In the chapter The Turbulent Heavenly Continent, I made a few changes to deepen the reunion between Su Min and Xie Yingying. The original version was straightforward, playful in tone, and hinted at their relationship more through actions than emotions. Su Min's return was bold, and the story quickly moved on to the plot. But for me, this moment felt like a turning point. Their feelings had grown too big for brief gestures or half-spoken words.
So I changed it.
Instead of "Clang, I'm back," I gave Su Min a softer reintroduction: "Guess who's back?"
This line shows her mischievous nature and sets the tone for a reunion that feels real and earned. The characters are not just reacting with shock or hormones, they are reacting with longing, restraint, and shared history. I added more touch-based narration, letting her warmth and Taiyang energy speak before her words did. This lets the reader feel the weight of her return before the plot moves forward.
This was not just flirtation. In the original, Xie Yingying is briefly overwhelmed and quickly returns to a practical tone. In my version, she does not just react, she remembers. Her body remembers the heat, her heart remembers the ache, and she chooses not to pull away. Even a teasing whisper like "You're not pulling away" becomes a way for Su Min to say "You still want me, don't you?" without forcing the words.
Xie Yingying, who has always been composed and hard to fluster, now falters not in fear, but in ache. I rewrote her reaction to show vulnerability and emotional confusion, letting her body betray her calm. She leans back. She grips Su Min's sleeve. She asks "why did you stop?" not as an accusation, but with raw, breathless honesty. (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Moments like this never existed in the previous chapters. Their relationship had always hovered around the edges. But now, for the first time, they could say "I missed you" directly, not through implication or teasing. I felt that had to be said. After everything they had gone through, some things should finally be spoken aloud.
Another change came when Su Min gave her the Taiying essence blood. The original description was brief, but something that precious deserved more attention. Instead of rushing to explain it, I lingered on Xie Yingying's reaction. Her breath caught. Her pupils tightened. A moment of stunned silence. These quiet details show how much it mattered, not just for her cultivation, but to her personally. Her body's response, tied to her Lunar Sovereign constitution, added a layer of intimacy that did not need to be spelled out.
Then came the plot.
Instead of abruptly jumping into the looming crisis, I let it settle over the warmth of their reunion like a shadow. Su Min's voice softens. Xie Yingying asks, "Why are you back?" not as a demand, but as someone afraid of the answer. This created a stronger emotional contrast between the closeness they'd just shared and the threat now hovering over their world.
I also changed Su Min's reason for stopping her advance. In the original, she just pulled back with no explanation. I made it softer by giving her a teasing but grounded line: "Because if I didn't, you'd tackle me, and we really don't have time for that." It adds some levity, but it also shows restraint and awareness of the situation, reflecting the growth she's had since they last met.
When Su Min finally explains the Dark Rebellion, the weight isn't just political—it's personal. Their moment together had to end, and the war gave them no choice.
Finally, I added one last small gesture before Xie Yingying went into seclusion. She looked back and said to Su Min, "Wait for me." A simple line, but it carried all the trust, affection, and unspoken promises they never had time to say aloud. And Su Min, who always carries too much on her own, finally gives a reply that says it all: "Always." (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
On the Chapter: Chaos Creation
There were several parts in this chapter where I made big changes during translation. Not because the original was lacking, but because I wanted certain emotional layers to come through more clearly, especially in Su Min and Xie Yingying's relationship. The original text was already strong, but I felt some moments could be deepened so they hit harder in English.
In the original, Tian Yang decides to send Xie Yingying away to protect her, recognizing the danger of the battle and Su Min's reliance on her. The original phrasing was straightforward and practical. I chose to expand it to show that it wasn't just a tactical decision, it was emotional too.
I emphasized Tian Yang's awareness that Xie Yingying isn't just a comrade or a tool, but Su Min's emotional anchor. He isn't just worried about her safety. He's worried about what might happen if Su Min lost her. That's why I wrote:
[He truly didn't know what that woman might do in her rage, maybe Su Min would burn the world for her.]
This wasn't in the original, but I felt it made sense. Given Su Min's protective, driven nature and how deeply she's tied to Xie Yingying, it shows that even side characters can sense the depth of their bond.
