Chapter 1707: Strange Island

He Lingchuan and his companions, of course, didn't have such things. Fortunately, gold and silver were still hard currency locally.

The innkeeper had a full head of white hair and appeared to be about seventy, but he was full of vigor. Noticing people still peering in through the window, he raised a hand to shoo away the idlers before returning to pour water for everyone.

"Are you guests from out of town?"

"Yes, we encountered a storm at sea and suddenly found ourselves here," He Lingchuan replied with a smile. "It's not marked on any sea charts. What is this place called?"

"This place is called Silver Pearl Island, and it also goes by the name Storm Island, because we're constantly enveloped by a wall of wind," the innkeeper explained. He handed them bamboo cups, made from sections of tender bamboo with edges shaved down and dried for a few days, creating simple, durable vessels. "The wind wall drifts across the ocean, and wherever it goes, Silver Pearl Island follows."

Silver Pearl Island always follows the storm.

"You don't usually see many outsiders, do you?"

"It's extremely rare! Rarer than a three-legged toad," the innkeeper stated clearly. "Most of the time, this storm opens a passage in the middle of the vast ocean, with no one else around. Where would outsiders come from?"

He Lingchuan asked, "You don't seem very surprised to see us?"

At least not as surprised as the other Silver Pearl Islanders outside, who had almost tried to touch them.

The innkeeper chuckled, "Indeed, indeed. Not only have I seen outsiders, but I've also visited your mainland ports!"

"Oh? How did that happen?" He Lingchuan casually handed over a silver ingot.

The innkeeper accepted it, his demeanor becoming even more cordial.

"It was sixty years ago. At that time, the storm happened to drift near a certain bay. After it vanished, we saw lights and a pier on the shore. I was young then, and my curiosity got the better of me, so I found a boat and rowed over. Four or five other companions went ashore with me, but I managed to return before the time limit, while three of them didn't make it and were left on the coast." The innkeeper sighed. "I haven't seen them since."

"A time limit?" Dong Rui asked. "How long is it?"

"Ten days," the innkeeper replied, pointing into the distance. "The calm waters you see will only last for ten days. Once the time limit is up, the storm will return, and Silver Pearl Island will be cut off from the world."

Silver Pearl Island is an archipelago encircled by the storm, and as long as the storm persists, they remain isolated from the outside world.

"This isolation then lasts for another five years, until the next passage opens."

He Lingchuan asked him, "What are the centipede basins on the street and the evil-warding talismans on your inn door for?"

"They're for fending off evil spirits, also called Yaksha, some with green skin, some with black!" The innkeeper sighed. "In the few days when the storm disappears, Yaksha might invade, and we have to guard against them vigilantly. Just five years ago, I personally saw a Yaksha eat someone—it was my neighbor's child! With a crunch, half of his head was bitten off."

Dong Rui was curious: "Since Silver Pearl Island follows the storm, where do these Yaksha come from?"

"The Wind God says that this island is usually protected by the storm, making it difficult for evil entities to approach. Only during these ten days, when the storm barrier disperses, can the evil spirits and Yaksha from the seabed pass unhindered and come ashore to devour people." The innkeeper pointed south. "Most of these Yaksha come from the Inverted Lake."

"Inverted Lake?" Everyone exchanged glances. "What's that got to do with the Inverted Sea?"

"The Inverted Sea is the body of water where Silver Pearl Island is located. There's also a lake on the island called the Inverted Lake."

A lake also named "Inverted"? "Where is it?"

The innkeeper pointed readily: "If you walk eight li east along the coastline from here, you'll see a large circular lake that connects to the sea. We all call it 'Inverted Lake'."

Just one word made a big difference in meaning. Dong Rui was curious: "Why is it called Inverted Lake?"

"It's just a place name; there's a stone tablet in the lake that says so. We also have another lake here called Kidney Lake, shaped just like a pig's kidney," the innkeeper chuckled. "You'll know once you see it."

Dong Rui continued to ask, "Have you been to that lake?"

"Yes, of course, I used to swim in that lake all the time when I was a child. The adults wouldn't let us go into the water, saying there were Yaksha that ate people, but children never listen. However, it's true that a few children disappeared in those years, and some great sea crocodiles were caught from the lake, which made everyone even more scared. If a child dared to swim secretly again, they'd get a beating every time they went into the water."

"Do people still go into the lake now?"

"Yes, there are plenty of fish in that lake, so people often go boating to fish." The innkeeper pointed to a waiter who had just passed by. "Ayi and his brother also often swim in the lake."

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui exchanged glances. Could the Inverted Sea, so steeped in legend, actually be so approachable that commoners could simply splash around in it?

They grew even more curious.

"Oh, my great-great-grandmother used to tell a story about her neighbor's child who had a strange illness that no one could cure. One time, the mother was carrying him past the Inverted Lake and sat on a large rock by the shore to rest. Thinking of her child's illness, she wept, and her tears fell into the lake. Suddenly, a large white fish leaped out of the lake and bumped hard into the child. The mother woke up with a start, only to realize it was a dream. Yet, the child in her arms was miraculously free of all illness and was crying robustly."

"Later, the child recovered without any medicine and lived to be eighty. Everyone said he had great fortune, having encountered the Wind God by the lake as a child, who cured his illness."

