In the battle of Thunderstorm Gorge, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Gan Ning had shattered the main force of the Saint Poplar coalition with overwhelming speed and force, slaying its commander Barton on the battlefield and greatly consolidating Hua Country's supremacy over the former territories of Flower Country and the surrounding regions. When news of the victory arrived, all of Chang'an City rejoiced, yet the atmosphere in Zichen Hall remained grave.
Chen Yu and his core subordinates knew full well that deeper undercurrents lay behind this glorious victory. The shadow of the World Government grew ever heavier. Having largely secured the former Flower Country and its surrounding regions, Hua Country now faced multiple challenges: fully consolidating its gains, deepening its domestic administration, and addressing its shortage of top strategic talent. Against this backdrop, Zhao Yun's mission to seek out Zhuge Liang, the "Sleeping Dragon," seemed especially important-even bearing upon the nation's fate.
The Sea of Lost Souls was shrouded year-round in thick, milky-white fog, with visibility below a hundred feet, like the primordial chaos before heaven and earth had parted. Beneath the surface, hidden reefs resembled savage fangs, and undercurrents were like man-devouring whirlpools. Ordinary vessels that ventured inside would lose their bearings within half a day, either smashing to pieces against the reefs or being dragged into bottomless depths by the currents. This was the "God-Burying Sea," a place navigators considered a death trap.
Yet at this moment, a specially built, streamlined speedboat was weaving through this sea of death with incredible agility and precision. A man stood proudly at its bow, clad in white robes and bearing a silver spear. His face was as handsome as polished jade, his gaze as keen as an eagle's. It was Zhao Yun. Rather than relying on his eyes, he had closed