The massive ship cut through the waves like a sword, surging forward against the storm.
The dim yellow light of the lantern swayed in the tempest, and Yan Nantian's black cloak was soaked, making his pale complexion even more pronounced.
With one hand pressing down on Yun Zhao's head and the other gripping the cabin door to steady himself, he exhaled a cold breath above her.
"Who taught you?" Yan Nantian asked.
Though phrased as a question, he already knew the answer.
This was her first time sailing—who else could have taught her?
Yun Zhao stiffened slightly, hesitating to answer, her body subtly resisting.
Her reaction only widened the smirk on his lips.
He tilted his chin up, his eyes icy.
Waves crashed against the bow, but Yu Fengyun, standing by the railing, remained unshaken—someone who had grown up at sea wasn’t afraid of water, nor would they get seasick.
Who was this upstart who dared to teach her?
The pouring rain couldn’t extinguish the fury in his heart.
Yan Nantian’s fingers twitched, his killing intent blazing.
Yun Zhao was pressed against his chest, her ears filled with the erratic pounding of his heart. His breathing was ragged, his breath uneven as it brushed against the top of her head.
It was as if he had reached his limit.
His body was soaked, his chest cold, his fingers icy.
As the ship surged through the waves, the two of them rocked and swayed.
Yun Zhao, tense and panicked, clutched at the fabric of his waist, urging, "Stop talking, Yan Nantian!"
Yan Nantian let out a bitter laugh.
She wouldn’t even let him ask?
His fingers trembled slightly as they held the back of her head, his breathing growing even more erratic. He leaned in, his cold lips brushing against her ear.
His long, wet lashes framed a gentle smile as he whispered breathlessly, "Want to protect…" who?
Yun Zhao jolted, cutting him off before he could finish, and pushed him away, leaning back abruptly.
Caught off guard, Yan Nantian’s eyes widened, his pupils trembling—the bone-chilling, venomous, hidden killing intent now laid bare before her.
Yan Nantian: "…"
Yun Zhao stared at him in horror, accusing loudly, "I knew you wanted to throw up! Don’t you dare throw up on me!"
She knew he got seasick, and in her mind, she had misheard "want to protect" as "want to throw up."
Yan Nantian: "…………"
It took him a while to recover.
He coughed, laughing through it, "Pfft, hahaha, cough, ha!"
Of course, his girl was just this clueless.
Whoever taught her skills, she wouldn’t feel grateful or remember it. Once she showed off, she’d only care about her own joy.
Truly… endearing.
*
As they sailed on, the expressions of everyone on board grew solemn.
Though the storm made time feel like an eternity, this "eternity" seemed to drag on far too long.
Thunderclouds churned, the black sea roared, and after hours of sailing, they still couldn’t tell day from night.
Yun Zhao leaned against the railing, looking up at the sky, and remarked, "These clumps of black clouds look like a pile of skulls!"
Yu Fengyun happened to be passing behind her: "…"
If you can’t make a good analogy, don’t make one at all.
Lightning snaked through the clouds, flashing white, red, and blue, connecting the sea and sky.
The ship rocked as if rolling over a heap of skulls.
Yu Fengyun stopped and walked over to her, asking quietly, "Her father… is your father too?"
Yun Zhao turned her head, smirking coldly, "What, you want to be my family’s live-in son-in-law?"
She was usually domineering but rarely this sharp—this was a sore spot for her.
That disgusting mother and daughter pair was like a persistent, sticky plaster attached to her flesh, infuriating to even think about.
Yu Fengyun replied seriously, "I would never marry into a family."
"Pfft, why so serious?" Yun Zhao laughed. "As if you even have a chance!"
He pursed his lips and turned away, placing his hands on the railing.
Yun Zhao added kindly, "Actually, my parents don’t care about status. I chose Yan Nantian simply because I like him. If that illegitimate daughter insists on marrying you, no one would object."
He chuckled lowly and said bluntly, "But she wants your fiancé."
Yun Zhao smiled, "Do you think she’s asking for death?"
He was silent for a moment, as if making a decision, "No need."
"What?"
"You don’t need to worry about her." He slowly turned to face her, his eyes reflecting the stormy lightning, glowing gold. "After we find Madam Wen, I’ll take her far away from you, never to see you again."
Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
He lowered his head, letting her see his eyes.
They were determined and resolute.
"We’re natural allies," he said with a faint smirk. "You’ll help me when needed, won’t you, Yun Zhao?"
Yun Zhao clicked her tongue, "Tsk."
So he’s a clever one after all.
He raised his right hand into the wind.
Yun Zhao, having learned some gestures during her time on the ship, smiled and reached out her right hand, slapping it against his with a loud "clap."
