Over the next week, the lives of Lin Qingyue and the other three were simplified to the extreme.
During the day, they burned credits in the Time-Light Training Ground, dancing with death.
At night, they returned to their dorms and immediately crashed into bed.
Of course, Lin Qingyue was the exception.
Her "nightlife" was far more colorful than her younger sister Lin Xiyue could have imagined.
And... far more of a "grind."
Tianji Pavilion, Time-Light Training Ground.
The senior student behind the counter looked at the four faces she saw almost every single day, nearly losing control of her facial expressions.
"You four, the usual? Two hours each?"
She pulled up their information, her eye twitching uncontrollably as she looked at their nearly bottomed-out credit balances.
Were these four freshmen monsters? They treated the exorbitantly priced Time-Light Training Ground as their second home—twice a day, rain or shine.
"Yes, swipe the cards," Lin Qingyue said concisely.
Lin Xiyue clutched her chest, watching helplessly as the number "1600" popped up on her personal terminal.
Every beep of the card swipe felt like a precise slice taken right out of her heart.
"Sis, after we swipe today, we'll really be completely broke and won't be able to afford anything."
She pulled a bitter face, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's hum.
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Lin Qingyue patted her shoulder with a relaxed and confident demeanor.
"Levels and strength are the only true hard currency."
"Credits can be earned again if they're gone, but if your level is too low, you won't even reach the threshold for lucrative missions later on. That would be a real loss."
Over the past few days, the Time-Light Training Ground had practically become an exclusive private venue for the four of them.
The fourfold time flow rate meant up to 16 hours of high-intensity combat every single day.
The monsters in the Virtual Battlefield had changed from Goblins and minotaurs all the way to more ferocious demon hounds and Gargoyles, with their levels soaring from 25 to 30.
The progress the four of them made was a complete transformation.
During battles, the duration Lin Qingyue could maintain the [Noelle Character Card] grew increasingly longer.
She no longer used the Favonius Greatsword that came with the card, but instead drew the greatsword named [Epic of Love and Flowers] from the [Pink Weapon Box].
The blade was as broad as a door, entirely in an overwhelmingly girly pink, and intricately carved with ornate roses and hearts.
However, when Lin Qingyue swung this pink door-sized blade that looked like a cosplay prop, smashing the hideous Gargoyles into scattered chunks splattering through the air with a single strike each, the bizarre aesthetic of combining pink with violence was enough to subvert anyone's perception.
The tasks of healing and support were entirely handed over to the newly promoted group pet—Mem.
The little guy's shields were thick and sturdy, its Life Aura was long-lasting and effective, and it bounced around energetically the entire time, looking as if it carried a perpetual motion machine inside.
Lin Xiyue, Su Wan, and Xia Lian had long been completely conquered by this little guy who could fight, heal, and act cute.
Every time a battle ended, the first thing they did was surround it to feed it their privately stashed snacks, each of their eyes shining with a loving, maternal glow.
After swiping their cards, the four of them stepped into that familiar silver portal of light once again.
-
Eight hours later.
The portal flashed with light, and four figures stumbled out.
A layer of white steam rose from each of them, as if they had just stepped out of a sauna.
"Phew... we're out."
Lin Xiyue plopped down on the ground, too exhausted to even stow her shield away. A rasping sound came from her throat, and every breath brought a burning, scraping sensation.
"I feel like... I never want to see rocks with wings ever again for the rest of my life."
"Not a bad haul."
Su Wan leaned against the wall, her voice hoarse, but flames of excitement burned in her eyes.
She opened her personal panel. The level column prominently displayed [Lv. 30 (35%)].
Lin Xiyue was at [Lv. 30 (41%)].
As for Lin Qingyue and Xia Lian, the moment the final Gargoyle fell, they were both bathed in the golden light of leveling up, successfully hitting level 30 just before the official start of the school term.
"Let's go eat and sleep!"
Lin Qingyue waved her hand, announcing their ultimate itinerary for the day.
The four of them were too lazy to even go out for dinner. They simply pulled out some dry rations, haphazardly stuffed a few mouthfuls down, and went back to their respective rooms.
They fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed.
Lying in bed, Lin Qingyue listened to her sister's thunderous, heavy breathing coming from the next room, a wicked smile curling her lips.
The Adeptus Breathing Method is really effective. Xiyue is tired as a bear, but I feel like I could grind for another eight hours.
She closed her eyes and waited quietly in the dark for a dozen or so minutes.
Once she confirmed that her sister was sound asleep, she rolled out of bed as silently as an elegant night cat.
Skillfully opening [As I've Written], she initiated the teleportation.
A golden light flashed, and her figure vanished without a trace from Room 206.
-
Elven Royal Capital, The Queen's Bedchamber.
When Lin Qingyue stepped into that familiar garden, Ilanier was already waiting there.
Today, Her Majesty The Queen seemed to have dressed up carefully.
A perfectly tailored black silk dress outlined her mature, voluptuous, and hot curves thoroughly.
The fabric clung tightly to her skin, shimmering with a faint luster in the moonlight.
Her silver hair was coiled high, revealing her slender, fair, and elegant neck.
As the night breeze brushed past, she stood there like a painting interwoven with asceticism and charm.
"You're back."
Seeing Lin Qingyue appear, the dignity on Ilanier's face instantly melted into the purest joy, and she quickly walked over to greet her.
"Yeah, just finished training."
