The entire process, though it seemed lengthy in description, occurred in the span of a single breath.
Most diners in the restaurant only caught a fleeting, blurry afterimage on their retinas.
A crisp, faint sound brushed past their ears.
And then, the dust settled.
The stunning pink-haired Priest remained lazily leaning back in her chair, her posture unchanged.
Between her pale fingers, a sizzling, fragrant piece of grilled meat, dripping with savory oil, was now firmly impaled on the greasy bamboo skewer she had been using.
With graceful, unhurried movements, she placed the meat on her plate, as if simply retrieving a common dish.
Only Lin Xiyue and her two companions, who were seated closest, had witnessed the heart-stopping, lightning-fast exchange.
Lin Xiyue's mouth gaped into an "O" shape. The grilled spare ribs she had been holding clattered onto the table, the splattering grease unnoticed.
Sis... Sis, she...
Defeated that arrogant fox-woman with just a discarded bamboo skewer?!
During their usual training sessions, Su Wan had always admired her sister's seemingly divine spearmanship. But to witness her transform a simple bamboo skewer into a weapon of miraculous power—this wasn't just absurd, it was terrifying!
Lin Qingyue's serene profile was clearly reflected in Su Wan's ice-blue eyes.
She had always known Lin Qingyue was strong.
But this effortless transformation of a thunderous killing technique into the delicate grace of plucking flowers and leaves—this unimaginable level of absolute control—sent her heart racing wildly.
Xia Lian, meanwhile, was trembling uncontrollably, half from lingering fear and half from sheer awe. She had no doubt that if that bamboo skewer had been aimed at her throat, she would have had little chance to dodge.
Adela stood frozen in place.
Her face drained from green to white, then flushed crimson red.
She lowered her head, her gaze fixed on her trembling, unresponsive fingers.
A faint red mark branded the joint, and a numbing sensation crept upward through her nerves.
Even her once-proud, fiery-red tail now hung limp and lifeless, stripped of all its former majesty, a clear paralysis seeping into its midsection.
Finally, her gaze locked onto Lin Qingyue's unnervingly calm face.
She had lost.
A complete and utter defeat, leaving her utterly humiliated.
With nothing more than a greasy bamboo skewer, her opponent had not only shattered her devastating tail whip but had also temporarily disabled her painstakingly honed claws in a manner that bordered on mockery.
This fucking girl is a priest?
"You..." Adela opened her mouth, wanting to demand the woman's origins.
"You flatter me," Lin Qingyue interrupted, cutting off a small piece of roasted meat with her dining knife and savoring it slowly.
Only then did she lift her smiling eyes, the expression flawless, impossible to fault.
"Excellent flavor."
"Now, do you still want me to 'consider' your offer?"
Lin Qingyue's voice was soft, yet each word pierced Adela's heart like a dagger.
"I'm afraid you might not be able to handle it, you know?"
Hot blood surged to Adela's head, her cheeks burning hot enough to fry an egg. She had never endured such a humiliating rejection in her entire life.
Her chest heaved violently, and it took every ounce of her self-control to resist flipping the table over in rage.
Finally, all her resentment, fury, and fear were squeezed through gritted teeth into a single sentence:
"Hmph! Just you wait! I've never failed to get what I want!"
Before the words could even finish leaving her lips, she whirled around without a backward glance and fled, her footsteps stumbling in a hasty retreat amidst the undisguised guffaws of the surrounding adventurers.
Lin Qingyue watched Adela's humiliating retreat, her heart brimming with satisfaction.
A mere merchant caravan leader is already as strong as a Level 35 Professional specializing in combat.
The high-end combat power in this world is likely far greater than I imagined.
With such strength, she still spends her time seducing others? Fascinating. Utterly fascinating.
The atmosphere in the restaurant erupted into a frenzy the moment Adela made her humiliating exit.
"Did you see that?! That vixen finally met her match!"
"Serves her right! Flaunting her looks and power every day—now she's fallen flat on her face!"
"Who exactly is that pink-haired Priest? The way she wielded those skewers was practically an art!"
"Priest? You call that a Priest? To me, she looked more like a Battle Sister smashing enemies' skulls with her staff!"
Murmurs rose and fell like waves.
But when their gazes returned to the "Quantum Battleship" table, their eyes held a completely different light—a respect earned purely through demonstrated strength.
Lin Xiyue finally snapped out of her daze and leaned excitedly toward Lin Qingyue.
"Sis! This is insane! I knew you were good with a spear, but when did you max out your Skill Points with skewers? Have you been secretly studying A Hundred Martial Arts: The Way of the Bamboo Skewer behind my back?"
Lin Qingyue glanced at her sideways, replying unhurriedly, "Master one, master all. Life itself is a training ground. Eat more grilled meat, and you can do it too."
Su Wan also recovered from her shock.
Her gaze flicked back and forth between the piece of meat on Lin Qingyue's plate and Lin Qingyue herself, a subtle expression playing across her usually icy face.
She had to admit, for that fleeting moment, Lin Qingyue's brilliance had captivated even her.
Yet the thought that this woman was Lin Xiyue's sister stirred an indescribable feeling within her.
Just as this thought surfaced, an even more absurd and terrifying word crashed into her mind...