"Deal. Let’s see what you’ve got."
In the midst of the lightning and thunder, their hands briefly clasped.
Yun Zhao noticed that his skin felt as hard as basalt, his bones strangely dense, almost like iron.
"Ahem."
Yun Zhao turned to see Yan Nantian leaning against the cabin door, smiling at her from a distance.
She pulled her hand back and wobbled over to him, tilting her head, "Why’d you come out?"
He replied softly, "I should be asking you—why aren’t you coming in?"
She held onto his arm, her hand brushing against the smooth, luxurious fabric of his robe.
He complained quietly, "Do you have to stay outside? Can’t you spend more time with me?"
Yun Zhao frowned, "Yan Nantian, you’ve never been this clingy before."
He said flatly, "I’ve never had a wolf eyeing me before."
Yun Zhao laughed, "Alright, alright."
Though she agreed readily, after a short nap, she couldn’t resist running out again at the sound of commotion.
"I’ll go see what’s happening!"
On the lookout platform, Uncle Mute waved his arms, making hoarse "ah ah" sounds.
They had reached the waters where Wen Nuannuan’s mother had fallen overboard years ago.
The storm still raged, visibility was low, and Wen Nuannuan pointed in several directions, but after hours of circling, they saw no trace of the legendary Loulan Mirage.
"I… I really didn’t know it would be like this…" she cried, apologizing to Yan Nantian. "My mother just told me that I’d feel it when we got close… I’m sorry, I’m so stupid, I’m sorry…"
Yu Fengyun spoke up for her, "Legend says the Loulan Mirage appears at random times. It’s about fate."
Yan Nantian lowered his gaze, expressionless, "Keep looking."
Yun Zhao sat nearby, swinging her legs idly.
"Brother Yan!" she drawled, "You don’t really think we’ll find it, do you? The Loulan Mirage, dragons—it’s all just superstition."
Yan Nantian didn’t need to look to know what she was getting at. He sighed, "Tired of seafood? Want to go back?"
Yun Zhao jumped up, "No!"
She defended herself seriously, "Look, all these supernatural stories, ghosts harming people—I’ve debunked them all, haven’t I?"
He raised an eyebrow lazily, "Then what do you think is happening now?"
Yun Zhao pouted, "It’s a romantic ploy, a fishing game."
If she hadn’t come along, the two of them would have been alone in the cabin—one weak from seasickness, the other tending to him tirelessly. Yan Nantian would’ve been stewed alive, drenched in jasmine scent.
The thought suddenly drained her enthusiasm.
"I’m going out."
She stood up and left.
Once outside, she was surprised to find the surroundings much brighter.
Had they left the storm?
Looking around, they hadn’t.
A crowd had gathered by the railing, exclaiming in awe.
Yun Zhao squeezed through, leaning over the railing to look—and was stunned.
The sea had changed.
It was now crystal clear, perfectly reflecting the gray clouds above.
Countless golden light patterns crisscrossed the water’s surface, dividing it into millions of shimmering scales, stretching endlessly toward the horizon where lightning struck.
The sight was so vast and magnificent, words couldn’t do it justice.
The ship sailed atop a gray canvas dotted with golden scales, each wave making it feel as though they were leaping over one.
Another gasp rose from the crowd.
Ahead, a massive gray-white city emerged from the sea, its domes, pillars, and temples faintly visible. Majestic, mysterious, and eerily silent.
"The Loulan Mirage!"
Excitement spread through the group. Even Yan Nantian stepped out of the cabin, standing at the side, his fingers lightly tapping the wooden railing.
Eunuch Shunde was so excited that he let out a rooster-like crow: “The—the Mirage of Loulan! Congratulations, Your Highness, congratulations! If we find the Mirage of Loulan, we’ll find the—dragon!”
Yan Nantian, however, remained calm and composed, maintaining his dignified demeanor. He even took the time to light three incense sticks in reverence to the heavens.
The wind ceased.
The waves calmed, and only then did Yun Zhao realize that the “golden scales” were not perfectly uniform but rather a chaotic web of burning fissures.
“An underwater volcano,” Yan Nantian remarked.
The ship was sailing atop a massive volcanic crater, separated from it by only a thin, translucent layer of seawater.
He pressed down on her shoulder. “It’s at least a thousand feet deep. Don’t worry.”
Yun Zhao’s heart raced—partly in wonder, partly in terror.
Below her was the mouth of a volcano; above her, the mirage of Loulan.
The ship sailed in the narrow gap between a celestial realm and hell itself. Aside from the pounding of hearts, the vessel was eerily silent.
Round and round they went.
