Chapter 381
"Xiao Qing, you haven't given me my reward yet."
"Why?"
The Pure White Witch was greatly shocked. Wasn't that a reward?
The Golden Haired Doggy confidently reminded him:
"Today is Magic Replenishment day. This time, no one stole the Liuli; it's mine."
Chu Yuanqing felt the emphasis in the first half of the sentence was a bit strange, giving the impression that Liuli was always being robbed. She honestly asked:
"Then what should we do?"
Xie Qingxuan stated:
"Xiao Qing, there are limits to the length and width of your fingers."
"So what?"
The Golden Haired Doggy gave a deafening answer:
"But magic didn't."
This astonishing wisdom, which had been swirling in Xuan Bao's mind for so long, has finally been revealed and is now being born into the world!
Xie Qingxuan had thought about this a long time ago when she was researching various playstyles online: Magical Girl are different from humans, so how can they be confined to normal game rules?
That's right. As an Idealistic Being, the magic of a [Witch] is an extension of her senses. As long as one is willing to perceive it carefully and integrate it with Divine Power, it is equivalent to having countless phantom limbs!
Why are Magical Girl in anime always being bullied by tentacles?
For Magical Girl, only tentacles can be considered an act of humiliation!
Chu Yuanqing's brain went blank, she was deeply shocked. Before she could fully grasp the meaning, she was dizzy and followed the other party's instructions. Silver magic bloomed with a beautiful and dazzling light in the room.
The next second, the magical vines that mimicked the Thought Branch, adorned with a few delicate petals of the rose, wrapped around Xuan Bao's thighs like some kind of beautiful living creature, as if it were some kind of decoration, adding to its allure.
Xie Qingxuan felt the cool and illusory touch, her skin pressed against Chu Yuanqing's magic, mingling with his thoughts, emotions, inner world, and even the depths of his personality.
Just as expected, the vines Qing Bao constructed were not even props; they were extensions of the opponent's limbs. Activating this skill was like opening Pandora's box, revealing endless possibilities.
At this moment, Chu Yuanqing should have admired Xuan Bao's extraordinary talent, but she clearly didn't have the composure to do so; her mind was trembling.
Because...
If Charlotte finds out, she'll absolutely, positively do something incredibly terrifying.
However, before the Pure White Witch could think any further, the Golden Haired Doggy began to formally demand her reward, giving her an unforgettable night before she left.
Volume 1: Chapter 354. The Tyrannical Emperor, Climbing the Tower. (5K)
Saint Roland, Rose Street.
The master bedroom of the Flower View Villa by the Spring River was a mess, with wrinkled and water-stained sheets that seemed to have absorbed the moisture of the river overnight, along with other scraps of fabric, all curled up in a ball.
The petals of the rose of Sharon were scattered everywhere, and the exquisite high-end carpet was covered with scattered white flowers, occasionally interspersed with the golden petals of tulips. They danced and swirled on the ground with the wind, then slowly disappeared, turning into invisible Magic Particles.
The soft light of dawn spilled onto the edge of the bed, appearing and disappearing with the slight sway of the curtains. A few golden rays, like upturned flower branches, entwined around the girl's slender, rounded thighs, climbing up to her delicate ankles and graceful arches. Occasionally, with the movement of the wind, they swayed to her fair, lotus-like arms, like ripples on water.
When Chu Yuanqing woke up, it was already afternoon. She felt extremely refreshed and her soul was exceptionally at peace, as if she had been through another world.
Last night felt like a dream.
The sacred and solemn statue is surrounded by a sea of golden flowers, with tulip vines intertwining and wrapping around its slender, graceful limbs, brushing against skin as smooth as silk.
Then, the rich yet delicate fragrance permeated the lungs, rising like fire, scorching the mind, engraving the soul, and carving out the hidden tenderness and desire from the decaying and solid shell, causing everything to spiral out of control and ushering in a grand sea of roses.
Well, in short, Xuan Bao's new way of playing unexpectedly increased the efficiency of Magic Replenishment, which led to the pleasure and excitement, but also produced a more terrifying chain reaction, causing the Pure White Witch, who eventually lost her mind, to fill the bedroom with the Tumi flowers she created with her magic.
