Na'er's Sleeping Face

It was like a slumbering star. Its mere existence distorted the spatial laws of this mental illusion, casting an invisible, suffocatingly immense shadow.

"What is that?"

For the first time, true gravity surfaced in Hei Lin's consciousness, along with...

A trace of irrepressible curiosity.

That was definitely not a martial soul!

It even surpassed everything he could imagine about known soul beasts or powers!

Like something born of myth, it had to share some profound connection with the bloodline power erupting from this body and this bizarre sea of Blue Silver Grass!

Enormous questions, like icy vines, instantly coiled around the core of his thoughts.

What was this bloodline?

What was this golden sky?

And what did this sea of Blue Silver Grass represent?

Why had they appeared in his mental world?

Had the Tiger Talisman's tearing also stirred all of this hidden away within him?

Countless fragments collided and combined within his cold consciousness, yet his utter lack of knowledge kept them from forming a complete picture.

He was only six years old. His understanding of this world was as shallow and pitiful as that of a newborn infant facing the vast universe.

He did not understand the mysteries of bloodlines, the origins of mental illusions, much less the transcendent power that might exist deep within that golden firmament.

"...Forget it."

After a moment of silence, a decision flashed through Hei Lin's icy consciousness.

He forcibly suppressed the curiosity and confusion that nearly devoured his reason.

The unknown brought fear, but to him, the unknown meant even more...

The possibility of power!

He slowly raised his head. His cold gaze seemed to pierce through the frozen golden canopy, staring directly at the vague, colossal shadow hidden behind endless splendor.

"I may not know now, but that's fine."

He made a silent declaration, cold and resolute.

"One day, the secret will be uncovered."

"When I..."

"When I possess enough power, when I stand high enough and see far enough..."

"Everything that happened here, the secret of this bloodline, the truth of this sky..."

"I will tear it all apart with my own hands, inch by inch, and see it clearly!"

The cold oath branded itself deeply into the dark core of his mind.

He no longer tried to understand. Instead, he sealed this soul-shaking sight, along with its vast mystery, deep within his consciousness as one of the goals he would have to conquer in the future.

The golden sky remained frozen, like the indifferent eyes of a deity looking down upon the mortal world.

The vast sea of Blue Silver Grass swayed soundlessly in an invisible breeze, giving off a faint, shimmering glow.

Not far away, Bai Lin was still innocently "exploring" the beautiful scenery he believed to be a dream, a childlike smile on his face.

Yet in one corner of this strange illusion, Hei Lin stood like a lone peak rooted in darkness. His icy gaze pierced through the magnificent surface, fixed firmly on the enormous shadow deep within the golden firmament—a presence ordinary people could not sense at all.

The faint light of dawn, like shy fingers, quietly parted a gap in the curtains and cast a hazy strip of light across the bedroom floor.

Bai Lin was awakened by an intensely unpleasant, sticky sensation.

He opened his eyes groggily and instinctively reached up to touch his neck and chest. His fingers met a patch of wet, cold slickness.

The blanket he had used last night was not very thick, and the room temperature was moderate. Yet his close-fitting pajamas were now more than half soaked through with sweat, clinging stickily to his skin with a faintly salty dampness.

"Huh?"

Bai Lin blinked in confusion, his little face still full of sleepy bewilderment.

He clearly remembered sleeping deeply. He had not had any intense dreams, so why had he sweated so much?

It was as if he had just finished a long run. He instinctively turned to look beside him.

Na'er was still sleeping peacefully.

Several strands of silver hair had fallen across the pillow like flowing moonlight.

Curled up on her side, her tiny body rose and fell slightly with her steady breathing. Her sleeping face was as pure as a freshly blossomed snow lotus, carrying a tranquility untouched by dust.

The faint light from outside the window fell across her face, adding an even hazier beauty to it.

Bai Lin stared blankly for a moment, then remembered his discomfort and immediately held his breath with great care.

Like a kitten that had only just learned to walk, he lifted one corner of the blanket with the lightest, gentlest movements. He slipped off the bed on tiptoe, his bare feet touching the cool floor, terrified of making even the slightest sound and disturbing this quiet beauty.

He took one last look at the sleeping Na'er before rising onto his toes and silently slipping out of the room.

Before long, the soft patter of water came from the bathroom.

The warm stream washed away the night's sweat and the inexplicable sticky feeling, leaving Bai Lin fully awake.

He roughly dried his wet hair while changing into clean clothes, keeping his movements as quiet as possible.

When he was dressed and opened the door again, he happened to see his mother, Lang Yue, coming out of the master bedroom as she stretched.

"Well, isn't this a surprise? Did the sun rise in the west today?"

"Our little sleepyhead, Linlin, is up so early?"

The instant Lang Yue saw her neatly dressed son, surprise flashed through her eyes before turning into warm teasing.

She walked over, intending as usual to straighten his collar, but her sharp eyes caught the lingering droplets on his neck and the fresh scent that clearly came from a recent bath. The smile on her face deepened, carrying a mischievous look of knowing everything.

"Tsk, tsk. Having a little sister really does make a difference. Now you know to keep yourself nice and clean?"

"Looks like our Linlin has really grown up."

Bai Lin's little face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple.

He craned his neck, trying hard to preserve his dignity as an older brother, but his voice rose despite himself, tinged with embarrassment and annoyance.

"Mom!"

"I've always been clean, okay!"

"It's not..."

"It's not because of Na'er!"

"Alright, alright, our Linlin has always been very clean." Lang Yue could not help laughing at her son's flushed cheeks. She reached out and rubbed his soft hair, her tone gentling. "Go on, little man. Go wake little sister Na'er."

"Mom's going to make breakfast now. You two can eat together later."

"Mm!" Bai Lin nodded hard, the blush still not fully faded from his face. Then he turned and ran toward his room on his short little legs.

When he reached the door, he abruptly stopped, took a deep breath, rose onto his toes, and gently turned the doorknob with a sound so soft it was nearly inaudible. He slipped inside like a thief, afraid of making even the tiniest noise.

Watching her son's cautious back as he acted as though facing a great enemy while clearly brimming with joy, Lang Yue helplessly and fondly shook her head. Yet she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her lips.

She turned toward the kitchen, tied on her apron, and began preparing a warm breakfast for the family.

The light in the room was soft.

Bai Lin held his breath and moved step by step toward the bed.

Na'er was still asleep, her posture barely changed at all.