Down with the Flow
The morning sun tints the valley in shades of orange. Using five thick and sturdy bamboo stems bound tightly with hemp, a bamboo raft, six meters long and two meters wide, is pushed to the edge of the stream. A net woven from hemp fibers trails at the rear of the raft, carrying seven or eight baskets of herbs and mountain goods at the front. Mud-baked beggar's chicken is unearthed from the ashes, and other precooked items are loaded into a full basket. With everything ready, they set off, following the water's flow. It's a morning filled with tension and determination.
North uses a smooth sandalwood branch as a hairpin, gathering her jet-black hair into a bun on top of her head. A belt made from fibers of swordleaf is woven into a herringbone pattern, securing the slightly loose jacket. Taking a deep breath, she steps onto the bamboo raft, singing loudly, "A hearty laugh echoes over the boundless sea, waves surging on both shores, drifting along with the tide, only remembering this moment..." Paddling with a pole, she faces the unknown world with the intrinsic pride of never giving up.
The stream gradually deepens, and after traveling ten miles, the end of the oasis, filled with sunflowers and ginger flowers, becomes visible. Graceful egrets dance on the tidal flats, where two clear streams merge and flow gently southward. Probing into the space with her consciousness, North discovers that the white mist in the void extends five miles from her as the center, expanding continuously along the drifting route. The water ahead is about ten meters wide, with gentle slopes on both sides, and distant mountains stack up, their peaks obscured in the distance. Paddling with a two-meter pole touches the bottom, and bubbles from fish swimming create ripples across the water. Peeling two eggs and sprinkling the yolks on the bamboo raft, North crouches down, dipping her hand into the water, patiently waiting. Soon, a large school of fish, ranging from two to three pounds carp to finger-sized minnows, swim over. With a soft sound of "collect," they all find themselves swimming in the small river within the space.
There's a slight disturbance in the space for a short while, and the fatigue caused by exploring with consciousness is instantly repaired. Continuing to observe the waterway ahead, the riverbed is a mix of gravel and river mud. The vegetation on the east bank is low, and two to three miles downstream, there's a hollow in the mountain, with small crystal veins scattered around, resembling lava channels formed after a volcanic eruption. About four to five miles away diagonally to the east, nearby hills squeeze in, and the water takes an abrupt turn, forming a colorful pebble beach before winding its way into the white mist.