Chapter 1: Seeking Tranquility

The bus climbed slowly along the winding mountain road, as urban landscapes gradually gave way to lush forests. Long Hua and Lin Ruoxi sat by the window, quietly appreciating the scenery.

"It's been a long time since I left the city," Long Hua said softly, gazing at the green mountains outside. "The last time I went hiking was when my father was still alive."

Lin Ruoxi glanced at him. "Did your father often take you mountain climbing?"

"Yes, especially Dragon Mountain." Long Hua's gaze grew distant. "When I was young, he would bring me here almost every quarter. We would watch the stars from the summit, and he would point to the night sky, telling me the names and stories of various constellations." Memories surfaced, and he smiled unconsciously. "I thought it was just ordinary parent-child activity then, but now I think perhaps he was trying to teach me something."

"Your father was a wise man," Lin Ruoxi said softly. "He chose a gentle way to guide you, rather than directly telling you truths that might frighten or confuse a child."

Long Hua nodded. "I wish he could have lived longer, at least long enough to tell me all this himself." There was a hint of regret in his voice.

Outside the window, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, creating dappled patterns on the mountain path. As Long Hua watched these light spots, he suddenly noticed that from certain angles, they seemed to form those special geometric patterns again—not as clear as what he had seen in the laboratory, but definitely present.

"Look at those light rays," Long Hua pointed out to Lin Ruoxi. "Do you notice any special patterns?"

Lin Ruoxi looked in the direction he indicated, observed carefully for a moment, then shook her head. "I only see ordinary light and shadow. But this confirms something—you indeed have the ability of a 'Clear-Eyed One,' able to see light variations invisible to ordinary people."

Long Hua nodded thoughtfully. Recent experiences had repeatedly confirmed that his unique visual perception was neither coincidental nor illusory, but a genuine special ability. This both fascinated and slightly unsettled him—being special often implied responsibility, and he still didn't know what kind of responsibility this ability entailed.

After about forty minutes, the bus finally stopped at the visitor center station at the foot of Dragon Mountain. On this weekend morning, there were quite a few hikers, mainly families and hiking enthusiasts.

Long Hua and Lin Ruoxi got off the bus and stood in the plaza in front of the visitor center. Dragon Mountain was known for its beautiful natural scenery and rich cultural history, making it one of the city's famous attractions. A huge stone monument stood at the foot of the mountain, engraved with four powerful characters: "Dragon Mountain Scenic Beauty."

"According to the map, the main hiking trail starts here," Lin Ruoxi pointed to the signpost beside the visitor center. "But the shortcut that the mysterious librarian Zhou Dao gave us should be in another direction."

Long Hua took out the sketch Zhou Dao had drawn and carefully compared it with the surrounding terrain. "It should be along this small path," he pointed to a less obvious trail to the right of the visitor center, where few tourists ventured. "It doesn't look like many people take this route."

"The more secluded the path, the more valuable secrets it usually hides," Lin Ruoxi smiled. "Let's go."

They left the bustling visitor center and headed toward the hidden path. At first, there were still some signposts and rest facilities, but as they went deeper, the path became more primitive, soon becoming just a narrow dirt trail worn by time and footsteps.

Dragon Mountain's vegetation was dense, with tall pines and various broad-leaved trees intertwined to form a green ocean. Sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of soil and plants. Occasional bird calls from overhead broke the mountain silence.

Long Hua walked in front, carefully avoiding rocks and tree roots on the path, occasionally looking back to make sure Lin Ruoxi was keeping up. Although the path was rugged, he found himself strangely familiar with the route, as if he had walked it countless times before.

"Strange," Long Hua stopped and looked around. "I feel like I know this path, though I don't recall my father ever bringing me along this trail."

Lin Ruoxi came to his side. "Perhaps it's some kind of memory connection, or..." She looked at Long Hua thoughtfully. "In some traditions, it's believed that certain abilities and knowledge are inherited through bloodlines, even without direct teaching."

Long Hua found this explanation somewhat mystical, but he couldn't think of a more reasonable explanation at the moment. He took out the bronze compass from his pocket and found that the needle pointed steadily toward the summit, without any unusual movement.

"At least we're heading in the right direction," he put away the compass and continued forward.

As the altitude increased, the surrounding air became fresher, and the temperature dropped slightly. Wild flowers occasionally dotted the green background, adding splashes of color. Long Hua found that away from the city's hustle and the strange recent events, his mind gradually became more peaceful.

