"Where is this?"
"Penglai?"
"It doesn't look like that..."
The four teenagers opened their eyes one after another, and the scenery in front of them made them confused.
Large stretches of beach and dilapidated mines. Nearby are dozens of people scouring the sand in the shallows, and in the distance are fishing nets drying and smoke from cooking in the villages.
I don’t know what Penglai should be like, but no matter how I think about it, it shouldn’t be like this.
"Hey, wake up." A big man came over, "Where did you come from? Why are you here?"
The big man has rough skin and old clothes, but his attitude is very enthusiastic.
The four teenagers looked at each other, and Tan Han tentatively spoke: "May I ask this gentleman, is this Penglai?"
"Peng Lai?" The big man seemed stunned for a moment, and the other sand-seekers also raised their heads. The group of people were silent for a few moments, then laughed.
"What Penglai, you are just dreaming."
"I know about Penglai. It's the legendary fairy island. I even looked for it, but unfortunately I never found it."
"Don't look for it, it's right here. Little brother, this is Penglai."
"Hahahaha, yes, this is Penglai..."
The scroungers leaned forward and backward, and the faces of the young people turned red.
"What's so funny!" Yan Hai was a little angry.
"Okay, okay, let's go to work." The big man waved his hand to drive everyone away to continue scouring the sand, and then said to the four teenagers, "This is Jinsha Island, not Penglai. From the looks of you, you must have encountered a storm while out at sea. Bar."
Several teenagers were a little confused, only Tan Han was thoughtful.
"Golden Sands Island?"
This island is adjacent to Di Shengqianzhou and is rich in a rare kind of golden sand. In the early years, some sects also fought for control of the island. Later, there were fewer golden sands, and it gradually lost its former reputation.
But now it seems that this island is not abandoned, there are still people living on it. But looking at the overall situation, it's somewhat difficult.
"Is this Jinsha Island? I thought it had been abandoned a long time ago, but I didn't expect that there would still be people living there." Tan Han seemed to be feeling a little emotional and glanced at the big man.
"Actually, it's almost like a deserted island. There's nothing you can do about living here." The big man sighed, "Qianzhou is basically occupied by the Tianxiahui. At least it won't be targeted by them."
The four teenagers felt the same way and suddenly felt much closer to the big man.
"Although Jinsha Island and Penglai are in different directions, they may be washed here by the sea currents." Tan Han sighed with a complex expression, "It should be the relationship between the two immortal beasts..."
"Impossible!" Yan Hai shouted, "We have only been unconscious for a long time, how could we be carried so far away."
"That's the problem, we must have been unconscious for a long time." Huo Zhenyun touched his flat belly. "Judging from the hunger level in my stomach, I haven't eaten for at least three days."
"It seems really..." Zhuo Feng also touched his stomach, "I suddenly felt so hungry and had no strength at all."
Yan Hai wanted to say something more, but suddenly his throat felt very dry. Licking his chapped lips, he finally made no sound.
The four teenagers fell silent, with huge disappointment written all over their faces.
After paying a lot of money to find the female prime minister in red, he found out the location and traveled thousands of miles to reach the legendary fairy island. Under the obstruction of the green dragon, fire phoenix and other mythical beasts and birds, he overcame the difficulties and finally made it through.
But in the end, he was washed up by the water in this place.
This huge disappointment and gap is unbearable for adults, let alone a few children.
"Okay, okay, you all have some energy." After all, Tan Han was older. He looked at his three silent brothers, cheered up, and reassured: "At least we are all alive, and we have a chance if we survive." .”
"Yes, there is still a chance." Zhuo Feng touched the kite in his arms, but it was not soaked by the sea water.
"We have to go back." Huo Zhenyun stood up, then his stomach growled, and a wave of embarrassment appeared on his face.
Tan Han touched his body and found that the money bag was gone. He hugged the big man with some embarrassment.
"Sir, we are in trouble at sea and have been hungry for several days. Can we ask for some food from you?"
No matter what your next plan is, you have to fill your stomach first.
"I need something to eat." The big man seemed a little embarrassed, "It doesn't matter how many meals you have, but you have to abide by the rules on the island."
