Ark Simulator, Aren't I Without a Physical Form?

Kroos finally unlocked the door, but instead of the expected teahouse interior, she found herself in a swirling, inky vortex. "This... this is..."

"Get in!" Saga made a decisive move, grabbing two people with one hand each and jumping into the whirlpool. "It's better than being devoured by these hungry ghosts!"

After the three disappeared, Ink Fiend angrily pounded on the closed teahouse door, making a teeth-grinding scraping sound.

Outside the Scroll World, Xi's fingers dug deeply into her palms. "They went to the core area... I didn't design this entrance!"

Su Rui looked at the water mirror with worry—the image was blurry, and she could only vaguely see the three of them seemingly falling into a tunnel made up of countless floating paintings. "Was it Li who did this?"

"Impossible." Xi denied it outright, "She's just an ordinary..." She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence because a scene flashed across the edge of the water mirror—the vanished pawnshop reappeared, and Li stood at the door, her monocle reflecting a strange light.

Xi immediately switched perspectives, but the pawnshop disappeared again. Just as she was about to forcibly recall the three in frustration, Su Rui suddenly shouted, "Wait! Look over there!"

In the center of the water mirror, the blurry image gradually became clear. Kroos, Lava, and Saga landed on a circular platform, surrounded by twelve uniquely shaped doors. Each door was decorated with different patterns—landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds... The most eye-catching feature was a huge picture book floating in the center, with the cover of the one Xi often used.

"This is my..." Xi's voice trembled slightly, "The core of creating this painting."

Saga, already curious, leaned closer to the picture book. "Wonderful! This is where the 'heart of the painting' resides!" Just as she was about to touch it, the book suddenly opened automatically, and a screen of light popped up, displaying a scene that shocked everyone—

Xiao Xi squatted in the dilapidated temple during the famine, carefully bandaging Xiao Li's injured finger. Xiao Li held up a crooked painting with teary eyes, while Xiao Xi... Xiao Xi was smiling. Not a cold smile, not a mocking smile, but a genuine, gentle smile.

"This is..." Su Rui asked softly.

Xi slammed the picture book shut—the one in the Painted World closed at the same time, almost pinching Saga's fingers. "Enough!" Her voice was filled with unprecedented panic, "I need to stop this immediately..."

Just then, Li's voice suddenly came from all directions, gentle yet irresistible. "The time is not yet ripe, Master Painter."

All the doors opened simultaneously, and a torrent of inky black water surged forth—not from the Ink Fiend, but a pure flood of memories. Xi couldn't stop it; those deeply buried images had already flooded into the three's consciousness and were reflected back to her and Su Rui through the water mirror.

Xiao Li grew up in Poshan Town and became Xi's assistant;

Xi patiently taught her how to mix colors and use a brush, and even allowed her to add her own creations to the edges of the Painted World;

One day, Xi returned home to find Xiao Li gone, leaving behind only a sketchbook filled with pawnshop designs;

Xi searched every corner of the Painted World, but ultimately had to accept the fact that she was gone...

"She's not an ordinary human," Su Rui said in shock. "She's learned to modify the Painted World... at least this world does, it seems to be because she's lived here for a long time."

Xi's face was as pale as paper. "I should have realized it sooner... everything she copied... would come true..."

In the Painted World, Saga suddenly sat down cross-legged and began chanting sutras. The golden scriptures, like chains, bound the restless torrent of memories, slowly pushing them back inside the door.

"I think I understand." She opened her eyes, her gaze sharp. "There are two 'hearts' in this Painted World —one belonging to the painter, and the other to the pawnshop owner. Now, the two hearts are out of sync, hence this chaos."

Lava rubbed his temples. "Speak like a human!"

"It means," Saga said with a grin, pointing to one of the doors, "That if you want to find Manager Li, you have to go through this 'Regret' door; and if you want to find the truth..." She then pointed to the opposite door, the one with the character "Perseverance," "you have to open both doors at the same time."

Kroos blinked. "So we'll split up?"

"No, no~" Saga shook her finger mysteriously, "The three of us go through one door, and 'they' go through the other." She looked meaningfully at the sky, "Right, Master Painter?"

