Chapter 401 - 369: The Camp
Chapter 401: Chapter 369: The Camp
"This island is incredible!"
As the boat neared the island, Zhao Lin couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
Red Tail Island was lush with green trees and rich with Spiritual Qi. Wisps of cloud swirled around it like fine silk, and flocks of seabirds soared overhead, making it look like a paradise.
However, the other side of the island was shrouded in a gray-black mist, its true appearance completely obscured, giving it a strange and eerie feel.
That was the Earth Dark Sect’s mountain-protecting Array.
According to the mission details, a tall mountain ran north to south through the center of Red Tail Island, dividing it into eastern and western halves.
The Chenghua Sect occupied the western third, while the other two-thirds were under the de facto control of the Earth Dark Sect.
In the great sect war a thousand years ago, the Earth Dark Sect had seized Red Tail Island and used it as a forward base for their attacks.
After the war, the Chenghua Sect negotiated repeatedly and tried every means possible, but the Earth Dark Sect refused to relinquish control, even bringing in extra-planar forces to intervene. As a result, the territory was never recovered.
This was because if the Chenghua Sect were to gain full control of Red Tail Island, they would not only acquire countless precious resources but also gain access to a vast expanse of sea, breaking through the blockade imposed by the Earth Dark Sect and its extra-planar allies.
The so-called "extra-planar forces" referred to sects from outside the Dongling Realm.
The Xuanyuan Continent was divided into four realms: the Dongling Realm, the Zhong Mountain Realm, the Xiluo Realm, and the New Origin Realm.
The realms were separated by vast distances and solid realm barriers. In the past, there had been no contact, and they were not even aware of each other’s existence.
It wasn’t until several thousand years ago, when a cultivator from the Xiluo Realm broke through a realm barrier, that they discovered how vast the Xuanyuan Continent truly was. Only then did deep exchanges between the realms begin.
For some sects, this was a good thing. They could learn from the cultivation methods of other sects and supplement their resources.
But for other sects, this development brought nothing but catastrophic disaster...
"We’re here. Everyone off the boat!"
Yu the Third took out a Token and shined it into the mist. The mist immediately parted, revealing two massive rocks.
The character for "Red" was carved on the left rock, and the character for "Tail" was on the right. On each side stood five blue-robed cultivators clad in armor and wielding magical treasures.
Zhao Lin nodded to himself. ’With such tight security, this must be the "mountain gate" of Red Tail Island.’
"Who goes there?"
The lead blue-robed cultivator shouted, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone on the boat.
"Chief Qu, don’t you recognize me? We’re here to deliver supplies to the island."
Yu the Third answered loudly.
"Hand over your Body Stones..."
The blue-robed cultivator said, his expression unchanging as he extended a hand.
Everyone disembarked and used their Exorcism Skill to toss their Body Stones over.
The blue-robed cultivator’s inspection was meticulous. He not only verified the contents of the Body Stones but also cross-referenced each person’s appearance and used the Qi Observation Skill to check their cultivation levels.
After confirming there were no issues, he said, "You may enter!"
With a wave of his hand, he opened the mountain-protecting Array.
The cultivators from the boat disembarked onto the island, carrying supplies like Spirit Rice, Spirit Wine, and Spirit Beast Meat. Zhao Lin followed and stepped forward to state his purpose.
"Xiaowu, take him to Elder Huang."
The lead cultivator instructed one of the guards.
"Brother Yu, thank you for your care along the way. We’ll meet again."
Zhao Lin turned and bid farewell to Yu the Third.
"Don’t mention it!"
Yu the Third clapped Zhao Lin on the shoulder. "I wish you a successful mission, little brother. Kill a few more Sea Ghosts for me, and I’ll treat you to drinks when you get back."
"Alright. I’ll be sure to find you when I return, Third Brother Yu."
Zhao Lin nodded in agreement, then followed the guard into the island’s interior.
"Sergeant, how many years have you been stationed on this island?"
