After crossing that gray, mist-shrouded plateau, the climate changed once more. The wind blew in from the east, carrying an increasingly distinct scent of moisture. The terrain beneath their feet gradually shifted from brown wasteland to bluish-gray hills. The vegetation on those hills changed from sparse, stunted grass to dense shrubs, and farther east, the shrubs gave way to towering broadleaf forests. Their branches flourished and their leaves spread thick, canopies overlapping like an enormous green canopy that covered most of the sky. Birdsong occasionally drifted through the woods, crisp and melodious, as though seeing off a pair of travelers on a long journey.
They flew for three full days, passing several small towns and one medium-sized city along the way, but never stopping. Shen Xiu's mind remained immersed in the newly acquired map within his sea of consciousness. The fourth of the seven points of light had already lit up, while the remaining three gradually sharpened from indistinct blurs. The fifth fragment lay deep within the undercurrents of the Eastern Sea. On the map, that region was marked by a dark-blue vortex, encircled by dense rippling lines, indicating crisscrossing currents, complex terrain, and depths enough to make most cultivators recoil at the sight.
By the evening of the fourth day, the vegetation below changed again. The broadleaf forest was gradually replaced by short coconut trees and palms, while the soil became softer, sinking slightly beneath their feet. The air was exceedingly humid; every breath felt as though they were swallowing a ball of cotton. Far in the distance, the horizon appeared at the edge of the sky—first as a thin blue line, then gradually widening until it spread out and occupied most of their view.
They had reached the Eastern Sea.
Completely unlike the northern Ice Sea, the Eastern