She Cannot Move Again

The side of Evermount closest to the Royal Palace is a steep cliff.

On the other side, there's a gentle slope winding downward.

There aren't many trees on the slope, but stone pillars of all shapes and sizes are everywhere.

Whenever the city's wealthy families go out for leisure or sightseeing, they love coming here.

Grace Lawrence's plan was simple and direct.

Shannon set up the magical array.

Grace brought her people.

Grace Wan received the note left for her: Come alone to the stone forest behind Evermount at the appointed date and time, or Kevin Zhuo will die.

And sure enough, Grace Wan went.

Shannon's array stones blended perfectly into the surrounding stone forest.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Grace stood inside the array, pressing the Scarlet Sky Sword against Kevin Zhuo's neck, watching as Grace Wan approached step by step.

Finally, she stopped right in front of Grace.

Which meant she was standing in the center of the array.

"Mmmph... Mother..." Kevin Zhuo's mouth was gagged and his acupoints sealed, so he could only make muffled sounds.

Grace Wan glanced at him, then calmly asked Grace Lawrence, "Grace Lawrence, what do you want?"

Grace replied, "To kill you."

"Kill me?" Grace Wan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can pull it off?"

Grace let go of Kevin Zhuo, stepped forward, and pointed her sword at Grace Wan: "Do you know where you're standing?"

Grace Wan's lips curled into a strange smile. "Where? Isn't this just the stone forest?"

"No, you're standing inside a magical array," Grace said. "This array can suppress your protective talisman. Your talisman is now useless!"

Grace Wan's face changed dramatically, and she immediately tried to run.

But if Grace let her escape, she'd be unworthy of being a sixth-rank Spirit Practitioner.

Grace moved like lightning, blocked Grace Wan, and swung her sword fiercely at her neck.

If that blow landed, Grace Wan would definitely be decapitated.

Kevin Zhuo, still immobilized on the ground, made even louder, more panicked and terrified sounds.

But the sword showed no mercy as it slashed down.

A flash of white light—suddenly, a fierce backlash of rune power shot toward Grace, fast and violent.

Grace couldn't dodge. She was hit, her shoulder instantly pierced with a bloody hole, and she collapsed to the ground.

She couldn't move again.

And this time, it was much worse than last time.

Last time, she was only grazed by the backlash of rune power. This time, it hit her head-on.

"How is this possible?" Grace shook her head in disbelief. "You're inside the array—how is your protective talisman still working?"

Grace Wan sneered, "This array really isn't all that clever!"

"What do you mean?" Grace asked.

"I came here ahead of time. I already saw through it!" Grace Wan said, pulling out a small stone engraved with a rune from her pocket.

"This is the array core. Once I took it away, the whole array was destroyed! It's completely useless now!"

With a cruel smile, she crushed the rune stone and tossed it aside.

"You even know about arrays?" Grace's eyes were full of despair and unwillingness. "Grace Wan, just who are you?"

"You've always asked who I am," Grace Wan said. "Let me tell you: my status is something you lowly commoners could never hope to reach!"

"Oh really? If you're so noble, why did you marry my father and become a concubine for over twenty years?" Grace's blood stained the ground, but her mind was still clear.