After feeling the relief of releasing his Universal Wenjing Realm effect, Li Yuan decided to draw his perceptive radius back to one kilometer. Not out of fear or doubt—that era was long past—but because of something he had rarely felt in his thousands of years of existence: a desire to be surprised.
Surprise, he thought with a faint smile. How long has it been since I felt this kind of anticipation?
With a smaller radius, the world felt more... intimate again. He could still hear the intention behind every movement of the water, could still feel the rhythm of marine life around him, but now there was room for the unexpected.
Li Yuan continued his journey, letting the ocean currents carry him like a leaf following a river's flow. His consciousness body moved gracefully through the water, neither fighting nor forcing a direction, but merging with the will of the ocean itself. Every movement was a meditation, every second a lesson in wise surrender.
As his journey took him to greater depths—now around forty meters below the surface—the underwater world began to reveal its wonders. The filtered sunlight created a moving cathedral of light, while shadows danced on the dimly visible seafloor.
The first thing that caught his attention was a school of small silver fish moving as one entity, forming shifting patterns like living calligraphy in the water. They moved in perfect synchronization, every turn and swirl as if directed by an invisible conductor.
Harmony without a leader, Li Yuan mused as he watched them. They don't need a command to move together. They hear the same rhythm and follow it sincerely.
Soon after, he saw a group of larger, brilliantly colored fish—snappers with golden stripes, graceful rays that glided in a dance-like motion, and tiny electric blue fish that shimmered like stars in the water.
Li Yuan allowed himself to be fascinated by the endless variety of shapes and colors. Each species had its own way of moving, of hunting, of playing. Some moved with lightning-fast agility, some with the elegance of a dancer, and some with the tranquility of a wise elder.
Through his Understanding of Water in the Wenjing Realm, he could hear the "intention" behind their every movement. The small fish moved with the intention of finding safety in numbers. The predatory fish moved with a focused, but not greedy, hunting intention. The playful fish moved with the intention of pure joy that reminded him of children's laughter.
They live so... simply, Li Yuan thought with a feeling of awe. No confusion about life's purpose, no existential crises. They just... live. Wholly and fully.
As he continued to flow with the currents, the underwater world became even more diverse. He saw colorful coral reefs like an underwater garden, inhabited by strange and adorable small creatures. There were crabs that walked in a comical manner, starfish that moved with incredible patience, and jellyfish that pulsed like a transparent heart.
What amazed him most was how each of these creatures had its own place in the larger ecosystem. Nothing was superfluous, nothing was wasted. Everything was interconnected in a complex yet harmonious web of life.
This is what is meant by the Dao, Li Yuan reflected. Not something abstract or philosophical, but... this. Life flowing on its own, finding balance without force, creating beauty without a plan.
However, as he reached a depth of about forty meters, something extraordinary caught his attention.
A large shadow moved slowly in the distance, so big that at first Li Yuan thought it was a moving part of the seafloor. But as the shadow came closer, he realized it was a living creature.
A whale.
Not just any whale, but one of the largest he had ever seen. Its length might have reached thirty meters, its massive body moving through the water with a surprising grace for its size. Its skin was bluish-gray with white patches, and its large eyes emanated a deep intelligence.
Li Yuan was fascinated. Through his Wenjing Realm, he could feel something extraordinary from this creature. Unlike the other fish that moved with simple intentions, this whale moved with something resembling... contemplation. Every flick of its fin carried the weight of thought, every breath contained wisdom gained from decades of roaming the oceans.
It's like a sea elder, Li Yuan thought with reverence. A sage who has seen and experienced more than most creatures.
The whale seemed to notice his presence. Its large eye turned toward Li Yuan, and for a moment, they met each other's gaze. In that gaze, Li Yuan sensed a recognition—not as predator and prey, not as strangers, but as... fellow seekers.
Then, without hesitation or fear, Li Yuan made a spontaneous decision.
He swam closer to the whale with calm, non-threatening movements. The whale did not move away; it even seemed to wait. When Li Yuan was close enough, he slowly approached the whale's broad back and, with deep respect, sat upon it.
The feeling he had could not be put into words. He was sitting on a creature that had lived in the ocean for decades, that had seen storms and tranquility, that had sung with other whales in depths untouched by sunlight. He could feel the strength of the huge muscles beneath him, the slow and deep rhythm of its breath, and most surprisingly, something resembling... acceptance.
The whale began to move, not in a rush or with unease from its new passenger, but with the same tranquility as before. Li Yuan felt how the massive creature cut through the water with perfect efficiency, every movement of its body creating a harmonious current.
This isn't about mastering or riding, Li Yuan thought as he felt the whale's breathing rhythm beneath him. This is about... sharing a journey. About two beings who cross paths in the vastness of the sea and decide to continue together for a while.
Through his Understanding of Water, Li Yuan could feel the whale's intention more clearly now. This creature was not just migrating physically, but also on a spiritual journey. It was searching for something—perhaps another group of whales, perhaps a quiet place to rest, or perhaps just... the right direction to continue its life.
We are the same, Li Yuan reflected with a sincere smile. We are both wanderers who don't know for sure where we are going, but we trust that the journey itself will take us to the right place.
For the next few hours, Li Yuan and the whale traveled together through the blue ocean. He didn't try to steer or control; he just sat quietly, feeling the power and wisdom of this ancient creature, while enjoying the constantly changing scenery of the underwater world around them.
Occasionally, the whale would rise to the surface to breathe, and Li Yuan could feel the burst of water from its blowhole, could feel the fresh air for a moment before they dove back into the comfortable depths.
The most touching part was when Li Yuan realized that the whale also enjoyed this companionship. Through his Wenjing Realm, he could feel something like... contentment within the massive creature. A contentment born from no longer feeling alone on a long journey.
Even a creature this big and strong can feel lonely, Li Yuan mused with a deep sense of compassion. Even it needs a travel companion.
That thought led him to a reflection on his own journey. He had spent thousands of years in solitude or semi-solitude, thinking that the path of cultivation must be walked alone. But maybe he was wrong. Maybe even the most personal spiritual quest could be shared, could be undertaken together without losing its depth or authenticity.
As the sun began to dip toward the west, signaling the late afternoon, Li Yuan felt something change in the whale's movement rhythm. The massive creature began to slow down, as if approaching its destination.
Li Yuan didn't need to ask or find out. He knew that their time together would soon end, and that was okay. The best journeys are sometimes the ones that are brief but memorable.
Slowly, he rose from his sitting position and swam down from the whale's back. The massive creature turned slightly, looking at him with large eyes filled with something very much like... gratitude.
Li Yuan raised his hand in a farewell gesture, and he was sure he saw the whale move its fin in return.
Thank you, ocean friend, Li Yuan said in his heart. You have taught me that even the longest journey becomes more meaningful when shared, if only for a moment.
The whale continued its journey in a different direction, while Li Yuan remained floating in place, watching the large shadow slowly disappear into the profound blue of the sea.
Then, with a warm heart and a soul enriched by a new experience, Li Yuan continued his own journey, letting the currents carry him toward the next adventure that awaited on the endless ocean horizon.