Chapter 174
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Chapter 174: The Demon King’s Victory, the Cat Listening at the Wall
The Pure White Witch’s invitation was more valuable than precious gems.
Xie Qingxuan felt as if she were at a grand ball, dancing a beautiful waltz with a princess. It was like she was dancing for the first time, carefully guiding her partner, gently holding their slender arm and supporting their soft waist, all while the eyes of the guests watched her every move, showing her shyness.
The golden retriever sniffed the air with its delicate nose, catching the scent of pure and fresh tuberose. The fragrance spread around, clean and refreshing, as if it had lost the heaviness of worldly perfumes and was as soft and rich as cashmere.
This was a changing aroma, like a tower of champagne at the ball that splashed everywhere when it toppled, mixing with a chaotic sound of shattering, making the scents of the ladies at the ball swirl together.
Chu Yuanqing was the best dance partner, always surrounded by a fragrance like burning incense, hazy yet light as smoke, much like the clear, distant scent of lilies. Even in the complex surroundings of the ball, she was easily recognizable.
The girl’s snowy hair and golden eyes shone in the light, exuding an alluring charm. At the ball, no one, whether man or woman, could resist her dazzling beauty. She gathered everyone’s gaze yet remained graceful and self-assured.
This truly was the grace of a royal princess.
Even if her dancing skills were as inexperienced as Xie Qingxuan’s, she could still lead her partner with kindness and care, like the vast ocean embracing all the waves. She never worried about the little mistakes made from a lack of experience, happily twirling together at the ball.
— Turn, sway, tilt, rise and fall.
Among these, the sway was the most important; mastering this movement in the waltz made the rest of the tilting and rising appear smooth and perfect.
Xie Qingxuan was clearly very talented. She brought back to life the power of a ruler, once called a tyrant, on stage. She transformed from being shy, timid, and slow into a dancer who was crisp and swift, making their movements beautiful to watch, earning loud applause from the audience.
After a long while, the ballroom dancing segment came to an end.
Pure White Witch no longer danced gracefully; instead, she took the golden retriever’s paw in her hand and went to the champagne tower. Each of them took a glass for the other, and just like the elegant nobles around them, they touched the rims of their glasses with their lips, smiled, and sipped slowly.
The champagne in Chu Yuanqing’s hand had fruity flavors like orange, apple, and pear; it was refreshing and had fine bubbles.
Xie Qingxuan tasted rich floral scents, with notes of violet, rose, and peony, along with a hint of dried fruit—rich and delightful.
Finally, the two exchanged smiles, reaching out together to knock down the champagne tower on the table. Amid the rising sound of astonishment, the beautiful shattering echoed in their ears, and the golden liquid splashed high, sparkling brightly in the lights as if frozen in time.
In this moment, a grand surge of emotion was trapped within this room, stirring up a silent storm, making the lantern and the "Cocoon of the Heart" feel hot to the touch, stronger than ever, with magical waves rolling ceaselessly in their souls, creating a wonderfully strange chemical reaction.
…
…
At the same time, in the living room.
The green-eyed cat did not know that a thief was dancing with Honey Qing using her skills. Her little face was serious as she focused intently on the screen. The two game characters were testing each other, pulling and pushing, attacking and defending, putting on a wonderful duel.
And the opponent was none other than Little Sakura, who had once ruled the local arcade in elementary school!
Tang Liuli felt like she was facing a great enemy. She tightly gripped the game controller, her delicate pink fingers quickly performed a series of complex moves at the crucial moment—ducking forward + spinning circle + reverse dragon rise—like a butterfly dancing through flowers. This made the character in the game, Ba Wang Maru, unleash a dazzling arc attack six times in a row.
—Heavenly Overlord Divine Slash!
This super move was successfully unleashed, completely emptying the opponent’s health bar.
Kirimi Miyuki slightly frustrated, put down the controller, feeling a moment of humiliation as if being slapped on the face by the cat’s paw.
How annoying; she had actually lost to Liuli!
Tang Liuli let out a small cheer.
"Hooray! I won!"
