The Virtuous Dark Witch

Chapter 30

Alexander stood not far behind Thea, silently accompanying her without approaching.

The current situation of the West Sea Forest was very… one could say extremely bad. Lady Merlyn was in a deep sleep, and Thea's sudden return for no reason suggested that Lord Kelly's time was also up.

He loved Thea—deeply, deeply loved her. So to avoid unnecessary entanglements, he never probed into her secrets or those of the West Sea Forest. Looking at her exhausted yet straight back, Alexander's eyes were filled with overwhelming heartache. But he dared not let her detect this heartache, fearing she would mistake it for pity.

Three years had passed. He let out a long breath, having witnessed her strip away the pride of a Dessey Witch from her life bit by bit. She said Thea Dessey was already dead.

But he disagreed. Thinking of the beef left in the farmhouse, he couldn't help but smile. If Thea Dessey were truly dead, why had she still been struggling to suppress the bloodthirsty nature of an Andros ever since being turned?

After finishing reading the contents recorded on the stack of animal skins, Thea could clearly feel a seed of hope taking root in her heart. Even every drop of blood in her body was roaring wildly. Her trembling hands were somewhat out of control—she eagerly flipped back to the first page, reading it again carefully, as if afraid of missing a single word.

While comprehending every word and pondering what Elara had recorded, Thea realized that Elara's method was contrary to the traditional cultivation inheritance of the Witch Clan.

Traditional Witch Clan cultivation emphasized using one's talent to draw close to nature, accepting nature's gifts, and then condensing and transforming them into Witch Power. Its essence was cultivating through nature's gifts to achieve harmony with nature—with the focus on "nature."

Elara's method, however, ignored talent. It used sharp senses to actively perceive nature, then drew invisible natural power into the body through qi sensation, circulating it along a specific path in the meridians to open up a treasure trove for storing power. This method abandoned nature, taking the cultivator as the foundation.

But the little one had also noted here that since the power drawn into the body flowed through the meridians, one couldn't completely abandon talent for cultivation. After all, talent determined the quality of the meridians.

Thea murmured. "I don't lack talent." It was as if she were reassuring herself. She had been turned, but her meridians were still intact—she had only lost the ability to communicate with nature. Excited, she flipped through it again, determined to engrave all the contents of the animal skins into her mind without the slightest mistake.

The little one said she had successfully opened the Three Dantians. Although it had taken three years, and the process had been extremely painful and dangerous, since opening the Three Dantians, her speed of absorbing Moon Glow to condense Witch Power had increased more than tenfold. Thea knew the little one's talent well—more than tenfold was simply incredible.

What's more, tenfold was just the beginning. As her realm advanced, this speed would continue to grow as the cultivator's physical body became closer to nature.

After reading it repeatedly to ensure she hadn't missed anything, Thea crushed the stack of animal skins one by one into mud, returning them to the earth. She touched the Nether Box containing the Silver Frost Moon Scepter, her eyes filled with unprecedented determination and resolve.

She slowly tightened her grip on the Nether Box. This was her only chance. Even if the process was dangerous and painful, she was willing to risk her life for it. Whether it took three years, ten years, or a hundred years—as long as there was hope, she would never give up. "Alexander, let's go."

Elara had said her mother was waiting for her to return. She couldn't go on like this, decadent and despairing. Now that there was hope, she didn't want to waste any more time wallowing in self-pity.

"Alright." Alexander glanced at the Nether Box and smiled. It seemed this trip back had been the right decision. Returning to the farmhouse, they ate some food, left a gold coin, and then quietly left.

Polina and her mother huddled together in the bedroom of the main hall, not daring to lie down or fall asleep. It wasn't until they hadn't heard any movement for a long time that Polina dared to tiptoe to the door, peeking through the c***k at the main hall. After a long while, she hesitated. "I think they're gone."

"Gone?" The woman standing behind Polina let out a slight sigh of relief, but still felt uneasy. "Are you sure you didn't miss it?" She pushed her daughter aside and stepped forward to check herself.