Zhao Lin asked casually as he followed behind the guard, sizing up their surroundings.
The guard wasn’t old. He wore armor over his blue robes, protecting vital areas like his chest, abdomen, and back.
As far as Zhao Lin knew, cultivators like this were usually called battle cultivators, or soldier cultivators.
Their duty was to guard the sect’s borders, making them the equivalent of soldiers in the mortal world.
Zhao Lin had a natural affinity for such people, so he spoke very politely.
"Six years."
The guard replied, sparing his words.
"That long? Have you left at all during that time?"
"Twice, to visit family. For about a month in total."
The guard answered nonchalantly.
Hearing this, Zhao Lin was filled with a sense of respect. ’It would be difficult to last six years stationed in a place like this without exceptional willpower and mental fortitude.’
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Who has the highest cultivation level on our island?"
The guard’s expression darkened slightly. "Don’t ask about things you’re not supposed to know."
Zhao Lin wasn’t bothered. In fact, he had already inquired about it; the highest-ranking commander on the island was a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator.
Why not a Golden Core Cultivator?
In reality, a sect the size of the Chenghua Sect only had a dozen or so Golden Core Realm cultivators in total.
These Golden Core Cultivators typically lived in seclusion, guarding the sect’s most vital strategic points. They would not be easily mobilized unless the sect was at war.
Red Tail Island’s location was important, and the fact that the sect had dispatched a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator showed they took it quite seriously.
After a brief exchange, the two arrived in front of a stone house.
The stone house wasn’t large, only about thirty feet across, with mottled walls that showed their age.
An old man sat inside, holding a vermilion brush and scribbling in a notebook.
"Elder Huang, this is the cultivator who has come to undertake the Spirit Pearl gathering mission."
The guard said, bowing as he entered. Then he turned to Zhao Lin and said, "Body Stone."
The old man stopped writing and looked up. He took the Body Stone and glanced at it before sizing up Zhao Lin. "This mission is extremely risky. With your cultivation level, surviving will be quite difficult. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"Once it’s recorded, you can’t back out."
"Thank you for the warning. I’m sure!"
Zhao Lin replied with a serious expression.
"Good!"
The old man took out a Star Origin Brush, wrote a record on the Body Stone, and handed it back to Zhao Lin.
He then handed Zhao Lin a wooden plaque and instructed, "You have three days before you set sail. Rest in the camp for now."
"Remember, do not wander around freely, and don’t go snooping. Stay away from any place with a restrictive seal."
To prevent over-harvesting, the waters around Red Tail Island were strictly managed. Setting sail was only permitted for three days at the beginning and middle of each month.
Today was the twenty-seventh day of the eleventh month. He would have to wait three days until the first day of the twelfth month to begin the mission.
"Understood."
Zhao Lin acknowledged, then followed the guard away from the stone house.
The guard led Zhao Lin east for a short distance until they arrived at a camp.
The camp’s facilities were very simple, with twenty or thirty wooden huts scattered sparsely about, all enclosed by a wicker fence.
"You can rest here. Someone will come for you in three days."
The guard stopped, said his piece, and left.
As Zhao Lin walked into the camp, a dozen or so cultivators, hearing his approach, emerged from the wooden huts and slowly gathered around him.
"Fellow Daoist, may I ask your name? You’re here for the Spirit Pearl gathering mission, I presume?"
One of the cultivators, a man of about forty, took the initiative to ask.
"I am Zhao Lin. And as you say, Brother, I am indeed here for the Spirit Pearl gathering mission."
Zhao Lin nodded and said, "I presume the same is true for all of you?"
"That’s right."
"A pleasure to meet you!"
The crowd replied in unison.
A plain-looking female cultivator suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Your cultivation is only at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer... Huh? No, wait, you’re a Martial Cultivator!"
Zhao Lin smiled. "Fellow Daoist, you have a sharp eye. I am indeed a Martial Cultivator."