The island was as its name suggested. Viewed from afar, Golden Ao Island looked strikingly like a massive soft-shelled turtle. Its mountain was ancient, its stone a pitch-black hue, and its scale was immensely vast.
"Golden Ao Island used to be golden in color," Jiang Guo told Chen Shi, his voice carrying the warmth of someone returning home, making him much more talkative. "Later, after it was relocated here, it slowly turned black."
Whether because he was about to return home or simply in high spirits, Jiang Guo grew quite animated. "Legend has it that Golden Ao Island was originally a giant golden ao. Back then, the two divine officials under the Heavenly Emperor, Gonggong and Zhurong, got into a fight and shattered the heavens. When Goddess patched the sky, she severed the four limbs of a giant golden ao to use as pillars propping up the firmament. Deprived of its legs, that golden ao transformed into Golden Ao Island."
This story sounded like one told to him by his elders, bearing the distinct marks of far-fetched folk etymology.
"After who knows how many years, our lineage established a foothold on Golden Ao Island. Aside from Golden Ao Island, there were also Penglai, Nine Dragon Island, Three Immortal Islands, and others, with Penglai being the main seat. But they were all destroyed in the great battle against the Shang, and Penglai was seized by others, leaving only Golden Ao Island able to stand."
Jiang Guo continued, "Later, when the Earthly Immortal Realm was opened up, our lineage held no status there. Fortunately, this place called Western Penglai suffered a demon calamity and nobody wanted it, so we picked it up as a bargain."
Chen Shi glanced sideways at him, catching a glimpse of a simple, unadorned smile that clearly showed