The layers of false appearances gradually faded away.
Like falling petals.
Like shattered reflections in a mirror.
In the faint, shimmering haze, Krisha's true form was revealed.
It was the face of a 17-year-old girl, unmarred by time, unweathered by the past, her delicate features still carrying the familiar indifference Xu Xi knew so well.
"Beautiful, isn't she?"
Xu Xi spoke softly, his gaze filled with affection.
He stood before the immortal witch, one showing the signs of age, the other forever youthful, creating a stark contrast between them.
Unseen.
The boundary between life and death quietly emerged.
Separating the two with a subtle gap.
"...", the atmosphere was heavy with silence, tinged with a faint sense of sorrow. Xu Xi could only gently stroke Krisha's head, comforting the trembling witch in this small way.
Outside, the rustling of autumn leaves could be heard, a sign of the season's arrival.
Autumn had come.
And with it, the biting cold of winter was not far behind.
[Simulation Year 50: You are 64 years old, Krisha is 56 years old]
[You begin to focus on health preservation, casting life magic on yourself daily to restore vitality. Unfortunately, your body cannot retain the vigorous life force, and it continues to age and decline.]
[Outside, the Church of the Gods is still frantically searching for your whereabouts. You have hidden well and remain undiscovered.]
[Simulation Year 51: You are 65 years old, Krisha is 57 years old]
[You have developed some leisurely hobbies for the elderly, such as sitting at the door to bask in the sun, gazing at the outside world for hours, or tending to beautiful plants and flowers.]
[Krisha remains as she always has, serving by your side daily, brewing you a bitter cup of spirit-enhancing herbal drink whenever you need it.]
[Simulation Year 52: You are 66 years old, Krisha is 58 years old]
[Your body remains healthy, though its functions are not as robust as in your youth. Still, you have not fallen ill.]
[You are pleased, thinking you might live a little longer.]
[Simulation Year 53: You are 67 years old, Krisha is 59 years old]
[Krisha's cooking skills have improved. To enhance your meals, she often goes to the market alone to buy ingredients. Now, she no longer mistakes poisonous ingredients for edible ones.]
[Simulation Year 54: You are 68 years old, Krisha is 60 years old]
[With no progress in magic, you immerse yourself in gardening. You plant a patch of dragon's blood grass in the garden, the materials for which were generously provided by an anonymous red dragon.]
[Krisha stands beside you, carefully wiping the bloodstains off "Gray Rekindling," her movements practiced and precise.]
[Simulation Year 55...]
[Simulation Year 56...]
[Simulation Year 57...]
Time spun like a film on fast-forward, rushing through your mind at a frantic pace. When you finally came to your senses, only vague memories remained.
Xu Xi's body aged year by year.
Like the setting sun at dusk.
Though it still glowed and retained some warmth, behind that fading light lay an endless gray stillness.
In the 61st year of the simulation, Xu Xi was 75 years old, his hair now completely white.
He sat at the entrance of the courtyard, half-reclining in a resting posture.
His silver hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and his wrinkled face bore a pair of deep, steady eyes, all his spiritual energy contained within, hidden but not extinguished.
"How stifling..."
Xu Xi murmured.
Long ago, he had known that an aging body would be far less agile than in youth.
But when the day finally came, Xu Xi realized that the experience of aging was far more terrifying than he had imagined.
Many things he had once done with ease.
Merely after some years.
Were now beyond his reach.
"Fortunately, my spiritual energy is strong enough to rely on, allowing me to use magic to assist in every aspect of life."
"Otherwise, this retirement life would truly be unbearable."
The wind element stirred, lifting Xu Xi to his feet.
The earth element settled, shaking the dust off his robes.
Then.
Xu Xi's body floated into the air, his robes billowing as he was gently enveloped by the wind element, slowly drifting into the house within the courtyard.
"Welcome back, Master," Krisha, with her long gray-silver hair, had been waiting for some time. She opened the door for Xu Xi, and they entered the house together.
On the dining table was the lunch Krisha had prepared in advance.
Steaming hot and fragrant.
"Krisha, your cooking has improved even more," Xu Xi remarked after tasting it, smiling.
"Yes, thank you for the compliment. I will continue to work hard."
Krisha's voice was as calm as still water.
But Xu Xi knew this was not out of indifference. It was simply her inability to express emotions properly due to their absence.
After the meal.
Krisha used wind and water magic to clean the dishes and tidy up.
Xu Xi, meanwhile, walked slowly to the living room, making his way to a wooden recliner. There, he lay down under the sunlight, facing the flowers, and closed his eyes.
He was truly old.
The sluggishness of his body led to mental exhaustion.
These days, he found himself sleeping more and more, especially in the afternoons, when drowsiness often overtook him.
"Well, I'll just sleep a little longer today."
Lying on the cool, brown wooden recliner, the fatigue of his body quickly overwhelmed his consciousness. Xu Xi felt the surroundings grow darker and quieter.
His entire being.
His entire soul.
His entire self.
Fell rapidly into a deep slumber.
"Master... Master...!"
In his daze, Xu Xi thought he heard Krisha's voice, but he dismissed it as an illusion.
So tired.
I just want to sleep a little longer.
His consciousness drifted in a haze, his soul lost in a blank void. He slept deeper and deeper, until after what felt like an eternity, he finally returned to his body.
"What happened..."
Xu Xi opened his eyes in confusion.
He realized that he, who should have been lying in the living room, was now back in his bedroom.
Did Krisha do this?
Xu Xi wondered, instinctively trying to speak, but a burning, dry sensation in his throat caused him to cough violently.
"Cough!... Cough! Cough! Cough!"
"Master, here's water."
At the critical moment, Krisha handed him a cup of water.
Xu Xi drank it all in one go, the cool liquid soothing his lips and flowing down his throat, replenishing his parched body.
"Thank you, Krisha."
Xu Xi set the empty cup down and instinctively looked toward Krisha.
But that glance.
Left him stunned.
The witch before him had not only changed her clothes but also looked utterly haggard, as if she had endured something deeply sorrowful.
"...You're finally awake, Master."
[You took your usual afternoon nap.]
[This sleep was exceptionally peaceful, leaving you feeling refreshed.]
[As if all the fatigue and aging had completely left you.]
[Upon waking, Krisha told you that you had slept for three full days. You were surprised, bewildered, and began to investigate the reason behind it.]
[The wisdom of a mortal continues to unfold...]
[You understood the truth: as you aged, your mortal body could no longer bear the weight of your extraordinary spirit. Thus, your body instinctively entered a deep sleep to allow itself to rest.]