Forty days had passed since Li Yuan left Narau Island, and he had journeyed about two thousand kilometers through the vast ocean. Each day brought new lessons, each kilometer added depth to his understanding of marine life and the endless rhythm of nature.
He was now at a depth of twenty meters, a position that had become his favorite—deep enough to feel the stable tranquility of the water, yet shallow enough to witness the play of light and shadow from the surface. At this depth, he could perfectly feel the pulse of the ocean, like listening to the heartbeat of the earth itself.
Throughout these forty days, his consciousness body had become one with the element of water. He no longer felt like a wanderer traversing the sea—he felt like a part of the sea itself. Every movement of his body followed the currents naturally, every breath he took was a communication with the medium that carried him.
Through his Understanding of Water in the Wenjing Realm, Li Yuan had developed an increasingly profound relationship with the water around him. Every drop had become a friend, every current a guide, every wave a teacher. He was no longer just communicating with the water—he was conversing with it.
That morning, as the sunlight began to filter through the water's depths with a warm golden hue, Li Yuan felt something that was already familiar but always filled him with awe: the call to speak with the greater consciousness of the water.
He closed his eyes and fully opened his Understanding of Water, allowing his consciousness to merge with the ocean around him. In a profound inner silence, he began to speak—not with spoken words, but with pure intention, in a language understood only by water and those who truly grasp its essence.
Old friend, Li Yuan said in the language of water that required no sound. I have journeyed with you for forty days. You have taught me about patience, about persistence, about the beauty of flowing without a rigid purpose.
The water around him trembled softly, a response that felt like a warm smile from a long-known friend. The vibration carried meaning: acknowledgment, warmth, joy at being spoken to.
I feel this journey has changed me in ways I don't even fully understand yet, Li Yuan continued. But I am starting to feel something... a longing. A longing for the complexity of interaction with fellow thinkers, with those who can share words and intricate ideas.
The water gave a more complex response this time—a vibration that carried a nuance of deep understanding. There was something in that vibration that conveyed: we understand that longing. We, too, sometimes miss a more direct form of communication.
Li Yuan smiled in his inner silence. Even water, with all its simplicity, had a profound emotional complexity.
I want to ask something, Li Yuan said, his intention full of respect. How much longer is this journey before I reach land? I don't want to rush—I know every day with you is a blessing. But... I'm starting to feel ready for the next phase.
What happened next was something that always amazed Li Yuan, though he had experienced it many times over the past forty days. The water around him began to vibrate with a very specific pattern—not just an emotional response, but a communication containing concrete information.
The vibration moved through his consciousness body like a living map, carrying information about the currents that would carry him, the direction of the supporting winds, the changing depth of the sea, and most importantly—the distance to the nearest land.
Five days, the message was clear and certain. In five days, if you follow the currents we will show you, you will reach land. Not empty land—land with human life, with ports, with the complexity you long for.
Li Yuan felt a warm wave of anticipation flow through him. Five days. After forty days in the silence and simplicity of the sea, he would return to the world of human interaction.
Thank you, Li Yuan said sincerely. But I must ask—why are you so kind to me? Why is water so willing to help and guide my journey?
The response that came was something very profound and philosophical, a vibration that carried a complex meaning: because you do not try to master us. You do not force us to submit to your will. You... listen. You respect. You understand that we are not merely a medium, but a living consciousness. Very few beings understand this.
Li Yuan was silent with emotion. In his thousands of years of life, he had seen how many who pursued power viewed the elements of nature as something to be conquered, resources to be exploited. But his Understanding of Water had taught him something different—that the elements of nature are partners, not slaves.
We will guide you, the water's vibration continued with a nuance resembling a promise. For the next five days, follow the currents we show you. We will take you through the safest, most beautiful, and most learning-rich path. And when you reach land, do not forget what you have learned from us.
I will never forget, Li Yuan promised seriously. You have been the best teachers I have ever had. You taught me about patience without boredom, about strength without violence, about wisdom without arrogance.
The water around him vibrated with something very much like... happiness. Not an excessive joy, but a deep and calm contentment.
There is one more thing, the water said with a slightly different, more... serious vibration. The land you are going to... is complex. There are many kinds of humans there, with different cultures, different languages, different intentions. Some are good, some are... not so good. Use your ability to hear their intentions wisely.
Li Yuan nodded inwardly. He had felt this through the passive effect of his Wenjing Realm during the journey—he sometimes caught distant echoes of human activity that did not all carry pure intentions.
I will be careful, he promised. But I will also open my heart to the possibility of goodness. Forty days with you has taught me that true wisdom is a balance between caution and openness.
That is why we trust you, the water responded with a vibration full of warmth. You have learned well.
The conversation slowly subsided, but Li Yuan felt something had changed in his relationship with the water. It was not just communication, but... friendship. The water had become a true friend who would always be with him, no matter where he was.
When Li Yuan opened his eyes again, he saw the underwater world around him with a slightly different perspective. Five more days, and this phase would end. Five more days to absorb every last lesson from the sea, to prepare himself for the complexity of the human world that awaited.
He felt the currents around him subtly change direction, carrying his body onto a new, more purposeful path. The water had begun to guide him toward land, just as they had promised.
Five days, Li Yuan thought, as he began to flow with this new current. Five days to finish my learning in the sea, five days to prepare my heart for a reunion with civilization.
Around him, marine life continued with its familiar rhythm—fish swam with their own purposes, seafloor creatures went about their daily routines, and great currents carried life and nutrients throughout the ocean.
But Li Yuan now saw everything with slightly different eyes. No longer as an observer or even a participant, but as... a graduate. Someone who had completed an important phase of his education and was ready to step up to the next level.
Forty days in the sea had changed him in a way he might only fully understand in the future. But what he knew now was that he was no longer afraid of the complexity of the human world. He was no longer worried that interaction with others would disturb his inner peace.
The water had taught him something very valuable: that true peace is not something that must be protected with isolation, but something that can be shared without losing its essence.
Thank you, old friend, Li Yuan said once more in the language of water. The next five days will be a beautiful conclusion to this beautiful phase.
And the water replied with a vibration that carried a simple yet profound meaning: until we meet again, Li Yuan. Water is everywhere. We will always be with you.
With a sincere smile and a heart filled with gratitude, Li Yuan continued his journey, guided by the friendly current toward land and the new adventures that awaited.