Although the trip into the mystic realm lasted barely half an hour, for some people, every second stretched endlessly, as if an entire day had passed.
As the final strand of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon, darkness once again swept across the world like a rising tide.
Time drifted onward in silence, like sand slipping through an abandoned hourglass.
At dusk, Meng Xingyao suddenly trembled awake from her deep sleep.
Yet when her gaze landed on the completely dark villa, a sour feeling quietly tightened around her chest.
Click.
The lights flicked on instantly.
The once pitch-black living room was now brightly illuminated, but the emptiness inside the villa remained unchanged.
The huge house felt desolate and silent. Even the sound of her own breathing seemed unusually clear.
"Sigh. Sister Cipher... Could it be... she really isn't coming back anymore?"
Meng Xingyao let out a soft sigh filled with loneliness and unease.
Even she could not distinguish the tangled emotions inside her heart: worry, loneliness, expectation, and fear.
Her thoughts unconsciously drifted back to what happened earlier.
"Hehe, now you understand This Cat's power."
"But... wasn't that attack a little too excessive?"
Watching the rainbow beam completely devour the insect swarm, Cipher had briefly revealed a satisfied smile.
However, that smile froze almost immediately.
An even more terrifying explosion erupted moments later, shaking the entire battlefield.
When everything finally settled down, Cipher slowly relaxed her tense nerves and turned toward the little princess she had protected the entire time.
"Little Princess, are you okay?"
The answer she received was a miserable groan.
Every bone in Meng Xingyao's body felt crushed beneath enormous pressure. Her muscles screamed in pain, and even her fingertips trembled weakly.
Most importantly, the Magic Wand in her hand had finally reached its limit.
After releasing that overwhelming rainbow cannon, the internal structure of the wand completely collapsed, like a violin string snapping from excessive tension.
In truth, this outcome was inevitable.
No matter how weak Cipher's direct combat ability seemed, she was still a demigod. The fact that an ordinary Magic Wand managed to withstand even a single surge of divine power was already a miracle.
Crack.
Under Meng Xingyao's widened eyes, the Magic Wand shattered piece by piece.
Cipher bent down and picked up one of the fragments. Looking closely, she discovered the inside was actually filled with intricate mechanical structures, gears, and circuits.
Cipher blinked in surprise.
"No wonder people say the end of science is metaphysics. Isn't this mechanical enhancement way cooler than magic?"
Meng Xingyao nearly burst into tears.
"That was my masterpiece! I spent forever making it!"
Still, broken was broken.
There was no saving it anymore.
After everything ended, Meng Xingyao felt so mentally exhausted that she barely had the strength to speak. She did not even properly say goodbye to Liu Xiyue before deciding to head home.
At the same time, she quietly glanced toward Cipher with lingering hesitation and uncertainty.
Cipher seemed not to notice the strange look. She merely shook her head gently, indicating that she needed to return a bit later.
The moment she heard that answer, Meng Xingyao felt her heart tighten.
An inexplicable fear rose within her.
What if Cipher used this as an excuse to disappear forever?
Yet Meng Xingyao had no reason to stop her.
Nor did she possess the courage to ask her to stay.
Filled with restless thoughts, she slowly made her way home.
Back in the present.
Meng Xingyao curled herself into a small ball on the sofa, hugging her knees while silently staring at the empty living room.
"It's already this late...Sister Cipher really hasn't come back..."
The light in her eyes dimmed slightly.
Ever since learning that Cipher was not only an Otherworlder but possibly some unknown divine existence, waves of unease had continuously crashed against her heart.
Worry.
Fear.
Insecurity.
All of it wrapped around her like invisible chains.
As those tangled emotions gradually consumed her thoughts, Meng Xingyao unknowingly drifted back into sleep.
Perhaps deep inside, dreams were the only place where she could temporarily escape reality.
Then, in her hazy state, she vaguely felt someone gently lifting her body.
A soft yet reliable hand supported her waist and legs, carrying her carefully like a fragile treasure.
The warmth surrounding her felt comforting and safe.
As time passed, that sensation slowly changed.
Something soft and fluffy slipped into her grasp, light as a cloud touched by moonlight.
It felt incredibly soft, yet difficult to fully hold within her hand.
Like some mysterious existence beyond understanding.
The next morning.
Golden sunlight poured through the curtains and gently illuminated the bed, draping the sleeping figures beneath it in warm light.
After sleeping for nearly half a day, Meng Xingyao slowly woke up.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she stretched lazily.
"Mmm... My body still aches a little, but I haven't slept this comfortably in ages."
However, the instant she opened her eyes fully, all traces of sleep vanished.
Meng Xingyao's eyes widened into perfect circles.