Chapter 702
Chapter 702
Compared to the drought inland, the coastal areas are much less arid, but this is only relative.
This era doesn't have the marketing hype of "facing the sea with spring flowers blooming." As a result, the coastal areas haven't undergone in-depth development and construction; the closer to the sea, the more backward and primitive they actually are.
The saying goes, "Those who live near the mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near the sea live off the sea." Located in the tropics, the area is rich in natural resources and has a relatively pristine environment. Agriculture is not the mainstream way of life in the coastal areas. People mainly rely on fishing, hunting, deep-sea harvesting, and salt production.
Well, the area is located in the tropics and has abundant resources. If you are just trying to survive, you can go into the forest to pick fruit and eat your fill. But you need to be careful of miasma and poisonous insects.
Compared to the land, the deep sea is a natural treasure trove. Pearls and corals are sought after by countless people, and there are many rare minerals that do not exist on land. However, they are difficult to collect and often require risking one's life. In addition, transportation and storage are not convenient in this era, so even if coastal residents are guarding the treasure trove, it is difficult for them to benefit from it, and they live a hard life.
A salty sea breeze gently caressed my face, the sound of waves could be faintly heard, and flocks of seagulls spread their wings in the sky.
Chen Xuan and his crew's ship slowly sailed out of the primeval forest. Ahead lay the end of the Qingping River, where the river widened and the estuary was just ahead, with the vast blue sea already in sight.
However, Chen Xuan and the others on the deck had no time to appreciate the magnificent sea; they were all worried and concerned about the little princess.
Du Juan held up a large umbrella to shield the sun, Xia Mei circulated her inner energy to condense ice and cool down, Yun Lan and Yun Xin massaged the little princess to relieve her discomfort, and the little girl held a cup of tea, at a loss.
The little princess's face was slightly pale, not from seasickness, but from a recent bout of morning sickness. She couldn't vomit anything, but she felt very uncomfortable.
This made Chen Xuan feel extremely distressed, and he wished he could take his wife's suffering upon himself.
"My lord, Madam is fine. Morning sickness is a normal phenomenon. I will go and brew some herbal tea for her to drink, which will suppress the discomfort. However, it is only temporary. To completely eliminate it, in addition to her own adaptation, the baby in her womb will grow and develop to a certain stage, which will alleviate the discomfort on its own," the accompanying imperial physician said cautiously after the diagnosis. The physiological reactions of pregnancy, no matter how skilled the doctor, can only be alleviated, not completely eliminated.
After the imperial physician went to brew some herbal tea, the little princess forced a smile and said, "You all heard that, right? I'm fine, I'll be alright soon. Everyone doesn't need to be so nervous, you'll get used to it after a while."
None of the women around had ever been pregnant, so they couldn't understand the feeling firsthand. They were still worried, but since the imperial physician had said so, they all breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Looking down and touching her belly, which wasn't showing much even though she was only two months pregnant, the little princess said expectantly and happily, "Baby, you've really put Mommy through a lot! I've suffered so much for you. You must take good care of Mommy and Daddy when you grow up!"
Even the dignified Grandmaster Chen Xuan was somewhat at a loss for words. He quickly handed over a chilled coconut with a straw, saying, "My wife has been enjoying coconut juice lately. This is the freshest one I just picked. Have a sip to soothe your discomfort."
With a sweet smile, the little princess took the drink with both hands, took a sip, and exhaled softly, saying, "It's delicious! Thank you, husband. I'm much better now." Then, her expression instantly changed. She glared at Chen Xuan and said irritably, "It's all your fault! Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to suffer like this!"
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault, it's my fault, my wife, please calm down," Chen Xuan quickly said, slapping his own hand as he spoke. At this moment, he had to go along with whatever his wife said.
With a chuckle, the little princess huffed, "Good thing my husband knows. You can't bully me anymore, or I'll... I'll beat your child, hee hee!"
"You'll be too heartbroken to do it then, my dear wife. As long as you can bring yourself to do it, I won't stop you," Chen Xuan said cheerfully.
"What kind of father are you? You don't even protect the child before she's born. I can't bear to do that," the little princess wrinkled her nose and complained.
Well, you've said what you wanted to say, what can I do? I'm in a difficult position too. Being a man is so hard.
In Chen Xuan's large family, the little princess is the most important. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she's treated like an ancestor. As long as she's alright, everything will be peaceful and the storm will pass.
The brewed herbal tea was quickly served. Although it was called herbal tea, it was actually warm, even a little hot. The little princess took a couple of sips, broke out in a slight sweat, and all her discomfort subsided. Her complexion became rosy and she felt completely comfortable.
Having recovered, she suddenly looked at Chen Xuan, blinking her beautiful big eyes, and said, "Husband, I want to eat that candied fruit, the smelly kind, it's so delicious, I've been craving it."
