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

Xi's tail lashed out at Nian's wrist. "He needs rest."

"Oh dear, Xi-mei, really~" Nian grinned and dodged away, "I'm not going to eat Little Su."

Watching the two arguing, and then glancing at Shu and Ling, whose expressions differed, Su Rui suddenly realized that he seemed to have touched upon some significant secret. His eyes began to throb again, but this time it wasn't from the Miasma; rather, something deeper was awakening.

Over the next few days, the group purified the other sealed points using the same method. With Su Rui's participation, the work went much more smoothly. But at the same time, Su Rui noticed a subtle change in Xi's attitude towards him—she became more protective, following him almost every step of the way, and even stopping Nian and Ling from speaking to him alone.

That night, Su Rui tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He tiptoed into the courtyard and stared blankly at the starry sky.

Can't sleep?

The sudden sound startled Su Rui. He turned around and saw that Ling had somehow gotten up and was sitting on the roof, his Azure Jade Wine Cup gleaming softly in the moonlight.

"Sister..." Su Rui hesitated for a moment, but still asked the question that had been bothering her, "What exactly is the Sui Beast? Why do you say that my power comes from it?"

Ling tilted her head back and drank the wine in her cup to the last drop. After a long silence, she finally spoke, "Sui is an ancient being, older than us all. Its power can create, and it can destroy." She looked at Su Rui, her azure eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the moonlight. "Twenty years ago, during that great war, we thought we had completely sealed it away... Now it seems that fragments have escaped, and... they have chosen you."

Su Rui felt a chill run down her spine. "You chose me? What does that mean?"

Instead of answering directly, Ling asked in return, "Have you ever had any strange dreams? Like... seeing places you've never been before? Or dreaming that you've turned into something else?"

Su Rui's heart suddenly raced. He had indeed had such dreams—in which he sometimes transformed into a giant silver dragon, soaring above the sea of clouds. But he had always thought it was just an ordinary dream.

"Xi knows all this, doesn't she?" he asked softly.

Ling nodded. "She's more perceptive than any of us. I think she noticed it a long time ago." She paused. "Xi... she's protecting you. Not just from external threats, but also... something within you."

This realization made Su Rui feel dizzy. He had always thought that Xi was just aloof, but now it seemed that there were deeper reasons behind all her protective actions towards him.

"Then what should I do?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Ling leaped down from the roof and gently patted his shoulder. "Just be yourself. The power of age is only a part of you, not the whole." She gave a rare, gentle smile. "At least to me, you are first and foremost Su Rui, and then anything else."

Just then, a slight noise came from the shadows of the courtyard. Ling's expression immediately returned to its usual languid state. "Oh dear, my protector is here. I should go~"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xi's figure emerged from the darkness. Her gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, her tail wagging uneasily.

Ling raised her wine glass to Su Rui: "Don't be nervous, we're just chatting." Before turning to leave, she gave Su Rui a meaningful look, "Remember what I said."

As Ling's figure disappeared into the night, Xi walked to Su Rui's side. She didn't say anything, but gently took his hand. Su Rui could feel her fingertips trembling slightly.

"Sister Xi..." he mustered his courage and asked, "Will you always stay with me?"

Xi remained silent for a long time, so long that Su Rui thought she wouldn't answer. But in the end, she softly hummed in agreement, her tail wrapping around his wrist with such force that it almost hurt him.

Under the moonlight, their shadows merged into one, making them indistinguishable from one another.

The next morning, when Nian excitedly ran over to tell everyone that she had developed a new device that could detect Miasma, she discovered that Su Rui and Xi were both gone.

"Where did they go?" Nian asked, puzzled.

Shu was sorting through herbs when she heard this and looked up. "Xi said she's taking Su Rui to cultivate. She won't be back for a while."

Ling, leaning against the door, chuckled softly upon hearing this, "They ran away."

"What?!" Nian stomped his foot in dissatisfaction. "I was hoping to take Little Su to test the new weapon!"

Shu shook his head, his gaze fixed on the distant mountains. "Give them some time. Xi will handle everything."

Meanwhile, on a mountaintop far from Shangshu, Su Rui gazed at the unfamiliar scenery before her, feeling both nervous and expectant.

"How long are we going to stay here?" he asked.

Xi stood beside him, her long, dark hair fluttering in the wind. "Until you learn to control that power." She paused, "Don't worry, I'll always be with you."

Su Rui smiled, the Dragon Mark at the corner of his eye gleaming faintly in the sunlight. Whatever the future held, at least for this moment, he was not alone.

Volume 9, Chapter 585: The Painting of the Evening

Ever since Su Rui left Shangshu with Xi, Shu has felt a void in her heart.

She stood by the wheat field, her fingertips gently tracing the heavy ears of wheat, her thoughts drifting far away. Where was that boy who always smiled and helped her weave straw ropes, that boy whose eyes gleamed with golden light?

"Sister Shu, are you spacing out again?" Nian's voice came from behind, holding her latest invention, the "Miasma Detector"—a strangely shaped metal box that occasionally emitted wisps of blue smoke.

