A Giant Silver Mirror

“However,” she paused, lowering her voice, “I have a small tip. If you want to see the most breathtaking view, don’t just stay on the observation deck. While the observation deck offers a good view, it’s also the most crowded. You can walk down the path next to the observation deck, towards the edge of the salt lake. There are fewer people there, and you can see the reflection directly, which is even more stunning than from the deck.”

“But be careful,” she added. “When the Inverted Sea appears, the salt lake’s energy field will become unstable.”

Liu Yi nodded, committing the information to memory.

“Oh, and one more thing,” the staff member suddenly remembered. “You can rent a ‘Mirror Skateboard’ from the rental point next to the observation deck. It’s a special skateboard designed specifically for the Mirror Salt Lake, allowing you to glide across its surface. When the Inverted Sea appears, gliding on the lake feels like you’re flying through the sky—it’s incredibly dreamlike!”

“However—” she lowered her voice again, “that skateboard isn’t very easy to control, and a lot of people rent them, so you’ll need to get there early to queue up.”

Liu Yi thanked the staff member and left the Monte Region Beast Tamer Association with Ziyue and Chiying.

The sun was just right, and the breeze was gentle.

She glanced at the time on her phone: 2:15 PM.

“Let’s go,” she told Ziyue and Chiying. “First, we’ll take Maglev Sightseeing Vehicle Line 3.”

Ziyue excitedly trotted at her heels, both tails held high. Chiying hovered beside her, the distant outlines of the floating islands reflected in its crimson eyes.

There was a Maglev Sightseeing Vehicle stop right outside the Monte Region Beast Tamer Association.

【Line 3: Monte Region Beast Tamer Association — Central Floating Islands — Mirror Salt Lake — Sky Colosseum (Loop Line)】

【Total journey approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, Mirror Salt Lake station approximately 40 minutes】

There were already a few people waiting on the platform. Liu Yi noticed that many of them had pets with them, likely also heading to see the Inverted Sea.

“Are you also going to see the Inverted Sea?” a girl with a small Moonlight Marten asked proactively.

Liu Yi nodded.

“That’s great!” the girl exclaimed excitedly. “I wanted to go last year but missed it. This year, I specifically saved up vacation time—I absolutely have to see it!”

The small Moonlight Marten beside her also hopped excitedly, the moon patterns on its tail sparkling in the sunlight.

Ziyue looked at the small Moonlight Marten curiously, and the Moonlight Marten tilted its head to look back. The two pets stared at each other for a few seconds before the Moonlight Marten suddenly shrank behind the girl, only its head peeking out.

“Xiao Yue?” The girl looked down at it. “What’s wrong?”

Ziyue blinked innocently.

Liu Yi suppressed a laugh and rubbed Ziyue’s ears.

The Maglev Sightseeing Vehicle arrived quickly. It was a streamlined white train, with the Monte Region Beast Tamer Association’s emblem printed on its side. The doors opened, and Liu Yi found a window seat.

Ziyue crouched at her feet, gazing at the scenery outside through the transparent window. Chiying hovered beside her, its crimson eyes calmly surveying the other passengers in the carriage.

The train slowly started, leaving the Monte Region Beast Tamer Association platform and heading southeast.

The scenery outside the window constantly changed. The bustling streets of the Central Floating Islands were quickly left behind, replaced by clusters of low-lying floating islands.

These islands didn’t have many buildings, mostly covered in dense vegetation, and occasionally, a few wild pets could be seen moving through the woods.

Ziyue lay by the window, its purple eyes intently watching the scenery outside. Whenever a flying pet soared past the window, its ears would twitch slightly, and its tails would unconsciously sway.

The forty-minute journey passed by unnoticed.

When the train announcement, “Mirror Salt Lake Station, arrived,” sounded, Liu Yi could already see the enormous silver lake in the distance through the window.

The Mirror Salt Lake was much larger than Liu Yi had imagined.

The entire lake surface was like a giant silver mirror embedded among the floating islands, reflecting dazzling light under the sun.

The lake surface was so calm that not a single ripple disturbed it, reflecting the clouds in the sky and the distant floating islands, beautiful as a dream.

The train stopped steadily at the platform. Liu Yi got off with Ziyue and Chiying, following the crowd towards the observation deck.

There were already many people on the platform. Most were Beast Tamers with their pets, but there were also some families who looked like local residents. Children excitedly wove through the crowd, accompanied by various small pets.

Liu Yi didn’t rush to the observation deck; instead, she first located the rental point the staff member had mentioned.

It was a small pavilion built at the edge of the salt lake, with dozens of uniquely shaped skateboards parked nearby. These skateboards were thinner and lighter than ordinary maglev skateboards, with a layer of silvery-white crystals embedded in their bases, sparkling under the sunlight.

“Looking to rent a skateboard?” the staff member in the pavilion enthusiastically called out. “One skateboard is fifty Yan Country Coins per hour, with a two hundred deposit. During the Inverted Sea phenomenon, there’s no time limit, but you can only glide within our designated safe zones.”

Liu Yi rented one, tucked the skateboard under her arm, and continued towards the edge of the salt lake.

The observation deck was built on a small floating island on the east side of the salt lake, a semi-circular wooden platform extending about ten meters over the lake surface. Many people were already standing on the platform, waiting for the Inverted Sea to appear.

Liu Yi didn’t go up to the observation deck; instead, she followed the path the staff member had described, walking down.

The path branched off beside the observation deck, winding down along the edge of the salt lake, extending all the way to near the water’s surface. The further down she went, the fewer people there were, and the more open the view became.

When Liu Yi reached the end of the path, her vision opened up dramatically.

Here, less than two meters from the salt lake’s surface, the entire lake stretched out beneath her feet, boundless. The water was crystal clear, revealing white salt crystals shimmering on the lakebed under the sun.

Ziyue cautiously walked to the lakeside and looked down at its reflection.

Its ice-blue fur, purple eyes, and two fluffy tails were clearly reflected on the water’s surface. It tilted its head, and its reflection tilted with it.

“Bingbing!” Ziyue cried out excitedly, its tails held high.

Chiying hovered beside Liu Yi, its crimson eyes fixed on the lake surface. Its reflection was equally clear, every detail of its dark scales, golden patterns, and slender dragon horns perfectly visible.

Liu Yi glanced at the time: 3:20 PM.

There were still over two hours until the Inverted Sea appeared.

She found a flat spot and sat down, placing the skateboard beside her. Ziyue lay at her feet, continuing to observe the lake curiously. Chiying descended to her side, waiting quietly.

The sun gradually moved westward, and the lake’s color slowly changed. From the silvery-white of noon, it gradually turned a pale gold, then slowly took on a touch of orange-red.

The breeze by the lake was light, carrying the unique crisp scent of the salt lake.

Occasionally, Beast Tamers with their pets walked past on the path, and upon seeing Liu Yi sitting by the lake, they would glance at her twice. Some recognized her, whispering to their companions, but no one came up to disturb her.