Chapter 216

Chapter 216

The last wisp of smoke before the flames engulfed it dissipated completely in Su Yi's hand.

The silver flame mark on her forehead flickered briefly, as fleeting as a star, then vanished as if it had never existed.

She was reading the fragments of the residual consciousness and memories of her opponent, her expression indifferent. Her loving eyes turned cold, like two beautiful yet icy gemstones.

After a while, 'The activation condition is...'

Interesting.

At that moment, the air grew still. Su Yi's expression changed slightly, as though she had realized something, and the coldness in her eyes deepened.

In the next instant, the beauty in palace attire, who had been sitting properly, suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed softly to the side.

The surrounding environment warped like a canvas for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.

Here, in this realm, Su Yi found herself in a different realm.

This realm was clearly not something Su Yi had created.

Rather than a space, it was more like a phantasm.

At that moment, Su Yi's attire had also changed, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

Even her appearance was her original form. The body she had been inhabiting always differed slightly from her true appearance.

That body bore only a thirty percent resemblance to Su Yi, adjusted to avoid looking too unnatural.

Otherwise, if it were completely different, it would feel like looking in a mirror or using someone else's face—completely alien.

Even if it was just temporary, it had to be visually appealing.

However, due to other considerations, Su Yi didn't want to fully reveal her true appearance, so it was only thirty percent similar.

Now, in this place, Su Yi's true appearance was revealed.

At this moment, Su Yi was wearing a goose-yellow immortal gown adorned with many tiny, translucent gemstones that sparkled like stars, giving her a delicate, enchanting appearance.

Just this outfit alone would cost a considerable amount of premium spirit stones in the cultivation world.

This was the most fashionable type of immortal gown in the cultivation world, especially beloved by female cultivators.

Though stunning, it was utterly useless—it couldn't be worn during battles, was easily damaged, and had no defensive magic circles. Yet, a fortune in spirit stones was spent on these seemingly beautiful but impractical gowns.

Su Yi, having a penchant for beauty, naturally adored them as well.

No, it was the former Su Yi who had loved them dearly.

On her head, she wore a crown made of transparent crystal, clear and sparkling, with a subtle inner glow. At the center of her forehead, the crown was adorned with a teardrop-shaped crystal that swayed slightly with her movements, resembling the morning dew hanging on a leaf, about to fall.

The transparent crystal used to make the crown was an extremely rare material for crafting magical tools. A magical tool made from this crystal could withstand three full-force attacks from a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Even a piece the size of a fingernail could sell for tens of thousands of spirit stones, yet Su Yi's entire crown was made of this transparent crystal.

Her hair was braided into many thin little braids, cascading down her back, with a few unruly ones falling to the front, giving her the air of a pampered, carefree princess.

Su Yi glanced at her attire and wasn't too surprised.

Such an ancient outfit was clearly intentional, as even the surroundings had transformed into a scene she once knew well.

Everything before her resembled a fairyland on earth, brimming with all the beauty one could imagine.

A celestial lake, dreamlike dwellings, and an array of celestial herbs, spiritual plants, and magical beasts. Even the air here was more akin to spiritual energy, where a few breaths were more potent than ingesting a powerful spiritual pill. Even if one skipped cultivation for a day and simply lazed about, their cultivation would still advance.

This was an extraordinarily blessed place, where treasures were so plentiful that they were beyond counting, to the extent that one wouldn't even stoop to pick them up if they lay at their feet.

Beneath lay a spiritual vein, guaranteeing an abundance of spiritual energy that not only aided cultivation but also made rare spiritual plants, which were difficult to survive elsewhere, almost ubiquitous here. They nourished each other mutually, and the land's creatures thrived immensely, developing spiritual awareness early and advancing in cultivation.

It could be said that her accidental arrival in the cultivation world was made tolerable by this place, where she enjoyed her most carefree days.

But alas, things of great beauty are often easily destroyed.

Even though Su Yi later succeeded in recreating it, crafting another place identical to it, it was never truly the same as the original.

Just as she knew, those who had departed would never return.

