“There’s no need to become someone like Liu Ying. You are you, with your own unique qualities that set you apart. Who knows? Maybe she even admires you.”
Liu Ying fell silent as she watched the dejected expression on Yang Xiyan’s face.
She didn’t know how to comfort her. Revealing her true identity as Liu Ying wasn’t an option—interacting with others under that name never ended well. It made forming genuine connections difficult and only complicated things further.
If Yang Xiyan found out she was her idol, their relationship would inevitably shift. She’d only see her through the lens of admiration, treating her with reverence, placing her on an untouchable pedestal. But the truth was, Liu Ying might not be as extraordinary as Yang Xiyan believed.
Though she wasn’t an idol in the traditional sense, her reputation in the magical world was undeniable—she was a figure many looked up to, a role model in her own right.
Yang Xiyan idolized her, aspiring to be like her, yet felt disheartened when she couldn’t measure up.
There was nothing Liu Ying could do about it. She hadn’t spent much time with Yang Xiyan. At first, she’d simply seen her as an exceptionally beautiful girl. Later, she realized she was a pampered young lady with a talent for painting. Now, she understood she was just an ordinary girl.
Yes, completely ordinary.
Future Ying had described the Yang Xiyan of her world as cold and aloof, a true highborn lady. But the Yang Xiyan of Liu Ying’s world? Just a simple, unremarkable girl, as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.
People were multifaceted, after all. Some put on a lively, cheerful front in public, only to retreat into quiet solitude when alone, even shedding tears in secret. Liu Ying understood that feeling all too well.
But she still didn’t know how to console Yang Xiyan. She simply gazed at her steadily and said, “I never expected you to admire her too. Well, I’ll pass your words along to Liu Ying—what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help with something like this?”
Yang Xiyan exhaled deeply, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
“Thank you!”
Why did she care so much about Liu Ying? Why was she her fan? Yang Xiyan didn’t want to explain. Her connection to Liu Ying wasn’t like that of an ordinary admirer—it wasn’t just about being saved.
It had happened when she was eleven. With the arrival of her maid, Yiyi, she’d begun yearning to explore the world outside. One summer day, she sneaked out with her maid to play, only to get lost—and encounter the woman she would never forget.
—Liu Ying!
Back then, she knew nothing of the world, like a sheltered young lady stepping out for the first time. Liu Ying had taken her by the hand and shown her all sorts of fascinating things, broadening her narrow horizons. They were around the same age, walking hand in hand through the streets, stirring the innocent fluttering of her young heart.
When she struggled to carry her things, Liu Ying helped her. When she embarrassed herself in front of other students, Liu Ying stepped in to smooth things over. When her feet ached, Liu Ying gently massaged them, healing her with magic, treating her like a princess—all while reminding her to keep the magic a secret.
That was the first time she had ever witnessed magic.
Sister Ying—even at such a young age, she was extraordinary.
On that day when the chaos erupted at the Thunder Dragon exhibit, Sister Ying stood before her like a deity, shielding her as she engaged in a life-and-death battle with the rampaging, rapidly evolving Thunder Dragon. Everyone praised how incredible Sister Ying had been, saving an entire city in mere moments, but only she knew that Sister Ying had forced herself to step forward.
Yet she did it to protect her and them.
After the incident, Liu Ying was exceptionally admitted to Tian Xingzi Magic Academy, becoming the youngest student in its history and eventually rising to fame as an idol magician. But for her, she never saw Liu Ying again.
Liu Ying held a special place in her heart.
She was her idol, her guiding light.
Seven or eight years had passed since they last met. Liu Ying had likely long forgotten her, but the memories of that day remained vivid, shaping the course of her life. To put it bluntly, she had been utterly captivated.
It wasn’t just gratitude for being saved—it was every little interaction they’d shared that day. She didn’t know if it counted as first love, but even her engagement to her fiancé, Tuoba Yichen, had only been agreed to because he bore some resemblance to that girl.
This was her deepest secret.
But now, Tuoba wanted to break off the engagement.
She had once prayed to the gods, willing to pay any price just to see Sister Ying again, but her pleas went unanswered. Now, meeting Xia Qiu, who claimed to be Sister Ying’s friend, was undoubtedly the closest she had ever gotten to her.
Yet she had no idea how to bring it up.
“What’s wrong?” Liu Ying noticed her sudden silence.
“N-Nothing.” Yang Xiyan averted her gaze, her cheeks flushed. It was all Xia Qiu’s fault—there was something about her that made people want to get close, especially those gentle, watery eyes that were impossible to resist. Without realizing it, her defenses had crumbled.
Sister Ying had the same kind of gaze—being stared at by her made her freeze in place.
Yang Xiyan steadied herself and said, “I’m really grateful for her existence. I hope she takes care of her health and doesn’t push herself to do the impossible. There are many things that don’t have to be done alone—leave them to the adults. Please stay safe.”
