Volume 1 Volume 6 Chapter 170

Volume 6 Chapter 170: Journey to the Celestial Island, Discovery Adventure (Part 1)

After a year of exploration, especially compared to the countless deserted islands or ordinary islands that had a little more Spirit Qi, these seven beautiful islands filled with Spirit Qi immediately won everyone’s hearts, even the usually calm Wang Zegang and Bai Qingfu were no exception.

Actually, Xu Qingfan was still a bit dissatisfied with these seven islands because he thought they were beautiful and rich in Spirit Qi, but they were too noticeable and did not fit his idea of living in seclusion.

However, as soon as this thought appeared in his mind, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but smile at himself. The East Sea was vast, and everyone had worked hard for a year, going nearly thirty thousand miles deep. With the help of the "Spiritual Compass" and facing many challenges, they had finally found them. No matter how noticeable they were, ordinary cultivators could never find them easily. Otherwise, how could these precious islands not have been discovered and claimed by someone thousands of years ago, leaving them completely deserted now?

Furthermore, everyone had searched for a whole year and was tired and uneasy; they deserved a place to settle down. So, no one spoke against it.

Just then, Dongfang Qingling excitedly suggested, "This place is wonderful! It is much better than many large sects’ chosen locations. It is truly a paradise. The Spirit Qi is abundant here, and a glorious light surrounds us. Shall we call it the Xialing Islands?"

After hearing Dongfang Qingling’s words, everyone felt that the name "Xiaxia Islands" perfectly matches the image of these seven small islands; it might be a bit simple, but it is more vivid, and they all agreed.

"Let’s take a walk around and explore this place."

Xu Qingfan suggested.

Then, led by the yellow bird, everyone flew around the seven small islands several times. They saw that the seven islands were shaped like the Big Dipper, separated by a distance of a hundred miles. Though they were close together and the flowers and plants were mostly similar, there were slight differences, making them beautiful beyond words. It felt like a true paradise, embodying the phrase "where heaven and earth are separated, the pure and the impure divide, merging into rivers, forming mountains, or creating clouds and mist; or like the jade pool and green marsh, found in all corners; or like pearl trees and jade forests, scattered above." It was truly a place for celestial beings.

Among them, the island farthest to the west, though the smallest, about a few hundred acres in size, was the most abundant in Spirit Qi, almost liquid. Cultivating here would definitely have results ten times better than usual; however, too much of a good thing can backfire, and this little island had hardly any plants, looking rather desolate. Additionally, nourished by such dense Spirit Qi for countless years, the soil and rocks on the island appeared to gleam with a hint of jade, rich in spirit.

In contrast, the central island, which was the largest, covered nearly sixty to seventy acres, but the Spirit Qi here was rather thin—though this thinness was relative, as compared to ordinary places, it was still nearly ten times richer. Nevertheless, despite the Spirit Qi being the thinnest here, the scenery was the most beautiful. In the center stood a small hill with dense trees, under the blue sky and white clouds, reflecting a vibrant green, adorned with spots of rare flowers and grasses, looking exceptionally lovely. Three clear streams wandered through, gathering beside the hill to form a small lakeside, occasionally dotted with a few unknown birds flying overhead, captivating anyone who saw them.

Next was the easternmost island, where the combination of earth, wood, and water provided the richest Spirit Qi. The trees here were the most flourishing, and beneath them hung clusters of green and red fruits, drawing everyone’s attention.

Although they were only watching from the outside, under this beautiful view that combined the wonders of nature, everyone couldn’t help but feel happy and eager to enter and explore thoroughly.

Xu Qingfan nodded continuously, feeling that his hard work over the past year had not been in vain. After a lifetime of misfortune, he finally welcomed a day of good luck. The thought of having such a place as his future home filled him with disbelief, and his heart felt like that of a person who had been poor all their life suddenly receiving a fortune from the sky.

If Xu Qingfan guessed correctly, these seven small islands should have split off from the Shenzhou Continent in ancient times, possibly even in ancient times. They still preserved the appearance of the Shenzhou Continent from hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Spirit Qi here was much stronger than usual, and there might even be rare treasures inside.

"I found a treasure!"

Xu Qingfan thought to himself quietly.

After many suggestions from the crowd and with Xu Qingfan’s agreement, Zhang Ningmei drove the yellow bird towards the small island in the center.

However, halfway there, as the yellow bird entered the colorful light outside the small island, it suddenly let out cries of distress, seeming to be in pain, moving slowly and struggling more and more.

