Mist shrouded the mountains, mountains locked the mist; sky joined the water's edge, water joined the sky.
In the distance, the seawater glittered beneath the radiant sunlight, like fish scales spread across the surface, or like mischievous children continually leaping toward the shore.
Across the boundless sea, cheerful waves danced with light, graceful movements—the joyful smiles the ocean revealed in its moments of happiness.
Fu Hua stood on the sandy shore and gazed into the distance, seeing only an expanse of white. Sea and sky had merged into one, making it impossible to tell water from heaven.
Fu Hua was dressed once again as a beautiful Taoist nun, holding a paper umbrella in her hand... beautiful and mysterious. Beside Fu Hua, the adorable armed doll Cang Xiaoxuan held a stick of candied hawthorn, her big, cute eyes fixed on the sea before them.
"Blockhead, how are we supposed to get across...?"
Looking at the seemingly endless ocean, Cang Xiaoxuan bit into a candied hawthorn and asked while chewing. It made no sense at all that an armed doll like her could eat.
"We're not crossing the sea just yet. A storm is about to arrive." Fu Hua looked at the ocean before her. Though it was tranquil at the moment, that calm carried a warning of imminent danger.
"And look at those merchants... they're packing up their goods too, abandoning their plans to set sail now."
Fu Hua pointed toward the distant harbor entrance. This was one of the exits of the Maritime Silk Road, and quite a few merchant ships passed through here.
"But... even if there's a storm, it won't stop you from crossing the sea, right?" Cang Xiaoxuan still did not quite understand.
"There's no need. That would be troublesome, wouldn't it? The sea during a storm