Chapter 0001: Stranded on a Deserted Island

Ye Mo rummaged through the wreckage of the ship and found several broken large barrels. However, upon opening the lids, he discovered that they were all empty, with not even a trace of damp rice or flour remaining

First, go to the beach and search around for something to eat. Since I was washed up on this island, some of the food from the ship might also float over here. After all, it was food meant to supply more than 1,000 people, filling several ship compartments; even a little bit drifting over would be enough for me to eat for a while

Ye Mo heard the sounds of masts and decks cracking, as they were violently lifted by the storm, shattering into pieces in the air

Even the extremely dangerous East China Sea is not to be spared

How should I leave here? Am I to be trapped on this island for the rest of my life?

Ye Mo was still unfamiliar with the conditions on this island and did not want to easily venture into the dense thickets, where there might be venomous snakes, scorpions, and insects hidden. His Qingfeng sword could kill wild beasts, but it was ineffective against small insects. If he were to be bitten by snakes, scorpions, or insects, it would undoubtedly be a dead end on this desolate island devoid of human presence

I remember that the hold of the ship was filled with many large wooden barrels, containing food such as rice flour, cured meat, pickled vegetables, and condiments like wine and vinegar, for the warriors to consume during their voyage at sea

What awaits them is the enormous maw of the "Shen," large enough to swallow an entire ship.

Ye Mo drew the Qingfeng sword from behind him

Before long, Ye Mo gathered some dead wood, dry moss, and withered branches and leaves from the outskirts of the dense forest

Ye Mo felt relieved upon seeing that ancient painting was unharmed

According to legend, on the Spirit Island of the East Sea, there exists a fairy village, which is shrouded in mist throughout the year, with spiritual peaks piercing the clouds. Occasionally, immortals residing here can be seen traversing through the mist, appearing and disappearing, elusive and ethereal.

The terrifying storm shattered the confidence of all the warriors aboard the ship

There are so many desires!

Ye Mo only remembers that at the moment when the enormous ship was torn apart by the storm, he jumped into the sea, desperately swimming away from the sinking vessel. In the haze, he clung tightly to a broken piece of wood on the surface of the water, and then he lost consciousness.

Ye Mo was taken aback, "Since there are seabirds here, then there should be seabird eggs in the beach seagrass! There is always a way out for people!"

Ye Mo pondered for a moment and directly tucked the ancient painting inside his waistband to prevent it from being lost

To become a military general in the Wu Kingdom court, one often requires advanced martial skills, high-level cultivation techniques, and a substantial amount of body-refining herbs to enhance physical strength and vitality. All of these necessitate money, a considerable amount of wealth

At this moment, a flock of seabirds flew over Ye Mo.

Ye Mo still remembers what his mother once said, that when she gave birth to him, this celestial village map appeared from nowhere, having been by his side since his birth, shrouded in mystery. This is his lifeline, and it must not be lost

Then, using a very hard branch, he rapidly rotated and rubbed it against the trunk. With the strength and speed of a mid-level martial artist, sparks soon appeared at the junction of the branch and the trunk

There are countless beautiful fairies at their service, capable of turning their hands to summon clouds and cover the sky, or to bring forth rain, rendering them omnipotent. They are objects of desire for ordinary mortals, who can only look on in longing. Even the royal family of the martial nation, high-ranking officials of the court, and wealthy aristocratic families can only gaze enviously and worship them.

He sold everything in his home; this is the only thing he has left. A beautifully ethereal ancient painting, it is also the only item he can cherish as a memento

As night fell, Ye Mo went to the outskirts of the dense forest and used his Qingfeng sword to cut down some branches. He leaned against a large tree on the beach to set up a tent, covering it with dry grass

Finally, there is something delicious to eat, eating it raw is not very good, let's have some fragrant roasted seabird eggs

However, achieving this beautiful dream is not an easy task

As long as one follows the maritime merchants to sea and finds this celestial village on the ocean, there will be an opportunity to take the cultivators of the village as masters, becoming disciples of the immortals and learning the great abilities of the immortals

Common martial artists like him have a very bleak future in the martial kingdom

What Ye Mo values the most is that ancient scroll painting, which is one foot long

I spent all my savings to buy a ticket to follow a merchant ship to the East China Sea in search of the fairy village at sea. Now, it turns out that I found no fairies, the storm destroyed the ship, and I was washed up on this desolate island.

In preparation for this journey to the East China Sea, he specifically spent a substantial sum of forty-five taels of silver to procure this sharp sword from the weapon shop. He also securely tied the sword to his back with a thick rope. Fortunately, he did not lose it during the maritime disaster

gobbled up the food, swallowing half of the seabird eggs in just a few bites

Distant ships believed they had found the mystical island village and began to sail here one after another

I aspire to soar high and reach the sky!