But not long after feeling proud, the anxious cat became alert. She shifted her bottom and pressed against her cute daughter, afraid that the Sakura girl would come over in anger and pinch her face.
Kirimi Miyuki looked at the other person fluttering their eyelashes and staring at her with bright green eyes. For a moment, she felt confused, thinking, "Am I actually getting upset with this silly person? Am I becoming silly too?" Her feelings calmed down, and she said:
"Alright, since we are done, let’s go to sleep."
Tang Liuli whispered a challenge:
"Want to play another round?"
Little Sakura crossed her arms and took on the authority of a leader:
"It’s almost ten o’clock. Even though we have three weeks to prepare, we should rest now."
Chu Wang Shu usually went to sleep by nine, and now she felt sleepy. She put down her book and nodded obediently:
"Hmm, Sister Miyuki, I will go to sleep soon."
Little Sakura glanced at Chu Wang Shu, who looked a bit sleepy with drooping eyelids. She stood up, patted the child’s head, then disdainfully glanced at the embarrassing cat seeking comfort, and sighed:
"Anyway, Liuli should go to bed early too. I’m going back to my room now. See you tomorrow."
Tang Liuli watched her leave before she released her hold on Chu Wang Shu’s arm. She didn’t feel embarrassed at all, lost in the joy of winning, and with a satisfied heart, she turned off the game and went back to the room to wash up and sleep with her lovely daughter.
Chu Wang Shu, being a good child with simple thoughts, tucked herself under her little blanket after washing up and fell into a dreamland.
The green-eyed cat, being a nocturnal creature, used to have nightmares and suffer from insomnia, but once she fell asleep, her energy returned quickly. Sleeping for two or three hours each day left her full of spirit; otherwise, she couldn’t have such high singing skills under such strict training.
Yes, this talent is somewhat related to having a quality soul.
Of course, most of the reason lies in that psychological shadow.
However, after participating in the "Dazzling Stage," she had been healed by the brilliance of the Pure White Witch, gradually stopped having nightmares, and no longer suffered from insomnia, beginning to grow lazier.
Tang Liuli used to hate sleeping the most because she would dream about terrible things from the past.
But now, this shy little cat loves nothing more than to sleep deeply for ten hours every day. In the morning, she can’t help but stay in bed, no longer the machine-like learner she used to be.
Today was different,
Tang Liuli turned and tossed in her warm bed. She had calmed down after winning against Kirimi Miyuki but felt something was off, wondering if she was too absorbed in gaming and had missed something important.
Wait, today is Thursday!!!
The green-eyed cat jumped up, then thought for a moment and lay back down angrily, covering herself with her cozy blanket.
Hmph, it’s just Thursday. What does it matter if that silly dog kisses Little Qing? By Saturday, she will definitely kiss back fiercely, covering the scent of everyone else!
Plus… plus Little Qing said she gives the most magic and the best magic recovery. By then, she can definitely fill Honey Qing with so much magic that he’ll be dizzy, unable to help but fall in love with her and forget all the other girls!
Tang Liuli imagined that scene, her pink lips curling into a smile as she rolled around under her blanket, her mind racing with daydreams as she began to shape a wonderfully clear world in her imagination.
Suddenly, a shining Honey Qing appeared in a little dress, with white fur and golden eyes. She crouched down, petting a green-eyed cat by the roadside, showing a super cute and gentle smile. She gave it kisses and hugs while saying many sweet things with her eyes sparkling.
"Liuli, you are so cute! I like you the most!"
"Liuli, do you work so hard every day? Do you need me to give you a kiss?"
"It’s okay if you don’t try so hard because no matter what, I will always love Liuli the most."
"You want to know how I feel about Qingxuan and Miyuki? Am I jealous? Don’t worry, Liuli is the best. You should believe in yourself."
Tang Liuli felt dizzy, and the green-eyed cat in her mind couldn’t hold back anymore, transforming into a perfect version of Tang Liuli — sunny, beautiful, shining, cute, and charming — leaping into the Pure White Witch’s arms to act cute.
