Becoming an immortal against the will of heaven

To the east of the Qian Yuan Continent lies a vast, boundless ocean. It is shrouded in mist, dotted with countless islands.

Among them, one particular sea area stands out.

Here, a layer of white mist perpetually lingers, spanning tens of thousands of kilometers. Fishermen who inadvertently steer their boats into this fog immediately lose their bearings, trapped within.

Strangely, however, this mist seems to have no intention of harming people. After confining them for three or four days, leaving them dizzy, it disperses to reveal a passage, using the ocean currents to guide them away.

Having learned such a lesson, the fishermen never dared to venture into it again.

Over hundreds of years, passed down through generations, the people revered this place as a sacred ground, calling it 'Mist-Shrouded Jade Pool,' believing a kind and benevolent goddess resided within, protecting them.

On this particular day, the originally clear sky shifted abruptly. A torrential downpour, like a disobedient child, fell with reckless abandon, drenching those who had yet to return home.

However, the people living by the sea were long accustomed to such unreasonable weather. As soon as the first raindrops fell, they sprang into action. Before long, the once bustling street was deserted.

The caretaker of the 'Mist-Shrouded Palace' was an elderly man, clad in a simple blue Daoist robe. On this rainy day, he was sweeping the vast temple grounds. Only during heavy rain were there fewer people in the temple, making it the perfect time to maintain its cleanliness.

"Swish… Swish…"

"Drip… Drip…"

The rattan broom swept across the ground, creating a pleasant sound, which, combined with the patter of raindrops, formed a beautiful melody.

The old man had lived in the temple since childhood. Half a lifetime of devoted contemplation had rendered his mind unperturbed, as still as water.

This tranquility suited him perfectly.

"Bang… Bang… Bang…"

Just then, a knock suddenly echoed from outside the palace gates. The vermilion doors were made of century-old camphor wood, producing a particularly heavy sound when knocked upon, unlike doors made of other materials.

"Who could it be on such a rainy day?"

The old man was taken aback by the sudden knocking, wondering with confusion.

Quickly, however, the old man put down his broom, picked up an oil-paper umbrella, and walked across the bluestone path of the central hall to the door.

Opening the door, a young man in a white robe, refined and gentle, immediately appeared before the old man.

"Old man, the rain is pouring, and dusk is approaching. May I seek shelter inside?" Chen Tian cupped his fist towards the old man, inquiring.

The old man sized up Chen Tian, finding that he did not look like a bad person, and nodded, saying, "Young master, please come in."

With that, the old man pushed the door open a bit more, to make it easier for Chen Tian to enter.

Seeing this, Chen Tian cupped his fist again, then stepped inside.

Just as Chen Tian passed by the old man, the old man seemed to notice something, asking with curiosity, "Young master, did you just come through the rain?"

"Yes," Chen Tian replied readily, "When I arrived in the village, the rain came pouring down. I happened to see this palace here, so I came to take shelter."

"That's not right!" However, after hearing Chen Tian's account, the old man seemed even more puzzled, saying with confusion, "Since young master came through the rain, and did not bring an umbrella, why are the clothes on your body so dry, not wet at all?"

Hearing the old man's words, Chen Tian was also stunned for a moment, looking down at himself. Sure enough, the clothes on Chen Tian's body were neat and without a single trace of water, not at all like someone who had come from the rain.

Seeing this, Chen Tian smiled helplessly, inwardly lamenting his carelessness. It turned out that when it started raining, Chen Tian had dissipated his spiritual power, forming a protective circle around him, preventing the rain from falling in, which was why his clothes remained dry.

But clearly, Chen Tian had overlooked that doing so would arouse the suspicion of ordinary people. Therefore, upon hearing the old man's words, Chen Tian was instantly stunned.

Fortunately, the old man was broad-minded and did not press the matter further. He smiled and said, "Alright, young master, don't just stand foolishly at the door. Come in with me."

With that, the old man shared half of his umbrella with Chen Tian, and the two of them waded through the water to the main hall of the palace.

The rain was indeed heavy. Without using his spiritual power, the clothes on Chen Tian's body were quickly soaked by the splashing water.

Chen Tian patted the clothes on his body, then raised his eyes and saw the statue in the center of the main hall, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Old man, who is this person?"

"Oh, she is the patron saint of our fishing village, we call her the Mist-Shrouded Goddess. Here, young master, drink this ginger tea while it's hot," the old man said, handing a bowl of ginger tea to Chen Tian.

Chen Tian held the ginger tea with both hands, but did not rush to drink it. Instead, he continued to ask, "Then why do you wrap her whole body in red?"

Indeed, the figure of this 'Mist-Shrouded Goddess' in the main hall, not only her clothes, hair ribbons, and even small ornaments, were all deliberately painted red.

"Young master is from out of town, it's normal not to know," the old man smiled and said, "Actually, a hundred years ago, someone here saw the Mist-Shrouded Goddess."

"Hmm? Are you saying the Mist-Shrouded Goddess descended to earth?" Chen Tian frowned and asked.

"Yes," the old man nodded and said, "A hundred years ago, a ferocious蛟 dragon suddenly came to our sea. It did evil and ate people whenever it saw them. One sweep of its tail would overturn the fishing boats fishing in the sea. At that time, it was the most dangerous moment for our little fishing village. Just when everyone was in despair, the 'Mist-Shrouded Goddess' suddenly descended."

Speaking to this point, the old man paused, respectfully inserted a stick of incense into the incense burner before the altar, and then continued, "At that time, the Mist-Shrouded Goddess was wearing a flowing red palace dress. With a wave of her jade hand, she subdued the evil dragon and rescued our little fishing village."

The old man's eyes were shining, as if he had extreme worship for the 'Mist-Shrouded Goddess'.

"Oh, so there was such a thing!" Chen Tian muttered to himself softly after listening, but in his eyes, a strange light flashed.