Frantically pulling apart the intertwined collar, desperately searching by the flickering firelight for the ancient jade pendant that connected him to his parents, but there was nothing. Instead, he noticed a faint pink mountain-and-water pattern birthmark on his chest.
"Mom, Dad, is this the place? Mom said the ancient jade would accompany me and protect me forever. Could it be that I'm living in a different world, where you can't find me anymore, or have you embedded your longing for each other into my bones and blood? Yes, yes, it must be like this. You must be here. You would never leave me alone without a trace. I came out of that waterfall on the mountainside. I can find the way back, find the ancient jade, find you, right?" North was somewhat self-hypnotizing, thoughts chaotic, and confused, tracing the red mark on his chest with reluctance.
For five years, North had always lived in front of others with strength and optimism. He took on the heavy responsibilities of both his parents' companies, surpassing his peers in rationality and maturity. Only at night would he curl up alone like this, tightly grasping the jade pendant, expressing his grievances, loneliness, and longing to his parents. However, today, for the first time, he felt fear—fear that this unique spiritual reliance had actually been lost.
In a moment of dazzling dizziness, North calmed down, shook his head, opened his eyes, and found himself standing in a huge cavern. Water flowed gently, and crystalline stalactites sparkled, emitting a faint light like ice columns, pure and jade-like. Stalactites, stalagmites, and stone waterfalls displayed various colors and forms, shining brightly, creating a marvelous "icy world."
In the center, there was a three-meter square pool, covered with a misty, milky-white gas, resembling a hot spring. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a dry pit with no water. The flowing water nearby was bone-chilling, yet strangely, the temperature in the cave was not cold; it was even comfortable. Following the water around a giant stone shield, there was light and a roaring sound in the distance. After walking for about thirty meters, North reached the entrance of the cave, and the rushing water cascaded down from a four-meter-wide shallow groove in the middle of a huge rock.
Standing on the giant rock and looking into the distance, the sunlight outside was bright, the breeze was gentle, and within sight was the hot spring valley where North had camped. The flowing water was divided into two streams by the green oasis in the middle, one deep and one shallow. To the east, the hillside vegetation was low, the mountains were not high, but they stood steeply by the water. There were no mudflats. To the west, the high and steep mountains gradually descended from north to south, with lush trees. North could clearly see lingzhi and mushrooms growing at the roots, and bamboo shoots were emerging!
What's going on? North doubted himself. When did his vision become so sharp? To confirm, he tested his eyes by constantly changing direction and target. Yes, as long as he willed it, everything within a five-li radius seemed to be magnified as if viewed through a microscope. Beyond five li, it was shrouded in mist, staring intently, and North wanted to push away the thick fog to see further. However, a sudden dizziness struck again. In an instant, he found himself by the previous campfire, extremely exhausted. The fire was still burning brightly, the night was dark, and before he could think carefully, North fell into a deep sleep.