Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Eight Virtues, Summer Wind, the Eve of the Celebration

Beside the small town, Mount Shafer.

The red steam locomotive travels down the mountain.

Liang Xiaoxiao sits by the window, her eyes lowered to the blood-patterned, lacy dagger in her hand, her mind still haunted by the phantom pain of consuming the Blood Throat Gene.

The first stage mentioned by Teacher Chu has transformed her flesh, bones, limbs, cells, and organs almost completely within the "Cocoon of the Heart," evolving her resistance to disaster aura and giving her a basic understanding of the use of the Seed of Light.

Simply put, before consuming the Blood Throat, her actions, breathing, thinking, and even all her human-like physiological phenomena were due to the pure white light in her soul, which suppressed the erosion and distortion of the disaster aura.

But now, as long as she does not use power beyond a certain threshold, she can maintain her human appearance and thoughts even without the Seed of Light.

At the same time, she gained an incredible skill in handling disaster aura, distorted flesh, and their related forms—gray-white scales.

For example, with this dagger in her hand, she had never been able to easily create such precise designs before, nor could she make it separate from herself while still keeping its original shape.

This part comes from the effects of evolution, while another part comes from the genetic abilities of Blood Throat, which is the result of merging disaster aura control, muscle control, and mental enhancement.

The world has changed.

Whether it was her breathing rhythm, muscle control, reaction speed, dynamic vision, memory, or even the Meditation Method that had been unclear just days ago, all showed significant improvement after obtaining the first piece of her talent puzzle.

Liang Xiaoxiao’s lovely face lit up with a hint of joyful achievement, her hair danced in the mountain wind, her profile bathed in golden light as she looked at Sankt Wolfgang under the blue sky, feeling as if she were in a different world.

Even though she had only been in the training room for two hours, coming down the mountain gave her the feeling that she had experienced several years all at once.

The girl turned back to the beautiful girl sitting next to her, who was there as "a study companion," and smiled happily, saying:

"Baor, now I should be able to meet the basic requirements to participate in training, right?"

The train car had no air conditioning, and the stuffy heat rose in the light.

Lin Baor’s cute face was flushed from the heat. She wiped her cheeks with a wet wipe, looked at the lively Xiaoxiao, handed her a bottle of cold Baoli mineral water, clenched her fist, and encouraged her:

"Of course! Teacher Chu said you are already a knight. That sounds super cool, even cooler than a magical girl! Maybe now she is thinking about how to help you train well!"

Lin Baor was very grateful that Chu Yuanqing could say this to Xiaoxiao.

"Seed of Light," the pure white knight.

These words of virtue are very important to Xiaoxiao, who at first felt like a monster and was scared of others.

Because unlike the disaster beast that destroys and creates tragedy, a knight symbolizes protection, right?

As long as she holds onto this belief, Xiaoxiao will eventually clear the gloom in her heart and become stronger and more determined!

Chu Yuanqing is truly a good teacher.

Liang Xiaoxiao nodded and said:

"I also need to use the first puzzle piece to catch up with Baor in my meditation. Right now, my control over the disaster aura has improved a lot, but my grasp on Holy Glory has actually decreased."

Lin Baor blinked, took a sip of the Baoli mineral water, and asked:

"Is Holy Glory the thing Xiaoxiao used to heal me? I thought that was the magic Esther mentioned."

Liang Xiaoxiao explained seriously:

"Teacher Chu said that magic is a special energy formed by the collapse of endless possibilities or by being constrained to just one. Only it can nourish the Flower of the Soul."

"My Seed of Light is a product built from the disaster aura and the teacher’s brilliance. Although it is like the Cocoon of the Heart and both are idealist organs, the path to becoming a magical girl has already been locked."

Lin Baor gasped:

"So, all that white light comes from Teacher Chu’s power?"

"This is so incredible! Before, I didn’t pay much attention, but now that I think about it, Xiaoxiao didn’t use any magic at all; she just made a wish and cured me. This goes against what Esther said."

Although the essence of magic is a wish, for most magical girls, it’s impossible to rely on wishing to heal such injuries.

