The vortex of feathers swirled wildly, colors flashing like fragments of moonlight. Then, with a sudden burst, it exploded outward, scattering mist and light across the lake. From within that storm, a foot stepped out, gentle yet deliberate, followed by a calm figure emerging from the glowing tornado.
Li Xuan blinked rapidly, his eyes widening as the world around him shifted. The cold forest had vanished; in its place stretched the familiar lake, shining beneath the soft glow of the moon. Mist rose lazily from its surface, curling around his ankles as the last feathers dissolved into the air and drifted toward his palm, merging into his skin like glowing embers fading into ash.
He took a slow step forward. The air here felt warm, almost comforting, as though he had never left the fire pit outside his home. The lake reflected the sky in perfect stillness—only his faint ripples disturbed it.
He expected as usual for her to come and they chat but today her presence seemed distant even though she was the one who summoned her .
He stopped at the edge, the moonlight spilling across his face. There, in the middle of the lake, a faint glow pulsed beneath the surface—soft at first, then brighter, clearer, like a star trapped under water.
Without hesitation, he sat down, rolling up his trousers. The water was warm against his skin, smoother than silk. He swung his legs lazily, watching the ripples widen in circles.
The small light began to rise from the lake, shimmering like molten silver. As it neared the surface, it flared gently, brushing his arm with warmth that seeped into his bones.
Then, instead of light breaking free, an illusory hand stretched out from beneath the water, reaching toward him.
Li Xuan froze only for a heartbeat, instinct taking over before thought could stop him. He reached out, grasping the hand firmly. It was surprisingly warm—far too warm for something that had been under water for so long.
The next moment, the hand pulled him with startling strength.
"Wait—!"
He barely managed a breath before he was yanked forward, plunging into the lake. Water rushed around him in a blur, bubbles spinning past as he sank. His eyes opened in shock—and widened further when he saw her.
A woman's figure shimmered through the blue depths, her dark hair flowing like smoke, her expression calm, almost amused. She smiled faintly, and the water seemed to glow around her.
"You won't die," she said softly, her voice clear despite the water. "Allow yourself to breathe."
Li Xuan hesitated, uncertain if he should trust her. But something in her tone, something ancient and certain, made him obey.she wasn't the mysterious ghostly female of the lake but kind of resembled like her .
He opened his mouth cautiously—only to realize no water entered. He could breathe, normally, as though the lake itself had turned to air.
His eyes widened in awe.
The woman's hand tightened slightly, pulling him deeper. The light of the moon faded above them, swallowed by the dark. Still, Li Xuan didn't resist. He let himself be guided, his movements calm as if this were just another dream.
Then, ahead of them, another vortex of light appeared—larger, swirling like a gateway of glowing feathers and mist. Together, they slipped into it.
The world blinked.
When Li Xuan opened his eyes, he was standing on solid ground again. But it wasn't the forest, nor the lake. It was a vast dome filled with a dim, golden light. The air shimmered faintly, thick with spiritual energy.
The woman who had held his hand was no longer there. Instead, her body dissolved into fine mist that floated across the room, gathering into a crystal that hung suspended in the air.
Li Xuan turned in awe. There were six of those crystals in total, each one fixed above a tall stone pillar surrounding a lotus-shaped platform at the center. The light they gave off bathed everything in a serene, dreamlike glow.
"High-grade soul crystals," he breathed, stepping forward.
Before he could take another step, a voice echoed—soft but carrying power.
"Stop."
He froze.
It was a woman's voice, warm as sea wind and strangely familiar. The crystals lit up all at once, their radiance spilling out like flowing mist that gathered atop the lotus stone.
A silhouette began to form.
From the mist, a woman emerged—dark-haired, with eyes that shimmered in shades of pink and violet. Her presence was both ethereal and ancient, her form half-illusory as though her body existed between light and shadow.
"Welcome to my home," she said gently, her gaze fixed on him.
