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

"Pfft!"

The dull thud of the sword piercing flesh rang out, and Year Aspect let out a painful roar as his massive body began to disintegrate, turning into countless wisps of bluish-black mist that dissipated into the air.

The mountains and forests returned to silence, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves remaining.

Xi sheathed her sword and turned to look at Su Rui behind the screen. Her eyes were still cold, but the tension between her brows had eased.

"... Well done," she said softly.

Su Rui's tail immediately wagged happily, her eyes sparkling. "Really? I really helped?"

Xi didn't answer, but simply reached out and ruffled his hair, her fingertips gently brushing against the scales behind his ear.

Nian grinned and came over, "Oh my, our Little Su has grown up so much!"

Ling put away his staff and lazily yawned. "Alright, the farce is over. Get some rest."

Su Rui nodded, her tail unconsciously wrapping around Xi's wrist. "Yes! Let's do it together!"

Xi glanced at him, but didn't pull away; she simply hummed softly.

Volume 9, Chapter 566: Don't Speak

Xi's fingertips gripped Su Rui's wrist, the force almost leaving a bruise. She moved with lightning speed, her dark robes fluttering, pulling the staggering Su Rui through the long corridor and straight to an empty room at the far end.

"Xi... Sister Xi?" Su Rui's ears burned, her tail swayed restlessly from side to side, and tiny golden specks of light seeped from between her scales. "Where are we going—"

Before he could finish speaking, Xi suddenly pushed open the door and pulled him inside. The door slammed shut, and before Su Rui could react, his back was already against the cold wall.

Xi's hand rested on his ear, her dark eyes gleaming dangerously in the dim light, like a predator eyeing its prey.

"Don't speak."

Her voice was low, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure. Su Rui's Adam's apple bobbed, and her tail unconsciously wrapped around her waist, the scales gently rubbing against her fabric, making a soft rustling sound.

Xi's fingertips brushed against his cheek, gently stroking the Dragon Mark at the corner of his eye.

Su Rui's breathing quickened, and a faint golden halo appeared on the skin beneath his scales—a reaction of Dragonkin when aroused. His canines unconsciously bit his lower lip, and his tongue tasted a hint of blood.

"You were very brave today..." Xi's lips almost touched his earlobe, her warm breath making Su Rui tremble.

Su Rui's heart pounded. Just as he was about to speak, Xi suddenly lowered her head and kissed his lips fiercely.

Afterwards, Xi led Su Rui back to the Painted World.

Under a sky painted with ink wash, Su Rui was pressed down onto the soft grass by Xi. His black hair was disheveled, his dragon tail limply wrapped around Xi's leg, his eyes were red, and his breathing was disordered. Xi's fingertips traced his collarbone, leaving a faint Ink Mark.

"Sister Xi..." Su Rui's voice was tinged with a soft sob, "Gently... gently..."

Xi didn't answer, but instead lowered her head and bit his Adam's apple. Su Rui trembled all over, her tail suddenly straightened, and the golden spots between her scales suddenly brightened, as if stars had been ignited.

Xi's lips slid down his neck, her fingertips gently parting his collar to reveal a patch of delicate dragon scales on his shoulder blade. Her fingertips lightly traced the scales, and Su Rui's breathing became more rapid, his tail tip uncontrollably slapping the grass.

"Sister Xi..." he said, "If you keep drawing like this, I'm going to pin you down..."

Xi finally raised her head, her dark eyes fixed on him, a turbulent mix of emotions swirling within them. She gently tapped his brow with her fingertip. "I'm very satisfied with your performance today."

Su Rui's face instantly turned bright red, and she curled her tail even tighter. "I... I just wanted to help..."

Xi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a rare, almost gentle smile, "So... this is a reward."

Before she could finish speaking, she lowered her head again and kissed him.

Nian and Ling stood in the corridor, peering at each other as they investigated the faint sounds coming from inside.

"Tsk tsk," Nian chuckled meaningfully, shaking the wine jug in his hand. "Xi-mei is really... impatient."

Ling leaned against the window, tilted his head back, took a sip of wine, and narrowed his blue eyes slightly. "Youth is truly wonderful."

Nian's smile suddenly turned sly, "Sister Ling, you wouldn't happen to...?"

Ling didn't answer, but gently shook the wine pot, his gaze fixed on the closed door, and murmured, "I... I also have some feelings for Su Rui."

Nian raised his eyebrows high. "Wow, a battleground is booked?"

Ling chuckled lightly, tilted his head back, and downed the wine in the pot. "Who knows?"

(Inside the room, Su Rui suddenly shivered, feeling a chill run down her spine...)

