chsdbacks Page 52
Page 52
Anthony, however, remained calm and reassured her, "Don't worry, Ariel's money wasn't wasted."
As expected, Yang Xiling's magical bombardment did not cause much damage.
After the smoke cleared, Jiang Kehan could clearly see Ariel holding a round shield and a short spear, bringing them together.
Is this a force field?
Jiang Kehan realized that the round shield and short spear could create a special force field that could trigger ranged spells from several meters away, ensuring Ariel's safety.
However, Yang Xiling had already disappeared when the spell began to bombard them.
Taking advantage of the smoke obscuring Ariel's vision, she raised her fist and punched Ariel!
"Exquisite spellcasting." Antony couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "As expected of the great witch who excels in duels, she seems to be bombarding from the same spot, but in reality, she is using multiple spells to buff herself quite a bit."
"Ariel is in danger."
Jiang Kehan held her breath, but Li Hui seemed to have a lingering charm as he spoke to Jiang Kehan.
"Do you know why Ariel's codename is 'Raging Abyss'? Just watch, this isn't her limit yet."
The round shield shattered under Yang Xiling's fist. This special staff, which was capable of withstanding a normal attack from a witch, was easily destroyed by her with the effortless skill of a little witch, demonstrating her strength.
"Kehan, keep a close eye on her. A duel can happen in an instant, so don't be careless." Li Hui looked at Ai Li'er below and explained to Jiang Kehan.
As the round shield shattered, Ariel revealed a smile.
The tentacles that were originally hidden around her began to emerge, numbering in the thousands and as thick as thighs, completely enveloping Yang Xiling.
Each tentacle is covered in a corrosive sap that clings to the skin and penetrates the enemy, weaving a dark, tentacle abyss.
The giant tentacles beneath her feet quickly carried her out of the area, to a safe distance.
Ariel raised her last remaining short spear and used all her enchanting spells. Her one-time-use staff, which was granted a guaranteed hit, began to glow.
"Go forth and vanquish my enemy!"
Without hesitation, Ariel hurled the short spear, its true form now obscured by shimmering light. With a deafening roar, all the tentacles were shattered by the aftershocks, while at the deepest part remained a twisted phantom.
Li Hui shrugged, somewhat regretfully: "Aili'er is still too cautious. Losing her frenzied offensive style and becoming a defender has made her lose some of her luster."
"Sigh, wasn't she going to win?" Jiang Kehan asked, somewhat surprised.
Li Hui stood up, took Jiang Kehan's hand, and pointed to a corner of the dueling arena, making Jiang Kehan look over.
"I said, victory or defeat can be decided in a single moment, even the very first moment."
In the corner, Yang Xiling, who should have been pierced, appeared clapping her hands and smiling.
"A nice little girl, but it's time to end this."
She arrived in an instant, knocking Ariel off the giant tentacle. Her light armor blocked the first punch, but it couldn't stop the second.
Ariel turned into a blood mist; the outcome was decided.
She miraculously appeared on the sofa in the private room, scratching her blonde hair, her eyes filled with barely suppressed fighting spirit, and spoke with a hint of wistfulness.
"I never expected Yang Xiling to be able to use the fake shadow puppet that looks like a doll so skillfully. She was completely fooled."
Watching Yang Xiling receive cheers and applause below, Ai Lier pouted, somewhat displeased.
"As expected, I still don't like dueling. I'm better off as a manager. What do you think of witch duels, Kehan? Do you want to try one yourself?"
She looked at Jiang Kehan with a smile.
Chapter 80 Our Three-Way Society
"Huh?!?!" Jiang Kehan looked at Ai Lier in surprise. Ai Lier gently tossed her golden hair, then grabbed it and neatly tied it into a ponytail.
"Hmph, anyway, Yang Xiling will only be spouting empty words on stage later. Why don't you and Li Hui go to the small training ground next door and give it a try?"
Ariel took out a dress from her personal space and casually put it over her still-intact combat suit, making her look much more sharp.
"After all, if you want to become the Duel Witch, why not give it a try yourself, right, Li Hui?" She gestured towards Li Hui with her lip, but her eyes were blinking at Jiang Kehan, offering encouragement.
Come on, Kehan! Since Aunt An hasn't found anything wrong, it's up to you to get Li Hui into the ranks of the Duel Witches.
I hope you won't let me down.
Jiang Kehan looked into Ai Li'er's eyes and understood her intention. She looked at Li Hui with expectation, and the sincere emotion in her eyes was like icing sugar, blowing into Li Hui's heart.
Li Hui didn't notice anything amiss. After a moment's thought, just as she was about to nod, Anthony spoke up.
"Hmm? Kehan wants to become a dueling witch? That's not an easy path."
"What's needed isn't just determination, but also friends."
She looked at the three of them meaningfully and made a suggestion that caught them off guard.
"Why don't you three form a society? Maybe that will bring about some unusual stories."
The three looked at each other, and surprisingly, they were all somewhat tempted.
"Is it...is it okay?" Jiang Kehan was the first to speak. She didn't know where to put her hands and waved them haphazardly in the air, looking rather adorable.
