[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-armed-witch":3,"chapter-armed-witch-armed-witch-chapter-989":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Armed Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2354529,4604,"Chapter 989","armed-witch-chapter-989",989,"\u003Cp>“A stroke of luck?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Dorothy’s question, Mrs. Zola paused, then began to recall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thousand years ago, when she was still a foolish dragon beast, she had once been chased by a powerful dragon beast, and in her panic, she fled deep into this miasma valley, eventually stumbling into a deep abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, “abyss” was just a metaphor—it was merely a very deep cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the cock-snake dragons, though they had wings, were like chickens—they couldn’t fly, not even glide for long. Back then, she had thought she would die from the fall, yet miraculously, she survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when she awoke from unconsciousness, the first thing she saw were two enormous serpent eyes—so terrifying, so majestic, that merely being gazed upon filled her heart with overwhelming dread, forcing her to flee in blind terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, she eventually escaped that profound abyss; even more fortunately, the terror had seemingly unlocked something within her—she evolved from a foolish dragon beast into a sub-dragon, gaining intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fear she felt when gazed upon by those colossal serpent eyes was the source of her current Power of Fear Gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze could make a target feel the same terror she had felt that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, precisely because that fear had never left her, she had never dared return to explore the mysterious depths of that valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, even if she had wanted to, she couldn’t—because that mysterious valley floor seemed to possess its own consciousness and had vanished. She had once mustered courage to go there, even just to peer at the perimeter without entering, but she could never find the path again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had originally intended to take this secret to her grave—or, if fortune favored the dragon clan and another sub-dragon arose to inherit the dragon lineage, she would pass it on to that successor. But now, since this beautiful divine lady had asked so directly, she thought for a moment and decided not to hide it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Dorothy, this is how it happened...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She explained the details of that past stroke of luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, Zola herself also truly hoped to uncover the secret of that valley floor, but her abilities were limited—she likely lacked both the power and the fortune to re-enter and fully investigate the abyss’s mystery. But these witches before her clearly had potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s why.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorothy listened patiently to the sub-dragon lady’s account, nodding repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She now understood most of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, this miasma valley is actually the tomb of a Serpent King Dragon elder, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The House Witch turned to confirm with Long Ma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remembered her mother had introduced it exactly like that during the hunt, saying the Serpent King Dragon’s eyes were the ideal material for crafting Evolution Elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long Ma, who had been listening quietly, instantly grasped her daughter’s meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dorothy, you mean those twin eyes at the valley floor are the elder’s legacy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Euphelia asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she was the sovereign of this pasture world, she couldn’t know everything about it like a true deity—many secrets here, including the state of the great dragon elders’ tombs, remained unclear to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When great dragons die, they form dragon tomb zones; these tombs decompose the dragon’s power and return it to the world—one dragon’s death gives birth to ten thousand dragons. This is not only the great dragon custom, but also the rule of the dragon realm—a fundamental law even the world’s sovereign must respect and cannot defy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Long Ma knew that each dragon tomb surely held treasures—after all, great dragons were full of valuables—but actually extracting benefits from a dragon tomb was extremely difficult, since their purpose was to return power to the world, not to benefit outsiders like them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Euphelia had recommended her daughter come here to hunt merely hoping for a bit of luck, but she never imagined it would actually work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good grief, thank goodness her daughter didn’t kill that sub-dragon—otherwise, she’d have picked up a sesame seed and lost a watermelon. The value of an ancient Serpent King Dragon’s legacy couldn’t be compared to these sub-dragons or dragon beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good grief, is this what they call good deeds bringing good rewards?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long Ma marveled at the wonder of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she considered the information she had on this dragon tomb and spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is indeed the tomb of a Serpent King Dragon elder—and not just any Serpent King Dragon. She was an Archetype Dragon King, properly called Serpent Emperor Dragon. Records say she perished during the war for the Dragon God throne, a loser in the contest for the Dragon God position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the Dragon King tore off this pasture world as a trophy, he didn’t do it randomly—this tomb is one of the greatest treasures in the current pasture world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after Long Ma’s explanation, Dorothy couldn’t help clicking her tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good grief, the Dragon King picked this exact spot, which just happened to contain the Serpent Emperor Dragon’s tomb—and now I just happen to need the Serpent Emperor Dragon’s eyes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heh, what a coincidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The House Witch thought silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more she thought about it, the more problems she saw in the Dragon King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, should I try to get the lowdown from Ye Meng, or Lord Aser, or Lancelot and the other First-Generation Round Table Knights?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorothy mused inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, she didn’t have the courage to directly confront the Dragon King and ask, “Are you messing with me?”—but she did have the courage to cautiously verify from multiple angles and boldly reason things out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she already suspected this coincidence was suspicious, she wouldn’t abandon the opportunity now right before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, swallow the sugar coating, then throw the bomb back—do I really fear that mere Emora?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because of the lingering consciousness of the Fairy King, the House Witch made her decision with extraordinary courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right then, she abandoned any thought of hunting rock-snake dragons or others—she changed her destination immediately, preparing to first investigate the mysterious valley floor Zola had described.