Chapter 706: Chapter 378

The last ink-black shade before dawn enveloped Qingshui Bay.

A line of white appeared at the horizon, where the sky and sea met.

All around was a profound silence, broken only by the rhythmic and magnificent sounds of the rising tide, like the breath of a sleeping giant.

Plop!

A muffled sound shattered the tranquility.

Fang Cheng, stark naked, plunged boldly into the icy sea like a red-hot brand.

The extreme contrast in temperature made his pores instantly contract, the sizzling sound of scorching skin in the sea.

The chill seemed to penetrate the flesh, reaching the bones, giving Fang Cheng a sense of comfort that almost made him sigh.

The extreme run just now had nearly exhausted his body’s potential, his body temperature alarmingly high.

If it weren’t for the Qigong effect of "Flame Breath," greatly enhancing his endurance and breathing efficiency in high-temperature environments.

With only 50 points of Constitution Attribute, he might only manage a few hundred meters before having to stop due to physiological overload.

Of course, if Fang Cheng were willing to use the azure True Qi in his Dantian for cooling, he might last longer.

But that would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

At this moment, the cold seawater was the best coolant.

Fang Cheng stretched his limbs, took a deep dive into the water.

His legs moved powerfully like a fishtail, and his figure agilely wove beneath the waves.

A moment later, he broke the surface again, transitioning to a relaxed freestyle stroke, his arms plowing through the water, creating two tracks of white foam.

The waves rolled in, washing over his solid back.

The force was just right, like pairs of hands massaging him, soothing each tense muscle.

After several laps, Fang Cheng’s body temperature quickly returned to normal.

The abnormal redness from the high-speed run slowly faded.

Fang Cheng simply lay on his back on the water, letting his body rise and fall lightly with the waves.

Above him was a deep gray sky, a few lingering stars stubbornly twinkling, like fragments of diamonds set in the night sky.

Soft, gentle water sounds whispered in his ears.

The whole world seemed to become incredibly quiet.

In this moment, the vast ocean seemed like a giant bathtub belonging solely to him.

This wondrous feeling reminded Fang Cheng of his days on Yong’an Island.

Back then, after every morning workout, he would swim freely in the sea like this, enjoying the embrace of the water.

The "Water Breathing" Talent was fully activated in such an environment.

The tide rose higher and higher.

Fang Cheng faced the cresting waves, stepping on the spray, and looked around.

He noticed a dense fog rising over the sea.

The mist was white and thick, damp and sticky, spreading like an endless net.

Looking back, the beach from which he came had turned into a blurred gray line.

The contours of the city buildings on the shore appeared faintly through the fog, like a mirage.

Looking out at the edges of Qingshui Bay, there was an infinite inky ocean.

It seemed like the end of the world, carrying an isolation and mystery far from the mortal world.

The seabed here was level; to experience the hundreds of meters of deep-sea diving like on Yong’an Island, one would need to swim several more kilometers further.

Fang Cheng took a deep breath and dove into the water again.

This time, he did not surface immediately.

Underwater, his enhanced vision played an even greater role.

Through the rippling sea, he could clearly see the swaying seaweed, moving with the dark currents.

Schools of small fish, with silver scales, deftly glided past him.

They curiously observed this unexpected guest, yet dared not come too close.

All surrounding sounds were blocked by the sea, as if the world was left with only him and these silent marine creatures.

This tranquility was wondrous and pure, as if he had entered an isolated dream.

Fang Cheng continued to swim, heading for deeper, darker places.

Just then, a strange feeling descended without warning.

It wasn’t sound, nor image, but like an ancient resonance from the ocean’s deepest reaches.

Low and distant, it ignored the barrier of the sea, echoing directly in his Spiritual World.

This force was filled with majesty and mystery, as if it were the very will of the ocean, momentarily casting a glance his way.

Meanwhile, the strand of Spiritual Fire quietly burning in his mind suddenly leaped, its flames blazing brightly.

Fang Cheng snapped back to reality.

In that moment of distraction, he was startled to find that his body had unconsciously swum a long distance forward.

Looking up, the light on the water’s surface had become extremely faint.

His heart tightened, realizing that the bizarre visions he experienced during his meditation practice had resurfaced.

He immediately adjusted his position, exerting strength in his legs, and shot upwards like a sailfish.

Whoosh!

Fang Cheng broke through the surface, wiping seawater from his face.

He looked around and found himself shrouded in vast sea fog, far from the shore.

Estimating at least two or three kilometers away, he was almost out of Qingshui Bay’s range.

"Put-put-put..."

Not far away, a fishing boat that had set out early with its dim yellow lights passed through the fog.

The fishermen on the boat seemed unaware of another person in the sea.

Fang Cheng oriented himself, about to turn back.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a strange flash.

On the cliffs west of Qingshui Bay, the top of the long-abandoned white lighthouse had a signal light lit.

The light wasn’t very strong, but it had significant penetration, impossible to be fully obscured even by the thick fog.

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