Unfortunately, some interesting settings just can't be shown to the audience through a TV series.
For example… in the game, Ruan Mei's signature weapon is called "Past Self in Mirror."
After Tingyun is revived by Ruan Mei, the significance of that signature weapon actually fits the revived Tingyun even better.
In fact, to some extent, Ruan Mei, who resurrected Tingyun, and Tingyun herself share a certain degree of similarity.
This similarity isn't in strength or ideology, but in their current circumstances.
"Past Self in Mirror" refers to a person's self-perception, which largely comes from the feedback of interacting with others.
In other words: a person is the sum of all their social relationships.
Before meeting the Astral Express crew, Ruan Mei was a genius, but she lacked the "human" aspect, that part was missing.
She didn't care about so-called social relationships, so naturally, the reflection in her mirror showed only herself, unable to reflect anyone else.
Until she met the Express crew and experienced some changes in her mindset.
Ruan Mei's inner core still did not change. But when she chose to revive Tingyun, she respected Tingyun's own will.
If Tingyun wished to return to this world, she would bring her back; if she did not, Ruan Mei would stop there.
This was completely different from when she created those Cakes, when she didn't care at all whether those creations wished to come into the world.
That is Ruan Mei's change. And as for Tingyun, what she faced was an even more tragic situation.
What was taken from her wasn't only her life, but the reflection of her existence in the eyes of others.
Everyone has a mirror.
The mirror reflects oneself, and reflects others with whom one is connected.
But the figures of those people in the mirror are not real, they are merely what the audience believes them to be.
It is these different mirrors and different perceptions.
In people's eyes, on the Xianzhou, the Envoy of the Sky-Faring Commission who welcomed the Nameless was the fake Tingyun created by Phantylia.
That elegant woman who danced with long sleeves, adept at social graces, calling everyone "benefactor" , she too was the fake Tingyun.
Even when the Nameless witnessed the shocking sight of Tingyun's twisted neck, that shock belonged only to the fake Tingyun.
When the real Tingyun revived, came aboard the Express, and found the Nameless, and discovered more traces of the one who impersonated her, her heart was left with nothing but emptiness.
The Nameless were still kind to her, still completely unguarded, still treating her with utmost care.
Stelle, March 7th spoke of the battles they "experienced together" with "her," shared the breathtaking past, the moments when trust was built, and the sorrow of witnessing the truth in the end.
"But I…"
"It's like I'm a late-arriving audience member, watching a play whose script has already been completely finished."
"Everyone recognizes my face, everyone warmly offers me the place that's supposed to be mine."
"But I… can't understand the plot, can't pick up the lines."
"After I died, everything about 'Tingyun' was forced onto me by that person… Yet in the eyes of others, that is what Tingyun originally was."
On the screen, Tingyun stands in complete darkness, her face full of fear and confusion.
Around her are countless unfamiliar faces.
"Tingyun!"
"Tingyun!"
"Tingyun!"
These people shout in the darkness.
Tingyun knows very clearly, the one they are calling is the fake Tingyun.
And she, the real Tingyun, has instead become an intruder, an unfamiliar existence.
The audience, watching this arc about Tingyun, has completely put on the mask of suffering.
...
: I'm really going to suffocate… This feeling is definitely worse than dying.
: The real her in this world has been completely tainted by Phantylia…
: A fate even more terrifying than social death.
: Even though we always joked that Phantylia is a jail character, actually witnessing a character being destroyed under Phantylia's hands… I finally feel the terror of this Lord Ravager.
: Phantylia! I swear I'm going to kill you!!
: Tingyun is just a little Foxian, maybe she didn't even have such great ambitions, yet the moment she's revived she has to face such a harsh situation…
...
However, in the darkness, the panic and confusion on Tingyun's face gradually fade.
She presses her lips together.
With a weak but unwavering voice, she quietly whispers, "But I… am not willing. I… refuse to accept this."
"Refuse? That stubborn?"
"Hahaha…" Another Tingyun's voice suddenly appears in her mind.
Just from the tone, one knows, this is Phantylia.
The destruction left by the Lord Ravager carved hidden scars into Tingyun's psyche.
"Yes."
Tingyun lifts her head. Her pressed lips relax and curve into a small smile: "The galaxy is vast. I still… haven't seen enough."
She strides forward.
Her clothes, her appearance, everything gradually returns to her original form.
Until she lightly opens her folding fan.
In that instant, the surrounding darkness becomes the lively Xianzhou of her memories.
Tingyun strolls through the bustling marketplace, watching various kinds of people pass by.
There is Yunli, and also Scott. These are all people Tingyun has never met, but has heard of from others.
After her supposed 'death', the fake Tingyun belonging to Phantylia must have met them.
At this moment, Tingyun no longer cares whether what she is experiencing was given to her by Phantylia.
She bites into the skewer in Yunli's hand, but before Yunli can get angry, Tingyun uses her fan in a small trick to swap in more skewers for her.
When Scott bullies the civilians, she lights his butt on fire, making the "Lone Wolf" flee in embarrassment.
Eventually, Tingyun arrives at the prosperous Central Starskiff Haven, watching the grand fireworks with countless citizens.
The music reaches its most moving moment.
"Thousands of marvelous sights."
"Only this scenery, this moment, is what I truly long for."
Light shines in Tingyun's eyes, and the beauty seems carved into her mind.
But then, that out-of-place voice sounds again.
"This isn't yours, but…"
"Mine."
Appearing along with it is the well-known scene others have described, "the death of Tingyun."
When the fake Tingyun in these memories twists her neck, all the surrounding beauty dissolves into blurry fragments.
