Blind Ghostwriter: Starts with the full level of Nine Yang Magic Skill

Chapter 276 Making a Deal, Gu Mo Enters the Island (8.4k views, requesting monthly votes)
"Widespread suffering?" Gu Mo asked, "What kind of suffering? Could you please explain in more detail, Mr. Ji?"

Ji Wusuan said, "This is the most I can see. The scene I see is that Penglai Island is full of corpses and covered in blood. I can't see anything else."

Zhang Daoyi immediately mocked, "Old man, you're not good at this either. You're not even as good as your apprentice Shen Yao. Last year, when something happened to Longhu Mountain, that kid was able to see it clearly in advance."

Ji Wusuan shook his head and said, "You shameless old man, what do you know? How can these be the same? Longhu Mountain is only a small place, while Penglai Island is a completely different story. Not to mention that Penglai Island itself is the most mysterious place in the world, full of Qi cultivators, and is a place where the secrets of heaven are in chaos. Just consider how many people will be there during the island's opening season, which only happens once every thirty years? It's a place that gathers all the top figures in the world."

Do the math yourself. In your Longhu Mountain Luotian Grand Ceremony, the only people outside of the Heavenly Secrets are you, Hero Gu, Gongsun Jue, and Ling Xiao. Even if you include your senior brother Zhang Xisu, there are at most five.

But what about Penglai Island? The First Island Lord, the Second Island Lord, and the Three Buddhas and Four Emperors below them already make nine. Add to that the powerful figures from various countries, like Master Gu, Su Qianqiu, you, Sect Leader Qi, and so on—I won't say too many, but there are at least twenty. That means there are at least thirty people outside the Heavenly Secrets. How can you expect me to do that? Am I supposed to risk my life for that?

Qi Tianchu, who was standing to the side, said, "Since you know that this trip is fraught with great danger, and you can't see whether it will be auspicious or inauspicious, why don't you get off the ship, Mr. Ji?"

Ji Wusuan waved his hand and chuckled, "Sect Leader Qi, since you know this journey is dangerous, why don't you disembark?"

Qi Tianshu said, "Last year, I passed the leadership to my eldest disciple, Shang Buyu, and all matters within the sect have been clearly explained. Now, I am single-mindedly pursuing the Dao and fearless of life and death."

“What a coincidence,” Ji Wusuan said, “I had the same idea. I’ve always liked to gamble, and I couldn’t pass up such a good opportunity. I’m betting that I can avoid this crisis.”

Zhang Daoyi chuckled and said, "Let's not talk about that. Everyone who comes to this ship is a fanatic, and they have all reached the top in their respective fields and it is difficult to go any further. Coming to Penglai Island gives them the opportunity to go even further. Even though it is full of dangers, it is not certain that anyone will back down. As the saying goes, 'If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening!'"

Qi Tianshu and Ji Wusuan both nodded, agreeing with what Zhang Daoyi said.

Zhang Daoyi looked at Gu Mo and said, "However, Gu Mo, you should be an exception. As far as I know, your main purpose is to find Jiang Ruoxu's whereabouts."

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and chuckled, "As a ghostwriter, there may be countless interesting things in the world, but what can compare to slaying Jiang Ruoxu, a wanted criminal who has baffled all the nations of the world? In other words, isn't this also an opportunity to break through my own limitations?"

Zhang Daoyi chuckled and said, "Such intense words are indeed true."

Gu Mo added, "In addition, I also want to seek a way to deal with my inner demons from Penglai Island."

At this point, Gu Mo looked at Ji Wusuan, cupped his hands, and asked, "May I ask how much the fortune-telling fee is, Mr. Ji?"

Ji Wusuan frowned slightly and said, "Does Master Gu wish to have this old man tell his fortune?"

"Yes," Gu Mo asked, "Let's calculate whether I've achieved my goal for this trip."

Ji Wusuan thought for a moment and said, "Hero Gu has two purposes for this trip. I need to perform two divinations. The first divination will cost three hundred taels of silver, and the second divination will cost you a favor if you help me with something in the future. Of course, I will never allow you to do anything that violates chivalry!"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Then we'll need Mr. Ji's guidance as well."

