Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"Please, all passengers move to the left and enter the evacuation channel,"

the floating lantern unit hanging in the air continuously broadcasted, with red lasers shooting from underneath, drawing a broad fan-shaped area pointing in the direction of travel. Hexia also moved step by step among the crowd.

She looked around, but at this moment could not find any trace of Feng Jianxue; the man seemed to have vanished all of a sudden.

Just as she was about to follow the other passengers into the diversion elevator and leave the venue, a staff member maintaining order next to her suddenly spoke to her in a low voice.

"Go to the front, the third pillar from here, then turn right, hide behind it, and I'll meet you there," the staff member said to Hexia with a mysterious smile and a wink.

Recognizing the familiar voice, Hexia immediately realized it was Feng Jianxue. When had he blended into the staff?

She followed Feng Jianxue's instructions, continuing forward, then she stepped and turned near the pillar to find herself hidden behind it. At that moment, the underground passage lights flickered and then went out, plunging the entire corridor into chaos. It was then that Hexia saw Feng Jianxue hurriedly approaching in the darkness, grabbing her hand, and leading her into an adjacent service elevator that wasn't in use.

Soon after, the elevator doors closed and descended directly, quickly bringing silence around them.

Two minutes later, Feng Jianxue and Hexia stepped out from the elevator onto a platform on the third underground level, where they could see the distant residential area and streets through the thick glass.

"Once we're in here, it's going to be easy," he said lightly, then took out his personal terminal to continue planning their next steps.

"Where are we going?"

"We're heading to the core area beneath Jielou City, of course. Hexia, don't you want to know about your mother? Everything will become clear once we get there."

"Isn't that too risky, though?" the girl knew well about the past, but she had never dared such bold actions before—trespassing in places forbidden and under threat of attack.

"No, no, this is precisely the safest time because Jielou City's forces are distracted by the priests. We'll slip through unnoticed in the confusion; no one will pay attention to us."

"Priests?" The girl encountered a new term.

"They're forces from Sun Burning City, one of only three hubs in the Northern Second District, along with Jielou City and Withered Tree Garden. These three places are home to a large population of the Northern Second District; few live elsewhere."

"Their arrival this time is presumably because they've caught wind of something hidden in Jielou City, so they took advantage of the festival celebrations, when most of Jielou City's forces are concentrated on the surface, to stage their attack."

"How do you know so much?"

"Secrets—being a Star Seeker means staying well-informed," Feng Jianxue said with a wave of his finger, an air of pride in his expression.

"Won't we be attacked sneaking in like this?" Hexia was still a good child, unaccustomed to such deeds.

"If we're attacked, that can't be helped, can it? Don't you want to obtain what your mother left behind, or to fulfill her regrets?"

"Regrets?" Hexia didn't know what regrets her mother had in Jielou City.

"Yes, your mother was a direct descendant of the 'Sword Guardians' of Jielou City, but now what they were protecting has been seized by the 'Godly Generals.' However, these stubborn old fools seem not to understand its value and haven't properly utilized it," Feng Jianxue said, looking deeply disappointed at the waste.

"It seems you still have a lot you haven't told me," the girl thought over many things in her heart.

Although he had no ill intent, he was indeed using her after all.

Seeing that Hexia remained cool and collected, Feng Jianxue knew he couldn't hide it anymore and decided to be upfront.

"Yes, I want to find the Sword protected by the 'Sword Guardians,' but it's not only heavily guarded, there might also be some ancient seals. That's why I need your help, Hexia."

"Because you are the daughter of the last 'Sword Cleanser,' Gu Yongrong, you carry her bloodline, and as long as they haven't officially replaced the 'Sword Cleanser,' those restrictions won't affect you. Moreover, even if they do replace them, it will certainly be a relative of your uncle, sharing a blood relation with you, so they won't reject you,"

"Although the current 'Sword Guardians' have lost their inheritance, as long as that sword still exists, we have a way to extract the arcane codex inscribed within it and revive its glory." Feng Jianxue openly revealed his goals and plans, step by step.

