Lin Qingyue closed the door and leaned her back against the cool wood, letting out a long, slow breath.
The image of the boy fleeing with his arms and legs moving in awkward unison lingered in her mind.
"What a sin, what a sin," she muttered, but her face showed no trace of guilt. Instead, her eyes shone with the startling brilliance of Columbus discovering a new continent.
She casually tossed the pink love letter into a drawer and focused her mind on the System Space.
100 Elation Value shimmered faintly, like the cheapest neon lights in a nightclub.
Lin Qingyue ignored it for now, her gaze locking onto the three bonus rewards.
[Black Tassel]
[Type: Polearm]
[Description: A standard-issue training spear for the Millelith. The shaft is made from ancient Liyue wood, exceptionally tough. The spearhead is forged from Cold Iron, folded a hundred times, and features a blood groove. It is heavy to wield; only those with extraordinary arm strength can handle it with ease. Especially effective against large, gelatinous creatures like slimes.]
[Note: A nightmare for novice warriors, a trusted companion for seasoned spearmen. For a Priestess who suddenly possesses the arm strength of a five-year veteran, perhaps it's just right?]
Lin Qingyue: "..."
That note is way too snarky.
[Glamour Charm - Elysia's Staff]
[Type: Consumable / Cosmetic Item]
[Description: A shimmering, iridescent charm that can be used on a designated weapon to transform its appearance into "Elysia's Staff." The effect is permanent. The aesthetic is beautiful, with a pink and white color scheme and crystal embellishments, creating a dreamy, girlish fantasy. Please note: This glamour only changes the weapon's appearance and does not affect its original attributes or handling.]
[Note: ♪~ It's magical girl time! Of course, you could also let the enemy be mesmerized by the pretty staff, then shout, "Magic time's over, now it's physical attack time!" and give them a good whack~ ♪]
The corner of Lin Qingyue's mouth twitched subtly.
Pink and white, crystal embellishments, dreamy and girlish... paired with that murderous Black Tassel?
Aha's twisted sense of humor, always showing up sooner or later!
[Millelith Soldier's Experience Book (Five Years)]
[Type: Consumable / Knowledge Infusion]
[Description: Records the complete muscle memory and combat experience of an ordinary Millelith soldier from their five-year military career, covering combat, training, and survival. Upon use, you will instantly gain physical attribute enhancements and related combat skills equivalent to five years of rigorous training.]
[Note: Knowledge is power, especially the kind that directly becomes muscle memory. System-accelerated learning, quality guaranteed!]
Lin Qingyue's heart pounded violently.
The first two items were decent, but this Experience Book...
This was the real jackpot!
Without a moment's hesitation, she willed it with her mind and chose "Use."
Boom!
A torrent of information so vast it was unimaginable, mixed with countless images and physical memories, instantly flooded her soul!
The will to hold formation amidst a hail of spears and arrows.
The ferocity of fighting back-to-back with comrades against monsters.
Five years, day in and day out, sweat pouring like rain, repeating the thrust, lift, sweep, and smash millions of times!
The aching soreness of muscles tearing and healing, the resilience of bones groaning under immense pressure!
Lin Qingyue let out a muffled grunt, her body involuntarily arching as a fine sheen of cold sweat instantly beaded on her forehead.
She could clearly feel her bones emitting faint creaks, her muscle fibers being forcibly stretched, reorganized, and compacted in a way that defied all logic!
Her body, once somewhat frail due to her focus on spiritual cultivation, was now being infused with the toughness and strength of steel.
The process lasted only a few seconds, yet it felt like a century.
When everything subsided, Lin Qingyue leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.
She felt as if she'd been crushed by a dragon, only to be instantly restored by a Healing Spell.
Subconsciously, she raised her arm and rolled up the wide sleeve of her priest robe.
Her once fair and slender arm now clearly displayed sleek, firm muscle lines.
Though not as bulging and exaggerated as a warrior's, the sense of power felt utterly foreign to her, a frail priest.
Her entire physique had become leaner and more defined, exuding an aesthetic of strength.
"Instant results... When it comes to 'accelerated learning,' this System is surprisingly honest!"
She clenched her fist in delight. Her knuckles cracked sharply as surging power flowed smoothly through her limbs.
Five years of hard training, gained in an instant! The feeling was even more incredible than she had imagined!
Thank goodness it's not one of those Scammer Systems that rewards you with 'five years of experience' by actually making the Host train for five years in an illusion!
Unable to resist, she summoned her updated Attribute Panel, her gaze lingering on the Strength and Agility stats:
[Lin Qingyue - Priest Lv.20]
[Strength: 60 (+50)]
[Agility: 60 (+50)]
[Constitution: 120 (+50)]
[Intelligence: 70]
[Faith: 80]
[Free Attribute Points: 0]
Her Constitution had skyrocketed to 120, nearly doubling her durability!
The moment she saw her Strength and Agility both break 60, Lin Qingyue's heart skipped a beat.
She recalled a trip to the Armory last week where she'd casually glanced at the stats of Level 20 melee classes. An average Warrior's Strength was typically between 75-80, with Agility around 55-60. Even speed-focused classes like Assassins and Rangers rarely exceeded 80 Agility.