"Uncle, don't worry, we are not bad people." Zhuo Feng quickly expressed his position, "We are not bad people."
"That's not what I mean." The big man said, "You have also seen that life on the island is very difficult. Whether it is eating or drinking, everything must be done according to work. After eating, you have to work. No matter whether you are a foreigner or not. Yes, everyone over the age of ten must abide by this rule."
"Do you think I will be a freeloader?" Yan Hai was very disdainful, "I am a descendant of the Beihai Sword Sect, and my great-grandfather is Yan Zhen, the number one swordsman in Qianzhou. No matter how much I eat from you today, I will pay back tenfold in the future."
"The future is the future, and the present is now." The big man insisted, "The rules on the island cannot be broken. You have to work as much as you eat."
The four teenagers became increasingly hungry and unbearable. Seeing the big man's insistence, they had no choice but to agree.
Next to the battlefield is a work shed with tables, chairs and benches. The big man led the four teenagers to sit down and asked people to bring them food and fresh water.
The food was not gourmet, just a large bowl of steamed buns and a large bowl of pickles. What he drank was ordinary fresh water, even with a bitter taste.
Several people's stomachs were growling with hunger, so they didn't show much fuss, so they grabbed the steamed buns and started devouring them.
"I'm treating you to this meal. Before you eat, you have to work first." The big man warned again and pointed at the people digging for sand. "Did you see that, like them, digging for sand gold? One spoon for one." Eat and be satisfied."
After explaining, the big man went into the inner room, seemingly looking for something. The teenagers continued to eat while discussing their next plan.
"This uncle is really stubborn and unreasonable at all. He makes it seem like we will cheat him out of this meal." Zhuo Feng took a hard bite of the steamed bun.
"This place is isolated from the world and has little contact with people." Huo Zhenyun ate slowly.
"A vulgar rough guy who doesn't understand anything." Yan Hai was even more dissatisfied, "If we were in Qianzhou, who would dare to look down on me like this."
Tan Han didn't want to speak at first, but after hearing several people's words, he always felt that something was wrong.
"You said he was a rough guy?" Tan Han asked.
"Yes, do you have a problem?" Yan Hai raised his head.
"You can't say that." Zhuo Feng said, "Although he looks a bit rough, he actually has a good heart."
Tan Han frowned and glanced into the room.
In his eyes, he was not a rough guy, but a gentleman with a white robe and a jade face.
From the first meeting, he felt something strange. He is obviously a refined gentleman, but he talks like a rough man. Now when I hear other people say it, it feels even more wrong.
"This man..." Tan Han subconsciously wanted to express his doubts, but inadvertently he met a pair of eyes.
It seems like a smile but not a smile, but it has profound meaning.
Tan Han's heart skipped a beat and he instinctively closed his mouth.
It's not that I'm afraid of anything, but that I feel that if I speak out, I'll lose something very important.
If it were him, there would be nothing to care about. But affecting several younger brothers was something he couldn't accept.
"Brother Qin?" Zhuo Feng asked strangely, "What do you want to say?"
"It's nothing." Tan Han said, "I'm just thinking about what to do next."
"Leave first, what else can we do?" Yan Hai said.
"Well, let's go after eating..."
Although his tone was as harsh as ever, no one thought there was anything wrong with his words.
No matter whether he returns to Qianzhou or goes to look for Penglai again, he cannot stay here for long. Since this meal counts as an invitation, leave when you're full.
But when the big man came out from the inner room, they realized that it was not that simple.
Even adult warriors need to find a boat to cross the sea, let alone a group of children in their early ten years. If you want to leave this island, you must get a boat. But this requirement is more difficult than they imagined.
"You want a boat?" The big man shook his head repeatedly, "If you want to have enough food, you have to work. How can you borrow a boat casually? Don't say you will return it in the future. If you want a boat, you have to work. A boat is worth a pound of gold. , if you save enough, you can choose whatever you want.”
"A bucket of gold? Why don't you go and grab it!" Yan Hai was very angry and about to have a seizure.
