Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 171: Raphael and Kael’s Clash?

Gabriel turned back, confusion flickering across his face. "Lord Ragnar, is there anything else?"

"Leave the money I gave you yesterday." Percival’s tone was icy, stripped of all patience.

He had paid an exorbitant price for those potions, yet not only had his cultivation failed to rise, but it had actually fallen. In what world would he allow Gabriel to walk away with the money as well?

Gabriel forced a stiff smile, said nothing, and silently took out the funds he had received the day before, placing them aside.

This time, he had truly lost everything.

He had dreamed of strengthening his meridians, earning a fortune, and crushing Zora in one decisive move. It was a perfect plan, shooting three birds with one stone.

Instead, he ended up stripped of money, cultivation, and even dignity.

Elsewhere, Cassian also discovered the terrifying truth after waking.

The moment he sensed the decline in his strength, his vision darkened, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

He had been revered for most of his life, yet now he had been schemed against by a mere 16-year-old like Zora.

Although an alchemist focused mainly on alchemy, cultivation was still vital. Stronger cultivation meant stronger spiritual perception, which directly affected potion making.

Now that his strength had fallen, his perception had dulled. Alchemy would become far more difficult than before.

"I never imagined that little wretch would be so vicious!"

Cassian’s face twisted with rage. He swore silently that he would never let Zora off lightly.

*

Meanwhile, Clarissa, Silvan, and Adrian grew increasingly uneasy.

Gabriel had not returned since last night.

If today was meant to be the day they moved against Zora, then Gabriel’s absence was deeply unsettling.

"Why hasn’t he come back yet?" Clarissa frowned; anxiety started to appear in her eyes.

Silvan thought for a moment. "Gabriel probably took the Elixir of Tranquility last night itself, and he might still be in seclusion, trying to refine his meridians. Maybe he won’t return so soon."

Clarissa hesitated at his words, then nodded. "Let’s wait a bit longer."

Just as the words fell, a familiar figure appeared before them.

"Dear, you’re back!" Clarissa hurried forward, her face lighting up. "How was the effect of the Elixir?"

At that question, Gabriel felt as if a knife had been twisted in his chest.

He didn’t answer.

Silvan and Adrian both watched him closely, their gazes sharp and probing.

They were judging him by his strength.

If word of his cultivation decline spread, his position would collapse instantly.

Without another word, Gabriel changed the subject coldly.

"We act now," he said. "Spread the news that Zora’s Elixir of Tranquility is fake. We’ll go find her together."

He had to move fast.

He needed to turn the tables before the truth about his own condition surfaced, and more importantly, he needed to force Zora to reveal a way to restore his strength.

Clarissa and the others were instantly excited.

At the mention of action, any curiosity about the potion’s effects vanished completely.

*

Meanwhile, inside her residence, Zora was calmly cultivating when a hurried knocking echoed from the door.

She opened it to find Reesa standing there, face flushed with anger.

"Zora!" Reesa said urgently. "You were absolutely right! Clarissa and the others are already spreading rumors all over the academy, saying your Elixir of Tranquility is completely ineffective and that the whole thing was a scam!"

A faint, knowing smile curved Zora’s lips.

"So," she murmured softly under her breath, "they’ve finally made their move."

Reesa was practically exploding with anger as she didn’t know that Zora actually gave the fake.

She had heard nothing unusual all morning and had even thought Zora probably overthought Clarissa’s scheme. But, just as she finally relaxed, the news came crashing down in the afternoon like a thunderbolt.

Clarissa and the others were fanning the flames with deliberate exaggeration. In less than no time, most of the academy already knew the so-called truth.

The auction of the Elixir of Tranquility had shaken the entire academy yesterday. After Clarissa’s group obtained the potions, countless students were eager to know the results.

After all, when the potion once appeared in the marketplace years ago, the seller had vanished immediately after the sale. No one had personally witnessed its effects.

Because of that, curiosity ran high.

And now, with Clarissa and the others loudly declaring that the potion was ineffective and a fraud, many students believed it without hesitation.

Rumors spread faster than cultivation gossip.

In the blink of an eye, the entire academy was buzzing.

Seeing Reesa pacing back and forth in fury, Zora found it almost amusing.

She had already warned Reesa yesterday what would happen today. Even so, Reesa was still this angry. If she had not been prepared in advance, the reaction would have been even worse.

Black and White, on the other hand, were thrilled.

Their eyes sparkled as if watching a grand performance. They had waited all morning for this exact moment.

Shihtzu, which was lying on the bed, also lifted its head, quietly interested in the matter. Even it enjoyed watching drama unfold.

"Hey, don’t be so angry," Zora said with a gentle smile, calm and unhurried.

"Wasn’t this exactly what we expected?"

Her composure left Reesa both frustrated and impressed.