He is an ordinary commoner from the city of Wuguo, currently eighteen years old, and an unremarkable martial artist. His father was an ordinary soldier in the Wuguo army, who died in battle after years of warfare. After his father's death, his mother also succumbed to illness due to overwork and passed away in sorrow

Those storytellers embellished the various benefits of the immortals at sea

In the distance, a rapidly spinning storm forms a massive water column reaching heights of a thousand feet, resembling a dragon drawing water, which pulls the enormous sea vessels towards it

He felt as if his body had been shattered, his limbs were weak, and every part of him ached; he did not know how long he had been soaking by the beach before he finally woke up

I desire a luxurious mansion, a fine steed, and a beautiful wife along with a lovely concubine

Suddenly, Ye Mo placed the pile of dry branches and withered leaves on top, and the flames gradually grew larger, resulting in a bonfire rising up

He is merely a martial artist from a humble family in the royal city of Wu, let alone having access to high-quality body tempering herbs, he does not even possess a decent mid-level martial arts manual

Ye Mo looked around in confusion

By the way, my Qingfeng sword, herbs, and ancient paintings

The night has completely descended

Ye Mo picked up a branch and took the opportunity to dry the damp martial artist's robe on his body

According to legend, there are many powerful sea monsters in the East China Sea. They often attack ships sailing on the sea, devouring the crew members' flesh and even swallowing entire ships whole

Delicious!

Dozens of zhang away from the beach lies a continuous range of mountains, with vast and eerie forests and dense thickets of shrubs and grass.

This painting is very ancient, and the axis handle is made of a rare gray material

The Qingfeng sword and several precious herbs are not what he values the most

A small hole was drilled into the dead wood, and the collected dry moss was placed on top.

He struggled to open his eyes, his fingers moved slightly, and he realized he was gripping a broken wooden plank, lying on a cold and damp sandy beach, his cheeks covered with fine, moist gravel, stinging painfully.

Ye Mo's meager and pitiable vulgar dreams are nothing but daydreams, utterly hopeless. The dreams and the harsh reality create a vast chasm that tears his wretched heart in two

He woke up and immediately searched carefully in the grass near the beach

He released the worn wooden plank he had been tightly holding, feeling weary and sore, and exerted himself to turn over and sit up on the beach. His coarse cloth shirt, worn by a martial artist, was damp and clung to his body, making him feel cold and uncomfortable

Ye Chen knew that if he continued to live aimlessly in the Martial Kingdom, his entire life would pass by just like that

Sailing on a ship is not a trivial matter

Even on a deserted island, I can continue to practice martial arts and make myself stronger

Some say that after mastering the art of immortality, one can return to the great nations of the Nine Provinces and become a national protector, commanding great respect and authority, standing above all others. Others say that upon becoming an immortal, one should marry a fairy as a wife or concubine and have a multitude of children, which would provoke a hearty laugh from the martial artists.

Seabirds generally lay their eggs in areas dense with aquatic vegetation

Like many obscure warriors in the Martial Kingdom, Ye Mo's initial dream was somewhat mundane; he hoped to become a promising court general in the Martial Kingdom, to purchase a luxurious mansion in the royal city, and to enjoy a life of fine clothes and spirited horses. If he could marry a beautiful maiden, it would be even more wonderful.

He would rather take risks and venture to distant and unknown lands to fight for a way out for his meager dreams

The entire sea, spanning hundreds of miles, seemed to be trapped in a pitch-dark hell.

A month ago, a group of maritime merchants from Donglai Kingdom arrived in Wuguo King's City. These merchants hired a number of storytellers in the city to extol the existence of a spiritual island in the East China Sea, where there is a fairy village inhabited by numerous cultivators. The pavilions in the fairy village are all constructed of jade, and there are miraculous elixirs that can dispel all ailments and grant immortality

Apart from some fragments of ships, there are also several empty wooden barrels. Not to mention a bag of dry rations, there isn't even a trace of food scraps.

However, Ye Mo has nothing at all

Desire to be free and unrestrained

Although it is quite risky, there are indeed many successful warriors. As long as one spends fifty taels of silver to purchase a ticket from the merchants, and takes a ship to the East Sea to find the Immortal Village, all of this beauty is possible. What is silver worth? Finding the Immortal Village is worth everything!

