On Yingzhou Island stood a colossal palace tens of thousands of zhang tall, crystal-clear, as though it had been forged from molten crystal.
The palace covered ten thousand li in every direction, occupying one corner of Yingzhou Island.
Within it were pavilions and towers, immortal pools and residences, palace halls and alchemy chambers, spirit towers and courtyards—hundreds of millions of structures in all.
At a glance, they stood row upon row, like countless uneven peaks, or like an endless sea of stars scattered across the sky.
The overwhelming aura radiating from them was unfathomably profound. Their majestic presence shook Heaven and Earth!
At the forefront of this magnificent scene stood a towering stone, ten thousand zhang tall, reaching straight into the heavens. Forged from primordial gold, it bore three sacred, extraordinary characters: Immortal Island Palace.
"Mysterious Turtle Daoist, what is that place? Why has it suddenly burst into such dazzling splendor?"
Kunpeng's divine eyes pierced billions of li as he stared incredulously at the palaces in the distance.
"Oh, that's my Immortal Island Palace!"
"Two hundred years ago, Six-Eared and I discussed establishing the Immortal Island Palace to recruit talented people and gather immortal cultivators, in hopes of making my Three Islands a little livelier. Before I knew it, two hundred years had passed, and the Immortal Island Palace was finished!"
"Recruit talented people, gather immortal cultivators, make the place livelier?"
Looking at the grand sight, Kunpeng seemed unconvinced by what Beichen had said. "Mysterious Turtle Daoist, you... you have some grand scheme?"
"What grand scheme? It's just a little undertaking. I'm only trying to make a place for myself in the Primordial World!"
"Since we live in this world, we can't just do nothing, can we?"
Hearing the hidden meaning in Beichen's words, Kunpeng's eyes rolled as he probed, "Mysterious Turtle Daoist, your Immortal Island Palace has an even more formidable aura than Dao Ancestor Hongjun's Zixiao Palace!"
"Though this palace was only recently built, and its foundations may seem lacking compared with Zixiao Palace, the Dao principles lingering within it are actually no fewer than those in Zixiao Palace!"
"Cultivating here wouldn't be any worse than cultivating in Zixiao Palace!"
Beichen glanced at Kunpeng, silently thinking that Kunpeng truly lived up to his reputation for deep cunning. He had already seen through Beichen's intentions.
But Beichen said nothing more, only smiling faintly. "Daoist Kunpeng, if you don't mind, come take a look."
With that, Beichen used a divine ability of the Heaven and Earth Great Dao—Near at Hand, Yet Worlds Apart. In an instant, he traveled hundreds of millions of li, appearing before the Immortal Island Palace.
Kunpeng, meanwhile, spread his wings like clouds hanging from the sky and soared. He covered three million li in a single breath, yet it took him a full quarter of an hour to reach the Immortal Island Palace.
"Mysterious Turtle Daoist has the body of a mysterious turtle, so speed isn't his strong suit. I wonder how long it'll take him to get here?" Kunpeng thought, looking down. "The Three Immortal Islands are vast and boundless, an enormous world in their own right. As its master, he probably couldn't explore the whole place even in tens of thousands of years."
"Strange. Why didn't I see Mysterious Turtle Daoist anywhere along the way? He set off before me, so surely I should've crossed paths with him."
Muttering to himself, Kunpeng raised his head. Astonishment spilled into his eyes.
Beichen seemed to have arrived long ago. He was holding an ancient map and huddling with Six-Eared Macaque, discussing something.
"Hm? He's already here? How is that possible?"
Kunpeng's heart jolted at the sight.
As Kunpeng hurried over, he heard Six-Eared Macaque point at the map and say, "Mysterious Turtle Daoist, this map was drawn bit by bit by the four of us—Six-Eared, Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin. We copied everything exactly as it was built, from the very beginning. Not a detail was missed."
