First Arrival in Eastsea

Early morning, Aolai City, Tang residence.

Morning light filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting a narrow strip across the floor. Tang Wulin turned over groggily and instinctively reached for his chest—ever since he could remember, the cool, smooth "Eternal Snowflake" pendant had never left his skin. It seemed like a part of his body, giving him an inexplicable sense of security.

But his fingertips touched rough edges and icy fragments.

He woke up instantly and sat upright, looking down. The crystalline snowflake pendant he had always worn close to his body now had only a small piece at its center barely retaining its shape. The rest had shattered into seven or eight uneven fragments scattered across his pajama front and bedsheets, reflecting faint, dim glimmers in the morning light.

"Ah! Why did it break?" Tang Wulin cried out softly, carefully pinching up the largest fragment with his fingertips. His face was full of shock and distress. The pendant had always been incredibly sturdy. Even when he was forging and hammering, or occasionally bumped into something, it had never been damaged. How had it silently shattered like this overnight?

"Big Brother, what's wrong?" Na'er woke from the noise on the other bed. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked over with her violet eyes. Even just after waking, her voice carried its usual cool clarity.

As the two children had gradually grown older, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue had long suggested that they sleep in separate rooms. But Tang Wulin insisted, "I won't feel at ease unless I see my little sister first thing when I wake up." In the end, they compromised by having them share a room but sleep in separate beds. At that moment, Na'er sat up, her silver hair falling messily over her shoulders. When her gaze landed on the fragments in Tang Wulin's hand, her pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Just then, the bedroom door was gently pushed open, and Tang Ziran poked his head in. "Wulin, Na'er, we're heading out today. Don't stay in bed. Get up and wash—hmm?" His words abruptly stopped. His gaze locked onto the shining fragments in his son's hand and the smaller shards on the bed. "Is that... that necklace?" His voice suddenly turned grave as he strode inside.

He remembered all too clearly. When they had found the child on the snowfield, that strange snowflake pendant and the old cloth embroidered with the three characters "Tang Wulin" had seemed to possess some mysterious power, faintly protecting his young son all along. He had once tried taking the two items away temporarily, only for infant Tang Wulin to immediately cry himself hoarse and burn with fever. He had calmed down only after the items were returned to his side. And now, the snowflake had shattered...

Tang Ziran's heart sank. He immediately looked at the old cloth scarf around Tang Wulin's neck, which had never been removed—and sure enough, the gentle golden sheen that had occasionally flowed over it like water had vanished completely. The embroidered words "Tang Wulin" had become utterly ordinary, nothing more than fine stitching. The two protective objects had lost their spirituality overnight.

This sudden change left Tang Ziran deeply unsettled. What did it mean? Had their protection disappeared? Was that a good thing, meaning the child no longer needed such protection, or a bad thing, meaning some hidden danger had lost its restraint?

"Good morning, little ones... What's wrong? What happened?" Lang Yue came out of the kitchen carrying the freshly prepared breakfast. Hearing the gravity in her husband's voice, she hurried over. When she saw the fragments on the bed and the grave expression on his face, she nearly dropped the plate in her hands. "Wulin!" She practically threw herself to the bedside, set down the breakfast, cupped her son's face with both hands, then anxiously checked his arms and back. "Do you feel unwell anywhere? Does your head hurt? Does your body hurt? Tell Mommy!" The memories of that time surged back, and the child's dependence on those two objects filled her with terror.

"Mom, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine." Tang Wulin laughed and dodged a little as his mother's hands tickled him. To prove that he truly was all right, he carefully placed the snowflake fragments on the bedside table, removed his scarf, and set it beside them on the bed. Then he hopped several steps away from the bed, stretched his limbs forcefully, and even spun around twice on the spot. "See? I'm perfectly fine! It's just..." He paused and scratched his head. "I had a really scary nightmare last night."

"A nightmare?" The whole family's attention turned to him.

"Yeah." Tang Wulin tried hard to remember, a trace of lingering fear appearing on his little face. "I dreamed of a huge, huge golden dragon. It was destroying the whole world. It was terrifying... It... it seemed like it caught Na'er too..." As he said that, he unconsciously clenched his fists. Na'er listened quietly, light and shadow shifting in the depths of her violet eyes.

"And then?" Tang Ziran pressed.

"Then that dragon charged at me. I was terrified and thought I was definitely done for." Tang Wulin gestured as he spoke. "Suddenly, it felt like an ocean appeared behind me. The water wrapped around me and protected me. Then a really, really cold power, like ice, froze that fire-breathing golden dragon! Then I woke up scared." His description was somewhat jumbled, but he spoke clearly of that "icy power" and "the protection of water."

Ice? Water?

