The world here is bright, uplifting—a surge of hope wells up from deep within me.
I stopped by the riverside. Across the river, at the farmhouse door, stood Rachel's Shade—identical to Rachel Lan—staring at me coldly, full of hostility. She was just like Rachel Lan when I first met her—aloof and distant, yet in truth, she liked to meddle.
"Hello, are you Rachel's Shade?"
I asked, but Rachel's Shade didn’t answer. After a long pause, she nodded. I sat by the riverbank, deciding it was better not to cross for now—at least not until the hostility in her eyes faded.
"Could you call Roxie for me?"
I probed gently. The newcomer sat on a chair outside the door, silent, her hostility seeming to deepen.
"This is a wonderful place. I haven’t seen anything like it in a long time."
I sat down, quietly crossing my legs by the river, watching the clear stream flow. Everything at the bottom was visible—brightly colored little fish swam joyfully in the water. A breeze passed, stirring the flowers, and waves of delicate fragrance washed over me.
"I really can’t do it. Sorry, Heavenly Soul."
Rachel's Shade was still watching me. Thinking about it, I realized I’d spent a year and a half in darkness—time passes quickly.
Looking at the state of this Instinctive Space, Rachel Lan should have already mastered the power of the newcomer. It’s something to be glad about, yet the persistent, gnawing itch inside me leaves me unsettled. Compared to this version of Rachel Lan, I’d rather see the one who cut her hair and grew more resolute.
I noticed Rachel's Shade stand up and walk towards me. I glanced sideways, but she stopped at the edge of the bridge.
I sat up, alert.
"Why are you hostile toward me?"
I fixed my gaze on Rachel's Shade. She remained silent, but the hostility in her eyes deepened.
"Go back. Don’t come here again."
I stood up.
"I came here for something important. I hope you can tell Roxie for me."
I bowed, but Rachel's Shade ignored me. With a swishing sound, strips of white gauze appeared on the ground, slowly floating around me. It looked like she intended to drive me out.
I remembered what the Heavenly Soul had warned me about—there would be conflict with the newcomer, and I must not hesitate.
I had no intention of leaving. Suddenly, the white gauze wrapped around my body, dragging me slowly underground. My feet were already buried in the earth. I stared quietly at Rachel's Shade—soon, the power within me burst forth, and the descent stopped.
"Sorry, but please tell me—why?"
I looked earnestly at Rachel's Shade. She still refused to speak, raising a hand to keep manipulating the gauze, trying to drag me out.
This density of yang energy might have been a threat to me before, but now things are different. With a thought, black flames appeared instantly—the gauze quickly turned to ash, and with a whoosh, I flew to the newcomer’s side.
"Tell me..."
Before I could finish, Rachel's Shade vanished. I rushed into the farmhouse; its furnishings were simple—tables, chairs, benches, all present, but Rachel's Shade was nowhere to be found.
Then I sat quietly in the courtyard, pondering why the newcomer was so hostile toward me. I couldn’t figure it out. For now, I could only wait.
I saw a teapot and a stove. I took the kettle to the river for water and found some tea leaves in the house.
I don’t know how much time passed. I drank tea, sat comfortably in the chair, enjoying the tranquility and waiting for Rachel's Shade to reappear.
"Please, help me pass a message to Roxie."
I shouted, drank the water in my cup, and closed my eyes. Black ghost threads unfurled from me, and at once I sensed a vast, overwhelming vitality from all directions—every bit of it hostile toward me.
Suddenly, I felt a faint tremor beneath my feet. The moment I opened my eyes, I shot into the air. With a boom, the farmhouse vanished, and a huge, pale mouth appeared on the ground, snapping shut in an instant. I swallowed hard—if I’d been a moment slower, I’d have been expelled from this space.
Soon, everything below returned to normal. Hovering in the air, I looked around, feeling everything—the ghost threads kept extending within this Instinctive Space. I needed to find a way to coexist.
