Ashes Base, west side of the island.
"Phew, Sis, this should be the last one, right?"
"Mm."
Chen Xing nodded calmly, then with a sharp twist, she pulled her demonic blade from the heart of the last Star Beast.
Splurt—!
Instantly, the viscous, salty blue blood from the Star Beast's body was drawn out along the blade, and a few drops streaked across her cheek.
Chen Xing didn't even flinch.
She simply raised her bandaged right hand and wiped away the pale blue bloodstains from her cheek.
After doing so, Chen Xing raised the demonic blade and swung it forcefully to her side.
Swish!
Most of the remaining blood on the blade splattered onto the ground like spilled ink, forming a jagged, crescent-shaped bloodstain.
Seeing a few specks of Star Beast blood still clinging to the demonic blade, Chen Xing expressionlessly clamped the blade between her left elbow and slowly pulled it through.
As the last trace of blood was completely wiped away, the clean, bright surface of the demonic blade reflected Chen Xing's current chilling, ice-like crimson eyes, and a drop of sweat that slid down her cheek and finally disappeared into the slender curve of her neck.
Although it was just two simple motions—a swing and a pull of the blade—both Chen Xing's murderous expression and the glimpse of her firm, toned muscles beneath her torn uniform at her abdomen gave her an indescribable sharpness, brimming with wildness.
Despite being only a twelve-year-old girl, just like Jing Liuli, Chen Xing completely lacked the delicate softness expected of her age. Instead, she was incredibly strong and had a fiercely independent personality.
If Caroline was the cold 'ice,' then Chen Xing was the scorching 'fire.'
While attracting attention, she also made it clear that one should never approach her lightly.
Because 'fire'... can hurt people.
'Damn it, why is even Big Sister wiping her blade so cool?!'
'I want Big Sister to step on me, brutally...'
'Hey! You upfront, you're not right!'
'Run! The porridge fanatics are attacking again!'
'Don't run, you up ahead! I've already surrendered (white flag).'
Just as the dimensional viewers were showering Chen Xing with praises, Chen Xing in the picture had already turned her head to look at the sea.
In the nearshore of the west coast, the Star Monument that summoned the beast tide was slowly crumbling from top to bottom, continuously scattering beautiful fragments resembling stars.
If one ignored the mountains of Star Beast corpses piled around Chen Xing and the others on the beach, that scene would actually be quite poetic.
At the same time, seeing that the last Star Monument had collapsed, the already exhausted Chen Kong directly plopped down on the beach, sighing, "I wonder how Brother Tendo and Instructor Yun are doing? They must have finished already, right?"
In the distance, Jing Liuli, also utterly spent, lay sprawled on her Dream Pillow like a puppy, panting with her tongue out, and weakly answered Chen Kong's question.
"D-definitely finished… because I can sense that the nightmare energy around this island has become flatter than Sister Chen Xing's bust… it's fine now, really."
"???"
Chen Kong stared at Jing Liuli in shock, his mouth so wide open that it looked as if he could swallow an egg whole.
One could imagine the degree of his inner surprise.
No, Liuli, is there truly nothing left in this life worth cherishing for you?
You can say such things, you dare to say such things?
Liuli, you truly are something! (Thumbs up)
"Kong, what's with that expression? Did I say something wrong?"
Completely unaware of her mistake, Jing Liuli not only wasn't thinking about how to fix it but foolishly asked Chen Kong why he had such an expression.
She was just stating facts, after all.
However, she soon paid the price for her "loose tongue."
"Eh? Why am I suddenly flying?"
Looking at her Dream Pillow getting farther and farther away beneath her, Jing Liuli turned her head in confusion and discovered that Chen Xing had somehow appeared behind her, hooking her back collar with the scabbard of her demonic blade and hoisting her up on the spot.
And seeing Chen Xing, whose face was grim and whose eyes were filled with murderous intent, Jing Liuli belatedly realized what had happened.
Without the slightest hesitation, Liuli immediately conceded defeat and employed her cute charm to try and muddle through.
"Hehehe, Sister Chen Xing, I actually—"
Before Jing Liuli could finish speaking, Chen Xing began to violently shake her demonic blade.
The next second, Jing Liuli, hanging from the demonic blade, immediately began to swing wildly, and one after another 'Dream Candy: Rainbow' was flung from her pajama pockets and sleeves, clattering onto the Dream Pillow.
