As the space expanded, more creatures arrived, and San San tended it with care, the whole place transformed again. Life flourished everywhere, making it feel more like an independent Pocket World.
Sensing Ye Chuqi's attention, San San preened. "Pretty, isn't it?"
"Pretty."
It really was.
Since they had already started, Ye Chuqi figured they might as well gather all the Five Elements. It would suit the space's ever-renewing vitality perfectly.
San San had been thinking the same thing.
"Wait. I knew something felt off." Ye Chuqi suddenly remembered. "Water overcomes fire, so the Phoenix's place was rich in Water Element, and even the Crystal Ore Vein leaned toward water. But we came here for Fire Element to counter the Formation. If I remember right, fire overcomes metal. Why is there water in this Formation?"
San San was startled too. "Who said what's down there has the water attribute?"
Ye Chuqi froze, then understood. "Ah, I got it wrong." She had assumed that since the Merfolk and Giant Clam were both sea creatures, they were probably water-aligned. So the Merfolk in the Formation and the pearl from the Giant Clam must be water-aligned too.
But neither the Merfolk nor the Giant Clam had ever said that.
Even Big Black Fish had developed a talent for space. There was no reason the Merfolk and Giant Clam couldn't have the metal attribute.
Unfortunately, the Merfolk's remains were still beneath the magma, and the Giant Clam had swallowed the pearl again. Ye Chuqi couldn't check for now, so if San San said it wasn't water-aligned, she would take San San's word for it.
Ye Chuqi recognized their next destination at a glance: a dense undersea forest. These were no soft strands of seaweed or kelp, but towering trees. In the dim light underwater, they