At that moment, a loud bang came from outside the house. Polina and her mother were terrified, immediately retreating to the corner of the bed and huddling tightly together.

Squeak—the door was pushed open. A blood-eyed woman with long pale red hair led a group of Andros in, looking at Polina and her mother, who were pale with fear. She smiled gently and said softly, "Tell me where they went?"

Who went? Polina pressed her back tightly against the wall, clinging to her mother, who was shielding her, and sobbed. "I… I don't know." They… they suddenly appeared last night… told us to stay in the house… we didn't go out… wuwu… we didn't dare."

Oh my god, her neck was already starting to hurt. Why did they have to suffer like this when they were just staying in their own home?

"So they suddenly disappeared?" A sharp glint flashed in the woman's eyes. They ran really fast.

"My Lord Viscount." A bald Andros man approached the blood-eyed woman, holding a gold coin. "We found this on the table outside. It must have been left by them."

The blood-eyed woman glanced at the gold coin, took it, and gently sniffed it. The corners of her mouth twitched, and she sneered. "You've really changed your ways." She let go of her fingers, and the gold coin fell to the ground. She lifted her foot and crushed it hard. "I'll see how long you can hide."

Polina watched them exit the house, not daring to catch her breath. Unexpectedly, her hands suddenly felt heavy—she looked down and saw her mother's eyes rolling back. She was terrified. "Mom…" But her cry scared the woman half to death. Her rolled-back eyes immediately returned to normal, and she quickly covered Polina's mouth with her hand.

Looking at her mother, who was severely traumatized by fear, Polina's heart ached so much she could barely breathe. In her previous life, she had parents, but they divorced when she was very young. She became an unwanted burden—neither parent wanted her. In the end, she was sent to her childless, wealthy great-aunt.

Her great-aunt loved her like her own granddaughter, raised her, and sent her to school. Even after her death, she left all her property to Polina alone. But after inheriting her great-aunt's fortune, her bizarre parents came back to talk about the so-called family love. Unfortunately, it was too late. As soon as they left, the lawyers she had contacted arrived.

A man-made car accident brought her to this world. At first, she was scared and panicked. After learning about this world in detail, she even wanted to hit her head and die. But her mother had guarded her day and night, taking care of her. When she recovered from her illness, she no longer wanted to die.

And just now, facing so many Andros, her mother still held her tightly in her arms, turning her own back to the Andros. So what more could she ask for? She had been lucky both in her previous life and this one.

She didn't make another sound, leaning against her mother's arms. Polina silently prayed to Guanyin Bodhisattva, Sakyamuni Buddha, and the city gods everywhere, asking them to let her idol grow up safely, become strong as soon as possible, and soon incorporate Luohe Plain into the territory of the West Sea Forest—so that those so-called nobles would have nowhere to display their arrogance.

Once upon a time, she had only prayed to the God of Wealth. But now? Polina looked at the gold coin crushed into powder, sighing softly. Her mother's and her own lives were more important.

The blood-eyed woman led the Andros out of the farm courtyard, unwillingly teleporting to the outside of the West Sea Forest. Alexander and Thea Dessey wouldn't have returned for no reason—Kelly Dessey, that old thing, must have died.

She lifted her foot, wanting to cross the barrier at the edge of the forest, but hesitated, not daring to stretch it forward. The blood-eyed woman was filled with hatred, but facing the silent forest, she was helpless. Finally, she gritted her teeth. "Just you wait. I don't believe you can stay in the West Sea Forest forever."

Early in the morning, as the sun filtered through the dense gaps in the leaves and spilled into the forest, Elara ended her night of cultivation. Opening her eyes, she saw the little sprites lying lazily on the silver cores of the black mandalas, resting. She couldn't help but curve her lips. "You're living quite comfortably."

