Chapter 38: A Visit

Shen Ye slowly regained consciousness.

In front of her was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Where… is this?

She blinked, recalling the events before she passed out.

Earlier, in the cultivation room at the guild hall, her junior brother had taken her hand and begun the second round of treatment.

Halfway through the treatment, she sensed her spiritual power starting to stir restlessly.

Her memory cut off at that exact moment.

Everything after that, she couldn’t remember.

But the scene she witnessed in her spirit sea was etched vividly in her mind.

She could be certain that it was her mother’s memory.

That scene was so real, like she had been transported back to that nightmare of a moment. Every emotional surge was like a real chisel, carving deep wounds into her heart.

So this was how Mother watched me leave before she died?

Shen Ye clenched the soft bedding, her brows tinged with a sorrow that tugged at the heartstrings.

The pain of losing someone dear leaves an eternal mark on both parties. Those left behind are forever destined to taste that heart-wrenching grief through the long river of time.

She sat in a daze for a long while, until a cool morning breeze drifted into the room, brushing across her forehead and lifting a few strands of hair.

Wait, wasn’t my junior brother supposed to be conducting the second round of treatment with me?

Where is he?

She looked around the room. Aside from herself, there was no one else.

Alright.

Judging by the situation, something must have gone wrong with the treatment, and now I’ve been settled into the guild hall to rest.

But the concealment spell my junior brother placed is really sturdy. Even under the guild’s professional inspection, it wasn’t detected. Not a single trace of tampering.

Shen Ye reached up with her small hand and patted the top of her head.

Her hair was fluffy—no one would ever guess there was a pair of hidden cat ears beneath.

But my hair has gotten so long. Is this a side effect of the treatment?

She estimated the length of her hair.

It’s almost down to my waist, isn’t it?

It’s going to be really hot in summer, I bet.

Oh well, it’s fine. It shouldn’t reach summer before I change back.

Outside the window, the warm sun was gradually rising, casting slivers of golden light.

Shen Ye squinted, raising a hand to shield her eyes, her pupils reflecting the sun’s golden glow.

Has it been a whole day, or is it still just afternoon?

Well, since I have nothing else to do, let me test how much my spiritual power has recovered.

She was just about to get up when a sudden memory that surfaced in her mind froze her in place.

Hmm…

My junior brother did say that when I’m out and about, I shouldn’t use spiritual power unless absolutely necessary, so I don’t break the spell he placed on me.

Shen Ye’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her little head deliberated for exactly 0.2 seconds.

Then she cast that warning far aside.

Who cares about that!

I’m feeling amazing right now!

I haven’t been able to use spiritual power for days, and it’s been driving me crazy.

Shen Ye threw off the covers in one swift motion, hopped off the bed, and walked over to the window.

The guild’s artificial landscape was quite pleasing to the eye.

A grove of bamboo stood in the courtyard, their shadows swaying gently in the morning breeze. A few clusters of February orchids were in full bloom, dewdrops still clinging to their pale purple petals.

She took a deep breath. The scent of nature mingled with the delicate fragrance of the flowers, washing over her soul.

Alright, let’s begin.

The young girl’s slender fingers danced in the air as she effortlessly commanded the abundant spiritual power within her body.

She began to meditate.

First, she used her mental energy to gather the wandering spirits in the air, then “dyed” them with her own spiritual power, transforming them into spirits she could freely control.

This was the most basic spirit control art—spirit control.

Shen Ye focused her mind. A single drop of water the size of a bean materialized out of thin air, hovering in midair as if unaffected by gravity.

As Shen Ye increased her output, the water droplet began to expand.

Almost instantly, the bean-sized droplet grew into a water bubble the size of a basketball.

This was the next step of spirit control—creation.

Preparations complete, Shen Ye propped her cheek on her hand, watching the mass of water in the air freely morph its shape.

She divided the large water mass into three parts, shaping them into the forms of Lin Xiangyi and Lin Xiaomeng, then sculpted one of herself.

Wow, not bad at all.

