[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-princess-s-struggle-for-survival":3,"chapter-princess-s-struggle-for-survival-princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-65":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Princess’s Struggle for Survival",{"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},1801215,2401,"Chapter 65 65: Battle In Underground Dungeon (1)","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-65",65,"\u003Cp>\"There is some kind of special power here that hinders the emanation of mental energy. I can't penetrate the wall to investigate directly, and I can only locate the passage for now. I can't determine the exit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are there many branches in the pathway?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are currently five, with more side paths ahead, at least fifteen or more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then follow your instincts, Elise—\" Astrid paused before continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speaking of which, where have they gone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drinking the Eyesight Potion, Astrid's vision was greatly enhanced, allowing her to see her surroundings clearly with only the faint light from Lyra's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recalled that Velrik and Lucas's servants had been present when the darkness obscured the moonlight, but now they were nowhere to be found. Only the three of them remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head maid gripped her longsword and channeled mental energy into her surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the sheep-headed ghosts could gather again, she swung her blade, releasing a wave of sword energy that scattered the wandering resentful spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Astrid, I haven't found any trace of them,\" Elise reported.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering this strange underground space, Velrik seemed to have been separated from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing Elise felt relieved about was that she wasn't too far from Astrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, the safety of the two would be uncertain if left alone with only Lyra for protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise had just tested the strength of these Dark Spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were only one or two, Lyra and Astrid might barely handle them. But if more appeared, they would be overwhelmed and vulnerable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid fell silent for a moment, her eyes scanning the nearby soil and rocks that formed the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In \"The Innocent Knight of the Stained Light\" It was written that Lyra and Charlotte ventured deep underground and discovered that the underground space extended in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raised rocks beside them seemed alive, though their surfaces were covered in mud and sand, their undersides resembled animal veins, exuding a bewitching red glow accompanied by a rhythmic pulse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid reached out her soft hand and gently touched the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint vibration traveled from her fingertips to her nerves, prompting her to turn her head toward Lyra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lyra, try cutting through these clumps of dirt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Lyra raised her knight's sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the blade touched the surface of the clump, a wisp of crimson liquid flowed outward along the edge, nearly staining the hilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lyra quickly withdraw her hand, Astrid's eyes narrowed, and her expression grew more serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current situation almost perfectly matched the description in the novel, but neither the timing nor the scale of the sacrifice aligned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that she had guessed wrong from the start?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this monster had existed for a long time, and the life and flesh weren't nourishing it but providing the necessary medium for its manifestation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing up and expanding her elemental vision, Astrid observed that the walls were covered with deep brownish-yellow particles, an outward manifestation of the earth element.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond these particles, there was an abundance of rich green energy, something not seen in ordinary soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most fertile soil Astrid had ever encountered was in her private garden at the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though it was lush with flowers and plants, it still paled in comparison to the vitality exuded by these earthen walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A liquid as red as blood, brimming with vitality at all times, this wall wasn't a lifeless structure but part of some enormous living being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Her Royal Highness Astrid...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Astrid staring at the wall for so long without speaking, Lyra nervously licked her dry lips with her pink tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a few steps closer to Astrid, her smooth legs, clad in white stockings, brushing against each other as she moved to shield her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If only she could be as capable as Elise...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid quickly snapped out of her thoughts and gestured for Elise to continue along the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several Elders Speech spells flashed through her mind, along with their corresponding general incantations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic chanted in English was far more potent than when spoken in the common tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it truly came down to a life-or-death situation, Astrid would have no choice but to resort to ancient spells to ensure their survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the strength of primary spells was limited, with effects ranging from one to five rather than the ten to fifteen of intermediate spells, every little bit counted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the slightest change could tip the balance of an entire battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked through the dimly lit underground corridors, the hot, humid air clung to their skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise used her embodied mental energy to shield the other two girls. Astrid and Lyra were like chicks huddling under protective wings, one clutching a few bottles of combat potions, ready to chant spells at a moment's notice, and the other gripping her knight's sword, her eyes scanning their surroundings