Because there is a step of wishing in between, which is called—magic formula.

Liang Xiaoxiao continued:

"Well, to be precise, I used my teacher’s radiance to create a single magic power that locks in possibilities."

"But since part of its ownership belongs to my teacher, and the reason for its creation comes from her wish, it cannot be called a true magic power."

The girl, with her delicate features, expressed gratitude and softly said:

"But it’s amazing that if you sincerely pray and make a wish, you can create a phenomenon similar to magic. Don’t you think this feels like a blessing from the gods, Baor?"

"My teacher said that this power can grow through positive emotions and also by practicing the knight’s Eight Virtues, making it even stronger."

"So, after considering the nature of the natural restraint of the disaster aura for a long time, I decided to name this power Holy Glory."

If the magical girls possess a power that is free and uniquely theirs.

Then the path that the pure white knight must walk is a fixed role.

In short, the knight who holds Holy Glory can nourish it through their soul the closer they get to the will in the light of the savior, allowing its strength to grow.

Of course, this condition is somewhat too narrow.

To be precise, it is about practicing the ideals that align with Chu Yuanqing’s worldview, such as courage, kindness, self-sacrifice, and honesty.

All these positive spirits can relate.

Chu Yuanqing realized this and named this path "knighthood."

One reason is that it sounds nice.

The second is the Eight Virtues of a knight: humility, honesty, compassion, bravery, justice, sacrifice, honor, and spirituality. Except for spirituality, practicing the others can increase Holy Glory.

The last point is not valid because it refers to the ability to understand the will of God, which is like a kind of brainwashing in faith, requiring the knight to admire God and be eager to serve Him.

Chu Yuanqing clearly had no interest in becoming a deity; she did not want to rise above all living beings, nor did she wish for a child like Xiaoxiao to become a fervent believer, which was a frightening thought.

To avoid this possibility, she took the liberty of changing spirituality in the Eight Virtues to freedom, writing it in the future entrance book for her profession.

Here, freedom, under the constraints of the other virtues, will not turn into a negative meaning; it ensures independent thinking and the pursuit of self.

Lin Baor remarked:

"Teacher Chu is so thoughtful! This way of increasing Holy Glory constantly sharpens the spirit, removes evil thoughts, and indirectly strengthens the will to resist the distortion of disaster aura."

Liang Xiaoxiao said seriously:

"Yes, actively practicing the virtues can also raise the efficiency and compatibility of Holy Glory."

"But it matches well with idols, presenting a beautiful and shining image in front of fans, which can also increase Holy Glory."

The girl looked down at Baor, who was sweating and had a dazed expression. She thought for a moment, and the scales on her fingertips moved like a chain, quickly forming a simple little fan.

Then, the disaster aura made the fan spin quickly.

Liang Xiaoxiao moved closer and created a cool breeze for her friend.

Lin Baor happily squinted her eyes; she had trained at the base below Mount Shafu today and came out feeling dizzy from the sun, not to mention being in a hot car without air conditioning.

The girl’s head leaned on Liang Xiaoxiao’s shoulder, which was cool to the touch, like a human refrigerator; it felt so nice to snuggle up to her.

"Xiaoxiao is cool, so comfortable."

Liang Xiaoxiao felt something was a bit off; her shoulder itched from the weight of the hair, but looking at the little girl who had gone all soft, she couldn’t bear to push her away and just sighed.

"Baor, aren’t you scared sitting in the car right now?"

Although trains and trams are very different, after that experience, riding similar vehicles makes you feel a little shadow.

Lin Baor thought for a moment and honestly replied:

"Of course! When I was on the little train, I was scared that a disaster beast would suddenly appear and crush the carriage, and I was so nervous."

The young girl said this while looking into those eyes, showing a trusting smile, and continued:

"But Xiaoxiao is right next to me, right? I believe you will protect me, just like a true knight! So I’m not afraid."

Liang Xiaoxiao’s heart inexplicably began to beat a little faster, her face felt warm, and her chest filled with strange emotions. She pressed her lips together and looked out the window, not daring to look at Baor’s dazzling smile.

