Ark Simulator: Don't I Have No Physical Form?

"What... what the hell is this?!" The burly thief was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground.

The monster emitted a piercing metallic scraping sound, raised its hand, and dozens of sharp porcelain shards shot out like a rainstorm!

"Careful!"

Su Rui leaped into the air, his entire body covered in dragon scales, and crossed his arms to block Ye Ban's path. "Clang! Clang! Clang!" Porcelain shards struck the scales, sending sparks flying.

Xi's eyes turned cold, and the scroll was fully unfurled. She wielded her brush, the ink transforming into a rain of black arrows that riddled the monster with holes. But the black mist quickly began to reform—

"Is this never going to end?" Su Rui panted, turning to look at Ye Ban. "Can your Dream Tapir devour the core?"

Nodding in the Ye Ban, he patted the Dream Tapir: "Find its core!"

The Dream Tapir transformed into a black shadow, nimbly weaving around the monster. Suddenly, it stopped at the monster's chest, emitting a rapid "humming" sound.

"Now!"

Su Rui and Ye Ban attacked simultaneously. Su Rui's dragon claw aimed straight for the core, Ye Ban's short sword flashed with a cold light. Xi's scroll fully unfurled, enveloping the entire space in an ink-wash barrier to prevent the black mist from escaping.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, the core was shattered completely. The monster let out a mournful howl, and its massive body collapsed, turning into a pile of lifeless fragments.

The teahouse finally returned to peace.

Su Rui collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. "Phew... finally it's over..."

Volume 9, Chapter 564 is too troublesome, should we just dismantle it?

The Artifact Wraith in the teahouse were finally all destroyed, and broken porcelain shards were scattered all over the floor. Before dusk, Su Rui bent down to pick up the wine cup that had fallen to the ground, casually weighed it in her hand, and turned to look at Ye Ban beside her.

As she crouched down to examine the two unconscious robbers in the Ye Ban, the dark-colored piglet on her shoulder—or rather, the Dream Tapir —had already hopped to Su Rui's feet, rubbing its round body against his calf and making "squeak squeak" sounds.

"Oh my! This little pig is so cute!"

Su Rui squatted down and reached out to rub the Dream Tapir's head. The Dream Tapir squinted its eyes, looking quite content, and even rolled over to let him scratch its belly.

He suddenly turned his head in the Ye Ban, his brows furrowing. "This is Dream Tapir, not a little pig."

"Huh?" Su Rui blinked, then pinched the Dream Tapir's soft belly. "But it clearly looks like a little pig! Round and chubby, and it even grunts."

Dream Tapir: "Hmph!"

Ye Ban:"..."

She strode over, scooped the Dream Tapir into her arms, and said in a cold tone, "Its name is ' Ink Shadow,' it's Dream Tapir, capable of transforming into human form by consuming dreams, not an ordinary little pig."

Su Rui grinned and leaned closer. "But it clearly likes me a lot~"

The Dream Tapir struggled twice in Ye Ban's arms, then stretched out its little paws towards Su Rui, as if it wanted to be touched again. Ye Ban's face darkened even more.

Just then, a figure in dark ink appeared silently behind Su Rui.

Have you had enough fun?

Xi's voice was soft, yet it made Su Rui stand up straight instantly.

"Xi! Look, we've finished!" He proudly raised his wine cup, "Completely intact!"

Xi glanced at the wine cup, then her gaze fell on Ye Ban and her Dream Tapir, her eyes slightly cold.

Noticing her gaze in the Ye Ban, he instinctively took a half step back and hugged Dream Tapir tightly.

"..."

Xi didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently tapped Su Rui's forehead with her fingertips. "Let's go."

"Okay!" Su Rui nodded obediently, waving goodbye to Ye Ban and Dream Tapir Eater before leaving, "See you next time, little pig~"

Ye Ban: "... It's Dream Tapir."

Dream Tapir: "Hmph!"

Xi's fingertips twitched slightly, and the ink-wash barrier unfolded silently. In the blink of an eye, she and Su Rui disappeared into the night.

Standing there in the Ye Ban, he looked down at the Dream Tapir in his arms and sighed softly, "... You seem to really like him."

The Dream Tapir rubbed against her fingers and hummed twice, seemingly trying to comfort her.

Ye Ban shook his head, his gaze shifting to the unconscious robber on the ground, his eyes gradually turning cold. "But... what exactly do they want with this wine cup?"

She looked up in the direction where Su Rui and Xi had left, and murmured to herself, "And Su Rui... and that horrible woman..."

As the night breeze swept by, only scattered porcelain shards and two unconscious robbers remained in the teahouse.

As night deepened, the streets of Shangshu returned to calm. Moonlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone pavement. Su Rui followed behind Xi, clutching a wine cup, occasionally glancing down at the faintly glowing object in his arms. His dragon tail swayed restlessly from side to side, occasionally brushing against the bamboo groves by the roadside, making a rustling sound.

"Xi..." Su Rui quickened her pace and moved closer to Xi, "Is this wine cup really okay? I feel like it's getting hot..."

