"The Divine Daughter has told you everything? Yes, before my sister met her unfortunate end, I too enjoyed fleeting moments of joy. But these moments were like bubbles, easily shattered. That day, my sister was gravely wounded, and you took her fragmented soul away from me. Fleeting moments became a thing of the past. Such ephemeral happiness ultimately leads to endless pain..."
"I don't want to experience this soul-piercing agony again. I want to create an eternal paradise, an eternity without suffering!"
Hearing Feng Yi speak of this, Ying was momentarily stunned. Then she nodded, revealing her intentions completely.
"But Ah Ying, have you ever considered that there is no absolute eternity in this world? Just like human life, it is destined for death from birth. Isolation is merely a form of self-deception!"
Mentioning isolation, Feng Yi immediately thought of the Qing Dynasty and the island nation during the Edo period.
History proved that isolation and detachment from the world only led to backwardness. And backwardness invites subjugation, an unavoidable truth!
With such bloody examples before them, Feng Yi did not want Ah Ying to remain stubbornly deluded.
"Feng Yi, you don't need to try to persuade me. My mind is made up. Since you're back, let's do something enjoyable. Remember how you used to love telling stories to me and sister? Please tell us a story again?"
Ying shook her head, put down her teacup, and deliberately changed the subject.
Yae Miko had tried to persuade her in the same way before. But who had ever experienced the pain she endured?
Her closest friends, one by one, had left her. This pain felt like a thousand arrows piercing her heart.
Only an eternal paradise could prevent such a fate.
"Alright, then I'll tell you a famous Black Ships story..."
Feng Yi sat down beside Ying, took her hand, and rested her head on Ying's lap, just as she had done six hundred years ago.
Ying gently stroked Feng Yi's face, a rare smile appearing on her lips.
"This story takes place in a world called Blue Star. An island nation was still under feudal rule. The nation's rulers held absolute power over their people. They were deeply concerned that foreign cultures would undermine their reign, so they issued a decree to seal the country's borders, forbidding the construction of large ships capable of oceanic voyages. Anyone who traveled abroad or returned from abroad was sentenced to death..."
As Feng Yi narrated, Ying initially found the story interesting. But as she listened, she began to feel something was amiss.
Feng Yi seemed to be making veiled allusions to her.
In the story, the island nation that practiced isolation was later forced to open its doors by powerful foreign nations using black steam iron ships, leading to the signing of unequal treaties that humiliated the country.
Feng Yi's meaningful gaze seemed to be warning her that if she continued to isolate herself, she would eventually be invaded by other nations.
"Ah Ying, with your intelligence, you should be able to glean some wisdom from this story. That's all for today. I'll visit again next time."
Feng Yi got up from Ying's lap, leaving her with time to ponder. She would check on her progress later.
Such matters were not effectively resolved by external persuasion; Ying needed to come to her own understanding for a fundamental solution.
"Oh, right. Ah Ying, I think I broke your puppet. Her soul is damaged, but I have a bell that can repair soul damage. I'll lend it to you for now. Return it to me after you've repaired her soul..."
"And also, I accidentally pulled off her black stockings. Please pass them on to her for me. These silver stockings are my apology to her. As for these golden stockings, I'll give them to you!"
Before leaving, Feng Yi pressed the golden bell and the three pairs of stockings into Ying's hands.
She opened the exit to the Realm of Mementos, and Feng Yi jumped out.
Ying watched Feng Yi's departing figure, filled with reluctance. There were so many things she still wanted to tell Feng Yi.
She would have to wait until their next meeting.
The Black Ships story Feng Yi had just told her had indeed made Ying realize something.
The reason the island nation in the story had its doors forced open by enemy ships was its lack of strength.
Therefore...
If she was strong enough, she could continue to isolate herself indefinitely?
Ying felt this logic was sound. She glanced down at the items in her hands, put on the golden stockings, then took out her weapon and began to practice her martial arts.
Outside the Realm of Mementos, at the ruins of the Tenshukaku.
Kujou Takayuki and his group, who had been waiting outside, finally saw Feng Yi emerge from the Realm of Mementos.
"The traitor who attempted to assassinate the General has finally appeared! Capture him quickly! If he resists, kill him on sight!"
Kujou Takayuki shouted, ordering the shogunate soldiers to apprehend him.
With the assurance of Kujou Sara, the shogunate soldiers initially did not believe Feng Yi was the assassin. However, after witnessing the General in battle with Feng Yi and then sitting down to heal, they were largely convinced.
They charged towards Feng Yi with their spears.
"Feng Yi, the shogunate soldiers have been misled by Kujou Takayuki and are now pursuing you. The General is meditating and healing, and I cannot inform her of Kujou Takayuki's scheme. I can only cover your retreat for now..."
"Go to Watatsumi Island and seek refuge for a while. The resistance there will provide you with shelter. Once the General finishes healing, I will expose Kujou Takayuki's crimes and clear your name. Then you can return..."
Kujou Sara stood in front of Feng Yi, nocking an arrow to her bow and confronting the encircling shogunate soldiers. She turned to inform Feng Yi of her arrangements.
She was somewhat helpless. If the General were not currently meditating and healing, Kujou Sara would have exposed Kujou Takayuki's treachery on the spot.
"Little Sara, I'm very happy you're on my side. Keep this golden paper. If you encounter danger, consume it. It will grant you 10 seconds of invincibility. Be safe, and until we meet again!"
Feng Yi took out her golden notebook, wrote Kujou Sara's name on a sheet of golden paper, and tore it off, handing it to her.
Feng Yi had gained half of the Puppet General's abilities, and her strength had greatly increased. She had initially intended to fight her way through these soldiers.
However, upon hearing about Watatsumi Island, Feng Yi's thoughts shifted. She suddenly wanted to visit Sangonomiya Shrine and see that pink jellyfish.
Thus, she accepted Kujou Sara's suggestion to seek refuge with the resistance at Sangonomiya Shrine.
Considering that Kujou Sara had fallen out with Kujou Takayuki, Feng Yi worried about Kujou Takayuki's potential schemes and thus left Kujou Sara a life-saving golden paper.
Kujou Sara was now her maid, and she couldn't afford to lose her.
"Invincibility Golden Body... Ah~"
Kujou Sara looked at the golden paper in her hand, immediately recalling Feng Yi's appearance during battle. Lost in thought, she didn't expect Feng Yi to slap her pert backside as she left...