Su Yi gazed at the place before her, mirroring her memories, and walked forward with ease.

What she had thought were vague memories turned out to be so vivid that she remembered every blade of grass and tree here.

Su Yi walked all the way to a colossal tree that would require dozens of people to encircle. There, a vine thicker than a thigh stretched out to form a swing frame, as sturdy as possible.

It could even be used to ascend the tree, whose lush branches seemed capable of obscuring the sky, allowing one to stand atop and survey everything.

From the moment Su Yi first laid eyes on it, it had remained unchanged, always dependable, upholding this fairyland-like place.

But even such an ancient divine tree would eventually wither and fall.

She walked over and sat down on the swing, lightly pushing off with her toes, starting to sway. Her expression seemed somewhat dazed, as if waiting for something.

Before long, a gentle female voice called out to her from afar, warm and filled with affection. "A Yi."

Su Yi's eyelashes fluttered, and after a moment, she revealed a bright, radiant smile, her eyes curving like crescents. The pale yellow of her dress made her look like a warm little sun. She turned to the approaching figure and said, "You're here! I knew you'd come find me!"

The newcomer bore a face that was sixty percent similar to Su Yi's, though it was easy to distinguish between the two.

Compared to Su Yi's lively and charming demeanor, she was gentle and elegant, with a more serene and steady temperament. Instead of wearing a crown, her hair was loosely tied up, with a single strand falling in front, accentuating her soft and gentle beauty.

She wore a flowing, water-blue celestial gown that made her seem as ethereal as an orchid. When she smiled, her teeth gleamed like stars, and her eyes sparkled, making her a beauty as pure as the moon.

As she approached, it felt as though she brought the moonlight with her.

Before she could reach her, Su Yi had already rushed into her arms, her skirt billowing like a flower as she landed in the embrace of the moon-like beauty.

The beauty, unsurprised, opened her arms and enveloped the sun-like Su Yi in her embrace.

Similar faces, the moon and the sun, merged into a single scene.

Su Yi hugged her and nuzzled against her, her smile as bright as a child who had just received candy. Her expression was full of obvious dependence, her eyes sparkling like they held starlight, focused and filled with pure affection.

"I knew you'd be here. You never focus on your cultivation, always hiding here and playing with those little ones," the beauty gently chided the coquettish Su Yi in her arms, though her tone was so tender that there was no hint of reproach.

Then she sat with her on the swing, and Su Yi continued to cling to the gentle beauty.

"With A Nuo here, I don't need to work so hard," Su Yi cooed affectionately, her tone practiced and familiar, her brows carrying a hint of unrestrained indulgence.

The beauty, Su Yi, listened with gentle patience, smoothing her hair behind her back just as she had done since childhood, saying, "You," with a tone of slight helplessness but mostly indulgence.

The two talked for a while, during which Su Yi kept smiling sweetly, her eyes shining with joy, her gaze fixed on Su Ruo with a starry focus.

Seeing Su Yi's sweet smile and her continued coquetry, Su Yi guessed that her anger had subsided and said, "Ah Yi, I know you were upset today and that's why you said those things.

But Li Ke is also a pitiful person; it's not her fault, but the man who betrayed her. She just hasn't figured it out yet. With some time, she'll come around. We need to give her more time."

At the mention of Li Ke, Su Yi's smile faded, and she pouted, clearly displeased, "I don't think so. She seems to have lost her mind. I thought she was possessed, so foolish it's maddening."

"Ah Yi."

"I won't listen. I just don't like her and don't want to see her anymore," Su Yi's annoyance was evident, her tightly pursed lips revealing her displeasure, her emotions clear and somewhat childish.

The warm atmosphere was ruined by this unpleasant topic.

Then, as if struck by an idea, Su Yi excitedly suggested, "Why don't we send her away... I mean, let her go out and relax. It might be better than staying here. Meeting new people might help more than our weak comfort."

Su Yi seemed to think this was a great idea and continued enthusiastically,

"After all, she's tired of this place; maybe she wants to see the outside world. Her heart isn't here anymore."

