Hou Niao did not fly directly to Crab Claw Island; instead, he toured dozens of islands within range, even if it meant taking a bit of a detour.
Such a flight path turned a journey of several hours into three days because he also wanted to experience the sensation of flying over the ocean at night. This was crucial, and during the process, he often got lost, but as soon as the sun rose and he could see the horizon again, his sense of direction returned.
Through these experiences and the navigational tools he prepared in his bag, he had gained a preliminary understanding of flying over the sea. He had found the right general direction but still needed to refine the details.