"Okay, okay, I'll go get it for you right away," Chen Xuan quickly replied, since he would do whatever she asked for these days.
The "stinky" dried fruit the little princess mentioned was durian chips, a tropical specialty. She had tried them a few days ago near the coast and had been craving them ever since. It's not that she has a strong palate; after all, it's not unusual for a pregnant woman to suddenly develop any strange tastes during this period.
After Chen Xuan brought it, she ate a few pieces with a satisfied look on her face. Suddenly, she leaned close to Chen Xuan, breathed on him, and said with a smile, "Husband, smell this! Does it stink? I'll make you fall over from the stench!"
"My wife doesn't smell bad at all; she smells good all the time," Chen Xuan joked with her instead of dodging the question. Although he didn't like durian, he wasn't against it either and could tolerate the smell.
Seeing that she couldn't tease him, the little princess stopped playing around with him. She got up and, supported by Yunlan and Yunxin, walked to the bow of the ship. Looking at the sea so close at hand, she exclaimed in amazement, "This is the sea! It's the first time I've ever seen one. It's truly boundless. In front of the sea, a person seems so small."
“Yes, this is what they mean by being a drop in the ocean. We are just that drop in the ocean,” Xia Mei nodded in deep agreement.
They were all gazing at the vast, blue sea. Apart from Chen Xuan and Du Juan, it was the first time that everyone else had truly seen the ocean. They had personally experienced how vast the world was and how insignificant they were.
"Speaking of which, the world we live in is actually a giant sphere. It's just that it's so huge that we don't usually feel it. Look at the ocean in the distance, where the view is unobstructed. Doesn't the surface of the sea have a faint arc? This is one of the best proofs that the world is a sphere," Chen Xuan explained to them.
The little princess turned around in surprise and said, "Impossible! If the whole world is a sphere, wouldn't the people on the other side fall down?"
Explaining it would be too troublesome, so Chen Xuan was too lazy to teach them about gravity and such. He simply took them into the air and brought them to a height of tens of thousands of feet, letting them witness the curvature of the earth with their own eyes. Only then did they accept the fact that the earth is a sphere.
It's just that Chen Xuan's cultivation level isn't high enough right now, otherwise he would have wanted to take them to space to get a glimpse of the entire planet.
In his past life, countless people believed in the flat Earth theory, offering various plausible reasons. Without seeing Chen Xuan with their own eyes, they couldn't refute it. Only in this life, with his higher cultivation, did he witness the Earth's curved outline from a great height, thus personally confirming that the Earth is a sphere. However, one thing he was certain of was the existence of 'continents' in the universe. This was information left to him by Old Liu, who had one foot in the Human Immortal realm. As for why continents exist instead of forming planets due to gravity, the underlying principles were not something he needed to consider now. He'd rather figure out the reasons when his cultivation was sufficient in the future.
Back on deck, the little princesses and the others continued to talk enthusiastically about the sea. Xia Mei came to Chen Xuan's side and pondered, "Master, our ship is about to enter the sea, but it is not a professional seagoing vessel. It may be corroded by seawater and suffer great damage. Should we still enter the sea?"
Chen Xuan didn't seem to care, saying, "It's alright, let's keep going. Even if it corrodes, it won't break the ship all at once. It should last for a while. By then, we'll be able to land along the coastline and won't need it anymore. There's no need for this ship to go on a long detour back the way we came, but we won't waste it either. We can just find a port and sell it to recoup some of the cost."
Since Chen Xuan had already said so, Xia Mei naturally had no further say, and the ship continued to sail towards the sea.
At the mouth of the sea lies a sizable coastal city with an estimated population of four to five hundred thousand. Wharves are everywhere, and the waters are bustling with activity. From here, one can travel along the Qingping River to reach the interior. As a major hub, it is not surprising that such a city exists. Moreover, it is far from war and has not been affected by the flames of conflict. Everything seems busy yet peaceful.
However, Chen Xuan and his group did not stay in this sea city. They went directly into the sea, bypassed it, and proceeded along the coastline. They sent a small boat down to buy some supplies. When the people they sent returned, they said that the Zheng Family Chamber of Commerce actually existed in the city, and it was one of the largest. It can only be said that the Zheng Family Chamber of Commerce's ability to trade with all over the world is not just an empty phrase.
After bypassing Haicheng and proceeding along the coastline, the seaside gradually becomes primitive and desolate, uninhabited, with cliffs and precipices standing tall, which are quite spectacular due to the constant impact of the waves.
After the initial excitement, no matter how magnificent the sea was, it became incredibly monotonous after a while, and the little princesses' interest gradually waned.
