His hair and beard were completely white, his face covered with deep wrinkles. His eyes were a vivid green, and he held a wooden staff in his hand. He looked kind and benevolent.
After appearing, he glanced at Gu Ning, who stood on the wooden boat, and gave a warm smile. With a gentle wave of his staff, the surrounding water suddenly surged outward, creating a pocket of space on the mountaintop.
Then, with a flick of his finger, a wooden table and two stools appeared on the ground, along with a few fruits and a wine set placed neatly on the table.
"Young friend, please come down and join me," he said kindly to Gu Ning after everything was set.
Gu Ning was impressed by how easily the old man created such a spectacle with just a few gestures.
He instructed Mo Li and the others to stay on the boat, then picked up Huohuo in his arms and stepped down onto the island. Windsor followed closely behind.
Once Gu Ning stood on the land, he took a deep breath—it felt just like being on solid ground. However, the occasional fish swimming past reminded him they were still in the middle of the sea.
Gu Ning walked up to the old man and gave a respectful bow. "Greetings, elder."
He understood the importance of showing respect to the strong, especially to one who carried himself with such poise and culture.
"No need for such formalities, young friend. Please, have a seat," the Mountain Turtle said with a smile. "Young lady, please sit as well."
With a wave of his hand, he conjured another stool.
Gu Ning and Windsor took their seats.
"So, this era's Chosen One is from the human race," the Mountain Turtle said with a sigh.
"Elder, what do you mean by 'Chosen One'?" Gu Ning sensed the significance behind those words and immediately asked.
"The Chosen Ones are individuals selected by the Mother of Heaven, deemed worthy to become Lords," the Mountain Turtle explained.
"Could you tell me more about that?" Gu Ning was eager to understand the world better.
"This isn't classified information, so I can share it," the Mountain Turtle replied.
As it turned out, this continent of Lords operates on a cycle. Every one hundred years marks a new era. With each era, the Mother of Heaven selects individuals to become Lords, subjecting them to trials and challenges as they grow stronger.
Sometimes, these Chosen Ones are picked from other realms, while other times, they're chosen from within the Land of Lords.
Each era is dominated by a different race—there have been orcs, dragons, sea dwellers, and many more...
What shocked Gu Ning most was the revelation that this world has two Mothers of Heaven: one from the Realm of Spirit, and the other from the Realm of Chaos.
The Mountain Turtle explained that the two Mothers were originally one entity but later split for unknown reasons—like a single being developing two opposing souls.
At first, they fought endlessly, causing great destruction to the world. Living creatures were wiped out, and civilization was nearly lost.
However, since their strength was tied to the vitality of the continent, they eventually agreed to a pact. They would no longer fight directly. Instead, they divided the continent and each began cultivating Lords to compete on their behalf.
As their Lords expanded their territories, the reach of each Mother's influence grew.
The more land their Lords controlled, the stronger their will and authority over the continent became.
This, ultimately, was the core reason behind the conflict between the Spirit Realm and the Chaos Realm.
"Then Elder, which side is currently winning—the Spirit Realm or the Chaos Realm?" Gu Ning asked curiously.
"They're still neck and neck," the Mountain Turtle replied.
"If the goal is to raise powerful Lords, why not just give us resources to help us grow faster?" Gu Ning asked another pressing question.
The Mountain Turtle chuckled. "A flower raised in a greenhouse cannot withstand the storm. The Mothers of Heaven do not only wish to gain control over the Land of Lords—they also want it to flourish."
He continued, "A prosperous continent gives rise to a stronger Mother of Heaven. Though they each still occupy half the land, the constant competition has driven the growth of every race."
"War breeds expansion. Expansion breeds development. Development breeds prosperity."
So that was the truth. The Mothers of Heaven ultimately sought to grow stronger themselves. Dominating the continent was one way, but nurturing life and civilizations was another.
Gu Ning thought for a moment and asked, "Since there are so many other Lords in this world, why haven't I encountered any of their territories?"
"Because this region is specially designated for beginners. Other Lords won't easily appear here—and they're not allowed to harm you."
"What about you?" Gu Ning asked.
"We sea beasts are not bound by that rule," the Mountain Turtle said with a smile.
"Why not? Can sea creatures attack us too?"
"Our sea beast clan has a separate pact with the Mothers of Heaven. I don't know all the details. As for sea creatures, they are not the same race as us."
"Huh? Really?" Gu Ning was surprised. "But you're all from the ocean..."
"We sea beasts never take human form. The sea race, however, does," the Mountain Turtle explained.
Gu Ning gave him a skeptical look, as if to say, "Are you kidding me?"
The Mountain Turtle clarified, "What you see now is just an avatar—it's not a true human form."
That made sense. After all, they were still standing on the Mountain Turtle's actual body.
"Elder, do you happen to know anything about the City of the Mother?" Gu Ning asked as he picked up a fruit from the table. He was feeling much more relaxed now.
To his surprise, the fruit contained a hidden bonus—it could boost attributes.
He quickly used his Spirit Sight skill to check:
Spirit-Essence Purple Grape (Green): Increases 3–4 random attribute points when consumed.Spirit-Essence Blue Berry (Green): Increases 3–4 random attribute points when consumed.Mystic Ginseng (Blue): Increases 5–10 random attribute points when consumed.
This was excellent stuff—Gu Ning immediately gave one fruit each to Windsor and Huohuo.
To his surprise, these fruits didn't dissolve into streams of energy like before. Instead, they remained tangible, with real taste and texture.
The Mountain Turtle noticed Gu Ning's surprised expression and explained, "These natural treasures won't dissipate after being soaked in Mother's Essence."
"Mother's Essence? What is that? And will these fruits grow seeds afterward?"
"Mother's Essence is sold in the City of the Mother—it's very affordable. Once soaked, the treasures won't produce seeds."
"The seeds are only available for purchase in the City of the Mother," he added.
The Mountain Turtle then began telling Gu Ning about the city.
According to him, this world has three special cities: the City of the Mother of the Spirit Realm, the City of the Mother of the Chaos Realm, and the City of Chaos.
Among them, the City of Chaos is the most bustling, as it's open to all Lords, regardless of allegiance.
As for personal merit points, they must be redeemed in the Spirit Realm's City of the Mother.