She raised her hand, and a three-inch-long black bat landed on her fingertip, chirping nonstop. Elara closed her eyes and listened carefully. When the little bat finished chirping, she slightly curled the corners of her mouth. Her calm eyes were like a clear spring, rippling not a bit. "Is Ana Stirling trying to continue what her son Rocky Anastas didn't finish?"

But Elara was more curious—who was in charge when it came to the Moon Glow between this mother and son?

Once, her mother had thought Rocky Anastas had acted arbitrarily, hiding it from the Andros nobles in the royal capital. But judging from the current situation, Elara felt there might be involvement from the Andros nobles in Andrea Capital behind this.

Rocky Anastas had been killed by Alexander Stirling. In Andrea Capital, Duke Lisandra Stirling had to tolerate Ana Stirling somewhat because of her only son, Alexander.

This had allowed Ana Stirling to use Rocky Anastas' death as an excuse to openly plot to control the Moon Glow. Once she controlled the Moon Glow, relying on Anastas City's geographical location, she could easily encircle the West Sea Forest.

Elara smiled dismissively, standing up and walking out of the ancient tomb, covered in dew. Because of what had happened three years ago, the Dark Witches, led by the Charlotte Tribe and the Annel Clan, were now fiercely fighting the Light Witches. It wouldn't be easy for Ana Stirling to control the Moon Glow.

But before Ana Stirling focused all her attention on the West Sea Forest, she had to arrange for her two elder brothers first. David and Townsend seemed to already know they would be sent out of the West Sea Forest today—their things were already packed, and they were waiting on the open ground outside the ancient castle.

In three years, Mond had aged a little, but he was still as handsome as ever. At this moment, he was whispering to his two sons, telling them to be cautious when acting outside, and so on.

When Elara appeared outside the ancient castle, the father and three sons looked for the familiar cuteness and agility in her appearance, but the more they searched, the more heartbroken they became.

"Hi, baby." Mond's eyes turned red as he stepped forward, hugging his beloved daughter tightly, kissing the top of her head. Feeling a pair of small hands hugging him back, he finally couldn't hold back his tears, asking in a hoarse voice, filled with heartache. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Elara gently patted her father's back. "I haven't been back for so long—has mother been angry with me?"

David and Townsend cried. They desperately wished everything three years ago had been a false nightmare. They stepped forward, and the whole family hugged tightly. Once they left today, they didn't know when they would see each other again—or if they would ever see each other again.

After calming down, Elara told them to return to the ancient castle. Seeing the luggage placed on the old leather chairs, she didn't delay, taking out the prepared things. "According to grandmother's wishes, for safety, eldest brother and second brother will take father's original surname—Hambury—starting today."

"Do we have to?" David was somewhat unwilling, and Townsend looked at Elara with the same feeling.

Elara was also helpless, but she still nodded. "Three years ago, Rocky Anastas, the Lord of Anastas City, was killed by Alexander Stirling. And the reason Alexander killed Rocky Anastas was because of his aunt…"

Hearing this, David and Townsend couldn't help but gasp, and even Mond was shocked.

The West Sea Forest was almost isolated from the world. How did the Dessey Witches living in the West Sea Forest collect outside information? As Rozin people, the father and three sons only vaguely knew it was related to dark spirits. Of course, they never asked for more, and no one in the family would tell them more about the outside world. So their understanding of the outside world was really minimal.

Elara roughly told them what had happened three years ago. "Now Anastas City has been taken back by Ana Stirling, and at present, the Dark Witches and Light Witches are fighting fiercely. So it's not a good thing for you to go out with the surname Dessey."

"That's true." Mond frowned, thinking. After a moment of hesitation, he said. "Later, I'll write a letter to the patriarch of the Hambury Clan." He looked up at Elara, who was wearing the silver-core black mandala crown. "Can you help me send the letter out?"

“Yes.”

"That's good." Mond turned to his two sons. "The Hambury Clan has a large number of members. If you take the surname Hambury, it shouldn't attract the attention of certain forces, and you can live a quieter life. But there's one more thing you must remember—don't easily trust anyone, especially Andros."

