Chapter 1

Yè Mò regained consciousness.

He struggled to open his eyes, moved his fingers slightly, and found himself clutching a broken wooden board, lying on a cold, damp beach. His cheeks were covered with fine, wet sand, which stung painfully.

A gust of wind blew, immediately stirring up waves on the sea. The cold seawater lapped at him in waves, splashing his face with the briny water, and he could smell the bitter, salty odor of the sea.

He felt as if his body had been shattered, his limbs weak and sore, and he didn't know how long he had been immersed in the beach before waking up.

"Cough~!"

Yè Mò choked on the salty, briny seawater and started coughing violently. His chest immediately felt a searing pain, as if it were being torn apart.

He released the broken wooden board he had been holding tightly, feeling exhausted and sore, and managed to turn over and sit up on the beach. His coarse cloth shirt, soaked with water, clung to his body, making him feel cold and uncomfortable.

Yè Mò looked around in a daze.

Before him was an unfamiliar crescent-shaped bay, covered in white sand, with small shells and sea snails scattered everywhere.

The vast, empty beach was deserted, eerily quiet.

This was clearly an island, with a range of small mountains in the center, covered in towering trees, uninhabited by humans.

In the distance, the sea stretched endlessly, the sky a clear blue without a cloud, the waves calm. A few seabirds flew low, hunting fish. As the sky grew darker, the golden glow of the setting sun cast a mysterious veil over the undulating sea.

"I must have been on a large seafaring ship. How did I end up unconscious on this deserted island...?"

Yè Mò shook his heavy head, trying to clear his mind and recall what had happened.

After a while, he remembered the events that led to his being stranded on this island.

He was a commoner's son from the capital city of the Wu Kingdom, now eighteen years old, an unknown and ordinary martial artist. His father, a common soldier in the Wu Kingdom's army, had died in battle. After his father's death, his mother had fallen ill from overwork and passed away in sorrow.

Like many other obscure martial artists in the Wu Kingdom, Yè Mò's initial dream was somewhat vulgar: he hoped to become a promising court martial general in the Wu Kingdom, buy a grand mansion in the capital, ride a fine horse, and if he could marry a beautiful wife, it would be even better.

However, achieving this dream was no easy task.

The Wu Kingdom was full of ordinary martial artists.

To become a court martial general, one needed high-level martial techniques, high-level cultivation methods, and a large amount of body-strengthening herbs. All of these required money, a lot of money.

Martial artists who cultivated high-level martial techniques could easily defeat several ordinary martial artists.

But Yè Mò had nothing.

He was just a martial artist from a small family in the capital of the Wu Kingdom, without even a decent body-strengthening herb, let alone a proper mid-level martial technique manual.

The martial technique he cultivated, "Wave-Cutting Technique," was merely a low-level manual.

Moreover, the power in the Wu Kingdom's court was held by officials and noble families, with only their direct descendants having the opportunity to become court martial generals. Even the lower-ranking military positions were already divided among the various families.

For a common martial artist like Yè Mò, the future in the Wu Kingdom was bleak.

His pitiful, vulgar dreams were nothing but daydreams, far from reality. The gap between his dreams and the harsh reality tore his heart into two.

A month ago, a group of merchants from the Donglai Kingdom came to the capital city of the Wu Kingdom. These merchants hired a batch of storytellers to promote the existence of a spiritual island in the East Sea, where there was a village of immortals. In this village, many cultivators lived, and the buildings were made of jade and precious stones. There were also miraculous elixirs that could cure all diseases and grant eternal life.

The storytellers embellished the benefits of the immortals on the island.

"Legend has it that on the spiritual island in the East Sea, there is a village of immortals, shrouded in mist and clouds, with peaks piercing the sky. Immortals often move through the mist, appearing and disappearing, elusive and hard to find."

"By following the merchants to the sea and finding this village of immortals, one has the chance to become a disciple of the immortals, learning their great powers."

"The disciples of the immortals live in magnificent palaces, cultivating magical arts, riding flying swords, soaring through the nine heavens, and riding spirit cranes across the sea!"

"Surrounded by countless beautiful fairy maidens, they can control the weather and perform miracles, making them unattainable for ordinary people. Even the royal family, high-ranking officials, and noble families of the Wu Kingdom can only envy and admire them."

"Throughout history, countless martial artists have set sail with great ambition, braving the dangers of the sea to find the village of immortals, hoping to receive a single word of guidance from the immortals and embark on the path of cultivation."

"Although it is risky, many have succeeded. For just fifty taels of silver, one can buy a ticket from the merchants, board a ship to the East Sea, and find the village of immortals. The silver is nothing compared to the rewards of finding the village!"

Under the storytellers' persuasive words, many martial artists in the Wu Kingdom, including Yè Mò, who had a bleak future, were filled with excitement and yearned to fly to the spiritual island in the East Sea to become disciples of the immortals.

However, not many martial artists were willing to take the risk and follow the merchants to the sea.