Before, her combined Strength and Agility hadn't even reached half of their single-stat values. Forget fighting head-on; even escaping was a struggle.
But now, the stat gap had narrowed to a manageable range. Combined with the five years of practical combat experience from the Millelith and her gaming instincts from her past life...
She was no longer just a pure support who could only hide behind teammates and cast buffs
She truly had the room to face enemies head-on, even to launch counter-attacks!
Her gaze eagerly fell upon the Black Tassel and the [Glamour Charm].
"First, I'll disguise it a bit, so I don't scare anyone."
With a cunning smile, she immediately used the [Glamour Charm] on the [Black Tassel] in her System Space.
A soft, dreamlike pink light flashed, and the System notified her that the glamour was successful. With a thought—
Swish!
An exquisitely ornate staff appeared out of thin air in her hand. It was adorned with pink and white accents and inlaid with fantastical crystals.
A faint halo of light shimmered around the staff's body, exuding a sweet, girlish aura. Anyone who saw it would assume it was a standard Priest's staff.
However, as she gripped it, she felt the heavy, solid weight of the Black Tassel in her palm!
When she swung it, the air still whistled sharply, but visually... it was utterly deceptive!
"Perfect!"
Lin Qingyue twirled the staff with satisfaction. "From now on, before I go into melee, I can declare, 'The magic time is over!' Just for the dramatic flair!"
A glint of excitement flashed in her eyes. She immediately took a stance in the spacious living room and began meticulously practicing the basic Millelith spear techniques that surfaced in her mind.
The only difference was that she wielded a pink staff with a completely clashing aesthetic.
Her thrusts were like vipers striking, swift, powerful, and heavy!
Upward flick, Deflection, Block, Capture, Entangle, Upward thrust...
At first, her movements were somewhat stiff, but after just three moves, her body fully adapted to the flow of power. The Millelith memories and her gamer instincts merged perfectly!
She could even subconsciously predict her "imaginary enemy's" attack trajectory, preemptively blocking and deflecting with her staff before seamlessly striking at their openings!
The staff came alive in her hands, its movements whipping up a fierce wind.
An aura of battlefield iron and blood—completely at odds with her gentle priestess robes and cute staff—began to permeate the room.
Though these were only basic forms, her steady stance and explosive power gave them an unexpectedly oppressive presence.
Just as she executed a powerful spinning upward thrust, the staff's tip slicing through the air, feeling confident she could hold her own against a warrior—
"Sis! What are you doing?! Tearing the house down?! Or did dungeon mobs suddenly spawn in our living room?!"
Lin Xiyue's voice echoed from the doorway, filled with shock and an overwhelming urge to roast her.
Lin Qingyue froze mid-motion and quickly retracted her staff, spinning around.
Her younger sister stood in the entryway, jaw-dropped, clutching a bag full of snacks. Her gaze darted back and forth between the pink staff in Qingyue's hand and her Priest robes, her expression screaming, Did I open the door wrong?
"Uh... just stretching," Lin Qingyue said guiltily, trying to hide the staff behind her back—though it was far too big to conceal.
Lin Xiyue rushed forward in a single bound, circling her sister like a rare monster. Her sharp eyes immediately caught the change in Qingyue's aura and her more upright, agile posture. Her voice rose in pitch:
"Stretching?! You're stretching with that staff?!
"Sis, be honest with me. Have you been possessed by some Ancient Battle Priest Heroic Spirit?! And this aura... you weren't like this when I left!"
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Lin Qingyue forced herself to stay calm, retracting the staff into her System Space. She cleared her throat. "I'm... researching some... uh, special combat techniques for the Martial Arts Exam."
She hadn't figured out how to explain the sudden leap in her physical abilities and combat skills, so she could only be vague.
"Special combat techniques?! With such instant results?! Did you chug a Strength Potion or something?"
Lin Xiyue's mouth twitched as she reached out and poked Lin Qingyue's noticeably firmer arm.
"Sis, your whole vibe is completely off! Other Priests might carry a dagger or a small shield for self-defense, but you're swinging a staff around like a club!
"I saw those moves just now... your fundamentals are solid, not like someone cramming at the last minute! And your strength..."
Lin Qingyue's mind raced, and she decided to bluff her way through for now. "It's... a long story. I'll explain later. Let's just say... your sister might have had a lucky encounter recently."
"A lucky encounter?!"
Lin Xiyue's eyes widened even further. But seeing her sister's "I don't want to talk about it now" expression, she had to suppress her curiosity. It finally escaped as a long sigh as she patted Lin Qingyue's shoulder.
"Sis, I don't know what happened to you, but... as long as you're happy. Just... hold back a little during the Martial Arts Exam. Don't scare the examiners."
Lin Qingyue: "..."
I'll try?
After finally coaxing her sister, who was practically bursting with curiosity, back to her room, Lin Qingyue gracefully sat back down on the sofa. Only then did she focus her attention on the icon flashing with the dazzling words "Time to Pull!"
The interface expanded, revealing two gacha pools with distinctly different styles.