Seeing that what she wanted had appeared, Chen Xing put down Jing Liuli and immediately walked over to pick up three Dream Candy: Rainbow.
Then she tossed two of them to Chen Kong and to Night God Lin, the Star Child NO. 5 — a black-haired girl who was 'silent, heartless, and expressionless' (the "three-no" girl) resting against a tree nearby.
Night God Lin unceremoniously ate it, closed her eyes, and began to recover from the exhaustion of the recent battle, prioritizing efficiency and not wasting even a second.
Meanwhile, Jing Liuli, thoroughly dizzy from being shaken by Chen Xing, although put down, clearly hadn't fully recovered.
Not only were her eyes swirled like mosquito coils, and her head was wobbling, but she also kept muttering unintelligible words like "Ah ba ah ba ah ba..."
It was clear she was the type that would drool even after being cured.
Chen Xing didn't pay much attention to her. Instead, she instructed Chen Kong on the beach and Night God Lin under the tree: "Rest for three minutes, then we'll immediately head back."
Chen Kong: "Oh, okay."
Night God Lin: "Understood."
After arranging the next steps, Chen Xing knelt on the sand, her demonic blade placed between her knees. She ate a Dream Candy: Rainbow and also closed her eyes to briefly rest.
However, unlike the relaxed expressions on Chen Kong and Jing Liuli's faces, Chen Xing's solemnity not only hadn't eased with the resolution of the beast tide but had actually intensified.
Nothing else, just because everything had gone too smoothly.
They had smoothly broken through the Star Beast encirclement.
They had smoothly destroyed the Star Monument.
They had smoothly resolved the beast tide.
If this beast tide had simply been an accident, not man-made, Chen Xing wouldn't have thought much of it.
But knowing that this beast tide was the result of deliberate manipulation by someone with ulterior motives, she instinctively felt a strong sense of unease about this unusually smooth operation.
It was as if everything they were doing was part of the enemy's calculations.
Otherwise, why wouldn't those who arranged the beast tide come out to stop them?
Thinking of this, Chen Xing, having rested enough, stood up and walked over to Chen Kong.
"Kong, give me one of your Dream Candy: Blue."
"Ah? Sis, why do you suddenly want Dream Candy: Blue too?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xing was startled and subconsciously asked, "Besides me, has anyone else asked you for this candy before?"
Chen Kong nodded: "Yes, just a few days ago, Brother Tendo also suddenly came to me and told me to give him a Dream Candy: Blue."
"I asked him why at the time, and he told me it was because he was afraid of getting hurt while cultivating, so…"
Mid-sentence, not only did Chen Xing, Jing Liuli, and the others' expressions turn grim, but even Chen Kong himself realized something was wrong.
Why?
Why would Brother Tendo ask him for Dream Candy: Blue, which has the effects of "temporarily nullifying pain and briefly restoring and enhancing all attributes," a few days ago?
If it were truly as Tendo said, that he was just afraid of getting hurt while cultivating, wouldn't Jing Liuli's Dream Candy: Rainbow be more suitable than his own Dream Candy: Blue?
One must know that Dream Candy: Rainbow is the most suitable candy for cultivation.
Unless…
"Sis, you're saying Brother Tendo couldn't have already…"
Before Chen Kong could finish his sentence, Chen Xing abruptly rushed towards the base.
At the same time, Jing Liuli also quickly flew towards the base.
Her face, usually adorned with a silly grin, was now completely devoid of a smile.
Because at this moment, Jing Liuli had recalled that before Tendo went to Deep Blue Metropolis, he had very strangely visited her late one night.
And if she remembered correctly, Tendo had suddenly come to her to interpret a dream.
Although Tendo hadn't told her the content of this dream at the time, a dream that could make even Tendo feel uneasy must not have been an ordinary dream.
Coupled with the current situation, Jing Liuli had vaguely guessed which "dream" Tendo had.
And the choice he made after seeing that dream…
Tendo, you big liar!!!
You said we would definitely have a brilliant tomorrow.
But why didn't you tell us that you quietly erased yourself from that tomorrow?!
As Chen Xing and Jing Liuli rushed towards the base at full speed, the anime screen switched to an hour earlier…