Shu snapped out of her reverie and gently shook her head, "I was just thinking... how is Su Rui doing now?"

Nian curled his lip. "Xi-mei hid him so well, even I couldn't find him. He's probably hidden in a painting inside that little house in the mountains."

Shu's gaze fell on the distant mountains, and suddenly she made up her mind. "I'm going to find him. I don't need to keep watching this place anymore..."

With a basket of freshly baked wheat cakes, a pot of honey grapefruit tea, and several packets of her specially prepared herbs, Shu set off alone to find Su Rui.

She knew that Xi's Painted Realm was difficult to enter, but she had her own methods—as a fragment of "Sui," who governs the harvest, she was extremely sensitive to the vitality of life. And the Dragon Mark on Su Rui's body contained the power to resonate with the earth's veins.

Three days later, Shu stopped in a secluded valley. There was a subtle sense of disharmony in the air, as if space itself were being gently distorted by some force. She took a deep breath, her fingertips glowing faintly with golden light, and gently pressed them against the air in front of her—

"Xi, let me see him."

Ripples spread through the air, the inky patterns shimmering like water. A moment later, Xi's figure slowly appeared. Her expression remained indifferent, but a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. "How did you find this place?"

Shu smiled, "The wheat ears tell me the way."

Xi was silent for a moment, then finally stepped aside to make way. "Su Rui is fine, just a little noisy."

As Shu stepped into the Painted Realm, the sight before her made her pause slightly—this was not the enclosed space she had imagined, but an open wheat field, with golden waves of wheat undulating in the breeze, and a small wooden house in the distance.

Su Rui sat by the edge of the field, holding a book, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his eyes instantly lighting up. "Sister Shu?!"

He practically leaped up and charged at the millet, his tail wagging merrily. "What are you doing here!"

Shu couldn't resist reaching out and ruffling his hair. "Just checking to see if you've gotten too thin from being starved by someone."

Xi let out a soft hum, but the corners of her mouth turned up almost imperceptibly for a moment.

On the stone table in front of the wooden house, the wheat cakes that Shu had brought emitted an enticing aroma. Su Rui couldn't wait to take a bite, her eyes narrowing into slits of happiness. "Delicious! It tastes exactly the same as before!"

Shu smiled and poured him a cup of grapefruit tea, "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Xi sat to the side, holding a cup of tea, quietly watching the two interact. Shu noticed that although Xi remained expressionless, the tip of her tail was gently resting on Su Rui's ankle, like a silent declaration of possession.

"Is your cultivation going smoothly?" Shu asked softly.

Su Rui nodded, pointing to the Dragon Mark at the corner of her eye. "Sister Xi taught me a lot of ways to control my power, so I don't suddenly glow anymore. But actually, it's unnecessary; this body itself won't exist for very long anyway."

Shu carefully observed his complexion—the boy was slightly tanned since she left, but he was in good spirits, and his eyes were still clear and bright. Her anxiety finally subsided. "That's good, but what you said..."

Su Rui simply blinked, without replying.

Shu took a small cloth bag out of the basket. "This is newly prepared calming tea. Drink some if you can't sleep well at night."

Su Rui took the cloth bag, then suddenly asked as if she remembered something, "How is Shangshu's situation? Has the Miasma been cleared away?"

"Thanks to the method you left behind, it's almost done," Shu said gently. "Nian has been clamoring to test his new weapon with you all day, and even got a new wine flask..."

Xi suddenly interjected, "They're too noisy."

Shu couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Yeah, so it's good that you guys are hiding here."

For the next few days, Shu stayed in the Painted Realm. She helped Su Rui tidy up the vegetable garden behind the cottage, taught him to identify the characteristics of various herbs, and even wove him a new straw hat out of wheat straw.

Although Xi appeared reluctant, she did not stop Shu's various "intrusive" behaviors. Sometimes, Shu could even catch a fleeting glimpse of gratitude in her eyes—after all, taking care of a curious boy on one's own was not an easy task.

That evening, Shu was teaching Su Rui how to make maltose when Xi suddenly appeared at the kitchen door.

"Shu," she unusually spoke up, "Thank you."

Shu paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "No need to thank me. He's all of us..." She hesitated, then changed her words, "... important family."

Xi gave a soft "hmm," her gaze falling on Su Rui was focused on boiling sugar. The boy's black hair was smeared with syrup, and he was frantically trying to wipe it off, only to end up getting it all over his hands.

Following her gaze, Shu suddenly said, "You don't need to be so nervous. His strength is very stable, and..." She glanced meaningfully at Xi's tail, "... with you here, everything will be alright."

Xi didn't answer, but her tail quietly wrapped around Su Rui's waist, pulling him closer to her.

On the day Shu left, Su Rui accompanied her all the way to the edge of the Painted Realm.

"Come again next time!" he said reluctantly. "I've learned how to make glutinous rice balls, I'll make some for you then!"

Shu smiled and nodded, taking a small wheat ear ornament from her sleeve. "This is for you. Wear it, and no matter where you are, I can find you."

Su Rui carefully accepted the pendant and hung it next to the black jade around his neck—it was the talisman Xi had given him. Two different powers glowed faintly on his chest, yet coexisted in a wondrous harmony.