As dawn broke and the thin mist of Shangshu lingered, tiny dewdrops clung to the bluestone path. Su Rui rubbed her aching back and walked slowly down the street, her dragon tail trailing listlessly behind her, occasionally brushing against the moss on the roadside.

(Sister Xi was too fierce last night...)

His ears burned, and he unconsciously touched the bite mark on his neck that had not yet faded. When his fingertips touched the slightly raised scales, he withdrew them as if he had been burned.

"Hey, Little Su ~"

A light, cheerful voice came from behind him. Before Su Rui could turn around, a warm arm was already on his shoulder. The scent of the New Year wafted over him, carrying a faint smell of gunpowder and the fragrance of rouge.

"Nian, Sister Nian?" Su Rui stammered, instinctively trying to dodge to the side, but Nian grabbed her neck.

"Why are you hiding?" Nian chuckled and leaned closer, her red lips almost touching his earlobe. "How did you sleep last night?"

Su Rui's tail snapped open with a "whoosh," and tiny golden rays seeped from between the scales. "Not bad..."

Suddenly, Nian's fingertips traced his neck, gently rubbing the prominent bite mark. "Xi-mei really... doesn't know how to cherish a woman~"

Su Rui froze, unsure how to respond, when a refreshing aroma of wine suddenly wafted over.

"Morning."

Ling appeared at the street corner at some unknown time, carrying a jade wine pot in her hand. The morning light cast a soft outline on her silvery-white hair. She leaned lazily against the wall, her gaze lingering for a moment on Su Rui's reddened ear tips.

"Good morning, Sister Ling..." Su Rui felt as if she had been granted a pardon, and took the opportunity to break free from Nian's embrace, her tail unconsciously wagging in Ling's direction.

Ling's lips curled up almost imperceptibly as he raised the wine jug and swirled it around. "Would you like to try some? It's the newly brewed ' Drunken Dragon's Song '."

Nian raised her eyebrows high. "Wow, Sister Ling, this wine's name has a profound meaning!"

Ling ignored Nian's teasing and walked straight to Su Rui, holding the wine pot to his lips. The amber-colored wine rippled in the pot, emitting an enticing sweet aroma.

Su Rui hesitated for a moment, then cautiously took a sip. The moment the wine entered her throat, a warm current spread from her stomach to her limbs and bones, even relaxing the scales on her skin.

"Delicious..." He couldn't resist taking another big gulp, his dragon tail swaying happily from side to side. "Sweet..."

Ling gently wiped the wine stains from his lips with her fingertips. "Drink slowly, this wine has a strong aftereffect."

Her calloused fingertips brushed against Su Rui's soft lips, and both of them froze. Ling's eyes darkened, while Su Rui's scales had all turned pinkish-gold.

"Cough cough!" Nian suddenly coughed loudly and pulled Su Rui to his side. "Little Su, I'm short a male lead for my new movie. Do you want to give it a try?"

"Electricity, movies?" Su Rui's attention was indeed diverted, and her eyes lit up. "Can I?"

"Of course!" Nian affectionately pinched his cheek. "I've already come up with the script—a pure-hearted little dragon being fought over by two stunning beauties, what a classic love story!"

Before Su Rui could react, Ling coldly said, "He doesn't need to film that kind of thing."

"Oh dear, is your sister jealous?" Nian exaggeratedly clutched her chest. "Or is it..." She suddenly leaned close to Ling's ear and whispered, "You also want to be one of the female leads?"

Ling's fingers tightened slightly, and the wine flask made a "crackling" sound as it struggled to bear the weight. Su Rui's dragon ears perked up alertly, instinctively sensing danger.

Volume 9, Chapter 567: The Time of Division

"Um..." he cautiously interjected, "I... I'm hungry, how about we go get some breakfast first?"

Nian's smile instantly brightened, "Great! I know a shop that makes really delicious tofu pudding!"

Ling gave a soft hum, but did not object. The three of them walked towards the breakfast shop, each with their own thoughts. Su Rui was sandwiched in the middle, her tail curled up nervously.

(I feel like... the atmosphere is really weird...)

The breakfast shop was steaming hot, and the freshly steamed dumplings emitted an enticing aroma. Su Rui stared longingly at the steamer, her tail unconsciously tapping against the stool.

"Here you go." Ling pushed a dish of vinegar in front of him. "Eat this."

"Thank you, Sister Ling!" Su Rui happily picked up a small steamed bun and was about to put it in her mouth when Nian suddenly reached out her chopsticks to stop her.

"Wait a minute~" Nian produced a small bottle of chili oil out of nowhere, "Adding this makes it more flavorful!"

Two pairs of chopsticks remained locked in a stalemate above the xiaolongbao, Su Rui's gaze shifting back and forth between the two, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

"I... I can do either..." he suggested timidly.