Li Xuan smiled, unafraid. "This is the first time you called me. I hope everything is all right."
The woman tilted her head slightly, studying him. Her eyes scanned his figure, pausing as though reading something hidden beneath his skin.
"Huh," she murmured, frowning. "Among all humans I've met, you are…" She paused, lips curving slightly. "Stupid."
Li Xuan didn't take offense. Instead, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "You think so?" he said lightly. "So, this is your home?"
She followed his gaze. The dome above shimmered with a translucent barrier, keeping the water outside at bay. Beyond it, faint shapes drifted—fish, fragments of coral, broken relics of an ancient world.
"'Home,'" she echoed softly, floating upward until her feet no longer touched the floor. "More like a lonely wasteland."
Li Xuan's smile deepened. "You aren't alone, Alinri. You have me."
Her brow arched slightly. "Indeed," she said dryly. "You're stupid, curious, and oddly entertaining. That's why I tolerate you. Like a puppet performing tricks for its master."
Li Xuan's smile faltered, though he tried to hide it. His eyes softened, quietly reflecting the glow of her crystals.
"Well," he said after a pause, "I might be a puppet, but at least I'm charming."
That earned him a sideways glance. The corners of her lips twitched. "For a nine-year-old boy to feel comfortable with a ghost of a thousand years—that isn't charm, it's stupidity."
Li Xuan chuckled softly. "My heart is strong, and I mean what I say. You gave me comfort when no one else did. Isn't that love?"
Her expression shifted—amusement, then pity. "There's a difference between love and pity," she said evenly. "Tell me, would you kiss your mother on the lips just because she cares for you?"
That question silenced him completely. His mouth opened, then closed again. For once, he had no clever response.
"No," he finally muttered, his voice small. "But that's because she's family. You're… not. You could be someone else in my life. Maybe like a grandmother. You kind of have that—"
The ground trembled faintly. Li Xuan shut his mouth instantly.
"I get your point," she said, descending slowly until her feet touched the stone. "But that doesn't mean you're anything special to me."
Li Xuan frowned. "Then why summon me?"
The woman hesitated. For a moment, her eyes softened as if she wanted to say something true. But then, with a small sigh, she looked away. "Just boredom," she said finally, and stepped closer until she stood right in front of him.
Her hand lifted, fingers brushing his shoulder. But the moment she touched him, she flinched violently, withdrawing as if burned.
Her expression hardened. "Why is your body full of disastrous poison?"
Li Xuan blinked, genuinely confused. "What?"
"Look at your veins," she said, circling him.
He glanced down. At first, nothing seemed wrong. Then he noticed it—thin lines of faint purple tracing along his skin where his veins ran, too small to notice before.
He clenched his fists as realization struck. Feng Lei.
That fool. Of course he would try to poison him after losing.
"Just a fight with an idiot," Li Xuan muttered.
"Was it those morons you ordered to undress?" she asked with a smirk.
He looked up sharply. "What—how did you—" His eyes widened as understanding dawned. "So it was you who helped me! You were the one who blocked the backlash."
Her smirk deepened. "Shouldn't you kneel when thanking someone properly?"
Li Xuan hesitated, then sighed. The pressure radiating from her was heavy, almost divine. Ever since he first met her by the lake, he thought she was just a wandering spirit. But now, seeing this, feeling her presence—he knew she was something else entirely. Something far stronger, far older.
He bent both knees and lowered his head, pressing his palms together. "Thank you," he said sincerely.
For a moment, silence filled the dome. Then she said, almost casually, "Remove your clothes and follow me."
Li Xuan's head shot up, eyes wide. "What?"
The words alone made his stomach twist. A thousand-year-old woman telling a nine-year-old boy to strip was not something he expected from a sacred spirit.
He opened his mouth to protest, but the faintest smirk curved her lips—playful, knowing.
"Relax," she said. "You're poisoned. Unless you want to die, do as I say."