There is an old saying in Wuguo: "It is better to ascend the mountain and seek knowledge than to descend into the river." Even on the river, there are great winds and huge waves; how much more so on the vast ocean. The waves of the East China Sea are high and the winds are fierce, and it is said that terrifying sea monsters roam the waters, with only one in ten venturing out to sea returning safely

Then Ye Mo boarded the giant ship of the maritime merchant

Ye Mo sheathed the Qingfeng Sword

The green-edge sword behind is still there

Just last night, the various warriors aboard the ship were chatting and laughing, discussing how they would pay their respects to their masters and learn the art of immortality after finding the Spirit Island Immortal Village

He gazed far around, and the island appeared to be quite large; just looking at the long sandy coastline, it is likely that the island spans more than 10 miles.

Suddenly, I saw some broken shipwreck planks ahead.

Ordinary warriors of Wu country can be found everywhere on the streets

There are quite a few trees on the island, which can be used to build a large wooden raft. I am practicing martial arts while constructing the raft. Once I have prepared enough jerky, I will set sail to continue my search for the immortals of the Eastern Sea Immortal Village

He gritted his teeth and sold the only valuable old house in his family, obtaining one hundred taels of silver, of which he spent fifty taels to purchase a ticket from those maritime merchants

As long as I do not die, sooner or later I will find the Eastern Sea Immortal Village! My beautiful dream, my future, I will not give up!

The dry moss catches fire

The remaining half of the seabird eggs was endured without being eaten

The empty beach, devoid of any presence, is eerily silent

The tent is only a few zhang away from the bonfire, not far at all. Some dry branches and firewood have been added to keep the bonfire burning, to prevent wild beasts from approaching the island

Ye Mo lay in the tent, gazing at the slowly burning campfire, cradling the Qingfeng sword. Although stranded on the island, his desire to seek immortality had not diminished in the slightest; instead, it had grown even stronger.

It is good that the ancient scroll has not been lost

A martial artist who has mastered advanced martial skills can easily defeat several ordinary martial artists

The disciples of the immortals reside in the palace of the celestial beings, practicing spells and divine powers, wielding flying swords, soaring through the nine heavens, riding on spiritual cranes, and crossing the vast seas

Fortunately, after jumping into the sea, he managed to grab hold of a piece of broken wood, which prevented him from sinking to the bottom and becoming food for the fish.

Ye Mo is only eighteen years old; he does not wish to spend his entire life in the capital of the Wu Kingdom as an obscure martial artist

Spent the remaining fifty taels to purchase a fine Qingfeng sword at the weapon shop in the royal city, and bought several packets of high-quality healing herbs at the herbal store, making preparations for setting sail

Not bad

However, I unexpectedly survived and drifted to an island, not being directly drowned by the huge waves, which can be considered a great fortune amidst misfortune. That ship carried thousands of warriors from various nations across the land, but I do not know how many people were as fortunate as I, able to survive this storm and not become food in the belly of the sea fish

Under the extravagant praise of the storyteller, many martial artists in Wu Country, including Ye Mo, were stirred to the point of ecstasy, wishing they could sprout wings and fly to the Immortal Village on the Spirit Island in the East Sea to seek the guidance of the immortals as their masters

He is well aware that as a low-level martial artist, staying in the capital of the Martial Kingdom offers little prospect for his future. The expenses for advanced martial arts techniques and body tempering herbs are substantial, and he simply cannot afford them

By the way, check if there are any other survivors at www.hetushu.com. This giant ship can hold over a thousand people, most of whom are martial artists, and there must be others who have survived and drifted to the island. Find other martial artists and discuss together how to leave this island!

Unfolding this one-foot-long ancient painting scroll reveals a depiction of an ethereal fairy village.

Ye Mo walked several miles along the beach

This sword, crafted from high-quality refined iron and forged through hundreds of repetitions, is extraordinarily sharp, radiating a cold light, and can be regarded as a precious weapon of exceptional quality

After a short while

This is clearly an island, and there seems to be a continuous range of small mountains in the center of the island, all covered with towering trees, desolate and uninhabited

This ancient painting has been carried by Ye Mo since childhood. Its texture is quite peculiar, made of a soft fabric that cannot be destroyed by any means; neither fire nor blades can leave a mark on it

Yet Ye Mo did not hesitate and immediately decided to follow the merchants to the East China Sea in search of immortals

In the distance lies an endless expanse of azure sea, the sky is a deep blue stretching for miles without a cloud, the waves are calm, and a few seabirds soar low, hunting for fish. As the day gradually wanes, the golden afterglow of the setting sun casts a layer of mysterious veil over the undulating surface of the sea

The good times did not last long; suddenly, dark clouds rolled in from the sky outside the sea vessel, accompanied by flashes of lightning and the sound of thunder

In a short while, he recalled the reasons and consequences of his downfall to this isolated island

This enormous sea vessel set sail from the fishing port of Donglai Kingdom, carrying over one thousand martial artists from various nations across the Jiuzhou continent, all filled with dreams, in search of the ethereal traces of the Spirit Island in the East China Sea

I should be on a large sea vessel. How did I faint on this deserted island ... ... ?

