The Cornflower Witch Chapter 99

Chapter 99: The Witch in the Dusk

“So, are you still alive?”

Hylial stood before the hidden rock cave, looking at the unconscious Solin.

He had half of his body buried in the soft earth, his face was purple, his body was burning with fever, and he was close to shock.

Taking out a small knife, Hylial cut his wrist and checked the dark red blood that flowed out.

It was indeed poison, the girl thought, then took out the ‘White Camellia’ flower leaf she had with her, pried open Solin’s jaw, placed the fragrant camellia leaf into his mouth, and poured in some clear water.

A short while later, Solin slowly woke up, looking up at Hylial standing close in front of him.

He felt the fragrant flower leaf in his mouth dispel the dizziness in his mind, making him realize that it must be an antidote.

“Thank… you,” he mumbled, then weakly closed his eyes again.

The assessment was probably hopeless, but being alive was a great fortune.

In the past, he hadn’t understood why his father, an old soldier and warrior who had experienced many battles, now fled the battlefield and lived in seclusion in a remote place like Burntstone City.

Now he could probably understand his father’s feelings and thoughts.

Battle and death were truly terrifying things. He recalled the poisonous snake he had killed yesterday; even if he had won, what then? He had still almost died in the mountains. Compared to survival, victory became an insignificant thing.

After recovering some strength, he slowly climbed out of the soft mud, then found the canteen he had buried, drank some clear water, and felt much better.

“I’m better now. I should be able to slowly make my way back on my own,” he said, sitting under a tree, his eyes swollen.

“Lia, you’re still going to continue the assessment, right? You don’t need to delay here any longer.” Although he didn’t know how this seemingly fragile girl had come so deep into the forest, since she had arrived safely, she must be much stronger than him.

“I was planning to compete with Mick, but it seems I was too arrogant,” he said, shaking his head self-deprecatingly.

“If you can guide Mick, then you must be stronger than him. I misjudged you in the past.”

“Among this batch of students, probably no one except Iona can surpass you… Now that I’ve become weak, I can truly feel what power is.”

“Your steps and movements are far more coordinated than anyone else’s. That’s not something a frail girl can do.”

“Here, take this bead. If you face Iona, it will help you greatly,” he said, taking a snow-white pearl from his sleeve and handing it to the girl.

[Blue Water Pearl] (First-Order Sleepy Winter): A pearl containing the power of affinity, which can drive and activate its power, emitting a chilling aura. (Residual power 82%)

“Originally, I prepared this for myself, to gain a fighting chance against Iona,” he explained slowly, leaning against the tree trunk.

“Now I don’t need it.”

“I’ll stop here. You go on…” With that, he closed his eyes again, entering the restorative state of the Breathing Method, adjusting his blood circulation and healing his injuries.

Seeing this, Hylial slowly stood up. She looked at the pearl in her hand and nodded to Solin, who was resting with his eyes closed.

“I’m leaving. Here’s some healing medicine you can apply externally,” she said, placing a small bottle of hemostatic disinfectant medicine, then left.

…

In the evening, Hylial found another Ogre. It had rough blue skin, a rhinoceros-like horn on its head, and was covered in foul-smelling blood and grime.

Facing this Ogre, she set down her basket and gripped the two Jade Tree Spirit Swords in her hands.

Emerald light flowed, and the two jade-like longswords glowed in the evening light, becoming sharp and hard.

“You’ve eaten people,” Hylial said softly, able to discern the lingering traces on its body.

In response to the girl’s question, the Ogre roared disdainfully, then, gripping a large wooden club, it lumbered forward, swinging the club, thicker than the girl’s waist, down towards her.

Hylial had already nimbly dodged before the club reached her, only causing shattered stones and dirt to fly up. Then, she swiftly rushed behind the Ogre, and before it could defend itself, she plunged a sword into its back.

The sword precisely avoided the tough bone, inserting itself into the Ogre’s lung through the gap between its ribs, then cutting horizontally before being pulled back out.

The intense pain enraged the Ogre. Its blood boiled, and the power within its body surged in its fury. It wildly swung the club, trying to smash the girl.

Facing this mad attack, Hylial responded calmly, constantly using trees to obstruct its movements and quickly evading its attack range.