Suddenly, the surroundings turned into a room in a hotel. She bravely tied her hair with a hair tie, tidied her nails, and ate a whole pineapple while trying to look at the curious Pure White Witch nearby, scheming something mischievous.
Wait! A pineapple?
Tang Liuli suddenly woke up from her daydream. She sat up in bed as if it was a reflex, her mind flooded with vivid images. The keyword triggered a rush of memories in her mind, like Sherlock Holmes with an explosion of information in her memory palace.
At that moment, Xie Qingxuan realized that all her words and actions today had been analyzed.
Whether it was her absent-mindedness when she snagged a seat, her sudden daze while listening to the rules, or the strange habit of eating grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and yogurt all day long, without a bite of meat, everything was crystal clear in her mind.
The green-eyed cat’s brain trembled as a kind of mysterious knowledge, found only in small movies, surged like a tsunami; her face turned red with embarrassment as she mumbled to herself incoherently:
"No… it can’t be true! It must be a lie! That’s… that’s that kind of thing! Wait, if it’s that kind of thing, at the very least! At the very least, wouldn’t you have to… at least kiss a hundred times to have the courage to do it?"
Tang Liuli felt both shy and anxious; she thumped her pillow a few times and quickly lost interest in sleeping. She tossed the pillow aside, got out of bed, put on her cotton slippers, and quietly tiptoed out the door, sneaking up to Chu Yuanqing’s room like a thief.
The green-eyed cat had a serious expression on her little face. She quietly sat against the door, pressed her ear to it, hoping to hear sounds inside, but could only barely make out faint music.
Ah, that was the toy crab in the bathroom that hadn’t been turned off yet, making bubbles in the sink while playing background music.
Tang Liuli was greatly shocked; could this naughty dog really learn to play music for fun?
The green-eyed cat felt indignant. She was the one who introduced the other person, so how could this person play around better than she did? Would this naughty dog really use the lesbian skills she learned from her on Honey Qing first?
As Tang Liuli thought about this, her chest filled with jealousy and a sour taste. The more she thought, the more wronged and sad she felt, and it was painful as if a treasure was being taken away.
But within that, there was a faint mix of some sweet joy, which transformed the other feelings, creating fear of the unknown and twisting emotions like twisted dough.
The girl paused for a moment, then felt so ashamed that she wanted to disappear. She slapped her face hard, beginning to doubt her life.
"I… I can’t really be broken, can I?"
Those moments of empathy must have caused some big problems in my head! But… I’ve been holding back from being a thief of maternal love lately. When will I be completely normal again?
"No, I can’t keep thinking about this. What’s important now is what happened inside!"
Tang Liuli decided to ignore these details for a moment. She believed that with her strong will, amazing wisdom, and unbeatable talent, she would overcome these small problems sooner or later. Gathering her courage, she twisted the doorknob, but in that moment of shock, she realized a very scary fact.
That is— the door was locked.
The green-eyed cat fluffed up, and she angrily accused in her heart:
"You naughty dog! How can someone lock the door at this time!"
Tang Liuli took a deep breath; she understood that there was only one way left for her.
That was to open the **Emotional bond**, to use the deepest empathy to explore their physical condition and learn the whole truth!
But how is this different from listening through the wall?
And… what if she becomes even stranger!
Tang Liuli’s heart was in turmoil, and her lovely face was full of humiliation.
At that moment, a bright idea flashed in her mind, recalling how Sherlock Holmes, in his quest for truth, repeatedly found himself in dangerous situations, as if illustrating how much a person would sacrifice for the truth.
The green-eyed cat closed its eyes in sorrow.
Yes, she might not be as brave as Sherlock Holmes, but as a reasoning genius with similar talent, how could she easily give up here?
Tang Liuli opened her eyes firmly.
Those strange side effects would surely be defeated by her willpower!
Yes, believe in yourself, Liuli! You will never become the kind of pervert who comes home excited after seeing his wife in disarray!
The girl showed a confident smile, her eyes blazing with a burning fire, as the Cocoon of the Heart deep within her soul stirred, crossing the sturdy wall with the anchor of her will, reaching that bed filled with sin, connecting all her senses!