Reiwa and his companion exchanged a glance and simultaneously put down their chopsticks.

"You eat first," Ling said calmly.

"Yes, yes, you eat first~" Nian agreed with a smile.

Su Rui felt like he had been granted a pardon and quickly stuffed the steamed bun into his mouth, only to burn his tongue. Ling immediately handed him some cool tea, while Nian frantically fanned him.

"Little silly dragon." Ling's voice was tinged with helplessness.

"Cute~" Nian took the opportunity to ruffle his hair.

Surrounded by the two, Su Rui felt both happy and troubled. Just then, the shop door was suddenly pushed open, and a familiar figure stood against the light.

"You..."

Xi's icy voice made the temperature in the store drop sharply. She stood at the door, her dark eyes sweeping over the three people's intimate posture, finally settling on the vinegar stains that Su Rui hadn't wiped off her lips.

Su Rui's tail stiffened abruptly, and the steamed bun got stuck in his throat, making him choke and roll his eyes back.

(It's all over...)

Su Rui's eyes were brimming with tears from the scalding heat. He was frantically chugging down some cool tea when he suddenly felt a tightness around his waist—Xi's arms had wrapped around him, and she was about to lift him up from his seat without a word.

"Come back with me." Her voice was as cold as ice.

Su Rui's tail twitched, but before she could respond, she suddenly felt two distinct forces pulling from under the table—

The crimson dragon tail of the previous year silently wrapped around his ankle, its scales scraping against his skin with a scorching heat; while the blue-scaled dragon tail of the next year slowly coiled around his calf, the icy touch sending a shiver down his spine.

(Huh?!)

Su Rui's eyes widened as he looked down at the table, but his view was blocked by the steam rising from the steamer. He looked up blankly and found that Xi's expression had grown even colder—she had clearly also noticed the other two's subtle movements.

The three dragon tails were silently wrestling under the table. Nian's tail tightened its grip, while Ling's tail tip dangerously brushed against Su Rui's knee. Xi's dark dragon tail suddenly lashed out, slapping Nian's tail away, but then Ling suddenly flicked it lightly with the tip of its tail—

"Splash!"

The entire table shook violently, and the vinegar dish and chili oil bottle overturned simultaneously, the reddish-brown liquid mixing together on the tabletop.

"Oops!" Nian exaggeratedly covered her mouth, "My hand slipped!"

Ling slowly took a sip of wine. "I'm getting old, my hands and feet aren't as nimble as they used to be."

Xi's nails had turned a sharp, dark black, and she was about to lash out when Ling suddenly reached out and pressed down on her shoulder.

The seemingly casual movement instantly froze Xi— Su Rui was horrified to discover that Ling's fingertips were pressed against Xi's neck.

"Su Rui." Ling's voice was still slurred with alcohol, but it brooked no argument. "Eat something first, then go out and have some fun."

Her blue eyes swept over the bite marks on Su Rui's neck. "The three of us... need to talk about something."

Su Rui's dragon ears were pressed tightly against his head, his instincts telling him that he had better behave. He nervously finished eating the last few xiaolongbao, his tail tucked tightly between his legs, and practically fled in panic.

The moment the shop door closed, three terrifying dragon powers erupted simultaneously.

"I said—" Nian stepped onto the stool, his bright red tail slapping the ground with a "thud," "Isn't Xi-mei being too greedy?"

A flame ignited between her fingertips, drawing a heart in the air. "Little Su is so adorable, of course everyone should love her!"

The scroll of the evening painting unfolded before him with a "whoosh": "Do you want to die?"

Ling tilted his head back and gulped down a mouthful of wine, then suddenly slammed the wine pot heavily on the table. The bluish wine splashed out, condensing into countless ice crystals in the air, forcefully separating the two men who were about to clash.

"Quiet," she said lazily, resting her chin on her hand. "I have a suggestion."

She dipped her fingertips in the wine and drew three equal parts on the table. "Monday, Wednesday, and Friday belong to Xi'an; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday belong to me..."

The flames of that year suddenly surged. "And what about me?!"

Ling glanced at her. "Sunday."

"Why?!" Nian overturned the stool. "I'm appealing!"

Suddenly, ink flowed from the scroll, transforming into countless chains that bound Nian tightly. Xi stood up coldly, her ink-black hair moving without wind. "He is mine."

Ling suddenly laughed.

She slowly took out a dragon scale from her sleeve—the very scale that Du Yaoye had stolen from Su Rui earlier. At this moment, the scale was gleaming with an eerie blue light.

"Are you sure?" Ling gently shook the scale. "This dragon scale... has my mark on it."