2-84 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

Chapter 84: The Keen Senses of a Fox (5000 Words) How did this little white rabbit manage to evade my "Raging Scales of the Sea"? A peculiar thought crossed Jiu Li Xue's mind. She had not detected any magical fluctuations nor captured Aesphyra's evasion trajectory earlier. Moreover, this did not seem like any form of magic she had heard of — none had the capability of instantaneous movement. It was as if, the moment the tsunami engulfed her, the silver-haired girl's figure vanished from the visual blind spot and reappeared behind Jiu Li Xue out of nowhere. Aesphyra's timing was impeccable, choosing to strike just when the enemy presumed they had succeeded in their assault, during the moment they were most vulnerable and complacent. Her judgment was spot on — it caught everyone entirely off guard. If her opponent were someone less adept, Aesphyra might have succeeded. Unfortunately, she was facing Jiu Li Xue. Indeed, when the phoenix flame on Aesphyra's holy sword was easily extinguished by Jiu Li Xue's water shield, Aesphyra realized something she had long suspected. The white-haired fox's affinity with the water element is remarkably high, likely at an exceptional or even beyond exceptional level. Aesphyra's ability to cross boundaries in combat largely attributed to her extraordinarily dense magical essence, enabling her to unleash magic far superior to other prodigies in the magic spirit realm, even surpassing the realm of primary masters. But Jiu Li Xue is different; also a prodigy among prodigies, her talents and qualifications stand out even among all the leading characters. Her innate talent and bloodline might not surpass Aesphyra, yet they certainly don't fall too short either. Naturally, her magical essence density wouldn't lose out to Aesphyra, much less considering that her realm is far above Aesphyra's. At identical realms, it might be different, but right now, Aesphyra lags behind in every aspect. The chain reaction caused by the failed strike was immense. Facing an adversary of Jiu Li Xue's caliber, Aesphyra dared not be careless. Taking immediate advantage of a counterattack opportunity, she resorted to her ultimate move, aiming to exploit informational disparity and catch her opponent off guard, yet the effect was minimal. Now, Jiu Li Xue is wary of her. Against a person like Jiu Li Xue, once cautious of a move, the chances of executing the same move effectively are nearly nil. Furthermore, Aesphyra faced another predicament: she couldn't retreat to reorganize her assault. Her sword was ensnared by Jiu Li Xue's tail and couldn't be withdrawn. After dousing the red lotus entwined on the holy sword, another of Jiu Li Xue's tails immediately extended, wrapped with dark red thorny vines that latched onto the holy sword tightly. [Nature Magic: Deep Crimson Prison Vine Technique] The thick, twisting thorns extending from Jiu Li Xue's tail, with surfaces riddled with folds and pores resembling human skin, ensnared the holy sword tightly, rendering it immobile. At this moment, her other tails did not stay idle. One tail secured Aesphyra, while several others seized this opportunity. Bearing flames, lightning, ice spikes, and whirlwinds, they decisively struck at the immobilized Aesphyra. Several tails, like sharp swords, pierced through the maiden's body instantly. The scene turned crimson in a flash, and the next instant, the maiden's body was dismembered by the tails. Jiu Li Xue maintained her earlier smile, yet in this moment, that alluring smile took on a somewhat chilling undertone. An undoubted conclusion. At least, many of the onlooking fox spirits and demons believed so. Of course, some saw through the façade. "To think Miss Gelatus would prepare so meticulously for an assured strike? Isn't she being overly cautious?" After dismantling the maiden's body, Jiu Li Xue snickered suddenly after a moment. Only then did the others realize that the dismembered 'limbs' gradually lost their color, and upon a closer look, it was evident they were mere wood. [Nature Magic: Wood Clone Technique] could simulate a substitute identical to oneself, undetectable by others, albeit needing preemptive deployment. In essence, the moment Aesphyra landed from her spatial displacement, she already deemed the sneak attack futile, thus opting for the substitution technique for the assault instead. Had she attempted the assault herself, the ground might now be littered with her wooden fragments. "Her Majesty indeed remains cautious, unleashing such formidable magic while still preparing defenses," Aesphyra remarked from a distance, seemingly unbothered, continuing gracefully. "A lovely flower is always prickly. These words ring true. If it is the cost of admiring a flower, it can still be accepted." Aesphyra discarded her torn gloves, donning a new pair. Despite her words, both sides remained highly wary of the other. As Aesphyra showcased greater strength and brilliance, Jiu Li Xue became more resolute not to let her escape, lest she grows into a formidable future threat. Similar to that saintess in a way, though unlike the saintess, she shared a 'memorable' past with her. As the sole remedy