Cultivating immortality in the seas, I created an immortal island of eternal life.

Jingzhou, Luofu Sea.

Under the scorching sun, with clouds rising from the sea and sky, it felt as if one were inside a giant steamer.

Outside the fish market of Yunxiang Sect, a crowd of people gathered, but all of them kept their heads down, including Old Man Ma.

He tried to pull his bamboo hat, which had become stiff from the sun, down low, and jogged a few steps to a simple shed covered with seaweed.

A dozen or so fishermen with dark complexions gathered there, like a group of wilted loaches, panting in the narrow shade.

"Old Ma, just paid the Dinghai tax?" Upon seeing the visitor, the one-eyed fisherman squatting on the stone pier shook his head.

"It's gone up again." Old Ma took off his hat and fanned himself, bringing with him a heavy smell of sweat and a sigh.

In the height of summer, it is the time when fish hibernate.

During the day, the valuable spirit fish and semi-spirit fish hide in the deep water to escape the heat, as they are cunning and difficult to catch.

The fish are more active at night, but the other monsters lurking in the darkness make fishing a dangerous business with a high chance of survival.

However, the Immortal Sect would never make an exception for fish during their hibernation period, and the Dinghai tax could not be delayed.

Not paying?

That is, the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl was taken away, and they were driven away.

On the Luofu Sea, where monsters roam freely, it's tantamount to a death sentence.

Thinking of this, Old Man Ma's eyes became even more cloudy. He shook the empty fish basket behind him, and finally just numbly took out his pipe without saying anything more.

"Hey, did you see that?"

"I haven't seen Gao Yao pay any extra sea tax. We're all fishermen, so why should we be allowed to stay in the fishponds and relax in the breeze?"

Before the person being questioned could answer, Old Man Ma, who was tapping a flint nearby, chuckled first.

"You really have no sense of propriety!" A spark finally flew, and he quickly took a few sips. "Don't you even know who brought Xiao Gao back? That's a dog..."

Before he could finish speaking, Old Man Ma's voice abruptly stopped, and everyone's gaze fixed on the entrance to the fish market.

A woman dressed in a light blue gauze dress was seen swaying her slender yet graceful waist as she slowly walked into the fish enclosure.

The visitor's name was Wang Yao.

Her figure was graceful, and her eyes and brows naturally exuded a certain charm, which was completely out of place in the sweaty and smelly dock environment.

Her arrival was like a drop of cold water falling into boiling oil, instantly attracting the attention of all the fishermen.

There was awe, envy, and even more so, a cautious, secretive curiosity.

Wang Yao seemed to have long been used to these gazes, ignoring them completely, and walked straight toward the fish stall, leaving behind a faint fragrance that was quickly swallowed up by the smell of sweat and the sea breeze.

Meanwhile, Gao Yao, the protagonist of their conversation, was sitting in a relatively shady corner of the fish market hall, with a fish catch register in front of him, checking the accounts.

He was wearing a faded gray short-sleeved shirt, his figure was slightly thin, but his face was handsome and had a touch of youthful innocence.

The faint whispers outside the shed could not be heard.

If Gao Yao could hear this, he would probably give a bitter smile to himself.

They only needed to think about how to raise that exorbitant Dinghai tax, but as time travelers, they had to consider things that were far more complicated and burdensome, and every step they took was like walking on thin ice.

A fragrant breeze wafted over, and Gao Yao immediately looked up. The thought in his eyes was instantly replaced by unease, and a shy yet respectful smile quickly appeared on his face.

He quickly stood up and bowed slightly.

"Miss Wang, you've arrived."

"Hmm." Wang Yao's voice was languid and sweet as she glanced at Gao Yao's face. "Brother Yao, is Steward Chen here?"

She stood very close, making the delicate fragrance even clearer.

Gao Yao maintained his posture, his gaze lowered, not daring to meet the other party's blatant stare.

"Reporting to Miss Wang, Steward Chen will be here this afternoon to inspect the fish catch." His voice was clear and youthful, yet it also carried a composure beyond his years. "Why don't you rest in the back room first? It's cooler there."

"Just sitting here is so boring," Wang Yao chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Why don't you keep your sister company and help her pass the time, young master?"

As she spoke, she naturally extended a fair and delicate hand.

Gently, yet with an undeniable force, he grasped Gao Yao's hand.

Gao Yao's body stiffened slightly.

He could clearly feel the warmth and smoothness of the other person's small hands, and the thin fabric brushing against his arm.

Gao Yao unconsciously raised his eyes.

Her blue robe was half-undone, revealing her delicate collarbone and a small patch of smooth, undulating skin, like a ripe peach.

The peach blossoms are just beginning to unfurl, exuding an alluring pinkish-white sheen and a rich, inviting scent.

His heart skipped a beat uncontrollably, and his cheeks flushed instantly.

But at almost the same time, Gao Yao very naturally and slowly withdrew his hand from the other person's warm palm.

"Miss Wang, I am deeply grateful for your kindness, but I have to pay the spirit fish tax these few days..." He cupped his hands and bowed his head again, his words full of helplessness, "The island's fish catch is still 30% short, and if we delay any longer, we may miss the appointed time."

Wang Yao's smile remained, but a hint of impatience flashed in her eyes.

"It is indeed an important matter." She changed the subject, with a hint of concern, "However, your health is not as good as it was before."