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She discussed this decision with her sisters, who naturally had no objections—a legacy of an Archetype Dragon King! Even though all of them came from distinguished backgrounds, they had never seen such a spectacle before, and all were deeply curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just the little witches—even Long Ma and Mavis, the two adults, were seeing this for the first time. The Time Dragon Witch had to admit: the young lady’s luck was absurd. She could randomly go hunting and stumble upon something like this! The Longqi Army had been stationed nearby for nearly a century; they knew this terrain inside out—literally, they could walk it blindfolded—but they had never even heard of a hidden valley floor deep within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was normal. As a battle-hardened elite force, the Longqi Army wouldn’t be as kind-hearted as the young lady, treating a sub-dragon with such consideration. In their eyes, these dragon beasts and sub-dragons were merely livestock to be fattened and slaughtered—who cared about their fates?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lords, please follow me—but I can only guide you vaguely to where I once fled from my enemy. Beyond that, I cannot find the path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sub-dragon lady moved decisively ahead, and the cock-snake dragon herd followed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the witches and the dragon herd set off in a grand procession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cock-snake dragon herd was a dominant force in this miasma valley; traveling among them made the journey smooth. Though they inevitably encountered stronger dragon beasts or sub-dragons higher in the ecological hierarchy, whenever Zola gave a command, the entire herd would unleash a synchronized glare—and those dragon beasts or sub-dragons would either flee in panic or cautiously retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight restored a little confidence in Zola and the herd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, their collective Fear Gaze had failed to even shake Dorothy—such an anomaly had made them doubt their very lives, wondering if their eyes had weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, with these normal displays, their confidence returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that they had grown weak—it was that Lady Dorothy was simply too strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, Zola led with renewed seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her thousand-year life had granted her wisdom: this Lady Dorothy might be the herd’s new opportunity. Such a powerful, benevolent being who willingly communicated equally with weak herds like theirs was exceedingly rare—even across the entire Western Cosmos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could truly establish communication with Lady Dorothy, how could the herd lack a future?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lords, I fled from this area back then, but I can’t recall the exact direction anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the sub-dragon lady led the witches to a stone forest filled with countless small and large cave entrances. She stared at the dense network of caves and helplessly shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These natural cave passages contained countless intersecting paths; back then, she had only been focused on escaping—she had no time to memorize the route. Now, she truly had no solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorothy stared at the scene and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were merely a maze, she wasn’t afraid—given enough time, she could eventually find her way through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that would take a lot of time—and she was leaving for the Mechanical Wasteland in two days. She didn’t have time to linger here solving puzzles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to look at her sisters, wondering if any of them had a better idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sisters all looked troubled. Finally, Sophilia stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pure-white witch walked up to Mrs. Zola and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mrs. Zola, may I have a drop of your blood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was very polite to the sub-dragon lady—after all, the young lady was courteous, so she followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elegant matron didn’t hesitate—she stuck her finger in her mouth, bit down, and crimson dragon blood welled up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, is this enough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not nearly this much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sophilia took only one drop, then brushed her hand with holy light, effortlessly healing the sub-dragon lady’s wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the pure-white witch used that single drop of dragon blood as material to begin her spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fate: Serpent-Dragon kind. Destiny: Fleeing for one’s life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She picked up a stone from the nearby stone forest, infused it with magic, and shaped it into a tiny cock-snake dragon statue. Finally, she dripped Zola’s blood onto the statue. Instantly, the stone sculpture came alive—it bolted forward in frantic flight, as if something terrifying chased it from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, she intended to reenact Zola’s miraculous escape from that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But miracles are called miracles precisely because they are rare—most cannot be replicated. No one was sure this method would succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet since they had no other options, they could only trust in fate’s design.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group hurried after the frantic stone cock-snake dragon, plunging into the labyrinthine cave system. Zola hesitated, then ordered the dragon herd to hold position, and after a deep breath, followed them in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must cling to this divine avatar’s leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Dorothy, relying on her photographic memory, rapidly memorized their path—within her mind, a map of the maze was gradually lighting up, point by point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After rushing through the cave system for five or six hours, watching the stone cock-snake dragon still show no sign of stopping, and seeing the identical cave walls around them, they began to doubt whether Sophilia’s spell was working at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like they were circling endlessly—every scene looked familiar, as if they’d passed here before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the sisters were ready to give up—even Sophilia, the caster, was losing confidence—Dorothy’s eyes grew brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The map forming in her mind told her they were not circling—they were still on the correct path. The familiarity of the surroundings was merely an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, hold on a little longer—they must be nearing the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, after another three or four hours, with Dorothy’s constant encouragement, they finally reached their limit. The lead stone cock-snake dragon suddenly stepped into empty air, flailed helplessly for a moment, then, unable to support its heavy stone body, plummeted downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorothy and the others halted in time, standing at the cliff’s edge and gazing down—but saw nothing. The pitch-black void below gave the illusion of staring into an abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Mrs. Zola’s eyes filled with both fear and excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lords, this is it—below is the valley floor abyss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...The witches leap off the cliff...\u003C\u002Fp>",2034,"2026-06-21T03:49:48.467Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b65bf97b71e2a1d1ec09e370f0a6c866b49ee6d07d2659a5c4176ee4a28e0adb","armed-witch-chapter-990","armed-witch-chapter-988",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Farmed-witch-cover.jpg"]