As the sun began to set, after traveling four or five hundred li along the coast after entering the sea, Chen Xuan spotted a beach that was clearly untouched by humans. He suggested, "Wife, why don't we take a walk on the beach? The soft sand, the coconut palms, the sea breeze—it would be very pleasant to stroll or have a picnic, and it's almost lunchtime."
Their ship certainly couldn't travel four or five hundred miles in one or two hours, not even with a technologically advanced engine; it would just fall apart. But with Chen Xuan by their side, they truly experienced riding the waves.
“Okay, okay, I’ve never played on the beach before,” the little princess readily agreed. This was part of their trip, so how could they not experience it?
Moreover, the little princess was also thinking to herself, having truly seen the sea, and now that the story she was writing was inspired by the Western fantasy provided by her husband, could she perhaps incorporate the pirate stories he had told her?
The ship docked at the shore, and everyone was overjoyed as they stepped onto the beach. The soft touch of the sand and the fun of the waves washing over their feet, along with collecting seashells and chasing crabs, made the little princesses have a wonderful time, just like little girls.
When you're tired from playing, set up a parasol on the beach, put out a deck chair, light a bonfire, drink coconut juice, feel the sea breeze, watch the sunset, and escape the hustle and bustle. You'll feel incredibly peaceful and content.
When you come to the seaside, how can you miss seafood? Chen Xuan asked the accompanying imperial physician, and the pregnant woman can eat some seafood, but she should be careful not to eat any poisonous or strange ones.
So Chen Xuan said hello and plunged into the deep sea. Seafood, seafood, it's all about freshness, freshly caught seafood is the freshest.
"Why do I feel like Master is happier than us?" the little maid said with a smile, glancing at the few remaining ripples where Chen Xuan had entered the water.
Taking a sip of her iced tea, the little princess said contentedly and happily, "He's just like a child who never grows up, let him be."
Everyone knew Chen Xuan's cultivation level, so there was no need to worry about his safety. Then, the little princess said with some emotion, "Actually, I can sense that he has experienced too much human suffering during this period. Although my husband doesn't seem to care on the surface, he is also quite upset inside. He just hasn't shown it. These are things we can't change or control, and we don't know how to comfort him. We can only try not to think about it too much."
“Yes, the people are suffering. These four simple words in the book, when you actually see it with your own eyes, who can remain unmoved unless they have a heart of stone?” Xia Mei nodded and sighed.
Touching her belly, the little princess shook her head and said, "So we sped up our journey during that time, even though my husband was 'robbed' time and time again. He enjoyed it, not because he was running away, but because it made him feel better."
"Your Highness, your health is of utmost importance. Please do not let these matters trouble you," Yunlan said with concern from the side.
With a smile, the little princess looked at the sea and said calmly, "I don't worry about so much. I'm just a woman. I have a husband to rely on, and living a peaceful life is enough for me. Nothing else is my concern."
Chen Xuan plunged into the sea and wandered around in search of delicious seafood. He picked out the biggest lobsters, abalones, sea cucumbers, and crabs. In this era, due to technological limitations, there was no overfishing, and everything in the sea was huge. So he kept changing his selection.
He could achieve embryonic breathing at the Innate Realm, so breathing was not a thing for him. There was no difference between the sea and the land to him, and he unknowingly headed towards the deep sea.
Sea creatures don't necessarily grow larger the deeper they go. He was thinking that since he was already in the water, he might as well look for some pearls to give to his wife and the others. There's a saying, "Since you're already here."
He wasn't a professional pearl diver and didn't have the relevant expertise, but he was just like a fish in water. Besides, using his true essence to search for pearls was quite easy.
In just fifteen minutes, he had a great harvest, collecting hundreds of pearls with a diameter of more than one centimeter without harming the shellfish. He didn't know anything about quality, but he just picked the good-looking and large ones.
When Chen Xuan obtained a fist-sized purple pearl from the body of an old clam the size of a door panel, he held it in his hand and examined it, thinking to himself that his wife would be very happy to receive it.
He didn't care whether it was valuable or not, as long as his wife liked it.
He had been down there for quite some time, and he didn't know where he had come from. Whether it was because of the darkness or the depth of the water, everything around him seemed pitch black.
As he was about to break through the water and leave, he suddenly sensed fluctuations of innate true energy at such a deep seabed. Out of curiosity, he glanced in that direction and was immediately surprised to find someone practicing swordsmanship in the sea.
"Isn't that Yang Yi, the 'Sword God' of Rongguo? How can I run into him? He's actually training his sword in the deep sea! He was instantly killed by Xu Yun in the arena that day. Is he here to break through his limits? He's already crossed the innate boundary in just over a month!"
Muttering to himself, Chen Xuan couldn't help but glance at it a few more times... (End of Chapter)