The palace gates swung inward, revealing Wang Lin, a gentle smile gracing his lips. His gaze settled upon the timid Ling’er, who stood hesitant just beyond the threshold. “What sweet sorrow brings you to my humble abode, little one?” he inquired, his voice a low, soothing melody.

Relief washed over Ling’er as she saw Wang Lin emerge. She clutched at her chest, a nervous gesture, and hastened to speak. “Venerable Senior,” she began, her voice laced with a delicate urgency, “the dawn approaches, and the sun’s awakening upon Water Spirit Star is a sight of breathtaking beauty. I… I wondered if you might deign to witness it with me?” A blush bloomed upon her youthful cheeks. Though she addressed him with the respect due a senior, Wang Lin appeared scarcely older than herself. This bold invitation sent her heart fluttering like a trapped bird, and a wave of shyness washed over her. Wang Lin’s smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful furrow in his brow.

Ling’er, ever observant, saw the shift in his expression and felt her spirits plummet. She bit her lip, unsure of what more to say.

“Ling’er, child,” Wang Lin finally spoke, his tone laced with patient understanding, “this old one must tend to his cultivation. If solitude frightens you, I shall send Tasan to accompany you.” His gaze turned towards the hulking Tasan, who stood silently nearby. “Tasan,” he commanded in a level voice, “escort Ling’er and ensure her safety.” With that, he turned his back on the maiden and retreated into the palace’s depths.

Inwardly, Wang Lin chuckled ruefully. The implication in Ling’er’s words was not lost on him. He may not be a monster, but he had walked the path of cultivation for countless years, and by virtue of his power, the title, though exaggerated, could be applied.

The truth was, he was over a thousand years old, far exceeding the tender years of this Ling’er. Any kindness he showed stemmed from a benevolent elder’s desire to nurture a talent like her own, not from any romantic inclination.

“Ling’er harbors no ulterior motives,” she protested, desperation coloring her voice. “I merely wished to share the sunrise with you. Is such a simple request beyond your generosity, Senior?” Tears welled in her eyes. She could not fathom the source of this sudden urge, the overwhelming need to find Wang Lin, to unravel the mystery of the dream that had plagued her since awakening. She felt, with a certainty that defied logic, that the answers lay within him.

Wang Lin, his back still turned, continued his retreat. As he crossed the threshold, he flicked his sleeve, and the palace gates began to close, sealing him within. “Senior,” she cried, her voice laced with panic, “I must know! The colossal figure that manifested in the night sky… what… what *was* it?” Ling’er surged forward, driven by her desperate need to know.

Tasan, his eyes flashing with a cold light, swiftly intercepted her. A ripple of unseen force emanated from him, slamming into Ling’er and sending her staggering back several paces.

Ling’er, whose cultivation was still nascent, reeled under the impact. Her face paled, her spiritual energy churned within her. The turmoil of the night, the gnawing anxiety for answers, now converged, causing her inner energies to erupt. A crimson torrent gushed from her lips as she collapsed to her knees.

Wang Lin sighed, a weary sound filled with resignation. With a flicker of movement, he vanished from the palace and reappeared at Ling’er’s side. His hand, gentle but firm, rested upon her back. A surge of power, subtly controlled, flowed into her, quelling the chaos within. The immediate danger subsided.

“You foolish girl…” Wang Lin murmured, a trace of exasperation in his voice. “Very well, let us watch this sunrise of yours.” He could deny neither his mild fondness for the girl, nor the genuine desperation in her quest for answers. “Was that a promise, Senior?” Ling’er’s face, though still pale, brightened with sudden joy. Her large eyes sparkled with naive delight.

“Once only,” Wang Lin cautioned, his thoughts drifting back through the corridors of time. Only once, in the twilight of Li Muwan’s life, had he shared such a moment. Those days were now etched eternally into the tapestry of his heart. Other than that, he had never witnessed the dawn or dusk in the company of another soul. He had only watched the sunset with Willow-Brow, but that was a long time ago.

A radiant smile bloomed upon Ling’er’s face. She nodded eagerly, and with a flourish, she shook the silver bells that adorned her wrist. The melodious chimes echoed through the air, and in response, a white speck appeared on the distant horizon. It was a crane, its wings beating steadily as it descended towards them, its cries resonating through the air.

Ling’er, nimble as a sprite, leaped onto the crane’s back. Wang Lin, unwilling to be seen riding with a girl so much younger than him, simply stepped into the void. The air shimmered around him as he found purchase on the invisible currents.

“Come, Senior!” Ling’er giggled, her voice carrying on the mountain breeze. With a gentle tap of her hand, she guided the crane into a graceful arc. The crane arced through the sky, heading toward the east. The sun was just starting to rise. Wang Lin followed in silent amusement. He had been alone for so long and he was glad for a bit of company.

Throughout their journey, Ling’er’s laughter filled the air, a joyful sound that danced with the music of the bells that adorned her wrist. The melody was as light and delicate as the rising sun.