Sister-in-law?
Pfft!
Su Wan nearly spat out the wheat beer she'd just swallowed, managing to choke it down just in time. Her cheeks flushed an unnatural red from the sudden choking fit.
Lin Xiyue, still buzzing with excitement, was peppering her older sister with questions, completely oblivious to Su Wan's distress.
But inside Su Wan's mind, the inner theater had gone completely haywire.
Oh no, oh no... Su Wan, have you gone mad?! "Sister-in-law"?!
She screamed internally, desperately trying to banish that horrifying term from her thoughts. Yet the more she resisted, the clearer the word became.
Most people's romantic final boss is the mother-in-law, but me... I'm already tackling Hell Difficulty from the start?!
She instinctively glanced at Lin Qingyue...
Stop it, Su Wan! We haven't even started yet!
She frantically repeated this mantra, forcing her attention back to reality.
Xia Lian, meanwhile, clutched her chest, still shaken, and whispered, "Sister Qingyue, that was so scary... I thought you two were going to fight."
"She won't fight," Lin Qingyue replied with a shake of her head. "She doesn't have the guts to make a move here."
The meal concluded in this bizarre and thrilling atmosphere.
Back in her room, Xia Lian collapsed onto the bed almost immediately, pulling the covers over her head.
"I can't take it anymore... Too much has happened today, too much information. My brain is going to fry... Sister Qingyue, I'm going to sleep now. Good night..."
The day's sights and sounds had been too overwhelming for the innocent young woman. She needed to forcibly shut down to cool down her CPU, which was on the verge of crashing.
Lin Qingyue watched her ostrich-like behavior and couldn't help but chuckle.
As for the neighboring room...
That Young Mistress has probably already entered her "dutiful wife and devoted mother" mode, fluffing the pillows, tucking in the sheets, and fussing over my silly little sister. Tsk, tsk, such dedication.
Once the room was completely silent, save for Xia Lian's steady breathing, Lin Qingyue confirmed she was sound asleep and quietly got up.
The lingering excitement from tonight's farce gradually faded, replaced by a yearning for tranquility.
Since I'm still in the city today, I might as well go again!
She moved to the corner of the room, away from the window's line of sight, and a faint glow flickered at her fingertips.
A spatial coordinate, imperceptible to the naked eye, was silently set.
Lin Qingyue skillfully activated the teleportation function of her artifact, As I've Written.
The familiar sensation of weightlessness enveloped her, and the world before her eyes twisted and swirled like paint, transforming into a rushing river of light.
When her feet touched solid ground again, a crisp, cool air, faintly scented with flowers, enveloped her.
She was in the garden of the Queen's Bedchamber within the Elven Royal Palace.
Moonlight, like shimmering silk, gilded every leaf with silver edges.
In a pavilion nearby, a familiar figure sat.
Ilanier, clad in a thin silk nightgown, cradled a delicate, porcelain-skinned little girl in her arms, her head bent low as she cooed and played with her.
The little girl was Cyrene.
"Eee?"
Cyrene sensed something, looked up, and immediately spotted Lin Qingyue standing by the flowerbed.
Her gemstone-clear eyes lit up instantly, sparkling like two brilliant stars.
She struggled to slip out of Ilanier's embrace, wobbled on her short legs, and stumbled toward Lin Qingyue.
"Sis!"
The crisp, soft call melted Lin Qingyue's heart into a pool of spring water.
Ilanier looked up and saw Lin Qingyue, her face lighting up with surprise.
"Qingyue? Weren't you on a mission? How...?"
Before she could finish, Lin Qingyue had already crouched down and swept the rushing Cyrene into her arms, planting a kiss on her rosy cheek.
"I missed you both, so I snuck back for a quick visit," Lin Qingyue said with a smile. "I'm staying in the city tonight and managed to squeeze in some time to see you, but I can't stay long."
Cradling the milk-scented little one in her arms, she walked over and sat down beside Ilanier.
"I'll be heading into the wilderness tomorrow, so this will probably be my last chance to visit for a while."
Ilanier gazed at her, her wine-red eyes brimming with longing and reluctance.
"Mm, the mission comes first." She reached out, her fingertips cool as night, and gently caressed Lin Qingyue's cheek. "Be careful out there."
"Don't worry," Lin Qingyue chuckled, taking her hand. "I'm pretty strong, you know."
The three of them huddled together, savoring the tranquil moment enveloped by moonlight and floral fragrance.
Cyrene nestled against Lin Qingyue, whispering, "Sis, I want to hear a story."
"Alright," Lin Qingyue replied. "What story do you want to hear?"
"I want to hear... hear the one about the dragon."
Lin Qingyue pondered for a moment before beginning to recount a tale she had read in her previous life—a story about a mighty dragon and a valiant Hero.
Her voice was soft and gentle, like the evening breeze strumming across harp strings.
Cyrene listened with rapt attention, her little head nodding rhythmically.
Ilanier leaned peacefully against Lin Qingyue's shoulder, her eyes closed and a contented smile gracing her lips.
In that moment, time seemed to stretch out endlessly.
The world fell silent, leaving only the three of them beneath the radiant moon, which had witnessed countless secrets through the ages.