Chapter 368: Boundless Sea, Tripartite Parallel

"Whew! What a spectacle. This is my first time seeing the ocean of this world. The coastal waters look much like those on Earth, but that wall in the distance must be the Tide Barrier."

Standing atop the peak of the Santa Ana Snowfield, Wang Yu stood side-by-side with Avia, gazing out at the vast ocean beyond the frost-covered expanse, his heart filled with awe.

The Endless Sea beneath the Santa Ana Snowfield belongs to the Arctic Ocean, where massive ice floes and icebergs drift in eternal, wind-swept desolation. Yet, this is only true of the near-shore waters.

Looking toward the open sea from the summit, the icebergs gradually thin out beyond a certain threshold, eventually giving way to a deep blue expanse indistinguishable from any other ocean—monotonous, flavorless, and repetitive. Yet, this very endlessness carries an indescribable sense of grandeur.

"No wonder it's called the Endless Sea. But if we're talking about awe, this thing is even more absurd."

With a soft sigh and a shake of his head, Wang Yu’s gaze rested upon the towering wall at the horizon. He could not tell how far it was from the shore, but the base of the giant wall was already so blurred by distance that it was impossible to discern. In truth, such a wall should have been invisible to him, yet it was simply too immense.

The summit of the Tide Barrier connects directly to the dissociation layer. A wall exceeding ten thousand meters in height is a miracle of nature that defies imagination—a feat of power that neither Earth nor this world could ever hope to replicate through human hands.

"Avia, when you realized the continent you live on is surrounded by such a wall, how did it make you feel?"

Wang Yu couldn't help but ask the girl beside him. Because he knew the nature of Earth’s oceans, he was all the more curious about how the people of this world perceived the barrier encircling their land.

His question carried the hidden weight of an outsider. Wang Yu himself didn't dwell on it, but he knew that for any other human from Earth, the sudden realization that their continent was hemmed in by a wall that seemed to sever the very heavens would trigger an inescapable, deep-seated sense of oppression.

"It's fine, I suppose. Like many unique things on this continent, since it has always existed, we've lived alongside it for so long that we’ve come to accept it as the norm."

Avia replied. It was as Wang Yu expected: to the people of this world, this was simply reality. Much like the existence of magic—a concept that seemed utterly abnormal to an outsider like him—it was, in fact... quite ordinary.

"Diana and the Merfolk Tidesinger, Haiwei, are waiting for us below. Let's go."

Following her answer, Avia reached out her hand to Wang Yu. The two Merfolk mentioned were, first, the one who had spent time in the Royal City of Shadow, and second, the Tidesinger who wished to meet Wang Yu—a figure whose rank was roughly equivalent to an Elder among the Elves, and who happened to be Diana’s uncle.

"Let's move."

Wang Yu replied, taking her hand. Magic surged, and a storm of frost gathered around them. Two massive wings, composed of swirling air currents and ice crystals, manifested in the air. With a kick against the ground, Avia pulled Wang Yu into a leap from the peak of the Santa Ana Snowfield, gliding toward the coast on the thrust of the gale.

...

The storm subsided, and ice crystals fell to the earth. The two landed on the shore of the Endless Sea, and within their line of sight, two figures appeared, standing before a modest-sized vessel.

"Archbishop Wang Yu, it has been a long time!"

As they approached, a greeting filled with excitement and joy reached their ears. It came from Diana, a Merfolk girl with pale pink hair and faint scales on her face. She was about the same height as Avia, and though she lacked a fish tail, her appearance was remarkably striking.

"Hello, it has been a while!"

Wang Yu waved back. Despite the greeting, he didn't actually remember her from his time in the Royal City of Shadow. He had only visited the underground occasionally, and the various non-human members of the Night Church were so diverse in appearance that he hadn't bothered to memorize their names.

"Greetings, Archbishop Wang Yu. You may call me Haiwei. It is a great honor to be of assistance to you."

Stepping forward, the tall man behind Diana reached out to shake Wang Yu’s hand, his tone deeply respectful. The middle-aged man was broad-shouldered and sturdy—he looked, well, quite a bit like Aquaman or Xu Jinjiang from Earth...