Just then, I caught a strong whiff of flowers. I quickly pinched my nose and looked down. The flowers on the ground were swaying, and a layer of colored light particles floated up, drifting toward me. A wave of drowsiness washed over me, and I felt my body begin to sway.
"Not good."
I immediately released a surge of baleful energy to cover my body. The sleep-inducing force kept seeping in, but white appeared within the baleful energy, gradually turning gray as it enveloped me. The sensation faded—the invading force was devoured by the ghost energy inside me, and I gradually regained clarity.
With a whoosh, a white shadow flashed before my eyes. I dodged, turning my head—it was an origami crane. My eyes widened in surprise; the crane was as big as a person, moving fast. It lunged at me again, and just as I tried to dodge, its beak jabbed at my chest. I gripped the sharp beak with both hands, its immense strength driving me down toward the ground.
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Then, strips of white gauze appeared on the ground, their color shifting to blue. Suddenly, the gauze wrapped around me, coating my body in sticky layers. I tried to break free with baleful energy, but it sank like it was submerged in water. Bit by bit, I was dragged to the ground, and with the crane and blue gauze pulling at me, half my body was already sunk into the earth.
I remembered what the Heavenly Soul had warned me about—there would be conflict with Rachel's Shade, and I must not hesitate.
"Instinct... coexistence..."
With a whoosh, gray energy poured out of me like steam, tugging at the blue gauze until it hardened, cracked, and vanished. The origami crane shriveled as if soaked in water. The moment I broke free, I sensed Rachel's Shade’s location and instantly flew above the farmhouse, a gray hand reaching out behind me to grab hold.
With a flash of white light, the newcomer appeared before me. I swallowed—up close, she really was Rachel Lan. I shook my head, but the newcomer immediately pressed a hand to my chest, making my heart tremble.
I already warned you to leave. You refused to listen, Ethan Zhang—don’t blame me.
My body instantly became immobile. Countless white light particles surged upward from the ground, suppressing my power. The overwhelming vitality made it hard even to breathe.
"Destroy you."
Rachel's Shade’s eyes were cold and merciless, filled with murderous intent. She wanted to end me right then—but seeing her in Rachel Lan’s form made me hesitate.
I raised a hand and pressed it to the newcomer’s shoulder. She looked at me in surprise. Black energy surged out, but quickly faded away.
I really can’t do it. Sorry, Heavenly Soul.
Brilliant light particles crawled over my body, and I began to fade away, bit by bit.
"Why? You could have broken free just now."
I smiled and shook my head.
"I don’t know why. But standing before me is my wife—this is her Instinctive Space. I can’t do anything to harm her. If I unleash the power of darkness here, things will get very bad."
Rachel's Shade froze. My fading body stopped disappearing, but her gaze quickly turned cold.
You’re not someone who should exist in this world. Your presence will destroy it. So please leave, Ethan Zhang. Don’t go near Rachel Lan again—you’ll get her killed.
I tilted my head slightly, a sour ache in my heart.
"Stop."
Suddenly, a familiar angry shout came from behind. I smiled and slowly turned around—the brilliant light particles vanished instantly, and my body returned to normal.
Behind me, Rachel Lan smiled—short hair, dressed in a long black animal-hide coat, a mountain-splitting blade and bow strapped to her back, a dagger at her waist, arms outstretched.
"Qingyuan..."
"Roxie..."
A sweet fragrance filled the air. I held Rachel Lan tightly—she nestled gently against my chest. It had been so long, ever since she left last time.
"You shouldn’t let your personal desires make you forget..."
Rachel Lan pushed me away, stepped forward, and grabbed my arm.
Rachel's Shade, the one standing here is my husband. I am human, and so is he. We are husband and wife—please stop saying meaningless things. This is reality. Even if that day comes, we’ll face it together, hand in hand. Ethan Zhang!
I looked up and smiled, answering with a soft 'mm.'