"Father is right. People's hearts are easy to change—you must be careful." Elara took out the Blood Rose Glazed Cards from the Night Box. "These glazed cards are from Alexander Stirling. You each take one." If you encounter Andros who want to attack you, take it out."

Although Alexander was still wandering outside, the fact that he was the son of Duke Alexandra and Duke Lisandra couldn't be changed.

Mond had heard of the Blood Rose Glazed Cards, but he didn't expect his daughter to have them now. But on second thought, it wasn't surprising—after all, Duke Alexander Stirling had killed Ana Stirling's only son for Thea.

David and Townsend stepped forward to take the glazed cards. Elara handed the last one to her father. "Since we're asking the Hambury Clan for help, let's give this last one to the Hambury Clan."

"This…" Mond hesitated, confused, but still took the glazed card. "If that's the case, I think the Hambury Clan can do more for David and Townsend."

There were differences between the Blood Rose Glazed Cards. Earl Alexander Stirling was the most noble Andros noble besides the eight Andros Progenitors. His Blood Rose Glazed Card was extremely precious to the weak Rozin people.

Elara smiled faintly. "Aren't you going to write a letter to the patriarch of the Hambury Clan?" Her father had been treated well in the Hambury Clan for so many years—not just because of his outstanding appearance.

Looking at his daughter's still childish face, Mond felt both relieved and sad. "Alright, I'll take care of this."

She took out two gold vouchers worth two hundred each and two small bags of money, handing them to her two elder brothers respectively. Then Elara closed the empty Night Box.

David and Townsend wanted to refuse, but Mond raised his hand to stop them. "You need to live after leaving the West Sea Forest." When you get married in the future, you'll also have to support your families. Take them." He had also prepared a share for them, which was in their luggage—he would tell them later.

The family of four had a good lunch. David and Townsend bid farewell to their parents, carrying their respective luggage and boarding the carriage. Elara saw them off to the forest path before stopping. "Once you enter the forest, go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be out of the forest."

Her elder brothers were ordinary humans—they couldn't see what was inside the forest. Waving goodbye to them, Elara's eyes became wet again. "Don't worry. The two old horses will take you to the south of the forest. If you don't see them when you wake up, don't worry—they've already returned to the forest." Her voice became choked.

"Once you're out of the forest, live well. One day, I'll come to find you."

"You and father must also take care." David and Townsend cried too. At this moment, the two brothers were extremely anxious, but more than that, they were reluctant. "Don't worry about us…"

After sending her two elder brothers away, Elara stood by the forest for a long time. A so-called accident had made the West Sea Forest even quieter. Who was to blame for all this?

She searched through her memories repeatedly, thinking for a long time. Elara smiled self-deprecatingly. No one was to blame—only that the Dessey Witches were not strong enough. She lifted her foot and stepped into the forest, picking a bunch of black mandalas from the depths.

Back home, her father was sitting in the main hall on the first floor, writing a letter with a brush. Seeing her come back with flowers, he smiled gently. "Black mandalas—your mother's favorite." Unfortunately, he couldn't go to the depths of the forest.

"Yes." Elara walked to her father's side, sitting next to him for a while before standing up. "I'm going to accompany mother." She would return to the ancient tomb after dark.

“Alright.”

Entering her mother's room, Elara placed the black mandalas next to the bunch of purple lilacs her father had just picked that morning. Then she climbed onto the bed, lying on her side next to her mother, inhaling the familiar scent of her body, closing her eyes. Two tears overflowed from her eyes, and she whispered. "Have you dreamed of me?"

But there was no response.

After finishing writing the letter, Mond tiptoed to the door of his and Merlyn's room. Seeing his little daughter lying silently next to his sleeping wife, crying, his tall body almost couldn't stand. He tightly grabbed the doorframe, his heart aching as if being gnawed by thousands of ants. In the end, he could only silently leave to stew delicious beef bone soup for his daughter.

