Lan Jing trusts Ye Fan more than she trusts Xuan Nv.

She cannot comprehend why Xuan Nv’s words to Ye Fan completely contradict what Xuan Nv told her, though she doesn’t feel deceived by Xuan Nv. Xuan Nv claimed Ye Fan was dead, yet Ye Fan stood before her, alive. Lan Jing felt Xuan Nv must have lied, realizing her judgment of others’ intentions might be flawed.

"How do I go back?" Lan Jing no longer wished to linger in this space-time. To her, this loneliness was something she’d often felt before, but back then she had the company of the great Lan Jing and countless small animals. Now, positioned at the edge of the cosmos, surrounded by nothingness, she was working on a task whose meaning was obscure to her. At this point, she began to doubt the value of her own actions.

Naturally, her confidence wavered.

Ye Fan said, "Take my hand; I’ll lead you back..."

As Ye Fan reached for Lan Jing’s hand, their arms crossed but Ye Fan’s hand slipped through hers. This was when Ye Fan truly realized that the Lan Jing before him was merely an image, indicating her physical form had vanished. He could only understand it as an effect of the ceremony conducted by Xuan Nv.

"Why is this happening?" Lan Jing hadn’t expected the situation unfolding before her. "I can clearly touch myself, but why cannot I touch you? Ye Fan, are you... really dead, and is the Soul Body that’s returned yours?"

From Lan Jing’s perspective, she was unaware she’d lost the essence of her body due to the ceremony; she believed Ye Fan was the problem. Fear gripped her more tightly, trapped in the illusion she’d not been deceived by Xuan Nv, thus what she saw now was no more than an illusion, not Ye Fan’s real self but merely a shadow.

Ye Fan said, "Lan Jing, don’t panic. You must believe me now. Xuan Nv manipulated you to accomplish something for reasons yet unknown, likely related to cosmic space, causing you to lose your body’s essence. Now you appear before me only as a Soul Body. To take you away, I must absorb your soul!"

"Don’t trust him!" Xuan Nv’s voice rang out from afar as Ye Fan attempted to persuade Lan Jing. Xuan Nv was arrogant, confident her daughter completely trusted her.

"You all..." Lan Jing surveyed everything before her without understanding what was happening. She only knew neither Ye Fan nor Xuan Nv had lied to her, yet their words contradicted each other, forcing her to choose whom to believe.

Ye Fan scrutinized Xuan Nv, saying coldly, "You managed to come here?"

"Why couldn’t I come? You think Xi He could imprison me?" Xuan Nv sneered. "I am merely here to take Lan Jing away, freeing her from your deceit. Even though you are Ye Fan, you’re merely an evil fragment of his soul. Your soul’s existence prevents Lan Jing from discerning your morality, yet she’s certain I haven’t misled her, as unlike you, we are living humans and you are a Soul Body!"

As Xuan Nv spoke, she’d already reached Lan Jing, directly grasping her arm. To Ye Fan’s surprise, Xuan Nv was able to hold Lan Jing’s arm, proving the Xuan Nv before them was also an ephemeral image.

"What have you done to Lan Jing?" Ye Fan demanded harshly.

Ye Fan concentrated his power but refrained from hastily attacking Xuan Nv. Killing a Soul Body Xuan Nv was uncertain, and since Xuan Nv was Lan Jing’s mother, he couldn’t attack in Lan Jing’s presence. More so, a violent approach would indirectly convey the wrong message to Lan Jing, leading her to trust Xuan Nv over him.

In any case, Ye Fan had to consider the ramifications and refrain from rash actions.

Xuan Nv ignored Ye Fan, addressing Lan Jing, "What are you waiting for? Ye Fan is already dead; even his Soul Body is manipulated to obstruct you from completing the ceremony. You can only save him by finishing it, so he can awaken and truly become your friend. Otherwise, Ye Fan remains a phantom. Is this the outcome you wish for?"

Lan Jing looked between Xuan Nv and Ye Fan, uncertain which spoke the truth.

At this moment, Lan Jing felt deeply confused, facing one of life’s harshest decisions—to trust Ye Fan or Xuan Nv. Both seemed genuine in her eyes, with narratives logically coherent, but only one was deceiving her.

She wished to trust Ye Fan, but physical contact with him was impossible now, as if he had indeed become a Soul Body like Xuan Nv claimed. With Ye Fan’s words, familiar yet strange, it seemed he had become compromised.

Ye Fan said, "Lan Jing, what you’re doing now defies humanity. Just trust me, and I can help you..."

With that, several small Soul Bodies formed around Ye Fan, manifesting as six tiny crystals.

The six crystals rushed toward Xuan Nv, visible to her even in her Soul Body form.

"This malicious person must be dealt with!" The six crystals, possessing human forms even as Soul Bodies, held formidable power unknown to Xuan Nv.

"Malicious!" Small Black Crystal led the charge; her ability to devour spirits made Xuan Nv apprehensive, as only she among the six gained strength by consuming other souls.

Xuan Nv released Lan Jing’s arm, retreating hurriedly, yet her escape was swiftly impeded by the crystals.

Small Red Crystal exclaimed, "Why are you hesitating? Black and I are holding her—rescue her!"

Following this, the remaining four crystals attempted to pull Lan Jing, with Small Blue Crystal reverting to its crystal form atop Lan Jing’s head, chattering away.

Upon seeing Small Blue Crystal, Lan Jing felt like meeting someone intimately familiar. Despite considering Ye Fan a Soul Body, she was becoming surer the Ye Fan before her was real.

"Let’s go with them!" Lan Jing spoke, returning to her Soul Body form.