"There's always a healing power in walking in nature," Lin Ruoxi seemed to read his thoughts. "It allows us to temporarily escape the pressures and troubles of daily life."

Long Hua took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. "Indeed. Too many inexplicable things have happened these past few days, making me feel quite stressed. But here, everything seems simpler and purer."

"Perhaps that's why many ancient practitioners chose to meditate in the mountains," Lin Ruoxi said as they walked. "Away from worldly distractions, it's easier to sense the laws of the universe and the wisdom of nature."

They continued along the path, sometimes chatting, sometimes silently appreciating the surrounding scenery. They encountered fewer and fewer hikers, and soon they were the only ones on this hidden mountain trail.

After walking for about an hour, they reached a relatively flat area on the mountainside. A protruding large rock served as a perfect resting spot. Long Hua took out water and some snacks from his backpack to share with Lin Ruoxi.

"Look over there," Lin Ruoxi pointed into the distance. "The entire city is within view."

Long Hua looked in the direction she indicated. The entire city was laid out below like a three-dimensional map. The outline of the city, major buildings, and even the winding river were clearly visible. In the sunlight, the city seemed like a huge living organism, radiating vitality and warmth.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Long Hua said softly. "When I was young, my father always said that looking at the world from a height gives you a new perspective and way of thinking. I didn't really understand then, but now I do."

Lin Ruoxi nodded. "Height brings not only vision but also breadth of thought. Often, we're troubled by daily trivialities because we stand too close and can't see the big picture."

"Speaking of which," Long Hua turned to Lin Ruoxi, "you've been researching these ancient astronomy and light phenomena. Is it out of personal interest, or... are there other reasons?"

Lin Ruoxi was silent for a moment, her gaze still fixed on the distant city. "Initially, it was indeed out of personal interest. I've been curious about the stars and ancient civilizations since childhood. During my graduate studies, I accidentally came across some ancient texts about 'Clear-Eyed Ones' and was deeply drawn to them." She turned to Long Hua. "But as I delved deeper, I discovered these weren't merely the imagination or superstition of the ancients, but a kind of forgotten knowledge system."

"So you came to this city because...?"

"Because historical records indicate that this area was once an important site for ancient astronomical observations, especially the Star-Gazing Pavilion on Dragon Mountain." Lin Ruoxi's gaze deepened. "And, I heard there might be descendants of 'Clear-Eyed Ones' here."

Long Hua felt a jolt. "You came specifically to find 'Clear-Eyed Ones'?"

Lin Ruoxi smiled slightly. "You could say that. I hoped to find people with special perceptual abilities, understand their experiences and perspectives, perhaps to help unravel those ancient mysteries." She looked directly into Long Hua's eyes. "And you, Long Hua, are the first person I've met who definitely possesses this ability."

Long Hua didn't know how to respond. Lin Ruoxi's appearance had already seemed strange, and now it looked more like some carefully arranged plan. But his intuition told him she had no malicious intent; she was just like him, searching for answers.

"I understand this might sound strange, even unsettling," Lin Ruoxi seemed to sense his hesitation. "But I assure you, my research is purely out of academic curiosity, with no ill intentions. If you feel uncomfortable, we can—"

"No, it's fine," Long Hua interrupted her. "Actually, I'm grateful someone understands and studies these phenomena. For years, I thought they were just my hallucinations or misperceptions and never dared share with anyone. Knowing all this has a traceable origin actually gives me a sense of relief."

Lin Ruoxi showed a relaxed smile. "So shall we continue together?"

"Of course," Long Hua nodded, packing up their rest items. "I guess the Star-Gazing Pavilion is still some distance away; we should keep moving."

Just as they were about to get up, Long Hua suddenly felt a strange dizziness. The scenery in his vision began to distort slightly, like looking at distant objects through heat haze. He shook his head, trying to dispel the feeling, but the dizziness not only didn't disappear but intensified.

"Are you all right?" Lin Ruoxi asked with concern, noticing his distress.

"A bit dizzy, probably the altitude," Long Hua steadied himself against the large rock. "Just give me a moment to adjust."

However, the dizziness wasn't physiological. Long Hua was astonished to find the surrounding environment changing in an incredible way. The colors of the forest became more vivid, bird calls sounded as if right by his ear, and even every dust particle in the air became visible.