As the sun set, Elara cried for a while, and her mood calmed down a lot. She went to the secret room of the ancient castle, taking the remaining Earth Core Silver Stone that the West Sea Witch Ancestor had used to forge the Life Spirit Ring.

After successfully opening the Three Dantians, she had already decided to abandon using a scepter to store Witch Power. But she still needed to forge a handy weapon.

In the battle three years ago, Elara deeply felt that small, inconspicuous silver needles were very suitable for her.

But since it was to be a handy weapon, the material used to forge the silver needles must be very tough. Fortunately, there was still a piece of Earth Core Silver Stone at home. This Earth Core Silver Stone had been retrieved by the West Sea Witch Ancestor from the core seabed at the end of the Mal Continent. It was not only extremely tough, but also had a silver content comparable to silver coins—exactly what she wanted.

There were a total of 720 acupoints in the human body, 402 used in medicine, and 108 fatal points. She didn't need to forge 720—402 was just right: 294 thin needles, 108 long needles, and among these 108, 36 thickened fatal point needles.

In addition, Elara had an even bolder idea—to hide the needles in the Upper Dantian. But this idea was a bit daring—would it succeed? Killing without a trace was not that easy.

After having dinner with her father, Elara took the Nether Box containing the Earth Core Silver Stone and the letter her father had written, walking step by step toward the depths of the forest. Mond stood in front of the ancient castle, staring in the direction she had disappeared, praying devoutly to Selena, the Moon Goddess, hoping his daughter would regain her happiness soon.

………………

Seventeen years later

In a small manor castle in a town west of Taroni City, Alexander stood outside a room on the second floor, his forehead resting against the door, his eyes closed tightly, carefully listening to the suppressed sounds of pain coming from the room. His hands hanging by his sides were tightly clenched.

After seventeen years of companionship, even if he were blind, he would know what Thea was doing. He often asked himself if he hoped she would succeed. The answer was definite—in his heart, the Thea holding the Silver Frost Moon Scepter was the happiest and truest Thea.

This night should be very important to her, right? Because she had been very happy recently, but he could also clearly feel her unease.

Inside the room, Thea, sitting on the windowsill, was already covered in sweat. Elara's method was feasible for her. But probably because she had been turned, she had persisted for ten years before finally capturing the power of nature through qi sensation. It had taken her another seven years to complete the Small Circulation. Tonight, she was going to open the Lower Dantian.

Following Elara's notes, she first visualized a virtual realm, then wrapped it with her consciousness. This was very simple, but delineating the Lower Dantian was really, really painful. She had thought driving the power of nature through the meridians was painful enough, but she never expected that delineating the Dantian was a thousand times more painful than that.

She didn't know if it was because she had been turned, but as her fingers moved, it felt as if something was being forcibly torn from her flesh and blood. The piercing, heart-wrenching pain made her groan involuntarily. Coupled with the surging qi and blood in her body, Thea even felt that the God of Death was standing right in front of her, ready to take her life at any moment.

But as long as hope was not lost, no one could stop her—not even the God of Death.

What Thea didn't know was that as her Lower Dantian became complete, the meridians all over her body bulged out, and the blood in the meridians surged violently, crashing against the walls of the meridians again and again.

And there was one more thing… only a little distance left. Thea's mind was already dazed, but her fingers delineating the Lower Dantian were moving slowly instinctively.

Just as the bulging meridians seemed about to burst through her fair skin, the Lower Dantian finally connected end to end. With a buzzing sound, it felt as if her body had caught fire. The impact almost made Thea unable to stand. She thought she must have made a mistake, but at that moment, a familiar coldness wrapped around the Lower Dantian.

At the same time, her consciousness also perceived that place. Thea was so surprised she forgot to breathe. But even so, she still remembered to guide the wisp of Moon Glow hidden outside the Lower Dantian into the Dantian.

Instant coldness… familiar coldness surged over. Thea thought she had long forgotten this feeling after twenty years, but only now did she dare to loudly tell herself—she had never forgotten Thea Dessey.