A Stroll Within a Painting

Using a bit of Qi to activate it, Meiyi used an illusion spell to create a human silhouette. No face, no specific clothes—just a tall shape resembling the night sky, a silent companion that wouldn't judge her or complain about her childish urges. As the music started, she moved, dancing with closed eyes and a soft smile while the peach blossom trees rustled gently. By the west window, who sketches lovebirds on paper? To the south, endless drizzle shrouds the sunset. The air turns cold, ripples wake, and mist spreads wide, As a lonely boat drifts slowly by. The illusion mimicked her movements. First, it placed a hand over its forehead as if looking out for something. Then, both lifted their arms as if letting their sleeves shield them from imaginary rain, before the shape lowered its arms around her waist. They stepped left and right like a couple hugging to ease the cold, then spun in unison. Whose voice sings each melody so sweet and low? As wind roams small streets, and willow branches blow. Slowly, I savor the spring in full bloom, A journey to this mortal world, never in vain. Her arms lifted gently left and right, raising one over her head for the illusion to hold as she twirled. As they faced each other, she took two steps back with her hands clasped behind her back while it moved forward, then she stepped up as it stepped back. The shape then placed both hands on her hips, lifting her up. They spun together as she laughed softly with arms spread like wings, the hem of her robe fluttering gently. Hidden behind the thick trunk of an ancient peach tree, Li Ryu and Yin Bai stood frozen. The music from the sound-retaining stone drifted through the grove, light and melancholic, carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken feelings. Li Ryu's hand pressed against the bark, his knuckles white. He watched the silhouette of the illusion—the night sky given form—and how it moved with her, held her, and offered the comfort she so clearly denied herself. His golden eyes were wide, fixed on the way Meiyi's robe fluttered like wings as she spun. Yin Bai's breath hitched. His violet eyes darkened, focused not on the beauty of the dance, but on her expression. That soft smile. The way she laughed—a sound so genuine it felt like a physical ache in his chest. "She's dancing with nothing," Yin Bai whispered, his voice barely audible above the music. Li Ryu didn't answer. He couldn't. His throat felt tight, as if the music itself was pressing against his windpipe. He watched the night-sky illusion lift Meiyi, her laughter ringing through the grove like silver bells, and for a moment, he envied the shadow. The shadow got to hold her. The shadow got to be the partner she needed. "She's lonely," Li Ryu finally said, his voice ragged. Yin Bai's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning ashen. "She has us. We're right here." "Are we?" Li Ryu turned his head slightly, looking at his brother with a gaze that was uncharacteristically sharp. "When she's sitting in that dining hall, smiling at the Elders, making jokes so they don't ask questions—is she truly with us?" Yin Bai had no retort. The cheerful melody played on as her feet touched the ground. The illusion continued to move, in perfect sync with her imagination. The spell was taxing, and she could feel her Qi draining, but the feeling of freedom far outweighed the exhaustion. Watching the spring, i ya i ya, swaying in the breeze, The world takes on a rosy hue outshining every flower. Like an opera, a step, a sway of sleeves, what is there to fear? As the gentle drizzle drifts away. Both of her hands rested in the illusion's gentle grasp as they took turns lifting them up and down, stepping side to side. One of its hands reached down to hold her waist while the other kept hold of hers. They swept their legs, stepping backward in a wide circle. She lifted a sleeve, tilting her body to the right while the illusion tilted to the left as they looked at each other, then repeated in the opposite direction—as if she were hiding her smiling face from its gaze—before flicking her sleeves up in a graceful arch. Admiring the spring, i ya i ya, stirring the heart, Wind softly sings, the sky is deep blue, fragrance spreads for miles. Through the heavy mist, your gentle smile blooms like a camellia, As I softly recite two lines of verse. The shape held her hand high as she twirled in a graceful circle around it, before pulling her gently against its chest. Their bodies tilted left and right in rhythm, and Meiyi reached back, gently caressing the illusion's cheek. Turning to face the figure once more, she tilted her head back slightly, resting the back of her hand beneath her chin in the universal gesture of a shy, radiant smile. Finally, she reached up with both hands, resting them against the nape of its neck. Closing her eyes, she let the shadow spin her in slow circles once more, its dark hands tenderly supporting her back. /- Inspired by the song: 画中游 – 王秋实 (Lyrics I try to translate into English so it might sound a bit awkward)