"No need for such formality. The Merfolk’s help in guiding us through the Tide Barrier is a tremendous favor."

Wang Yu said casually, still puzzled by their enthusiasm. He felt he had no prior connection to the Merfolk.

"Hehe, Uncle, you chat with the Archbishop. I’m going to pilot the ship. It’s my first time using human technology; it’s truly fascinating."

Diana waved at them with a laugh and trotted toward the ship, which appeared to be powered by alchemical technology.

"I had better handle it; I don't trust her at the helm just yet."

With a wry smile and a wave, Haiwei followed Diana onto the ship. The hull shuddered, then slowly began to move. Magical fluctuations appeared at the stern, as the dual-action water and wind arrays provided this antique-looking alchemical vessel with speeds rivaling modern ships.

Avia boarded first. Wang Yu glanced toward the end of the coastline before preparing to follow, but his senses suddenly caught a familiar presence. The Lady of the Night stood on the shore, gazing out toward the Endless Sea. Her black veil obscured her face as always, leaving her expression unreadable.

"What are you looking at?"

Wang Yu asked casually. It seemed to be the Lady of the Night’s first time seeing the ocean as well, though he assumed she could see through the eyes of her Merfolk followers.

"I cannot see."

The Lady of the Night replied, her voice tinged with clear confusion.

"What?"

The answer left Wang Yu baffled. It wasn't the first time she had said something cryptic, but he supposed that being able to communicate with mortals at all was already a feat.

"Over there, toward the Tide Barrier. In my perception, it is a void. I see nothing."

She pointed in a direction beyond the vast open sea. Her words continued to perplex him.

Because of her "friendship" with Avia, the girl was a special existence to the Lady of the Night. Other believers served as mere nodes, allowing only a projection of her power, but through Avia, the Lady could manifest a greater portion of her true self.

Compared to using the eyes of the Merfolk, the Lady of the Night was more "present" here, which made her inability to see all the more significant.

Wang Yu frowned. Her claim felt ominous. While he had prepared for the possibility of losing contact with the prayer network once they set sail, this seemed to be happening far too quickly.

"Is it serious?"

"No, it is merely an inability to perceive. However, if you reach that area, my power should be able to extend there."

Her answer was uncertain yet firm, which eased Wang Yu’s mind slightly, though his vigilance only deepened.

"Come to think of it, that area should be the domain of the Lord of Oceans and Storms. Is that the reason?"

A memory surfaced: the waters within the Tide Barrier were considered the territory of that deity. It was highly likely that this was why the Lady of the Night could not peer into the deep ocean.

"We’ve come this far; there is no turning back now."

Wang Yu muttered to himself, stepping onto the ship. He turned back to give the Lady of the Night a final word of advice.

"Though I doubt it’s necessary, I’ll say it anyway: if you truly encounter the Lord of Oceans and Storms, don't provoke them."

The ship set sail, and the two Merfolk led Wang Yu’s party toward their city. They had arrived early; the Magic Moon would not turn red—signaling the Blood Moon—for another four or five days. Including travel time, they would spend two or three days in the Merfolk city.

Once the ship was underway and Diana was at the helm, Haiwei, the Tidesinger, sought out Wang Yu. As they spoke, Wang Yu finally understood why the Merfolk treated him with such respect: it was all thanks to the Night Church, and more specifically, the "Midnight Library" that had become increasingly popular among the Lady of the Night’s followers.

"Because of our environment, the Merfolk have had little contact with the affairs of the continent, and communication has always been difficult. I’m sure you understand, Archbishop—not all the intelligent races on the continent are as friendly as you."

As Haiwei spoke, he handed Wang Yu a cup of something green and viscous that looked like seaweed juice. After one sip, Wang Yu discreetly tossed the concoction—which was even more wretched than Void Cola—to the side.

"The appearance of the Midnight Library allowed the first of our people to become followers of the Lady of the Night, and they shared that knowledge with the rest of us. The library’s contents are vast, and they have been incredibly useful."

"With our knowledge of the Endless Sea, we can exchange information in the private sectors that isn't available publicly. The most valuable of these are the studies of magitech and alchemy. This ship we are riding, for instance, was built recently."