Watching Ling’er upon the crane, Wang Lin couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia. For he could see the pure joy, the unburdened happiness that radiated from her. And he knew, with a sorrowful certainty, that outside of his childhood, he had rarely known such unadulterated joy.

Soon, the crane reached a towering precipice, its peak piercing the heavens. Shrouded in swirling clouds and kissed by the nascent light of dawn, the mountain possessed an awe-inspiring beauty.

The summit was barely visible through the mists, adorned with lush vegetation that clung to the rocky slopes. Beyond the mountain’s shadow lay an endless expanse of darkness – the vast and untamed ocean of Water Spirit Star.

With a resonant cry, the crane adjusted its wings and plunged through the swirling clouds, heading toward the summit. Soon, they arrived at the very pinnacle of the mountain, where the crane gently alighted.

Ling’er, as light as a feather, leaped onto the peak, landing gracefully on a flat stone. “Senior, come quickly!” she cried, her voice carried on the wind. As she turned, the wind playfully teased her hair, momentarily veiling her delicate features.

And in that fleeting moment, a breathtaking beauty was revealed. The flowing strands of hair, the gentle breeze, and the warmth of the rising sun that illuminated her skin and the look on her face. She had never been more lovely.
A subtle allure, born of her water-aligned spirit, had been veiled within Ling’er. Now, as if a slumbering enchantment was stirred by the caress of the morning breeze, it blossomed forth, a natural and captivating grace unveiled.

But this was not all. From the inky depths of the eastern sea, the dawn’s radiant hand ascended. A thousand shafts of amber light pierced the horizon, lances of glory that banished the lingering shadows. Behind Ling’er’s ethereal beauty, the sun crested the waves, a silent witness to her grace.

Bathed in the dawn’s gentle embrace, the rising sun a mere embellishment to her beauty, Ling’er smiled, a fleeting moment of wind-tossed hair against her cheek, etched eternally in Wang Lin’s memory.

A whisper of awe escaped him. He stepped from the void, alighting upon a weathered stone. Silently, he gazed upon the sunrise, his soul caught in a rare and tranquil reverie.

Ling’er, without a word, swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and together they watched the sun ascend. A gentle smile played on her lips.

“Before Xue’er arrived on this star,” she murmured, her voice a soft sigh, “it was I who watched the dawn and dusk in solitude.”

“It is beautiful,” Wang Lin replied, his gaze fixed upon the horizon. He had been momentarily lost, consumed by a strange and unfamiliar peace. Though fleeting, the memory resonated deep within him.

In that odd space, he felt he had glimpsed something profound, yet when he tried to grasp it, it dissolved into nothingness. A peculiar sensation, one he had never encountered before.

The murmur of the ocean filled the air, a perfect harmony with the stillness of the morning. The sounds mingled, a soothing melody. “Venerable One,” Ling’er asked after a long pause, her voice soft, “the phantom giant in the night sky… what was it?”

Wang Lin watched the sun climb higher, pondering her question. Finally, he spoke, “Merely the spirit of one of my artifacts.”

Ling’er bit her lip, gazing at him with unwavering eyes. “Do not jest with me, Venerable One. I know it was no mere spirit. It was something more… something that has vanished, a being of immense power, one that walked these stars long ago.”

Wang Lin’s gaze sharpened, though subtly. He replied calmly, “What makes you say this?”

Ling’er lowered her head, lost in thought. At last, she raised her gaze, her eyes shining with conviction, a strange light glimmering within. “Since I was a child, a dream has haunted me, a recurring vision that ensnares my mind. In that dream, I have seen… that giant! The one from last night! Though not the same, they shared a common mark… a star between their brows!”

These words had never been spoken aloud. She had subconsciously guarded this secret, unwilling to share it with another soul. Yet now, before Wang Lin, a strange compulsion drove her to reveal her deepest mystery.

Wang Lin’s face remained unchanged, but his heart echoed with a sudden tremor. He watched Ling’er, skepticism clouding his thoughts.

He bore the memories of Tu Si, and within them, there was no mention of mortals, no explanation for such a tale.

“To dream of the Ancient Gods is madness,” Wang Lin declared, turning his gaze back to the rising sun. After a long silence, he spoke with finality. “The dawn is upon us, and your questions are answered. You may leave. I must meditate here, undisturbed.”

Ling’er’s face paled. She stumbled back, her eyes fixed on Wang Lin, knowing he did not believe her.

A flicker of determination ignited within her, banishing the despair. She was not as frail as she seemed. Once her course was set, she rarely wavered.

Without hesitation, Ling’er knelt, clasping her hands before her in the shape of a sacred vessel, her head tilted back, revealing the graceful curve of her neck. It was a gesture she had witnessed countless times in her dreams, a moment frozen in eternity! Wang Lin’s eyes widened, his mind reeling from an unexpected shock!