She kept up the pretense of not wanting to drive her away.

But Su Yi's excitement about sending her out made it clear she wanted to pack her off right away.

Su Yi stood up, full of energy, and pulled Su Ruo up to go back.

Her eagerness to go back and send someone away amused and exasperated Su Ruo. She tried to hold Su Yi back, wanting to say something, when she heard a faint sound of footsteps and saw a familiar figure flash by.

Su Yi, seemingly oblivious, continued to pull Su Ruo's arm as they walked back.

"Ah Yi, it seems like..."

"What? Hurry, we need to go back," Su Yi urged, pulling her hand as she walked ahead, her steps light and graceful, her dress shimmering like flowing water.

Unable to handle her sister and not wanting her to run off in anger again, Su Ruo replied gently, "Alright, alright," and followed Su Yi's pace, just like in their childhood.

When they returned, Su Yi got straight to the point, and the gentle sister, unable to sway Su Yi, decided to follow to make sure Su Yi didn't speak too bluntly.

They saw a slender, frail figure in white packing her things with her back to them.

Su Yi didn't speak, her face showing relief.

"Li Ke, what are you up to?" Su Ruo, always more gentle, asked first.

The figure in white trembled upon hearing this, not turning around but speeding up her packing, looking very flustered.

Seeing her condition, and recalling the fleeting white figure earlier, it was likely Li Ke, who had overheard Su Yi's words, was hurt and was now packing to leave.

Su Ruo was about to step forward but Su Yi held her back.

Su Yi smiled innocently, looking very pleased, hardly hiding her joy, leaning her head on the gentle beauty, smiling sweetly, but her words weren't so sweet.

"Ah Ruo, we came just in time. Li Ke has her own ideas, wants to pack and go out to relax. We don't need to worry. Let's wait for her to finish packing, then we'll see her off, fulfilling our duty as hosts."

At these words, the figure in white, who had been trembling and packing in disarray, turned around, her eyes red as if she had been crying, looking pitiful, her usually plain face now showing a touch of sorrow.

"Miss, I..." she turned to Su Ruo, tears falling before she could speak, "I've caused you trouble, it's all my fault, I shouldn't have made you worry about me."

As she spoke, she stopped packing and stepped forward, lifting the hem of her skirt to kneel down and plead for forgiveness.

This gesture clearly made the gentle beauty, tender as water, unable to bear it, so she hurried forward to help her up. "Li Ke, please stand up first." Naturally, this left Su Yi, who had been leaning beside her, feeling out of place.

Su Yi just smiled, seemingly not minding, and did not step forward again to hold onto her gentle sister.

Instead, she stood there and said, "A Ruo, what she said isn't wrong; she knows her place, so you shouldn't stop her." Faced with the other's actions, the two, who looked alike, had completely different reactions.

One was moved and couldn't bear to see the other like this, as gentle as her own nature, while the other remained indifferent, like the scorching sun, capable of easily burning others.

Li Ke, the woman in white, didn't respond to Su Yi's pointed words.

She just glanced at Su Yi, then quickly averted her gaze as if feeling pressured, lowering her head without speaking. Her expression showed even more guilt and unease, sadness nearly spilling from her eyes.

This action made Su Ruo, wanting the other to stand up and speak, slightly frown. Her eyes also showed some disapproval as she looked at her sister. "A Yi, you've gone too far today."

Then she leaned over to help the kneeling woman in white to her feet, speaking comforting words to her, saying there was no intention to drive her away, and explaining a bit.

While the other was still sobbing, looking truly heartbroken, she turned back to casually say a few words to Su Yi, telling her not to treat Li Ke like this anymore, as Li Ke was already very sad.

But before she could say much, she saw Su Yi, who had been watching the two speak as if it were a play, suddenly sigh. Her eyes were complex with emotion, and she said regretfully, "After all, a fake is still a fake, similar in appearance but not in essence."

Even if you want to deceive me with a fake, at least put some heart into it.

"A Yi, what are you talking about?"