The golden light suddenly dissipated, and the feeling of weightlessness receded like the tide.
Lin Qingyue's feet planted firmly on the solid floor of the dorm room.
The intoxicatingly rich floral scent of the Elven Royal Capital instantly vanished, replaced by the familiar fresh scent of laundry detergent in the air.
She was back.
She glanced at the floor tile engraved with "Chronocognitive Anchor No. 2" beneath her feet, and her tense nerves finally relaxed.
The teleportation was a complete success, without the slightest error.
She stood on her tiptoes, and like a cat returning to its nest at midnight, she slipped silently to the wall and pressed her ear against its cold surface.
In the bedroom next door, Lin Xiyue's breathing was steady and drawn-out, occasionally letting out a vague mumble or two, having who knew what kind of sweet dreams.
Good, she hadn't been discovered.
Lin Qingyue felt completely relieved.
It was already the latter half of the night, and she had just engaged in a rather time-consuming "academic discussion" with Ilanier.
Exhaustion and sleepiness were on the verge of drowning her.
Strangely enough, however, there was no weakness of being hollowed out deep within her body; instead, a hidden sense of fulfillment surged.
It seemed she was still quite restrained.
She practically threw her entire body back onto the bed, pulled the covers over herself, and the moment her head touched the pillow, her consciousness sank completely into darkness.
This sleep was exceptionally deep and sweet.
However, deep within her soul, in a place even Lin Qingyue herself hadn't noticed, a miraculous transformation was quietly taking place.
The mark of [Miss Pink Elf's Blessing] silently lit up with a soft halo.
Beneath the original [Effect 4], a brand-new line of text radiating a soft pink glow quietly emerged:
[Effect 5: Pink Affection♪]
[Effect Description: From your memories, Miss Pink Elf learned that there is another girl in this world who is so similar to her. She feels heartfelt joy at this, but also feels deep pity for that young girl's experiences and ultimate fate. Thus, she hereby bestows the "Pink Weapon Box" as a gift to the little cutie and you♪]
Beneath the description text, a brand-new item icon generated out of thin air.
It was an exquisitely gorgeous long pink case.
The sides were inlaid with dazzling diamonds in the shape of a heart, and the four corners were adorned with cute bows.
[Pink Weapon Box]
[Quality: ???]
[Type: Weapon (Special)]
[Equipment Requirement: Lin Qingyue / Cyrene]
[Effect: Miss Pink Elf is a master of all weapons. You can draw any type of cold weapon you desire from her weapon box. As for the color... of course it's a cute pink♪]
This brand-new gift simply appeared directly in Lin Qingyue's System Space.
All of this was quietly completed in the dead of the silent night, while she slept soundly, completely unaware.
-
Early the next morning.
Lin Qingyue was awakened by Lin Xiyue's energetic shouting.
"Sis! Wake up! The sun is already high in the sky! Why are you sleeping so soundly today?"
Lin Qingyue opened her eyes groggily.
There was no expected drowsiness or soreness; instead, she felt refreshed and her body was full of surging power.
Huh?
She propped herself up on the bed and sat up, subconsciously stretching her waist.
Not only was there no soreness at all, but she felt even stronger and tougher than before she went to sleep.
This shouldn't be... I went so crazy last night, and some muscle groups were used at high intensity for the first time. I should have felt at least some reaction today.
A thought flashed through her mind.
Could it be... the [Adeptus Breathing Method] given by Rex Lapis?
Thanks to her practice over the past few days, her physique was undergoing subtle changes.
Although the stats on her Attribute Panel hadn't changed, she could feel her overall physical fitness soaring.
Good heavens, not only can this breathing method strengthen the body, but it can also be used as a post-activity Renew medicine? Rex Lapis, my superman!
"I'm awake, I'm awake, I'm getting up."
She responded in a strong voice, flipped over, and leaped out of bed with agile movements.
As soon as the bedroom door opened, Lin Xiyue's face, full of curiosity, leaned in.
"Sis, what did you do last night?"
She looked Lin Qingyue up and down, her eyes full of amazement.
"How come you look so... radiant? It's like you secretly ate some miraculous elixir!"
