Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 170: The laxatives that drops one’s cultivation levels

Chapter 170: The laxatives that drops one’s cultivation levels

Had she already guessed their scheme?

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

No. Impossible.

They had only finalized this plan yesterday. How could Zora prepare for it in advance?

After forcing himself to think it through, Gabriel convinced himself it had to be a coincidence.

The laxative was simply too strong.

Both of them were utterly spent. After that ordeal, they couldn’t endure even a second more. Their eyelids drooped, and they fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Thankfully, they were cultivators. An ordinary person would have been bedridden for half a month.

***

Cassian fared even worse than them.

They were atleast young men and powerful cultivators.

Already advanced in age, with most of his energy devoted to alchemy rather than cultivation, Cassian’s body was far less resilient.

Even though he had only taken half the potion, the aftermath nearly broke him.

Lying on his bed, Cassian felt as though several years of his life had been forcibly shaved away. Every bone ached. Every breath felt heavy.

He had never imagined that curiosity and impatience would cost him so dearly.

***

Back at the academy;

The next morning, Zora woke up refreshed and radiant. After tidying herself up, she leisurely prepared to enjoy the show she had been waiting for.

"Master," Black asked, tilting his head in confusion, round eyes filled with curiosity, "why hasn’t there been any movement yet?"

It had been waiting eagerly since dawn. For something this exciting, the silence felt almost suspicious.

Zora’s red lips curved into a playful smile. "Be patient. There should be news by the afternoon."

She knew her own handiwork very well.

That laxative wasn’t something meant for ordinary people. It was specially modified for cultivators, with an added effect that ensured... thorough results.

By her estimate, Gabriel wouldn’t even be able to crawl out of bed until noon.

And when he finally realized that not only had his dignity been destroyed, but his strength had also dropped noticeably—

Zora’s smile deepened, eyes gleaming like stars.

That expression... would surely be worth waiting for.

Everything unfolded exactly as Zora had anticipated.

Gabriel and Percival Ragnar did not wake until nearly noon.

"Ugh..."

As his eyes opened, Gabriel immediately felt a hollow, gnawing emptiness in his stomach. Yesterday, everything inside him had been completely... evacuated.

"That damned Zora!" he snarled, fury blazing in his eyes. "I’ll make her pay for this today!"

He had lived for so many years without anyone daring to humiliate him like this. Since Zora dared to play such a vicious trick, she would have to bear the consequences.

Percival Ragnar looked even worse, his face pale and lifeless. Forget revenge, the only thing on his mind right now was food. He felt like he could eat an entire table by himself.

Yet as he lay there, a vague sense of unease lingered in his heart. Something felt... wrong. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Gabriel forced himself upright and began circulating his cultivation technique. This was his daily routine. Normally, after a full cycle, his mind would clear, and his body would feel refreshed.

But today...

His expression changed abruptly.

A terrifying thought surfaced, sending a chill straight through his heart.

His strength felt... weaker.

The mana particles in his mana core seemed less stable than before.

"Impossible. This can’t be happening."

Gabriel shook his head repeatedly, refusing to believe it. How could his cultivation drop for no reason?

It must be exhaustion. Yes, that miserable night must have scrambled his senses.

Percival Ragnar frowned as he watched Gabriel’s panicked expression. Since knowing him, he had never seen Gabriel look this shaken.

"What’s wrong with you?" Percival Ragnar asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.

Gabriel didn’t hear him at all.

"Impossible... my strength can’t have dropped..."

He had painstakingly cultivated for three years in the academy, finally reaching the early Heaven realm. But now, he could clearly feel that he had fallen back to the mid Sky realm!

Two full levels gone.

It was as if two years of blood, sweat, and effort had been erased overnight.

That was simply unacceptable.

Percival Ragnar’s heart skipped a beat. The strange unease he felt earlier suddenly made sense.

Suppressing his dread, he quickly examined his own mana core.

One glance—and his face instantly turned ashen.

His cultivation had also dropped.

