When Li Bufan left that nameless little island that was sinking beneath the waves, the flying boat carved a long, thin white wake across the sea before soaring into the sky and plunging above the clouds.
He sat cross-legged atop the flying boat, controlling its steady flight while closing his eyes to regulate his breathing and sort out the True Essence within him, which had been thrown somewhat into disorder by the fierce battle just now.
After flying for roughly half a day, the sea below had completely left behind the nearshore waters where White Jade City lay.
The islands scattered across the sea grew fewer and fewer, changing from a star-studded spread to the occasional reef jutting above the water.
The color of the seawater also gradually shifted from the clear azure blue of the nearshore region into a deeper blue-violet.
On the second day, Li Bufan opened his eyes, took the sea chart from his Storage Ring, spread it before him, and examined it carefully.
The route marked on the chart clearly showed that the Redwood Sea lay roughly thirty thousand li ahead.
He estimated the flying boat's speed. At this pace, he would reach the outer reaches of the Redwood Sea in about another day.
He neither accelerated nor slowed down, merely maintaining a steady speed as he continued onward.
Along the way, he occasionally saw several merchant ships bearing the flag of the Vast Sea Kingdom operating in the nearshore waters. Those vessels were not large, but they were sturdily built. A thin protective formation covered their hulls, enough to fend off the harassment of sea beasts and the impact of deep-sea undercurrents.
When Li Bufan saw them, he raised the flying boat again and circled around the merchant ships. It swept through the high sky