In the second part, the original has Su Min casually mention reaching "perfection" in her Chaos Physique and tell Xie Yingying to absorb some origin power later. It works, but I wanted to lean more into their emotional connection.
I focused on how Xie Yingying throws herself into Su Min's arms, not just affectionately, but almost desperately. I wanted to show her internal tension, the subtle fear that Su Min is changing, becoming more distant, maybe even unreachable. That's why I added:
[Her arms wrapped tightly around Su Min's waist, her face buried against the side of her neck.]
…and her whispered, trembling observation: ["You smell different. You feel… different."]
This wasn't in the original, but it adds nuance. Su Min comforts her here, even spoils her a little, which fits her character. Their dynamic isn't flashy, but it's quietly intense, and I let that guide how I rewrote the scene.
I also brought out the philosophical side of the Chaos Physique. It's not just about absorbing power, it's about embracing the full spectrum of existence, both divine and corrupted. The original hinted at this, but I expanded it with contrast and metaphor:
[But Chaos came before the Dao. And to perfect it meant embracing not just creation, but also everything discarded, corrupted, and cursed.]
I felt it was important to make this clear, especially for readers who might not be familiar with cultivation terms. It had to land emotionally, not just conceptually.
Finally, I added weight to Xie Yingying's reaction when Su Min tells everyone to leave. Her helplessness needed a quiet moment to shine. That's why I wrote:
[She looked away, jaw tight, eyes glistening with a sheen of helplessness she wouldn't show anyone else.]
I didn't want her to seem weak. I wanted to show how deeply she cares, which makes their bond feel human and bittersweet. (｡•́︿•̀｡)
On the Chapter: Speedrunning the Dark Continent
This scene originally moved fast. Su Min announces her intent, everyone gets ready to leave, and Xie Yingying shows a little hesitation. But I felt this moment needed more space, because it's not just a tactical separation. It's emotional, especially for Xie Yingying, even if she doesn't say it out loud.
So in my version, I slowed things down.
I gave more time to how Su Min speaks. She's calm, unshakable, and increasingly distant. Not cold, just farther away, as if she's already walking a road no one else can follow. The others don't resist her decision, not because they agree, but because they're realizing they can't keep up anymore.
That shift, especially in Xie Yingying's reaction, became the heart of this scene in my translation. In the original, her line was just "What are you going to do?" followed by Su Min's reply. I wanted to stretch out the hesitation and the helplessness behind that question.
For example, instead of the neutral line:
["What are you going to do?"]
I rewrote it as:
["What are you planning to do?" she asked, her voice low.]
It's not a huge change in meaning, but the tone is more intimate, restrained, and heavy with worry.
I also added internal tension to lines like:
[She didn't want to go.]
And added a physical reaction:
[Her body trembled almost imperceptibly, whether from exhaustion or something deeper, even she didn't know.]
These weren't in the original, but I felt they were essential to show that her resistance wasn't just about protecting Su Min. It was about not being left behind, emotionally or spiritually.
I also expanded Jiang Xi's role. Originally, she simply pulled Xie Yingying away with little explanation. I gave her a quieter, more sympathetic tone to show that someone like Jiang Xi understood what Xie Yingying was feeling. She became a soft voice of reason, not just a force of action.
["We can't help right now. If we stay, we're just giving her more to worry about."]
I layered in the unspoken fear threading through Xie Yingying's heart:
[That this distance wasn't temporary. That Su Min was moving beyond them. Beyond her.]
This wasn't stated in the original, but I felt it would naturally arise in someone as prideful and emotionally guarded as Xie Yingying. She's always followed closely behind Su Min's steps, but now, for the first time, it feels like she might not be able to keep up.
In the last moment, as Xie Yingying ascends with Jiang Xi, I added a quiet, unresolved image:
[Her heart was still facing the woman below. And she didn't look away.]
Lastly, I shifted the very end of the scene to be more visually and emotionally symbolic. In the original, the chapter closes with Su Min preparing to act. I kept that structure but emphasized the solitude she steps into:
[As they left, the dark tides of the universe surged forward again, and Su Min closed her eyes. The others had retreated. Now it was her turn to shape the darkness.]
