The fog over the East Sea remained thick as Ye Chenyu, Liyue Ying, and Xuan Ye set foot on the rocky shore. The sea churned, sending forth a low, rumbling tide that seemed like ancient whispers rising from the depths. Each wave crashing against the rocks carried an unspoken warning, stirring an instinctive fear deep within them.
At that moment, a slender figure slowly emerged from the mist—a girl who seemed formed from the sea fog itself. Her movements were light, her long hair drifting with the wind, yet her pallor was unnaturally eerie. Her eyes were deep, seeming able to pierce through the water and see into the abyss below. Ye Chenyu felt a sudden chill from her indescribable aura, tension rising in his chest.
The girl walked toward them, her voice low yet clear: "You have stepped into waters not ordinary. Every step you take is being watched." Her tone quivered slightly, yet seemed to resonate with the sea itself, faintly echoing with ancient whispers. Ye Chenyu instinctively clutched his rune shard to steady his mind, though the rocks beneath his feet seemed to tremble as if alive.
In the fog, the sea roiled violently. Suddenly, a dark shape shot up from the water, splashing waves around. A massive creature emerged, partially obscured by mist, covered with horn-like protrusions along its body. Its skin glimmered with a dark teal hue, limbs muscular and monstrous, forged as if by the crushing pressures of the deep ocean. It crouched at the shore, its eyes cold as a frozen abyss, fixated on the trio, as though it could perceive every subtle fear in their hearts.
Ye Chenyu could almost hear his heartbeat exploding in his chest. The fog twisted his vision, and the outline of the beast wavered between illusion and reality, warning him that the East Sea's danger was not just physical, but a trial of the mind. Liyue Ying's brows furrowed slightly. She held her shards lightly in her hands, the runes flickering as they carved a narrow, safe path through the mist. Xuan Ye extended his rune array across the rocks; the ice-blue glow refracted in the sea mist, temporarily suppressing the creature's aura.
The girl stood beside them, whispering: "The whispers of this sea can devour your mind. You must trust your instincts." She touched the water's surface. Ripples surged like living beings, and unknown symbols appeared in the mist, shimmering in faint azure light. Dizziness overcame Ye Chenyu as if the entire East Sea itself were speaking, hiding countless unknown creatures beneath, either hunting or watching intruders.
The water churned again. The horned sea beast leapt violently, its massive tail sending waves crashing against the rocks with a thunderous roar. Ye Chenyu's heart jumped; the shard's glow nearly drowned in the spray. He relied solely on its faint light to dodge the attack. Liyue Ying moved gracefully, merging with the mist, striking with deadly precision to push the monster back. Xuan Ye reinforced the protective barrier with his rune array, keeping the beast from directly lunging, though the air remained thick with the scent of brine and fear.
Xing Lan's gaze was deep as he murmured an ancient incantation. The ripples on the water responded, forming a faint shield, as if silently communicating with the creature. Ye Chenyu felt the pressure on his chest ease slightly, yet the horned sea beast's stare seemed to pierce his soul. He knew that the threat they faced was far beyond mere physical danger.
As the tide churned once more, the beast gradually submerged into the mist, vanishing without a trace, leaving only rolling waves and the whispers of the sea. Xing Lan turned, fixing Ye Chenyu with a steady gaze: "Remember, every stretch of sea, every reflection, has its own will. Do not be deceived by appearances."
Ye Chenyu tightened his grip on the rune shard, inhaling the salty sea breeze, feeling his heartbeat and breathing strained to the limit by the presence of this East Sea. Liyue Ying and Xuan Ye stood beside him, their forms resolute and cold.
The fog seemed alive, writhing as the trio slowly moved along the rubble-strewn beach. The shifting reflections on the water occasionally blurred the line between reality and illusion. The low rumble of the tide echoed like a silent incantation, haunting their ears as they pressed onward.