The sea and sky merged into one, stretching as far as the eye could see. Clouds drifted silently by, and waves surged in hushed torrents.

He Yiming’s gaze was distant, seemingly without focus.

He stood motionless atop the water, watching the ceaseless tumbling of the foam, the ebb and flow of the tide, the rise and fall of the surface, and the glittering dance of the sunlight.

In that moment, he seemed entirely absorbed into the ocean itself, becoming an inseparable part of it.

Day turned into night; the sun, hung high above, once again slipped gracefully beneath the western horizon, plunging the entire sea into darkness.

A gust of wind swept over, kicking up a spray of whitecaps. Slowly, these winds grew fiercer, more violent.

A subtle shift finally crossed He Yiming’s face. He raised his head, gazing into the distance, his heart free of joy or sorrow, surprise or worry.

Upon returning to the Huo family estate, He Yiming had bid farewell to everyone; he even left Baozhu, White Horse, and Bai Lingba behind at the estate.

He departed alone from Penglai Immortal Island, venturing out into the vast, endless ocean.

He had left the mainland for the East Sea specifically to condense the Water Flower among the Five Elements.

Now that all his pressing matters were settled, He Yiming finally began his true immersion and enlightenment without reservation.

The best way to grasp the power of Water was to seek understanding within the sea itself.

For these past six months, his entire existence—eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving himself—had taken place upon the ocean. At times he dove into the depths to frolic with the fish; at others, he floated on the surface, observing the boundless, wondrous spectacle.

When thirsty, he absorbed moisture from the air; when hungry, he caught fish in the seabed and ate them raw.

In just over half a year, he had come to feel this: he resembled a fish more than a man.

His solitary period of training had exposed him to experiences utterly inaccessible in normal life. Although he had yet to condense the Water Flower, he sensed that his mastery over the nature of Water had reached an extraordinary level; perhaps only one more sliver of opportunity was needed to cross that final threshold.

Of course, his greatest gain throughout this journey was his Swimming Fish Movement technique.

Through continuous contemplation and refinement, his Swimming Fish Movement technique was approaching completion, yet He Yiming still felt an inexpressible, subtle obstruction remaining within it.

Perhaps when his Water Flower was fully realized, his Swimming Fish Movement technique would achieve perfection.

On this particular day, he was calmly observing the changing patterns of the waves on the surface. Unconsciously, he slipped into a magical state, feeling as though he had transformed into a single water molecule, merging with the entire ocean.

However, as night fell, a sudden tempest erupted—rain lashed down, and monstrous waves surged. He Yiming watched it all serenely, making no move to dive for shelter, but instead seeming utterly unconcerned, pressing forward to meet it.

In his eyes and ears, everything was consumed by the oncoming, roaring waves.

The lines of breakers grew faster, higher, charging forward like an army of thousands, vast and earth-shaking. The tides crested and crashed layer upon layer, their roar deafening, showcasing a spectacle of magnificent grandeur.

He Yiming’s eyes, which had seemed devoid of life, finally shifted.

He raised his head in a daze, and focus returned to his lost gaze.

Glancing around, He Yiming seemed captivated by the colossal waves. He opened his mouth but let out no sound.

A giant wave struck, sweeping over him and engulfing him entirely.

Moments before, though lost in his internal world, He Yiming’s feet had been anchored to the water’s surface as firmly as stakes; no matter how fierce the waves, they could not drag him away.

But upon waking from that dreamlike state, he found his footing unsteady and was swept into the churning sea by the direct impact of the storm surge.

In that instant, He Yiming did not struggle. It was as if enlightenment had struck; he completely relaxed, allowing his body to drift and flow within the seawater.

In the midst of the raging storm, he unexpectedly found a strange sense of tranquility.

He closed his eyes, plugged his ears, shut down his five senses, and experienced the raw power of the tempestuous ocean solely through his heart.

The immense waves seemed to grow ever larger, ever more violent, spreading their infinite reach across all directions.

He Yiming’s spirit and consciousness seemed to depart his body. He felt like a single, tiny bead of water within the towering surge, yet in the very next instant, this tiny droplet began to merge and transform.

Countless similar droplets instantly converged into a whole. Pushed by the wind and jostled by its companions, they were flung high, then plummeted back onto the sea surface, shattering once more into countless tiny droplets.

This transformation repeated ceaselessly, without end.

In that haze, He Yiming felt he had become the ocean itself; his thoughts fragmented into infinite pieces, becoming the endless minute droplets that constituted the entire sea.

The wind and waves continued their violent rampage across the surface. Everything upon the sea became their target for frantic retribution.