Whether Haiwei noticed Wang Yu dumping the seaweed juice or not, he smiled and patted the hull, explaining the changes the faith had brought.

"The Merfolk’s manufacturing capabilities are truly impressive, to turn theory into reality so quickly."

Wang Yu scanned the ship with his Chariot’s power; even with his own alchemical knowledge, he couldn't find a single flaw. It was indeed surprising that the Merfolk could produce such a vessel so rapidly.

"Haha, it is not as you think. We still need time to perfect our own factories. We were able to build this so quickly thanks to the Night Church."

"The scholars in our tribe are the most frequent users of the Midnight Library and the most devout believers. They established contact with two organizations within the Night Church: the 'Dusk Chamber of Commerce' and the 'Sunset School.' Through these guilds formed by the followers of the Night, we have established a stable link with the mainland."

"So, these vessels were not crafted by us, but commissioned from the shipyards across the port. However, once stable trade routes are established, we intend to gradually prioritize such construction ourselves. All of this is thanks to the Lady of the Night; praise be to you, kind, merciful, and magnificent Lady of the Night."

Haiwei refuted Wang Yu’s assumption by clarifying the reality of the situation, then performed a standard prayer with devout reverence to express his gratitude.

Hearing this, Wang Yu’s expression remained unchanged, though his heart stirred; he realized the Midnight Library, with its boundless potential, was finally beginning to reveal its true stature, far sooner than he had anticipated.

He had been truly unaware of the "Twilight Trade Alliance" and the "Dusk School" spontaneously formed by the followers of the Night, yet he found them entirely understandable; the prayer-based communication network that linked these believers was, in itself, an intangible and precious resource.

The extra measure of intimacy and trust that believers shared over strangers had helped the Merfolk establish connections with the mainland that had eluded them for years, successfully breaking down the barriers born of the covetousness their "treasure-laden" bodies had once invited.

"To be of service to you, Archbishop, is truly our greatest honor. Compared to the aid the Church of the Night has bestowed upon us, acting as guides is a trivial matter indeed."

Haiwei gestured for Wang Yu to wander as he pleased, noting he would contact his kin and ensure the temperamental sea remained calm.

After parting with Haiwei, Wang Yu stepped onto the ship’s deck, where Avia and the siblings, Zig and Noelle, were leaning against the railing, gazing out at the sea. Zig was reminiscing about the ocean he had crossed to reach the mainland from the Dragon Isles, while Avia and Noelle were simply admiring the vast expanse they were witnessing in person for the first time.

Extracting some metal from Avia’s Eden Seed space, Wang Yu used the power of his Chariot to fashion a fishing rod, casting a line into the water to pass the time.

He had no fear of coming up empty-handed; the fish in the sea had best pray some unlucky soul took the bait, or else Wang Yu would surely lose his patience—one way or another, he was determined to catch something for dinner.

Faintly, he heard the Merfolk maiden Diana singing; one had to admit, the innate talent of her race was formidable. Though the language was incomprehensible, the melody was undeniably beautiful, a true feast for the ears.

Avia leaned against Wang Yu, watching him fish. When the song ended, the girl softly hummed a tune from Earth that Wang Yu had taught her. Wang Yu raised his eyebrows and exchanged a knowing look with Zig and Noelle, who were tilting their heads nearby; the three shared a silent, amused smile.

The reason for their secret exchange was simple: the girl was tone-deaf. Wang Yu had never mentioned it to her, but while Avia surpassed him in almost every other regard, her singing was a different story—she lost the melody the moment she began. Wang Yu, conversely, while not exactly a virtuoso, could at least carry a tune with decent form.

"Why are you smiling so happily?"

"A fish is about to bite."

"Really?"

...

As Wang Yu and his companions made their way toward the city of the Merfolk, two other factions upon the Endless Sea were also in motion.

Nine dragons, each possessing distinct features, arrived in flight before the Tidal Barrier, paused, and unleashed their dragon breath in unison against the colossal wall that spanned heaven and earth.

On an island within the Endless Sea, amidst a structure buried under layers of sub-dragon bones, a deformed half-dragon gazed in bewilderment at the light manifesting upon the statue of the Dragon God before him.