Liu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at her in surprise before finally nodding, warmth spreading through her chest. “Seems like you’re a gentle fan who knows how to keep a respectful distance!”
Yang Xiyan puffed out her chest proudly. “I am an elegant noble, after all.”
Liu Ying laughed.
“The things you didn’t say just now—Liu Ying often told me the same. True strength isn’t just about magical power; inner strength is what really matters.” Liu Ying smiled. “Like your paintings—they’re perfect. Isn’t that a kind of strength too? Watching you paint earlier, I couldn’t help but get lost in it. I could never create something like that.”
“Thank you.” Yang Xiyan smiled softly.
She had once wanted to become a girl like Liu Ying, which was why she studied magic. But she couldn’t endure the hardships and was quickly eliminated. Now, she truly wanted to become a painter, to support herself through her art someday.
Not that she had to worry about food or clothing, of course.
The two fell into a comfortable silence—one painting, the other lost in thought. Yang Xiyan’s earlier words had stirred something in Liu Ying’s heart—There are many things that don’t have to be done alone. Leave them to the adults.
It reminded her of her little angel, “Yang Xi”—that naive little princess, unbearably adorable.
It was that little angel who made her realize for the first time that magic wasn’t evil—it could be used to help people. In the end, this realization led her to abandon her habit of hiding her magic and become the superstar idol Liu Ying she is today.
One could say that without her, there would be no Liu Ying as we know her now.
She had been searching for her all this time, but unfortunately, she couldn’t find her.
“Miss, it’s time for your bath and dinner. It’s already very late,” the maid called out from a distance, breaking the quiet atmosphere. Upon seeing Liu Ying, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you still here?”
Liu Ying didn’t answer.
Yang Xiyan stopped drawing and noticed that it was indeed very late. She hadn’t realized how much time she had spent with this person. She couldn’t help but feel that, as expected of Ying-jie’s friend, their conversation was extraordinary—aside from their tendency to tease others, there was nothing bad about them.
On the way back, Liu Ying whispered to Yang Xiyan, “By the way, Xiyan, I’ve been feeling lately that some of your people have been acting strangely. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but be careful.”
Without waiting to see how Yang Xiyan would react, Liu Ying left after saying this. She headed to the edge of the camp to find Zi Ye and Anjiya. It was time—time to carry out the original plan: protect her, help her uncover the big villain, and see who was behind all this mischief.
By now, the sky had darkened, and the night wind was even colder than during the day. The only light nearby came from the campfire. Zi Ye and Anjiya didn’t seem to fit in with these young ladies. Most of the time, they would patrol with the bodyguards or witness Yang Xiyan and the others successfully completing their training.
As soon as Liu Ying returned, she saw Zi Ye dragging a basket of mushrooms back, happily saying to her, “Xia Qiu, tonight we’ll add some good dishes for Miss Xiyan. Remember to come and eat—don’t just have your self-heating hotpot again.”
“Wait a second.”
“What’s wrong?”
“These mushrooms…” Liu Ying’s expression changed drastically. She hurried over to Zi Ye, flipped through the mushrooms in her basket, and looked down into her eyes.
“What’s the matter? Are these mushrooms inedible?” Zi Ye’s face flushed red. She didn’t know why, but being looked at so closely by Liu Ying made her feel shy. Maybe it was because the other girl was tall and beautiful?
She really was beautiful but in a different way from Yang Xiyan. There was a gentle, soothing quality about her, and being around her felt comfortable.
“No, where exactly did you pick these mushrooms?” Liu Ying’s expression remained serious.
“Anjiya and I picked them nearby, right over there.” Zi Ye pointed to the north. She had examined the mushrooms carefully—as a mage, she had mastered the five basic skills and wouldn’t recklessly pick unfamiliar plants.
“The mushrooms are fine. Let them cook them.” Liu Ying quickly went to check on Anjiya. Sure enough, Anjiya was currently vomiting by the stream. Liu Ying rushed over and crouched beside her.
Anjiya couldn’t speak at all, vomiting violently. Liu Ying’s brows furrowed deeply as she gently patted her back. Though the patting wouldn’t actually help, it offered some comfort.
Before long, Anjiya finished vomiting.
Liu Ying took out a tissue to wipe the corners of her mouth, then looked at her pale face. Though not as stunning as Yang Xiyan’s, it was still delicate and cute, with fair skin. Her pained expression now made her even more pitiable.
“Come on, I’ll carry you back.” Liu Ying picked her up just as Zi Ye caught up, her face full of worry.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
As Liu Ying carried Anjiya back, everyone was in an uproar, rushing over to ask what had happened. After all, even the smallest mishap on the Beast Island could be fatal, and the deepening darkness of night only heightened their anxiety.
Liu Ying laid Anjiya down on the blanket they often sat on, keeping her in a prone position. She motioned for everyone to quiet down, then drew a magic circle on Anjiya’s back. Finally, she took out a small knife and gently cut through Anjiya’s clothing.