It's not tragic, not yet. But the melancholy of distance, of change, of someone rising beyond what love can follow for now, is what I hoped to capture in this rewrite.
On the Chapter: The Method of Longevity
In this chapter, Su Min modifies a cultivation method originally meant for endless reincarnation through self-severance. It's a brutal but powerful path. The original text explained the basics clearly: Su Min simplified the method so it could only be used once, trading infinite potential for one more life.
But I saw a chance to go beyond the technique and explore the emotional reasoning behind Su Min's choices. I rewrote the dialogue to focus on her quiet desperation. She wasn't just tinkering with a method. She was buying time for someone she couldn't bear to lose.
That's why I added a more personal exchange between her and Yao Xian'er. Instead of stating facts, I let them speak around their feelings, like close friends or allies might. Neither fully confesses, but both know.
["You're thinking of her, aren't you?"]
No name was needed. The silence said enough. I wanted the reader to feel that Su Min's motivation had become clearer. It wasn't just about power. It was about preserving love. That wasn't spelled out in the original, but it was there beneath the surface. I just brought it closer to light. (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
I also clarified some of the cosmology. The original said Su Min's method "lost its essence" but didn't explain what that meant. I reframed it like this:
["Now, it can only be used once. At most, someone gets a second life. But it loses the essence of eternal progression."]
This makes the stakes clearer. It's no longer a path to immortality. It's a shelter, a moment to breathe in a world that won't wait.
One important change was giving Yao Xian'er a moment to reflect. She's not just a strong cultivator, she's someone who understands that this way isn't for everyone. In the original, she just says the method could be useful for Jiang Xi and stores it away. I let her process the choice:
[She would never use this method. She had to forge her own path, no matter how dangerous. But she didn't expect everyone else to do the same.]
I felt this contrast was needed. Su Min and Yao Xian'er are both powerful, almost untouchable figures. But here, they act on something human: the desire to protect. Not through strength or force, but through gentle foresight.
I also added this quiet admission from Su Min:
["She can't keep pace with me otherwise."]
It wasn't in the original, but it was implied. Su Min is moving toward something immense, something Xie Yingying could never catch up to without help. She knows it, and it hurts.
The technique she modifies isn't just a cultivation trick. It's a gift. A way for the one she loves to stay by her side just a little longer. (｡•́︿•̀｡)
The next part of the chapter in the original text focused on practical exposition. Su Min collects sealing crystals, prepares for future dangers, and explains her strategy of using severance and suspension for herself and Xie Yingying. There's also a brief mention of the Golden Crow's possible path forward.
I felt this scene deserved more than logistics. It was the emotional foundation for what Su Min is really doing: preparing for separation.
So I slowed it down and expanded the emotional texture.
Instead of simply saying Su Min turned and left, I added a short transition scene. Her footsteps echo through the sealing chambers. There's subtle tension in her pacing. The long-term foresight behind her actions becomes visible. I start with her walking alone, thinking not about the method, but about time. About what it means to have time when others don't.
These weren't just technical plans. They were choices shaped by love, by fear, by a future only she might see. That's the real heart of the chapter. Not power, not logistics, but the loneliness of immortality. She has time. Others don't. And that truth haunts her steps. (╥﹏╥)
In the original, Su Min says:
["After you enter the late Mahayana stage, you must kill yourself. Then I can keep you alive."]
While technically accurate, it felt harsh. I softened it to:
["Not die," Su Min said gently. "Just pause. Wait."]
I wanted self-severance to feel less like death and more like a promise. A way to meet again. For Su Min, it's not about resurrection. It's about preservation. She's trying to hold onto someone she loves in the only way she can.
That's also why I added:
["Will you be there when I wake up?"]
It's a simple question, but it says everything about their bond. Su Min's reply—"I will. I promise."—carries more weight because readers already suspect the truth. She'll still be there because she can, because time doesn't touch her. But Xie Yingying is mortal. Still finite.
I made sure unspoken fear crept in quietly:
[That was a truth even Xie Yingying wasn't ready to hear.]