Outside the Scroll World, Xi and Su Rui looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Is she... talking to us?" Su Rui asked uncertainly.

Xi took a deep breath, picked up her paintbrush, and said, "Since she has so kindly invited me..." She drew two runes in the air, "Let's split up."

"Wait, 'we'?" Before Su Rui could react, he felt a dizzying sensation—Xi had forcibly stuffed his consciousness into a new ink avatar, directly plunging him into the Painted World!

"Go help them through the 'Gate of Repentance'," Xi's voice echoed in his mind, "I'll personally confront the one who holds the 'Gate of Execution'."

As Su Rui's avatar landed on the platform, Saga smiled knowingly, "Aha! The Ink and Brush Boy has arrived~"

"Who's the pen and ink boy?!" Su Rui protested, but was immediately hugged by Kroos.

"Young Master Su Rui! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Lava looked at him warily. "Are you really Su Rui, or just another Inkman?"

Before Su Rui could answer, the entire platform suddenly shook violently.

The twelve doors simultaneously emitted blinding light, and the floating album automatically flipped to the latest page—displaying a live feed of Poshan Town: the Ink Fiend had breached the teahouse doors and was surging inside; even more terrifying, their forms were merging, forming a massive, amorphous dark entity.

"Time is running out," Saga said casually, as if the impending crisis was nothing more than a game. "Pen and Ink Boy, follow me this way?"

Su Rui glanced at the "Regret" gate, then looked at the "Persistence" gate—there, a blurry figure of Xi was taking shape. He nodded. "Let's go, before this world completely collapses..."

The moment the two groups stepped through the two doors, a line of small print appeared on the last page of the album, like a prophecy written many years ago:

"The day an artist confronts their true self will be the day their Ink Fiend cease."

It's fake. Ink Fiend was sent by Xi Pai to beat you up.

Volume 9, Chapter 514: Dissent and Honest

When Xi stepped into the space behind the "Zhi" gate, the surrounding noise abruptly ceased. There were no roars of the Ink Fiend, no collapsing buildings, only a pure white space and the ginkgo tree in the center that she knew all too well—the first scene she had painted for young Li.

Li stood under the tree, his back to her, his fingers gently tracing the crooked characters carved on the trunk. "Xi and Li, forever best friends."

"You remember." Li turned around, her eyes behind her monocle sparkling with gentle light. "I thought the artist had long forgotten such a trivial matter."

Xi's lips trembled slightly; the usually eloquent Xi couldn't find a suitable word to say. She looked at the once frail little girl before her, now a composed and elegant woman, only her stubborn gaze remained the same as before.

"You... have grown up." Finally, Xi managed to squeeze out this dry sentence.

Li chuckled softly, her laughter like a clear spring flowing over pebbles. "And you, you're still so bad at expressing yourself." She walked towards Xi, stopping a step away. "The chaos outside is caused by your restlessness."

Xi turned her face away. "Nonsense. It's just that the Painted World needs regular maintenance."

"Like how you 'regularly' pick up little girls from the famine?" Li winked mischievously. "Admit it, you were never the cold-blooded painter you pretended to be."

Xi's ear tips turned red at a visible speed. She wanted to retort, but Li had already gently grasped her hand—a gesture that made Xi stiffen all over, like a cat being pinched by the scruff of its neck.

"Shall we fix it together?" Li said softly, "Like before."

Xi nodded almost imperceptibly.

Their hands touched the ginkgo tree trunk at the same time. Golden light spread out from the point of contact, flowing along the grain of the trunk, eventually forming a vast network that covered the entire pure white space. Li closed her eyes and softly hummed the first color mixing mantra that Xi had taught her; Xi, on the other hand, silently adjusted the frequency of each "ray of light".

The chaotic parameters of the Painted World began to be automatically corrected, somewhat like a computer program:

The rate of day-night cycle has returned to normal.

Ink Fiend Activity Cycle - Reset;

Conservation of mass – Recalibration;

Character behavior logic -- Update complete...

"Alright." Xi withdrew her hand, her voice regaining its usual calmness, if one ignored her still flushed earlobes. "The Ink Fiend outside should be back to normal."