Ye Mo licked his lips and wiped away the residue at the corner of his mouth with his hand

The "Wave-Cutting Technique" he practiced is merely a low-level martial arts manual

A gust of wind and waves swept in, instantly stirring up splashes on the sea surface. The icy seawater crashed in waves, slapping against his face with a salty breeze, bringing with it a bitter, briny scent.

There are no obstacles on the beach, providing a clear view, making it easy to locate other surviving warriors. If luck is on their side, they might even find fish in the shallow waters and enjoy a hearty meal

He glanced around, brushed off the mud and sand from his body, adjusted the bundle at his waist, and walked along the beach with the Qingfeng sword on his back

Half an hour later, a very rudimentary "tent" was made

So unfortunate

Shipwreck! Perhaps we can find something to eat

seabird

After he woke up, he lay on the sandy beach of this deserted island

Ye Mo forced a smile, sat on the beach for a while, and gradually regained some strength

Ye Mo could not help but feel a surge of joy as he hurriedly ran over, approaching the large pile of shipwrecks

A typical ordinary martial artist in the martial world can at most wield an iron sword, and even high-level martial artists rarely possess such fine quality weapons

After finishing, Ye Mo crawled into the tent to sleep

He wants to change all of this

Moreover, the great power of the Wu Kingdom's court is held by those officials and powerful families, with each position filled by their own direct descendants, who are the only ones with the opportunity to become military generals in the Wu Kingdom's court. Even the lower-ranking military positions in the army have long been divided among the various prominent families.

This is not what he wants

Ye Mo held a nest of seven or eight colorful seabird eggs in his hands, nearly moved to tears.

He opened the coarse cloth pouch at his waist, which contained several packets of healing herbs and a very ancient scroll of painting. These packets of healing herbs were purchased for five taels of silver, and they were all wrapped in oil paper, so there was no need to worry about them being soaked by seawater

Ye Mo awakened

Clang!

He had a look of helplessness on his face

The warriors on the ship fell into the water one after another, and countless heart-wrenching cries for help echoed from both the ship and the surface of the sea. Thunder rumbled, and the waves surged violently; in the face of impending disaster, each sought to survive

The night is filled with a dense array of stars

If this continues, the final outcome will be that he can only give up practicing martial arts, engage in small trades for a living, find a wife, raise a child, and then lead a mundane and mediocre life in the marketplace for the rest of his days

Like a sea monster known as the "Shen Yao," it has a gigantic body, and with a mere turn, it can create a tremendous force, transforming seawater into mist, thus forming an illusory spiritual island village on the vast sea surface

The enormous sea vessel is as fragile as thin paper in the face of a great storm, easily torn apart

The people on the ship were filled with trepidation, as an atmosphere of fear, helplessness, and despair enveloped the entire vessel

He hurriedly dug out the seabird eggs, broke the shells, and immediately a warm and fragrant aroma wafted in the air

Even though Ye Mo is merely an obscure martial artist in the Wu Kingdom, deep within his heart, he still yearns to stand out and make a name for himself

Ye Mo shook his heavy head, striving to bring his consciousness back to clarity, recalling what had transpired earlier

Before him lay a strange crescent bay coastline, covered with fine white sand, where small shells and sea conchs were scattered everywhere

However, there are not many warriors who ultimately have the courage to make the decision to follow the maritime merchants to sea

Cough!

These terrifying legends of the sea monsters in the East China Sea have frightened many aspiring warriors, deterring them from seeking immortality at sea

Ye Mo pondered. He touched his emaciated belly and felt a gnawing hunger, fearing that he had been unconscious for at least half a day

Walking on the sandy beach is much safer, without these concerns

Ye Mo choked on a few mouthfuls of salty and fishy seawater, and suddenly began to cough violently. His chest immediately felt a heart-wrenching pain, as if it were on fire

Ye Mo gazed at the vast expanse of the sea, lost in thought for a while, before finally managing a bitter smile and shaking his head

Since ancient times, countless warriors have set sail with lofty ambitions, braving the dangers of being engulfed by raging winds and turbulent waves in their arduous search for the Spirit Island and the Immortal Village, hoping to receive a single word of guidance from the immortals, thus embarking on the path of cultivation.

Bury those seabird eggs in the sand on the beach and pile wood branches on top

The ship has been drifting on the vast East China Sea for a month

Ye Mo felt a lingering fear at the thought of last night's storm

Ye Mo suddenly remembered an important matter, and his hands quickly felt around his body. He touched the hard sword hilt on his back and a coarse cloth bundle at his waist

Before long, the seabird eggs buried in the sand below were roasted to perfection