"Of course, my first divination will be to ask you about your inner demons!"

Ji Wusuan immediately handed the cloth sail to Zhang Daoyi, then took the bronze coin from his waist and began muttering incantations. After a while, he threw it on the ground, then stared blankly for a long time before coming back to his senses and saying, "Master Gu, this matter is likely to end without a trace. However, things are not always in our hands. Fate is unpredictable and there are always exceptions to everything. Master Gu, just keep going and you will have a bright future."

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

Zhang Daoyi curled his lip and said, "I suspect this old guy is just messing around. He said everything, good and bad, but not a single word was useful."

Gu Mo smiled slightly.

Ji Wusuan picked up the bronze coins again and said, "Now I will perform the second divination for you, Master Gu, to inquire about Jiang Ruoxu!"

Ji Wusuan threw down all the coins, and in that instant, all thirteen coins stood up.

Ji Wusuan's eyes widened, and his face turned pale instantly. Under the puzzled gazes of Gu Mo and the others, they saw that Ji Wusuan had started bleeding from all seven orifices and his whole body was convulsing.

Zhang Daoyi instinctively prepared to use his internal energy to heal Ji Wusuan, but Ji Wusuan waved his hand to stop him. Just as Ji Wusuan waved his hand, Gu Mo was surprised to find that age spots had appeared on Ji Wusuan's arm, and his skin instantly wrinkled.

Ji Wusuan originally looked to be around sixty years old, but in the blink of an eye, he looked at least twenty years older.

Gu Mo also sensed a wisp of death energy emanating from Ji Wusuan.

"Don't ask me what I saw..."

Ji Wusuan mustered the blood pressure that had risen to his throat and said in a deep voice, "Master Gu... I'm exchanging ten years of my lifespan for you to help me once. You're really not losing out. Of course, I'm not losing out either. This was all preordained. When I asked you to help me once, I was destined to spend ten years of my lifespan."

Having said all that in one breath, Ji Wusuan finally couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood. He then gasped for breath for a while before saying, "Hero Gu... your journey here was originally going to be in vain. However, I can help you find Jiang Ruoxu. Trust me, as long as you remain calm and composed on your journey eastward, and avoid arrogance and impatience, and do not clash with anyone, you will naturally be able to see Jiang Ruoxu. But if you make a move, this matter will be impossible!"

"Why is that?" Gu Mo asked.

Ji Wusuan chuckled lightly, "It won't work if I say it."

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, "I understand, thank you for your guidance, sir..."

As he spoke, Gu Mo was about to take out his money, but after feeling around, he suddenly realized that he had never carried any money with him when he went out. Gu Chudong had always been in charge of the finances.

Gu Mo bowed somewhat awkwardly and said, "Mr. Ji, I left in a hurry this time and forgot to bring any money with me. I will give you the three hundred taels of divination fee when I return to Qian Kingdom. As for the fee for a single divination, you can just send someone to let me know whenever you need it."

Ji Wusuan cupped his hands in greeting and said, "I already know what I need your help with."

"What is it?" Gu Mo asked.

Ji Wusuan thought for a moment and said, "Let me tell you the truth. At the beginning of this year, I dared to glimpse the secrets of heaven and learned that the chaotic world of the past seven hundred years will end in this era because... the dragon vein of the human world that has disappeared for thousands of years is about to reappear!"

As soon as this word comes out,
Zhang Daoyi, Qi Tianshu, and Gu Mo were all stunned.

Ji Wusuan continued, "In this chaotic world, I cannot predict or see who is destined for heaven. However, I know that whoever the dragon vein chooses will be the chosen one. Therefore, I would like to ask Hero Gu to lend a helping hand to the Qian Kingdom when the various kingdoms are vying for the dragon vein!"

Gu Mo looked at Ji Wusuan and asked, "Does Mr. Ji have any past connection with the Qian Kingdom's royal family?"