for her chronic condition, binding her with chains to remain under her control was crucial. "Admiring a flower? Should Miss Gelatus wish, she could always enjoy such a spectacle up close and personal. Pity, Miss Gelatus shows no interest; I shan't impose," Jiu Li Xue mused, tracing her nails, as a flash of lightning arced behind her. Thunder resounded in the sky, weaving magical arrays of lightning nets around Aesphyra's vicinity, each radiating lightning, leaving no corner uncovered. [Thunder Magic: Heavenly Thunder Rampage] Witnessing this, the earthy gemstone set in the hilt of Aesphyra's holy sword emitted a glow, instantly transforming the golden blade into a staff adorned with an earth-colored magical gem. A feature of the hero's holy sword: when mastered, it could transform at will into a specialized staff of any element at the same level, sacrificing other elemental spells and the sword's slashing ability to bolster one element's magic entirely. Aesphyra raised the staff-state holy sword high, and imposing walls of earth rose from the ground, encasing and safeguarding her within. Electrifying claps bordered on demolishing the wall, fierce beyond measure. The gap in realms proved insurmountable, beyond what talent and aptitude could compensate. As one wall collapsed to lightning, another rose in succession, cycling endlessly. Yet, it was merely a matter of time. The raging thunder would eventually erode the scant shelter the maiden had. Generating a multi-layered earthen barricade enclosing herself, demanded considerable proficiency and affinity with earth elements, yet it wasn't something to boast about. Confronting Jiu Li Xue necessitated such competence; otherwise, death would've come countless times over. As for why Aesphyra employed only brief spatial teleportation instead of the "Holy Favor" and time capabilities, the answer was simple — she couldn't. Or at least, not before Jiu Li Xue. Moreover, her short-range spatial displacement wasn't without constraints. Without the legacy she obtained at Cariliman Academy's secret domain, even that would have been dubious. Eventually, as the earthen barriers disintegrated, lightning struck directly at the maiden within, the resultant shockwave lifting her shattered fragments meters high before they landed, still smoky and ablaze. A repetitive strategy, yet again utilizing the Wood Clone Technique. Simultaneously, a massive fireball descended from the sky, its searing heat evaporating every drop of moisture from the scorched earth. Using wind magic to suspend herself aloft, Aesphyra's holy sword morphed into a fire staff, as she unleashed enormous fireballs from above. "What terrifying fire element affinity," Jiu Li Xue quipped, arching an eyebrow playfully. "Pity, her realm is too low." As she spoke, a deep blue water screen unfurled behind Jiu Li Xue, effortlessly absorbing what seemed to be the threatening large fireballs. Yet, these were mere diversions. In the ensuing chaos of the fireballs colliding with the water screen — a mix of intense magical energy and smoke — Aesphyra, having masked her presence, had seamlessly used spatial teleportation to appear next to Jiu Li Xue. This time, she materialized at Jiu Li Xue's flank. Without the protection of her tails, and not from the front. But the moment she landed and looked up, she was surprised to find Jiu Li Xue's palm directed at her. "The same trick too many times doesn't work, hmm?" Jiu Li Xue remarked with a knowing expression, smiling brightly. "Remember to be more careful next time, brave heroine. For now, good night~" "BOOM BOOM BOOM!!" Jiu Li Xue's expression changed suddenly, her claw seizing Aesphyra's head, pressing her fiercely into the ground. A massive lightning spell erupted, instantly changing the color of the sky and earth. The silver-haired girl, pinned into the ground, was electrocuted to a crisp, the fierce thunder splitting the earth into a spider-web of chasms. This time, there was no Wood Clone Technique. She hadn't missed, yet... Jiu Li Xue flexed her claw, feeling slightly off about the texture. "Your Majesty, be careful!" Upon hearing her subordinate's voice, she looked up abruptly and noticed the scene in the sky. She hadn’t made a mistake; she had struck one. The reason for such was because at this moment, there were over twenty Aesphyra figures in the sky. What is this?? A trace of astonishment flickered through Jiu Li Xue's eyes. [Dark Element Magic: Shadow Clone] Moreover, as far as she knew, the spell typically allows only one clone at a time. Able to produce over twenty shadow clones in an instant, this demonstrated how terrifying Aesphyra's dark element affinity was. No, that's not right. Jiu Li Xue realized something was seriously off. She knew of the heroine's terrifying fire element affinity; a rough estimate suggested it possibly surpassed the exceptional level. That aside, her previous earth and wind element magic displayed proficiency and affinity just as impressive, and now she unveiled a frightening talent in dark element magic. By this count, just how many elemental affinities at exceptional or beyond does this heroine possess?? Jiu Li Xue initially thought it unsurprising for Aesphyra, as a