Bai Xin didn't linger in combat. She focused on defense, occasionally striking out to harass the monster, provoking it into furious roars. If Chairman Mao saw her perfecting guerrilla tactics like this, he'd surely applaud her!

Meanwhile, Cold Night Feather and White Feather—one human, one cat—held a giant bucket of popcorn. They watched a glowing screen like a cinema display, showing Bai Xin battling the monster.

"Hmm? This girl's combat instincts aren't like a sheltered flower's," White Feather mused, grabbing popcorn with her cat paw and munching. Who knew how a paw with soft pads could even hold it? "She stays clear-headed mid-fight, solving problems with smarts. Hmm, I don't know her plan yet, but she's clearly luring this low-level vampire somewhere."

Cold Night Feather narrowed her eyes. "The old Bai Xin lacked such instincts and calm. But watch her necklace."

"Huh? The necklace? It's glowing?!" White Feather stared with her Golden Pupils. "What is this thing? Does it really have that much power?"

"Heh, it doesn't work that way for others. Bai Xin is its rightful owner," Cold Night Feather replied, her gaze distant as she recalled Bai Xin in her elegant gown. "I don't know how it works, but it's harmless for now. Bai Xin grows stronger with each battle—that's why I taught her nothing and kicked her out for real combat."

"Oh! Sounds impressive. But this growth must have limits, right? Otherwise, it'd be terrifying!" White Feather crunched popcorn.

"Ah, naturally. The boost is already weakening," Cold Night Feather said, grabbing popcorn too. "But before it fades, Bai Xin should become a competent ability user."

"Heh heh! Game over!" Bai Xin, who'd been feigning weakness, suddenly disengaged. She leaped high, a victorious smile on her face.

Why so confident? During the fight, Bai Xin and the monster had moved far. Directly above them hung a massive billboard.

Mid-air, Bai Xin plunged her glowing blade into the billboard-wall joint and detonated it. Most connections snapped; the remaining steel bars groaned under the strain. A grating screech of twisting metal filled the air. Bai Xin smiled as the monster jumped after her.

"Heh heh, goodbye, monster!" Golden energy wrapped her foot. With a powerful spinning kick mid-air, she sent the billboard crashing down like a collapsing mountain.

"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!" Trapped mid-air, the monster slammed into the billboard with a deafening crash. Then, like a fly swatted by a flyswatter, it plummeted with the debris.

As Bai Xin fell, she cupped her hands loosely. A golden light ball formed in her palms, distorting the air around her.

The billboard crashed down with tremendous force, kicking up dust and debris. High above, Bai Xin heard the monster's pained roars clearly.

"Ah, monsters are truly monsters... My finishing blow idea was right," Bai Xin remarked, nearing the ground. The light ball swelled from orange-sized to grapefruit-sized. "I don't know if this move popping into my head is reliable... but I have no other skills."

The light ball erupted into a golden beam the size of a washbasin, blasting like a satellite cannon onto the billboard—exactly where the monster's roars placed it. The recoil slowed her descent. Only then did her shout ring out:

"STARDUST FLASH!!!!"

Yes, this was the move Bai Xin used to obliterate End and nearly reshape Donglin City. But compared to her "goddess state" version from back then, this normal-state blast was weaker. Still, that earlier attack was overkill for End, and her current foe was far less formidable.

The light torrent shrank and vanished. Dust parted smoothly like butter sliced by a sword, revealing the blood-soaked monster. Its pained roars reached Bai Xin's ears.

"Ah-ha, didn't miss." Bai Xin relaxed, seeing the bloody, swaying monster. Gripping her glowing blade, she approached cautiously. It looked near death—but who knew if it was faking? Better safe than sorry.

Just as expected, at three meters, the monster lunged. Startled but quick to recover, Bai Xin conjured a light shield and smashed it into the creature's face.

"Oh ho? Trying a low-health counterkill?" Bai Xin mimicked TV villainesses to hide her fright. "Believe in the Holy Light!"

*Squelch!* Like a hot knife through butter, her blade slid into the dazed monster. She kicked it away, snapped her fingers—and the blade exploded, tearing the creature apart.

Looks cool, right? That coolness lasted five seconds before Bai Xin crouched, dry-heaving. Blood and organs littered the ground. Bai Xin, a delicate (?) woman who'd never killed a chicken, was naturally nauseated.

Some might ask: during the last "Heavenly Mandate" attack, didn't she watch people chopped to pieces without vomiting?

So, you're naive... I mean, innocent. When your life's in danger and terror grips you, who has energy to heave? Plus, this time, Bai Xin caused it herself. Not vomiting would be weird.

"Alright, stop vomiting. Find useful clues," Cold Night Feather's voice echoed in Bai Xin's mind as she nearly puked her dinner. "If you can't handle it, become a mage! Blast foes to ashes—safe and eco-friendly!"

Hearing the forced joke, Bai Xin felt better. She chuckled. "Thanks, Night Feather. Though you have zero joke talent."

Cold Night Feather fell silent briefly. Her voice returned, cold and detached. "Ah, you're truly romance-blind. Forget it. Search for clues. Ordinary people will gather soon—I don't want to retrieve you from Wang Jun."

"Uh, how? I blew the monster to pieces." Bai Xin scanned the devastation with a dark expression. Spiderweb cracks covered the ground; the billboard's impact left a crater. Blood and remains were everywhere—a battlefield mess. "This place is chaos. Ordinary people aren't blind."

"I'll inform Wang Jun. He'll be grateful. They'll cover the scene—they specialize in this. Don't worry about the corpse. Beings not of this world fade after death."

Bai Xin looked at the "corpse." It was indeed fading.

"As for clues... valuable ones survived your half-baked attack. Check where you blew the billboard—you'll find something interesting. Enough talk. Or do you really want tea with Wang Jun?"

Ignoring the sarcasm, Bai Xin nimbly jumped onto the billboard's gaping hole and searched. Any normal 21st-century kid dreaded police visits.

Amidst ashes, she found a golden card. Its faint glow stood out starkly against dull debris—impossible to miss.

"Found something interesting?" Cold Night Feather's voice echoed.

"Ah, an invitation. It says—" Bai Xin began reading but was cut off.

"Enough. We'll talk back home. Ordinary people are entering your area."

Bai Xin stuffed the card into her pocket. She bowed toward the billboard's owner, then scaled a roadside wall like a nimble cat and dashed away.

People soon gathered, pointing and gossiping. Police cordoned off the area. The city returned to peace—except the full moon, shimmering with faint red specks.