The morning light from the Eastern Sea carried a salty, warm glow, turning the beach a pale gold. The Youth Camp tents were pitched in a coconut grove not far from the waves. The fatigue of the previous night had not yet completely dissipated when soft sounds came from outside the tents— A Ya sat under a coconut tree, her fingertips deftly weaving Sea Spirit Fiber. The Tidal Crystal fragments adorning the fibers shimmered with a pale blue light in the morning light. She was weaving " Spirit Vein Protection Talisman " for each person. The patterns on the talismans were designed according to their respective spiritual energy attributes: the talisman for A Mu was adorned with small clusters of ice and fire patterns, the talisman for A Shi was wrapped with miniature crystal writing brushes, and the talismans for Loran and Lei Lin were interwoven gold and blue threads.
"Sister A Ya, could you add more coconut leaf patterns to my talisman?" A Shi squatted beside him, holding half a half-eaten coconut cake in his hands, his crystal pattern notebook spread out on his lap, the pages filled with sketches of the Eastern Sea spiritual veins. "I asked the fishermen by the sea yesterday, and they said the spiritual veins around here are hidden on the seabed, and you can only see them on the ' Mirror Sea Tide ' on the first day of each month." A Ya smiled and nodded, adding a few light green coconut leaf patterns with her fingertips, "What's the rush? There are still three days until the first day. Get your equipment repaired first; you can't go to the seabed with a tattered net."
Not far away, A Mu was practicing his swordplay with the New Sprout Sword. He stood on the beach, the tip of the sword cutting through the sea, creating tiny splashes. The Ice-Fire Entwining Pattern shimmered with an orange-blue light in the morning glow—this time he wasn't deliberately pursuing power, but simply swinging the sword slowly, letting the power of ice and fire flow with the rhythm of the waves. " A Mu, if you slow down even a fraction of a second, the waves will soak your shoes!" Lei Lin's voice came from behind the coconut trees. He had transformed into human form, holding a string of freshly caught Silver-Scale Fish, a few drops of water still clinging to his dark hair. " Loran said she's going to make fish soup. If you keep practicing like this, the fish will get cold."
A Mu sheathed his sword and turned back, his ear tips slightly red. "I know, I was just worried I wouldn't be able to use the sword in the secret realm." He walked to Lei Lin's side, looking at the Silver-Scale Fish strung on the straw rope, its gills still gently moving. "When did you learn to fish? I didn't see you fishing for lava fish in the volcanic area before." Lei Lin raised an eyebrow and shook the golden crystal chain on his wrist. " Loran taught me. She said the fish by the sea are more docile than lava fish, so you don't have to worry about burning your hands."
Inside the tent, Loran was squatting in front of a small stove, starting a fire. Several earthenware jars she'd traded with fishermen sat before her, filled with washed seaweed and shellfish. In her hand, a crystal of frozen soil gleamed faintly silver in the firelight—she was using its chilling properties to regulate the heat and prevent the fish soup from burning. " Lei Lin, is the fish ready?" Loran looked up and saw Lei Lin carrying the fish in. Sunlight cast a long shadow behind him. " A Shi said that when the Mirror Sea Tide appears, the sea surface will be like a mirror, reflecting the underwater scene. Maybe the entrance to the secret realm will appear then."
Lei Lin walked to the stove, took the fire tongs from Loran, and helped her adjust the position of the earthenware pot. "I saw it at the seaside just now. There were pale purple light patterns on the distant sea surface, very similar to the light of the Star-Track Token. It should be the spiritual energy of the secret realm dissipating." He looked down at the charcoal ash on Loran's fingertips and gently wiped it off for her. "Let's cook the fish soup first. We can discuss the rest after dinner—you didn't sleep well yesterday guarding the Balance Light Core, you need to replenish your energy."
The afternoon passed exceptionally slowly. The group sat under the coconut trees, sipping fish soup. The tender flesh of the Silver-Scale Fish, mixed with the refreshing aroma of seaweed, dispelled the fatigue of the past few days. A Shi, holding his bowl, sipped while flipping through his crystal-patterned notebook. "The fishermen say the Mirror Sea Secret Realm is a ' Heart-Reflecting Realm,' where the scenery changes according to one's thoughts. A fisherman once accidentally wandered in and saw what looked like his hometown, wandering for ages without finding the exit." A Ya touched the protective amulet on her wrist, gazing at the distant sea. "Then when we go in, we must concentrate as much as possible and not get trapped by illusions—especially A Mu, don't let him think about the Flamelight Cave again." A Mu nearly spat out the fish soup he'd just drunk, glaring at A Ya: "I told you it was an accident! This time I definitely won't let my mind wander!"