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue's gazes involuntarily returned to the pile of snowflake fragments on the bed. Ever since they had found Tang Wulin, that pendant had always emitted a faint chill. Could the "ice" in his dream refer to the power within it? Then what about the "water"? Was it this scarf embroidered with his name?

Na'er sat on the bed with her eyes lowered, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting the sheets. The Golden Dragon King's power was beginning to stir... She understood. The golden dragon from the dream was undoubtedly the violent image projected by the Golden Dragon King's God Core sleeping within Tang Wulin. And the "water"... she thought of the gentle divine power of the Sea God that had once flowed across the embroidered name. As for the "ice"? Where had that chill, capable of temporarily freezing the violent golden dragon, come from? Had it come from this shattered snowflake? Who did it belong to? This question, along with her increasingly obvious worry for Tang Wulin, once again made her hesitate over whether she should contact her main body, Gu Yue. What the Golden Dragon King brought her was a complicated tremor born from deep within her bloodline, along with a faint premonition of danger. As Tang Wulin grew and this change occurred, that feeling became clearer and clearer.

Only after repeatedly confirming that Tang Wulin was lively and showed no discomfort did the Tang family of four finish breakfast, each lost in different thoughts. In the end, Tang Wulin carefully wrapped the largest snowflake fragments in a handkerchief and solemnly placed them in his backpack along with the now ordinary scarf. "I've worn them for so many years. I'm used to them. I just feel more at ease when I have them with me," he explained quietly.

Aolai City Soul Guidance Train Station.

"Wow—!" When the streamlined silver-gray soul guidance train glided into the station like a silent beast, Tang Wulin couldn't help exclaiming in amazement. Na'er did not make a sound, but her violet eyes widened slightly as she curiously studied the massive object she had never seen before. It was their first time riding a soul guidance train.

The carriage was spacious and bright, with soft seats and huge viewing windows. Everything was new and fascinating. The tickets they had bought happened to place the four of them in two rows. Tang Wulin and Na'er sat in the window row, while Tang Ziran and Lang Yue sat behind them.

Since it was the first train in the morning, there were few passengers and the carriage was quiet. When the train started, it moved so smoothly that they could barely feel any vibration. The scenery outside the window began drifting backward, then gradually accelerated.

"Na'er, look! That's our school! It's gotten so tiny!" Tang Wulin practically pressed half his body against the window, pointing at the rapidly shrinking rooftops of Red Mountain Academy in the distance as he excitedly lowered his voice to speak to his sister.

"Mm, it looks like a little box." Na'er nodded, her gaze following the familiar streets and buildings as they flashed past from an entirely new perspective.

"Dad, Mom, look at that sea! It looks completely different from up here!" The train traveled onto an elevated coastal stretch, and the azure sea spread out beneath the morning light, sparkling with waves. Tang Wulin turned around again, eagerly sharing his discovery with his parents behind him.

"Yes, it's magnificent." Tang Ziran smiled in agreement and exchanged a glance with Lang Yue. Seeing their son's excitement, some of the morning's worries seemed to fade. Meanwhile, Lang Yue carefully smoothed Na'er's silver hair, which had been stirred by the airflow near the window.

"Uncle Huo said Eastsea City is many times bigger than Aolai City, and the Spirit Pagoda is especially tall. There are so, so many Soul Spirits to choose from inside..." Tang Wulin's thoughts drifted to their coming destination again. He began softly describing the Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda as he imagined it to Na'er, his voice full of anticipation. Na'er listened attentively and occasionally answered in a soft voice, though her gaze sometimes drifted toward the backpack on Tang Wulin's lap—the one holding the shattered snowflake.

Perhaps they had risen too early, or perhaps the train's steady motion had a hypnotic effect. Gradually, Na'er's head began to bob until she finally rested it gently on Tang Wulin's shoulder, her breathing becoming even and deep. Tang Wulin immediately lowered his voice, carefully adjusted his posture so his sister could lean more comfortably, and fell quiet as well. He simply kept his eyes wide open, greedily taking in the constantly changing scenery outside.

Afternoon, second floor of Rain Spirit Grilled Fish Shop, Eastsea City.

"Xiaoling, this one looks quite good. It suits you." Huo Yuhao leaned against the doorway, watching Demon Spirit turn around in front of the full-length mirror. She was trying on a gown personally designed and made by Bi Ji. The pale green silk resembled a lake in early spring, while layers of gauze were adorned with lifelike embroidery of vines and flower petals. It shimmered as she moved, filled with the lively grace of a nature spirit.

"Of course Aunt Bi Ji's craftsmanship is good." Demon Spirit looked herself over in the mirror again and again. She clearly liked it too, but her brows remained slightly furrowed. "But, Brother Yuhao, for today's occasion... won't it make me look a little too young? It's the annual finals of Demon Spirit Gameworks' fifth anniversary celebration. I'm one of the founders and a presenter, after all."

