Chinese Mythology Map (River Chart Dunhuang Volume): The Nine-Colored
Ao Yu is jolted awake from a nightmare in which he drowns following a fierce argument with the teaching assistant, Wu Feng. To his horror, he realizes the grim details of the dream are manifesting in reality with chilling accuracy. Even more terrifying, no matter how he tries to escape—by stealing a boat, feigning illness, or warning the islanders—the deadly tsunami arrives right on schedule, mercilessly dragging him to his death and plunging him into a new cycle of this hellish loop.
During these desperate repetitions, Ao Yu witnesses a series of bizarre and horrifying phenomena: a sinister Soul Banner churning the waves, a bloody murder at the lighthouse, and Loong Grandma's husband being twisted by dark magic into a monstrous shark. Piece by piece, he uncovers the truth: a spy named Umimoto from the Doom-Scorned Kingdom has come to steal the Loong Palace's sacred treasure, the Aqua Pura Vase. The Doom-Scorned Kingdom is using the evil artifact, the Soul Banner, to create a countdown to catastrophe—if Umimoto fails to find the vase, the banner will unleash a sacrificial tsunami. To complete his mission, Umimoto ruthlessly harms the islanders. The secret of the Aqua Pura Vase, astonishingly, is hidden within a seemingly unremarkable rolling pin that bears the "East Sea Loong Scenery" painting.
Joining forces with Wu Feng, Granny Bao, and Xiao Yi, Ao Yu races against the relentless time loop. They expose Umimoto's conspiracy, endure the agony of failed attempts to secure the treasure, and suffer the pain of seeing loved ones controlled by dark forces. Ultimately, they activate the true power of the Loong Scenery painting in the kitchen's hearth—opening the long-sealed Loong Gate.
Storming into the Loong Palace, Ao Yu and Wu Feng feel their dormant Loong bloodline awaken. Confronting Umimoto, who has seized the Aqua Pura Vase, and facing the Soul Banner's violent backlash, Wu Feng—now awakened as a Loong woman—recites a Heart-Cleansing Incantation under Loong Grandma's guidance. This summons a purifying downpour that shatters the Soul Banner's core and critically wounds Umimoto.
Though the tsunami is averted, Umimoto's furious roars as he flees signal that the threat is far from over. In the aftermath, the survivors of White Sand Island finally begin to unravel the ancient secrets buried deep beneath the waves and within their very blood
ChineseMythology · Fantasy
I like that the ML has fallen for her from the start and (so far) isn't insanely jealous of her accomplishments and friendships. he sees she is capable and appreciates it without kicking up a fuss or wearing rose-colored glasses, so to speak. though the bit where he lectures her on the examination topics was silly, I hope she can prove herself in that arena sooner so we don't have to suffer through that again. looking forward to future chapters.