The Mirage of Loulan hung vividly in the sky above, tantalizingly close yet impossible to reach.
Every now and then, a deep, earth-shaking roar emanated from beneath the ship, as if stars were shifting beneath the ocean floor.
The entire sea trembled in response.
In some areas, plumes of volcanic ash billowed up, spreading like thick fog across the seabed.
If an eruption occurred, everyone on board would surely perish.
Gradually, anxiety began to show on everyone’s faces.
Yan Nantian took Yun Zhao’s hand. “Stay with me. Don’t wander off.”
Yun Zhao seemed lost in thought.
“I have an idea,” she said, nodding slowly. “Last time, didn’t you say that when you climbed Mount Buzhou, you climbed and climbed, and then suddenly, the world flipped upside down?”
By the same logic, could this strange Mirage of Loulan be reached by diving deep into the water until, in a sudden moment, the sea and sky reversed?
Yan Nantian caught on immediately and asked, “Who among us is a strong swimmer?”
Someone nudged Yu Fengyun forward, but he frowned and didn’t step up to volunteer.
Clearly, Yan Nantian didn’t trust him with the task either.
He pointed to a handsome guard. “You, go and scout.”
Cultivators, with their inner energy, could swim for half an hour without issue if they were skilled.
“I’ll go secure the anchor,” Yu Fengyun said, heading toward the stern.
Yun Zhao had never played with an anchor before.
While Yan Nantian wasn’t looking, she quietly slipped along the cabin wall and made her way to the stern. She wanted to see the anchor and also have a quick word with Yu Fengyun before attempting to reach the Mirage of Loulan.
After giving a few instructions, Yan Nantian turned around to find her gone.
“Brother Yan…” Wen Nuannuan bit her lip and told him, “She followed Brother Yu. Don’t worry.”
*
Before Yun Zhao could catch up to Yu Fengyun, disaster struck.
The sturdy ship suddenly trembled, as if something massive had passed beneath it.
“Groan… hum…”
Before anyone could react, a deafening roar shook the air. Hearts plummeted, and the ship seemed to fly into the air.
For a moment, everything seemed frozen.
A terrifying cracking sound echoed as a massive fissure split the ship in two.
The deck and cabins splintered into jagged pieces, large chunks of wood flying everywhere. The air was thick with the smells of dampness, mildew, and wood.
The wind carried shards of wood, cutting into faces like knives.
Yun Zhao reacted quickly.
She grabbed a rope from the sail, swung her body, and climbed up the slippery mast.
Had the volcano erupted?
She held her breath, scanning the front of the ship for Yan Nantian.
The ship had broken in half, the middle section hurtling into the air while the bow and stern groaned as they plummeted downward.
Before she could find Yan Nantian, Yun Zhao caught sight of a massive tail slowly disappearing into the sea, sending up waves a hundred feet high.
Its dark green scales reflected a cold, menacing light.
Along its spine was a row of sharp, bony spikes—it was this creature that had struck the ship from below, cleaving it in two.
The creature’s full form was hidden, but its massive shadow stirred the water, occasionally revealing a glimpse of its scales or claws.
Yun Zhao’s heart turned to ice. A single word burst from her throat: “Dragon!”
The two halves of the ship tilted like mountains, roaring as they plunged into the sea.
One by one, people fell into the water.
A blood-curdling scream echoed from somewhere.
Yun Zhao turned toward the sound but only saw a spray of blood.
The dragon had sunk the ship and was now feeding on the people in the water!
Yun Zhao clung to the rope, climbing higher, but the ship was sinking faster than she could ascend. Despite her efforts, she was getting closer to the sea.
Her heart pounded as if it might burst from her chest.
Suddenly, she caught sight of a stark contrast—black and white.
The black was a luxurious cloak; the white was Yan Nantian’s pale face. He stood at the center of the sinking bow.
Yun Zhao waved frantically. “I’m here!”
A wave crashed over her, drowning out her voice.
Across the chasm-like gap, he looked toward the stern, his voice hoarse. “Ah Zhao! Ah Zhao!”
A delicate hand tugged at Yan Nantian’s sleeve.
“Brother Yu is an excellent swimmer…” Wen Nuannuan said in a trembling, weak voice. “She’ll be safe with him. He’ll protect her. You should focus on saving yourself…”
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Amid the roaring, crashing, and sinking, Yun Zhao couldn’t hear what they said.
But she saw Yan Nantian grab Wen Nuannuan’s hand.
Before the ship sank completely, he jumped into the water with her.
“Ah, the hero saves the beauty,” Yun Zhao murmured.
The cold, wet rope bit into her palm as she laughed bitterly. “Brother Yan, you’ve left me behind.”