But here, He Yiming lay quietly within the chaos, a faint smile of relief touching his lips, as if these waves, deadly to others, posed no threat to him whatsoever.

Another massive wave crashed down, pounding He Yiming’s body deep into the water.

Yet, on He Yiming’s face, a smile of absolute delight emerged.

A faint, dark light began to emanate around him. The moment this light appeared, the seawater surrounding him instantly retreated outward.

A long, soaring cry erupted from He Yiming’s mouth. Within that cry was the surging power of the great waves, and the endless continuity of the sea.

Of course, there was also unconcealed excitement, wild ecstasy, and the deep satisfaction of desire fulfilled and tension released.

Innumerable feelings merged, like the bitter, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors of life gathered together—infinitely rewarding to savor...

The sun rose, and the towering storm gradually subsided.

A flash of movement, and He Yiming abruptly surfaced from below the water. His body twisted once, and he instantly glided ten zhang away through the water.

A look of deep satisfaction shone in He Yiming’s eyes.

This was the true Swimming Fish Movement. Swimming in the ocean, even the colossal, dominant Black Shark King might not match his dexterity and adaptability.

If the Black Shark King could lose a hundred times its weight, perhaps it could rival He Yiming in agility, but in its current massive form, it stood no chance.

He Yiming’s movements were like lightning as he swam tirelessly.

Suddenly, he stopped, opened his mouth, and expelled a crystalline flower.

Even submerged in seawater, this tangible flower appeared as if suspended in air, unaffected by its surroundings.

He Yiming gazed at this most beautiful, tangible flower, his heart filled with pure joy.

It had been nearly two years since he left the mainland. The life-and-death appointment with Jin Zhanyi was now only a few months away.

He Yiming had already decided: if he could not grasp the Water Flower within three months, he would abandon everything and return to the Northwest.

But unexpectedly, within this recent tempest, he had accidentally grasped the greatness of the ocean. Especially that moment of transforming into ten thousand droplets provided him with an immense shock, allowing him to truly feel the vast power contained within Water.

At the very last moment of the great storm, he finally achieved perfect merit and successfully condensed the Water Flower.

Recalling it now, he still felt a dreamlike unreality. If the Water Flower hadn't materialized, he truly wouldn't have believed it.

With a tremor, He Yiming ascended from the seabed and floated to the surface.

He retrieved the tracker from his chest and softly called for Bai Lingba. Then, letting go of everything, he simply floated on the ocean, as if determined to rest off the fatigue of the past half-year, falling asleep without a care.

Surprisingly, even though He Yiming was asleep, his body continued to gently rise and fall on the surface, and no fish or birds dared to attack him.

In the perception of those creatures, he seemed to be just another part of the ocean.

A long cry sounded in the distance, immediately waking He Yiming. He leaped up excitedly and ran toward a specific direction.

In an instant, a white streak flashed across the water; White Horse—Lightning—stepped onto the surface before him.

He Yiming grabbed the horse, embracing it, and burst into unrestrained laughter.

Light flickered in the sky, and Bai Lingba and Chu Haozhou arrived shortly after. Chu Haozhou, seeing He Yiming’s ecstatic state, felt a corresponding surge of emotion.

After a while, when He Yiming finally calmed down, Chu Haozhou called out loudly, "Brother He, congratulations on successfully condensing the Water Flower."

He Yiming nodded heavily. "Pure luck."

Chu Haozhou smiled, but inwardly he was quite puzzled. He and Bai Lingba had clearly been staying together, so by what method had He Yiming managed to notify Bai Lingba?

Though suspicious, he deliberately ignored this strange anomaly, acting as if completely unaware.

Baozhu, in a rare moment, separated from Bai Lingba, leaping onto He Yiming’s body.

Holding onto Baozhu’s two front hooves, He Yiming spun like a top on the water for a long time. Baozhu snorted and squealed. When He Yiming let go, the little creature immediately scrambled back to Bai Lingba, little circles still seeming to spin in its wide eyes.

Chu Haozhou smiled slightly. "Brother He, now that you have succeeded in condensing the Water Flower, what are your plans next?"

He Yiming’s expression slowly grew grave. He turned and gazed toward the west.

After a long pause, he spoke slowly, "Now, it is time to go back..."

"You are returning?"

"I should return," He Yiming’s voice was long and drawn out, as if murmuring a secret. "Some matters have reached the point where they must be settled."

P.S.: Only three more days left; the final push for Monthly Votes is about to begin. Brothers, if you have any Monthly Votes left, don't save them—cast them for Bai He o(^_^)o