Rayleigh nodded solemnly and closed the notebook. "Roger's notes contain some records about the Dawn Blade. There isn't much, but they may offer you some insight. In the days ahead, I'll teach you how to control and guide the energy within those Runes. They may be the bridge connecting the two dimensions."
"Thank you," Lin Ye said sincerely. "For telling me the truth."
Rayleigh smiled faintly, wisdom glimmering in his eyes. "The truth is often more complex than we imagine. Remember, Lin Ye, even opposing forces may be seeking the same goal—survival and continuation. Understanding that may be the key to eventually finding a peaceful solution."
Lin Ye nodded, his gaze falling on an ancient Star Map hanging on the cabin wall.
Late at night aboard the Dawn, most people had already drifted into dreams. Only the sailors on watch silently kept watch over the ever-changing seas. Lin Ye tossed and turned in his cabin, unable to sleep. The Purple Patterns on his right arm had begun to ache faintly, more noticeably than during the day.
He sat up and rolled back his sleeve to inspect them—the patterns that had once been as thin as spider silk were now clearly visible. More astonishingly, they had begun to glow faintly, casting an eerie purple light through the dark cabin.
"This is..." Lin Ye murmured, gently touching the glowing patterns with his left hand. A sharp pain instantly shot through his entire body. His consciousness began to blur, as if some invisible force were pulling at him.
Lin Ye struggled to remain conscious, but the real world before him gradually faded away, replaced by a boundless purple space. He had not fallen asleep, but entered some half-dreaming state—his mind was awake, yet his body seemed to have remained in the physical world.