She stared at the three water figures in front of her—one large and two small—for a while, but something felt off.

Hmm… how about this.

With a flick of her intent,

the smallest water figure grew taller out of nowhere, gradually becoming the same height as the larger one.

Just like that, the three water figures became two large and one small.

Hehe, that’s more like it.

She brought the water figures closer and meticulously carved out their facial features and expressions.

Midway through, her train of thought came to a halt.

Emm.

Why does this look so weird no matter how I look at it?

Is this really what I look like? I haven’t looked in a mirror in so long that I’ve almost forgotten.

Shen Ye scratched her head, her small face full of confusion.

But at least I can finally output a full amount of spiritual power now.

That’s great news. I need to tell Xiangyi right away—his partner is secured.

“Click.”

Just then.

At the soft sound of a door opening, she turned to look.

Lin Xiangyi walked down the path to visit Shen Ye, a lunchbox in hand.

Yesterday, after that misunderstanding, he had held a cordial negotiation with the association.

The association hadn’t completely cleared him of suspicion, saying:

“Although the mind control check came back clean, everything about this incident still needs to be clarified with the person herself once she wakes up.”

So, at Lin Xiangyi’s request, after confirming Shen Ye was safe and sound, he stayed in the room next door to hers.

However, because the Guiyun Guild was located in a special isolated space with no signal, he had no way to contact his sister. All he could do was wait here for Shen Ye to wake up.

Early this morning, Lin Xiangyi had woken up.

From his room to Shen Ye’s next door was only a few steps away.

So he decided to stop by the cafeteria first to grab breakfast before coming over.

Suddenly, his steps halted.

This is…

A fluctuation in spiritual power?

And it’s coming from Xiao Ye’s room.

Is she using spirit control? Isn’t she afraid the spell will be broken?

Lin Xiangyi quickened his pace, covering the distance in double strides until he reached Shen Ye’s door.

This is the heart of the guild hall!

Wasn’t she always trying to hide her identity?

Or…

Lin Xiangyi suddenly thought of an even worse outcome.

Could the association have discovered her identity?!

Damn it. An妖精 disguised as a human and registered under a false identity is a serious crime.

I absolutely can’t let them capture her!

“Xiao Ye!”

Lin Xiangyi pushed the door open, then his eyes widened as he was instantly frozen by a scene completely different from what he had imagined.

The wind billowed the curtains.

The young girl stood in the faint morning light, turning back to look.

What caught his eye before the morning glow was that pair of brilliant golden eyes.

Those eyes, always as clear as a tranquil lake, now shimmered with a radiant glow, like amber forged by a master craftsman, carrying an inexplicable emotion that instantly stole everything from his gaze.

In that moment, the girl before him seemed to have shed all pretense, framed against the blue sky outside the window, radiating an unparalleled presence.

Lin Xiangyi stood there in a daze, until the girl hastily dispelled the strange spiritual constructs floating in the air.

Shen Ye laughed sheepishly, a hint of embarrassment on her face.

“Ahaha, Xiangyi, you’re here?”

Lin Xiangyi snapped back to reality, immediately switching to a serious expression:

“What were you just doing?”

“Uh…”

Shen Ye spoke hesitantly, a little uncomfortable.

“I was just admiring the scenery. You know, the guild’s landscaping is actually pretty nice. It feels like being out in nature.”

“Didn’t we establish a rule,”

Lin Xiangyi stepped closer until he stood right in front of her, looking down at her from his full height:

“That when we’re out and about, you’re not allowed to use spiritual power unless it’s absolutely critical?”

A flicker of panic flashed through Shen Ye’s eyes. Standing in front of her, the man towered a full head above her, bringing an overwhelming sense of pressure.

She felt a bit flustered. After a moment of hesitation, she said apologetically:

“I just… my hands were itching, and I wanted to play around…”

Her voice was weak, as if its owner knew full well she didn’t have a leg to stand on.

“Oh~?”

A glint of cunning flashed in Lin Xiangyi’s eyes.

“Just… for fun?”