Xi paused slightly. In the moonlight, the cool lines of her profile were particularly striking. She didn't answer immediately, but instead reached out and took the wine cup, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim. Su Rui noticed that her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Don't overthink it." Xi's voice remained calm, but Su Rui keenly noticed a faint ink-colored light emanating from her fingertips, slowly seeping into the wine cup.

Nian followed lazily behind, toying with a copper coin in his hand. "Why is Little Su so nervous? Are you afraid a wine glass will bite you?"

Su Rui's ears turned slightly red. "No! I just feel..." His voice trailed off, his tail unconsciously wrapping around Xi's wrist, "This wine cup gives me... a very strange feeling..."

Xi suddenly stopped. She turned around and carefully examined Su Rui's face in the moonlight. Su Rui felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and was about to speak when Xi suddenly reached out and gently touched the corner of his eye with her cool fingertips.

"Your Dragon Mark..." Xi's voice unusually carried a hint of solemnity, "... are glowing."

Surprised, Su Rui touched the corner of his eye and indeed felt an unusual warmth beneath the scales. Before he could think further, Xi had already grabbed his wrist, the force so strong that Su Rui hissed softly.

"Pain..."

Xi loosened her grip slightly, but still didn't let go of his hand. "We'll talk about it when we get back."

Nian raised an eyebrow, the copper coin spinning faster between his fingers. "Oh dear, it seems our Little Su and this wine glass are quite destined for each other~"

Xi gave her a cold glance, and Nian immediately made a suffocating gesture, but the interest in her eyes grew even stronger.

After the three returned to Xi's residence, Xi placed the wine cup on the table, and with a light tap of her fingertip, a watercolor-like barrier silently unfolded.

Su Rui sat obediently beside her, but the tip of his tail restlessly tapped the ground. He secretly glanced at Xi's profile and noticed that when she was focused, her eyelashes would cast a small shadow under her eyes, and the lines of her nose looked particularly beautiful in the candlelight.

"What are you looking at?" Xi suddenly asked, her eyes still fixed on the wine cup.

Su Rui's scales instantly bristled, and she stammered, "N-nothing! I was just... thinking about this wine cup..."

Xi finally turned her head, her moon-like eyes looking directly at him. "You're lying."

Su Rui's ears turned bright red, almost bleeding. Just as she was about to explain, the wine cup suddenly made a crisp "ding" sound. The three of them were immediately drawn to it.

"Your sister said," Xi's voice regained its calmness, "That this is just her usual wine glass."

"Huh?" Su Rui's eyes widened, and his dragon tail slammed onto the ground with a "thud." "That's it? An ordinary wine glass?"

Nian's laughter came from the soft couch. "So, after all that, all that Little Su nervously brought back was a rice wine cup?"

Xi ignored Nian's teasing, but Su Rui noticed a barely perceptible upward curve at the corners of her lips. This discovery warmed his heart and emboldened him.

"Now that your sister has a new wine glass," Su Rui suddenly slammed her hand on the table, her eyes sparkling, "How about we take this one apart? That way there won't be any problems!"

The words had barely left his mouth when the blue light on the wine cup suddenly surged! Before Su Rui could react, he was pulled behind Xi by a strong force.

The moment the ink-wash barrier unfolded before him, he smelled the unique ink fragrance emanating from Xi and felt her slender yet strong arms firmly protecting him.

"Careful..."

Xi's voice was right beside his ear, her warm breath brushing against his earlobe.

Su Rui's heart skipped a beat, and his cheeks burned. He secretly glanced up and saw Xi's profile, which looked particularly sharp in the blue light, with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

The Appearance of the 565- Year Aspect Appearance in Volume 9

In the bluish light, Ling's figure slowly emerged. "You broke my wine glass?" She looked at Su Rui with a half-smile, "Little Su, you've got some nerve~"

Su Rui instinctively shrank back behind Xi, but felt Xi's hand gently pressing on his shoulder. This silent support immediately gave him confidence. "Sister Ling! I didn't mean to!"

Ling shook the wine pot and took a sip. Su Rui noticed that Xi's fingertips tightened slightly, creating ripples on the ink-wash screen. When Ling said that the wine cup was tainted with her alcohol, Xi's brows furrowed again, and her fingers unconsciously caressed Su Rui's shoulder.

"Crack!" The sound of the wine cup shattering brought Su Rui back to her senses.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he saw Xi suddenly bend down and pick up a piece from the broken porcelain. Her expression instantly turned cold, and the chill in her eyes made Su Rui unconsciously hold his breath.

"Sister," Xi's voice was icy, "The runes on this cup..."

Su Rui leaned closer, and the moment he saw the hidden rune, a chill ran down his spine. He instinctively grabbed Xi's sleeve and found his hand trembling slightly.

Xi didn't shake him off; instead, she grabbed his wrist and gently pressed her thumb on his throbbing pulse.

This small act of comfort calmed Su Rui down considerably. He looked up at Ling and found that the drunkenness in her eyes had completely faded, replaced by a startling sharpness.

