novelnext Chapter 117 Bai Hai
Chapter 117 Bai Hai
The apes cheered and, carrying axes, Ironhide headed towards the harbor. Cullika, clutching the sea chart, walked at the very front, his steps several times lighter than usual, as if four hundred years of obsession were finally about to be fulfilled. At this moment, he would follow Uchiha Hakuba's ship and rush onto that land belonging to the sky that his ancestor Noland had once seen.
It is not, as the world says, Nolando's lie.
Bai Yu and his group followed behind. The 400-year-old legend would soon be carried by the surging ocean currents to an altitude of 10,000 meters in three days.
Kulikai, walking at the front, suddenly turned around and called out, "Oh, right! I still have a nautical logbook left by my ancestor Noland. It records the direction of the cloud sea and some customs of the Sky Island. I'll take it to you tonight!"
Bai Yu raised his hand in agreement, looking up at the sky. Actually, there was an even simpler method; being 10,000 meters in the air was not difficult for Kanna.
Three days later, in some sea area...
The force of the surging current was far more violent than imagined. The Dawn was like a leaf being gripped by a giant hand in the rolling waves. The reinforced keel creaked dully, and the iron hull was pounded by the high-pressure water flow. The splashing water poured down the hull and formed winding water streaks on the deck.
Uchiha Shiraha stood at the bow of the ship, his black cloak billowing in the wind. He watched as the ship cut through the waves, the howling sea wind mingling with Kanna's excited shouts. Kanna clung tightly to his arm, her little face full of surprise, her round eyes wide open, and her tail wagging incessantly.
After an unknown amount of time, the rocking of the ship suddenly became gentle, the force of the high-pressure ocean current gradually weakened, and in its place was a light feeling of suspension.
Rangiku Matsumoto rushed to the ship's side first, wiping the water droplets from her face, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy: "We're here! We've reached the White Sea!"
Upon hearing the noise, everyone rushed to the side of the boat, and the moment they looked up, all the commotion ceased abruptly.
The seawater beneath their feet had vanished, replaced by a dense, fluffy sea of white clouds. The hull of the Dawn Ship rested steadily on the cloud surface, without the expected sinking. Instead, it felt as if the ship was sailing on solidified snow waves. Each stroke of the oar stirred up fine cloud fragments, which drifted down slowly like crumpled cotton wool.
The salty, damp air had thinned considerably, replaced by a refreshing coolness. Taking a deep breath made my chest feel cleansed, as if it had been washed clean.
However, there's one thing you need to get used to: the oxygen content here is only half that of Qinghai...
Meanwhile, the distant horizon was no longer the azure of the sea, but a pale, diffused color. Layers of clouds overlapped, and sunlight pierced through the gaps in the uppermost clouds, casting golden beams of light that illuminated the entire white sea as if it were a dreamlike, crystal-clear world.
"Is this the White Sea that Kulikai spoke of?"
Matsumoto Rangiku raised her hand and brushed away a wisp of cloud that drifted in front of her. The cool and soft touch made her fingertips feel cool. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes full of amazement: "It's even more beautiful than I imagined."
Retsu Unohana stood at the stern, her gaze calmly sweeping over the surrounding scenery, her Zanpakuto on her wrist swaying gently, emitting a faint hum.
She nodded slightly: "The sea of clouds at an altitude of seven thousand meters is indeed as good as its reputation. The airflow here is very gentle, but it seems to hide some subtle vortices, so we need to be extra careful when sailing."
Robin had already taken out Noland's nautical journal, his fingers quickly sliding across the yellowed pages, his face full of certainty: "The journal says that the White Sea is above 10,000 meters, and this is the White Sea at about 7,000 meters. However, the cloud density here is extremely high, enough to support ships."
"Moreover, there are cloud currents deep inside. If we get caught in them, the ships will be torn to shreds. Let's follow this cloud current channel first."
As they were talking, Kanna suddenly tugged at Bai Yu's trouser leg, pointed her little finger at the outside of the boat, and said in a soft, excited voice, "Bai Yu, Bai Yu, look! There's a strange fish!"
Following her gaze, everyone saw several strangely shaped creatures slowly swimming through the gaps in the clouds below.
They have streamlined bodies, their scales are translucent silver-white, their fins spread out like thin gauze, and when their tail fins sway, they create fine ripples in the sea of clouds.
What's most peculiar are their eyes, large and round, with a pale blue luster, seemingly able to see through the clouds and onto the people on the ship.
These creatures do not swim in the water like ordinary fish; instead, they seem to soar through the sea of clouds, occasionally leaping out of the clouds, their bodies tracing a graceful arc in the air before slowly plunging back into the sea of clouds, stirring up waves of cloud.
"This must be the clouded ray recorded by Noland."
Robin looked up and said, "It's recorded in the notes that they are creatures unique to the White Sea. They feed on microorganisms in the clouds, are docile, and will not attack people unless provoked."
As soon as he finished speaking, the clouds in the distance suddenly began to churn, and several larger creatures emerged from the clouds.
They have bodies similar to giant whales, but possess a pair of enormous wings, spanning over ten meters in width when spread. Their wings are covered in thick white down, and when they flap, they create gentle gusts of air. These cloud whales swim slowly, spewing white columns of clouds from their mouths. These columns disperse in the air, transforming into a sky full of fluffy clouds, like a fine, falling snowflake.
Their calls were deep and resonant, echoing across the vast white sea, adding a touch of life to this tranquil world.
Kanna's eyes lit up, and she couldn't resist reaching out her little hand to touch the stingrays flying by.
"Don't get too close, or you might get swept away by the airflow."
Hearing Rangiku's words, Kanna nodded obediently, but her eyes remained fixed on the strange creatures, her little face full of joy.
The Dawnship moved slowly across the clouds, its hull rubbing against the clouds and making a soft sound, as if walking on a plush carpet.
When a boat moves through the clouds, it doesn't create huge waves like it does at sea. Instead, it causes ripples on the cloud surface. These ripples spread out, drawing in the surrounding clouds and forming small cloud eddies, which then slowly dissipate.
Occasionally, fine cloud fragments would fall onto the deck, melting instantly upon contact with the skin, leaving a slightly cool sensation.
Bai Yu walked to the bow of the ship, gazing at the distant horizon of the sea of clouds.
The clouds there were thicker, a pale milky white, and a brighter area could be vaguely seen above them, which must be the White Sea that Noland recorded.
"Bai Yu, look over there!"
Rangiku suddenly spoke, pointing at the clouds: "What's that?"
As everyone looked up, they saw several cloud-formed mountain peaks standing in the clouds. Between the cloud peaks was a winding cloud river with extremely fast-flowing water that appeared to be a pale blue color. Occasionally, cloud rays and small cloud whales would pass through the cloud river.
This is the iconic viewpoint of the White Sea and the only route to it. Crossing this waterway leads to the White Sea, which sits at an altitude of 10,000 meters.