Although the magic petals had mostly dissipated overnight, it was still clear how chaotic the scene had been.
The girl sighed as she got up. She rubbed her aching lower back, glanced at the mess in the room, and cut her fingertips, letting out [Quicksilver Blood] that slithered like snakes, absorbing all the magic and cleaning up the mess in the process.
To be honest, she had always had a lot of unease about the treasure box that Xiao Xuan kept in her room—which was full of small toys she had bought in Austria.
But now, compared to the malleability of Magical Girl, human toys seem very gentle and give her a great sense of security.
Chu Yuanqing lifted the covers and looked at Xuan Bao, who was still asleep beside her. She ran her fingertips through Xuanbao's hair and across his smooth face, said a goodbye good morning, and got out of bed.
Wash up, get dressed, and tidy your appearance.
Afterward, she prepared breakfast in the kitchen, kept it at a constant temperature using magic, placed it on the table, left a note to say goodbye, left the villa, and took the portal of the Divine Sentient Body to other places.
Before leaving, she had to go and see Liuli, Yayoi, Charlotte, and Xiao Shu.
Although she planned to come back every other day, in the flow of time in her ideal world, it was a full two weeks apart. This was a huge interval for the Little Idol who had never been separated from Qing Bao since participating in "Flash Dance".
At least, the Green Eyed Cat was very reluctant to part with it. If it didn't know the hidden story, it would probably have started its internal war mode, lying on the ground and throwing a tantrum.
Chu Yuanqing first sought out Little Sakura, who lived in the Tiffany Family's manor with Magical Girl she brought back from the Elf Race. The manor was nominally Lucy Tiffany's property.
When Chu Yuanqing arrived, the girl was sitting on the swing in the courtyard. Her fair fingertips swept across the guitar woven with magic, and with the illusory and textured strings, she played a melody with pitch that was perfectly consistent with the past.
This is part of practicing guitar and solidifying my idol skills, as well as training my magical manipulation and deepening my application of my Destined Magic— [The Perfect Law].
Kiriwake Yayoi clearly knew why they came; she adopted the demeanor of a captain and said earnestly:
"Xiao Qing, remember to come back! Half a year is a long time. It's been too long since we danced together. Our feeling, our chemistry, our rhythm, and our skill level will all be greatly affected!"
Chu Yuanqing's situation isn't too bad. She spends 90% of her time outside, and even including the time she spends in Ideal Country during the training camp, she'll only make up a maximum of a month.
However, if they stay in their ideal world for too long and don't dance with Qing Bao, it will be difficult for them to immediately return to their best condition.
After giving his assurance and chatting for a while, Chu Yuanqing turned and walked into the teleportation portal, leaving with Little Sakura watching him go to other places.
After greeting Liuli, Xiao Shu, and Charlotte, she wandered back to the Saint Roland Academy to check on the students before finding Astrid and using the key to leave the Ideal Country.
The world spins, and the light flows back.
The Sea of Stars embraced, and the scene before us returned to reality.
The sun on the horizon parted the clouds, casting its warm light.
Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, Chu Yuanqing looked up at the shimmering Lake Wolfgang in the distance. She took out her phone from her pocket. The clock automatically corrected itself after connecting to the network. The date remained the same, but seven hours had quietly passed.
The time everyone entered the Ideal Country was 5:00 AM in Austria, but it's already 12:30 PM here.
Chu Yuanqing roughly estimated the time difference, and as she walked towards the small chapel, she pondered in her mind:
"Then let's go to Utopia again the morning after tomorrow."
"That should take exactly two weeks. Then, we can stay for one day, which is 24 hours—enough to check on the children's training results, meet up with everyone, have a meal, and practice dancing again."
After making a plan, Chu Yuanqing first went to the small chapel and brought Sister Ellie the hand-drawn sketches that Iris had asked him to bring, as well as the words he wanted to say.
This is the child's heartfelt gift, and she will naturally cherish it.
"Thank you, Xiao Qing."
