novelraw Chapter 174 - 172: Maybe the Witch’s Approach is Better
Chapter 174 - 172: Maybe the Witch’s Approach is Better
This time, the Ring of Clear Skies Witch did not wait at the Ying River for Duke Qinghui. Instead, she came to Purity Forest of her own accord—a very good sign.
During his first meeting with Hecate, Westheid had made no secret of his desire for an alliance. However, Miss Witch had not been optimistic about the Purity People’s reclamation efforts at the time. She had refused to cooperate, saying only that she would wait and see.
As it turned out, Miss Witch was true to her word. Not long after Purity Forest was reclaimed, she came to him of her own volition.
"Miss Hecate, how long has it been? Since we last parted, not a moment has gone by that I haven’t thought of you. Your beauty haunts my dreams."
Westheid gave the Red-haired Witch a warm welcome. She remained as mysterious and beautiful as ever, her voluptuous, mature figure blending with a Witch’s unique, bewitching aura to create a truly singular charm.
Beneath her veil, Hecate’s beautiful, dark violet eyes were as calm as still water. She said coolly,
"Duke Qinghui... spare me your sweet nothings. You may be skilled at seducing women with such words, but I am clearly not susceptible to them."
’Did it really have no effect?’ Westheid was skeptical.
Because as he stepped forward, Hecate had offered her hand, allowing him to place a light, proper kiss upon its back. Even after he did, Miss Witch was slow to pull her hand away.
Westheid simply smiled, naturally choosing not to point out this little discrepancy between her words and actions.
"You arrived rather quickly, Miss Hecate. If I recall, the Ring of Clear Skies’ headquarters is quite a distance from the Qinghui Territory, isn’t it?"
The implication was that Hecate had rushed to the Qinghui Territory without a moment’s rest after receiving the news.
To claim she wasn’t invested would be a clear case of self-deception.
"Since Duke Qinghui has fulfilled his promise, I must now fulfill mine."
The Red-haired Witch made no effort to hide her eagerness, nodding frankly.
"Liberating Purity Forest has proven your capabilities, Duke Qinghui. I believe that, combined with the understanding we reached during our last conversation, is enough for us to begin our cooperation."
Westheid asked, "Does the Ring of Clear Skies feel the same way?"
Hecate shook her head. "Apologies, but I am not the leader of the Ring of Clear Skies, so I cannot make that final decision. Among my sisters, most remain noncommittal on the matter of an alliance."
"But regardless of their decision, I personally control some of the Ring of Clear Skies’ resources, which is enough to offer you some aid."
’Still waiting and watching! A bunch of blind fools! If you wait any longer, you’ll miss your chance to share in the glory of backing the Dragon!’
’How can adding flowers to a brocade compare to providing charcoal in a snowstorm?’
Westheid cursed inwardly, lamenting the Witches’ failure to grasp the bigger picture. ’It seems I’ll have to teach these Witches a proper lesson later on.’
"Simply having your trust, Miss Hecate, is enough to satisfy me. To be perfectly honest, there is a matter troubling me right now that happens to require your help."
Hecate raised an eyebrow.
"What sort of problem? Your power and influence are vast, Duke Qinghui. You lack neither supplies nor funds. Could it be a matter of military strength that’s troubling you? Unfortunately, I can’t be of much help there. The Ring of Clear Skies isn’t a nation; we don’t have organized legions, and our elite guard is concentrated at our headquarters."
The Red-haired Witch hesitated for a moment before adding, "If you are in dire need of aid, Duke Qinghui, I could lead my Apprentices here as reinforcements. As Casters, at least, we are more than qualified."
"I’m not worried about troop numbers, though that situation is admittedly grim."
Westheid quickly shook his head and explained,
"It’s about an Anti-Chaos System. With the reclamation at this stage, the Qinghui Territory urgently needs to establish one. It’s the only way to protect the mortals as they rebuild and recover. That’s why, if possible, I hope to bring in technology from the Ring of Clear Skies."
"Doesn’t the Qinghui Territory have a Holy Spirit?"
Hecate asked, confused. She never imagined this would be Westheid’s concern.
"Compared to the technology of the Ring of Clear Skies, isn’t the Barrier created by a Holy Spirit a top-tier Anti-Chaos System? Even if the Qinghui Territory’s Holy Spirit has been greatly weakened by corruption, with your status, you could surely request support from the Imperial court. Obtaining a Holy Tree Seed from the Imperial Divine Ancestor shouldn’t be too difficult, right?"
"...Let’s walk and talk."
Westheid didn’t answer directly, instead suggesting that he and Miss Witch go take a look at the front lines.
Hecate readily agreed. The two of them, along with their attendants and Apprentices, left the manor and headed for the defensive line currently established in Purity Forest.
Tall, porcelain-white Barriers and countless cannon emplacements and watchtowers stood guard. With resources being poured in regardless of cost, the Qinghui Territory’s construction capabilities had reached a terrifying level; a standardized fortress could be erected from scratch in just three to five days. To achieve this, Westheid had stopped even thinking about how much money he owed Luyetan.
However, repelling Chaos had never been a matter of relying on such mortal constructs.
Hecate completed a full inspection tour with Westheid, her brow furrowed in a tight frown the entire time.
"You... do indeed lack a system to defend against Chaos Erosion. Once you move away from the core of Purity Forest, resisting the corruption will be a struggle unless you continuously push the purification forward."
Westheid said, "This is why I want to introduce the ’Circle of Clear Skies’."
The Anti-Chaos System, independently developed by the Witches of the Ring of Clear Skies, was called the "Circle of Clear Skies." It was also the greatest result of their research into Demon Power.
Hecate considered this for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"’Circle of Clear Skies’... It wouldn’t be difficult to deploy it in the Qinghui Territory; I have the authority to do so. But is this really wise? Duke Qinghui, you are an Imperial ’Branch of Prosperity.’ Using Demon Power to reclaim your homeland is one thing—outsiders can’t tell the difference, and you can deny it to your dying breath. No one will dig too deep into the matter, after all."
"But cooperating with the Ring of Clear Skies would be irrefutable proof of collusion with heretics. That’s why I still advise you to seek the aid of Celestial God’s Power."
"The Law of the Celestial Gods is indeed superior to any defensive mechanism, but their blessings... are not bestowed upon everyone."
Westheid said grimly, "Otherwise, you wouldn’t have resorted to studying Demon Power, would you?"
"I have always believed it is naive and foolish to pin one’s hopes on others. The Realms of Order are far too reliant on their Divine Ancestors, and that is a form of blindness. If the Celestial Gods were to withdraw their protection, how would mortals resist Chaos Erosion on their own?"
Westheid sighed.
"The Mortal World has tried for years to figure out what an Anti-Chaos System without the Celestial Gods would look like, but they’ve never fully succeeded. Perhaps the Witches had the right idea, coming up with the ’Circle of Clear Skies.’ It’s just a shame that the Ring of Clear Skies’ own model grew rigid over time."