Chapter 119: Seventeen

Snake’s Strangulation is a slow and desperate process.

With every inch of muscle contracting and writhing, the space left for the prey grows ever smaller.

At first, the prey believes it can escape and struggles in vain.

But every movement is bounced back by the supple muscles.

In this most intimate and deadly embrace, the python slowly opens its mouth.

Sometimes it clamps onto the prey’s head, then, accompanied by the esophageal muscles’ expansion, contraction, and expansion again, swallows the prey whole.

Other times, it’s the feet.

In her final moments of consciousness, Wu Xiaomi felt her feet turn icy cold.

It was as if they had slipped into a warm, writhing, fleshy stocking that crawled up her legs.

So tight.

……

“Huff… ha… huff… even I… still haven’t… huff… eaten her…”

The Witch panted as she leaned against the doorframe.

She raised one hand, teeth clenched in fury.

Vines sprouted from the ground, rapidly entwining the entire poisonous python’s body.

“Like… strangling?”

“Playing bondage… in front of me?”

“Ah.”

What was that term for the attacker again?

‘Showing off one’s skills before an expert!’

“Creak, creak, creak—”

The snake’s body was forcibly twisted out of shape by the vines, which gripped the giant serpent’s throat, pulling Wu Xiaomi out.

You like to cling and never let go, huh?

“Crack, crack—”

Caught in the net of countless vines, the entire poisonous python was twisted like a twisted dough stick.

Then twisted more.

Until all its bile, intestines, flesh, and bones were squeezed out, leaving only skin. Only then did the Witch relent.

She didn’t know why she was so angrily unrestrained, but she didn’t care.

She rushed forward and snatched Wu Xiaomi into her arms.

Snake venom was not hard to clean, but the exhaustion of this night was the real problem.

The Witch knew the girl had survived this night by cycling between warm blankets and going out to fight, warm blankets and going out to fight, successfully maintaining her body temperature and saving her life.

But the girl’s own body temperature was dangerously low.

There were few supplies in the forest, and she had come out in such a hurry that she didn’t have enough Medicine to treat it.

She had to find a Forest Ranger quickly for help.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s alright now, don’t be afraid.”

Ignoring the girl’s filthy bloodstains, the Witch opened her clothes and held the girl tightly close, wrapping her up.

Just like the girl had done for her last night.

Only now, their roles were reversed.

The Witch pressed the girl’s fingers and drew a talisman in the air.

Xiao Yangtuo leapt out of the teleportation gate, appearing in the forest.

“Go find the Forest Ranger.”

Holding the girl on Xiao Yangtuo’s back, the Witch began cleaning her wounds.

The girl had been weak all night and was covered in bruises and cuts.

Those wounds could all be temporarily treated with the Blooming Flowers Tube, using roots to roughly block them, but that was no long-term solution.

Fortunately, the girl was awake now.

The Witch carefully pulled out each root, cleaned, disinfected, and stitched the wounds with vines.

“Stupid leek.”

The Witch smiled bitterly as she wrapped the girl up.

It was ridiculous.

Everything that had happened today was the opposite of what she had originally planned.

How could there be such a stupid leek in the world?

It should have ended long ago. Ever since the girl arrived in Nerrifa, the moment she first saw her… this seventeen-year-long plan should have come to its final sentence.

But just because of a little initial curiosity.

Things had dragged on to now.

To an uncontrollable degree.

Heh, they must be furious by now, right?

“Flap—”

The sound of wings flapping came from the sky.

They had indeed arrived.

The Witch looked up.

A hawk was diving down from high above.

It didn’t attack but dropped a message tube from its claws.

The Witch caught the tube.

She opened it.

[The Limelight Theocracy has recovered the Princess. She will soon obtain Divine Shaman Power. No more delays allowed.]

The Witch casually tossed the tube by the roadside.

Xiao Yangtuo continued forward.

……

Noon came quickly.

The hawk circled overhead again.

It locked onto the Witch’s location, dove down, and delivered a second letter.

[You are approaching the Saint’s Sanctuary! Are you crazy or just stupid? If you don’t act soon, we will act for you.]

Thud~

The Witch casually threw the letter aside.

She patted Xiao Yangtuo’s back and said weakly, “Little one, I know you’re tired, but can you go faster? Otherwise, your master is going to be in big trouble.”

Xiao Yangtuo shook its head.

It was really already at top speed.

No matter how much it tried, it couldn’t go faster.

……

The day passed in the blink of an eye.

The sun was setting again.

The Witch knew that with her and Wu Xiaomi’s current state, traveling through the night was a death sentence.

So they had to stop for now.

Following the markings on tree trunks, she began searching for the Forest Ranger’s hut.

This time she was better prepared. The Witch set up a thorn barrier in advance and locked the door securely.

Hopefully, tonight wouldn’t be so unbearable.

Hopefully……

Meanwhile, outside Xilin City harbor on the horizon, inside the brilliantly lit Crystal Warship.

“Princess, it’s been seventeen years. Your people miss you very much. Aren’t you going to see them again?”

“No,” Bai Xiaozhi swung her sword, the blade cold and sharp, easily cutting through the steel dummy before her. “Find me more instructors. Also, bring all Sequence Seeds. Send all cultivation crystals capable of quickly understanding Sequences. Go!”

“Princess, you can’t keep training like this! Look, your hands are bleeding! Your injuries are serious. I should find you some doctors and masseurs…”

“Bleeding?” Bai Xiaozhi chuckled dryly. “You call this serious?”

“Besides the King, you hold the highest position in the Empire. Nobles, merchants, even the Spiritual Source Masters all bow to you. With your status, you should never be injured, and you should never have to fight personally,” the Demon Hunter said respectfully.

“Fine, then tell me—where is the King?”

“Uh… not here.”

“Am I the boss here?”

“Though ‘boss’ is a crude term… yes, you are.”

“Alright then, tell me, who do you think you are?”

Shing—

The cold sword pressed against the Demon Hunter’s neck.

But the Demon Hunter didn’t even dare to flinch.

“How dare you be so petty and question the decisions of Her Highness the Princess? Want to lose your head? Hm?!”

The Demon Hunter knelt trembling.

“I only care about Her Highness. I can’t bear to see her injured.”

“I don’t have time for your nonsense. Now, immediately summon the strongest people and things on the ship—everyone. Understood?”

Bai Xiaozhi ignored the Demon Hunter.

“Oh, and all Divine Weapons, Magic Bottles, and Wondrous Medicines—package them and bring them to this training pod. Heard? Go quickly!”

“…Yes…”

The Demon Hunter reluctantly stepped back.

He didn’t believe anyone who had tasted power’s sweetness would willingly return to hardship.

He thought Her Highness the Princess couldn’t escape that “true fragrance” law.

But her obsession with fighting and insistence on doing things herself…

Was too undignified for her identity and status.

Not befitting a royal princess’s ladylike demeanor.

But since it was the Princess’s order, he had no choice but to comply.

The Demon Hunter bowed deeply before leaving the training pod.

Suddenly, the chain on his wrist flashed.

Frowning, he waved the soldiers around him away, pressed the bracelet, and received a message.

[Wu Xiaomi is heading for the Saint’s Sanctuary. Depart immediately to intercept and silence her!

Under no circumstances can the Forest Ranger learn the truth from seventeen years ago!]