On the Chapter: Slaying Immortals
This part of the original was full of action. There was the clash of forces, the shockwave, the recognition of immortal strength. But what it didn't linger on was what I think is really the heart of the scene, Xie Yingying's fear.
In the original, she's briefly described as startled, her hands pale, her heart almost leaping out. But those moments pass too quickly. Seeing someone you love face two immortals and come out unscathed deserves more space to sink in.
So I slowed the battle down and let Xie Yingying feel it fully.
Her fear isn't tactical. It's not about Su Min's odds of winning or losing. It's primal. The kind that grips your chest when someone you love disappears in a flash of light and you aren't sure they will return.
[Not because of the pressure, but because for a heartbeat, she thought she'd lost her.]
I added that line to capture what wasn't fully expressed before.
I kept Tian Hao's shock and his reference to the Nether Prison mostly intact, though I trimmed and restructured them a bit. His awe is still part of the scene, but now it comes second to Xie Yingying's perspective. She is the emotional lens here.
The original ended with:
["But now it seems that her worries were unnecessary."]
I felt that line was true but emotionally thin. Instead of brushing her concern aside, I wanted to show that even when her fear is unfounded, it still matters. Her heart doesn't work by logic. Her fear is part of her love.
[No matter how high Su Min soared, Xie Yingying would never stop fearing for her. Never stop wanting to reach her.]
On the Chapter: The End of an Era
The original version of this scene was very direct, almost blunt. Su Min tells Xie Yingying, "If you can't improve, you can kill yourself," and then follows with a practical offer to prepare a safe place, noting the limits of Mahayana cultivators and lifespan.
But I wanted to deepen the scene into something more than just a plan and its consequences.
By this point, readers already know the stakes.
What they may not fully realize is how much Su Min feels the burden of time, and how much she wishes she didn't have to watch Xie Yingying wither while she keeps going.
That's what this rewrite focused on, creating space for the unspoken emotions. Not just logistics, but love, loneliness, and the quiet ache of watching someone mortal walk beside you when you're eternal.
The original fit Su Min's cold pragmatism, but by this point, it didn't reflect the full truth of her character.
Su Min is no longer the solitary alchemist who once lived only for revenge. She's someone with people to protect. Someone she can't bear to lose.
So I softened the language, not to weaken her decisiveness, but to show the quiet grief behind her offer.
["I'm offering a way to live longer... You don't have to disappear."]
The word choice matters. She isn't demanding Xie Yingying take action. She's pleading. The cost of doing nothing is unbearable but unspoken. Xie Yingying will die, and Su Min will live on. That imbalance terrifies her.
Another change was in tone. The original focused heavily on systems: the limits of sealing for Mahayana cultivators, the unreliability of relying on Xie Yingying, and the technical discussion of secret-blocking and heavenly senses.
I kept these points, but framed them as contextual conclusions instead of the focus. The mechanics are still important, but I placed them at the end. Why? Because this moment is not about rules. It's about love and time.
["I don't want you to disappear."]
That line is the pivot of the rewrite. Not plans, not seals, not escape routes. It's about what Su Min can't say aloud, the terror of eternal life when the one who anchors you is mortal.
I also added internal conflict:
["Because if she did, Xie Yingying would follow her to the ends of time. And Su Min wasn't sure her heart could take that."]
This line wasn't in the original, but it builds on what's already there: Su Min's protective nature, her fear of dragging others into her endless path, and her unwillingness to force Yingying. It's not just about power imbalance, it's about grief deferred.
The moment Su Min touches Xie Yingying's cheek is a quiet emotional climax. This is understated love, a confession that doesn't need to be spoken aloud.
["They didn't speak of love. They didn't need to. It filled the space between them, weightless and impossible."]
Xie Yingying's response was also reworked to show quiet agency. She isn't just agreeing. She chooses to stay, even knowing the cost.
["Then let me stay by your side a little longer."]
In that line, I wanted to show how much strength it takes to remain when time is against you. She knows she can't keep up forever, and still she walks beside her.
Together.
For now.
And that's all either of them can ask.
