsewhere, she found that the house had completely transformed.

The ceiling, once covered with cobwebs, was spotless now. The room's floor was so clean it reflected her image; in the kitchen, rows of silver knives were neatly arranged, faintly emitting a white gleam.

There was also a faint, unidentified floral fragrance in the air. Compared to when she first entered, it was simply another world.

"You have returned, dear master."

Aili, dressed in a maid's outfit, appeared at the turn of the stairs. Following behind her was the Sage of Water: Shui Cangxuan.

"Sorry to intrude, Princess."

"No, not at all; this is your residence. If anyone is intruding, it's us,"

Yinhua replied, her tone filled with respect and admiration, while Zhixi, on the other hand, showed the exact opposite.

"So, what are you doing here?"

Zhixi asked in a harsh tone.

"As I said last time, I hope you'll allow me more contact with your body?"

"No."

Before Yinhua could answer, Zhixi refused flatly.

"Why?"

Shui Cangxuan asked in confusion. She couldn't understand what she had done to provoke Zhixi.

"Zhixi, you can't behave like this. The Sage has done me a great favor,"

Yinhua retorted, a little annoyed.

"What's your take?"

Zhixi turned to Aili.

"I prioritize my master's wishes,"

Aili replied.

"Do as you like,"

Zhixi then said nothing more.

"Then please come with me."

Shui Cangxuan bent down slightly and lifted a floorboard, revealing a staircase beneath.

"Oh my... Even I hadn't discovered this before,"

Aili said, slightly surprised.

"This used to be where I studied magic, but it's been a long time since it was last used."

Shui Cangxuan smiled.

Everyone followed Shui Cangxuan deep beneath the house; it was completely dark along the way, with only a hint of brightness at the exit.

When Yinhua reached the exit, she saw an expansive open area, reminiscent of an ancient arena, as if they were spectators, with steps leading downward.

"This is..."

Yinhua could hardly hide her astonishment.

"This is where I experimented with rituals. Just think—if the place is too small and magic goes out of control, it could affect the outside world."

"Building a place like this must have taken a lot of manpower and resources. You really have connections,"

Zhixi said sarcastically.

Ignoring Zhixi's sarcasm, Shui Cangxuan walked slowly down the steps, with the other three close behind.

"Alright, let's begin. Let me think... We'll first test the basic abilities of this body."

"Starting now, I'll throw water balls at you continuously. Focus and see how many you can dodge. Don't be too nervous, just treat it like playing dodgeball."

"You'd better not pull any tricks,"

Aili's tone was icy cold; after all, this was a magic test—accidents were never surprising.

"If anything goes wrong, you must stop us immediately. Is that alright, Princess?"

"Ah, yes, that's fine. I trust Aili."

"Master..."

After hearing this, Aili was immersed in bliss.

"You're really too easy to satisfy,"

Zhixi commented speechlessly.

When the two of them stood several meters apart, Shui Cangxuan said, "Counting down from five. In five seconds, I'll start attacking."

"Five, four, three..."

"Focus, stay focused..."

Yinhua whispered to herself.

Then...

"Yah!"

"Ah!"

"Ugh..."

"Nine out of ten landed..."

Zhixi said while fiddling with some stones.

Though it didn't hurt much, the feeling of being a drenched chicken wasn't great. Yinhua was soaked from head to toe...

'Why can't I feel the chill of the water?' Yinhua wondered silently, but Shui Cangxuan didn't give her much time to rest.

"Let's test your cognitive abilities next."

As she spoke, Shui Cangxuan produced a pile of study materials.

...

"I can't take it, my head is spinning..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yinhua collapsed into the stack of books.

"Let's try your motor skills next."

...

"I can't run anymore."

After only one lap around the field—about 1,500 meters—Yinhua simply couldn't go on.

"Then let's test..."

... A period of time later...

"Completely hopeless. This body is basically an ordinary human's—worse in some areas, even. Is it really as impressive as you claim?"

Shui Cangxuan turned to Zhixi.

"Please don't question me,"

Zhixi answered irritably. She hadn't expected Yinhua to be so disappointing.

"For the final test, I'm going to put you in danger—not real danger, of course—and see how you react."

"I object. I won't let master do something dangerous."

Aili was the first to oppose.

"Please, I really want to know about things beyond this world. My mother dedicated her life to this. I want to fulfill her dream—I want to prove for her that other worlds exist."

Shui Cangxuan's tone was deeply sincere; she bowed her head low. When Yinhua approached her, she recalled that the flowers in the coffin were species she had never seen.

She had spent a whole night researching and hadn't even found the faintest resemblance.