"Do you think this will work?" Tan Han stopped Yan Hai and came up with an idea, "You let the three of them go by boat, and I will stay and work. When I save a bucket of gold, I will leave."
"No, it's against the rules." The big man said, "Whoever works is the one who eats. Those who don't work don't have food, and they can't work for others. Whether you want one ship or four ships, it must be One dou of gold for each person. Otherwise, even if you find ten dou of gold by yourself, it will still be your share."
No matter what, the big man just wouldn't let go and kept following the rules. Several teenagers had no choice but to go digging in the sand after eating. Isn’t it just digging gold into the sand? I don’t think it’s that difficult. Even Longfeng has seen it, so how could he not handle this?
None of them had ever done this job before. Only when they got started did they realize that it was not easy at all.
I took off my shoes, rolled up my trousers and walked into the shallows, grabbed the sand and started sifting through it. After twisting it a few times, everyone was a little dumbfounded.
There is almost no difference between the so-called gold sand and sand. To pick it out, you need to pay close attention. And there are not as many golden sands as you might imagine. You may not find even one after pulling dozens of handfuls.
"Damn it, I wish I could cultivate my soul now." Zhuo Feng was very depressed, "I can sense all things with just one thought, and use my true energy to pick them out."
"What's the point of doing this in the Yuanshen realm?" Huo Zhenyun rolled his eyes, "You can swim back."
"It's not our way to pick them like this." Qin Han looked at the others, "They all have special dustpans, and you can tell them apart by shaking them in the water. If we pick them by hand like this, we can't even shake them a few times for a long time."
"How about borrowing one?"
"Forget it, their rules are so rigid, it's probably quite annoying..."
The three of them started a discussion there, discussing how to borrow a dustpan. Yan Hai didn't join in, and he didn't do much digging including sand. Just pretending there, looking around constantly.
"There are three more dustpans. If you want to use them, you can exchange them with something." The big man brought three dustpans over.
"Uncle, we have nothing to exchange for." Zhuo Feng was helpless, "I can't even pay for the meal. Where can I get anything to exchange for your dustpan?"
"Why not?" The big man looked at Huo Zhenyun and Zhuo Feng, his eyes wandering, "When you fainted, I saw something on your body."
Several people's expressions changed at the same time.
"Do you know who we are?" Huo Zhenyun made a gesture of fighting.
"I don't know, I just recognize your stuff." The big man smiled. "But don't be so nervous, I won't rob it. If I wanted to rob it, I wouldn't wait until now. The rules on the island cannot be broken, and everything can only be exchanged."
Tan Han's heartbeat inexplicably accelerated, and he almost couldn't help but agree on Huo Zhenyun's behalf.
It's not that I really saw anything, but I vaguely felt that this matter was important. If you refuse, you will miss something very important.
"Exchange?" Huo Zhenyun sneered, "In exchange for what? The dustpan in your hand?"
"Yes, this is it." The big man shook the dustpan, "You can wash out a bucket of sand with your hands in ten years. But with this dustpan, ten days will be enough."
Huo Zhenyun and Zhuo Feng rolled their eyes together, showing a rare unified reaction.
Yan Hai felt stupid, but didn't say anything. It's not his thing, and it has nothing to do with him whether to change it or not.
"Don't refuse in a hurry. You can think about it slowly. I'll go to the house to rest for a while." The big man was not in a hurry and put the dustpan on the table. "Just put the things here. If you want to change them, you can get them yourself."
Huo Zhenyun and Zhuo Feng looked at each other, feeling more and more strange about this big man. I looked at the Taosha guests again and noticed something was wrong.
"Why don't we just ignore him first?" Zhuo Feng said, "Let's work on our own first, and slowly save gold to find a solution."
"That's all we can do, but we can't delay it for too long." Tan Han was anxious, but knew that he couldn't tell the truth, so he only gave vague hints.
"Although there are many people going to Penglai this time, they are all sworn enemies of the Tianxiahui, so the news is not leaked. But in a dragon and phoenix battle, I am afraid Xiongba will get the news. If we go to Penglai again, it may be more difficult."
