Volume One: The Celestial Cloud Palace Chapter Fifty-Eight: Heart-Shaped Island

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Heart-Shaped Island

A piercing cry rang out from the blue sky—a fierce raptor stretched its neck and called, its enormous wings beating as it soared across a thousand miles in an instant. Below, mountains and rivers seemed shrouded in darkness as if a storm was passing; one could imagine how vast the creature’s body must be.

Beneath the sky, in a forest amidst the mountains, a familiar figure slowly rose from a ground strewn with fallen leaves. He glanced around, then muttered to himself, “This must be the inner world of the Grand Immortal’s abode.”

“Damn it! You almost crushed me—move your filthy foot already!” A strange voice suddenly called out.

Zhou Hao quickly stepped back and saw that where his right foot had just stood, there lay a black tortoise shell. His expression changed instantly. “You wretched turtle, how did you get here?”

“Trying to ditch me and seize fortune for yourself? Keep dreaming!” The tortoise poked out its dark head, regarding Zhou Hao with disdain.

“I’m doing this for your own good. Do you know how dangerous this place is?” Zhou Hao countered righteously.

“Isn’t the Cloudy Immortal Hall just as dangerous?” the tortoise retorted.

“Fine, you win. But how did you sneak onto me so quietly? It’s one thing if I didn’t notice, but surely the hall masters couldn’t have missed you?” Zhou Hao pondered aloud, puzzled.

“Would I tell you that my clan of immortal tortoises possesses a supreme art for concealing our presence—the Tortoise Breath Technique?” the tortoise declared proudly.

“No wonder…” Zhou Hao nodded, then leaned in closer. At this moment, the tortoise was only the size of a grown man’s fist.

Zhou Hao grinned slyly. “Grandpa Tortoise, we’re friends now, right? Could you—”

“No!” the tortoise interrupted flatly, turning its face away. “Trying to trick me into teaching you the supreme arts of my clan? Not a chance!”

“You have so many immortal arts—can’t you teach me just one?” Zhou Hao persisted, pleading.

“All my arts are secrets of my clan. Teaching one is as bad as teaching them all. Young man, I know your intentions. Don’t waste your breath!” The tortoise shook its head and sneered coldly.

“You miserable turtle! After all I’ve done for you, you have no sense of gratitude—stingy! No, you’re not just stingy, you’re a stingy turtle!” Zhou Hao huffed in annoyance.

The tortoise said nothing. The silence lingered until suddenly, a violent roar erupted in the forest!

A terrifying beast’s cry echoed. Trees snapped ahead, leaves fell in sheets, and the colossal body of a beast could just be glimpsed pushing down the woods, trampling the earth.

“Let’s go have a look!” Zhou Hao grabbed the fist-sized tortoise and dashed forward like an arrow released from the string.

He saw it—and nearly fell from the tree he was standing on!

Beside a massive green mountain stood a raging ape, a hundred yards tall, with three heads and six arms, its entire body covered in golden fur. A single roar cracked the clouds above.

Facing the ape was an immortal—a disciple who had entered the Grand Immortal’s abode to seek fortune, and a member of one of the four great factions.

He wore a russet-red robe, and was drawing a bow, preparing to kill the raging ape. The arrow was extraordinary, its shaft covered in crimson markings, its tip pure gold. As he pulled the bow, the arrow crackled with red lightning, coiling around it like a fiery dragon.

The ape was ferocious, pounding its chest with all six fists, producing a deep rumble. Then, with anger, it swung at the red-robed disciple, who only curled his lips in a cold smile, regarding him as prey before releasing the arrow!

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With a sharp whistle, the arrow shot forth, leaving a fiery red trail in the air. It emitted the roar of a dragon; blazing arcs of red lightning transformed into a crimson dragon, wrapping around the arrow as it pierced the ape’s neck!

With a thunderous crash, the gigantic ape fell, smashing the mountain beside it. The earth shook, and dust soared skyward.

“Who’s there?” The red-robed disciple, having slain the ape, hadn’t time to relish his victory before his expression chilled. He glared in a direction and shouted harshly.

Seeing no point in hiding, Zhou Hao revealed himself. The ape’s dying roar had nearly knocked him from the tree, exposing his presence. He blamed the tortoise for not teaching him the Tortoise Breath Technique. With this in mind, Zhou Hao squeezed the tortoise harder, who cursed him furiously in his grip.

“Greetings, I was merely passing by and happened to witness your impressive display. I couldn’t help but stop for a moment—if I’ve offended you, please forgive me!” Zhou Hao smiled and bowed respectfully.

But his greeting was answered with a fiery red arrow, so swift it was despairing. Zhou Hao couldn’t dodge in time, so he simply raised the tortoise to shield himself.

With a clang, the arrow stopped two feet from Zhou Hao’s neck and dropped to the ground. Zhou Hao was holding the tortoise shell in front of his throat!

It was pure quick thinking—and Zhou Hao was right. The tortoise’s black shell was astonishingly tough. Even the fiery arrow, capable of slaying the ape in one shot, did not damage the shell at all. In fact, the arrowhead was worn down.

