Southern Yunmeng Township.
There is a body of water fifty thousand miles wide, where the mist meets the sky and no shore can be seen.
This place is called the Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh by those in the cultivation world.
Regarding the origin of this Great Marsh, a rather absurd tale circulates within Yunmeng Township.
Rumor has it that hundreds of thousands of years ago, this place was a continuous Arid Sea, a parched land stretching for a thousand miles where not a single blade of grass grew.
Later, a destitute scholar carrying a tattered wine gourd passed through this place; he was so thirsty he could no longer bear it, so he tilted his head back and turned the gourd upside down.
In the end, only a few drops of leftover wine fell out.
The scholar sighed and casually smashed the wine gourd onto the ground.
Unexpectedly, as the gourd shattered, an endless torrent of water surged forth from the fragments.
It lasted for three days and three nights, forcefully flooding this Arid Sea into a fifty-thousand-mile water country.
When the scholar departed, he used his finger as a sword to carve a doggerel poem onto the cliff face.
"A gourd of dregs never runs dry, I borrow your parched land to make a pool. For fifty thousand miles, all is but waves; rising and falling is up to me, not the Heavens."
Since then, the Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh has existed.
Today, this Great Marsh has become one of the most prosperous gathering places in southern Yunmeng.
Islands are scattered across the water like stars on a chessboard, and market towns line the shores.
Human Cultivators come here to seek water-attribute spiritual materials, while demons and other anomalies use the water vapor here to breathe and Cultivate.
It is a mixture of dragons and snakes, where people from all walks of life gather.
It is a bit chaotic, yet large numbers of demons and Cultivators still rush toward this area.
This is because less than three thousand miles north of the Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh lies the mountain gate of the Jieqing Sect, one of the nine great Dao Sects of the Human Race.
Above the Great Marsh.
A semi-old Greenwood Flying Boat was swaying as it broke through the clouds and mist, heading toward the depths of the Great Marsh.
Beneath the flying boat, the water shimmered boundlessly.
Occasionally, a massive demon would surface from the deep waters, its back creating a towering wave.
Upon sensing the Human Race's aura on the flying boat, it would dully submerge back into the depths.
Two figures sat on the deck of the flying boat.
One old, one young.
The old man wore a long gray cloth robe, his hair and beard were completely white, and a sandalwood box rested before him as he closed his eyes to rest.
The youth was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a sturdy and honest appearance, dressed in fine silk clothes; he was leaning over the gunwale, watching the rolling waves below with boredom.
"Uncle Xun, how much longer do we have?"
The youth turned his head, his tone carrying a hint of impatience, "The fishy smell of the water in this Great Marsh makes me want to vomit."
The old man slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the youth, and said kindly, "Endure for two more days. Once we pass the Chenlin Waters ahead, we will be able to see Guanlan Island."
The youth curled his lip and walked back to the center of the deck to sit cross-legged.
"I just don't understand. Our Xu Family is a well-known Cultivator Family within ten thousand miles. Is it worth traveling all this way to celebrate the birthday of an outsider?"
Hearing this.
A trace of bitterness appeared on the old man's face.
The Xu Family indeed possessed some fame within this Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh.
But in the eyes of truly great powers, they were merely a group of Loose Cultivators gathered together.
For a cultivation Family like the Xu Family, it was absolutely impossible to cling to a colossus like the Jieqing Sect.
But to gain a foothold in this extremely dangerous Yunmeng Township, if one did not have a solid backer, how could they last?
The Xu Family's previous backer was the Canglang Sect.
Who would have thought... over a month ago, the Canglang Sect somehow offended the Southern Immortal Palace.
Overnight, the entire Sect of over three thousand people was slaughtered to the last soul.
The Canglang Sect naturally could not compare to the nine great Dao Sects, but around this Great Marsh, it was still a major power with an Eight Chess Pieces of Strategy expert presiding over it.
Even so, having provoked those arrogant Beasts of the Southern Immortal Palace, they still met a tragic end with their Legacy severed.
With the destruction of the Canglang Sect, the Xu Family lost its protection and could only seek another path.
The tragedy of the Canglang Sect also made the Xu Family realize a fact: in this Yunmeng Township, unless one could enter the gates of the nine great Dao Sects.
Otherwise, relying on an ordinary Human Race power was not as practical as directly seeking refuge with a well-connected demon.
Unfortunately.
This Young Master of the Xu Family had lived a smooth life since childhood and still maintained the air of a Human Cultivator in his bones.
He didn't know when he would be able to see the reality of Yunmeng Township clearly...
The old man pushed aside his thoughts and spoke patiently, "Young Master, Immortal Lord Guanlan is a six-piece Chess Player Great Demon, and he has long-standing connections with the Great Demons of the Southern Immortal Palace."
"In terms of Realm and strength alone, the Immortal Lord is indeed inferior to the old Sect Leader of the Canglang Sect... but in terms of connections and foundation... even ten Canglang Sects would be far behind."
"Tch..."
The youth in fine clothes snorted coldly and turned his head away.
The old man didn't mind and continued, "In this Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh, a single word from the Immortal Lord is the capital for our Xu Family's survival... Our Xu Family has prepared a heavy gift to celebrate his birthday this time, seeking only to leave our name before the Immortal Lord. If we can truly enter his Dharma Eye... it could at least guarantee our Xu Family's safety for a thousand years."
While the two were talking.
Golden light suddenly surged in the sky, and Qi fluctuated violently.
Subsequently.
A figure appeared out of thin air in front of the flying boat.
The newcomer was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old.
Her black robes fluttered in the wind, and her face was exquisitely beautiful, though that fair little face currently held a bit of bewilderment and confusion.
The two people on the flying boat looked toward the commotion.
Two completely different faces.
The old man's brow furrowed instantly... In a place as chaotic as this Fifty Thousand Li Great Marsh, a Cultivator suddenly appeared out of thin air.
And the manner of her appearance was so sensational.
He couldn't help but be on guard.
As for the youth in fine clothes, he was completely frozen in place.
His eyes stared straight at the Girl in Black Robes in mid-air, his face full of daze.
He had grown up around this Great Marsh and had seen many female Cultivators.
But when had he ever seen such a stunning beauty?
In the heat of the moment, he blurted out.
"This Fellow Daoist... have you encountered some trouble and need help?"
Hearing these words.
Uncle Xun only felt a chill surge up his back.
Cold sweat broke out instantly.
No...
This Young Master of his was young and impetuous after all; he usually seemed quite clever.
How could he be so reckless the moment he saw a young and beautiful woman?
Currently, they knew nothing of the other party's purpose or origin.
Who knew if the other party was an evil Cultivator highwayman targeting the Xu Family?
How could he strike up a conversation so easily?!
"..."
The girl in mid-air fell into silence upon hearing this.
Seeing that the girl did not speak.
The youth in fine clothes thought the other party was being cautious and quickly patted his chest, saying, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, we are by no means bad people. I am a member of the Xu Family of the Great Marsh. This time, we are preparing to go to Guanlan Island to celebrate the birthday of Immortal Lord Guanlan..."
Speaking up to here.
Not only did a trace of pride appear on his face.
"Since Fellow Daoist has appeared in this Great Marsh, you must have heard of Immortal Lord Guanlan's name... The Immortal Lord is a six-piece Chess Player Great Demon... and is even rumored to have inextricable connections with the Southern Immortal Palace."
"If Fellow Daoist has any troubles, why not board the ship and travel with us to Guanlan Island? Consider it a way to relax..."