She had contacted the most famous priests of the elves but even they had never seen such petals.

After all her efforts, she'd finally grasped a small part of her mother's achievements—she absolutely could not give up.

"Another world? Of course it exists,"

Zhixi muttered, so quietly that neither Shui Cangxuan nor Aili heard her.

"You... I'll control the intensity. If I say stop, you must stop, otherwise I'll intervene."

Aili sighed helplessly. This was Shui Cangxuan's little-known obsession, and Aili owed her a favor. From any angle, she couldn't refuse the request.

"Princess, is it alright?"

Shui Cangxuan asked Yinhua.

"Yes. I trust the Sage won't hurt me."

"Thank you, then... Forgive my rudeness."

Shui Cangxuan spread her hands. A blue magic circle appeared in the air. It was only a Level 2 water ripple spell—but it was enough to cause minor harm to an ordinary person.

Yinhua, naturally, could not resist, and sat down immediately.

"Not enough?"

After saying this, Shui Cangxuan continued: "Water spirits in the air, heed my call—smash my enemies: Reverse Water Dragon!"

A long dragon made of water lunged at Yinhua. Yinhua had no time to react; just as it was about to strike her, the magic missed, hitting the ground beside Yinhua's left hand and raising a cloud of dust.

When the dust settled, a long scar was left on the floor, as if a wound on human flesh.

Yinhua gazed blankly at the ground beside her. If that blow had hit her, she probably would have been severely injured.

"... Did I really make a mistake..."

Shui Cangxuan's gaze was a bit hollow, but she had not given up.

"In the name of the pact, I borrow the elements from the frozen river—freeze my target before me: Ice Annihilation Arrow."

This was Level 7 magic, absolutely beyond Yinhua's ability to withstand. Moreover, its range was wide—a rain of ice arrows descended upon Yinhua.

Just as Aili was about to intervene, Zhixi stopped her: "Don't be hasty. She won't kill Yinhua. I want to see the final result as well."

When the ice arrows were only five feet from Yinhua—

"Am I going to die?"

Time seemed to stand still. Yinhua asked herself.

"No, I can't die yet."

"What should I do?"

A familiar voice echoed in Yinhua's ears.

"I promised Aili and the others—I can't just leave so easily anymore."

"What should I do?"

"Is there anything—anything that can dissolve this imminent crisis?"

"If you want, there are many."

In this hollow moment, though Yinhua was clearly alone, it felt as if a second person was conversing with her, but there was no trace of a second presence.

"Decoding. Begin."

"Form. Shape."

"Soul. Infuse."

"Baptism. Begin."

"Remodel. Commence."

"Pact. Established."

With a 'snap', time began to flow again. Shui Cangxuan sighed slightly, preparing to cancel her magic, when an anomaly occurred.

"Screee!"

A blade light split through the air, shattering the nearest ice arrow to Yinhua into fragments that slowly drifted down.

Through those ice shards, Yinhua could be seen standing there, surrounded by four blue longswords floating behind her, autonomously cutting down attacks from Shui Cangxuan.

Yinhua stood motionless, completely unharmed.

When the attack ended, she broke into a terrifying smile, and without letting anyone react, grabbed the leftmost longsword and charged at Shui Cangxuan, the other three swords following in close pursuit.

"Princess?!"

"Master?!"

Though no one knew what was happening, Shui Cangxuan reacted rapidly, striking a defensive stance—this was not something to take lightly.

"Ice, condense and weave, shield me before my eyes!"

This was Level 9 ice magic: Ice Blossom Canopy. Unlike ordinary ice shields, this one was harder than diamond. However...

"Hmph..."

There came a disdainful snort. With a casual wave of Yinhua's hand, the shield was sliced like paper—this single stroke seemed to split the void itself.

The three floating swords behind Yinhua shot at Shui Cangxuan, alive with their own will.

In a panic, Shui Cangxuan drew out a decoy straw doll and instantly dodged to the side.

Across the field, several hundred meters away, Shui Cangxuan gazed at the straw doll—now cut into three pieces—and panted madly.

She had just escaped death, sweat pouring from her forehead. She couldn't help but think: If not for the lucky acquisition of this decoy, she would already be dead.

But it was not over yet.

Yinhua's gaze locked onto Shui Cangxuan, the three floating swords and the one in her hand converging to form a cerulean blue spear.

"That is!!!"

Even in her dreams, Zhixi couldn't forget that weapon—the very spear that had once brought down hundreds of Trayastrimsa warships.

"Stop her! Now!!"

Zhixi's shout echoed throughout the basement.

But it was already too late.

"Go! Gungnir!!"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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