As night fell, Yining City was enveloped in a thin layer of mist. The moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting a gentle glow on the ancient streets, while the air was filled with a mysterious stillness.
Li Ya lay in bed, tossing and turning, her mind replaying the events and sights she had witnessed at the Baitu La Mosque during the day. She recalled the Eternal Flower, which had once bloomed before her in a dazzling light, as if it were the very soul of Yining. Yet, at this moment, her heart was filled with unease.
Suddenly, a wave of intense drowsiness washed over her, and Li Ya's consciousness began to fade. She felt as though she was being drawn by some mysterious force into a strange dream. She found herself standing in an endless sea of flowers, the surrounding scenery breathtakingly beautiful. Sunlight danced on the petals, casting a kaleidoscope of colors, and a gentle breeze caused the flower field to ripple like waves.
However, unlike before, the Eternal Flower at the center of the field had lost its usual brilliance. Its petals began to wither one by one, turning into specks of starlight that dissipated into the air.
"No!" Li Ya cried out, wanting to stop the withering, but she found herself unable to move. She could only watch helplessly as the Eternal Flower slowly withered away.
"The Eternal Flower is shattered..." a deep, aged voice echoed in her ears, as if coming from a great distance, yet clear and distinct.
"The beauty of Yining is about to fade... The natural environment will rapidly deteriorate... Disasters will follow one after another... Only by finding all the fragments can the impending doom be averted."
A surge of fear and anxiety welled up within Li Ya. She wanted to ask the voice who it belonged to and to learn more about the fragments, but the voice gradually faded into the air.
Li Ya woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat. She opened her eyes and looked around. The room was silent, with only the moonlight streaming in through the window, casting a soft glow on the floor.
"Was it just a dream?" Li Ya murmured to herself. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, but the images from the dream remained vivid in her mind.
"The Eternal Flower is shattered... What does it mean?" Li Ya felt an unprecedented panic. She didn't know how to face the terrifying dream. She sat up, put on her coat, and walked to the window.
Outside, Yining City looked tranquil under the moonlight, but Li Ya's heart was filled with anxiety.
"Could the Eternal Flower really be in trouble? If so, what will become of Yining's future?"
Li Ya knew that the Eternal Flower was not just a legend. It was intricately connected to the natural environment, history, and culture of Yining, as well as the people who lived there.
"If the Eternal Flower is truly shattered, then all the beauty of Yining will cease to exist."
Li Ya felt a sense of helplessness. She didn't know how to save Yining.
"Perhaps I should tell Shi Kexin and Mu Ran," Li Ya decided.
The next morning, Li Ya woke up early, quickly washed up, and contacted Shi Kexin and Mu Ran before heading to their usual coffee shop.
"Li Ya, why are you here so early?" Shi Kexin greeted her with a smile.
Li Ya didn't answer. She walked straight up to them, her expression serious. "I had a terrible dream," she said.
Shi Kexin and Mu Ran exchanged glances, looking at Li Ya intently.
"The Eternal Flower is shattered..." Li Ya recounted the dream in detail.
"It turned into three petals, flying off in different directions."
After hearing Li Ya's account, Shi Kexin and Mu Ran's expressions also turned serious.
"Could the dream be a manifestation of your inner anxiety and stress?" Shi Kexin tried to comfort her.
"No, it's not just a dream," Li Ya said firmly. "I have a strong premonition that the Eternal Flower is really in trouble."
Mu Ran pondered for a moment and said, "Li Ya is right. The Eternal Flower is closely tied to the fate of Yining. We can't take this lightly."
The three decided to go to the Baitu La Mosque to check on the current state of the Eternal Flower.
The streets of Yining in the early morning were filled with a faint chill. Shops along the streets gradually opened, and shopkeepers began their day's work.
Li Ya, Shi Kexin, and Mu Ran walked along the street, their hearts unusually heavy.
"I wonder what the situation is at the mosque," Shi Kexin broke the silence.
"Hopefully, it's just a false alarm," Mu Ran said.
Li Ya remained silent, walking quietly, her heart filled with anxiety.
When they arrived at the Baitu La Mosque, they found the central stone lotus pedestal empty; the Eternal Flower had vanished.
"How could this be?" Shi Kexin said incredulously.
Li Ya walked up to the pedestal, reaching out to touch the cold stone surface, feeling an indescribable sadness welling up within her.
"It's really gone..."
Mu Ran frowned and said, "We must find the three petals. Otherwise, Yining will face an unprecedented crisis."
Li Ya nodded and said, "We have to find all the fragments and reunite the Eternal Flower to save Yining."
To find clues, the three decided to return to the mysterious valley from Li Ya's dream.
