On the coast of the East China Sea, Jimo Village. The sand gulls fly and gather, and the sea breeze is slightly drunk.

Jimo Village is a small fishing village in the eastern part of China. However, dozens of families have been fishing for generations. A small fishing village like this is not a thousand, but eight hundred, on the coast of the East China Sea.

Jimo Village is different.

Jimo has a permanent population of only a few hundred, but less than half a mile to the west of the village is surrounded by thousands of exquisite courtyards, large and small. In contrast, Jimo Village is like an annex. For most of the year, these small courtyards are deserted. Only in the period from early July to mid-August will there be thousands of businessmen and porters from all over China.

They came here for a specialty here - Lantian jade.

Lantian jade is a kind of white jade with a warm color and delicate feel, which is said to have various magical effects such as cold and dust, and is quite popular with wealthy people. And the only one who can buy Lantian jade in the world is Jimo Village.

The Jia people came all the way to this small fishing village for this little white stone.

The origin of Lantian jade is not in Jimo, but in the heart of the East China Sea, which is not many miles east of Jimo Village, on a small island called "Lantian Island".

The job of jade mining is only capable of the villagers of Jimo Village. It's just that Lantian Island is too far away, such as seafarers talking about Yingzhou, the smoke and waves are slightly blank and difficult to find, and the artificially built ships cannot reach it at all.

Only on the seventh day of the seventh month of every month, a giant turtle will emerge from the sea and carry the villagers of Jimo to Lantian Island, and on August 15, it will carry the villagers of Jimo back. If a non-Jimo villager tries to get on the back of a giant turtle, the giant turtle will angrily disappear into the waves of the East China Sea, and it will never reappear again.

It is another year of jade harvesting season, and the villagers who usually fish for a living prepare enough food early, burn incense and make sacrifices on the seaside, and set up altars. Waiting for the arrival of the Turtle. Jade merchants from all over China also gathered on the seashore to buy the best Lantian jade from fishermen. Hundreds of fishermen and thousands of jade merchants gathered on the waterfront, looking forward to the east.

Zhu Xiangxiang is the richest man in Shenzhou, the Lu family, who is stationed in Jimo Village, and is also the youngest head of the Lu family. Zhu Xiangxiang is thirty years old, her skin is better than snow, and her body is plump, which is the age when she is full of charm. was assigned to this remote seaside village, and I don't know how many people feel sorry for her. Zhu Xiangxiang herself doesn't think it's bad here.

Only when you come here do you know how good it is. As long as the 15th day of August is busy in a year, the rest of the time is freely allocated, but the treatment that the hall master should have is quite a lot.

Moreover, with her Zhu Xiangxiang's ability, at least sixty percent of the Lantian jade produced every year flows into the Lu family, and she can earn at least 10 million gold for the Lu family every year!

Today is the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh month, the day of the arrival of the Divine Turtle. Zhu Xiangxiang could have slept as usual. After all, she only bought jade, and nothing else. She was tired of seeing the turtle coming.

But before dawn, Zhu Xiangxiang got up and gathered on the seashore with the crowd, just because her nephew wanted to see the turtle. Although Zhu Xiangxiang is not young, she has never been married, and she has no children, so she only loves this nephew and treats her as her own.

"Aunt Xiang, it's so cold! I don't want to watch it, let's go back!"

Zhu Xiaoxiao was very unhappy. He was forcibly pulled out of the warm quilt by Zhu Xiangxiang, and was stirred by the sea breeze, and suddenly shivered from the cold. He was wide and short, with his shoulders bent and his neck hooked, looking so funny.

"Dead! You are a worthless thing! You are a virtuous person with your dead ghost father!" Zhu Xiangxiang had long been very dissatisfied with Zhu Xiaoxiao's nest, but she was reluctant to discipline him strictly, so she had to let him go.

She sighed and said, "Wait a minute, it's all here." I'll send you home when the turtle is gone. ”

It was when the crowd was boiling. About a hundred feet above their heads, there was a figure in a green robe sitting with his eyes closed. The figure almost blended into the thin morning light, and it was difficult to distinguish.

The wait was one morning.

Zhu Xiaoxiao's patience was extremely poor, and he scolded several times, and was glared at by the surrounding villagers who believed in the turtle a few times, before he honestly lowered his head and kept muttering. Fortunately, Zhu Xiangxiang still has a little thin face here, and she apologized one by one, and finally revealed it.

"Aunt Xiang, tell me about the turtle!" Zhu Xiaoxiao is still young, and she is still curious about the turtle.

"It's rare that you have a time when you're curious!" Zhu Xiangxiang glanced at this unsuccessful nephew and teased. She cleared her throat and recounted the story that had been passed down in the land for hundreds of years.