Li, however, had no intention of letting Xi off the hook. She still had questions. "Now, tell me about that Su Rui."

Xi jerked her hand back as if burned. "W-what Su Rui? He's just a consciousness that accidentally wandered into the Painted World."

"Oh?" Li raised an eyebrow. "Then why was the 'Allow coexistence of consciousnesses' option specifically marked with permanent permission when you repaired the world parameters?" She leaned closer to Xi, her monocle reflecting a sly light. "And only for him?"

Xi suddenly became very interested in the virtual blades of grass on the ground. "That's... for easier communication. Sometimes it can provide useful information from the outside world."

"Like how I 'sometimes help organize the art supplies'?" Li mimicked Xi's tone, then suddenly changed the subject, "You've fallen for him, haven't you?"

These words struck Xi like a bolt of lightning. She looked up abruptly, her lips slightly parted, her entire face flushing red with alarming speed, from her forehead all the way to the roots of her neck. Her usually calm and sharp golden eyes darted around in a panic, unable to meet Li's gaze.

"Nonsense! What nonsense are you talking about!" Xi's voice rose to almost crack, "How could I possibly be interested in that noisy, unruly, and always-smiling consciousness... towards him..." Her voice trailed off, finally turning into a mumbled murmur.

Li crossed her arms, revealing a victorious smile, "You know what? Your expression right now is exactly the same as when I found out you secretly drew an extra birthday cake for me back then."

Xi was as flustered as a child caught stealing candy. She wanted to argue and maintain her aloof image, but all her words got stuck in her throat. In the end, she could only turn away angrily, leaving Li with a furious back view.

Just then, Su Rui's voice suddenly rang in Xi's mind. "Xi? How are things over there? It seems like the Ink Fiend have all retreated here..."

"There's nothing there!" Xi jumped up as if she'd been electrocuted, almost shouting as she answered, "Everything's normal! Don't ask any more questions!"

Her overreaction echoed in the pure white space, followed by an awkward silence. Li covered her mouth with her hand, but the trembling of her shoulders betrayed the fact that she was secretly laughing.

"Uh... okay?" Su Rui sounded completely confused. "Then Saga and the Saga will go to the teahouse and wait for you?"

"Whatever!" Xi shouted at the air, then realized how stupid she was and immediately shut her mouth.

Li finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, "My God, my dear artist, you're just like a girl in her first love."

"Shut up!" Xi glared at her fiercely, but her flushed cheeks and teary eyes rendered the threat utterly intimidating. "We should go back. Those Rhodes Island operators are still waiting..."

Li Shan nodded understandingly, refraining from further teasing. But as she reached out to straighten Xi's collar, she couldn't help but whisper, "He's perfect for you, you know that. That sunny personality is just what melts your little iceberg."

Xi brushed her hand away, but the movement was so gentle it didn't sound like a rejection, "... He's too noisy."

"And you're too quiet." Li smiled and opened a door that had suddenly appeared, leading to the streets of Poshan Town. "Go on, your 'noisy brat' is waiting for you."

Xi took a deep breath and walked towards the door. Just as she was about to step out, she suddenly turned back. "Will you... stay?"

Li's expression softened. "I'll drop by occasionally. After all..." She pointed to her monocle, "I'm a busy pawnshop owner now."

Xi nodded, a hint of reluctance flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her usual composure. She straightened her sleeves, held her head high, and walked out the door—if you ignored her still-reddened earlobes, she would almost be that arrogant and haughty painter again.

Outside, the Poshan Town had returned to peace. The setting sun bathed the streets in a warm orange hue. In the distance, at the entrance of the teahouse, Su Rui's ink avatar was talking to Kroos, gesturing wildly like an excited child.

Xi unconsciously stopped in her tracks, gazing at the figure in the distance. Li's voice came from behind her, carrying a knowing smile:

"Admit it, you like seeing him like that."

Xi didn't answer. But the slight upturn of her lips looked especially gentle in the sunset.

Volume 9, Chapter 542: I'm Going to Disappear (Just kidding)

After saying goodbye to Li, Xi appeared before the Rhodes Island operators. Kroos and the others recognized her at a glance, but Xi did not greet them. Instead, she went to Su Rui's ink form.

