blueteamnovel Chapter 14 Crossing the Ocean
Chapter 14 Crossing the Ocean
The vast ocean sprawled boundlessly, a large ship moored at a wharf constantly battered by the waves, bustling with people coming and going. It was a merchant ship headed to Xiniu Hezhou, trading specialty goods back and forth between the southern regions and Xiniu Hezhou, carrying both cargo and passengers. Just as the ship was fully loaded and ready to set sail, a voice called from afar, "Captain!
Wait a moment!"
A scholar clad in a green robe, with a tightly wrapped servant in tow, hurriedly approached from a distance. The scholar had delicate features and wore a treasured sword at his waist, while the servant was short and sported a hairy face resembling Thunder Lord's mouth.
"Scholar, you mustn't have mistaken the ship, my ship is indeed bound to traverse this vast ocean towards the west!" The captain, a man in his forties with a square face projecting straightforwardness and a skin deeply tanned from years at sea, contrasted strongly with the delicate features of the scholar.
"Captain, there is no mistake, my brother and I are indeed heading west to join our relatives! May I ask if the captain could give us a lift?" the Scholar asked with a smile while bowing courteously.
"Since it's to join relatives, there's no issue. I won't make it difficult for you. It's ten silver per person as passage fare on my ship. However, let me be clear, the fortunes on the high seas are unpredictable—if a mishap occurs and you lose your lives, I'm not responsible!"
The Scholar nodded with a smile and pulled out twenty silver pieces from his bag. A sharp-eyed sailor spotted the thick bag containing not much money, but only several neatly arranged books, and couldn't help muttering, "A true impoverished scholar!"
The Scholar, apparently having heard the faint muttering, smiled at the sailor. This scholar and his servant were none other than Lu Yu and Monkey, who had traveled for nearly half a month to finally catch this ship bound for Xiniu Hezhou; otherwise, they would have had to make their own raft and head west.
Following the sailor's lead, the two found their cabin which was small with two wooden beds and no other decoration.
"According to the captain, it will be three months before we reach Xiniu Hezhou. It seems we'll just have to settle in here for a while," Lu Yu said, sitting on a wooden bed, addressing the continually curious Monkey.
He could even feel the ultimate destruction within the thunder, making the proud Monkey King inwardly vow that one day he would face the thunder without flinching.
Lu Yu, watching the Monkey's retreating figure, couldn't help but smile, finding it unimaginable that the normally fearless Monkey would have something he feared. He turned and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Captain, but as the saying goes, 'Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles.' I would like to witness the grandeur of this sea storm myself!"
The Captain looked at Lu Yu in surprise, internally admiring the Scholar's uniqueness and said no more objections as he was busy directing the sailors to secure the sails and protect the cargo.
Lu Yu watched the dark clouds at the horizon, felt the terrifying waves, and gradually relaxed more and more, his heart filled with calm joy. Soon, the rain poured down, washing the sea's surface, and the thunder and fierce winds seemed to play a symphony unique to nature itself, intoxicating Lu Yu.
He closed his eyes but could still sense the currents beneath the sea, the raindrops falling from the sky, and the moisture hidden within the clouds. He wanted to embrace these mists but felt as if there was always a barrier he couldn't break through. However, Lu Yu wouldn't feel frustrated about it, perhaps the right opportunity had not yet come.
The storm came swiftly and left quickly; soon, the wind ceased and the rain stopped, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the thick clouds directly onto the ship, Lu Yu spread his arms wide, savoring the magic and beauty of nature, his heart peaceful and content. A rainbow appeared from the horizon, vibrant and breathtakingly beautiful.
The sailors also stopped their work, quietly enjoying this rare moment of peace. Perhaps this was the greatness of nature; it gave the storm but also provided sunshine and a rainbow after the calm.
Although Lu Yu hadn't managed to overcome that barrier this time, he vaguely felt that his gain from this sea journey was enough to benefit him for a lifetime. Thinking this, he couldn't help but express a radiant smile and called out to the still-hidden Monkey, "Monkey, come out and see the rainbow!"
Meanwhile, at the Great Thunderclap Monastery on Mount Ling, the Tathagata was teaching scriptures in a mesmerizing and captivating way, when suddenly, he paused and gazed far towards the east. Looking down, he saw his chief disciple, Golden Cicada, stealthily dozing among the monks, and couldn't help but smile deeply and meaningfully.
Many Great Spiritual Practitioners also sensed a vague divine intent at that moment, and one of them couldn't help but sigh, "It's starting now!"