Chapter 321: Calming the Wind and Dispersing the Clouds

Strictly speaking, this was Ji Yuan's first time seeing the true ocean in this lifetime.

As the coastline drew nearer, Ji Yuan merely glanced at the coastal terrain and villages below before flying unceasingly into the open sea.

Even though he was no longer the ordinary person he had been in his previous life, being suspended between the sea and sky at this moment still evoked a profound sense of the vastness of heaven and earth, and his own smallness within it.

Ji Yuan deliberately lowered his altitude, positioning himself beneath the clouds. Below him, the emerald sea churned; above, clouds drifted and dispersed. As he rapidly soared through the air, he even had the illusion of flying between two vast expanses.

Yet, the deeper this sense of serenity grew, the harder it became to suppress the Dao aura emanating from him. Nevertheless, Ji Yuan continued to fly eastward, unfazed by the boundless ocean stretching before him.

Soon, a suitable small island appeared in his view. Observing it from the sky with his Dharma Eye fully activated, he noted that the island, apart from vegetation, small animals, and birds, showed no signs of human habitation or large creatures. It was precisely the right spot.

Although called a small island, its size was relative to the mainland. It wasn't particularly small, encompassing at least a dozen peaks, some of which were towering and steep, rising up to a hundred zhang, with sharp, naturally sculpted summits.

As Ji Yuan continued his cloud-borne approach, his gaze swept across the island's many peaks before finally settling on a specific spot.

The Green Vine Sword hummed softly, shooting forth ahead of him and reaching the skies above the island in the blink of an eye.

The immortal sword unsheathed, its light flashing across one of the island's numerous rocky peaks. The very tip of the highest peak was cleanly sliced off. Immediately, the sword light swirled again, pulverizing the falling rock into fine dust that dispersed with the wind.

The peak of that stone mountain was left with a flat, cushion-sized surface. A few breaths later, Ji Yuan's feet landed precisely on it, one after the other.

Glancing around, Ji Yuan was thoroughly pleased with the location. After a moment's consideration, he exchanged his white robe for his gray one, then settled down cross-legged on the spot.

With eyes slightly closed and his mind focused on the mystical essence, he began his cultivation, each breath cycling the spiritual energy of the world both within and around him.

Days turned into nights, tides ebbed and flowed, winds and clouds shifted, and temperatures alternated.

Ji Yuan did not ignore the external world; quite the opposite, he was acutely sensitive to its changes. He perceived every shift, whether it was a lightning storm or a blustery downpour, and at night, with the stars overhead, he would often gaze up to observe them.

Yet, Ji Yuan also appeared strangely oblivious, showing no reaction to any of these transformations. Whether assailed by wind and rain or surrounded by lightning, he made no superfluous movements. His entire being seemed lost in contemplation, his form utterly absorbed.

Gradually, the sensations from "Journeying in Clouds and Dreams" faded from his mind, yet expanded within his body. The five *qi* within Ji Yuan surged, mirroring the weather changes he observed, at times like churning, rolling clouds, at others like calm, sunny days. The five *qi* circulated, generating and invigorating each other.

As the generation of the five *qi* reached its zenith, Ji Yuan's state transformed from being influenced by the seasonal winds and clouds to influencing his surroundings. A tranquil aura of gentle breeze and clear skies emanated from the mountain peak where he meditated, rippling outwards.

Although the Zu Yue Kingdom was at odds with Da Zhen, they generally used the same calendrical system. This system, in fact, dated back many dynasties, a remnant from the Great Zhou Dynasty when it fragmented into multiple states.

Seasons shifted, and by the autumn of the Ren Chen year — the fourth year of Ji Yuan's meditation on the island — a formidable storm was sweeping across the outer ocean.

This world lacked weather forecasts, global communication, and storm warnings for ships at sea. Consequently, vessels that ventured far offshore sometimes encountered sudden, severe weather, posing a dual challenge to both the ships and their crews.

Generally, fishing boats did not venture too far into the open sea. This was partly due to inadequate fish preservation techniques and limited live wells, and partly because of the inherent dangers.

However, there are always exceptions. Often, not many fish could be caught in coastal waters, prompting some larger fishing vessels to take numerous fishermen and journey together into the distant sea. Valuable fish were kept in live wells, while the rest were directly salted and stored in the hold.

Risk and reward were proportional; a single trip to the open sea often yielded a bountiful catch.

Beginning this summer, many areas in the nearshore waters off Qiangang Village and Pianwan Village had yielded few fish. As a last resort, the two villages organized a large fleet and set out together for the open sea.

This time, however, fortune did not favor the six large fishing vessels from Qiangang Village and Pianwan Village. Before they could fill their holds, they were ensnared by a sudden storm.

