By the Seashore

Morning came especially gently to Eastsea City.

The mist had yet to disperse when sunlight slanted down over the eastern city wall, dyeing the bluestone-paved streets a pale gold.

The shops along the street gradually opened for business. Breakfast vendors set up their steamers, and white vapor curled upward in the morning light, carrying the distinctive wheaty fragrance of pastries as it drifted far down the alleys.

Li Chen stood beneath the old locust tree at the entrance to the Spirit Pagoda, his hands clasped behind his back.

For once, he was not wearing the black robe he seemed never to take off. Instead, he had changed into a dark blue casual outfit.

The fabric was not particularly expensive, but its fitted cut made his already slender frame appear even straighter.

The morning breeze stirred the hem of his clothes. His calm gaze rested on the Spirit Pagoda's gates as the spiritual power of the Mid-Stage of the Spirit Sea Realm naturally spread outward, taking in every movement within several hundred meters.

An early-rising sparrow fluttered up from the locust tree and crossed his field of vision.

Li Chen's gaze followed the bird as it vanished behind layers of rooftops. Suddenly, he realized that it had been a long time since he had stood somewhere like this, waiting without thinking of anything at all.

Waiting was a rather interesting thing. Waiting for someone, waiting for a battle, and waiting for an outcome all felt completely different.

The latter came with anxiety and calculations, while the former carried an indescribable sense of steadiness.

"Li Chen!"

A crisp call interrupted his thoughts.

Na'er ran out through the Spirit Pagoda gates, her golden hair like a flowing mass of light beneath the morning sun, dazzling enough to make one almost unable to keep one's eyes open.

Today, she wore a white short-sleeved top with a sea-blue long skirt, a silver ribbon tied around her waist. As she ran, the skirt's hem billowed in the wind like the white edge turned up by waves lapping at a beach.

After merging with the Golden Dragon King Divine Core, Na'er's aura had become even more condensed.

If she had once been like an unpolished jade stone, radiating a brilliant yet somewhat mixed light, then that jade had now been carefully carved—every wisp of aura spilling from her body was pure and full, carrying the majesty and vitality unique to Dragon Clan bloodlines.

Yet the smile blooming across her face at this moment had nothing to do with weighty matters of strength, bloodlines, or divine positions. It was as pure as that of an ordinary young girl about to head out on an excursion.

"You're actually earlier than me." Na'er ran up to him, slightly out of breath, two healthy flushes floating on her cheeks. "I thought you'd definitely dawdle until the last moment."

"We agreed on three quarters past the hour of the Dragon," Li Chen said, glancing at her. "There's still a quarter of an hour left."

"...Couldn't you play along and say, 'I just got here too'?"

"That would not be true."

Na'er rolled her eyes, but she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth.

She circled to Li Chen's side and tilted her head as she inspected his clothes, clicking her tongue twice. "It's rare to see you wearing anything other than black. This actually looks pretty good. Did you change specially for today?"

Li Chen did not answer. His gaze passed over Na'er's shoulder toward the figure strolling unhurriedly from within the academy gates.

Gu Yue wore a light purple dress today, its hem embroidered with subtle silver patterns. As the light shifted, they gave off a faint glow, like moonlight falling upon a lake.

Her long silver hair was not tied high as usual. Instead, it was loosely gathered behind her head with a jade hairpin, several loose strands hanging beside her ears and swaying gently with her steps.

Sunlight fell over her, softening her cool, otherworldly air somewhat and lending her a gentleness that did not belong to the Silver Dragon King, but to a more ordinary mortal girl.

Li Chen's gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Only a moment, before it moved away.

But Na'er had clearly noticed.

She narrowed her eyes, revealing a meaningful smile. Just as she was about to say something, Gu Yue had already reached them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Gu Yue's voice remained soft, like the first breeze brushing across a lake in spring.

"No," Li Chen said. "I just got here."

Na'er immediately pointed at him. "That's not what you said just now!"

"I changed my mind."

"You!"

Gu Yue watched the two bicker, the corners of her lips curving slightly upward.

Her gaze paused briefly on Li Chen's new clothes before shifting to Na'er's especially careful outfit today. A knowing smile flickered in her eyes. Since Na'er had completely absorbed the Golden Dragon King Divine Core and returned thirty percent of the Silver Dragon King's energy to her, their bloodlines had finally returned to their rightful places.

The subtle estrangement and restraint that had once arisen from conflicting energies gradually melted away like ice and snow, replaced by an unprecedented harmony and tranquility.

At this moment, they stood together—one with golden hair like the blazing sun, the other with silver hair like the bright moon. Their utterly different temperaments were somehow perfectly harmonious, as though it had always been meant to be this way.

"Let's go." Li Chen took the first step. "There's still some distance after we leave the city."

The three walked side by side through Eastsea City's main street. There were not many people out at this hour, mostly women who had risen early to shop and small vendors setting up their stalls.

Their footsteps mingled in an uneven rhythm on the bluestone road, occasionally joined by Na'er's cries of surprise whenever she spotted something novel along the street.

When they passed a small stall selling sugar figurines, Na'er could no longer walk.

"Li Chen, Li Chen, look at this!" She squatted in front of the stall and pointed at the exquisitely crafted sugar figurines on the top row. "This dragon is so pretty! Gu Yue, come look!"

Gu Yue went over as requested and bent slightly to inspect it. The stall owner was a gray-haired old man. Seeing customers, he cheerfully removed the dragon-shaped sugar figurine and handed it over. "Young lady, you've got a good eye. This golden dragon was made by this old man just this morning. It's made with the finest malt sugar and honey, much sweeter than ordinary sugar figurines."