There was an old saying in the Wu Kingdom: "Better to go up the mountain than down the river." Even the river had strong winds and waves, let alone the vast sea. The East Sea was known for its high waves and fierce winds, and it was said that terrifying sea beasts roamed the waters, with only one in ten people returning from a sea voyage.

Sailing on a ship was not a game.

According to legend, there were many powerful sea monsters in the East Sea that often attacked ships, eating the crew and even swallowing entire vessels.

One such monster, called a "mirage demon," was enormous and could create a mirage of a spiritual island, luring ships to their doom.

Distant ships, thinking they had found the spiritual island, would sail towards it.

What awaited them was the enormous, bloodthirsty mouth of the "mirage demon," capable of swallowing an entire ship.

These terrifying legends of the East Sea's sea monsters deterred many martial artists from seeking immortality.

Yè Mò, however, did not hesitate and immediately decided to follow the merchants to the East Sea to seek immortality.

He knew that as a small martial artist, he had little future in the capital of the Wu Kingdom. High-level martial techniques and body-strengthening herbs were expensive, and he couldn't afford them.

If he continued this way, his ultimate fate would be to give up martial arts, do some small business, marry a wife, have children, and live a mediocre life in the city.

This was not what he wanted.

Even though Yè Mò was an unknown martial artist in the Wu Kingdom, deep down, he still wanted to make a name for himself!

He wanted a grand mansion, a fine horse, and a beautiful wife!

He wanted to soar high and achieve greatness!

He wanted to live freely and without constraints!

He had too many desires!

Yè Mò was only eighteen and did not want to spend his entire life as an unknown martial artist in the capital of the Wu Kingdom.

He wanted to change everything.

He was willing to take the risk and venture to a distant and unknown land to fight for his pitiful dreams.

Even the extremely dangerous East Sea was worth it!

Yè Mò knew that if he continued to live without a goal in the Wu Kingdom, his life would pass by in vain.

He gritted his teeth, sold the only valuable property his family had, and obtained one hundred taels of silver. He spent fifty taels on a ticket from the merchants.

He then spent the remaining fifty taels on a fine green sword at a weapon shop in the capital and bought several high-quality healing herbs at an herbalist's shop, preparing for the sea voyage.

Yè Mò then boarded the merchants' large ship.

The ship set sail from a fishing port in the Donglai Kingdom, carrying over a thousand martial artists from various countries on the Jiuzhou continent, all dreaming of finding the elusive spiritual island in the East Sea.

The ship drifted on the vast East Sea for a month.

Last night, the martial artists on the ship were still chatting and laughing, discussing what they would do after finding the village of immortals, how they would become disciples, and how they would learn immortal techniques.

Some said they would return to the Jiuzhou continent and become national protectors, wielding great power. Others said they would marry a fairy and have many children, causing the martial artists to burst into laughter.

But the good times didn't last. Suddenly, dark clouds rolled in, and thunder and lightning filled the sky.

The entire sea, for hundreds of miles, seemed to have plunged into a dark hell.

A massive whirlwind formed in the distance, creating a towering water spout that sucked the large ship towards it.

The terrifying storm shattered the confidence of all the martial artists on the ship.

Everyone on the ship was filled with fear, helplessness, and despair.

Yè Mò heard the masts and decks cracking, being torn apart by the storm.

The large ship, fragile like paper in the face of the storm, was easily torn apart.

The martial artists on the ship fell into the sea, and the cries for help filled the air. Thunder roared, and the waves surged as everyone struggled to survive.

Yè Mò only remembered jumping into the sea as the ship was torn apart, swimming away from the sinking vessel, and clutching a broken piece of wood. Then he lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he was lying on the beach of this deserted island.

Yè Mò stared at the vast sea, stunned for a moment, and then shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Too unlucky!"

"I spent all my savings to buy a ticket and follow the merchants to the East Sea to find the village of immortals. Now, I haven't found any immortals, and the storm has destroyed the ship, leaving me stranded on this desolate island."

"But at least I managed to drift to an island and didn't drown, which is a stroke of luck. The ship carried thousands of martial artists from various countries, and I wonder how many, like me, survived the storm and didn't become food for the sea creatures."

Yè Mò still felt a lingering fear when he thought about the storm last night.

Fortunately, he had grabbed a piece of broken wood after jumping into the sea, which saved him from becoming fish food.

"How can I leave this place? Am I going to be trapped on this island for the rest of my life?"

Yè Mò smiled bitterly, sitting on the beach for a while, gradually regaining some strength.

"Right, my green sword, herbs, and the ancient painting."

Yè Mò remembered something important and quickly felt around his body, finding the hard hilt of the sword on his back and a coarse cloth bundle at his waist.

Fortunately, they were still there.

The green sword was still on his back!

"Clang!"

Yè Mò drew the green sword from its sheath.

This fine sword, made from high-quality iron and forged through hundreds of hammerings, was incredibly sharp and gleamed with a cold light, a true treasure.