Under a blood-red dusk, Tingyun's true self and the Tingyun stolen by Phantylia stand face to face.
The camera lingers on Tingyun's stubborn, unwilling, terrified expression.
In the end, it all becomes a silent resistance, lips pressed tightly together.
"Ha."
"Go on~"
The fake Tingyun stretched out the hand wearing the jade bracelet and lightly flicked Tingyun's forehead.
As Tingyun was flicked off the cliff, the music also reached its climax at that moment, turning into an intense, lively rhythm.
She was clearly a real person.
But during the fall, as the scenery around her stretched, countless brilliant colors surged in, making the entire scene look like it had turned into a moving 2D animation.
Bang!
Tingyun fell into the magma sinking continuously.
Just like the confusion and emptiness she had encountered after waking up.
Only, in this fire, the small figure curled up, nine tails growing from behind her, gradually wrapping around her whole body, protecting her tightly and thickly, like a giant cocoon.
And cocoons have a day when they break open.
Thus, the nine tails unfolded in the sky, turning into a blazing sun, in an unstoppable posture, burning away all illusion and nothingness.
Within the flames, the reborn Tingyun touched her own face.
Because of the unique art style, she looked especially enchanting and beautiful at that moment.
The audience was completely stunned.
Not just by the imagery of being reborn in fire, but by each scene being more beautiful than the last.
Finally, the flames turned into a lotus, imprinted onto Tingyun's shoulder.
And the Tingyun inside the life-support pod also opened her eyes at that moment.
The music fell silent.
Only the beeping of the heartbeat monitor returned.
Stronger and stronger, louder and louder.
...
: ... Mihoyo, you're f***ing incredible.
: Who thought of showing Tingyun this way? I'm completely stunned.
: Damn, I was still sad about Tingyun's fate, but the moment the Nine-Tails appeared, I got full-body goosebumps.
: This is it! This is exactly it! Tingyun is like this, even if she had fallen into despair, she could still rebuild herself.
: This is the character's highlight episode!
: That switch into 2D animation? I kneeled on the spot! From realistic tragedy straight into dazzling symbolic expression, perfect visual effect!
: And that final heartbeat sound was absolutely insane!
: And! And in her memories, Tingyun is actively experiencing the daily life others pieced together for her, eating Yunli's skewers, burning Skott, she's no longer afraid of being hurt.
: If rewriting identity is something you Phantylia can do, then why can't my Tingyun do it?!
: Awesome!
...
The comments exploded!
And this scene filled with Tingyun's complicated emotions and memories upon resurrection fully completed its highlight.
The scene finally returned to Penacony.
The heartbeat and monitor beeps were still sounding.
Tingyun opened her eyes, looked at the three staring at her with concern, and, feeling the strong heartbeat in her chest, smiled slightly: "I hope I did not trouble my benefactors too much."
"No trouble, no trouble!"
Stelle hurriedly waved her hands, scratching her head: "At least compared to back on the Xianzhou when we saw-"
"Shut up!" March 7th quickly covered Stelle's mouth, afraid this overly straightforward girl would say something bad.
"No need." Tingyun was quite open-minded.
The hardest part of her life had already passed.
Now, following these three, was for another reason.
"That Lord Ravager lived in my place for a while. I regrettably missed your whole Xianzhou journey."
"But recently, I've thought it through. Even if my real self had been placed in that situation, I'd have made the same choices as Phantylia."
Tingyun spoke gently, then added a small complaint: "Of course, I will fight alongside you benefactors until the end. I would never traumatize you with that 'special' method."
Seeing Tingyun didn't mind it herself, March 7th and Stelle exchanged a glance, pleasantly surprised.
Tingyun continued: "That Phantylia stole my life. Foxians repay every slight, we do not suffer losses. Hence, I must take something back from her."
"But after thinking about it, the only thing that counts as equal exchange… would be the bond with all of you."
"And now, Tingyun is taking back everything she lost."
"My benefactors~ Tingyun thanks you sincerely."
The final line, her tone, expression, was exactly the same as the audience remembered her.
You stole my life. I will take it back now.
The connection with the Nameless, she accepted it entirely, even from her heart.
From now on, what remains in their memories will be Tingyun, not Phantylia.
...
: So good.
: Dominant!
: This is exactly the feeling!
: Tingyun, as a person, reclaimed her fate through that 'neck-breaking' ritual!
: Bro, it's such a touching moment, stop using weird metaphors.
: But… that is indeed one way to say it.
: Stop it, you guys are too much.
: Regardless! Tingyun's resurrection, I'm completely satisfied!
: Thank you Mihoyo! Thank you Ruan Mei!
...
While the audiences finally felt relieved, in the scene, Welt said with heartfelt admiration:
"Wonderful. To walk out of such self-imprisonment… as expected of Miss Tingyun."
Tingyun shook her head with a smile: "Hahaha, if you keep talking, I'll get emotional again."
"Since I have returned to normal, what shall we experience together next?"
Welt happened to have something to say and replied: "As it happens, Himeko just sent me a message. The people from the Xianzhou sent to pick you up have arrived."
"People picking me up?" Tingyun's expression shifted, then she nodded: "Then, let us go meet them."
The group began heading toward the airship.
On the way, Wonweek and Sunday followed closely behind.
They exchanged glances from time to time, clearly hiding something.
"How long are you planning to keep this secret?" Wonweek whispered.
The audiences, who had just been satisfied by Tingyun's episode, were instantly hooked again.
In this episode, aside from Tingyun, these two also had heavy suspicion surrounding them.
Especially Wonweek!