Na'er took it and held it up beneath the sunlight. The dragon was only palm-sized, yet every detail was exquisitely made. Its horns, whiskers, and scales were all vividly sculpted, giving it an amber-like translucence in the light.

Her eyes sparkled as she turned toward Li Chen. Before she could speak, Li Chen had already taken several Copper Soul Coins from his pocket and handed them to the old vendor.

"Three."

"...How did you know what I was going to say?"

Li Chen did not answer. He took the other two sugar figurines from the vendor—one in the shape of some kind of soul beast, its lines simple and powerful, while the other resembled a crescent moon, tiny sugar beads embedded along its curved edge like stars. He kept the soul beast for himself and handed the crescent moon to Gu Yue.

Gu Yue accepted the sugar figurine. When her fingertips brushed Li Chen's, she paused slightly.

She lowered her head to look at the curved crescent, and the smile on her lips deepened.

Na'er held up her golden dragon and ate as she walked. After only a few steps, she began speaking indistinctly. "Li Chen, do you think my dragon looks better, or your... your what was it called again?"

"Fate Verdict." Li Chen expressionlessly took a bite from his own.

"Right, right, Fate Verdict!" Na'er giggled and leaned closer. "So, did your fate say today would be fun?"

Li Chen stopped and looked at her, then at Gu Yue, who was quietly eating her sugar figurine beside him.

"I don't need Fate Verdict," he said. "I already know it will be."

The air fell silent for a breath.

Na'er's eyes widened, and the golden dragon sugar figurine in her hand nearly poked Li Chen in the nose. "Y-you—you can actually say something like that? Are you really Li Chen? Did some soul beast possess you?"

"Eat your sugar figurine."

Gu Yue gave a soft laugh. It was extremely faint and brief, like a wind chime touched by a breeze and immediately stilled, but both Li Chen and Na'er heard it. Na'er turned around, saw the undisguised amusement in Gu Yue's eyes, and immediately linked arms with her as though she had found an ally.

"Gu Yue, tell me honestly, hasn't he been especially strange lately? Ever since he came back from the Underworld, he keeps saying things that make my scalp tingle."

"Are you sure it was 'ever since he came back from the Underworld'?" Gu Yue asked, her tone calm but pointed.

Na'er thought about it. Her face suddenly turned red, and she released Gu Yue's arm before striding ahead. "I'm not talking to you anymore! You two are ganging up to bully me!"

Li Chen watched her retreating figure, and his pace unconsciously quickened.

Gu Yue walked at the back, taking a small bite from her sugar figurine. Sweetness spread across her tongue, and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

The sunlight was perfect.

The three left through the eastern gate, and the view immediately opened up before them.

Eastsea City's eastern outskirts were a stretch of rolling hills. Vast grasslands extended to the edge of sight, with the occasional solitary tree standing atop a slope like a finger reaching from the earth. Wildflowers bloomed sparsely among the grass—white, yellow, and pale purple—and stirred in clusters whenever the morning breeze blew, as though whispering to one another.

Na'er took the lead, walking at the very front. Whenever she spotted a pretty wildflower, she plucked it. Before long, she had gathered a small handful.

She looked back and found Li Chen and Gu Yue walking side by side behind her. An arm's length separated them. Neither spoke, yet neither seemed uncomfortable.

She suddenly slowed down. Once the two caught up, she divided her handful of wildflowers into three portions, stuffing one into Gu Yue's hands, one into Li Chen's hands, and keeping the last for herself.

"One each. Fair."

Li Chen looked at the small cluster of colorful wildflowers in his hand. After a moment of silence, he solemnly tucked them into the front of his clothes.

Gu Yue gently turned the flowers in her hand, then finally tucked them into her hair. The purple blossoms and silver strands complemented each other, softening her features somewhat.

Na'er watched their reactions with satisfaction, nodded, then turned and continued leading the way.

"I asked someone about it last night," she said as she walked. "That beach in the east is the best around here. The sand is fine and white, and hardly anyone goes there normally. We can have the whole place to ourselves today!"

"Who did you ask?" Li Chen asked.

"The Branch Pagoda Master."

"...Are you sure he wasn't talking about a beach near some dessert shop?"

"Oh, it's more or less the same!"

Li Chen sighed and did not pursue the matter further. Gu Yue spoke softly beside him. "I've been to that beach. It really is quite nice."

"See? Even Gu Yue says it's good!" Na'er said smugly.

When they crossed the last ridge, the ocean suddenly burst into view without warning.

All three stopped in their tracks.

The noonday sun hung above the sea, illuminating the entire ocean with incomparable clarity.

The distant sea was a deep inky blue. The closer it came to shore, the lighter the color became, turning emerald green at the edge of the beach.

A sea breeze blew in from afar, carrying salty moisture and an indescribable sense of vastness. The grass on the hillside bent down and rose again in unison, rustling softly.

At that moment, Li Chen felt Na'er quietly clutch his sleeve.

He turned his head and saw that Na'er's eyes were astonishingly bright, the smile on her lips broad and unrestrained as the sea wind sent her golden hair flying wildly. Her other hand gripped Gu Yue's, and her whole body seemed ready to fly straight to the shore.

"Let's go!" She gave a hard tug, pulling all three of them into a run down the hillside.

Gu Yue was dragged along for several steps, then simply stopped resisting and let Na'er pull her hand as she raced forward. Her skirt unfurled in the wind, the purple fabric and silver hair rising together and tracing two graceful arcs behind her.

Li Chen ran at the back, watching the two figures racing ahead of him—one gold, one silver, gleaming against each other beneath the sun. At last, his usually taut lips curved into a smile he did not even notice himself.

They ran down the hillside, across a small path covered in wildflowers, and over the last low sand dune. The ocean was right before them.

There was not a single person on the beach.