A Shi squatted beside the purification zone, writing rapidly on his record board. "At 3:40 AM, the Windwhisper Stone was infused with the power of ice and fire, increasing the speed of gathering Evil Energy by 50%; at 5:40 AM, the symbiotic zone of Ironleaf Flower and Morning Dew Flower took shape, and the black veins in the soil faded by 30%; the roots of the pasture grass began to turn green!" He even drew a structural diagram of the purification zone on the board with charcoal, marking the division of labor as "Inner circle Iron Leaf (absorbing evil) - Outer circle Morning Dew (renewal)".
Just as the Evil Energy was about to be fully gathered, the white light of the Windwhisper Stone suddenly flickered—a strong wind blew by, and the newly gathered Evil Energy drifted along the wind vein towards the direction of the herders' settlement! A Mu gripped the hilt of his sword tightly in a hurry, but suddenly remembered what Snow Spirit Qilin had said about " Ice Mist Flow Stabilization," and immediately separated a wisp of ice power, which condensed into a thin ice film along the wind vein's trajectory, temporarily blocking the Evil Energy's path.
"Use the patterns on the Windwhisper Stone as a 'conduit'!" Snow Spirit Qilin stepped forward quickly, pointing her fingertip at the core pattern of the Windwhisper Stone. "Pour the power of ice and fire into the thickest pattern, let the stone guide the wind element itself, and pull the Evil Energy back!"
A Mu immediately adjusted the flow of power, and the power of ice and fire surged into the Windwhisper Stone along its main patterns—the stone suddenly emitted a deep hum, and all the patterns on its surface lit up, as if an invisible net had been unfurled, pulling the scattered Evil Energy back into the purification zone. The leaves of the Ironleaf Flower instantly became greener, completely absorbing the Evil Energy, while the Morning Dew Flower bloomed with even more vibrant petals, and pale purple light spread along the grass blades, causing the withered pasture to visibly recover its verdant green.
"Look at the top of the slope!" A Ya suddenly pointed to the top of the low slope. Everyone looked up and saw a crystal cluster half-buried in the soil in the center of the Windwhisper Stone at the top of the slope. The crystal cluster shone with a soft golden light, exactly the same as the pure power sensed by the Life Crystal. It was the " Morning Light Crystal Cluster "! The surface of the crystal cluster was covered with a small amount of black Evil Energy patterns, obviously because it was affected by the surrounding Evil Energy and could not be fully activated.
"This is the 'vitality core' of the grassland!" Loran stepped forward, his fingertips glowing with a purifying light. "Activating it will completely purify the remaining Evil Energy of the grassland, nourish the pasture, and make the Morning Dew Flower grow even more abundantly."
A Mu volunteered, "I'll give it a try!" He walked to the crystal cluster, placed the New Sprout Sword horizontally above it, and the power of ice and fire resonated with the wind element of the Windwhisper Stone, forming a three-colored stream of light that slowly poured into the crystal cluster. The golden light of the crystal cluster instantly surged, and the black patterns on its surface, like snow melting in the sunlight, quickly faded away. The golden light spread along the wind veins, covering the entire Morning Light Grassland.
The herders cheered and gathered around, watching the grass turn lush and green again; even the cattle and sheep excitedly ran towards the cluster of crystals. An old herder held out a bowl of steaming hot milk biscuits to the children. "These are made with Morning Dew Flower. Thank you for bringing the grassland back to life!"
A Ya took out her paintbrush and knelt down beside the crystal cluster to sketch—she deliberately included the scene of the herdsmen cheering and the running of cattle and sheep in the drawing, and even labeled it "Core of the Morning Light Grassland's Vitality, Energy Fluctuations Need to be Checked Monthly" next to the crystal cluster. The Icefield Wolf came over and gently touched the crystal cluster with its nose, and the golden light of the crystal cluster condensed into a small flower of light on the tip of its nose, making the boys laugh.
As the sun set, the Morning Light Grassland had regained its former vitality: Morning Dew Flower swayed in the wind, emerald green grass reached above ankle height, wisps of smoke rose from the herders' yurts, and the sounds of cattle and sheep mingled with the hum of the Windwhisper Stone. A Mu compiled today's patrol records into a "Grassland Guardian Log," with a symbiotic diagram of the Windwhisper Stone and the crystal cluster drawn on the title page; A Shi, on the other hand, summarized the data on the recovery of the grass and the effects of the purification zone into a table, saying he would take it back to the Holy Land for Elder Cangxuan's reference.
On the return journey, the Morning Light Crystal Cluster suddenly emitted a pale golden light, extending towards " Sunset Bay " on the eastern side of the grassland. Loran touched the crystal cluster and smiled, saying to the boys, "It seems it has sensed a new place of life. Next time we patrol, we can go and take a look at the bay."
A Mu gripped the New Sprout Sword tightly, the Ice-Fire Entwining Pattern on the scabbard echoing the golden light of the crystal clusters. "No matter where we go, we can handle it!" The boys' laughter echoed across the grassland, with the golden figure of the Icefield Wolf running at the forefront, as if scouting the way for the next guardian journey.
As night deepened, A Mu placed the grassland logbook into the "Guardian Bookshelf"—another logbook had been added to the shelf. From the Clear Creek River to Morning Light Grassland, each one was filled with the growth and protection of the young people. Moonlight shone through the gaps in the tent onto the logbook, reflecting off the ice and fire warning crystal and the Ironleaf Flower specimen beside the bookshelf, as if telling a story: the path of protection has no end, and those ordinary acts of perseverance and warmth will eventually nurture more vitality and hope over time.
The story of " The Qilin of Falling Maple " continues to grow amidst the winds of the grasslands, the light of the crystal clusters, and the laughter of the young. There are no thrilling battles, only purification belts planted by hands, protective ledgers recorded by pens, and messages of life carried on the wind—these small, beautiful moments, like the Morning Light Grassland Morning Dew Flower of the grasslands, are tiny yet resilient, slowly converging into a protective river that illuminates the continent, flowing towards even more distant places.