After listening to the other party, Hexia didn't let herself be swayed by the temptation; she shook her head slightly.

"Although what you say sounds good, I see no need to take such a risk with you. My life is just beginning, and there are many ways for me to acquire the codices and secret techniques for cultivation. Moreover, even my mother never learned the secret techniques, so what makes you so confident you can extract them now?"

"Jielou City may be backward, but it isn't completely cut off from the outside world. As an organization, they would be very sensitive to such technology or news. If it existed, they would likely have attempted it already."

Seeing how calmly the girl with grey hair and dark eyes analyzed the situation, Feng Jianxue felt he had encountered a rare nemesis and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Then how about I throw in an additional signed photo of Miss 'White Swan' Audrey, a close-up shot of her in refreshing swimwear? These are priceless in the Flying Feather Star Domain right now."

Seeing Hexia's eyes widen and take a small step back, Feng Jianxue had no choice but to offer another olive branch, "Ahem, then how about this, Miss Hexia, is there something you desire, or some kind of help you need? We could exchange it for that, what do you say?"

"I don't have anything particular in mind, nor do I..." Suddenly, she stopped herself. Actually, that was not true; there were many things she wanted to know, whether it was her father's whereabouts, her sister's experiences, or what drove her to suicide. She wanted to uncover the truth, but she was sorely lacking in the information department.

"I do have some things I want to know, but how can you guarantee that you'll keep your promise in the future?" Hexia looked up at the man in front of her.

"Not many know my name, but many should recognize the name 'White Swan' Audrey, right?" He had an idea, and this man didn't show any reluctance in using his sister to his advantage.

"This..." Hexia began to search using her personal terminal.

Indeed, as he claimed, 'White Swan' Audrey was a rising star songstress in the Flying Feather Star Domain, even officially endorsed by the local government. She could even see several posts about the 17-year-old girl attending formal star domain ceremonies.

"I'm her older brother and her agent; this can be verified on the official website." Feng Jianxue showed her a set of encrypted codes that, once scanned and reconciled with the official website, would confirm his identity.

After a check, Hexia confirmed that the man's identity was genuine, but she was still surprised and taken aback. She initially thought Feng Jianxue was just masquerading, but it turned out to be true.

Seeing that the girl believed him, Feng Jianxue nodded in satisfaction, then quickly pulled out several photos of 'White Swan' Audrey in a bikini. The images showed the silver-haired girl strolling by the seaside and sitting in a swim ring in the water, her skin fair, and her figure, though young, seemed to possess a charm that appealed to a certain crowd.

"How about that? Although Hexia might not be interested, these could sell for a high price online. Moreover, I can add a special mark on the back to denote its genuine code and certification, ensuring it has a high collection value."

"I'll take this as a down payment. Plus, you can make a simple recording. Whatever I promise is also promised by Audrey; I'll never go back on it in the future."

"Er, alright then." Hexia resignedly massaged her forehead. Although she believed his identity was true, his demeanor still made it hard for her to feel at ease.

"Heh, then let's agree on that for now." Feng Jianxue handed the photos to Hexia, then brought up the structure of Jielou City's underground on his personal terminal.

"The place we need to go is 'Jiuliu City,' on the lowest level, and getting there we need to face three checkpoints..." He explained meticulously.

Once Hexia nodded her understanding, he put everything away.

"Actually, Hexia, you needn't worry too much. Even if you're discovered and captured, as long as you reveal your identity in time, they definitely won't dare to harm you."

"You are her daughter, and you have every right to take back certain things. Morally, there's no issue. The older generation inside Jielou City won't have anything to say about it. It's just the younger ones who don't understand that might try to stop you."

"I got it, no need to go on," Hexia shook her head, realizing that the man across from her was quite the talker.

"Then let's get moving."

With their goal and plan in place, the two stepped into the elevator again, heading deep underground to the very depths of the city.

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