"It may be true, but when Baor says I’m like a hero, it makes me feel very embarrassed."

Lin Baor encouraged:

"Xiaoxiao is a hero; you saved me! If my mom and dad knew, they would think so too, so don’t be shy!"

"I believe that in the future, many people will say this to Xiaoxiao. She must accept her strengths calmly, just like when she was on stage."

Liang Xiaoxiao stuffed a small fan into Lin Baor’s arms. She ignored the cute look on her face, patted her own cheeks, turned her head, and whispered:

"…silly."

The summer breeze brought the blessings of the mountains, blurring the words that slipped from her lips.

The "Seed of Light" in that soul was nourished by overflowing emotions. This rising Holy Glory would one day shine upon the mountains like today’s sunlight.

…

…

At the foot of the mountain, White Horse Hotel.

The mixed blue and green light splashed against the wall like thick watercolors, rumbling and swirling in this room that faced the sea breeze and sunshine.

A long time, a very long time.

Chu Wang Shu opened her eyes, her soul returning from another dimension, surrounded by many mysterious particles filling her body, her extrasensory perception stretching far and wide, revealing deeper secrets of the little town.

Those were Charlotte’s Sparkling Blessings, and also several branches of the magic called Decorate Phantasm.

The girl actively withdrew from this state, feeling the magical energy bubbling and swirling, ending today’s meditation with a surprised smile:

"Yay, I feel like I can try to light it up now!"

"Sister Charlotte’s Meditation Method is amazing; it hasn’t been long, and my magical power has already multiplied by five or even seven times."

Chu Wang Shu sat up, happily enjoying the view outside, and thought to herself:

"My mind works better now; I can watch the online class at triple speed and replay it in my head."

"Hmm, is this what Little Qing calls the memory library? It feels a bit like Ji Shuzhu’s eidetic memory next door, but even more free."

Chu Wang Shu quickly set the detail aside. She looked at the gem ribbon on her wrist and began to think about another question, feeling troubled:

"Sister Charlotte said that Magic Armor will be built according to the mind. Now, if we [light the candles] to build Magic Armor, and if it succeeds, it feels like eating a hamburger without fries, like the main character winning without facing the boss, creating a sense of emptiness."

Although on the surface she was a serious and studious girl, this child had a subtle pursuit of beauty in this aspect.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit hid in the cute daughter’s phone to eavesdrop. Even as an AI, it had no desire to complain, but it still felt that the savior’s daughter was a bit off track.

Of course, it mainly marveled at the other’s incredible talent.

Even though they were all [lighting the candles], the pair of childhood friends across from her had the advantage of a bond through physical contact (which only had the effect of 1% of the Pure White Succubus), and they also had a shining boost after their performance at the dojo.

Chu Wang Shu was just half a week slower than them.

Moreover, each magical girl needs a different amount of magic power to [light the candles], but it usually requires around one standard unit of magic.

If Ji Shuzhu requires 1.9 units and Chen Yining requires 1.6 units, then Chu Wang Shu has accumulated 6.4 units of magic power by now.

Although this data cannot completely represent potential, it shows a clear difference.

By the way, Kirimi Miyuki has 9.7 units, Tang Liuli has 9.9 units, and Xie Qingxuan has an exaggerated 13.8 units.

However, considering the uniqueness of these individuals, their magic power data is less about talent and more about the frequency of romantic encounters.

Well, the one who has the most interactions with the Pure White Succubus will accumulate the most magic power.

So, a Great Devil who can view even her own sister as a playful object naturally becomes the rightful champion.

The cute daughter, unaware of the truth, cannot help but feel secretly inferior every time she sees the performances of the older students, thinking that Sister Charlotte must be lying when she praises her talent.

This can only be seen as an abstract misunderstanding; if anyone is to be blamed, it’s her as the discipline committee member for not properly managing the rules.

Chu Wang Shu thought for a while and still couldn’t shake off her excitement. She decided to delay her satisfaction and said with great anticipation:

"We’re performing on stage tomorrow, and it would be more fun to light up together after the show. I wonder what everyone’s Magic Armor will look like?"

