Legend has it that far out at sea, there are two immortal islands—one called Penglai Island, the other Fuso Island.
It’s said that immortals live on these islands, and anyone who receives an immortal’s elixir can become eternally youthful and never die.
Over the years, countless people dreaming of immortality have sailed out to sea in search of Penglai and Fuso, but none have ever returned.
On the boundless ocean, a deep-brown flagship slowly makes its way across the waves.
The giant sail, stretched taut in the wind, is embroidered with a jet-black towering tree. On the deck below, a group of men and women stand in black robes, each with the same black tree emblazoned on their left chest.
Only two figures at the bow stand out from the rest.
One is an elderly man in gold robes, his hair and brows pure white, but his entire body radiates a vast and imposing aura. He is the master of Sea God Hall—Sea God King Gerald Jiang.
Beside him stands a breathtakingly beautiful young woman, whose looks could topple kingdoms and whose presence exudes intelligence. Her name is Vivian Gee—the female chancellor of the Qin Kingdom on the Shenzhou Continent, ranked among the Four Great Beauties of the Realm. She is also a true-lineage disciple of Sea God Hall, and Gerald Jiang’s beloved pupil.
“Master, do we really need to join forces with Mountain-Sea Divine Palace just to deal with Ian Song? Isn’t that giving him too much credit?” Vivian Gee asked in a low voice, her elegant brows lightly furrowed.
Gerald Jiang gazed at Vivian with doting eyes and replied, “Do you know why I’m doing this?”
Vivian Gee shook her head.
The Sea God King sighed deeply. “A little over a year ago, I was stargazing at night and saw a crimson demonic star suddenly appear in the heavens. The old sayings claim that when a baleful star descends, it overturns the world. Not long after that star appeared, Ian Song suddenly rose up—within just a year, the ruined Qi Kingdom was reborn from the ashes, and now it’s leapt to become the hegemon of the Shenzhou Continent.
If my guess is correct, Ian Song is that baleful star. If we don’t destroy him soon, not just the Shenzhou Continent—even Sea God Hall and Mountain-Sea Divine Palace may not escape disaster.”
Vivian’s frown deepened, her eyes flashing with dissatisfaction. “If you know he’s a baleful star, why don’t you kill him yourself?”
“A baleful star isn’t so easy to kill!” The Sea God King shook his head. “Do you know why I treated General Quinn Ba differently?”
“Please enlighten me, Master!”
“I’ve cultivated the Star Canon to its highest realm, so I was able to calculate that General Quinn Ba is the favored child of this era, blessed by heaven. With his help, you could have led the Qin Kingdom to unify the world! Unfortunately, even with heaven’s favor, Quinn Ba was no match for the baleful star’s ferocity and died at his hands.” As he spoke, the Sea God King grew regretful, then his face suddenly darkened. “Do you know who Quinn Ba’s master, Old Man Goldstone, really is?”
Without waiting for Vivian to reply, the Sea God King continued, “He’s my junior-brother. Fifty years ago, the two of us competed for the position of sect master. In the end, I won and your uncle lost. Stubborn and proud, your uncle left Sea God Hall and hasn’t returned once in fifty years.
Because of a single sect master’s seat, we brothers turned against each other. I’ve always felt guilty about it, so I tried to make amends—I deliberately sent Quinn Ba to him as a disciple to inherit his legacy, and even hoped to marry you to him. But in the end, not only did Quinn Ba die at the baleful star’s hands—even your uncle, Old Man Goldstone, could not escape.”
“How strong was Uncle Goldstone’s cultivation?” Vivian asked in shock.
“Penglai and Fuso Island are the places in this world where spiritual energy is richest. That’s why our disciples progress far faster cultivating on the islands than anywhere else. Even though your uncle hasn’t returned to Fuso in fifty years, he still reached Earth Realm Ninth Layer.”
He’s not quite at my level, but the gap isn’t large.”
Hearing how high Old Man Goldstone’s cultivation was, Vivian couldn’t help showing a look of shock. If Ian Song could kill Uncle Goldstone, doesn’t that mean his cultivation has reached Earth Realm Ninth Layer too?
“General Quinn Ba was heaven’s favored child, blessed with great fortune. Even when facing deadly tribulations, he would always find a way to survive. Anyone who killed him would suffer heavenly punishment—except for one specific person. Only that person could kill him without punishment and even seize his fortune for themselves.”
Vivian’s frown tightened even more. “Master, are you saying that person is Ian Song?”
“Exactly!” The Sea God King nodded. “That’s why we must destroy him before the world’s fortune fully fuses with him. Otherwise, even if we have the power to kill him in the future, we’ll suffer heaven’s wrath. That’s why I’ve come to Mountain-Sea Divine Palace to seek an alliance myself.”
Vivian nodded heavily. “Master, I understand now!”
The Sea God King looked at Vivian again. “You’ve always been different from other disciples—ambitious and resolute. Though you’re a woman, you bear an emperor’s Fate Pattern. If the baleful star hadn’t descended, with Quinn Ba’s help, the Qin Kingdom would surely have unified the world. Then you would have taken his place and become an Eternal Empress remembered through the ages.
But man proposes and heaven disposes—the arrival of the baleful star has cut off your imperial path.”
Hearing that the Sea God King actually intended to cultivate her as an Empress, Vivian’s expression grew complicated. At the same time, she felt an even deeper resentment toward Ian Song. If he hadn’t ruined her grand plans, her master would never have had to bow to Mountain-Sea Divine Palace.
After all, Sea God Hall and Mountain-Sea Divine Palace have been rivals for centuries. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, the Sea God King would never bow his head to Mountain-Sea Divine Palace.
Several hours later—
Sea God Hall’s flagship sailed into a sea region shrouded in dense mist. Hidden within the mist lay Penglai Island.
Both Penglai and Fuso Islands are heaven-blessed lands, protected by natural grand formations. That’s why, in the mortal world, only legends of Penglai and Fuso exist—no one has ever seen the true face of either island.
“Master, is this Penglai Island?” Vivian asked curiously, gazing at the mist-covered sea ahead.
The Sea God King nodded, then called out in a thunderous voice, “Jiang Taichi has come to pay respects to the island! Brother Donghuang, please open the grand formation and allow me passage.”
The Sea God King’s voice rolled like thunder, penetrating the mist and finally reaching the ears of an old man inside a distant palace.
The old man, who had been meditating with eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes, sharp light flickering within them. Rising to his feet, he muttered, “Jiang Taichi, that old fellow—what’s he doing at my place?”
“Brother Taichi has arrived—I apologize for not welcoming you from afar. Please, come in!”
A moment later, a deep voice echoed from the mist, and then the fog began to roll and churn, opening a passage before the assembled crowd.
“Set sail!”
At Vivian’s command, the stationary flagship started moving again, heading into the misty passage.
After a quarter-hour’s journey, Sea God Hall’s flagship finally emerged from the misty channel, and a massive dock appeared before everyone’s eyes.
On the dock stood an old man in green robes, leading a group of people waiting there.
“Ha! Brother Donghuang, I never expected you to greet me in person—what an honor!” Gerald Jiang laughed heartily, leaping from the deck and crossing over a hundred meters of water to land on the dock in the blink of an eye.