Ordinary martial artists in the Wu Kingdom could only use iron swords, and even high-level martial artists rarely had such a fine weapon.

He had spent forty-five taels of silver on this sword for the East Sea journey, securing it firmly to his back with a rope. Fortunately, he hadn't lost it in the shipwreck.

Yè Mò sheathed the green sword.

He opened the coarse cloth bundle, finding several packets of healing herbs and an ancient scroll. The herbs, bought for five taels of silver, were wrapped in oil paper to prevent them from getting wet.

The green sword and the herbs were not his most valuable possessions.

What Yè Mò valued most was the one-foot-long ancient scroll.

Yè Mò remembered his mother saying that when he was born, this scroll appeared mysteriously and had been with him ever since. It was his most precious possession, and he couldn't afford to lose it.

The scroll was very old, with a rare gray handle.

Unrolling the one-foot-long ancient scroll, he saw a painting of a mystical village of immortals.

Yè Mò had carried this scroll with him since childhood. It was made of a strange, soft material that couldn't be damaged by fire or weapons.

"Thank goodness the ancient scroll is safe!"

Yè Mò sighed in relief.

He had sold everything he owned, and this was the only thing he had left. It was a precious memento.

Yè Mò thought for a moment and tied the scroll around his waist to prevent it from being lost.

"I should search the beach for food. Since I was washed ashore, some food from the ship might have drifted here. The ship carried enough food for over a thousand people, so even a small portion would last me a while.

I should also look for other survivors. With over a thousand people on the ship, most of them martial artists, there must be others who survived and drifted to the island. Finding them could help us figure out how to leave this island!"

Yè Mò thought, feeling his empty stomach, which was rumbling from hunger. He must have been unconscious for half a day.

He looked around, brushed off the mud and sand, adjusted the bundle at his waist, and walked along the beach, carrying the green sword.

The beach was open and unobstructed, making it easier to find other survivors. If he was lucky, he might find some fish in the shallow waters.

About a hundred paces from the beach was a range of mountains, with dense forests and thick underbrush.

Yè Mò, unfamiliar with the island, didn't want to enter the forest, where there might be venomous snakes and insects. His green sword could kill animals, but it couldn't protect him from small insects. If he was bitten, he would be doomed on this deserted island.

Walking on the beach was much safer.

He looked around and saw that the island seemed quite large, with a long coastline, likely over ten miles.

Yè Mò walked for several miles along the beach.

Suddenly, he saw some broken pieces of the ship.

"Shipwreck! Maybe I can find some food!"

Yè Mò was delighted and ran over to the debris.

He remembered that the ship's hold contained large barrels of food, such as rice, meat, pickled vegetables, and seasonings, for the martial artists' journey.

Yè Mò searched through the debris, finding a few broken barrels. But when he opened them, they were empty, with no trace of food.

He was disappointed.

Apart from some broken pieces of the ship, there were only a few empty barrels. Not even a scrap of food.

At that moment, a group of seabirds flew overhead.

"Seabirds?"

Yè Mò was surprised, "If there are seabirds, there must be seabird eggs in the nearby grass! There's always a way out!"

He quickly searched the nearby grass.

After a while,

Yè Mò held a nest of seven or eight colorful seabird eggs, almost in tears.

"Finally, something to eat! Raw eggs aren't good, so I'll roast them!"

He gathered some dry wood, moss, and leaves from the edge of the forest.

He buried the eggs in the sand, piled wood and branches on top, and dug a small hole in the dry wood, placing the moss inside.

He then rapidly rubbed a hard stick against the wood, and with his strength and speed as a mid-level martial artist, sparks soon appeared.

The dry moss caught fire.

Yè Mò added the dry leaves, and the fire grew, forming a small campfire.

He dried his wet clothes with a branch and waited for the eggs to cook.

Soon, the eggs were roasted.

He dug them out, broke the shells, and the warm, fragrant aroma filled the air.

He devoured half the eggs in a few bites.

"Delicious!"

Yè Mò licked his lips and wiped the residue from his mouth.

He saved the other half for later.

As night fell, Yè Mò cut some branches with his green sword and built a simple shelter against a tree near the beach, covering it with dry grass.

After about an hour, he had a very basic "tent."

Night had completely fallen.

The tent was only a few paces from the campfire, and he added more wood to keep the fire burning, to deter any wild animals.

After finishing, Yè Mò crawled into the tent to sleep.

The night sky was filled with stars.

"Even on this deserted island, I can continue to cultivate and become stronger."

"There are many trees on the island, so I can build a large raft. I'll cultivate and build the raft at the same time. Once I have enough dried meat, I'll set sail again to find the village of immortals in the East Sea."

"As long as I don't die, I will eventually find the village of immortals! I won't give up on my dreams and my future!"

Yè Mò lay in the tent, looking at the slowly burning campfire, holding the green sword. Despite being stranded on the island, his determination to find the immortals only grew stronger.