Mad Judy

"...Don't worry about the details," Chen Xuan said, turning back and making a shushing gesture, lowering his voice. "Attitude is just an appearance; it doesn't represent the status of our guests in this shop."

Liu Shuyue let out a meaningful "oh."

Fortunately, her voice was always kept within a range only the two of them could hear.

"Long time no see." He ignored Liu Shuyue's teasing and nodded at Joan of Arc. "I heard about you from General Gilles de Rais. He prayed to the Lord God, willing to pay any price to save you, which is why I'm here. What about your abilities? The shackles shouldn't be able to lock away the Spirit Sword Technique, right?"

Joan of Arc explained anxiously, "I don't know what that evil witch did to me. She pricked me with a needle, and now I can't use the Spirit Sword Technique anymore. If you encounter her, you must be extremely careful... She exudes strangeness all over; she's a very difficult opponent!"

"Her qi meridians are disturbed; you can tell, right?" Liu Shuyue said in a voice only he could hear.

Chen Xuan had indeed noticed. Although Joan of Arc before him shone like golden flames, the trajectory of the flames was distorted and discontinuous. According to his cultivation method experience, regardless of how qi was circulated, it should be continuous and complete, with a clear beginning and end.

"Can you cure it?"

"Give her this to take."

Chen Xuan suddenly felt his hand being pulled by a delicate one, and a round pill was placed in his palm.

This thing looked much more refined than the stuff he made himself.

He handed the medicine to Joan of Arc. "Try taking this."

Joan of Arc didn't suspect him. Dragging the iron ball, she slowly moved to the edge of the cage. Since her hands were bound, she simply took the pill with her mouth.

Less than ten seconds later, white smoke began to rise from her head.

"What kind of medicine is this?" he asked curiously. "Why isn't it recorded in herbal medicine?"

"Meridian Cleansing Pill. It's not recorded because I can't make it either," Liu Shuyue said frankly. "This was brought from the Sect; every one used is one less."

Chen Xuan immediately lost the desire to ask further.

Things that are out of print are usually very expensive.

"Lord God above, I feel... my strength has returned!" Joan of Arc suddenly said in a low voice. She clenched her fists and pulled outwards forcefully, and the wooden shackles on her hands instantly shattered into pieces.

It seems that qi disturbance not only affects one's own abilities but also reduces basic qualities like strength and reflexes... Chen Xuan mused. That witch clearly had something up her sleeve.

After freeing her hands, she directly transformed her palm into a sword, enveloping her hand with the white light of the Spirit Sword Technique. With two clangs, she cut through the shackles and the iron lock on the cage door.

"Thank you, Envoy, for saving me. I have no way to repay this great kindness." Joan of Arc immediately knelt on one knee to Chen Xuan. "If there is a next life, I wish to become your knight and serve by your side forever."

"Is this also... an appearance?" Liu Shuyue's voice drifted over, even softer this time, almost as if it were echoing in his mind.

Chen Xuan felt like crying and laughing. He quickly pulled Joan of Arc up. "What are you talking about? The Lord God gave you your abilities not for you to protect His messenger. Let's get out of here first; we can discuss the rest later."

Joan of Arc shook her head. "Please forgive me, but I cannot agree. I must go to the palace immediately and eliminate Mad Judy. She has already gained control of His Majesty's mind. The longer she is allowed to act, the closer my homeland will be to utter ruin."

"In the eyes of others, you are the witch now!" Chen Xuan's heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition creeping in. "Even if you find her, can you defeat her?"

"I was framed, not defeated head-on. Of course, I might die by His Majesty's hand, but as long as I can save France, I will gladly die!"

Seeing her sincere expression, Chen Xuan knew he couldn't persuade Joan of Arc.

This was why she had said, "If there is a next life."

She was likely prepared to die.

While this resolve was admirable, it was a loss for business, wasn't it? If Joan of Arc died here, he wouldn't just lose a guest; all his previous investment would become sunk cost. Most importantly, it would allow Liu Shuyue to witness his failure, further damaging the shop's reputation and shaking the guests' confidence in the shopkeeper. He'd be utterly defeated.

The question was, how could he dissuade Joan of Arc?

Her loyalty to her country was unquestionable, and she wasn't joking about sacrificing herself.

As Chen Xuan was struggling with this, a cold voice came from the other end of the corridor, "No need to look for me at the palace. We can settle this right here."

"Mad--Judy!"

Joan of Arc's eyes instantly changed. She stared in the direction of the voice, her every word filled with rage.