The knife was incredibly sharp, slicing through the fabric effortlessly.
As the clothing parted, Anjiya’s smooth, snow-white lower back came into view. But when their eyes traveled upward, everyone’s faces instantly turned pale. First, they saw the magic circle Liu Ying had just drawn, and then they noticed a dark, grotesque mass writhing hideously across Anjiya’s otherwise beautiful back.
Fortunately, it was confined within the boundaries of Liu Ying’s magic circle.
“What is that?!” The girls’ expressions twisted in horror, their eyes filled with fear. Even the bodyguards were unsettled—it was utterly revolting and terrifying.
“It’s a Blood Seal Curse. It thrives near fungal colonies and latches onto anyone picking mushrooms, eventually parasitizing their body,” Liu Ying explained, watching Anjiya writhe in pain with a pang of sympathy.
Over the past few days, Liu Ying had grown fond of both Anjiya and Zi Ye. They were sweet, driven girls who took on patrol duties diligently. Though magic wasn’t their profession, they still did their best in whatever tasks they could.
“What exactly is a Blood Seal Curse? Can it be cured?” Yang Xiyan crouched down, holding Anjiya’s hands as she asked Liu Ying.
“I told them to just stay in the camp! Why did they have to go patrolling and picking mushrooms? They could’ve left it to Xiao Chen and the others! Now look what’s happened—this is just hopeless!” Xue Ruoqing muttered angrily, biting her lower lip in helpless frustration. She didn’t know what to do but prayed nothing worse would happen.
“Don’t worry. The Blood Seal Curse isn’t fatal, but it does cause excruciating pain,” Liu Ying reassured them. She placed her hand on the magic circle and channeled her mana. Slowly, the black mass began to emerge from the golden array.
When it fully surfaced, everyone saw it was a small, black mushroom.
“There, there. Just a little mishap, that’s all,” Liu Ying said soothingly, draping her own coat over Anjiya. She crushed the black mushroom with her fingers before turning to Zi Ye.
Zi Ye’s heart clenched. “D-do I have it too?” she asked nervously, reaching back to feel her own spine.
“Let me check. It’s not certain,” Liu Ying replied, gesturing for her to sit down. She crouched behind Zi Ye and lifted the back of her shirt, but Zi Ye suddenly grabbed her wrist, pleading, “C-can it just be you who looks?”
Of course, the girl was shy. Everyone tactfully turned away to give her privacy while Liu Ying examined her.
Liu Ying lifted Zi Ye’s shirt and froze. There was no curse, but on her otherwise flawless back were several stark scars, likely from blade wounds.
“Anything?” Zi Ye asked anxiously.
“Nothing. You’re lucky,” Liu Ying answered lightly, though her fingers unconsciously traced the scars with gentle tenderness.
Zi Ye had just sighed in relief when she suddenly felt the cool touch on her back. Her face flushed crimson, and she hurriedly pulled her shirt down, flustered as she glanced toward Anjiya. “I-I’ll go check on Anjiya.”
“Not so fast,” Liu Ying said, pulling her back.
Zi Ye turned herself around to face her directly, muttering with her head lowered, “What’s the matter? I don’t have anything going on.”
Liu Ying took her small hand and unfolded her palm, then placed some medicine in it—where it came from was unclear. “This is a remedy for scars. I got it from someone else. The instructions are all on it.”
With that, she turned to attend to Anjiya.
Zi Ye stared blankly at her retreating figure. The scar was from a childhood accident when she had been cut by glass. After it healed, she hadn’t had the chance to use light magic to treat it, leaving behind an unsightly mark that had always troubled her.
She never expected Liu Ying not only to notice it but also to touch it so gently, as if her fingers had brushed against Zi Ye’s very heart. And now, in the midst of her flustered emotions, Liu Ying had given her this. Upon closer inspection of the instructions, it seemed this wasn’t just any ordinary medicine…
This girl was truly remarkable!
Zi Ye didn’t doubt whether Liu Ying was Tian Xingzi, because Liu Ying carried an air that was anything but ordinary. She was knowledgeable, witty, and in the few days they’d spent together, Zi Ye had learned so much from her. Most importantly, there was something about her that made hearts skip a beat.
Even if she wasn’t Tian Xingzi, she was certainly no ordinary person.
“There’s nothing to worry about, everyone,” Liu Ying said. “The Blood Seal Curse isn’t fatal. Once it attaches to a host, it forms a symbiotic heart. If the heart dies, the curse dies with it. Research shows that aside from the initial excruciating pain, the Blood Seal Curse doesn’t cause significant harm once fully parasitic. Besides, it’s been removed now, so there’s no danger.”
“I’ve heard of it,” bodyguard Chen Tianjing said with a frown. “The Blood Seal Curse thrives near a type of mushroom called Ding’an. It latches onto people during the harvesting process. Whether there are other means of attachment is still unknown. I think we should leave this place immediately. Those mushrooms we saw earlier aren’t safe to eat either.”