The space trembled.
Strands of twisted light flickered in the darkness, like cracks spreading across the surface of an unstable reality. A cold wind swept through, carrying distant echoes of voices with no clear source.
Xuan Xingli stood face to face with the shadow of herself.
The other figure was clad in pure black, long hair cascading down her back, eyes devoid of warmth—like a bottomless abyss. Though bound by dark chains, she exuded an inexplicable aura of dominance.
She did not attack.
Did not struggle.
She simply stood there, looking at her.
A gaze that seemed to pierce through everything.
"Don't you remember?"
That voice echoed, like a ripple from deep within the mind.
Xuan Xingli clenched her fist, a lingering numbness tingling at her fingertips. Memories of that room, of the girl walking away, remained as vivid as an unhealed scar.
"Remember what?" she responded, voice soft yet sharp.
"Remember me."
A strong gust of wind swept through, making the fabric of her clothes billow. The space around her grew heavier, as if the weight of reality itself was pressing down on her.
She stared into the shadow's eyes.
"Who are you?"
The shadow smiled.
A smile full of meaning, yet devoid of warmth.
"I am you."
From the darkness, the black chains began to tighten, consuming what little light remained in the void. But even in captivity, the shadow did not appear defeated.
Xuan Xingli felt her heart skip a beat.
An unfamiliar feeling.
Not fear.
Not anger.
But... unease.
Unease, because a part of her... wanted to believe those words.
The space quivered again.
Fragments of darkness fractured like shards of a broken black mirror. A violent tremor erupted, unleashing swirling waves of shadowy mist around the bound figure.
The chains shuddered.
Then... they began to crack.
Xuan Xingli's eyes widened.
Could it be… it was about to break free?
Her gaze turned sharp, thousands of thoughts flashing through her mind. But before she could act, that low, haunting voice echoed once more.
"You were never truly able to imprison me."
The way it spoke was light as a whisper, yet it made her chest tighten.
Never truly able to imprison…?
The chains suddenly snapped apart.
There was no loud explosion, no violent burst of energy—just a silent dissolution. The shattered links turned to black dust, swirling into the void like remnants of something drained of all vitality.
The shadow took a step forward.
For the first time since appearing, it moved.
One step.
Two steps.
The distance between them shrank rapidly.
Xuan Xingli instinctively stepped back. But before she could react further, a cold, piercing force crashed into her mind.
In an instant, all her senses were smothered.
This feeling…
It was not physical power.
Not External Xuan Yuan.
But… Internal Xuan Yuan.
A shudder ran through her body, flashing fragments of images flickering through her mind.
Incomplete memories.
Buried emotions.
Faint conversations between her and a voice that felt strangely familiar.
The pressure mounted.
The shadow raised a hand.
A slow, deliberate movement—unrushed, yet every fiber of Xuan Xingli's being tensed under its presence.
It placed a hand on her chest.
Right over her heart.
"Come back, Xuan Xingli."
The moment those words fell, the entire space collapsed.
She opened her eyes.
No endless void.
No shifting darkness.
Only the dimly lit room, carrying the faint scent of aged wood.
She was still lying on the bed, the blanket draped over her body.
Nothing had changed.
Except…
Her hand trembled slightly.
The lingering images still hovered in her mind, like echoes refusing to fade.
Slowly, she placed a hand over her chest.
Her heartbeat remained steady.
But… something was different.
Xuan Xingli did not know what she had forgotten.
Or perhaps… she had never truly remembered.