"It's nothing. I just gained some insights during cultivation last night and opened my Ren and Du Meridians," Lin Qingyue spouted nonsense with a straight face.
"Are you for real?" Lin Xiyue's face was full of suspicion.
"Totally fake," Lin Qingyue said with a look of utmost sincerity.
It was just that the one who helped her "open her meridians" was a silver-haired, wine-eyed Elf Queen with a drop-dead gorgeous figure.
She pushed her sister's head aside and walked straight toward the washroom.
Passing by the full-length mirror, she casually glanced at her reflection.
Then, her footsteps came to a sudden halt.
The face reflected in the mirror had a rosy complexion, with delicate, translucent skin that glowed with a lustrous sheen.
Especially those peach-blossom eyes; with a shift of her gaze, they rippled with a watery light, the outer corners naturally tilting upward, exuding an unconscious, seductive charm.
How was this just being radiant?
This was clearly being nourished a bit too well!
Oh no!
Alarm bells rang loudly in Lin Qingyue's head.
Looking like this, even an idiot could tell something was off!
She immediately lowered her head, rushed into the washroom in a few quick strides, and turned on the faucet.
She splashed cold water fiercely onto her face several times, trying to make herself look a bit more disheveled and haggard.
However, when she looked up again.
The reflection in the mirror—apart from her wet hair clinging to her cheeks, which added a touch of clear beauty like a lotus emerging from water—showed that her vibrant, spring-like radiance had not diminished in the slightest.
I'm doomed, now I wouldn't be able to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River.
Well, although I wasn't innocent to begin with...
Lin Qingyue covered her face in despair.
After washing up, she returned to her room and changed into a dry set of sportswear.
While lightly stretching her body, she habitually opened her class panel.
She wanted to see exactly how many benefits she had gained from last night's "Dual Cultivation."
Her basic attributes hadn't changed much.
But when she tried to mobilize her Mental Energy, she immediately felt the difference.
The total amount hadn't changed, but its purity had genuinely increased by a large margin.
Her Mental Energy circulated without the slightest sluggishness, flowing as smoothly as quicksilver, perfectly harmonious and freely maneuverable.
Looks like I'll have to have more "academic exchanges" with Ilanier in the future. Isn't this much faster than meditating and cultivating on my own? With a two-pronged approach, won't I be invincible?
Lin Qingyue thought gleefully.
She closed the Attribute Panel and opened the System Space instead, preparing to count her Elation Value and do a gacha pull.
Then, she completely froze.
Right next to [As I've Written], a brand new item she had never seen before had appeared at some unknown time.
A... completely pink, gorgeously and flamboyantly designed Weapon case.
When did I get this?
Seeing this color scheme, Lin Qingyue's first reaction was a certain Miss Pink Elf.
She sank her consciousness deep into her soul.
Sure enough, below that pink Blessing, a long string of effect descriptions had appeared.
Wait... when did it reach Effect 5? Also, they can appear out of order? Where did Effect 3 go?
Just as she was thinking this, the originally invisible [Effect 3: Pink Mood ♪] also revealed itself.
So, the fact that I so smoothly obtained clues in the Dungeon, established a relationship with the Elven Race, and even gained Ilanier's favor, was all because this Blessing was working behind the scenes?
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry; this Blessing was far too considerate, even equipping her with social buffs.
So, this gift from Effect 5 is because Miss Pink Elf saw "Cyrene" through my memories...
'And then she was very happy and gave me a gift?'
'Holy crap! This Blessing really has its own consciousness!'
Lin Qingyue felt a chill run down her spine, followed immediately by an indescribable surge of warmth.
She had always thought that [Miss Pink Elf's Blessing] was merely a cold reward generated by the System based on Elysia's character traits.
But now it seemed that wasn't the case at all!
That Miss Pink Elf, who loved all the beauty in the world, seemed to truly be watching her through some method and bestowing her blessing.
Of course...
Lin Qingyue stroked her chin.
It couldn't be ruled out that it was a certain Aeon of Elation, who delighted in bringing people "surprises," doing cosplay...