Becoming an immortal against the will of heaven

The people of the fishing village had always made a living by fishing.

Before dawn, they would set sail in their boats, returning only in the evening. At that time, the joy of a bountiful catch or the disappointment of a fruitless day would be clearly written on their faces.

Because fishing depended on the weather, a good day could bring a great harvest, but a bad day meant wasted effort.

This way of life was too precarious, so some people gave up fishing and became ferrymen instead.

Although they didn't earn as much, it was more secure and involved less risk.

Old Man Sun was one such ferryman. In his younger years, he had been a skilled fisherman in the village, but during one deep-sea voyage, he encountered a sudden storm that nearly cost him his life. This instilled in him a fear of the vast ocean, and after surviving by a stroke of luck, he abandoned fishing and became a ferryman.

Today, he sat on his old fishing boat, puffing on his pipe while waiting for customers to arrive.

Because there were many small, inhabited islands around the main island, Old Man Sun never worried about a lack of business.

"Hey, old man, are you sailing today? I need a ride," a gentle voice called out.

‘Heh, look, business is coming to my door!’

"Yes, yes, I am! Please, sir, come aboard quickly," Old Man Sun replied hastily, putting away his pipe, afraid the customer might leave if he waited too long.

When he turned around, Chen Tian, a refined scholar in a white robe, was looking at him with a smile.

"Sir, you look unfamiliar. Are you not from around here?" Old Man Sun asked suspiciously, seeing Chen Tian.

Chen Tian walked towards the fishing boat, casually replying, "That's right. I'm a scholar on my way to the capital for the imperial examinations. I happened to be traveling through this area and found the scenery so beautiful that I decided to stop and enjoy it for a few days."

"Hey, sir, you've come to the right place! I can't boast about anything else, but the scenery here is unmatched. Every year, scholars and poets come to visit, and they especially enjoy composing poems and lyrics. See that cliff over there? It's covered in poems, but I'm illiterate, so I can't recognize what's written on it," Old Man Sun said, pointing to a smooth rock face in the distance, then chuckled awkwardly.

Chen Tian looked up and saw that the small stone wall was indeed covered with various poems written in vermilion ink, all praising the magnificent scenery.

After a moment, Chen Tian turned back and smiled, "That means you're blessed here. The gods must be watching over this place to have such beautiful scenery."

"That's what the sir says," Old Man Sun said proudly, picking up the oar. "We are protected by the Lady of Misty Waves, and we have always had favorable weather. Many people envy us for that."

Hearing his proud words, Chen Tian smiled and fell silent. With a light leap, he boarded the boat.

Watching Chen Tian get on board, Old Man Sun placed the oar in the water and asked casually, "By the way, sir, where are you going? To Emerald Isle nearby, or Wind Chime Island a little further away?"

"Neither," Chen Tian replied without thinking.

"Hmm?" Old Man Sun was surprised and turned to look at Chen Tian. "Sir, you don't want to go to Distant Water Island, do you? That's a day's journey, and the price will be higher!"

"Money is not a problem," Chen Tian said with a faint smile. "It's just that where I'm going is even further than Distant Water Island."

"What?" Old Man Sun was shocked.

Distant Water Island was the furthest inhabited island. Beyond that were only uninhabited, desolate islands.

Old Man Sun had been a ferryman here for over a decade and had never gone further than Distant Water Island.

After a moment of calculation, Old Man Sun looked up at Chen Tian and asked, "Sir, just tell me, where do you want to go?"

Business had been bad lately, and he wanted to earn as much as he could. As long as Chen Tian's request wasn't too outrageous, Old Man Sun would agree, even if it was a little further away.

Hearing Old Man Sun's words, Chen Tian pondered for a moment, then said softly, "Misty Spring Island, will you go?"

"Wha... what?"

Hearing Chen Tian mention such a place, Old Man Sun's mouth gaped open as if he had seen a ghost. He immediately shook his head repeatedly, saying, "No, no, no! I wouldn't go even if you beat me to death!"

Old Man Sun swallowed, his expression terrified, and said, "Sir, beyond Misty Spring Island lies the Mist of Myriad Miles. Anyone who gets close will get lost, without a doubt. How can anyone go to such a dangerous place?"

"Uh..."

Chen Tian felt helpless. Everything he said was true, so how was he teasing him?

But then he realized that he could understand these people's worries. According to the temple priest, that mist was very strange, and if you went in, you would definitely be trapped inside for a few days until you were dizzy with hunger before being released. That was why the locals were so afraid of that place and refused to go there at any cost.

‘What should I do?’

Chen Tian frowned, pondered for a moment, then shook his head helplessly, intending to use the most basic and direct method to solve the problem.

Chen Tian reached into his chest and pulled out a radiant celestial crystal, offering it to Old Man Sun and smiling, "Old man, I'll buy your fishing boat with this. Would you agree?"

Old Man Sun was still angry, but when he heard Chen Tian's words, he turned his head carelessly, intending to refuse outright. But when he glanced at the gem in Chen Tian's hand, his eyes were immediately glued to it as if by a magnet, unable to look away.

Old Man Sun opened his mouth in disbelief and asked, "Sir, are you really willing to buy my broken boat with this gem?"

"I, Chen, never go back on my word," Chen Tian said with a smile.

"Hehe, okay, I'll sell, I'll sell!"

Old Man Sun excitedly took the celestial crystal from Chen Tian's hand, then put down the oar and jumped ashore.

But even so, he mocked in his heart, "What an idiot! This gem could buy a hundred brand-new boats, but this kid is using it to exchange for my broken boat. Is there water in his brain?"

After taking his eyes off the celestial crystal, Old Man Sun looked at Chen Tian again, intending to say a few words of caution, but the scene before him shocked him!