The moment Xi's fingers touched Su Rui's ink avatar wrist, she activated the teleportation spell without hesitation.

The scenery of Poshan Town distorted and faded around the two of them. Kroos's exclamation and Lava's shout were drawn out into strange tones before finally disappearing into the vortex of spatial transformation.

"Wait! Miss Yu! We still need—" Saga's voice was cut off halfway through.

In the blink of an eye, the two were standing on the highest cliff outside Poshan Town. The night breeze carried the unique, crisp scent of the mountains. In the distance, the town's lights twinkled, and black smoke from the Ink Fiend attack still rose from a few places, but the town had returned to quiet.

"You just left them there like that?" Su Rui's ink avatar blinked, moonlight piercing through his translucent body and casting pale blue shadows on the ground.

Xi released his wrist, letting out a cold snort, "Weren't they going to 'help'? Perfect, they can stay and fix the house." She turned her back, her wide sleeves fluttering in the wind. "Besides, this is justifiable revenge for my sister's prank."

Just as Su Rui was about to respond, he suddenly felt dizzy. He looked down and saw that his left hand was starting to dissipate from his fingertips, turning into countless tiny specks of light that merged into the night sky.

"Uh, Xi..." He raised his disappearing hand, "It seems there's something wrong..."

Xi whirled around, her golden pupils suddenly contracting. Without a word, she grabbed Su Rui's wrist—a move that should have been forceful, but her fingers pierced through the dissipating part of her body.

"How could this be..." Xi's voice carried a rare hint of panic, "I clearly fixed the parameters of the Painted World!"

With her other hand, she swiftly drew runes in the air, pale blue light patterns swirling around Su Rui's body, attempting to stabilize his form. But it was to no avail— Su Rui's right calf also began to turn transparent.

"It's useless." Su Rui was even calmer than Xi, he even smiled, "My materialization requires specific conditions to be met, it's not simply maintained by energy."

"What are the conditions?" Xi pressed, her hands still moving, switching to an even more complex rune. "Tell me, and I'll immediately modify the world's rules."

Su Rui shook his head, watching his body gradually dissipate. "It's not a problem with this world. My form of existence is rather special, it requires..." He suddenly stopped, a mysterious smile appearing on his face, "... that's a secret."

Xi's fingers froze in mid-air. She looked up, and the moonlight shone on her usually icy face, revealing an expression Su Rui had never seen before—a mixture of anger and worry, with a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

"You..." Xi's lips trembled slightly, "Do you really not care about your own existence?"

These words, like a pebble dropped into the silence between them, stirred up subtle ripples. Su Rui was stunned; he hadn't expected Xi to understand his relaxed attitude in this way.

"It's not that I don't care..." Su Rui said softly, raising her disappearing hand to touch Xi's cheek, but stopping at the last moment, "It's just that I know I can come back anytime."

Xi stubbornly drew another set of runes, this time even her fingertips glowing slightly from overexertion. The runes disappeared into Su Rui's chest, but like pebbles sinking into the sea, they didn't even cause a ripple. Su Rui's lower body was completely transparent.

"Don't waste your energy," Su Rui said gently. "Let's look at the stars together. The view is really nice."

Xi bit her lower lip and finally lowered her hand. With a flick of her sleeve, she conjured a neat rock, and then—to Su Rui's surprise—she sat down directly, very close to him, so close that their sleeves almost touched.

"Only tonight," Xi said curtly, "Tomorrow I'll find a way to stabilize your body."

Su Rui smiled, "Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say."

The night sky was ablaze with stars, and the Milky Way stretched across the heavens. The lights of Poshan Town twinkled in the distance, and the occasional bark of a dog could be heard, but at this altitude, everything seemed so peaceful. Su Rui's dissipation seemed to have slowed down, and now only her upper body was barely maintaining its form.

"Actually..." Su Rui suddenly spoke, gazing at the starry sky, "I'm so glad you brought me to see this."

Xi glanced at him sideways. "It was just a random location I picked."

"But you chose a location with a view of the entire Poshan Town," Su Rui pointed out. "You're worried about them, aren't you?"

Xi immediately retorted, "Nonsense! I just—"