Lantian Island is located in the heart of the East China Sea, more than 4,000 miles away from the coastline, and is rumored to be cut down by Weili from the mainland when the demons invaded 10,000 years ago. The climate here is mild, the four seasons are like spring, so there are many fairy herbs and treasures on the island, rare birds and beasts, although it is not as good as the rumored Penglai, the abbot, but I want to come and go not far away. And what mortals care about is not the ethereal elixir, but the white jade that is abundant on Lantian Island. Legend has it that those who are above the Lantian jade can smoke under the sun, and they are not cold. Therefore, there is a poem that says, "Lantian is warm and jade smokes".

However, Lam Tin Island is so far from the coastline that it is difficult to find its bearing, and ordinary ships cannot reach it at all. Fortunately, on the seventh day of July every year, near Jimo Village on the coast of the East China Sea, a big turtle will emerge, dozens of feet high. The big turtle has a spirit, and the jade pickers take the big turtle to Lantian Island. On August 15, the big turtle returned, the jade pickers arrived on the shore, and the big turtle was hidden. This has been the case for hundreds of years. People who are not from Jimo Village are not allowed to board the back of the turtle, otherwise the turtle will be angry and refuse to carry it. As a result, jade mining has become an important means for Jimo villagers to make a living.

As for where the turtle came from and why it was willing to carry the villagers of Jimo, it is another unsolved mystery.

After listening to the narration, Zhu Xiaoxiao was leisurely fascinated, and the original anxiety disappeared.

"I really want to meet this turtle!"

Zhu Xiangxiang saw that her nephew showed such a yearning look. couldn't help but be delighted, and said with a smile: "The land of Shenzhou is vast, and I don't know how many legends and stories are circulating. There are fox spirits and talented people, there are divine birds born from the fire, there are gods who become spirits and bless one side, and there are fairies who take plum as their souls, ice muscles and jade bones...... It's just that Shenzhou is too big, and it is difficult for ordinary people to travel around. If you have a little bit of talent, attain enlightenment, and practice spells, then you can walk with the void and the sword, although the world is big, you can also go through it, and you can also visit the old news in person. Wouldn't it be much more interesting than my empty words?"

Zhu Xiao knew Zhu Xiangxiang's words, and his heart itched even more unbearable, and he couldn't help but feel like his soul flew out of the sky, and he thought about it wildly, and he was stupid for a while.

At noon, where the sea and the sky meet, a white wave more than ten feet high comes with the sea breeze, and suddenly it has reached the near sea. The crowd became even more noisy, and the figure's eyes suddenly opened, looking to the east.

"The Turtle is here!"

"Hurry up the firecrackers!"

"Please come to the stage to preside over the sacrifice!"

The respected elders of the village command the young people to initiate the tedious rituals.

The huge waves are getting closer and closer, like Mount Tai pressing on the top, and the sky is half dark. Seeing that it was about to be photographed on the shore, the people who were standing further forward were already half wet in their clothes. Zhu Xiaoxiao, the fledgling son, trembled with fright and almost collapsed on the ground.

The locals of Jimo Village were very excited, desperately squeezing forward, as if they were proud of being touched by water.

Just when the catastrophe is about to happen. But the great wave dissipated suddenly, like a landslide and the earth cracked. The splash just covered the crowd and drenched everyone.

Zhu Xiaoxiao had never seen such a scene, he was dizzy from being poured cold water on his head, and the rumbling sound of the water made his ears buzz even more, and he couldn't stand steadily. The original hazy good impression of the turtle was also like Tang Woxue, and it disappeared.

The crowd erupted in cheers, almost drowning out the roar of the waves.

"There is more holy water this year than last year!"

"Another good harvest this year!"

The earth-shattering waves gradually subsided, revealing a behemoth hidden in the waves.

"Worship the turtle!" the Wu Zhu of the village pinched his throat and shouted, and the villagers knelt on the ground and kowtowed, and the foreign jade merchants bowed their hands. Zhu Xiangxiang also pulled the frightened Zhu Xiaoxiao and saluted.

Thundered!

The turtle got closer and closer, like a cloud covering the sky and the sun, and gradually appeared in shape. When the giant foot hammer fell, the ground trembled. Zhu Xiaoxiao had just recovered from the waves, and began to tremble again.

I saw that the turtle was dozens of zhang high, with a slender neck, a few zhang long thorns on its back and foot joints, and many seashells and algae were clinging. If it weren't for the fact that a pair of eyes were closed and extremely spiritual, it would definitely make people think that it was a monster from somewhere, and what kind of turtle it looked like!

Moo--

The turtle suddenly opened its mouth and let out a clear groan. The huge mouth full of sharp teeth was just in the direction of Zhu Xiaoxiao, and a fishy smell unique to the sea rushed straight to Zhu Xiaoxiao!

Zhu Xiaoxiao's face turned pale, and she sat on the ground with her butt, retching incessantly, causing a burst of laughter on the side.

Zhu Xiangxiang was angry and funny, squatting down, and smoothing out this unsuccessful nephew.

"The turtle is urging us, hurry up!"

A group of young people in Jimo Village immediately set up ladders and ropes and got busy.

After a few teas. Zhu Xiaoxiao relieved her breath and said with palpitations: "Aunt Xiang, I just saw a figure above our heads, and when the turtle opened its mouth, he stepped on the top of the turtle's head!"