Lin Qingyue walked over, naturally sat down beside her, and casually picked up a pastry and stuffed it into her mouth.
"You've had another tiring day, haven't you?"
Ilanier circled behind her, her warm fingertips carrying pure Life Magic as she gently massaged her temples.
"It's much better than at the beginning. Today was the last day of the sprint, I'm done grinding," Lin Qingyue answered somewhat indistinctly.
"Don't push yourself, you don't need to pretend in front of me."
Ilanier's wine-red eyes were full of unconcealed heartache, her tone just like a wife who couldn't stand her husband stubbornly working overtime.
Alright, alright, I'm tired, I'm so tired I could die, okay my Queen?
Lin Qingyue complained frantically in her heart, but her body honestly leaned back, relaxing completely, and enjoyed this top-tier "charging" service.
"So, starting tomorrow, you won't have to work so hard?" Ilanier asked softly.
"Not necessarily, what if there are new events?"
The two chatted casually.
Listening to Lin Qingyue recount amusing anecdotes from her training, Ilanier quietly transferred pure life energy from her fingertips, dispelling the deep-seated fatigue in her body.
Under the forced nourishment of The Queen brand "super power bank," Lin Qingyue felt like her energy was about to overflow.
As the saying goes, warmth and comfort lead to certain thoughts...
No way, I haven't walked the kid today!
"Come, say hello to your Sis Ilanier."
Lin Qingyue smiled mischievously and opened [As I've Written]. With a flash of pink light, the exquisite little figure appeared in the garden.
"Sis!"
As soon as Cyrene appeared, she stretched her short little legs and accurately threw herself into Lin Qingyue's arms, her small head rubbing affectionately against her chest.
Then, she looked up, her beautiful diamond-shaped pupils staring unblinkingly at Ilanier opposite her.
A thoughtful expression appeared on her little face.
The next second, a clear, soft, and slightly serious childish voice sounded.
"Sis Ilanier."
The gentle evening breeze in the garden was exceptionally quiet.
The wicked smirk on Lin Qingyue's face froze, and she even forgot to eat the pastry in her hand.
Ilanier was also rooted to the spot, her beautiful wine-red eyes widening little by little, brimming with unbelievable astonishment and shock.
Holy crap?
Lin Qingyue's brain short-circuited for a moment.
Thank goodness, she said 'Sis'...
She frantically patted her chest in her mind, secretly rejoicing.
If she had just blurted out 'Mom', wouldn't a prime, newly-legal adult like me instantly become a mother on the spot, skipping all the steps?
Wait! She... she can speak in sentences now? Wasn't she only saying single words yesterday?
Ilanier reacted faster than her, the shock on her face rapidly replaced by immense ecstasy.
She crouched down, carefully reaching out to gently stroke Cyrene's smooth pink hair, her voice trembling.
"Little Cyrene, what... what did you just call me?"
Cyrene reached out her little hand to grasp one of Ilanier's fingers. In a soft, earnest childish voice, she enunciated word by word:
"Sis Ilanier is fragrant, just like Sis."
Boom—!
Ilanier felt as if her heart had been gently squeezed by a warm little hand and slowly submerged in honey.
Her entire heart tingled, softened, and completely melted.
She couldn't hold back anymore, pulling Cyrene tightly into her arms and planting a big kiss on her pink, tender little cheek.
"Aww, my little darling, you're just getting cuter and cuter!"
Watching this overly heartwarming "sisters reuniting" iconic scene play out before her, Lin Qingyue's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Goodness, it's only been a few days, and she's already upgraded from a mere meal ticket to an officially certified 'sister'?
This family recognition progress is even faster than my relationship progress with her other sister!
The rest of the time completely turned into a sisterly bonding session between Ilanier and Cyrene.
Ilanier held Cyrene, feeding her snacks and watching the stars with her. The smile never left her face, and her heartfelt gentleness was practically materializing into reality.
Lin Qingyue, happy to relax on the sidelines, watched them casually while her mind frantically pondered another matter.
Isn't Cyrene's growth rate a bit too fast?
From only being able to say single words to now being able to have simple conversations, it's only been a few days, hasn't it?
An outrageous guess took shape in her mind.
Could it be because of... the nightly "academic exchanges" between Ilanier and me?
The more she thought about it, the more she felt this was the truth.
Cyrene was a Memosprite, fundamentally an amalgamation of energy and memories. Her growth was very likely closely tied to the strength and purity of Lin Qingyue's own Mental Energy.
And these past few days, under the nourishment of "Dual Cultivation," the purity of Lin Qingyue's Mental Energy had been skyrocketing every day.
Holy crap, so the two of us working so hard to stay up late and "cultivate," all the sweat we shed was just paying for her tutoring fees?
What is this? A new era of parental rat race? Working overtime every night to earn tuition fees so the child doesn't lose at the starting line?
Lin Qingyue felt her worldview being refreshed once again by this miraculous development.
Cyrene played for a while, but she was a child after all. Having spent so much time in the Time-Light Training Ground during the day, she soon became sleepy.
She yawned, nuzzled into Ilanier's warm embrace, groggily mumbled "sleep," and then turned into a streak of pink light, taking the initiative to dive back into [As I've Written].
The "child" was asleep.
In the garden, the sweet parent-child atmosphere quietly faded away.
The flow of air seemed to slow down.
Something thicker, more fiery, began to permeate the silence.