"Moreover, while we were drawing it, a Dao Fragment from Yingzhou Island suddenly fell into it, gathering the fate and foundations of the four of us. It became a postcelestial treasure. For now, we've decided to call it the Immortal Island Palace Divine Map."
As he spoke, Six-Eared Macaque flicked the ancient map in his hand and tossed it into the air.
The map expanded rapidly. A three-dimensional image of the Immortal Island Palace appeared above it, vast and sweeping, as though it were floating upon the sea.
Beichen's divine eyes shifted, and he stepped inside without hesitation.
The moment he entered, Dao principles surged throughout the map. Between the countless palaces and buildings, Dao Fragments flashed wildly, transforming into endless immortal blades.
The blades' Dao power was terrifying. Even Beichen instantly sensed the breath of death.
Boom!
He hurriedly summoned the Universe Great Dao Mystic Turtle Shell and knocked the immortal blades' Dao principles away. His body swayed, and he reappeared outside.
After escaping the map, his eyes narrowed. "This has become a killing map! A Grand Unity Golden Immortal would be reduced to fragments the instant they entered. Even a Quasi-Saint wouldn't last long inside. If someone were trapped in there, they'd surely die."
With a casual wave of his hand, Beichen sent waves of restraining Dao principles into the map. They were instantly absorbed.
Beichen stared in astonishment. "My innate power of restraint can merge with it so easily. In that case, the Immortal Island Palace Divine Map is a prison of slaughter. If anyone enters, and I don't rescue them, they're bound to perish!"
Behind him, Kunpeng watched the scene unfold, shaken to the core. A trace of wariness rose within him. "How could this happen?"
Six-Eared Macaque was just as baffled. This had already gone beyond what he could discern. "Mysterious Turtle Daoist, though the four of us drew this map, it was refined into a treasure by Yingzhou Island's laws. Since you're the master of the Three Islands, you can control it at will and even add new abilities to it with ease. Six-Eared presents it to you!"
If the Universe Great Dao Mystic Turtle Shell was Beichen's innate companion treasure, then the Immortal Island Palace Divine Map was more like a natal treasure he had refined after birth. Beichen didn't refuse; he simply reached out and accepted it.
When the system first bestowed the Three Immortal Islands upon Beichen, it had also bound his fate to the islands. That was why any treasure formed by the islands was so closely connected to him.
The Three Immortal Islands were a world under Beichen's rule. In truth, they could also be considered part of his body.
"Daoist Kunpeng, what took you so long? You're a bit slow!"
Knowing Kunpeng had arrived, Beichen turned and smiled faintly.
Kunpeng's face was awkward. "Mysterious Turtle Daoist, your Dao is profound beyond compare!"
When it came to speed, Kunpeng could certainly rank among the fastest in the Primordial World. He might even have been the fastest beneath the Saints. Yet Beichen had soundly outpaced him, leaving him at a loss for words.
Beichen only smiled again. "Daoist Kunpeng is also unmatched in divine abilities!"
Kunpeng: "..."
Six-Eared Macaque pondered to the side. Suddenly, as if he had seen through something, he hurriedly interrupted Beichen and Kunpeng's conversation. "Mysterious Turtle Daoist has founded a palace and established a lineage. Six-Eared is willing to serve as one of your elders. I wonder if you'd accept me?"
"Of course." Beichen was delighted that Six-Eared had pledged himself so readily. "Daoist Six-Eared, you were the one who began building the Immortal Island Palace. From now on, you'll be the protector of my Immortal Palace. What do you think?"
"Very well. Six-Eared accepts!" Six-Eared Macaque looked at Beichen again. "Daoist, as the master of this palace, you should have a title of your own, to complete the name of its lord!"
Beichen thought briefly, then said shamelessly, "Daoist Six-Eared, what do you think of the title Dao Ancestor Beichen?"
"Dao Ancestor Beichen!" Six-Eared Macaque's eyes lit up.
Behind them, Kunpeng's expression changed dramatically. He couldn't help thinking, This Mysterious Turtle has such enormous ambition!
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