Within the great hall, rosy clouds carpeted the floor, and an exotic fragrance hung thick in the air. Chu Mo entered and bowed according to etiquette. "Your disciple Xuan Meng pays her respects to Master."
An amused female voice came from above. "Raise your head."
Chu Mo raised his head as instructed. True Lord Changle reclined in the seat of honor, propping her chin on one hand as she watched him with a smile, seemingly sizing him up.
"The World Sea is in chaos. Finding your way back in so little time shows you have some luck." True Lord Changle spoke slowly. "Are your injuries still manageable?"
Chu Mo answered, "Thanks to your blessings, Master, my injuries are no longer serious. A period of quiet recuperation should see me fully recovered."
True Lord Changle nodded slightly, then suddenly asked, "Have you gained any insights into your [Painting Dreams of a Floating Life] lately?"
Chu Mo's heart tightened, but he did not panic. After careful consideration, he answered cautiously, "While drifting through the World Sea, I occasionally caught fleeting glimmers and passing shadows, and felt the boundary between dreams and reality grow increasingly blurred. Perhaps dreams are not illusory things, but vessels for the thoughts of all beings."
"Mm." True Lord Changle nodded gently and smiled. "In that case, let your master see whether this journey has brought you any progress."
Thoughts raced through Chu Mo's mind. He replied respectfully, "As you command, Master."
With a thought, mist suddenly rose within the hall, drifting and swirling. Hazy images took shape, yet remained indistinct, offering only a sense of some invisible mystery manifesting within them.
Meanwhile, in the World Sea.
A lone World Boat sailed through it, a faint light at its prow guiding its course. Xuan Meng stood alone at the