When the people around heard this, they all laughed and said, "I'm afraid this kid is not scared stupid!"

Zhu Xiangxiang was the same in her heart, but she didn't say much, and chuckled: "That must be the immortal who summons the turtle!" After saying that, he helped Zhu Xiaoxiao back to the inn.

She didn't hear it, but on the top of the turtle's head, it seemed as if someone was muttering, "Huh, that kid seems to have noticed me? Has my mana regressed so much?"

When the turtle heard this, he rolled his eyes in an extremely humane manner, causing another discussion in the crowd.

"Ahh

"Yes, yes, what a miracle!"

At dusk, the jade pickers finished collecting and fixed their positions on the back of the turtle. The leader waved down.

Wu Zhu, who had been squinting at the seashore for a long time, let out a sigh of relief and screamed, "Congratulations to the Divine Turtle!" and then twisted wildly and chanted a mysterious prayer. Crackling firecrackers rang out.

Thundered!

Zhu Xiaoxiao, who was trembling under the quilt in the inn, heard the footsteps, and there was another chill.

The turtle followed the trajectory of the moment it came, and retreated into the sea step by step. The waves rose again, carrying the turtle and gradually disappeared into the sky.

The old and young women and children who did not go to sea all embraced the altar at this time, waving their hands to the sky without stopping. Pray for the peace of their husbands, fathers, and sons.

On the back of the turtle, jade pickers gather in groups of three or five, exchanging dry food, talking about the weather, the harvest and the myths that spread on the sea.

Strange to say, the big turtle swam a lot faster than in previous years, and there were a lot of bumps, and even some people who went to sea many times had to tightly buckle some protrusions on the turtle's back to fix their bodies.

It must have been because of a good harvest this year!, some of the elderly jade pickers explained to the others with a smile.

They looked to the east, and the slender neck of the turtle was hidden in the vast mist of the sea, and the head was nowhere to be seen.

At this time, the top of the turtle's head. A strange man in a green robe was smiling and standing with his hands in his hands, facing the long wind, not knowing what he was thinking. The strange man was about forty years old, with a white face, red lips and white teeth, a high nose, a wide hall, and a long sword behind his back.

Three days later, the dawn broke, and the fog on the sea had not yet dissipated, and it was not enough to see a few feet. The strange man was closing his eyes and recuperating, when suddenly he stood on tiptoe, and turned into a white light and flew away. The huge head of the turtle ate a little bit of the stranger's strength, and it was a stumbling one!

The jade picker on the back of the turtle was sleepy-eyed, only to see a dazzling white light flash in the mist, and the big turtle then violently jolted, and then a clear roar gradually disappeared from near to far. Leaving a group of jade pickers looking at each other.

Two more hours passed, and the fog gradually dissipated. The sharp-eyed man caught a glimpse of the black spot in the sky, and cheered: "Lantian Island has arrived!" The jade pickers began to pack their tools and pack, and their harvest this month on the island was their harvest for the following year.

After the turtle landed, the jade pickers threw off the rope and climbed down. The first thing they did when they came down was not to set up camp, but to set up an altar, burn incense, offer sacrifices, and bow down to the turtle in their mouth. The turtle did not stop it, but did not enjoy the sacrifice, just nodded, and disappeared into the angry waves of the East China Sea with its huge tail, leaving only a deep ravine on the beach.

It wasn't until the big turtle disappeared that the jade pickers got up one after another and started a busy month.

Lantian jade is mostly found in the "Lantian Stream" on the island, and the water of the Lantian Stream washes jade from the snow-capped mountains in the center of the island to the downstream. And even in July, the Lantian stream is tinged with a biting coolness. The jade pickers jumped into the stream and rummaged for the jade.

However, they all keep in mind two rules in their hearts: jade mining is not bending, and sunset does not enter the mountain.

These two chapters were told to them by the turtle when they first humped the jade pickers to Lantian Island, and the jade pickers told their children about these two rules, and the children told the children. No one knows who made these two rules, but since it was said by the Turtle, it is necessary to abide by it. The villagers are simple, and no one wants to go over and violate.

The so-called jade mining is not a bend, which refers to the time when looking for jade in the Lantian Creek, not to exceed the bend of the mountainside, sometimes even if a piece of jade is within reach, the jade pickers do not dare to cross the line, so they have to wait for the next year when the stream will wash down this piece of jade again, and then come to pick it. As for not entering the water at sunset, it is because once the sunset, the water in Lantian Creek will immediately become doubly cold, and you must go ashore immediately. There were people whose legs froze because they didn't have time to go ashore, and they were as hard as pig iron below the knees. The cold is so cold and the stream can still flow happily, which can also be regarded as a great spectacle.

This year, when the jade miners were picking jade, they seemed to hear a groan from the top of the mountain: "Why are you old guys here!", and there was even some grief in his tone. The jade pickers only said that they had been sailing at sea for a long time, and their ears were ringing. He was puzzled for a moment, then turned around and continued to work.