“No,” Ji Wusuan said, “It’s just because I’m from the Qian Kingdom, and I happen to think that the current Qian Emperor is a pretty good emperor, and he’s in his prime. If he can unify the world, the people might be able to live a good life.”

Gu Mo smiled slightly and said, "I am just an ordinary person and do not understand the affairs of the world. However, this matter does not violate the principles of chivalry. Since I have agreed to help once as payment for the divination, I will naturally do it. If the dragon vein really appears, I will help the Qian Kingdom to compete for it."

immediately,

Zhang Daoyi and Qi Tianshu helped Ji Wusuan into the cabin.

The ship was very large, with two levels. The lower level had rooms, while the upper level was a large hall. There were many disciples from Penglai Island acting as waiters in the hall. At this moment, there were many people gathered in twos and threes at a table, drinking, eating meat, chatting, and a few people were even reciting poems on the spot.

Zhang Daoyi originally wanted to help Ji Wusuan downstairs to rest, but Ji Wusuan insisted on drinking. Zhang Daoyi and Ji Wusuan were close friends, and knowing that Ji Wusuan was fond of gambling and drinking, he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he helped Ji Wusuan to the table to sit down.

Gu Mo and Qi Tianchu also sat down.

To Gu Mo's surprise, there were more than a dozen people in the hall, but none of them reacted when they saw them. It would be normal if they didn't react to him, but Zhang Daoyi was the national teacher of Qian Kingdom and the leader of the Taoist sect. Moreover, he had already arrived on the ship, and his identity must have been known by now, yet no one came to greet him.

Zhang Daoyi asked the disciples of Penglai Island for two jugs of wine and poured a cup for each of Gu Mo and the others.

Gu Mo took a sip of wine and asked, "Old Celestial Master, don't the people on this ship recognize you?"

“I know him,” Zhang Daoyi said with a smile, seemingly aware of Gu Mo’s doubts. “But in the eyes of these people, my identity is no different from that of an ordinary person. These people are all top figures in their respective industries.”

Zhang Daoyi pointed to an old man who was drunk and leaning against the window and said, "That man is called Su Ran. He is a great Confucian scholar and one of the leaders of the literary world in Qian Kingdom. He used to criticize the Empress Dowager in the court, and now he criticizes the Emperor in the court. He criticizes whoever he doesn't like. Do you think he cares about my status?"

Then, he pointed to another person who was fiddling with a small object and said, "Master of mechanisms, Gongshu Yu, created the Golden Light Armor and the Shocking Crossbow currently used by the Qian Kingdom army. To be honest, apart from my high martial arts skills, my contribution to the Qian Kingdom is not even one-tenth of his."

Then, Zhang Daoyi pointed out and introduced several others. Each of them was an extraordinary person, a top figure in their respective fields. Their achievements in their fields were not necessarily inferior to those of Gu Mo and Zhang Daoyi in the field of martial arts.

However, relatively speaking, martial arts are prevalent in this world, and martial arts are the absolute mainstream, which is why Gu Mo and Zhang Daoyi are more famous than these people.

Gu Mo asked curiously, "Is Penglai Island really that amazing? People from all walks of life can gain something here?"

Zhang Dao nodded and said, "Thirty years ago, I also went to Penglai Island with a skeptical mindset. Later, I found that Penglai Island really has everything. Martial arts are only a part of it. They have all kinds of advanced concepts, such as medical skills and mechanical arts. They can always come up with many eye-opening theories and directions. They have compiled all kinds of secret manuals and are very generous. You can look at them at will!"

……

On the morning of the second day after Gu Mo boarded the ship, it was time to set sail.

A large ship then headed towards the depths of the East China Sea.

They sailed at sea for nearly ten days. Starting from the third day, they entered a boundless expanse of land, with no islands or land in sight. The ship drifted on the sea like a rootless duckweed.

On the tenth day, the ship suddenly stopped in the sea and began to circle around, swaying back and forth in one place.

Inside the cabin, Gu Mo, Zhang Daoyi, Qi Tianshu, and Ji Wusuan sat at a table by the window, watching the turbulent waves outside. Suddenly, Zhang Daoyi asked, "Master Gu, can you sense the presence of Penglai Island?"