"Huh?!?" Ariel glanced at Li Hui subconsciously, then, without much hope, said dejectedly, "I..."
But Li Hui raised his hand before her, frowning as he pondered.
"I agree, but what should we name a club for three people?"
Ariel swallowed the words in her mouth, pinched her thigh, and wondered if she was still asleep.
I'm here to join you guys, take me with you!
She felt the pain in her thigh, her eyes sparkling, and she was panting heavily, even more excited than when she competed against Yang Xiling.
"I agree, we need to come up with a good name, this is our first association!"
Witches typically reside in only one guild, but may be nominally affiliated with other guilds, or they may leave and then rejoin other guilds.
In either case, the first society a witch joins will be an unforgettable memory for her entire life, even more significant than her coming-of-age ceremony.
Li Hui looked at the two excited people with a wry smile, clutching her chest, feeling her heart pounding, her eyes filled with a touch of melancholy.
I'm sorry, perhaps I should have noticed your concern sooner.
Unfortunately, I can only make amends within a limited timeframe. Please forgive me.
She kept her thoughts hidden deep inside, behaving as if nothing was wrong. But coincidentally, the other two people joined the society with the intention of saving her.
Friendship is never a one-sided act of reaching out to each other, but rather a mutual touch that brings joy to both.
"How about we call it Sky?" Jiang Kehan was the first to voice her thoughts. "I think we can soar in the sky like birds, and the society is our own sky."
Li Hui was somewhat surprised, but gently shook her head and declined the name.
“I think we can come up with a more unique name to commemorate our first society. The name ‘Sky’ is probably already used a lot. How about we just call ourselves the Three Societies?”
She looked expectantly at the other two, while Jiang Kehan and Ai Lier both felt a little suffocated.
This name is so unique, it's so rustic yet refreshingly unconventional.
I never expected you to be like this, Li Hui. Let's just forget about it.
"Well, maybe the society will accept more witches, so calling us the three of us isn't quite right," Ariel said tentatively. She really didn't want her first society to be named that.
When other witches later asked her what the name of her society was, she said, "That society is dead."
“How about…” She looked at Li Hui and Jiang Kehan, and suddenly thought of Kehan and her efforts over the past few days, as well as Li Hui’s care for them all along, and had a good idea.
"How about we call it the 'Branch-Holding Bird Society'? It means partners who hold onto the same branch, soaring freely in ordinary times, but in the society they are a collective that shares a common destiny."
Jiang Kehan and Li Hui both thought the name was good; it was a name that, while somewhat plain, carried a profound meaning.
So they all nodded, and that was how they decided on the name of the society.
"Next, we need to differentiate the positions within the association. An association that relies on everyone's voluntary contributions won't go far. We still need to take stock," Ariel suggested to the two, drawing on her experience in managing academy affairs.
"I can contribute 15,000 Witch Gold as the guild's common funds, and I hope to serve as the member in charge of the guild's funds."
Jiang Kehan and Li Hui both gasped in surprise. This is too rich!
Li Hui pondered what he could offer the society and shared his thoughts.
"I can provide some rare spells, but you'll still have to pay for them. After all, according to copyright regulations, the main fee goes to the spell's creator."
"But don't worry, the price I'm giving you is definitely the most favorable one, 100 million 200 million sq.m. +8."
Jiang Kehan and Ai Lier's eyes lit up, and even Anthony, who was listening quietly beside them, was a little tempted.
For witches, money is always an option, but acquiring rare spells is far more difficult. Even the simplest method, exchanging witch points, requires completing official tasks to accumulate enough points.
But Li Hui also put forward her own conditions, and she looked at the two of them apologetically.
"I just don't want to be too in the public eye, so I'll just be in charge of the society's knowledge base."
Ugh? !
Jiang Kehan and Ai Lier exchanged a glance. They had tacitly agreed to let Li Hui serve as the president of the club, but now she had actually declined. What should they do?
Jiang Kehan couldn't help but point to herself, and spoke hesitantly.
"So, the only position left for me is the president?"
If we weren't sisters, how did I suddenly become the president of the club?
What have I done to deserve this?!
“I think Kehan would be a good president. She has the most important qualities: tolerance and concern for you all.” Seeing the three of them staring at each other, Anthony walked over to Ariel and spoke.
"So, Kehan, just accept this position. The president will have to put in a lot of effort. Keep up the good work! I'm going to take Aier to give a speech now."
Ariel then remembered that she was supposed to speak after Yang Xiling; the news of the society had excited her too much.
She quickly straightened her dress, waved to the two of them, and said, "Then I'll go downstairs with Aunt An first. We can discuss the details when we get back."
So, without giving Jiang Kehan a chance to refuse, she tacitly became the president of the Puppet Bird Society.
After they left, Li Hui shrugged, not dwelling on the issue any further, and instead extended an invitation to Jiang Kehan.
"Let's go. Didn't you want to try a duel? Now it's just the two of us, so let's go."
Oh right, Jiang Kehan remembered her important matter: she wanted Li Hui to become a Duel Witch, and this was a good opportunity.
So she nodded quickly and followed Li Hui to the small training ground.
Chapter 81 The First Duel