Chapter 240

Star sat up abruptly from the bed, flicked her head, her ash‑colored hair a mess, and her golden eyes were still a bit unfocused.

(Hmm... that dream... was really intense.)

She massaged her temples, feeling as if her body still retained the tremor from swinging a bat to block that scorching punch wind, and the visual impact of the sky‑filled Subspace Spear at the end.

(It was far more thrilling than a simulated universe.)

She stretched lazily out of habit, feeling surprisingly refreshed, as if she had just had a high‑quality deep sleep.

Then, subconsciously, she turned her head toward the other side of the bed.

It was empty.

San Yue Qi's usual sleeping spot had the bedding tossed aside, but there was no figure.

Star blinked, a little dazed.

(San Yue? Up so early?)

She didn't think much of it, slipped on her slippers, got out of bed, and went to fetch a cup of water.

Her gaze swept the room, but something felt off.

San Yue Qi's shoes were neatly placed by the bedside.

The jacket she usually wore was casually draped over the back of a chair.

(Clothes and shoes didn't get taken?)

A hint of doubt rose in Star's mind.

She walked to the door to check—the lock was engaged from the inside, solidly bolted.

No one had gone out?

A chilling thought instantly crowded Star's mind, dispelling the lingering drowsiness.

San Yue Qi… in the locked room… vanished?!

"No, it can't be..."

Star muttered to herself, her heart beginning to race uncontrollably.

She spun around sharply, scanning every corner of the room again—under the bed, the wardrobe, even behind the curtains… all empty.

"San—San Yue Qi—!!!"

A scream that shattered the heavens erupted from Star's throat like a Pioneer whose tail had been stepped on, blasting through the door panel and echoing in the quiet morning corridor of the Starrail train!

She didn't even have time to put on her jacket; she flung the door open and bolted out, shouting, "San Yue Qi is missing! She's gone—!!!"

"Slap—!!!"

A forceful slap rang out, catching her off guard, cutting off Star's scream and slamming the words she had just spoken back into her own gut.

Star felt a burning pain on her left cheek, her head knocked to the side, her body spun half a turn in place, stars flashing before her eyes, and a buzzing in her ears.

She staggered back two steps, then plopped onto the cold hallway floor, covering her face, completely bewildered.

What happened? Who hit me?

Black Tower stood before her, arms crossed, a look of impatience on her delicate face, her expression full of annoyance at being disturbed.

"What's all the noise?"

Black Tower's voice carried a low pressure, "First thing in the morning, wailing ghosts in the corridor—gave me a fright!"

She had just arrived here when Star's sudden scream made her hand tremble.

Her body reacted faster than her mind, instinctively delivering a slap.

At that moment, the doors on both sides of the corridor opened one after another.

Jizi was the first to stride out, concern on her face: "What happened? I think I heard Star's voice… Star? Why are you sitting on the floor? Why is your face so red?"

Next came Walther, his steady gaze sweeping over Star, who sat on the floor covering her face in a daze, and the annoyed Black Tower beside her; his brows furrowed slightly: "Black Tower Lady? This is..."

The slap left Star reeling, and under the focused eyes of the onlookers her mind finally began to reboot.

She could no longer mind the pain, pointing toward her own room, speaking rapidly and urgently:

"Aunt Jizi! Uncle Yang! Dan Heng! San Yue Qi! She's missing! Her shoes and jacket are still in the room, the door is locked from inside, the window won't open! She's gone!"

"What?"

Jizi's expression changed, and she immediately walked to the doorway of San Yue Qi and Star's room, peering inside.

Walther and Dan Heng followed quickly, their faces solemn.

The scene inside the room was exactly as Star described.

Black Tower, seeing this, let the impatience on her face ease a bit, a hint of interest appearing: "Oh? Vanished into thin air? On the Starrail train? Right under my nose?"

She touched her chin, "Now that's interesting."

Qingque's eyelids twitched a few times, then she snapped them open!

The first thing that met her eyes was the familiar ceiling of her bedroom.

She blinked, her gaze shifting from sleepy haze to a blank stare.

(I… where am I…)

After a few seconds of lag, an unbelievable conjecture burst like dawn's first light, piercing the fog in her mind!

She stiffly turned her neck, eyes scanning the assorted jade tiles and game records piled by the bedside, glancing over the thermos printed with "Fishing" on the desk, finally fixing on the view outside the window—no longer the endless Zhulin and stone steps, but the dome of Luofu Xianzhou swathed in drifting clouds!

Occasionally a early‑shift Star Chariot trailed a ribbon of light across the sky!

Not a dream? No, that "dream" was too real.

But this is… reality?

Did I really… come back?!

"Hah… ha‑ha…"

A suppressed giggle spilled from Qingque's throat.

Immediately, the laughter grew louder and more out of control!

"I'm back—!!! I really am back—!!!"

She was like a spring snapped back after being compressed to the limit, leaping straight up from the bed, barefoot on the tangled sheets, arms spread, letting out a cathartic shout toward the ceiling!

"Wuhu—!!! Freed—!!! No more practicing that damned sword qi—!!! My bed! My cards! My idle‑fishing life—!!!"

She was so excited that she bounced and hopped on the not‑spacious bed, nearly kicking the pillow away, her face lit with an almost manic, radiant grin, as if she had just been released from a terrifying training camp that lasted several epochs.

"Qingque—!!!"

From next door came the mother's angry shout, awakened by the noise, "What the heck are you shouting so early in the morning?! Can't anyone sleep?! Got an itchy skin, huh?!"

As if a mute button had been pressed, all of Qingque's wild shouts instantly got stuck in her throat.

She abruptly covered her mouth, tucked her neck in, blinked, and cautiously looked toward the wall, daring not to breathe out.

After a few seconds, confirming the mother's anger hadn't escalated further, Qingque silently exhaled, and tiptoed down from the bed.

With her feet on the cold, solid floor, she finally had the leisure to greedily survey everything around her.

She walked to the window, reached out to touch the chilly glass, feeling the breeze that carried the distant market's food aromas.

She picked up the warm, jade‑like green‑white fish token on the table, and the familiar feel nearly brought tears to her eyes.

She even went to the mirror and pinched her cheek—ouch!

It's real!

(Really back…)

After the ecstatic joy, a resolute feeling rose in her heart.

The duration of that "dream" felt terrifyingly long to her, as if weeks or even longer had passed, each day dragging on like a year under the senior's Calm stare.

Now, it's finally over!

She flopped back onto her soft, messy bed, burying her face deep into the blanket still warm with her body heat, like a small animal finally back in a safe nest, contentedly rubbing.

(Great… today I'll definitely sleep until I wake naturally! Then I'll play cards all day! I'll make up for all the fish I missed in the dream! No one's stopping me!)

As for that "Great Void Sword Qi"...

From beneath the blanket, Qingque swore resolutely:

"Goodbye! Never see you again! Even if the Marshal himself comes next time, I'll still play dead to the end!"

She resolved to Lock this "fantasy cultivation adventure" deep into her Memory, preferably never to think of it again.

Now, she Qingque, a regular Diviner of Tai Bu Si, has only three main themes in life: sleeping, playing cards, and idle fishing!