Chapter 64 — ILK Chapter 64

Specifically Learned This for You Sang Ye knew he was telling the truth. She had expected Lin Changli to be a "tight-lipped gourd" for a few more rounds before speaking plainly, but today he was unexpectedly transparent.

Now, the ball was in her court. How was she supposed to respond?

Many thoughts raced through her mind. If she followed the typical script, she should soothe him, follow his lead, and agree to everything. That was what a "normal" Guide would do.

But Sang Ye was not normal. She wouldn't submit to another's will, nor would she compromise just because of someone else's plea. She shouldn't have to carry the weight of his karma.

"I..." Lin Changli hesitated again before continuing, "I understand this is all one-sided. I know I'm putting you in a difficult position." He lowered his eyes, his lashes trembling slightly. "I've always been a burden to everyone."

In his broken, scorched mental landscape, his figure looked so small and fragile—as if a single touch would shatter him. Not good. Sang Ye suddenly became serious. If Lin Changli had stayed world-weary and cynical, or kept up his sharp-tongued, stubborn act, she could have handled a serious conversation and thought it through calmly. But her greatest weakness was people showing vulnerability—specifically, a man’s tears.

And this felt like a genuine outpouring of emotion. Logic and emotion, like a black and a white demon, tugged at her shoulders until her head throbbed. Finally, she shook her head violently, tossing both imaginary demons off.

"I can't give you an answer right now. I need time to think," she said, pouting as she surveyed the grim landscape. "Besides, making a confession in a place like this is way too uncool."

Lin Changli was momentarily speechless. He shifted the blame: "It wasn't me. He was too restless. If I didn't let him out, he would have burned this place to a crisp."

Outside, the little Phoenix seemed offended. The mental landscape shuddered violently, and charred soot fell from the sky, mixing with the scent of sulfur. Sang Ye had to grab onto the nearby Parasol Tree to steady herself.

Lin Changli didn't let her evade the topic. He took a small step forward, his brow lowered, softening his aggressive posture. "Are you unwilling to respond to me now, or will you never respond?" His golden-glowing eyes were clear and sharp, staring at her with a stubborn need for an answer.

"If I don't answer, will you refuse to leave this place today?" Sang Ye countered, shrugging. "I don't know what the future holds. But I know that if you don't come out, there will never be a 'future' for us."

The Parasol Tree had grown large enough to shade them both, continuously pumping mental energy into the domain. The two of them stared at each other for a long time until Lin Changli finally admitted defeat. He averted his gaze, looking as though he were about to retreat into himself again.

Sang Ye quickly stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve. She realized then that he wasn't wearing his usual combat suit today, but a black-and-gold formal robe similar to his mother's, with a phoenix feather pinned to his chest. The sleeves draped elegantly; Sang Ye found she could even wrap the fabric around her fingers twice.

She did exactly that, her calloused fingers rubbing against the smooth fabric, creating a rustling sound that seemed magnified in the silence. Her hands weren't soft or smooth like jade; they were the hands of a chef—marked, tough, and strong. She gave his sleeve a tug, and to her surprise, Lin Changli was pulled right toward her. His breath fell upon her head in warm, steady waves.

Sang Ye looked up at him. She had never liked being looked down upon, as she was instinctively sensitive to the pressure of others. She liked being 1.8 meters tall because few people could look down on her. But today, Lin Changli—stripped of his hostility—held neither sharp edges nor pressure in this mental world. His gaze was indescribably soft, yet pitiful. He pursed his lips as if questioning why she wouldn't answer him, yet continued to provoke his feelings.

Sang Ye found herself at a loss for words. They were very close, their gazes entwined.

"If you come out, I'll make Sukiyaki for you, okay?" Sang Ye finally spoke, though it was about something entirely unrelated. "It's sweet—both sweet and salty. I learned it from an ancient book. It's delicious for searing beef."

She spoke seriously, and Lin Changli listened just as intently.

"You know I don't usually like sweets. I specifically learned Sukiyaki for you. I planned to have it together in the Tide Sea, but then you ran back to the Palace without a word," Sang Ye said, coaxing him like a child.

