Solaris' Strongest Resonator

In Hongzhen, there was a place called Mountain Wilds and Sundries.

Similar to Jinzhou's commercial district, it was a street lined with all kinds of miscellaneous shops selling a variety of goods.

Many of these items had been scattered across places where time stood still, painstakingly sought out and collected by the shopkeepers.

Each object carried traces of its own story, and if one was willing to linger, the shopkeepers would gladly share them as idle chatter.

Youhu picked up a mirror from a stall and examined it carefully.

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "This mirror is called the Moonlight Mirror."

"They say those who possess it can foresee the future through it or see their truest selves reflected within."

"As time passed, more and more legends grew around the Moonlight Mirror."

"Some claim that on certain full moon nights, shadows of another world appear in the mirror. Others say that if you make a wish to it, the wish will come true."

As Youhu listened to the shopkeeper's introduction, she wiped away the dust on the mirror's surface.

"This mirror is quite nice. This master will take it!"

The shopkeeper beamed. "Wonderful!"

Youhu brought the Moonlight Mirror back to Lucian and the others.

Rover asked curiously, "Are these legends true?"

Youhu explained, "These stories are usually just tricks merchants use to inflate the value of antiques."

"But for a master like me, a single glance is enough to know the true worth of these relics."

Abby smirked. "If you're so amazing, why don't you compose a silly verse for this mirror too?"

Youhu curled her lips slightly, looking disdainful. "That's child's play. Listen well."

She swayed her head and recited:

"An ancient mirror, long unpolished, gathers dust,

Once wiped clean, it reveals the self one must.

Reflecting tales of past and present in its sheen,

Laughing at the mortal world's ever-changing scene."

Jiao-Jiao nodded slightly. "Even as a silly verse, the quality is quite high."

Youhu blinked in surprise. "Hey, this little girl knows her stuff, huh?"

Jiao-Jiao: "..."

Lucian also approached the stall, though he wasn't particularly knowledgeable about antiques.

From the pile of objects, he picked out the most eye-catching one.

The item was about the size of a palm—a blue crystal sphere encircled by a golden crescent, emitting a faint glow. Another golden ring wrapped around both, like a star accompanying the moon.

The shape reminded Lucian of a globe from his past life.

He noticed that the blue crystal sphere truly resembled a planet, its "ecosystem" constantly shifting within.

When the shopkeeper saw the object in Lucian's hand, his expression turned slightly awkward. "This item is called… Lunar Phase…"

Noticing the shopkeeper's reaction, Lucian asked curiously, "Is there a story behind it?"

The shopkeeper thought for a moment before answering. "When my great-great-great-great-grandfather acquired this, the person who handed it over said—"

"Within the shifting lunar phases lies a treasure called Truth… It reveals all things past and future."

Lucian frowned. "Reveals all things past and future?"

Seeing this, the shopkeeper decided not to hide anything. "Truth be told, this Lunar Phase was collected by my great-great-great-great-grandfather."

"That's exactly what the person who gave it to him said."

"But after so many generations, this Lunar Phase has never shown any miraculous properties."

"So now, everyone just treats it as an ordinary collectible, which is why I put it up for sale."

"It just… never sold."

"If you want it, sir, I'll let it go for just 10,000 Shell Credits. How about it?"

Lucian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he handed it to Youhu for her expert opinion.

However, after examining it for a while, even she couldn't discern anything special about it.

Just as Lucian was about to pick another item, Rover tugged lightly at his sleeve.

He turned to her in confusion, only to see her give an almost imperceptible nod.

She wants me to buy it?

Did Rover notice something?

"Alright, I'll take it."

After acquiring the Lunar Phase, the group moved to a secluded spot.

"Rover, what did you see?"

Rover took the Lunar Phase and carefully sensed its aura. "I feel like… I've seen this somewhere before…"

Lucian: "?"

Just as Lucian was puzzling over this, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Special item acquired!]

[Lunar Phase: The moon's disk shattered long ago in the Waveworn Phenomenon. What we observe now is but an illusion of the past.]

"Special item? An illusion of the past? What does that mean?"

[Ding! Host must seek the answer on their own.]

"..."

Still, he hadn't expected this to be a special item. Even Rover felt a sense of déjà vu—could this be related to her forgotten past?

Rover handed the Lunar Phase back to Lucian. "I might remember something later. Keep it safe for now."

Jiao-Jiao added, "The frequency of this Lunar Phase is unusual. It feels ancient, yet also… not of this world."

Even Abby admitted it felt familiar.

Youhu scratched her head in confusion. "What are you all talking about…?"

Abby, sensing an opportunity to one-up her, puffed his chest proudly. "If this were a forum, I'd call you 'Master.' But since this is real life, all I can say is—you've still got a lot to learn!"

Youhu: "?"

Lucian suggested, "Should we ask the Magic Mirror? Though I doubt it'll know either."

Rover nodded slightly. "It's worth a try. There might be a clue."

Youhu perked up excitedly. "What? What? A Magic Mirror!?"

Lucian pulled out the Mirror of Inquiry once more.

Admittedly, this thing was incredibly convenient. Whenever they hit a dead end, asking it never hurt.

"Mirror, mirror, what's the origin of this Lunar Phase?"

Everyone stared intently at the mirror's surface. After a few seconds, blue text slowly appeared.

[Lunar Phase: ■■■■■...]

The rest was a long string of unreadable text.

Lucian: "..."

"That told us nothing."

Rover: "Lame."

Seizing the opportunity while Lucian wasn't paying attention, Youhu snatched the mirror and asked eagerly, "Mirror, mirror, where's the treasure in Mt. Firmament?"

Lucian crossed his arms and smirked at her—she didn't know the mirror could only answer one question per day.

After a few seconds, Youhu frowned at the unresponsive mirror. "Huh? Why isn't it working?"

Lucian plucked the mirror from her hands. "It only responds to the handsomest man in Solaris."

Youhu: "?"

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Lucian. "What other treasures do you have? Hand them over for this master's inspection!"

Before Lucian could respond, Sanhua spotted them and approached from the mountain gate.

Rover: "Sanhua? Finished with your task?"

Sanhua nodded slightly. "Yes."

Youhu gasped dramatically. "Wow, isn't this the ice-faced big sister from the City Hall?"

Sanhua: "..."

Abby challenged again. "You can make all these silly verses about antiques, but can you do one about a person?"

Youhu scoffed. "You little Echo, don't underestimate this master. Listen closely."

"A lone plum stands in snow, unyielding,

Not competing with spring's blossoms fleeting.

A heart of ice—who understands its grace?

Only the moon knows its true face."

Lucian nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Fits Sanhua's personality well."

Rover asked, "Sanhua, did you need something?"

Sanhua replied, "The Moon-Chasing Festival is coming soon. Are you planning to return to Jinzhou to celebrate?"

Lucian tilted his head. "Moon-Chasing Festival?"

Abby cheered. "Moon-Chasing Festival!"

Rover raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so excited? Do you even know what it is?"

Abby grinned. "It's a festival, right? That means tons of good food!"

Rover: "..."