"In this sweltering heat, you have to worry about the Dinghai tax and check the accounts. Don't overwork yourself." With that, Wang Yao took out a small silk bag from her bosom and tossed it to Gao Yao.

Gao Yao instinctively caught it; the bag felt warm and soft to the touch, and the fragrance was even stronger.

He didn't need to look to guess that it contained medicinal herbs or pills to nourish the body.

"Miss Wang, please don't! You've already helped me so much; I haven't even properly thanked you for introducing me to Manager Chen!"

"Take it!" Wang Yao pushed the bag back without allowing any argument. "I heard the tax on Dinghai has increased again recently? If you're really having trouble..."

Gao Yao's mind wavered, and he quickly shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Wang, but this is a unified requirement of the sect. I'm afraid others will gossip if you help me, and I don't want to put you in a difficult position."

Wang Yao stared at Gao Yao for a long time, then suddenly leaned close to his ear and breathed softly, "Little rascal, you're quite considerate of others."

She straightened up and straightened her clothes: "I will be leaving for a while soon, so please remember not to leave this place in the next few days."

Gao Yao respectfully agreed, watching Wang Yao gracefully leave the fishpond before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

......

After saying goodbye to Wang Yao, Gao Yao practically fled, steer a small sampan, and rushed back to his tiny island under the scorching sun.

It's called an island, but it's really just a shallow beach surrounded by a few huge reefs, barely big enough to build a shack and dig a small fishpond.

After crawling into the hut made of seaweed and miscellaneous wood, Gao Yao finally relaxed completely, his back feeling icy cold.

He took out the brocade pouch, opened it, and sure enough, there were several herbs inside that could replenish qi and blood.

These kinds of herbs are not common in this area; for ordinary fishermen in fishing villages, they are extremely rare.

Gao Yao sighed heavily and casually tossed the brocade pouch onto the straw mat as if it were a hot potato.

"It's been a month..."

Gao Yao sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his brows furrowed, his face no longer bearing the trace of the shyness he had shown in the fishpond.

Even after such a long time, his mind was still filled with three distinct memories:

The first part, which is somewhat blurry, is his true past life, the soul of a background actor belonging to Earth.

The second part consists of vague memories of growing up in the fishing village before the village was completely cleansed.

The third segment consists of memories forcibly inserted into him after he was captured and dealt with by the Yunxiang Sect.

During this month, following his third memory, he acted like an actor with a script, just as he had in his previous life, diligently playing his role and silently observing the seemingly peaceful and tranquil fishing village.

Unfamiliar fishermen's faces appear from time to time, but familiar old faces always disappear silently one day.

It's nothing more than encountering disaster at sea, contracting a serious disease, or violating the rules of the sect.

Considering that I was captured...

This is hardly a fishing village under the protection of some immortal sect; it's clearly just a livestock farm that's pretending to be a game!

The thought of Gao Yao made him break out in a cold sweat, and Wang Yao's inexplicable favor was nothing less than a death warrant from the King of Hell in his eyes.

Although he did not know what the other party wanted, Gao knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Therefore, we must find a way to escape from this place!

but......

Gao Yao took out the white beads hanging around his neck.

The Sea-Stabilizing Pearl is the lifeblood of all fishermen who depend on the Yunxiang Sect.

In my memory, the Luofu Sea was vast and boundless, dotted with islands, so there was still a chance to escape.

However, underwater monsters roam freely. Without the special aura emanating from the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl to deter them, ordinary fishermen who set sail in small boats would inevitably be attacked by sea monsters within ten nautical miles, leaving no trace of their bodies.

This item also needs to be replaced regularly; it's called protection, but it's actually a shackle.

The matter of escaping needs to be carefully considered.

The most urgent task is to resolve the issue of Dinghai tax.

With this thought in mind, Gao Yao's eyes hardened, and he walked toward the small fishpond outside the shack.

Although the fishpond is simple, the water is clear and the edges are neat and free of weeds, indicating that it has been carefully maintained.

There are about a dozen semi-spirit fish of various shapes swimming slowly in the fishpond.

It wasn't a lot, but it was the money Gao Yao had painstakingly saved up over the past month to pay the Dinghai tax.

However, it's still lacking.

He calmed his mind, and a phantom image of a token appeared before his eyes.

[Borrowing from the creation of heaven and earth, and integrating the mysteries of yin and yang, we forge the spirit of all things.]

Gao Yao rolled up his sleeves, reached into the fishpond, and scooped up the fish one by one.

[Successfully borrowed 2 years of lifespan from the little blue fish]

[Successfully borrowed one year of lifespan from a black carp]

......

[Current borrowing period 100 years]

The Mountain and Sea Token, something that suddenly appeared in Gao Yao's mind after his transmigration, has only two functions:

One is to borrow half of the remaining lifespan of the creatures living in a particular region.

Secondly, the lifespan of the borrowed person is infused into a local environment, transforming the ordinary land into a sacred site.

Once the temple is established, it can draw upon the earth's water essence to nourish all things and generate creation.

[Current Building]

【Fishpond (Not for beginners)】

[Tier 1: Fish fry growth rate +10%, semi-spirit fish have a certain chance to evolve into spirit fish]

[Advanced Requirements: Transform this place into a Mountain and Sea Dojo (Advanced)]

In short, as long as the island is upgraded to a mountain and sea dojo, Gao Yao can upgrade the fishpond at the same time, thus giving the semi-spirit fish in his hands a chance to advance.

Now that the conditions are met, there's nothing to hesitate about.

......