Lin Changli’s hand turned over, gently grasping Sang Ye’s hand while she still held his sleeve. She fell into his palm. It was unexpected; her nails grazed his palm—damp and warm.

…

"Your Majesty, the temperature of the artificial island has returned to normal standards," a technician monitored. "The spiritual form has gone quiet."

The mist surrounding the island was dissipating. Lin Shuangxu stared out the porthole. As a fellow Guide, Wu Jinyue knew what she was worried about. She spoke with a steady, grounding voice: "Knowing the Prince's rank, it’s impossible for him to have peacefully drained his mental energy like this."

In other words, the current calm meant Sang Ye had succeeded.

As the fog cleared, Lin Shuangxu displayed a rare moment of nervousness. She leaned into the window and ordered the monitor to zoom in on the island. But the screen didn't change.

"Your Majesty, Marshal... it shows the command cannot be connected." The technician pointed at the screen, sweating.

Eve’s gentle voice rang out: "Highest authority has been accessed. All other commands are disabled."

At the core of a Space Fortress was a link to the supreme commander's mental power. While Lin Shuangxu had temporary access, the core authority of the Alpha Fortress had always belonged to Lin Changli.

"Mother. Empress Mother." Lin Changli’s voice echoed through the bridge. "Please do not worry. I apologize for the trouble I've caused."

Lin Shuangxu managed to compose herself, but her spiritual forms—the two giant saber-toothed tigers—did not. They lunged toward the window, transforming into black-and-gold mental energy that galloped toward the island.

On the island, Sang Ye and Lin Changli stood by the pool. The entire island was now covered by Sang Ye’s Parasol Trees and her companion plants. The Phoenix and the Trees worked in harmony, flourishing.

The little Phoenix was rolling happily in the woods until he sensed the familiar, surging mental energy coming from the sky—the same energy that had beaten him many times in the past. Realizing he had caused a "huge mess," he panicked. Poof! He turned into a cloud of gold-red mist and retreated into Lin Changli’s body, crying: "Mother is here! Mother is coming to hit me!" He even poked a claw out of Lin Changli’s forearm, gripping him tight. "You have to protect me!!"

It was both hilarious and pitiful.

"Oh? It didn't stay inside?" Sang Ye asked, remembering the tree she planted in the mental landscape.

Lin Changli returned to his "poker-faced" act, looking at her enigmatically. "Do you know what it means to bring your spiritual form into someone else's landscape and leave a branch behind?"

"?" Sang Ye rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Before he could use his sharp tongue, the saber-toothed tigers arrived. Even without seeing the Empress, the pressure of a top-tier Guide's spirit was immense. They circled Lin Changli, inspecting him so closely they'd notice if a single hair was out of place. One tiger snarled a few reprimands; the other nuzzled his face.

The snarling tiger glared at the Phoenix's peeking claw, scaring it back into hiding.

"Mother, stop scaring him. He listens to me now," Lin Changli defended, only to be growled at himself. Sang Ye laughed gloatingly.

The tigers wanted to enter his mind, but Lin Changli was firm: "Not now. You can't come in." Furious, the snarling tiger swiped the ground, cracking the earth all the way to the pool. Sang Ye watched with respect. So this is a combat-type S-rank Guide? The two tigers eventually dissolved into mist and returned to the fortress. Back on the bridge, Lin Shuangxu finally let out the breath she’d been holding. She slumped back as Wu Jinyue kicked a chair behind her to catch her. Only before her confidants could the Empress reveal her exhaustion.

Sayin handed her a cup of hot tea. "Thank you both. Thank goodness he's alright."

Wu Jinyue didn't look at her. She turned toward the horizon where the silhouette of the Snow Mountain was faintly visible.

"Are you going to see her?" Sayin asked. "You haven't been back to see her in so many years. She was just a child then, she didn't know..."

"I'm not going." Wu Jinyue interrupted. Her tone was resolute, devoid of emotion. Behind her, nine snow-white tails hung motionless. Sayin glanced at the tails and sighed.