Chapter 34 | Playing Goddess in a Dying Dynasty

Yun Shu’s brow furrowed slightly.

The original novel never mentioned an assassination attempt on the male lead in Xindu City. The sudden appearance of these assassins had instantly thrown all her plans into disarray.

With the skills of the Floating Dream Set, protecting herself wouldn't be an issue once she equipped it, but she had no way to protect the others.

The ritual altar was surrounded by defenseless commoners. She couldn't simply hope that these assassins wouldn't harm them.

With a flick of her finger, she opened the system’s prize pool.

Ancestors, please bless me. Let me be lucky just one more time!

A golden light flashed.

Ten cards flipped over, all of them low-level outfits.

Another flash.

Still nothing but low-level outfits.

And another.

Still low-level outfits.

The corner of Yun Shu’s eye couldn't stop twitching.

The title of 'King of Bad Luck' truly belonged to her. After a thirty-pull, she hadn't gotten a single high-level outfit piece.

Refusing to give up, she clicked for another ten-pull.

【Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Mystic Sound of the Nine Heavens Set - Sound Soul component (2/8): Transcendent Melody.】

【Component Description: A voice like shattered jade; every word spoken lingers like a clear note, carrying for a thousand miles.】

【Set Skill: Collect all components to unlock the Blessing skill, granting favor to those with merit.】

【...】

【Current Shock Value: 55,450】

She had finally pulled a high-level outfit piece!

Scanning the description at lightning speed, she took a deep breath, desperately suppressing the urge to punch the light screen.

This cursed permanent prize pool—every time she used it, it broke her spirit just a little more.

She wanted an offensive outfit piece, but after forty pulls, this garbage prize pool had only given her something that was essentially a megaphone?

In the current situation, she couldn't exactly stand on the altar and shout, “Stop it, stop it! Everyone, stop fighting!”

Wouldn't that just make her a laughingstock?

Below the ritual altar, the sounds of battle had already reached a crescendo.

Ignoring the bloody scratch on his cheek from the arrow, Shen Jue snatched a blade from a nearby Yamen runner. He swung the weapon, sweeping away three black-clad assassins who were lunging toward the altar.

As his peripheral vision caught the shivering citizens behind him, he instinctively stepped forward to shield them.

The assassins were clearly well-prepared. Every strike was lethal, and they specifically targeted the most crowded areas.

He couldn't retreat.

If he did, these commoners would be slaughtered.

However, more and more assassins were gathering.

For every one he cut down, two more took their place.

Shen Jue’s robes were already shredded in several places, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Because he was distracted by protecting the surrounding people, his movements lacked their usual agility. Several times, he was nearly wounded by the assassins.

One assassin seized an opening and lunged directly for his back.

Shen Jue twisted to avoid the strike and forced the man back with a counter-swing, but three more blades slashed down toward him simultaneously.

With a sharp clang, the long blade in his hand snapped. His palm went numb from the impact, and he was forced back two steps.

Seeing this, Yun Shu knew Shen Jue wouldn't last much longer. She had no choice but to keep pulling from the prize pool.

She still had over fifty thousand Shock Value.

She refused to believe she wouldn't get anything useful today!

The cards flipped over one by one, but no miracle occurred. A quick glance showed nothing but another pile of trashy low-level outfits.

Yun Shu was speechless.

Fine, she surrendered. Truly.

Please, just give me something useful!

As long as she could pull an offensive outfit piece, she wouldn't mind if she had to eat instant noodles without the seasoning packets for the rest of her life!

Yun Shu prayed silently in her heart, closed her eyes, and clicked for another ten-pull from the permanent prize pool.

【Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Sword Sovereign of the Nine Heavens Set - Formation component (1/8): Guixu Sword Formation.】

【Component Description: When the formation rises, ten thousand swords pay homage, slaying enemies invisibly (Cooldown: 120 hours).】

【Set Skill: Collect all components to unlock the Sword Immortal skill, subduing demons and breaking ten thousand laws with a single thought.】

【...】

【Current Shock Value: 49,450】

The assassins continued to close in.

Screams erupted from the crowd.

A child wailed in terror, and a woman clutched the child tightly as they huddled in a corner, trembling violently.

With no other choice, Shen Jue was forced to fend off the lunging assassins with his bare hands. Yet, his feet never moved from the defensive line he had formed to protect the people.

More black-clad assassins pressed forward.

He was at his limit.

Right then.

A brilliant golden light erupted from the ritual altar.

A dazzling pillar of gold shot into the sky, illuminating the small area as if it were broad daylight.

The assassins all froze, instinctively raising their hands to shield their eyes from the blinding radiance.

After an unknown amount of time, the golden light dissipated.

Yun Shu stood at the center of the altar, still clad in those pale gold robes with wide sleeves. She looked magnificent and untainted by the world, her presence so ethereal it seemed she might drift away on the clouds at any moment.

The reinforced and upgraded Goddess of Harvest Set, much like the Floating Dream Set, came with its own glowing special effects.

While it lacked offensive power, it was certainly intimidating.

“You dare slaughter my believers before my very eyes? Do you hold so little regard for me?”

A faint, celestial voice drifted down from the altar. Though the voice wasn't loud, it effortlessly suppressed all other noise.

It was the same as always.

Anything produced by the system was of the highest quality.

Everyone looked up toward the high platform in unison.

In the next second.

The commoners prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling with a mix of fear and reverence, murmuring “Divine Lady protect us” under their breath.

The black-clad assassins all took half a step back together.

Shen Jue gained a brief moment to catch his breath, but he remained on guard, his eyes warily fixed on the remaining assassins.

Meanwhile, Shen Yu, who was hiding behind the altar, breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the Divine Lady suddenly manifest her power.

Unlike his brother, who had only just become a believer, Shen Yu was among the very first to follow her.

Since their first conversation, the Divine Lady had made it clear to him that she would not interfere excessively in the affairs of the mortal realm.

And that had proven true.

She had summoned heavenly thunder to punish the bandits because they had spoken blasphemy before the Divine Lady Temple, showing contempt for the gods.

She had questioned Guo Pan because he had destroyed the Divine Seeds.

She had left Creek Valley because there were evil spirits causing chaos in the city.

Every single one of these actions did not strictly fall under mortal affairs.

He had initially thought that the Divine Lady’s lack of movement meant she didn't intend to intervene in this assassination attempt against his brother.

However, the Divine Lady was more benevolent than he had imagined.

And she cared for her believers more than he knew.

The leader of the assassins stood his ground, staring at the pale gold figure on the altar, the veins on his sword-hand bulging.

Just by catching the woman’s sweeping gaze, he had instantly felt a suffocating pressure.

This was a sensation he had never experienced, not even when facing the State Preceptor, who was said to be an immortal reincarnate.

Could she really be the rumored Divine Lady?

At this thought, hesitation flickered in his heart, but remembering his mission, he was forced to suppress his doubts.

This was his sixth attempt to assassinate Shen Jue.

If he failed to bring Shen Jue’s head back to the State Preceptor’s Manor this time, he truly wouldn't have the face to see the State Preceptor again.

After a moment of thought, he spoke in a raspy voice, “I only want Shen Jue’s life. I have no wish to involve others. If you leave this place now, I will not make things difficult for you!”