On the left was a pool with a relatively gentle, light blue background, labeled [Newbie Welfare Pool (Limited)].
[Description: Available for a limited time. Only two 10-pulls allowed. Guarantees at least one Purple-quality (Excellent) reward. Contains special newbie-exclusive items with slightly increased drop rates. 1280 Elation Value per 10-pull.]
[Remaining Pulls: 2/2]
On the right was another pool, its background a deeper, dark purple that seemed to hold endless stars and chaos. It was labeled [Myriad Worlds Elation Permanent Pool].
[Description: Connects to the myriad worlds, encompassing everything, containing all things. Rewards range in quality from White (Common) to Gold (Legendary). Contents are completely random—anything is possible. Perhaps you'll get a wisp of an Aeon's aura, a powerful Character Card, or maybe... just a steaming hot Teyvat Fried Egg? Elation is all about surprises! 160 Elation Value per pull, 1600 Elation Value per 10-pull.]
[Pity System: ??? (Exploring the unknown is part of the fun, you know~)]
"..."
Lin Qingyue looked at the "Teyvat Fried Egg" example for the permanent pool, a helpless yet amused smile touching her lips.
This is so on-brand. Pure Aha style!
You never knew if your next pull would be a shortcut to power or a blood-pressure-spiking joke.
She currently only had 100 Elation Value, not even enough for a single pull.
The Newbie Pool required 1280 for a 10-pull, which was even more out of reach.
"Looks like my top priority now is to create some fun and accumulate Elation Value," she murmured, lightly tapping the sofa armrest. Her eyes sparkled with eager anticipation.
She couldn't wait to see what form a Character Card would take if she managed to pull one.
Would it summon the character?
"Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... probably."
She shook her head, clearing her mind of stray thoughts.
Her Elation Value was still far too low. The most practical thing to do now was to adapt to her enhanced body and new buffs, preparing thoroughly for the upcoming Martial Arts Exam.
With a thought, the weighty Black Tassel (in its pink staff skin) appeared in her hand.
Feeling the power surging within her, she began to practice in the limited space of her room, attempting a "hardcore" fusion of the steady, powerful Millelith Spear Techniques with her own agile support skills.
The moment the light of [Power Word: Shield] flared around her, her footwork shifted nimbly. The staff in her hand struck out like a viper, a swift and ferocious thrust
She cast [Flash Heal] to stabilize her health while simultaneously swinging her staff to block an imaginary enemy's attack.
As she charged forward, staff in hand, she cast [Renew] on herself for continuous healing.
This "I'll heal myself while stabbing you to death" combat style felt jarring at first. But soon, a thrilling sense of breaking free from class constraints and seizing control of both offense and defense surged through her.
As she fought, a sudden realization struck her.
This combat style felt eerily familiar—able to deal damage, tank hits, and even spare a moment to heal herself. It was just like that class she both loved and hated in a popular MMORPG from her past life...
"Wait a minute, is my style turning into... an Enhancement Shaman?"
She froze, her expression turning slightly odd.
That class—the one that swung Stormstrike in the melee pile while sneaking in Healing Waves, earning both love and hate from teammates—was a completely unique template in this world.
"No, wait. Considering I'm using a staff and can't control the elements, it feels more like a Monk..."
"Well, damn," she murmured, weighing the staff in her hand. "A magic staff is still a staff, and a monk's staff is also a staff. Am I about to create a whole new class in this world?"
This discovery shifted her from initial bewilderment to the thrilling excitement of "making big news."
Perhaps... the true meta is to be a Priest who can deal damage, heal, and constantly deliver 'Elation Shocks' to both opponents and spectators?
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes shining with power and anticipation, and a grin of eager anticipation spread across her face.
Ding!
Just then, her phone chimed with a notification.
It was an official announcement from the Education Department.
[Notice Regarding Registration for This Year's College Entrance Martial Arts Exam Arena Competition and Dungeon Score Competition:...]
The Arena Competition would be held in three days, organized by city.
The Dungeon Score Competition would be held in ten days, organized by prefecture.
All graduating candidates from Prosperous City at Level 15 or above were eligible to register.
The Arena Competition was a single-elimination tournament. The Dungeon Competition allowed teams of up to four people.
Without hesitation, Lin Qingyue registered immediately.
Lin Xiyue watched her sister eagerly rubbing her hands together, eyes gleaming with excitement after successfully registering. She then thought of that elusive staff that appeared out of nowhere and couldn't help but facepalm.
"Sis, are you sure you're just taking the Martial Arts Exam and not trying to prove a thesis on 'The Viability of Melee Staff Combat for Support Classes'?" she quipped.
"And what's with the length of that precious staff of yours? Don't Priests have such limited Equipment Space that they have to carefully calculate every extra healing potion they carry?"
Lin Qingyue expertly twirled the staff, feeling the completely different flow of power within her. She gave her sister a mysterious smile.
"That's a secret. Just wait and see. The 'surprises' in the arena might be even bigger than you imagine."
After all, she added silently in her mind, who would ever suspect that a Priest wielding a pink staff is actually a Monk specializing in close combat?