"Does this need to be said?" Yan Hai snorted, "Even the people on this island have guessed it, let alone the Tianxiahui. If we delay for a few more days, I'm afraid people from the Tianxiahui will come looking for us."
Huo Zhenyun stared at the dustpan on the table and pondered for a while. Then he suddenly took a step and walked over.
With two clanging sounds, he threw the hammer and chisel in his arms on the table and picked up two dustpans.
"What are you doing?" Zhuo Feng's eyes widened, "Do you really want to change?"
"Otherwise?" Huo Zhenyun's expression was very calm, "You also said that we can't delay too long. I already know the location of Penglai, so I can just look for it."
"But if you leave the token behind, what will you do if you can't get in?" Zhuo Feng asked.
"Did I go into Penglai last time with this so-called token?" Huo Zhenyun asked.
"This..." Zhuo Feng was speechless.
"Just change it." Qin Han said quickly, "It seems inappropriate to exchange the Penglai token for a dustpan. But now we are trapped on an isolated island, and there is no way to leave without changing it."
"Take it." Huo Zhenyun threw a dustpan to Zhuo Feng and said to the big man who poked his head out of the house, "I only said that I wanted to wash the sand in exchange for food and a boat. I didn't say that this dustpan can't be given to anyone."
The big man nodded without interfering.
Zhuo Feng thought for a moment, walked to the table with the kite, and also changed it to a dustpan.
He turned to look at Tan Han and Yan Hai, hesitant as he didn't know who to give it to.
"Take it," Tan Han said meaningfully to Yan Hai, "You all have better potential than me, and you will have more opportunities after leaving."
"Forget it, I don't need it." Yan Hai sneered, even more gloating, "The token of Penglai is exchanged for a dustpan, and you are looking for gold here like a fool? You can be as crazy as you want, don't compare me with you,"
Yan Hai turned around and left, even though Tan Han called him but didn't stop.
Huo Zhenyun ignored it, walked to the shoal with a dustpan, and began to wash out the sand imitating the beachcombers.
Zhuo Feng glanced at it and chased after him with a dustpan in hand.
Tan Han was a little hesitant, holding the dustpan undecided. Especially when my eyes drift towards the big man, I always feel a little uneasy.
But in the end, I made up my mind and joined the team of Taosha.
The three of them worked all day and didn't stop until evening. The others returned to the village, and the three of them stayed in a nearby work shed. The big man brought the food and watched them finish eating before taking the plate and basin and leaving.
Yan Hai never showed up and didn't come back until dawn.
There was an extra small package on his body, he looked a little tired and had a lot of dirt on him.
"I'm finally back. Where have you been this night?" Zhuo Feng hurriedly pulled him into the house, took out two steamed buns and stuffed them in. "You haven't eaten yet. I hid these two."
Yan Hai had a look of disgust on his face and threw the bun directly to the ground.
Tan Han and Zhuo Feng were stunned, and Huo Zhenyun became angry.
"What are you doing?" Huo Zhenyun grabbed Yan Hai's clothes, "I kindly hid food for you, what do you mean!"
Yan Hai pushed Huo Zhenyun away, took off the package from his body, and opened it on the table. Several people's eyes widened.
A lot of bacon and fruits.
"With these, who can eat those dry and hard steamed buns?" Yan Hai was a little proud, "You're welcome, just eat whatever you want."
"Where did it come from?" Zhuo Feng swallowed, but did not reach out to take it. Tan Han and Huo Zhenyun didn't reach out and looked at Yan Hai doubtfully.
"I took it from a ship." Yan Hai didn't hide it. "This island is not big. I spent half a day going around it. I originally wanted to find some trees and try to make a ship by myself. But I didn't expect that I would find it. A ship..."
Yan Hai told several people that he found a cave on the other half of the island, and there was a sea ship in the cave.
It seems that not many people go there, and no ships have been used for a long time. But there was easily stored food and fresh water on board, obviously in preparation for a long voyage.
"It should be a ship carrying gold sand." Zhuo Feng analyzed, "When enough gold sand is stored, they will ship it to Qianzhou."
"No matter what kind of ship it is, this is our opportunity." Yan Hai said excitedly, "You should follow me quickly before dawn and leave on that ship."
