A Mu planted the New Sprout Sword in the center of the magic circle, and the Ice-Fire Entwining Pattern shone with seven-colored light, echoing the seven fragments; A Ya tied the Symbiotic Fiber to the weapons of the guardians of each race, forming an energy net; A Shi unfolded the crystal pattern record book, and all the diagrams on the pages glowed, coinciding with the patterns of the magic circle; A Lu, the Morning Shepherds, raised the Dew Crystal Staff, and the energy of the morning dew turned into silver threads; A Wu, the Marshspeech Tribe, poured out the juice of the Marshheart Sac, and brown light merged into the energy net; A Yan, the Fire Language Clan, struck the Fire-Inducing Staff, and orange-red flames resonated with the Molten Fire Crystal Fragments; A Jing, the Mirror Water Clan, placed the Mirrorheart Dew Ice Crystal next to the key, and blue light reinforced the energy bond; the golden light of the Icefield Wolf soared into the sky, gathering all the energy into a pillar of light that rushed towards the crystal dome.
"Inject the Mother Crystal Core!" shouted the Ice Spirit Clan elder. The beam of light pierced through the dome, meeting the faint glow of the Mother Crystal Core —in an instant, pale blue light covered the entire Permafrost Icefield, the dark red of the Backlash Layer gradually faded, the sealing patterns on the crystal dome softened, and seven fragments of the Child Crystal Core rose from the magic array, revolving around the Mother Crystal Core before finally merging into it. The light emanating from the Mother Crystal Core spread along the ice plain's patterns, like a blue river flowing to all parts of the continent.
As the light faded, the crystal dome became transparent, and the Mother Crystal Core floated quietly in its center, radiating a stable pale blue light. The snow on the Permafrost Icefield began to melt, revealing green grass sprouts beneath; the distant Morning Dew Spring shone even brighter, and Mist-Dwelling Bird circled above it; the flame crystal clusters in the Flamelight Cave shone even more brilliantly, Fire-Dwelling Butterfly danced more joyfully; the Marshheart Sac in the Mist Swamp swelled, and Mist-Dwelling Insect darted between them—life throughout the continent flourished even more under the stabilizing influence of the Mother Crystal Core.
The guardians of each race cheered and embraced each other. A Lu hugged A Ya, showing her the newly formed Dew Crystal in the Morning Dew Spring; A Yan patted A Mu on the shoulder, saying he would teach him a more precise Fire Pattern Energy-Guiding Technique; A Jing pulled A Shi, wanting him to help record the new changes in Mirrorwater Lake. The Icefield Wolf carried a newly sprouted grass sprout in its mouth and placed it in A Mu's palm. The grass sprout was covered with crystal dewdrops, like a gift from the Ice Field to them.
A Mu walked to the crystal dome, gazing at the Mother Crystal Core inside. He suddenly recalled his first journey of protection—back then, he only knew the basics of Ice-Fire Harmonization, but now, together with his companions and other races, he had anchored the continent's energy. Loran patted him on the shoulder. "Protection has no end, but today, we've completed the most important step."
As night deepened, another record appeared on the Youth Camp's guardian bookshelf—" The Record of the Permafrost Icefield's United Anchoring." The title page depicted guardians of various races surrounding the crystal dome, with imprints of seven fragments and a small chip of the Mother Crystal Core attached beside it, along with the inscription, "Guardians are united in heart and action across races." The twenty-three records on the bookshelf, from the initial "Youth's First Exploration" to the current "Unity Across the Continent," each one is imbued with sweat and warmth, like a string of pearls connecting the vibrant lifeblood of the continent.
Moonlight spilled across the Permafrost Icefield, the faint glow of the Mother Crystal Core reflecting off the campfires of the guardians of various races, creating a warm sea of light. The youths sat around the fire, listening to A Lu tell new stories of the Morning Shepherds, A Wu recount the changes in the swamp. Icefield Wolf lay among them, fast asleep. The story of * The Qilin of Falling Maple * lacks a dramatic final battle, focusing instead on a united protection that transcends mountains and seas, and a belief that "as long as someone is willing to fight for life, the continent will never lose its light."
This belief, like the light of the Mother Crystal Core, will forever illuminate the path of the young people's protection, and also illuminate every inch of the continent—because they know that the next act of protection may be waiting for them, and more guardians willing to walk alongside them, in the new dew of the Dawn Grassland, in the new sacs of the Mist Swamp, on the new crystals of the Flamelight Cave, in every corner that needs warmth and balance.