"When Immortal Island was first established, there were over a thousand islanders. They went on to have children and raise families, and over the centuries, the population reached several thousand at its peak."
A trace of a bitter smile appeared on Du Yongquan's face, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Yang Qing.
"Several thousand people, here on Immortal Island, seeing one another day and night. Even if the person across from you were a girl as beautiful as a fairy, you would probably grow tired of her."
Du Yongquan spoke mildly, as though discussing something of no consequence.
"So many people secretly plotted to leave Immortal Island. Originally, our island was hidden from the outside world by the Sacred Emperor's surrounding prohibitions."
"But through their efforts, some people actually managed to break a few of those prohibitions. That was how rumors of Immortal Island began spreading outside."
Listening to Du Yongquan, Yang Qing could not help recalling that dilapidated fishing village by the sea and Luo Dahai, the fisherman condemned to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
From what Du Yongquan was saying, Luo Dahai's ancestors had been among those fishermen who stumbled onto Immortal Island.
But their arrival had not marked the beginning of good fortune.
Around Immortal Island, mechanisms and traps lay everywhere. There were not only man-eating sea beasts, but also formations that bewitched the mind.
Perhaps they could have preserved their lives if they had stayed on Immortal Island and never returned. Unfortunately, they all had homes and families. How could they possibly have remained cooped up on this tiny Sea Island?
Though treasures truly littered the island, as the saying went, a nest of gold or silver was no match for one's own doghouse. After staying on Sea Island for a while, those