"You really haven't listened to a word I've said," a figure in a black robe slowly emerged from the shadows. "If you truly wish to save your beloved France, you should have died earlier and paved the way for His Majesty Charles, instead of clinging to life like this and unsettling the great figures above."

Chen Xuan finally saw the witch's appearance—most of her face was hidden beneath her hood, revealing only a few strands of hair at her forehead and a pair of pitch-black eyes. In the torchlight, the tips of her hair reflected a vivid red, as if dyed with blood.

Not only that, but she also had a lip ring, with a thin silver chain extending from her lower lip to her earlobe. Many sparkling ornaments were strung from her ears. This attire, in the era of witch hunts, would have been considered shocking.

Yet, even so, she wasn't treated like Joan of Arc, bound and burned as a witch. The difference in treatment was quite stark.

"That's just—a lie you've fabricated!"

Joan of Arc paused mid-sentence.

Chen Xuan looked at her, keenly catching a hint of uncertainty.

"You should be able to distinguish between what I'm saying and the truth, right? After all, you are the savior blessed by the Lord God," Judy said dismissively. "The great nobles' suspicion and rejection of you aren't new... After all, who wants to see France led by a woman? The English army is no longer as unstoppable as before. If you continue to gain influence, won't the credit for liberation be solely yours? His Majesty too... He doesn't say it out loud, but he worries about one fact: if all the invaders are driven back to Britain, then he and the army will forever be separated by a great Saint Maiden."

"I don't deny that some nobles dislike me... but His Majesty's magnanimity could never be as narrow-minded as you say!" Joan of Arc retorted, unable to help herself. "You seduced him with evil magic! You are the mastermind of the court's downfall!"

Judy shrugged. "What if I don't understand your so-called evil magic at all?"

"Wh—" Joan of Arc froze.

"Yes, you feel it, don't you..." the witch chuckled. "My appearance just gave them an option, an option to get rid of the Saint Maiden without dirtying their own hands. All the blame will fall on me. When it comes time to account for it, they'll just have to claim they were bewitched by a witch and hang me."

"You mean... you call yourself Mad Judy, dress up as a witch, and interfere in military and political affairs... all to eliminate me and then be killed as the culprit?" Joan of Arc couldn't believe her ears for a moment. "I don't understand... why go to such lengths?"

"That's for the same reason as you – I love France deeply!" Judy tilted her head and grinned, her distorted smile like that of a madwoman. "My sacrifice is insignificant to set this country on the right path. Do you know? When I told His Majesty about this idea, he approved it immediately. Without his push, how could the trial against you have proceeded so smoothly?"

Joan of Arc's face turned pale for a moment.

"What are they talking about? Can you translate a little for me?" Liu Shuyue complained in a low voice, dissatisfied.

"Well... it's a bit complicated..." Chen Xuan stopped mid-sentence, suddenly closing his mouth because he saw the witch's gaze turn towards him.

"As for you... attempting to seize others' abilities, not hesitating to disrupt normal timelines, you are the evil one who fills the world with chaos and sin." Judy's tone was extremely cold. "You have two choices: either surrender and accept punishment, or be buried here forever!"

Chen Xuan finally knew where the sense of incongruity came from.

The witch's words to Joan of Arc were entirely based on the history that occurred after Joan of Arc's death... as if she had personally witnessed the events that happened afterward. If that could still be explained by the witch's divination magic, her latter words completely transcended the scope of the era!

The phrase "seize others' abilities" made his heart skip a beat. This at least meant that the other party knew about abilities and could even plunder them! But the Ability Store was about fair trade, which was worlds apart from her accusations.

Thinking about it now, he had overlooked a problem.

That was the name Mad Judy.

Judy also meant Thursday in French...

If it wasn't a coincidence, could it be that this person didn't take naming herself seriously at all and just picked something that sounded good?

"What is she saying now?" Liu Shuyue asked.

"She says... she wants to kill me, at all costs." Chen Xuan moved his lips slightly. "It seems this fight is unavoidable. You'll help me, right?"

"Mhmm..." she hummed lightly. "But talismanic magic isn't suitable for head-on combat. She probably hasn't discovered me yet. To catch her off guard, I need a few minutes to prepare, so you'll have to go first."

Chen Xuan blinked. Huh? Why didn't you say so earlier?

"It seems you don't intend to surrender, then..." Mad Judy – Mad Thursday raised the staff in her hand and pointed it directly at Chen Xuan.

The staff was hollow inside, with nothing but a dark opening, looking just like a gun...

What do you mean like!

Chen Xuan felt his hair stand on end!

That was clearly a gun!

"--Bang!"