"Gabriel, you bastard!" Percival Ragnar roared, fury exploding. "Look what you’ve dragged me into!"

Yesterday’s humiliation had already made him furious. But losing two levels of cultivation was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

Gabriel snapped back to reality at Percival Ragnar’s roar. "What happened to you?" he asked anxiously.

"My cultivation dropped too!" Percival Ragnar growled. "Two whole levels, and I can’t recover them at all!"

Regret burned through him like fire.

If he had known this would happen, he would never have touched that so-called Elixir of Tranquility. Even if he did, he should have waited and watched Gabriel take it first!

Gabriel’s last shred of denial was shattered. Hearing that Percival Ragnar had suffered the same fate made the truth impossible to ignore.

"medicine..." he muttered hoarsely.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he slammed his fist against the bed.

"It’s the potion!" he shouted. "There must have been something wrong with that medicine yesterday!"

The room fell into a heavy silence.

In that moment, both of them understood—They hadn’t just been humiliated.

They had been utterly, mercilessly played.

"Are you talking nonsense?"

Percival Ragnar raised his hand and smacked the back of Gabriel’s head. There was no need to think further. Anyone with half a brain could tell that the problem lay with that potion.

Gabriel’s face darkened from the blow, but at this moment, pride and pain meant nothing.

He understood it now.

He had been completely and utterly played by Zora.

Yesterday’s potion was neither a true Elixir of Tranquility nor a simple laxative. Its real purpose was far more vicious—weakening one’s cultivation at the root.

No matter how many calculations he had made, he never imagined he would fall into such a pit. This time, he had truly been buried alive.

A murderous frenzy surged through Gabriel’s chest.

He had spent years grinding his way forward, breaking through realm after realm with blood and sweat. And now, all of it had been ruined by a single potion from Zora.

Ruined.

Originally, he had been one of the standout figures among the third-year students. Now that his cultivation had plummeted, his former glory would vanish like smoke.

Worse still, a sudden drop in cultivation was bound to turn him into a laughingstock throughout the academy.

From a genius admired by many to a joke whispered behind backs—just imagining it made his blood boil.

And all of it was because of Zora.

His hands clenched tightly beneath his sleeves, nails biting deep into flesh. A dark, murderous intent churned violently in his eyes.

No matter what, he had to kill her.

Percival Ragnar watched Gabriel’s distorted expression with cold indifference, even faint contempt. Gabriel once held some value in his eyes—but a Gabriel whose cultivation had fallen was worthless.

Sensing the danger in Percival Ragnar’s gaze, Gabriel’s scalp went numb.

Losing his cultivation was terrifying enough. What frightened him even more was Percival Ragnar himself.

He knew it well—Percival Ragnar valued him only for his strength. Now that his strength was gone, so was his worth.

Realizing this, Gabriel did not wait for Percival Ragnar to speak.

"Lord Ragnar," he said quickly, voice tight, "I will never let Zora off."

Percival Ragnar looked at him coldly, the warmth from before completely gone. "Whether you let her off or not," he said flatly, "what does that have to do with me?"

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Gabriel’s forehead. The chill in Percival Ragnar’s tone pierced straight into his bones.

"Our cultivation fell because of her," Gabriel hurried on. "Since Zora caused this, she might also have a way to restore it."

This was the last straw Gabriel clung to.

He refused to believe his cultivation was permanently destroyed. Perhaps it was only temporarily suppressed. Perhaps there was an antidote.

As long as it could be resolved, everything could return to normal.

Percival Ragnar stared at him for a long moment before speaking again.

"I’ll give you one more chance," he said slowly. "If you fail again, you know what the consequences will be."

Gabriel’s heart shuddered violently.

"Yes! Lord Ragnar, rest assured. No matter what, I’ll make it happen!" he said hastily.

Percival Ragnar sneered. "Why are you still standing here?"

Gabriel jolted, quickly turning toward the door. Staying any longer would only invite disaster.

Just as his hand touched the door...

"Stop."

Percival Ragnar’s voice rang out coldly behind him.

Gabriel froze in place.