Several people hesitated and looked at each other.
"What's wrong?" Yan Hai was confused.
"No, this is stealing..." Zhuo Feng hesitated, "I have already promised that uncle, saying..."
"What a promise? Are you stupid?" Yan Hai was very angry, "Do you think I will take it for free? I just borrowed a boat to leave. I will definitely return it later, and I will also pay them."
"It's inappropriate." Huo Zhenyun was very direct, "We promised to abide by the rules on the island, and we must do what we promised. It is not a man to break one's word."
"You're all stupid, why don't I come back to find you!" Yan Hai was furious and turned to Tan Han, "What about you? Do you want to follow me?"
"Believe me, don't touch that ship." Tan Han grabbed Yan Hai's hand and said sincerely, "Now you return these and wash the sand with us. If you want the dustpan, I will give it to you..."
"Who wants this? Are you stupid too?" Yan Hai was even more annoyed and shook off Tan Han's hand, "Exchanging the Penglai token for a ship is stupid enough. Now that I have the chance, I won't leave."
"Staying is your chance." Tan Han winked at Yan Hai. "Believe me, I won't harm you..."
"Haha, do you believe me, you idiot? Are you going crazy with you?" Yan Hai rewrapped the food on the table.
"If you don't want to eat, don't eat. I'm reluctant to give it to you. If you don't leave if you have the chance, then just dig sand here for the rest of your life. I'll go by myself. Don't regret it in the future... Idiots, idiots..."
Yan Hai tied up the package and turned around to leave, cursing as he walked, but as he walked, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
His steps were light and completely effortless.
When I looked down, I didn't know when it flew up.
No.
Instead of flying, it was lifted up from the ground by a cloud.
"What's going on? What is this?"
Yan Hai was shocked and wanted to jump off the cloud. But soon I found that my body was not in control, and I could only let the clouds carry me up into the sky.
As we continued to rise, we saw Tan Han and others taking dustpans to the shallows to wash out the sand.
"These idiots actually went to wash in the sand again... This place is so evil, but they still... still..."
Yan Hai suddenly froze.
The auspicious clouds carrying him continued to rise, and gradually he saw the whole island.
The dilapidated mines disappeared and turned into patches of green. The old village is gone, replaced by a tall mountain.
On the top of the mountain are two large almond trees, with their crowns spread out like clouds. There is a quiet and unique courtyard under the tree, with a winding white stone road in front of the door.
"This...this...Penglai?!"
Yan Hai was stunned, his mind was blank.
It was obviously a broken mine and a broken fishing village, but why did it suddenly turn into a fairy island?
Wait, could it be...
When he looked at Tan Han and the other three, his eyes almost popped out.
The three of them were still holding dustpans as before, but they were not standing in the shallows, but in a dark void. What is found in the dustpan is not sand, but shining spots of light.
A figure stood quietly beside him, his eyes like stars and otherworldly things.
Yan Hai's expression was distorted, his eyes were about to burst, and his chest felt like a huge boulder weighing heavily. The previous scenes flashed through my mind. The rough-looking man overlapped slightly with that figure.
Digging for gold in the sand and looking for stars in the sky.
It's immortality.
"No...let me go down!!!"
…
Everyone was in danger at sea and drifted onto a deserted island. There were natives on the island who forced them to scour the sand and refine stones to produce gold and silver. Invite you to eat hard buns, and you will be allowed to leave if you collect buckets of gold. No one dared to disobey, but the only young man who was not crazy about slavery found a boat and wanted to escape. The crowd was timid and did not dare to follow, but the young man could not persuade him, so he went on his own. Farewell and sighing, "It's hard to save a fool, but there's nothing I can do if I wake up alone."
"Qianzhou Menghualu"
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Wish Lai added a short plot about fake characters in the fantasy world and a background story about the supporting character, which is about 2,000 words short, but after thinking about it, I still feel that it is redundant and the plot is easily unflattering, so I simply deleted them all and combined them into a big chapter of 6,000 words. . Although it’s still not very good, it can be considered an attitude toward writing.