On the tumultuous sea, wind and rain lashed down, and the thunder roared so ferociously that shouts between the boats were drowned out.

"Boom... Swish! Swish! Swish!"

A colossal wave crashed against the side of a fishing boat, sending the fishermen onboard stumbling. The captain clutched desperately to the helm, maintaining control, though he himself was nearly swept overboard.

"What do we do? Are we going to die!?"

A young fisherman frantically shouted at his fellow crewmen. They looked around; some of the other boats were barely visible, bobbing precariously, while others had vanished from sight, potentially already sunk.

One vessel, still with its sails unfurled, appeared to be in extreme peril.

"Shut up! Hold on tight!"

"Boom!"

"Ah!"

A massive wave struck, sending the entire fishing boat listing violently. One person was immediately flung overboard. Those still on deck, who hadn't made it to the cabin, clung desperately to the mast and railings, utterly lacking the strength to save him.

"Hold on! Everyone hold on tight! Another huge wave is coming!"

Someone screamed with all their might, but their voice was utterly insignificant against the howling wind, lashing rain, and crashing waves of the sea.

"Boom! Swish! Swish! Swish!"

The boat pitched violently from side to side, narrowly avoiding capsizing. Inside the cabin, all loose items tumbled and rolled. Those sheltering within were like dice in a cup, getting bumped and bruised while simultaneously dodging flying objects.

Humans were so minuscule, less significant than duckweed in the face of such natural power. Falling overboard offered almost no chance of survival.

The captains on each boat bore the heaviest burden and faced the greatest danger. Their responsibility was not merely to save their own lives, but the lives of everyone on board.

A man, who had tied himself to the railing, constantly wiped saltwater from his face. Suddenly, he spotted an island in the distance and immediately yelled frantically towards the captain of his boat.

"Captain Zhang — Captain Zhang — There's an island over there!"

The captain was an elderly man with a grizzled beard and a sturdy build. His muscles trembled as he wrestled with the rudder, his eyes scanning all directions, striving to adjust the boat's course before the next colossal wave struck, to avoid being capsized outright.

He had, of course, also seen the island, but it offered few gentle slopes and was mostly steep cliffs. Approaching it now meant that a single gust of wind could smash them against the rock face, pulverizing everyone. Furthermore, even if they avoided the cliffs, the boat would be highly vulnerable to hidden reefs, making survival equally unlikely.

"Captain Zhang — head for the island!"

Another fisherman roared. In such a perilous situation at sea, the sight of land was like a lifeline to those aboard.

"No! Heading closer would be suicide — and we couldn't even reach it..."

On the summit of one of the island's peaks, Ji Yuan suddenly opened his eyes. It was a moment when the storm raged, engulfing the sky in gloom, yet through his Dharma Eye, he saw several boats in the distance, tossing in the wind and rain, clearly in dire straits.

In recent years, Ji Yuan had rarely seen vessels venture this far out to sea. Given technological limitations, fishing boats couldn't travel great distances, and while cargo ships existed, they typically sailed along coastlines or followed established routes.

Ji Yuan's years of tranquil meditation and contemplation had been quite fruitful, and while not yet complete, they shouldn't have been interrupted. However, witnessing so many boats in a life-or-death struggle, it was not in Ji Yuan's nature to withhold his help when he had the ability to offer it.

With a flick of his right sleeve, Ji Yuan drew in vast amounts of surrounding rainwater, which coalesced into a massive sphere of water in his palm. He then submerged his hands into the sphere, gently turning and sliding them.

As he moved, Ji Yuan fully mobilized his spiritual power. His methods of controlling wind and water shifted according to his will, and a command hovered unspoken on his lips.

This was a major sea storm, and Ji Yuan intended to dispel it quickly. Even employing his methods of wind and water control to subtly counter such immense power would consume a significant amount of spiritual energy. Fortunately, this was a natural phenomenon, not one manipulated by immortals or demons, making it manageable.

As Ji Yuan's palms moved in ever-wider arcs, the water sphere instantly expanded, its ripples spreading to form several massive characters etched in water.

"Calm the Wind, Disperse the Clouds!"

The next moment, Ji Yuan sharply flicked his sleeve, sending the four large characters sweeping upwards into the sky.

An invisible ripple of Dao aura seemed to spread outwards. The surrounding storm gradually lost its force, and the thick, dark clouds in the sky slowly began to dissipate.

The large ships still swayed erratically, as the waves had not yet fully subsided, but those on board could distinctly feel the instantaneous change.

The waves lessened, and crucially, both the wind and rain ceased.

Soon after, the pervasive gloom receded. The clouds overhead gradually dispersed, and the warm afternoon sun bathed the bewildered people on the boats.