Wan Qifeng suddenly asked, "How did you come to settle in the center of the storm?"

"We were born and raised here, with no opportunity to leave. My ancestors, and their ancestors, were all Storm Islanders." The innkeeper coughed. "I've heard many absurd legends, but there are two more reliable ones. One says our ancestors were fishermen and merchants at sea who were swept into this place by a storm and settled here."

"Another version says that we have been residents of Silver Pearl Island for generations, from ancient times to the present. But long ago, when the sky fell and the earth cracked, Silver Pearl Island was about to be destroyed. It was the God of Storms who used immense divine power to drag the island here, allowing both the people and the island to be preserved for a long time."

"The God of Storms is the Wind God? What is his divine title?"

"Yes, yes, the Wind God's divine title is 'Heavenly Scourge Immeasurable, Deliverer from Peril, Manifestor of Illusions, True Immortal'!" The innkeeper pointed east. "There's a temple in the center of Silver Pearl City specifically dedicated to the Wind God."

Everyone immediately perked up. Dong Rui asked:

"Is there a statue? What does it look like?"

"Benevolent-looking with kind eyes, wide sleeves, and flowing robes, and a spiritual topknot on its head!" the innkeeper described. "The nobles in the city also like to dress this way."

Such an attire was completely unsuitable for work; surely only nobles could wear it?

He Lingchuan smiled, "Has this immortal ever performed any miracles?"

The gods of Beijia also liked to be depicted in human form in their statues, either benevolent and kind-eyed, or beautiful and noble. Of course, some were ferocious and terrifying, but generally they had human faces. The wild gods worshipped on the Flashgold Plains, however, sometimes had animal heads on human bodies, or human heads on animal bodies.

This was related to local traditional aesthetics and beliefs; gods, when they appeared, needed to be grounded, and immortals were likely no exception.

"Oh yes, of course!" the innkeeper said earnestly. "Not only has the Wind God performed miracles, but his subordinate immortals also frequently appear on Silver Pearl Island."

He Lingchuan chuckled, "It seems we'll have to pay our respects in the city when we have time."

"You absolutely must go!" the innkeeper said kindly. "Since you have had the good fortune to come to Silver Pearl Island, you should properly worship the Wind God for smooth sailing in the future."

While waiting for their food, everyone cast a few cleansing spells to remove the sour smell from the ship's cabin and the fishy odor from the market from their bodies, lest the strong scents affect their appetites.

Over a month ago, the Imperial Nectar surged in an unprecedented boom, causing spiritual energy in the human world to skyrocket. Everyone was much more generous with their use of true energy, no longer being so meticulous as before. He Lingchuan also taught his companions the new divine abilities from Panlong City, among which were several highly practical minor abilities, including this cleansing spell to remove dirt and odors.

Otherwise, they would have had to go to a bathhouse for a thorough wash, which would not have been suitable on this island fraught with danger.

As for eating—

Everyone had eaten dry rations on the ship, so this meal wasn't strictly necessary. However, He Lingchuan believed that many details could help discern truth from falsehood.

Ling Guang, as the chief medical officer, eagerly tasted every dish for poison—

Nothing happened.

The group was from the Yangshan Archipelago and had been eating island-style food for years. However, Silver Pearl Island's isolation meant its cuisine was quite different from the outside world. While Yangshan natives were used to eating pickled raw fish, here they deboned freshly caught oil-gan fish, cut it into small pieces, mixed it with mint, plums, sour berries, and scallions, and ate it with a dipping sauce.

It was exceptionally sour and fresh, instantly whetting the appetite.

Next came shallow-pit roasted meat and crispy duck with taro mash.

Before today, He Lingchuan had no idea that taro mash and duck were such a perfect match.

Savory, with fragrant duck fat seeping into the taro mash—oh my!

Everyone ate with smiles on their faces. The food must have been real; the satisfying fullness they felt couldn't be faked.

Of course, such a meal was not cheap. Local customers usually only ordered a bowl of red oil sour berry noodles, slurped it down, and left.

He Lingchuan had initially thought the red oil was red chili oil, but the taste was distinctly sour and spicy. After a few more bites, his tear ducts cleared up.

Dong Rui took a bite of duck and subconsciously asked him, "Are we going to..."

He Lingchuan gently shushed him. "We agreed not to discuss plan details openly here."

In True Immortal Qianhuan's territory, who knew how many divine senses or spies he might have for eavesdropping?

Everyone obediently focused on eating, occasionally sharing jokes, which erupted in laughter. They appeared very carefree, like tourists who had accidentally stumbled into a paradise, rather than walking into a den of dragons and tigers.

Wan Qifeng suddenly asked the innkeeper, who was personally serving the dishes, "What's the situation with Longxiang Restaurant down the street? Why is it surrounded by people shouting abuse?"

"It just opened the day before yesterday, and it was quite a sensation. I went to see it; it was packed," the innkeeper answered readily, pointing to a waiter nearby. "His cousin Ayang works there as a server, and apparently, they were very short-staffed that day."

"However, diners went home and suffered from diarrhea; dozens of them had to see a doctor. Alas, all the doctors in the city were busy that night, and unfortunately, one diner couldn't be saved and died."

Everyone murmured in understanding. If a restaurant caused a death, how could it possibly stay open?