with unwavering focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she walked deeper, Elise detected a powerful scent emanating from ahead, mingled with the earthy aroma of grass and soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reach the exit, they had to pass through this area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Astrid, and Lyra, the path ahead may be particularly dangerous. Stay alert,\" Elise warned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flick of her wrist, the slender jade fingers gripping the hilt of her sword briefly stretched and clenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She channeled her abundant mental energy to enchant the knight's sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next moment, visible streaks of electric light danced along the blade, reflecting off the woman's delicate features and casting a faint glow on her waist-length, dark-colored hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they continued along the branching path, Lyra, who was particularly sensitive to dark elements, instinctively furrowed her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palm holding the metal hilt grew damp with sweat. She, too, sensed an ominous presence ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, no matter what lay before them, she was determined to protect Her Highness Astrid with everything she had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tick tock...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint dripping sound was like a drizzle falling on the surface of a still lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the dripping, Lyra detected another faint rhythm, reminiscent of the steady beat of a heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they drew closer to the ground, a grotesque mass of scarlet sarcoma came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its surface was connected by several thick tentacles, their ends resembling blood vessels that dug deep into the ground, pumping and transporting nutrients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra felt a wave of nausea but tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped halfway in front of Astrid, as she had been taught, and softly chanted a spell, infusing the blade with a flowing wind element.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her strength paled in comparison to Elise's, as Astrid's personal maid, Lyra's resolve to protect her master was no less fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the intrusion of uninvited guests, the thick dark mist began to gather once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it wasn't the spectral sheep-headed ghosts but a physical monstrosity, a creature supported by a human skeleton and piled high with flesh and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster stood upright, its lower body arched like a sheep's hooves, while its upper half retained a human form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its head, however, remained that of a sheep, complete with sharp horns and dark blue flames burning in its eye sockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the aura of death radiating from the monster, Elise's expression grew serious, and her body tensed in readiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This creature was far different from the previous minions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would need to approach this battle with utmost focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without giving the audience much time to react, the monster roared and lunged at Astrid, its sharp claws and horns slicing through the black mist, glinting with a cold light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Elise's wrist twisted, and her body accelerated to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Lyra, the black-haired, white-dressed maid moved so swiftly that only an afterimage remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing visible in her field of vision was the dark blue light flickering at the tip of Elise's sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising her arm, swinging her sword, and unleashing her mental power, all these actions were executed in one fluid motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the knight's sword slashed at the neck of the sheep-headed monster, Elise felt the blade strike something as hard as cold iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The powerful shock reverberated from the blade to her wrist, followed by a dull ache in her palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the mental power infused into the sword, the impact alone would have caused irreparable damage to the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her muscles tensed, and the momentum from her high-speed movement allowed Elise to cleave through the monster's neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade cut through skin, flesh, and bone, sending a spray of black-red blood into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster let out a hoarse roar, its mouth spewing a foul-smelling mixture of black blood and saliva that splattered to the ground with a gurgling sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the monster's head was severed, Elise remained on guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the hilt of her sword, she swung it in a series of sharp arcs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than half a second, the knight's sword, empowered by mental energy, had severed every visible tendon, from the chest and abdomen to the limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With precise strikes, she dismembered the over-two-meter-tall sheep-headed monster into several pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planting her feet firmly, Elise let the breeze cool the hot blood on her blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her waist-length hair settled quietly as she pointed the tip of her sword at the monster's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mental power sharpened into countless blades, which exploded upon contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bones, tendons, flesh, everything shattered under the knight's sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it over?\" Lyra stared blankly at the fragmented monster corpse, unable to believe that the once-threatening sheep-headed monster had been reduced to a helpless plaything in Elise's hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Lyra's shock, Astrid remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brows furrowed as she gazed at the minced meat on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not that simple... The monster is still alive...\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1633,"2026-06-09T04:47:04.076Z",1,"novelbin.me","c2e5fe426cf384ea1035d4ea99dbe30af60e6081b001598ee1b58d6c784d0d17","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-66","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-64",607,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fprincess-s-struggle-for-survival-cover.jpg"]