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "Have we arrived yet?"

Zhang Dao nodded and said, "I've been here once. I remember the approximate location is around here, but I can't see it. In the past thirty years, I've gone out to sea to search for it several times, but I haven't seen where Penglai Island is."

I suspect that Penglai Island created an illusion using a magic array relying on the sea. Furthermore, since Penglai Island is almost entirely populated by Qi cultivators, they have no shortage of concealment techniques, which is why we couldn't see it.

Immediately,

Gu Mo then activated the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique, sending his immense spiritual power in all directions. After a while, he sensed unique energy fluctuations in the due west direction. However, the scene inside was very blurry, but he could perceive it very clearly.

If we were to force it open, that would be possible.

However, Gu Mo only sensed it for a moment before withdrawing his attention.

After a while

As the large ship circled back and forth, thick fog suddenly appeared, completely enveloping the area until visibility was zero. As the ship continued its journey, it suddenly felt as if it had crossed into another world, and found itself on the edge of an island, with heavy rain falling from the sky.

In the pouring rain, the boat slowly approached the island.

The island isn't very big, but it's not small either; it's about the size of a typical county town. It's like a misty, dreamlike place floating on the blue waves.

Where the sea meets the sky, the dark green mountains are shrouded in a veil of milky white mist. The pavilions on the mountaintops appear and disappear, their upturned eaves like white cranes spreading their wings, scattered among the layered peaks. The glazed tiles gleam with a pale golden luster under the sunlight through the gaps in the clouds, and the vermilion palace walls are half-hidden among the ancient green trees. Occasionally, the eaves bells ring softly in the wind, their fragmented sounds piercing through the mist, like celestial music from another world.

However, at that moment,

The island suddenly disappeared.
Large raindrops exploded in mid-air, each drop bursting into a blinding silver light. The torrential curtain of water shattered into a raging water dragon—which transformed into a towering whirlpool several meters in diameter, crashing into the ship with a thunderous roar. A wall of waves three meters high was suddenly erected.

The large ship appeared tiny beneath the waves, like a leaf being pushed far, far away by the giant waves.

In that instant, the sea surface suddenly split open into a bottomless black abyss, and the swirling water flowed as if stirred by an invisible giant hand, forming a terrifying funnel-shaped whirlpool.

At the center of the whirlpool, the water suddenly surged, and a giant formed from the convergence of azure seawater rose from the ground: his body was as majestic as a cliff, silver waves surged within the muscles formed by the water, his whirlpool-shaped head opened two dark blue eyes, and when his arms swung, the tsunami he stirred up was like a giant axe cleaving the sky, every inch of water carrying a world-destroying pressure.

On the large ship,

Several disciples from Penglai Island rushed to the deck and shouted, "Sea God, it's us! We are here on the orders of the First and Second Island Masters to bring guests to the island. We must not be so rude!"

The sea giant suddenly pointed at the large ship, and a thin stream of water shot directly towards Gu Mo. Gu Mo's pupils contracted slightly.

The stream of water shattered instantly.

The sea giant spoke in a deep, human voice, saying, "The others may come ashore, but he will not allow them to."

A disciple from Penglai Island quickly said, "He is a guest."

The sea giant ignored the Penglai Island disciple and shouted at Gu Mo, "You are not allowed to go ashore. Penglai Island does not welcome you. Get out of here now, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the giant sea giant's massive hand, formed from countless streams of water, slammed down onto the sea surface.

The moment the palm touched the crest of the wave, the air erupted with a thunderous roar, and the azure seawater, like a glass mirror struck by a heavy hammer, suddenly caved in with the palm print as its center.

The next second, the sunken seabed suddenly arched up, and a towering wall of water rose from the giant's arm—the waves were over ten feet high, their dark blue walls churning with milky white foam, and countless tiny whirlpools swirling at their crests, like billions of eyes shimmering in the water. The wave, like a moving crystal wall, crashed down on the ship with a devastating force.