future top human strategist, to have one or two exceptional-level elemental affinities. But this was excessive, even shocking to Jiu Li Xue. Given the astounding number of elements at such levels of mastery, just where did this heroine find the time and energy to learn so much advanced magic?? Advanced magic isn't something one can simply decide to learn and master at will. Learning one requires a cycle; mastering it takes several more. Is it simply her misfortune that every realm she's touched has been magic Aesphyra excels at, or could she possibly master magic in every field?? Yet this young human girl still seemed so youthful; at her age, mastering so much magic should have been impossible. Though odd, it didn’t impact Jiu Li Xue’s reaction. Fakes remain fakes. Even if the shadow clones are advanced to the point of indistinguishable aura and presence, there's no way to duplicate the holy sword countless times. A fake sword striking her won’t inflict pain. Only a strike from the real sword in her true body’s hand would pierce defenses and cause pain. Facing the onslaught of clones from all directions, Jiu Li Xue didn't have time to cast magic for defense. However, the moment one managed to actually hit her was enough for her to nab the real one. At this point, Jiu Li Xue reluctantly acknowledged underestimating this young heroine. How long has it been since an adversary with such a realm difference managed to strike her? It's nothing short of a miracle. "Swish!" In the next moment, Jiu Li Xue's collar tore, a lock of her snow-white hair sliced away. When was the last time she was cut? She couldn’t recall, nor could the observing demons remember. At this moment, the high-ranking demon beings stood aghast. A human at the magic spirit realm had struck their invincible queen. It didn’t even matter if the attack was effective; just doing so surpassed 99.9% of those who faced Jiu Li Xue. They even suspected they were dreaming. How could this be?! They deeply understood Jiu Li Xue's power, many among them being beaten into submission by her relentless punches. Nevertheless, Jiu Li Xue didn’t bother with trivial concerns over reputation. The stronger the adversary, the more thrilled she became. The sound of tearing fabric immediately drew Jiu Li Xue's attention. She swiftly snatched at a clone, unsurprisingly seizing a tangible object. Yet.... What she grasped was a piece of timber. Another substitution! The shadow clone technique cleverly paired with the wood clone technique could bewilder anyone. Most might lose track of the real one amidst such chaos, plunging into disorder, but Jiu Li Xue was different. Realizing she had seized a clone, she wasn't the least bit flustered; her lips curled into a triumphant smile. "Got you~" In an instant, a tail shrouded in shadows lashed towards her side. As the onlookers remained oblivious to Jiu Li Xue's intent, the fox tail grabbed the silver-haired girl hidden within the shadows and slammed her onto the ground. "You are the prey?" Jiu Li Xue's lips twisted into a sly grin, her claw wreathed in electrical light poised to strike Aesphyra pinned beneath her. Entangled in the large, fluffy white tail of the fox, Aesphyra raised her holy sword, surrounding herself with water and earth shields. However, faced with Jiu Li Xue's lightning strike, these shields were as fragile as paper, barely diminishing its might. Finally, a lightning-clad claw struck Aesphyra's holy sword. Aesphyra's petite body was driven into the earth, yet her eyes remained calm, even as a trickle of blood trailed from her mouth. "Haha, hahahaha!!~" Jiu Li Xue laughed wildly, thoroughly relishing the scene. "Brave heroine, you thought you were fishing, but in fact, you are the one ensnared by the fox." Jiu Li Xue's alluring visage was drenched in mockery. Throughout Aesphyra's intricate schemes to mislead Jiu Li Xue, aiming to lure her into a trap, Jiu Li Xue mirrored such deception, willing to use herself as bait to capture Aesphyra. Aware Jiu Li Xue might seize her true form, Aesphyra substituted with a decoy at the critical moment to further conceal her presence, aiming to launch an unforeseen attack via dark element concealment. Unbeknownst to her, Jiu Li Xue had deciphered her intentions. Upon seeing the shadow clones, Jiu Li Xue discerned that Aesphyra not only possessed that dark element magic but likely mastered more. Thus, she suspected the invocation of [Invisibility], one of the hallmark dark element spells. Unleashing numerous clones to misguide meant preparing a deadly strike, likely employing a magic ranked among the top for its assassination success rate. As for Aesphyra's choice of timing for the assault, it was predictable. It would be precisely when her foe believed they discerned her true self but in fact mistakenly. So, by opposing her plan, Jiu Li Xue merely needed to grasp the wood clone, stay hidden in silence, sensing subtle inconsistencies in the magical essence fluctuations, to pinpoint Aesphyra’s true position. Although [Invisibility] reputedly concealed all traces, some faint essence couldn't be fully masked. While others of her realm might have missed it, Jiu Li Xue, the fox, possessed the keenest senses of all.