Blood continuously flowed from the wound, and the blood-clotting inhibiting herbs smeared on the Jade Tree Spirit Sword prevented the Ogre from healing its injury. It slowly transitioned from rage to panic, then clutched at its wound, trying to escape.

Hylial shook her head at this, stopped, and took out the lantern from her waist.

Under the activation of the [Bloom-Flowering Method], the brightness of the Fire Cloud Orchid flower pistils inside the lantern rapidly increased, and then an invisible wave of fire spread.

A tangible orange-red wave of fire spread from Hylial’s side, igniting the trees and the Ogre’s body in its path. The creature howled, rolling on the mountain, letting out puffs of black smoke.

About ten minutes later, the Ogre was completely dead, its charred body emitting a foul, hot stench on the grass.

That should be the second objective completed, the girl thought, carefully approaching the dead Ogre and examining the corpse with her other black steel short sword.

With this experience of defeating an opponent, she now had some ideas for facing the dual-headed Ogre from before.

It seemed that she had to find other ways to defeat her opponent; a simple frontal assault was not the best option. She thought that the greatest credit for killing this Ogre should go to the blood-clotting inhibiting herbs she had inadvertently picked along the way.

If she could poison it… Hylial began to formulate her next plan.

…

In the clearing at the foot of the mountain, Viscount Xuefeng and Scholar Hyde sat within a makeshift wooden shed, discussing the conditions of the current assessment.

“Now, the first group of people who found the spring water has returned.”

“A total of six people returned, two of whom brought back spring water, and the other four were injured and voluntarily dropped out.”

“Currently, Iona, Lia, Komia, Kaelen, Mick, Lei, Solin, and Balun have not yet returned,” a nearby attendant recited from a roster.

“One day and one night have passed. The students’ food and water supplies are limited. Their provisions should be almost depleted. If they can’t find water and food on their own, it will be difficult to continue,” a tall knight holding a greatsword commented from beside the Viscount.

“Knight Leven is right. The first objective is usually within the norm, and as long as they study hard and prepare well, it’s not difficult to complete.”

“However, starting from the second objective, it heavily tests talent and strength.”

“How many students in this class have entered the ‘First-Order’?” Knight Leven asked the instructor.

“Eight students in this class have entered the First-Order,” the instructor proudly replied.

“Oh, so none of the elite First-Order students have returned yet, is that right?” Knight Leven asked with interest, his gaze from under his helmet fixed on the distance.

“Yes,” At this point, many in attendance began to worry again.

These elite students were the pride of Burntstone City. In another ten or so years, they would likely become the backbone of Burntstone City, standing here just like them.

Although it was good for young people to have ambition, it would be a shame if they encountered an accident while fighting a ‘First-Order’ monster.

The conversation continued under the makeshift wooden shed until a black carriage slowly approached in the dusk, silencing everyone.

Two Third-Order knights stood before Viscount Xuefeng, their ‘Castle’ affinity aura spreading like city walls, encompassing the entire temporary camp and blocking the unseen erosion spreading in the night.

At that moment, the black carriage stopped, and its door opened.

A wisp of seductive black skirt slowly stepped out of the carriage, followed by a graceful figure whose face could not be seen. She had pale skin and wore a captivating black dress, dark as night. Around her wrists, slender black ribbons coiled, wriggling like living things.

[Fourth-Order – Nightmare]

When she appeared, many weeds at her feet began to twist unnaturally, turning black and deforming. Some even grew wailing human faces, sending chills down one’s spine.

After a brief contact, these plants were contaminated with the ‘Nightmare’ affinity power, mutating and withering. Even the two Third-Order knights, who were only one rank below her, now looked serious, vigilantly watching the figure slowly approaching.

Was this the witch from the Hidden Grove? So terrifying and dreadful, completely unlike something of the mortal world, more like some distorted monster.

At the moment of extreme tension for everyone, the unknown figure let out a light laugh, finally breaking the silence.

“Long time no see, little Hyde. I didn’t expect you to be so old now.” Tiny purple lights appeared around her, faintly illuminating the figure in the twilight.

Finally seeing the other person’s face, Hyde, who had been sitting on a wooden chair, stood up in disbelief, looking at her.

“It’s Melisa… Senior?”

The senior he had met during his studies, after sixty years, was still so young.

(End of Chapter)