Gu Mo was completely baffled by what was wrong with this sea giant. He was about to make a move when Zhang Daoyi suddenly pressed down on Gu Mo's hand. Then he swung his whisk, and in an instant, a surge of powerful true energy tore the waves apart.

"Master Gu, don't forget Ji Wusuan's old man's instructions. Please don't make a move."

Zhang Daoyi said something, then stomped his foot, instantly stabilizing the swaying ship. He then channeled his inner energy and roared, "Is this how Penglai Island treats its guests?"

Zhang Daoyi's voice boomed like thunder in the void.

The sea giant sank into the sea in an instant, and then reappeared in front of the large ship. Its huge eyes, like two whirlpools of seawater, stared at Gu Mo and said, "Penglai Island does not allow any demons to set foot on the island. This is the rule. You are not allowed to set foot on the island. Leave immediately. I'm saying this one last time. Leave immediately!"

Zhang Daoyi immediately retorted angrily, "Why are you swearing?"

Gu Mo took out the Penglai Token from his pocket and said, "I was invited here by your Penglai Island."

"Even those invited aren't allowed. I said no, and that's final. Get out..."

The sea giant roared in fury.

Gu Mo reached out and summoned the Taixu Sword into his hand. He said calmly, "I may not go to Penglai Island today, but I still have to teach you a lesson before I leave. Otherwise, people will think that I, Gu Mo, have no temper!"

Zhang Daoyi and Qi Tianchu quickly grabbed Gu Mo from either side. Zhang Daoyi hurriedly advised, "Hero Gu, this thing isn't even human. Don't get angry with him..."

At this moment,
Two enormous red-crowned cranes flew in from the void, each carrying a man and a woman. The man was an elderly man with white hair and beard, exuding an air of otherworldly grace, like an immortal. The woman, dressed in red, appeared to be only about twenty years old, with an unparalleled beauty, even more beautiful than Princess Xiao Ziyin of the Chu Kingdom.

Since his eyesight recovered, Gu Mo has traveled all over the country and seen many beautiful women. However, before this, the most beautiful person he had ever seen was Xiao Ziyin. But today, the most beautiful person has become the red-clad woman who has arrived on a crane.

In terms of appearance alone, Xiao Ziyin was already exquisite to the extreme, at the pinnacle of human beauty. It was impossible for her to be more beautiful. However, her temperament was different. This woman in red possessed a transcendent, pure and untainted temperament.

"First Island Master, Second Island Master has arrived!" Zhang Daoyi said in a low voice.

Immediately afterward, the disciples of Penglai Island hurriedly bowed and shouted, "Welcome, First Island Master! Welcome, Second Island Master!"

Two cranes circled in the air for a moment before quickly landing on the ship. The woman in red walked in front and said calmly, "Sea God, retreat. Do not be rude."

The sea giant said in a muffled voice, "Great Island Lord, that guy isn't human..."

The woman in red glanced at the sea giant.

The sea giant immediately sank into the sea, and the surface of the sea instantly became calm.

The woman in red and the venerable old man entered the cabin. The woman in red bowed to Gu Mo and said, "I am Gu Mo, the Great Master of Penglai Island. Please forgive my rudeness earlier. That was a sea beast that has been guarding Penglai Island. Its main mission is to intercept non-human creatures from coming to the island. However, it is a wild beast after all, and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the changes brought about by martial arts from non-human creatures. Therefore, I apologize for my rudeness, Great Master Gu!"

The old man with an air of otherworldly wisdom stepped forward, bowed, and said, "I am the Second Master of Penglai Island. I sincerely apologize to you, Hero Gu!"

Seeing that the First Island Lord and the Second Island Lord were very sincere, Gu Mo sheathed his sword, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "It was I who took the liberty of coming to disturb you."

The island lord said, "How can you say it's an intrusion? It was our Penglai Island that invited you, and it was Hero Gu who graced us with his presence."

As he spoke, the island lord waved his hand, and the large ship sailed forward to dock once again.

As they walked, Gu Mo asked, "Excuse me, what did the Great Island Lord mean by the non-human creature he mentioned earlier?"

