Chapter 108: Winning a Prize

“So? Surprised to see your true form?”

Qianxia stood atop the massive bug, the size of a small hill, looking down at A996.

A996’s face turned completely black.

The bug before her was unmistakably her true form.

And it was stronger than her!

During her twenty years of wandering the First Universe, she had come across some knowledge of the Three Corpses.

That concept of the Three Corpses came from an ancient text left behind by the Galactic Alliance nearly six thousand years ago in the First Universe.

Six thousand years ago, the First Universe had not yet been fully unified.

The Galactic Alliance was the last force resisting the Witch Army.

In the end, they couldn’t withstand the wheels of history.

The Galaxy fell, becoming part of the Witch Empire’s territory.

Back then, there was an extraordinary path in the Galaxy completely different from the Witch Sequence.

Cultivation.

A group called cultivators refined spiritual energy within their bodies to gain extraordinary power.

The method of Severing the Three Corpses originated from this cultivation system.

As the Galaxy was absorbed into the Witch Empire, the cultivation system became part of the Witch Sequence system.

The most classic example was the Path of Heartlessness.

And the Three Corpses Method was adapted by witches of different Sequences into magic suitable for witch constitutions.

The Three Corpses Method of the Charm Sequence was the most successful example.

They would draw out the target’s lust, using that desire as a catalyst to summon the Three Corpses.

Then they would sever the Three Corpses and become an even stronger existence.

It only lasted ten minutes, but that was enough.

“Heehee, I’m not holding back~”

Qianxia’s form merged into the massive white bug’s body.

In an instant, a surge of powerful energy swept through her.

At that moment, she had almost reached the peak of a Great Witch.

She controlled the enormous zerg body like a mech, lunging at A996.

The white giant bug collapsed like a mountain, carrying a bloody gale as it crashed down upon A996.

BOOM!

A996 crossed her arms to withstand the blow. Her entire body was smashed into the half-collapsed wall, bricks and stones cracking.

“Cough!”

Blood sprayed onto the ground.

Her scarlet pupils glowed in the dust.

She raised a hand to wipe the blood from her lips, her eyes showing no fear—only a nearly mad determination.

Then she bit the tip of her tongue.

Essence blood burst between her teeth, burning down her throat.

In that instant, her aura began to rise.

A faint tremor rippled through the air, as if something inside her was awakening.

In the distance, the lazy expression on Qianxia’s face inside the giant bug vanished.

‘She’s going all out…’

At that moment, she also felt a bit panicked.

To keep the credit for herself, she hadn’t told any other Great Witches.

And the Three Corpses effect only lasted ten minutes.

If A996’s trump card lasted past ten minutes… the consequences would be unimaginable!

‘By the Original, I should have called more people…’

Then.

A996’s body suddenly froze.

And then, in Qianxia’s sharply contracting pupils, that body seemed to be crushed by an invisible hand.

A996 turned into countless blood mists, exploding in the void.

Then they dissipated.

Only faint scarlet remained, drifting slowly in the moonlight.

The giant bug hung in midair, staring blankly at the empty ruins.

‘By the Original’s toenail, all that posturing was just to run away!’

Qianxia screamed in her heart.

When the ten minutes were up.

The white giant bug vanished instantly.

The frustrated Qianxia suddenly froze in midair.

She hadn’t reacted yet.

“Huh?”

BANG!

“Teacher Qianxia!”

“Senior!”

The arriving Tian Tian and the others quickly opened their arms.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you! AAAAAAHHH!!!”

Qianxia’s piercing scream echoed through the night.

CRASH!

Just one step away from Tian Tian, Qianxia made intimate contact with the ground.

—

Watching Qianxia climb out of the human-shaped crater, Tian Tian, Lilith, and Qing Luan exchanged awkward glances.

—

Qianxia crawled out of the pit, looking at Tian Tian with a face full of grievance.

‘On purpose, right? Definitely on purpose!’

‘Wuwu, my limited edition hairpin.’

Qianxia looked at the broken hairpin in her palm, crying little pearls inside.

‘This was a total loss.’

‘Didn’t catch the bug, and my limited edition hairpin broke.’

“Haha, I thought you’d fly away, teacher.”

Tian Tian scratched her head, smiling awkwardly.

‘Well, I didn’t react in time!’

Qianxia shot her a glare.

Then a figure darted past.

Luo Qianxue.