If something like this happened to her, she would have stormed off long ago to confront Clarissa directly. Staying this calm was simply impossible.

"I really admire your patience," Reesa said honestly. "I could never tolerate this."

Zora chuckled softly. "I am not the type to tolerate it either. Sometimes, I just delay the matter and pay back with interest, that’s all."

She had always lived by one rule: if others did not provoke her, she would not provoke them. But if they crossed her line, she would return it a hundredfold.

Clarissa and the others had targeted her again and again. Her patience had already run out.

Yesterday, Gabriel had paid a price in cultivation. Today, it was time to see who would end up disgraced.

Seeing the chill flash through Zora’s eyes, Reesa paused, then broke into a grin.

It seemed Zora was finally ready to teach them a lesson.

"Should I contact Alistair now?" Reesa asked.

With both sides speaking out, she believed most students would still be able to judge the truth.

"No rush," Zora replied calmly. "If we present him right away, we can only protect ourselves. They should argue more. They should blame me more. They should even curse me more. The more they try to smear dirt on me, the further they will dig their own grave. Then, all we have to do is push them into the hole they dug and bury them."

Reesa stared at her friend, slightly in awe, seeing how composed her friend was. She also suppressed her impatience.

Elsewhere, Raphael and Alaric Von Seraph were discussing cultivation issues. Moments like these often helped cultivators avoid long detours.

Just then, Sylvandria rushed in, her delicate face filled with shock and unease.

"Senior Raphael, Senior Alaric," she said quickly.

"Something happened."

Hearing Sylvandria’s words, Alaric Von Seraph and Raphael both frowned, concern flashing through their eyes.

"What happened?" Alaric Von Seraph asked.

"I just returned from the Alchemist Association," Sylvandria said quickly without even taking a pause to breathe. "I heard that Clarissa is spreading the word that the Elixir of Tranquility auctioned by Zora is ineffective, saying she cheated them out of their money."

The moment those words fell, the expressions of Alaric Von Seraph and Raphael darkened.

"That’s pure nonsense, twisting the truth!"

Raphael sprang to his feet, anger surging across his refined features.

They themselves had taken the Elixir of Tranquility made by Zora. Not only had their meridians widened, but their mana flowed faster and more smoothly, their combat strength rising noticeably. The effects were undeniable.

"They got a bargain and still turn around to slander her," Alaric Von Seraph said coldly, his eyes dark as an abyss. "Shameless."

"We can’t let them spread this freely," Raphael said anxiously. "It’s extremely damaging to Zora’s reputation. If we don’t act quickly, the rumors will only grow."

Everyone knew how terrifying rumors could be. A single lie, passed from mouth to mouth, could become something entirely unrecognizable in a short time.

Alaric Von Seraph nodded without hesitation. The two of them immediately headed downstairs.

Just as Zora was about to leave her room, she saw Raphael and the others coming up. Before she could speak, Raphael’s worried voice rang out.

"Zora, have you heard? Clarissa and the others are spreading rumors everywhere."

Zora nodded lightly, her calm and elegant face carrying a faint smile. "I’ve heard."

"How despicable," Raphael said angrily. "To slander you like this. It’s disgusting."

"Don’t worry," he added firmly. "We’ll stand by you."

Seeing the sincerity in Raphael’s eyes, Zora’s gaze softened slightly.

Baldwin also came out after hearing the commotion. After understanding what had happened, he was left speechless. Clarissa and her group were truly shameless, just as Zora had anticipated.

"Let’s go take a look," Alaric Von Seraph said calmly. "This needs to be settled face to face."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Just as they were about to leave, the door beside Zora opened.

Prince Kael leaned lazily against the doorframe, an evil, charming smile playing on his lips. "Looks like trouble has finally arrived."

The others glanced at him, expressions turning strange. Such a serious matter, yet he sounded almost amused.

But Zora merely smiled faintly.

Only she and Prince Kael knew exactly how this story would end.

Raphael frowned and looked at Prince Kael with displeasure. "Your Highness, Zora is your wife. How can you be so casual? Do you have any idea how badly this could damage her reputation?"

Raphael’s anger surged uncontrollably.

Such a woman, rare even across heaven and earth, should be treasured in one’s palms. Anyone who won her heart ought to protect her with everything they had.

Although Prince Kael’s status and talent were unparalleled, his seemingly indifferent attitude toward Zora made Raphael feel deeply uncomfortable. He truly felt it was unfair to her.

With Raphael’s words falling, everyone present froze.

No one had expected the usually gentle and refined Raphael to suddenly turn sharp, and even less did they expect his target to be Prince Kael.

Prince Kael’s eyes darkened like a starless night at his words, a chill flickering across his bewitching features.

"When did the matters between my lady and me become something an outsider can interfere with?"