( ･ᴗ･̥̥̥ )
===
To be honest, the author never really made Su Min's gender clear in her first life, the modern-day one, before she transmigrated. I personally just assumed she was a woman, even though there's a moment later in the story where Xie Yingying mentions Su Min having a "Yin body, Yang soul," which Su Min herself echoes near the end.
Why do I still see her as female? Mostly because she felt too calm, in my opinion. Even after realizing this world wasn't just a game but a real one, she never showed any discomfort or rejection about her gender. She only complained about her "character build," not the gender itself.
Okay, maybe she did complain once about "rolling a male character," but let's be real. That happened right after she transmigrated into Su Min's body, when she was being cornered by brothel thugs and had just inherited the original Su Min's traumatic memories.
I mean, if you were in her shoes, wouldn't being male feel like the safer option at that moment? As a fallen noblewoman with a beautiful face and no protection, she was prime brothel material after her clan was wiped out. Being male would have meant avoiding that particular fate.
But obviously, that couldn't happen. If Su Min had been born male, she would have been executed along with her clan, and transmigration into her body would have been impossible from the start.
So yeah, all things considered, that one complaint wasn't about rejecting femininity. It was just pure "wrong place, wrong time" panic.
Another reason I see her as female is that male characters with pure Yin physiques aren't unheard of. Like Mo Su from True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress. And if I remember correctly, there's a female character named Pei Xihe in another novel who had a female companion with an ice attribute and a male character who loved her. In the end, she became the young mistress of the Golden Crow Clan, which suggests a strong Yang-aligned physique. So it's not weird to me for a male to have Yin traits or a female to lean toward Yang.
Another key moment is the Five Elements Mountain arc, when Su Min takes the shape-shifting pill. The pill allows the user to transform into anything. Personally, I think it brings out a form that reflects the user's true nature. And what form did Su Min take? A bratty little loli. Mischievous, young at heart, and kind of a gremlin. That's the shape her mind settled into. Considering how broad the pill's effects are, it could even mask the user's original identity, and it could have made her male if that reflected her true self. But it didn't. She stayed female.
To me, that's a strong hint from the author that Su Min's soul leans toward Yin, not Yang. So in the end, I chose to write Su Min clearly as a woman from the very beginning.
===
Reiya Notes after the 2nd rewrite:
All of these "Final Chapter: The Quiet Footsteps Behind Each Page," or really, the whole translation project of "I Became a Fairy And Lived Forever In The Fairy World," has shaped the way I approach all my translation projects.
Like I mentioned in the "Heads Up" chapter under "On My Translation Style & Notes" and in the "Regarding the Nature of This Translation" section, it says:
[This project is best understood as a "Creative Translation." It is not a word-for-word conversion, but a subjective interpretation intended to capture the soul of the story in a new language. I act as both a translator and a creative partner to the text, which means I may expand, interpret, or slightly alter elements to serve the narrative's flow and emotional impact in English.
Consequently, the text you are reading is a hybrid work. It is fundamentally the author's story, but it is also distinctly my version of it. It exists in the space between direct translation and fan adaptation, faithful to the spirit but shaped by my creative choices.]
I think now you can see what that really means. My translation isn't exactly the same as how the author wrote it. Sure, any translation will involve interpretation, and that's fine. But my projects go further than just interpreting. That's what makes my work different from a general translation. I dig deeper, add scenes, expand moments, and all of that makes my version different from the original.
It's important to be clear, though, that this isn't fanfiction, a fan adaptation, or a self-insert story where the translator overrides the original author's ideas. My version is still faithful to the core of the story. I'd say at the very least, it stays 70 to 80 percent (the lowest rate) true to the original work. For example, major plot points, character arcs, and the world's rules are all intact, but some moments are enriched or slightly adjusted to make the emotional impact stronger in English.
This is what I mean by "hybrid work" and "creative translation." It's still fundamentally the author's story, but it's also my version of it. I bring out certain emotional beats, clarify some relationships, and sometimes slow down or expand a scene so the reader feels it more fully, while keeping the story faithful at its heart.
So, if you like my translation style, you can follow me on AO3 (Rikhi). See you later~
Oh, and I made a Discord server. It's still pretty empty though.
https://discord.gg/75sprU6DdD