Even after 2 whole chapters, Tsung Yue still can't fly at all. As mentioned, she can only levitate for as long as she wants, but other than that, she still lacks skill. But, that doesn't concern her much, because the wolf and the dream occupy most of her mind at the moment. Tsung Yue did tell Hairong about the sightings of the anomaly she saw at the river, but unfortunately, Hairong had no information regarding it at all. She concluded that it might be another entity, or in other words, a spiritual being just like them. The major reason Hairong was calm in this situation was that the wolf didn't try to harm them. But for Tsung Yue, whose mind is as fresh as an open field, her interest was just like a child's curiosity in everything. But even she knows the unwritten rule; don't irritate one if they didn't do it to you first.
Today was a sunny day, its rays creating a warm atmosphere, enough for one to enjoy the coolness of the waters. No thick clouds were to be seen, but small and insignificant ones that wouldn't stand a chance against the light floated far away. On this fine day, Hairong wanted to check Tsung Yue's swimming abilities while basking under the sunlight, absorbing its heat for her scales.
They went to a nearby ocean, the water reflecting the blue sky above, its waves synchronizing with the wind, while a few albatrosses lounge around the beach and the shore, some even flying around or standing on one of the rocks. Greeted by such a tranquil atmosphere, Tsung Yue first *wetted her forehead with the ocean water thrice* before delving in. While so, Hairong finds a comfortable spot to lay on and has already started to doze off like a *crocodile*. When Hairong is lying down, one would think she'd be taking a nap, but in reality, she's checking Tsung Yue in case she might drown, also to see if Tsung Yue can swim or not. And Tsung Yue can swim…well, like a person. You could imagine a long white dragon splashing around, her arms swinging back and forth just as people would do. What Hairong also noticed was that Tsung Yue was breathing heavily while swimming. Technically, spiritual beings do not need to breathe, but in Tsung Yue's case, she breathes because of her human nature. And that also explains why she couldn't stay too long in the sky because she thought she'd probably die up there without air. After realizing that exact situation, Hairong wondered if Tsung Yue knew anything about *dragon pearls*. The answer would be no. Each dragon has its pearl, which is the core vein of their lives. "Since we're at the ocean, today might be the day to teach Tsung Yue about her pearls and where to find them", Hairong thought. After a while, Hairong got up and entered the water, approaching Tsung Yue who was practically having her personal Olympic swimming competition. After Hairong got near enough, she spoke;
-"Well, are you done splashing the water yet?"
-"Oh come on, don't tell me we're leaving…I just started."
-"Oh no, we're not leaving at all. I was going to ask you if you were willing to go farther than the shore."
You could understand the confusion Tsung Yue had felt when she heard that. Is Hairong hiding something from her again?
-"What? Why? What's wrong with the shore?"
-"We have things to find, places to go."
-"What??"
Hairong knew Tsung Yue would be vary of her secrecy, she had a good enough reason to after all. So, Hairong decided to go straight out on her.
-"Because…we must find your pearl."
Tsung Yue's face scrunches in confusion.
-"My…pearl?"
-"Yes."
-"What do you mean pearl!"
-"Like…those round rocks clams make."
-"I know what pearls are, I'm asking you why you never mentioned it in the first place, or if I had one at all."
-"Because if I did, you'd be even more confused than you were about yourself."
It was true. Even if Tsung Yue had been informed about her pearl earlier, she wouldn't have understood a thing because her mind barely grasped the idea of spiritual beasts in general.
-"Let me break it down to you in simple terms. You have a pearl, just like any other dragons do. It's the core of your very being, and the nearer you are to it, the stronger you get. And where it is, I don't know, but your instincts know. Dragons are sea creatures, so I believe the pearl is located somewhere in the depths of the ocean."
-"Huh…"
It took some while for Tsung Yue to take the information, but she finally got the point. There's a pearl she needs to find, and it's only up to her if she can get it.
-"Alright, I'll bite. You said it was somewhere in the ocean, right?"
-"Yeah. If you had your pearl, where would you put it so that no one can find it?"
-"I'd put it…in the core of the ocean, somewhere no one can handle the pressure."
-"Well then, that's where it is!"
-"Really?"
-"Yes. If you think it's there, it's there."
Tsung Yue thought Hairong was right. The pearl and the dragon are connected spiritually, and no memory deficits could alter that.
-"Then…Let's go get it. It might help me remember my past."
-"Then you gotta lead the way this time."
The two started to fly over the vast sea with Hairong's help, eager to get to the pearl as fast as possible. But, deep in the sea…an old man could hear the two dragons' conversation and hummed in frustration and deep thought.
***
Word explanation
Wetting one's forehead with ocean water thrice: A way of preparing to enter any water (sea, river, etc.), and paying respect to the sea deities.
Doze off like a crocodile: When a crocodile sunbathes in order to collect heat for its body, it closes it's one eye and keeps the other open in case of danger.
Dragon pearl: As mentioned, all dragons have them. They have immense spiritual power that no other living beings can possess. When the dragon claims their pearl, it connects to them and resides within its body, and the dragon is always powerful.