"That child has suffered greatly since childhood; he shouldn't have his wings clipped and died on the battlefield so early."
Upon hearing the good news, Aili's elegant and beautiful face, with its mature charm, softened with relief. Even her toffee-colored, dim eyes flickered with joy, clearly showing her delight at Iris's improvement.
The nun stood before the statue of the Virgin Mary, offered a devout prayer for a while, then smiled and carefully stood by the altar, gently stroking Iris's painting with her fingertips, her movements full of tenderness.
Blind people cannot appreciate paintings.
But magic is the miracle itself. The hand-drawn illustrations have no ink; they are all spells constructed by Iris with magic. When touched by fingertips, they surge on their own, creating special connections that bring the images to life in the mind.
Aili witnessed the entire process of the child's rescue, which included a beam of light that overwhelmed everything, a heart-stirring melody that pulled her back to her senses, and a heartwarming smile that dispelled fear.
"I see. So Iris already considers you her own sister."
"Please take good care of that child from now on."
Chu Yuanqing nodded in agreement. She had no reason to refuse Sister Ellie's request, just as a nun who adopts orphans never asks for anything in return.
The girl didn't leave the chapel immediately. She chatted with Sister Ellie for a long time, staying until after lunch and playing with the children for a while before habitually going into the dance studio she rented nearby.
She had only just entered the changing room, and hadn't even put on her yoga training clothes, when she suddenly realized that everyone was still living in their ideal world, and that no one needed to go to the dance studio to train.
Chu Yuanqing walked out of the dance studio and strolled along the streets of the small town, feeling a sense of bewilderment, as if she had plenty of time but didn't know how to use it.
Over the years, her life has consisted only of work and her daughter.
Since participating in the wedding dress advertisement shoot for Flash Dance, most of her material problems have been solved. Later, after confirming her identity as [Lighthouse], she even obtained the blue-green modifier.
As for Xiao Shu, after participating in "Flash Dance," she no longer needed to take care of the child's daily life.
Thinking about it carefully, she wouldn't feel this lost recently, firstly because she's busy adapting to her new identity and body, and secondly because her daughter is by her side, and she's reunited with her former comrades-in-arms.
And now,
Chu Yuanqing had basically adapted to this identity, and Xiao Shu was being cared for by Charlotte, who was her biological mother. Liuli, Xiao Xuan, and Yayoi were all staying in the Ideal Country. Having returned here alone, he really didn't know what to do.
Watching videos, playing games, strolling around, shopping, enjoying the scenery...
Many options popped into Chu Yuanqing's mind, but he only felt empty of them.
How strange, am I getting old? I just left the ideal place, and I already miss everyone.
Chu Yuanqing sat on the bench in a daze for a long time. Occasionally, she would look down at her phone, but not at videos. Instead, she would look at photos in the album, her daughter's and everyone's Weibo, and her chat history with her Little Idol.
These not-so-distant records are beginning to seem shrouded in mist, requiring careful recollection to pluck out even the smallest fragments and uncover the feelings and thoughts of that day.
The whispers of the Sea of Truth grow ever more clamorous with the passage of time; a corrective force based on cause and effect, destiny, existence, and World Record is slowly eroding the past and devouring the present.
Chu Yuanqing was used to this. Like a child hiding a candy jar, she closed the photo album and chat history interfaces and started browsing Weibo, which was overflowing with messages.
The recent exposure of the Magical Girl has also boosted the popularity of "Flashdance". Her Weibo followers, which were around 30 million a few days ago, have now soared to 94.29 million, a few million more than last night.
"It's rising so fast, no wonder the concentration of willpower has changed too."
Although Weibo's follower count is often inflated, 90 million followers would still be considered top-tier even in Great Xia country with a population of 10 billion. For Little Idol who hasn't even debuted yet, that's truly an exaggeration.
That being said, now that common knowledge about Calamity Beasts is spreading rapidly, it's not surprising that idols associated with Magical Girl would be very popular in the current situation.
The private messages on Weibo are set to not be received, so fans from all walks of life crowded into the comment section of the latest Weibo, discussing it animatedly.