The island lord said, "They are demons and monsters, such as the taboos that are rumored in the outside world, like the fire qilin, the black tortoise, or inner demons."

Zhang Daoyi, who was standing to the side, asked in surprise, "These really exist?"

"of course."

The island lord said, "For example, Bai Yujing on our Penglai Island is a very special existence in the world. In the understanding of us Qi cultivators, it is an existence whose life level is higher than that of the human world."

The sea beast we just saw is Bai Yujing's guardian beast. It has existed since Bai Yujing appeared on Penglai Island, constantly intercepting anything that might harm him. Previously, the Xuan Turtle and the Seven-Colored Peacock both came to Penglai Island, but were intercepted by the sea beast. Over a hundred years ago, a strange person came; he appeared human, but possessed a terrifying superhuman energy hidden within him, and was also intercepted by the sea beast.

Zhang Daoyi asked in confusion, "Then why did this sea beast intercept Gu Mo?"

The island lord said, "Because Master Gu has cultivated a certain martial art and has transcended it, he possesses power beyond human comprehension. Therefore, you are within the range of the sea beast's interception."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "If that's the case, why did you two still let me come to the island?"

“It’s Bai Yujing’s order,” the island lord said very frankly. “It said that you are the only person in the world who has truly ascended to the Ascension Realm. It is very curious about how you overcame your inner demons and achieved the Ascension Realm without knocking on the Heavenly Gate. Therefore, it would like to meet you.”

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "How did Bai Yujing know that I didn't knock on the Heavenly Gate?"

The island lord said, "Because after knocking on the Heavenly Gate, even if you don't enter the Heavenly Gate, you will still be tainted with a breath of immortal energy. But you don't have any immortal energy on you, which means you didn't knock on the Heavenly Gate. Yet, you are now in the Ascension Realm. This is a very strange thing."

Gu Mo asked, "Do you have a way to deal with inner demons?"

"No," the island lord said, "The inner demon is neither human, nor demon, nor beast. It is formless, intangible, and elusive. Its life level far surpasses that of the human world. Theoretically speaking, it is immortal and indestructible. Our Penglai Island has no way to deal with the inner demon. However, Bai Yujing may have the means. When you meet Bai Yujing, you can ask it."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "Then how do the Qi cultivators of your Penglai Island ascend to immortality?"

This question raised the doubts in Zhang Daoyi and the others' minds, and they all became fully focused.

However, the island lord shook his head slightly and said, "We people of Penglai Island do not ascend, so we do not need to face our inner demons or knock on the Heavenly Gate. After we people on the island cultivate to the Ascension Realm, the Jade Palace will guide us to the Heavenly Realm."

Gu Mo said, "As far as I know, you two have lived for hundreds of years and have long since surpassed the Ascension Realm, right? Why haven't you gone to the Heavenly Realm?"

The First Island Lord said, "No, the cultivation levels of the Second Island Lord and me are indeed far beyond the Ascension Realm, but our realm has always been suppressed at the Half-Step Ascension Realm because we have to do things for Bai Yujing, which is to open the island once every thirty years and invite talents from all over the world to discuss the Dao together."

"What's the purpose?" Gu Mo asked.

“I don’t know,” the island lord said. “Bai Yujing is not human, so we can’t use human thinking to fathom its thoughts. However, if we look at things simply, its goal should be to create a truly perfect, flawless, and strongest martial art in the world!”

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "He's not human, why would he need martial arts?"

The island lord said, "That's why I said I can't fathom its thoughts with human thinking; I can only speculate based on what it has done over the past few hundred years."

Gu Mo then asked, "By the way, can you tell me why you can live for hundreds of years? Even though I have now broken through to the Ascension Realm, my lifespan has not increased. How do you manage to do that? Can you tell me?"

“Of course I can answer,” the island lord said. “There are no secrets on Penglai Island. Anyone invited to the island can ask any question, and we will answer them if we know the answer.”

Zhang Daoyi and Qi Tianshu were both astonished.

Gu Mo looked at the two of them and said, "So, the last time you came to the island, you only discussed martial arts and didn't ask anything else?"