The red-robed disciple was stunned. He looked at the tortoise in Zhou Hao’s hand, then at the arrow on the ground, and found it all unbelievable.

Not even ten mountains could withstand his arrows—yet the truth was otherwise…

“Damn it, who are you?” The red-robed disciple clenched his fists, radiating a fierce fighting spirit.

“Ah, you shameless wretch, using me as a shield!” The tortoise was the most furious of all, not the disciple.

The tortoise had been grabbed and used as a shield by Zhou Hao without warning. If its shell hadn’t been hard, it would have met its end!

Even now, it didn’t dare poke its head out…

“Heh, I didn’t expect you’d be so useful. Don’t worry, he’ll shoot again, and I’ll still need you!” Zhou Hao replied smoothly.

“Why don’t you just die!” the tortoise screamed.

Ignoring the tortoise, Zhou Hao shamelessly held it up. He knew the tortoise understood its situation—if it dared to poke its head out, the red-robed disciple’s next arrow would spell its death, so it could only obediently cooperate!

“Brother, the fifty disciples who entered are all seeking fortune. Why must you pursue me so relentlessly? We could simply mind our own business!” Zhou Hao said to the red-robed disciple.

“Hmph, what are you but a worthless disciple of the Immortal Hall? Don’t think you can bargain with me just because you blocked one arrow with a tortoise. How childish!” The disciple’s eyes grew sinister.

“Since we’ve met, you must die today!”

Zhou Hao narrowed his eyes, knowing peace was impossible. Without further talk, he unleashed a thunderous strike!

“Great Radiant Sun Palm!”

Golden light flooded the area. Zhou Hao’s right hand sent forth a massive golden palm print, with a miniature sun spinning rapidly at its center.

“Ah!” The red-robed disciple never expected to be killed instantly. When he saw the golden palm print rushing toward him, a surge of terror arose—the primal fear of death!

He didn’t even have time to shoot another arrow. Overwhelmed by fear and the Great Radiant Sun Palm, he was annihilated, and the mountain beside him shattered, dust veiling dozens of miles.

“Underestimating others is never wise,” Zhou Hao shook his head at the scorched earth where the red-robed disciple had been.

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“What a formidable palm technique! Boy, will you teach me your Great Radiant Sun Palm?” The tortoise finally poked out its head, amazed at the devastation all around.

“Want to learn, huh?” Zhou Hao grinned.

The tortoise nodded vigorously. “I’d love to!”

“Well then… trade me your Tortoise Breath Technique!” Zhou Hao seized the opportunity.

“That’s our clan’s treasured art—I really can’t teach it!” The tortoise was troubled.

“Ah, then there’s nothing I can do for you.”

…

Sword-riding in the azure sky, the world lay below. Zhou Hao and the tortoise soared upward. Zhou Hao felt he should first find Su Qing, and believed she must be searching for him as well.

Surveying the land, he and the tortoise finally saw how peculiar the Grand Immortal’s world was. It was an island—a heart-shaped island, surrounded on all sides by boundless ocean!

Though not as vast as a continent, the heart-shaped island stretched thousands of miles, encircled by golden beaches. The azure sea surged and retreated, waves crashing onto the sands, shimmering brilliantly.

The island’s regions were diverse and complex: dense forests, endless grassy plains, harsh mini-deserts, snowy peaks, and at the heart of the island, a massive volcano whose mouth spewed smoke like a chimney…

“This island is remarkable—it contains every kind of environment, almost a miniature continent!” Zhou Hao exclaimed.

“Stop circling above, you’re making me nervous—I’m afraid of heights! Besides, you’ll never find anyone this way. Use your head, will you?” The tortoise hid in Zhou Hao’s arms, poked its head out for a look, then quickly withdrew.

“So what do you suggest?” Zhou Hao asked, at a loss.

“Go to the beach. Grandpa Tortoise wants a sunbath!” The tortoise chuckled.

“That’s actually a good idea… Wait, I need to find Su Qing!” Zhou Hao snapped back to seriousness.

“That girl is clearly steadier than you, and her cultivation is strong—she’ll be fine. Besides, she might be at the golden sands as well!” the tortoise advised.

“Alright, we’ll head to the upper region of the heart-shaped island!” Zhou Hao agreed at last.

On the golden beach, amid coconut groves and soft blue sands, relaxation beckoned. The tortoise’s first act upon landing was to bury itself in the sand!

“Oh, this feels great!” the tortoise shouted, its dark head poking out, a coconut leaf shading its eyes.

“The sea breeze is delightful!” Zhou Hao didn’t lie in the sand, but strolled along the shore, gazing at the blue ocean and savoring the gentle breeze.

“Ah, the satisfaction of a tortoise’s life!” Beside the tortoise’s head were two large green coconuts. Somehow, it had produced two straws, and now sucked greedily from both.

“Only caring about the comforts before you! How could you understand the poetry and pleasure of distant horizons?” Zhou Hao glanced at the tortoise with disdain.

But the next moment… he summoned a lounge chair, setting it where the waves and sand met, and joined in with two coconuts, lounging as well.

“Life is short, so one must seize joy when it comes. Now that I’m an immortal, all the more reason to relish it!”