"Qing Bao, are you really Magical Girl???"
"Waaaaah, no! Just thinking about Xiao Qing having to fight such dangerous monsters makes me want to unleash my magnetic field and use the power of nine hundred thousand horses to blast all the Calamity Beasts to smithereens!"
"Don't worry, Flash Dance has been officially designated for training Magical Girl. Even if Qing Bao is Magical Girl, it's only been a recent development. Who would send a newbie to the battlefield?"
"Sigh, if only singing and dancing on stage could wipe out all the Calamity Beasts, I just can't imagine how a gentle and lovely girl like Qing Bao could possibly open the Calamity Beasts' skulls???"
"At the end of episode 7 of <Flash Dance>, it was said that episode 8 would be a compilation of behind-the-scenes footage and the main episode, which means that we won't see the Third Performance until episode 9. I wonder if there will be a live broadcast."
"After this showdown, we might be able to pull off some big shows in the Third Performance, but I've heard from many people that the Little Idol cultivated by <Flash Dance> are easily targeted, so going to the Public Performance venue carries some risk."
Whether fans are worried, excited, or indifferent, a single comment section can reflect a microcosm of society.
Chu Yuanqing browsed through the information for a while, then glanced at the trending topics and other places. The higher-ups had controlled public opinion very well, making the public aware of the seriousness of the problem without overwhelming them with pressure.
Of course, this is also due to the spillover of productivity and resources, and the relatively good welfare of citizens, which leads to a more relaxed social atmosphere. Otherwise, working people who barely make enough to eat and pay rent every day wouldn't have the time or inclination to care about these things.
Magical Girl and Calamity Beasts? Unless you run into them head-on, you still have to go to work obediently.
Chu Yuanqing posted a selfie, completing her Weibo post for the day, and then returned to the small church to find Sister Ellie and the children at the orphanage.
Since I don't know what to do, I can't go wrong by staying a little longer next to this elder who is practically like a foster mother.
With this in mind, she simply moved her suitcase to the chapel and, amidst the warm welcome of Sister Ellie and a group of children, settled in temporarily.
Time flies, and a week has passed in the blink of an eye.
The seventh episode's hype had died down, and the power it generated was no longer overwhelming, but the popularity of the Magical Girl continued to benefit her, earning her more than ten times the total she had ever earned before.
Fortunately, the "ideal world" was revived recently; otherwise, the lantern would not have been able to contain so much wish power, and it would have just evaporated into the air, unnoticed, like discarded banknotes.
Currently, the vast majority of them have been stored in [Utopia] as a reserve energy source for future battles.
In the Ideal Kingdom, spring has passed, and in three months, more than three thousand Little Idol have successfully debuted in the Empire, thriving under the leadership of producer Dream Weaver Rabbit.
Even without relying on the authority of the Divine Sentient Body, or the reputation of the Emperor or even Saint Roland, they still gained considerable fame in various regions thanks to the operational skills of Super AI genius and the genuine talent of their Little Idol.
Yes, that's right. In order to avoid excessive competition, Magical Girl debut and perform in designated areas on a class-by-class basis.
With the size of Saint Roland, dividing the area into "bases" of over a hundred classes was a piece of cake. Coupled with the directional teleportation portals opened by the Divine Sentient Body for everyone, commuting time was eliminated, making it a true case of being able to both perform on stage and study simultaneously.
Of course, if you were to ask them what impressed them the most, it wouldn't be the novelty of learning magic in another world, or the awkward style of performing modern girl group dances in another world, but rather...
The Pure Emperor, who sits enthroned within the system of Divine Sentient Body, is so powerful that no one has been able to clear the easy difficulty level to this day; he is truly a brutal and terrifying ruler!
As we all know, credits can be used to redeem opportunities for debut, to buy various dance tracks in the think tank, to be converted into gold coins at a ratio of 1:10,000, and can even be used to ask Dream Weaver Rabbit to bring you things from the real world. They are the best hard currency.
Besides attending classes diligently every day and submitting assignments on time, which only yields a few dozen credits per week, there is an even simpler way to earn credits.