Zhang Daoyi said awkwardly, "It's just that I thought they were being polite. It's not good to ask those sensitive questions, so I didn't bring them up to avoid making things awkward for everyone!"

The island lord explained, "As I just said, Bai Yujing is not human, so don't try to understand it with human thinking. What may seem like a big deal to us humans may be worthless to it."

After saying that, the island lord paused for a moment, then continued, "The reason we have been able to live for so long is because Bai Yujing found the essence blood of the Seven-Colored Peacock for us. The Seven-Colored Peacock has the bloodline of the Phoenix, so the blood of the Seven-Colored Peacock is the blood of the Phoenix. After consuming it, we can be reborn from the ashes."

However, there are limitations. After each rebirth, the phoenix blood is diluted. At first, it can be reborn once every thirty to fifty years. Later, it takes a hundred years, and then it takes a hundred years or even two hundred years to store enough energy for one rebirth opportunity. Therefore, lifespan is still limited.

Lifespan has nothing to do with cultivation level. Bai Yujing once said that our world is incomplete, and the most direct manifestation of this is in lifespan. No matter how high one's cultivation level is, one cannot increase their lifespan; one can only have fewer illnesses and disasters, and be not much different from ordinary people. If one wants to extend their lifespan, the only options are to ascend to the Heavenly Realm or obtain a rare treasure like Phoenix Blood.

"I see, thank you for your guidance." Gu Mo cupped his hands in greeting.

Zhang Daoyi and the others exchanged bewildered glances, quite shocked. It wasn't the island lord's words that shocked them, but rather the fact that they now realized they could ask questions freely.

"Does anyone have any further questions?" the First Island Master said. "It's alright if you don't have any for now. Once you're on the island, if you remember anything, you can always ask me or the Second Island Master."

Gu Mo asked, "I have two more questions. First, do you know the locations of the other forbidden areas?"

The island lord said, "Theoretically speaking, those taboos are all on the same level as Bai Yujing. Even Bai Yujing can only rely on luck and cannot lock onto them."

Gu Mo then asked, "Has Jiang Ruoxu come to the island?"

The island lord shook his head slightly and said, "I cannot say. Fighting is forbidden on Penglai Island, and we will not disclose information about other guests to any of our guests."

"Okay, I'm fine for now."

Zhang Daoyi and the others couldn't think of anything to ask for the time being.

Immediately, the First Island Lord and the Second Island Lord summoned cranes and rode away on them. At this moment, the ship had already docked, and Gu Mo and his group began to disembark one after another.

The island has beautiful scenery, with interconnected paths and fertile fields where all kinds of fruits and vegetables appear simultaneously regardless of the season. The disciples of Penglai Island are all very simple and honest at first glance.

Gu Mo and his group were all arranged to stay and rest in a separate courtyard.

As soon as Gu Mo entered his courtyard, he heard a knock on the door and a familiar voice said, "Amitabha, this humble monk Lian Sheng requests an audience with Master Gu!"

Gu Mo opened the door and saw Master Liansheng, whom he had met in Southern Jin two years ago. He smiled and asked, "When did you arrive, Master?"

"yesterday."

Master Liansheng clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "This humble monk has come to disturb you, but I wish to ask Master Gu if you have any martial arts techniques that you would like to learn. I have thought of a way to become invincible and have come to share it with you."

Gu Mo asked in confusion, "What method?"

Master Liansheng grinned and said, "Let me give you an example. My self-created martial art is called the Lotus Thirty-Two Heavens Scripture. As the name suggests, it is divided into thirty-two levels. Bai Yujing has a very powerful ability to always be able to deduce more levels on the basis of the original martial art."

"And coincidentally, I possess a special ability: the ability to predict the future. If I were to meet Bai Yujing, before he could reveal the martial arts techniques to me, I could first predict the future, extract the techniques he had predicted, and repeat this process. Wouldn't that theoretically allow me to create limitless martial arts, making me absolutely invincible?"

Gu Mo: "??"

(End of this chapter)