They followed the map's markers, passing through dense forests, and arrived at a valley shrouded in mist. The valley was filled with a sinister atmosphere, and the surrounding scenery was indistinct, as if hiding endless secrets.
Li Ya felt a sense of familiarity. This was the place from her dream.
"This is where the Eternal Flower is," Li Ya said.
The three cautiously entered the valley. Suddenly, a strange light emanated from deep within the valley. They followed the light and soon came upon an ancient stone tablet.
The tablet was inscribed with strange symbols, similar to those Li Ya had seen at the Baitu La Mosque. Li Ya approached the tablet and gently touched the symbols. A warm energy flowed from the tablet into her palm.
She closed her eyes, focusing her mind, trying to decipher the meaning of the symbols.
"The Eternal Flower is shattered..."
The symbols on the tablet seemed to tell an ancient story.
"The guardian god of Yining has fallen... The three petals are scattered to Tianshui in Gansu, Tengchong in Yunnan, and Harbin in Heilongjiang... Only by finding all the fragments can the Eternal Flower be reunited and Yining saved."
Li Ya shared the information from the tablet with Shi Kexin and Mu Ran.
"It seems the dream was real," Shi Kexin said, her expression serious.
"We must find the three petals as soon as possible," Mu Ran said.
Li Ya, Shi Kexin, and Mu Ran gathered around the tablet, carefully studying the symbols.
"These symbols look like some kind of ancient writing," Shi Kexin said.
"Maybe we can try to decipher them," Mu Ran suggested.
Li Ya nodded and began to examine the symbols closely.
"These symbols seem to tell a story," Li Ya said. "A story about the Eternal Flower and the fate of Yining."
The three continued deeper into the valley and soon arrived at an open clearing. In the center of the clearing, the shattered Eternal Flower lay on the ground, its petals scattered, its former brilliance lost.
Li Ya felt a pang of pain. She knelt down, gently touching the petals, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry, I came too late..."
Shi Kexin and Mu Ran stood by, their hearts equally heavy.
"We will find all the fragments and save Yining," Shi Kexin said firmly.
Mu Ran nodded and said, "Let's split up and find the three petals as soon as possible."
The three decided, based on the information from the tablet, to go to Tianshui in Gansu, Tengchong in Yunnan, and Harbin in Heilongjiang to search for the scattered petals.
"South of Tianshui, atop Maiji Mountain, where the lotus blooms, the petal sleeps there." Li Ya speculated that the fragment in Tianshui, Gansu, might be related to the Maiji Mountain Grottoes.
"The Maiji Mountain Grottoes are a treasure trove of Buddhist art, and the lotus is a symbol of Buddhism. This petal might be hidden under the base of a Buddha statue."
"North of Tengchong, south of the volcano, where the hot springs bubble, the petal lies hidden within." Mu Ran believed that the fragment in Tengchong, Yunnan, might be related to the Hot Sea Hot Spring.
"The Hot Sea Hot Spring is a famous attraction in Tengchong. The place where the hot springs bubble might be where the fragment is."
"North of the Ice City, by the Songhua River, amidst the ice sculptures, the petal is hidden within." Shi Kexin guessed that the fragment in Harbin, Heilongjiang, might be related to Harbin's Ice Festival.
"Harbin is known for its Ice Festival. The place where the ice sculptures are might be where the fragment is hidden."
Li Ya, Shi Kexin, and Mu Ran sat in the clearing of the valley, analyzing the clues from the tablet.
"Each sentence points to a specific place," Shi Kexin said.
"And these places are all related to natural landscapes," Mu Ran added.
Li Ya nodded and said, "This means the fragments of the Eternal Flower might be closely connected to the natural environment of these places."
"Let's split up," Shi Kexin suggested. "Li Ya will go to Tianshui in Gansu, Mu Ran will go to Tengchong in Yunnan, and I'll go to Harbin in Heilongjiang."
"That's a good idea," Mu Ran said. "We can cover more ground if we each take a place."
Li Ya nodded and said, "We must find all the fragments as soon as possible and reunite the Eternal Flower to save Yining."
The three discussed and prepared for their departure.
Li Ya returned home to pack her bags. She brought a notebook, a camera, some necessary clothes and medicines, and the book about the history and legends of Yining.
"Take care," Li Ya said to Shi Kexin and Mu Ran.
"Nice to meet you, you too," Shi Kexin said. "We will succeed."
"The future of Yining depends on us," Mu Ran said firmly.
Li Ya, Shi Kexin, and Mu Ran encouraged each other, filled with love for Yining and hope for the future, and set off on their journey to find the fragments of the Eternal Flower.