"Of course..." Ling's voice carried a cold laugh, "Find out that bastard who dared to scheme against me, and force-feed him until he vomits."

Su Rui felt Xi's fingers tighten on his wrist for a moment, then slowly loosen. When she turned to look at him, the coldness in her eyes had faded, replaced by a complex emotion.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered, her fingertips gently tracing the Dragon Mark at the corner of Su Rui's eye. "I'm here."

"I'm not scared." Su Rui shook his head, revealing a smug smile.

However, this simple promise suddenly calmed Su Rui's heart. He nodded, and his tail quietly wrapped around Xi's wrist.

The moment the wine cup shattered, the air in the entire room seemed to freeze.

Su Rui's dragon scales suddenly exploded, and an invisible sense of oppression pressed in from all directions, as if the entire mountain was trembling.

He instinctively took a step back, his tail thumping nervously against the ground, tiny golden specks seeping from between his scales— Dragonkin's instinctive reaction to danger.

"Something's not right..." Su Rui murmured softly, his ears twitching slightly as he caught the unusual fluctuations in the air.

Xi's fingers were already on the sword hilt, ink-colored spiritual energy flowing between her fingertips, her eyes chillingly cold. "Here it comes."

Nian's smile vanished completely. The copper coin in his hand had somehow transformed into a crimson longsword, its blade wreathed in blazing flames. "Tsk, I've gone too far."

Ling slowly stood up, the wine gourd transforming into a jade staff, the dragon's head carved at the top of which had eyes that gleamed with a faint blue light. "It seems someone can't wait any longer."

Outside the window, thick fog had enveloped the entire bamboo forest. Amidst the swirling mist, a massive shadow could be vaguely seen gathering—a giant dragon coiled atop the mountain, its scales as cold as black iron, its eyes gleaming with an ominous blue light.

Year Aspect.

Su Rui's eyes widened, her throat tightened. "That's..."

"Hide." Xi's voice brooked no argument. She grabbed Su Rui's wrist and pushed him behind her. "Don't come out."

Su Rui stumbled, her tail instinctively wrapping around Xi's arm. "Wait! I can help—"

"Be good." Xi's eyes were sharp, but her fingertips gently squeezed his palm. "Don't distract me."

Su Rui bit his lip, but finally nodded and retreated behind the screen. However, he didn't actually hide; instead, he quietly peeked out, his dragon eyes fixed on the enormous creature gradually taking shape outside the window.

The form of the Year Aspect was now fully revealed, its enormous head bowed, gazing down at the small house. Each breath it took stirred up a gust of wind, tearing the bamboo branches and leaves apart with a rustling sound.

"Finally showing yourself?" Ling slammed his staff heavily on the ground, ripples of azure spiritual energy spreading outwards. "The guy who's been lurking in the shadows, making trouble."

Year Aspect did not answer, but slowly raised his dragon claw and pressed it down towards the hut.

"Boom!!"

Xi's sword light and Nian's flames erupted simultaneously, forcefully blocking the attack. However, the roof of the entire hut had been blown off, and wood chips were scattered everywhere.

Su Rui's ears were ringing, but he forced himself to calm down. His dragon eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze piercing through the smoke and dust, locking onto Year Aspect's movements.

"Xi!" he suddenly shouted, "Its right claw joint! Attack there!"

Xi's sword stance suddenly changed, and the ink-wash sword energy, like a swimming dragon, stabbed straight at Year Aspect's right claw joint. Year Aspect let out a low roar, and his movements indeed paused for a moment.

"Beautiful!" Nian laughed loudly, his flaming longsword transforming into a whip that lashed fiercely towards Year Aspect's eyes. "Little Su, continue!"

Su Rui's tail tensed, her eyes fixed intently on Year Aspect: "Its spiritual energy flows in a predictable pattern! Before each attack, the scales on its back light up!"

Xi's lips curled up slightly, and her swordplay became even more ferocious. With Su Rui's reminder, her coordination with Nian was almost seamless, and she was able to accurately intercept Year Aspect's attacks every time.

Ling stood at the rear, staff raised high, chanting ancient incantations. Azure runes intertwined in the air, gradually forming a massive net of spiritual energy that enveloped the Year Aspect.

Year Aspect if sensing the danger, Sui Xiang suddenly raised its head and let out a deafening dragon roar. The sound waves spread like a tangible force, causing the entire mountain to tremble.

Su Rui felt a sharp pain in his ears, but he endured the discomfort and continued to observe, "Watch out! It's about to breathe dragon breath! Its throat is glowing!"

Xi and Nian immediately retreated, and their spiritual energy net descended at the opportune moment, blocking the azure dragon breath spewed out by Year Aspect. The two forces collided, bursting forth with dazzling light.

"Now!" Su Rui shouted, "Its Achilles' heel is below its neck!"

Xi's eyes sharpened, and she flashed beneath Year Aspect like a ghost, her longsword aimed straight for Ni Lin—