A thin veil of mist still hung in the air when the two of them set out from Skywater City early the next morning.
Shui Hanyi had changed into a clean, aqua-blue dress. Her long hair was still tied in a high ponytail, but today she had replaced her hair tie with a silver ribbon that shimmered in the morning light.
She led the way, her steps much lighter than they had been over the past few days. Now and then, she turned her head to point out the outlines of distant ridges and the different plants growing along the road to Lan Tian.
Lan Tian walked half a step behind her, his gaze sweeping over the scenery on either side. The scent of the mountain vegetation was crisp and damp, utterly unlike the intense life energy in the Icefire Basin. It carried the clean, open freshness of the Northern Border's wilderness.
They followed the mountain road for roughly four hours. After crossing the final ridge, the view suddenly opened up before them.
A broad lake spread out among the mountains, its waters clear as a mirror. The surrounding snowcapped peaks and the clouds overhead were reflected perfectly on its surface, water and sky blending into one until their boundary was almost impossible to distinguish.
Rows of colorful canopies and stalls had already been set up on the grass along the shore. Crowds bustled about, and vendors' cries mingled with laughter as they drifted over from afar.
Several small boats decorated with colorful silk floated slowly across the lake. Bells hung from their bows, sending out delicate, clear chimes in the wind.
Standing on the ridge, Shui Hanyi gazed at the lake, then turned to Lan Tian. "Sky Mirror Lake, the most beautiful lake in the Northern Border. The festival