Even more shocking, he saw light—not ordinary sunlight, but a kind of energy flow invisible to the naked eye. These energies were like transparent threads permeating the entire space, connecting every tree, stone, and cloud, forming a vast and complex network.

"Long Hua?" Lin Ruoxi's voice came through, but sounded distant. "What do you see?"

"I see..." Long Hua struggled to articulate, "I see energy, everywhere, connecting everything like a web." He raised his hand, amazed to find his arm also surrounded by these energy threads, flowing with his movements.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes lit up. "Your ability is awakening! This is exactly the 'seeing qi' stage described in ancient texts, an important sign in the development of a 'Clear-Eyed One's' abilities!"

Long Hua had no opportunity to respond to her excitement; he was completely immersed in this unprecedented perceptual experience. Following the energy network's flow, his gaze was drawn to the summit direction. There, the energy threads converged into a massive vortex, emitting intense light.

"The summit..." Long Hua pointed in that direction. "There's some kind of energy center there, very powerful."

"That's the location of the Star-Gazing Pavilion," Lin Ruoxi said with certainty. "We must continue. Can you walk?"

Long Hua took a deep breath, trying to adapt to this new state of perception. "Yes, it's just a bit unfamiliar. These energy lines... there are so many, it's somewhat distracting."

"Try not to focus directly on them," Lin Ruoxi suggested. "Treat them as background, just as we don't usually pay special attention to the air's presence."

Long Hua tried her suggestion, directing his attention away from the energy lines. Gradually, the dizziness subsided somewhat. Although the energy lines remained visible, they no longer scattered his focus as much.

"Better now," he nodded, adjusting his backpack. "Let's continue."

As they resumed their journey up the mountain, Long Hua found his sense of familiarity with the route even stronger. Without needing to consult the map, he instinctively knew which fork in the path to take, where shortcuts lay.

"You've been here before," Long Hua suddenly said, his tone certain. "Not just researching materials, you've actually walked this path."

Lin Ruoxi gave him a surprised look. "Yes, I've been here several times, but I haven't told anyone. How did you know?"

"I don't know," Long Hua answered honestly. "Just a feeling, like..." He paused, searching for the right words. "Like I can sense some trace left by your footsteps."

Lin Ruoxi looked thoughtful. "Your ability might not be limited to 'seeing qi,' but also includes perceiving some kind of space-time traces. This is very rare, seldom mentioned even in ancient texts."

They continued toward the summit. The path grew steeper, but Long Hua's steps became increasingly light, as if some invisible force was guiding and supporting him. Lin Ruoxi followed behind, sometimes recording observations in her notes, sometimes discussing what they saw and heard.

As they approached the summit, Long Hua felt the energy vortex growing stronger. Whether illusion or reality, the surrounding temperature seemed to rise, and the air filled with a subtle vibration.

"We're almost there," Long Hua said, turning back to Lin Ruoxi. "Past that ridge, we should be able to see the Star-Gazing Pavilion."

He quickened his pace, climbing the final steep slope to stand on the ridge. The sight before him took his breath away—

An ancient hexagonal pavilion stood on the summit platform, constructed entirely of gray stone, with a typical Chinese upturned eaves design. The roof was topped with an ancient bronze wind chime that made crisp sounds in the gentle breeze. Surrounding the pavilion was an open flat area dotted with a few ancient pine trees, clearly carefully planned to provide an ideal environment for stargazing.

More amazingly, the pavilion seemed to be at the center of the energy vortex, with countless energy threads converging from all directions, forming a spectacular energy network.

"This is it," Long Hua said softly, feeling a strange sense of familiarity and belonging. "The Star-Gazing Pavilion..."

He remembered this place, not just from photographs or stories, but from a deeper memory, as if the scene had been etched into the depths of his soul long ago. His father's voice echoed in his mind: "One day, you will understand."

Lin Ruoxi stood beside him, equally awestruck by the scene before them. "More magnificent than I imagined. Can you see the energy flow around the pavilion?"

Long Hua nodded. "Like a huge vortex, all energy lines converge here."

Just then, a steady voice came from the direction of the pavilion: "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Li Ming."

Long Hua and Lin Ruoxi turned simultaneously toward the source of the voice. In the pavilion stood an elderly man with white hair—it was the "librarian" Zhou Dao from the library.

The old man smiled and beckoned to them. "Come, let's play a game of chess."