Seeing the yellow bird’s strange behavior, Xu Qingfan paused for a moment, closed his eyes to sense the situation, and his surprise grew. He soared into the area outside the yellow bird’s protective shield, entering the colorful light, carefully sensing its effects, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

It turned out that the seven small islands were filled with energy and cleverly combined with the light of the sun and moon and the mist of the sea, creating something like a human protective barrier. Once outsiders entered the colorful light, they would face heavy resistance, making it hard to move. No wonder these seven small islands had endured the storms of the East China Sea for millions of years and remained unchanged; they had this light as protection.

"With the abundance of Spirit Qi within these seven small islands, combined with this natural light, it will be easy to set up powerful restrictions around the islands in the future. At that time, even Zhang Xusheng would need to put in a lot of effort to break through."

For a moment, Xu Qingfan felt happy, but he thought even further.

"These seven small islands have so much Spirit Qi that they can create a protective barrier by themselves. If they split from the Shenzhou Continent during ancient times or even before that, what would the Shenzhou Continent have looked like back then? They say that when things go too far, they must turn back. If there is too much Spirit Qi, it may not be a good thing. In ancient times, the world was unstable, earthquakes and Heavenly Tribulations happened all the time. Perhaps it was that the Spirit Qi was so abundant that it exceeded the world’s ability to hold it. So the appearance of the ‘Spirit Eater’ might have been in accordance with the Heavenly Way."

With many thoughts racing through his mind, Xu Qingfan did not hesitate. He flew toward the yellow bird, forming hand signs with his fingers. A powerful pressure spread from him, as the pressure of an Astral Projection Stage master was so strong that it calmed the winds and waves within dozens of miles. The sea lowered several times, the clouds in the sky quickly dispersed, and sunlight shone down on Xu Qingfan. If one ignored the dark lines on Xu Qingfan’s face and his pitch-black eyes, he looked as radiant and holy as a celestial being.

"Open!"

A great force of life and death gathered between Xu Qingfan’s hands. Although Xu Qingfan let out a soft shout, a wave formed, surging outward from him like rolling tides. As the black and white waves rushed out, the radiant light around the small island quickly faded away, temporarily creating a path wide enough for the small bird to pass through.

"Go!"

Xu Qingfan called out and, saying this, flew ahead into the small island. Zhang Ningmei, riding the yellow bird, hurriedly followed with everyone else. Following the yellow bird was a large group of Dark Crows. They had worked the hardest this past year, facing storms and attacks from demon beasts, with over a hundred casualties.

After the last Dark Crow entered the island’s area, the radiant light around the island returned to its original state, silently surrounding the island once more.

※※※※

If before, when looking at the views around the small island, everyone thought it was beautiful beyond words, then once they entered the island, they became completely immersed. Under the blue sky and bright sun, looking around, they saw nothing but trees and fruits. As they walked, they stepped on soft grass and delicate flowers. The little hill filled with greenery, the clear lake beside it, the occasional flying strange birds, and the gentle mist surrounding them made everyone hesitate to step further, fearing they might disturb the island’s beauty and tranquility.

Unlike the amazement of the others, Little Yellow, Little Green, Little Gray, and Little White, the four ancient demon beasts, couldn’t help but cheer and quickly rush deeper into the island. This scene stirred deep memories in their souls, reminding them of their ancestors’ homeland from ancient times.

The only exception was Little Black and its companion, Dark Crow. These creatures had strange tastes; they regarded the sand-swept Western Desert as a place for cultivation and didn’t see anything special about this place. Moreover, since they evolved from lifeless energy, they had no interest in the abundant Spirit Qi here.

Watching Little Green rolling in the grass, seeing Little White darting in and out of the trees, noticing Little Gray climbing a green tree to grab red fruits and popping them into its mouth, and seeing Little Yellow flying around joyfully, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but smile. He turned to look at the enchanted faces of the others and felt a warmth in his heart. He said, "Let’s not stay here any longer. Let’s go in and take a closer look. From now on, this will be our home."

Hearing the word "home," everyone’s eyes brightened, and warmth appeared on their faces as they gathered around Xu Qingfan and walked deeper into the island.

The deeper they went, the more they appreciated the island’s beauty. Zhang Ningmei and Dongfang Qingling kept pointing out places, saying they wanted to build a grass hut here and a bamboo cottage there.

Just then, an unexpected event occurred.

Little Yellow, who had just flown to the edge of the hill by the lake, suddenly let out a terrified cry. At the same time, a fierce wind arose, and the lake’s surface suddenly surged with towering waves. A deafening roar echoed through the air, filled with tremendous power!