Xi stood not far away, watching this scene, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. But in the end, she said nothing, only nodding to Shu.

Shu smiled knowingly and turned to step into the real world. Behind her, the entrance to the Painted Realm slowly closed, gently hiding the golden wheat field and the two figures together in the depths of the ink painting.

Su Rui sat under the eaves of the Painted Realm Cottage, gazing at the wheat fields in the distance, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. A gentle breeze stirred, causing his black hair to sway softly, and the Dragon Mark at the corner of his eye gleamed faintly with gold in the twilight.

He looked down at his palm—the skin there had begun to become somewhat translucent, like a thin mist pierced by sunlight.

Volume 9, Chapter 586: Vanished in the Light

(This body's time... is running out.)

Xi came out of the house, carrying a cup of freshly brewed tea. She handed the teacup to Su Rui, but her gaze fell on his slightly gleaming fingertips. Her dark eyes darkened, and she sat down next to Su Rui, hooking her tail around Su Rui.

"... How much longer?" she asked softly.

Su Rui took the teacup, the warmth passing through the porcelain walls to his palm, making him feel, for a moment, that he was still truly alive.

"About... three to five days?" He smiled. "Much longer than last time."

Xi's tail silently wrapped around his wrist, the force so strong it almost hurt, as if that could stop him from dissipating.

Before leaving, it's still important to say goodbye properly.

The next morning, Su Rui found Shu checking the ears of grain in the wheat field.

"Sister Shu." He stood on the edge of the field, the sunlight softening his features. "I might have to... leave for a while."

Shu paused for a moment, then straightened up and patted the wheat husks off her hands. Her gaze fell on Su Rui's hair, which was beginning to shimmer, and she sighed knowingly.

"Where are you planning to go this time?" she asked, her tone as calm as if she were simply asking him what he wanted for dinner.

Su Rui scratched her head. "Maybe it'll stay in someone's consciousness for a while? I can't be sure about these things..."

Shu nodded and reached out to touch Su Rui's cheek. "No matter who you are with, no one should have the heart to bully you."

The two walked side by side through the wheat field, the heavy ears of wheat brushing against their sleeves. Suddenly, Shu stopped and took out a small cloth bag from his bosom.

"Here." She shoved the cloth bag into Su Rui's hands. "Newly made maltose, with added calming herbs."

Su Rui opened the cloth bag, and the golden candies emitted a sweet aroma. He carefully broke off a small piece and put it in his mouth. The moment the sweetness melted on his tongue, the Dragon Mark of his eye involuntarily lit up.

"Is it good?" Shu asked softly.

Su Rui nodded and put the items into her System Space, only to find that her vision suddenly blurred—not a sign of things fading away, but because her eyes had unknowingly filled with tears.

Shu reached out and ruffled his hair. "Silly boy, it's not goodbye forever." Her fingertips brushed against the corner of his shining eyes. "We'll wait for you to come back."

That night, Ling somehow found the entrance to the Painted Realm.

She leaned against the doorframe, a jade wine pot dangling from her fingertips. "I heard that little rascal is going to run away again?"

Su Rui was packing his luggage—actually, there wasn't much to pack, since he couldn't even maintain his physical form for long. Hearing Ling's voice, he looked up and gave a helpless smile, "Sister Ling, what brings you here?"

He entered the room and placed the wine pot on the table. The pot struck the wooden tabletop with a crisp "tap".

"To see you off." She said, and as if by magic, produced another exquisite white jade cup, filled it with amber liquid, and asked, "Want a taste?"

"You're making it sound like you're about to die." Su Rui took the cup and carefully took a sip. The unexpected sweetness made his eyes widen. "This is..."

"Honey brew." Ling's lips curled up slightly. "I know you don't like strong drinks."

Because strong liquor is only described as unpleasant to drink, I don't know why anyone would like it.

As the wine entered his throat, a warm sensation spread from his stomach to every part of his body. Su Rui felt that his fingertips were no longer so transparent, as if the sweet wine had temporarily solidified his form.

Seeing his surprised expression, Ling chuckled, "It's a pity it only lasts a short while." Her gaze fell on the wheat ear ornament around Su Rui's neck, "Shu was here?"

Su Rui nodded, her fingers unconsciously stroking the ornament. "She said she would wait for me to come back."

"Then let's make a promise." Ling suddenly leaned down, her blue hair falling onto Su Rui's shoulder. "Next time you come back, come find me first." She tapped his nose with her fingertip. "I've hidden away a jar of even better honey."

Su Rui's ears burned, and she nodded slightly. Before she could answer, Xi's cold snort came from outside the door, "He's not going anywhere."

Ling straightened up, lazily shaking the wine jug. "Xi-mei is still so domineering~"

Xi walked in with a dark face, and with a flick of her tail, pulled Su Rui to her side. "He needs to rest."

Ling shrugged noncommittally, but before leaving, he secretly winked at Su Rui and mouthed, "It's a date."

On the evening of the third day, the arrival of the New Year completely shattered the tranquility of the Painted Realm.