And so, the door to the truth opened wide.
Three seconds later, the fortress of will crumbled under the taste of two kinds of champagne.
Six seconds later, adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine, and many other hormones began to welcome her with joy.
Ten seconds later, a rush of magic like cortisol and dopamine flowed into her body, her blood vessels tightened, her blood pressure and blood sugar rose, her sympathetic nervous system became excited, and her consciousness wavered.
Twenty seconds later, the foolish and useless green-eyed cat surrendered to the Pure White Witch and the golden retriever dancing a waltz, as she listened to the great sacred hymn, washed away into bliss, revealing a happy smile.
Thirty seconds later, the person fainted and fell into a deep sleep.
After a long time, the door was opened.
The Pure White Witch looked at Tang Liuli, who had fallen at her feet, and for a moment her eyes widened in shock and confusion.
Chu Yuanqing was silent for a moment, then turned to lay the unconscious Xie Qingxuan back on the bed before worriedly checking if there was anything wrong with the child. Finally, she understood something, and with a deep gaze, she picked up the cat that had committed a crime behind the door and tossed it back into the other room.
After that, she returned the golden-haired dog to her own room, changed the bed sheets, brushed her teeth, rinsed her mouth, turned off the toy crab that could no longer blow bubbles, and lay back down in bed with a complicated mind, staring blankly at the ceiling.
First, there was no blame.
Second, in some ways, it was more absurd than blame.
There was no way, according to the principles of magic restoration and their genders, that it could be spread through any other means, so naturally, Xie Qingxuan’s hand that was used to play the piano was not needed; it had to use…
In short, putting aside the details that needed to be omitted by 5,000 words, let’s talk about the serious plan for saving the world.
Chu Yuanqing could feel that the speed of the soul-boosting repair buff could be compared to when the three little idols were all present last time.
This buff could last for a few hours, then it would slowly fade away, but what was more important was a brand new buff.
The light arc reflected from Xie Qingxuan’s "Cocoon of the Heart" wrapped a layer of pitch-black shell around her soul and the lantern, creating a wonderful energy field that collected the ever-dispersing magical power and sent it back in reverse.
Simply put, it was like putting a perfect container around a container full of holes.
Although it couldn’t completely heal the soul, it helped stabilize the level of magical power in another way, greatly slowing down the loss of strength.
Chu Yuanqing thought with mixed emotions:
"Having such an effect is truly a pleasant surprise."
"The loss of magical power is my biggest obstacle to reaching ‘Blooms,’ and this buff, even if it only lasts for one or two days, is a big help."
"However… for now, I should avoid using this Mana Regeneration Method."
The water mist in the Pure White Witch’s eyes had not yet faded. It sparkled like a golden lake, shimmering with the light of early spring. She pressed her soft pink lips together. Although her mouth only tasted like fresh toothpaste, the recent memories still lingered in her mind.
If regular magic replenishment could barely be called "good friends," this time clearly crossed the boundaries of friendship. Especially since the recipient was Xie Qingxuan, who seemed to be an old-time comrade. The intense mix of important elements was overwhelming, leaving her still in shock.
Of course, she thought about not doing this again, but it was not because of those "sensitive" thoughts. It was because there was a more important and practical problem.
That is, the Pure White Witch’s essence was too lofty. The magic she emitted in this way was far too overwhelming for the golden-haired puppy who had not yet become a magical girl.
In fact, when the magic replenishment officially began, it lasted less than 10 seconds before Xie Qingxuan nearly collapsed, overwhelmed by the massive magical energy.
Chu Yuanqing had to forcefully stop it, absorbing all the magic from her. If it had taken even a moment longer, Xie Qingxuan’s "Cocoon of the Heart" could have been damaged.
So, such a dangerous thing could not be done again.
As the Pure White Witch thought this, she surprisingly felt very relieved. She closed her eyes happily and whispered:
"Hmm, let’s think about this Mana Regeneration Method after everyone has become magical girls."