Huo Yuhao understood her concern. Today's event was a high point in Demon Spirit's career in the human world, and she wanted to appear more mature and authoritative. "Then why not try the one Aunt Zi Ji prepared for you?" He pointed to another gown hanging on the rack beside them.

It was a bright red knee-length dress, its design incorporating elements of phoenix feathers. Its lines were clean and sharp, with subtle Dark Gold scale patterns decorating the shoulders. It looked noble yet carried a faint edge, perfectly matching the "game queen" image Demon Spirit wanted to convey.

Demon Spirit changed into the red dress, and the effect was entirely different. It made her look less youthful and gave her a brighter, more commanding presence. She took a few steps before the mirror and turned, her skirt tracing a crisp arc.

Huo Yuhao examined her for a moment, then nodded. "Mm, this one is better. It's both formal and full of your unique energy, and the color stands out too. This is the one."

"Okay! I'll listen to Brother Yuhao!" Demon Spirit finally broke into a smile, having made her final choice. She carefully changed out of the dress and put it away, planning to wear it again before leaving later.

After lunch, Huo Yuhao drove the sleek black soul guidance car, the Realm Patrol, to take Demon Spirit to the event venue. As he drove steadily, he did not forget to remind her, "Although everyone has their own Three-Word Battle Armor now, which is enough for self-defense in most situations, there will be many people around today. You still need to stay alert. If anything feels wrong, or if you get tired, contact me anytime. Don't push yourself. Safety comes first; having fun comes second."

"I know, Brother Yuhao. You're even more naggy than Uncle Di Tian." Demon Spirit fastened her seat belt and hugged the box containing her dress. Although she said that, her face wore a sweet smile. "I'll be careful. You should drive slowly when you go pick up Wulin and the others too."

After safely delivering Demon Spirit and watching her enter the backstage area, Huo Yuhao checked the time, turned the car around, and drove toward the soul guidance train station.

Eastsea City Soul Guidance Train Station, exit.

Huo Yuhao had only just parked at the designated pickup point when his soul guidance communicator rang.

"Mr. Huo, we're here. We just got off the train and are heading toward the south exit... Yes, we have the two children with us." Tang Ziran's voice came through, with some noisy background sounds.

"Okay, I see the sign for the south exit. I'm outside by the roadside in a black Realm Patrol soul guidance car. The plate number is East A-HYH001. No rush. Take your time coming out, and keep an eye on the children." Huo Yuhao gave them his location, then leaned against the car and searched through the stream of people pouring out.

Before long, two familiar yet somewhat changed little figures appeared in his sight. Tang Wulin had grown quite a bit taller, his blue hair standing out amid the crowd. He tightly held Na'er's hand with one hand while excitedly pointing at the station's towering dome with the other, saying something to her. Na'er remained quiet, silver-haired and violet-eyed, seeming to carry her own soft glow amid the crowd. Tang Ziran and Lang Yue followed closely behind, carrying simple luggage. Their faces showed the fatigue of travel, but even more anticipation and a trace of barely noticeable nervousness.

"Wulin! Over here!" Huo Yuhao raised an arm and called out.

"Uncle Huo!" Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. He immediately pulled Na'er along and hurried over at a jog, a brilliant smile blooming across his face. "Uncle Huo! Long time no see! Eastsea City is so big! The train station is huge too!"

"Mr. Huo, we're troubling you again." Tang Ziran and Lang Yue hurried forward as well. Tang Ziran extended his hand and shook Huo Yuhao's, his tone full of gratitude. "You even came to pick us up yourself. Thank you so much."

"Mr. Tang, Mrs. Tang, don't mention it. You must be tired from the journey." Huo Yuhao replied with a smile, his gaze warmly sweeping across the two children. "Wulin has grown taller again, and so has Na'er. She's becoming more beautiful by the day. Come on, get in first. We can talk in the car."

He opened the rear door and gestured to the two little ones. "You two sit in the back with your mother and fasten your seat belts. Mr. Tang, you can sit in front."

Tang Wulin cheered, helping Na'er into the spacious back seat before climbing in himself. He curiously touched this and looked at that. Na'er sat quietly, her violet eyes peering through the window as she took in Eastsea City for the first time—a city far more prosperous than Aolai City. The streets were broad, tall buildings stood everywhere, and soul guidance vehicles flowed endlessly through traffic. The air itself seemed filled with the energy of a fast-paced life.

Huo Yuhao took the driver's seat. Seeing Tang Wulin's excitement and Na'er's calm profile through the rearview mirror, he smiled faintly and started the vehicle. The Realm Patrol glided silently and steadily into traffic, carrying the family's hopes and their unknown future toward the depths of the city.