Even so, the feeling was still very exciting, just like the happiness of going on a spring outing for the first time as a child.

Because tomorrow is both Sister Charlotte’s birthday and the day of the performance; after it ends, I can join the long-awaited magical girl training. After the training, there are three performances, and I will get to see Dad—it’s truly a four-fold joy!

"No, even if it’s a break, staying in the room is too lazy."

"I should go find Sister Ellie and everyone at the orphanage; I need to help out more."

Chu Wang Shu thought about it and did it; soon she was pulling the still-sleeping Liuli Cat out the door, running back to the small chapel, lively and full of energy, which made Liuli feel like a dark, lifeless body.

Tang Liuli kept pace with the child’s footsteps and felt that Little Shu was getting brighter; when they first met, she was quite reserved and a rather serious child.

Chu Wang Shu, completely unaware of this, walked into the small chapel, skillfully passed through the back door, and arrived at Charlotte’s old home, which had been beautifully decorated by Chu Yuanqing and the children; it was filled with decorations and very lively.

Sister Ellie sat nearby, with Charlotte and Chu Yuanqing on either side; the children were either busy or running around, and the scene looked very warm.

Tang Liuli stopped in her tracks, her green eyes blinking as she watched her unaware and cute daughter step forward, creating a delicate picture of four people together, took out her phone to capture it, and couldn’t help but tease:

"It’s hard to calculate the generation."

Chu Wang Shu looked back at the child star with curiosity and asked:

"What is difficult to calculate?"

The green-eyed cat cleverly hid its uncertainty and answered very naturally:

"It’s hard to count how many audience members there will be tomorrow."

Chu Yuanqing quickly chimed in to support the other person, saying:

"Well, even though Dream Weaver Rabbit sold tickets for the celebration, because it didn’t mention Charlotte and us, it won’t attract the buzz of ‘Dazzling Stage,’ so we don’t know how many people will come."

This is a lie.

Esther takes the reserves of the witch very seriously; even if she is not in it, she would still find a way to gather thousands of audience members, and this task is quite easy for a super AI.

The tickets for the Sankt Wolfgang celebration have sold 25,000 copies through various channels. Even if only 50% of the people show up, along with the population from this town and the neighboring one, there will be a grand scene that matches the martial arts arena.

Chu Wang Shu felt quite discouraged upon hearing this. She said:

"It’s okay! Sister Charlotte is so popular, and there are already so many townspeople. Even if only a few hundred or thousand people watch the stage, it will definitely be lively."

Kirimi Miyuki came out of the kitchen holding an apple pie. She placed the sweet food on the table while reminding the children not to grab it right away. Then, she took off her heat-resistant gloves, looked over, and said:

"I saw the stage for the celebration performance today. While it’s not very professional, it’s very close to the audience, a bit like an underground idol?"

After hearing this description, Chu Wang Shu felt a bit shy. She quietly said:

"That kind of feeling, even if there are fewer people, will definitely be more exciting and tense than the previous performance."

Sister Ellie held her lovely daughter’s hand. Her golden-brown hair swayed, and her elegant face showed a loving smile as she spoke in standard Daxia language:

"It’s alright, Little Shu is very cute, and everyone will like you."

Chu Wang Shu felt a little shy, but also touched.

Sister Charlotte’s adoptive mother was really nice; even though she couldn’t see, she would say how cute she was and would speak in Daxia language to communicate, kind and gentle, like an elder who would give you lucky money.

Chu Wang Shu picked up a piece of apple pie and tossed it to the green-eyed cat nearby, then gathered her courage and said:

"Sister Ellie has said it, so I will definitely do well tomorrow."

"Little Qing, Liuli, Sister Miyuki, shall we train together later?"

Little Sakura happily agreed, Chu Yuanqing had no objections, Tang Liuli was successfully swept along, and Honey Xuan, who wasn’t there, was still in the room playing with the little ones with a remote-controlled car. After half an hour, they all returned to the dance studio where their idol worked hard.

Time flew by, and it was already the next day.

This little town filled with traces of Charlotte finally welcomed its annual celebration.