She moved like a nimble black cat, leaping up to the broken opening in a few bounds.

“Are you okay?”

She found Su Ling huddled in the corner, trembling while holding the withered sister.

Su Ling looked up at Luo Qianxue, eyes wet.

She hugged Luo Qianxue tight.

‘Wuwu, why does this girl suddenly seem less annoying?’

—

Chengcheng Maid Cafe.

—

Su Ling had the key, so she brought everyone here to rest for a bit.

They had already informed the Student Council about the house where the fight happened, letting them handle it.

With a Great Witch like Qianxia present, the Student Council didn’t dare extort anything.

That house belonged to the previous victim—her withered sister.

The body was taken back by the Student Council, to be sent to Fengdu for the recent spirits to identify.

—

Qianxia was eating a small cake, staring at Su Ling, who had returned to her original form.

White hair, scarlet pupils!

‘That hits my preferences perfectly!’

‘I thought the bug was hungry, but that bug was thinking on a whole other level.’

—

Su Ling felt uncomfortable under Qianxia’s gaze and unconsciously leaned closer to Luo Qianxue.

‘Well, even though she’s still annoying, at least…’

Remembering how she had hugged Luo Qianxue, Su Ling felt a bit shy.

‘Do I even know myself? Acting like some innocent little girl.’

“Teacher, what about the zerg?”

Tian Tian looked at Qianxia.

“I miscalculated and let her escape. But the Dean already knows. The academy is tightening security. Starting tomorrow, five Great Witches will patrol every day. You all be careful for now.”

“Isn’t there a magic detection system?”

Tian Tian asked in confusion.

“First, she’s a zerg. Her magic is mimicked, so the detection system might miss her. Second, the detection system blew up not long ago, so we can’t use it anyway.”

“Blew up?”

Everyone present was shocked.

The detection system took up an entire planet in the Witch Academy’s star system. How could it just blow up?

“Don’t speculate. That’s all I can say.”

Qianxia thought about the suspected Sequence Witch from not long ago, and how Orphina had emphasized that the matter was over—that Orphina’s teacher had come by and accidentally disabled the detection system.

They all knew who Orphina’s teacher was.

The Sequence Witch, Hope.

But anyone with eyes knew that wasn’t the real story.

Still, since the person herself had said so, Qianxia couldn’t argue.

‘Oh well, what can I do? She’s the Dean. In the end, I’m just a wage slave.’

“Don’t worry too much. With five Great Witches patrolling every day, that thing probably won’t show its face.”

And the secret technique of burning essence blood to escape obviously came at a huge cost.

At least in the short term, A996 wouldn’t appear.

“By the way, did you all buy raffle tickets? The winning number is about to be announced. The prize is a date with me for a whole day~”

Qianxia suddenly projected a channel—the Witch’s Hut official channel.

They were announcing the winning number.

The comments were full of things like “By the Original’s blessing” and “Hope descends.”

“Good evening, everyone, no matter where you are. This is the Witch’s Hut official program.”

“Next, we will reveal the winning number. The winner gets to spend a day with our beautiful and lovely Qianxia-chan, with all expenses paid by the Witch’s Hut!”

“Alright, enough talk. The winning number will be revealed now.”

Surprisingly, Lilith and Qing Luan both pulled out raffle tickets.

Feeling Su Ling’s gaze, the two said seriously, “We just want a day of free spending at the Witch’s Hut.”

“You don’t want to go on a date with me that badly?”

Qianxia flicked each of them on the forehead.

Then, the winning number was revealed.

2589036277.

“Ah, as expected.”

Lilith sighed in regret.

Qing Luan expressionlessly tore up her ticket.

But Su Ling stared fixedly at the number, comparing it to the one in her hand.

Her face turned ashen.

‘No, no, no!’

‘Luck isn’t supposed to be used on this kind of thing!’

Everyone curiously leaned in.

“2589036277…”

“Did I… win?”

—

…

In the dark, damp sewer.

A ragged figure leaned against the wall, blood at the corners of her mouth, face pale.

A996.

Thank goodness for the talent Blood Escape granted by her Insect Hive.

Otherwise, she would have capsized in a ditch this time.

But the cost was huge.

Now her strength had fallen to the Second Shell, on par with a Transcendent Witch.

Dammit!

A996 memorized Qianxia’s punchable face and staggered into the darkness.

But with her greatly reduced power, she completely failed to notice the small figure following behind her.