Chaotic World Book
Chapter 551 - 535 Taiping Island

Chapter 551: Chapter 535 Taiping Island

"Master Zhao," Tang En knocked on Zhao Changhe’s door, "Taiping Island is up ahead. Everyone is going down to rest and resupply. Would you like to go?"

The voyage had been ongoing for over ten days, and Mr. Zhao had not left his room, sitting cross-legged inside without moving. He didn’t need to eat or drink, and he didn’t even have a toilet in his room... It really challenged the sailors’ worldview of the Tang family.

Could it be that he used the bed?

If he really needed nothing, he surely wasn’t human, right?

Being called the first on the Human List, the Human King, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were powerful. Perhaps he had already reached the Second Layer Secret Treasure. But even for someone who had reached the Second Layer Secret Treasure, like the head of the Tang family, they still needed to eat and, after metabolism, relieve themselves.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes, exhaling a breath of turbid air.

On this crisp autumn sea, it was like the dead of winter, dense white fog rolling out with his breath.

"How many days have we been sailing?"

"It’s the thirteenth day," Tang En replied, admiringly. "Master, to be able to meditate like this, you truly are an immortal."

Zhao Changhe got out of bed and moved his arms and legs. He felt a bit weak and needed to replenish his energy, proving he was not immortal.

These days, he was actually in a state of internal circulation similar to Turtle Breath. His body’s metabolism was extremely slow, his energy demand was very low, and he was actively absorbing the natural forces of heaven and earth. They helped replenish the energy needed for his cultivation, flowing up to the Heavenly Spirit and down to the bubbling well.

Ever since his meridians were reshaped and his Inner Strength broke through, he could achieve this... Top martial artists often could meditate for extended periods, based on this principle.

Nobody would normally do this without necessity—they still needed food. But in extreme situations, like being stranded on a desert island or falling into the water, this ability meant death could be staved off. Someone at the First Layer Secret Treasure wouldn’t dare go out to sea, but reaching the Second Layer Secret Treasure brought confidence mainly because of this; even if their ship flipped, there was no fear.

However, this so-called confidence also didn’t dare to directly confront the top beings of the Sea Race, regardless of their state of resurgence. Even if their raw strength was inferior to Bao Qin, they couldn’t be confronted directly since everyone’s understanding and mastery of the forces of heaven and earth were not on the same level.

The kind of Sea Race Secret Skill within Cui Wenjing, inducing a Water Element Rampage within a human’s body, was not something typical Sea Race members could use. The Sea Race might not have many Wang Daoning-level beings, but once reached, Zhao Changhe admitted that he couldn’t withstand even a single move from them.

That Cui Wenjing survived such a move indicated he could withstand it. Because he was injured first and hadn’t experienced this trickery before, if he had prepared specifically, he probably could have resisted it. That is, with the Third Layer Secret Treasure and proper preparation, then one could have the confidence to face it directly.

Still, I’m not strong enough... I thought I was advancing rapidly, but when I look ahead, the path is still a never-ending range of mountains. And my rate of advancement seems unable to keep up with the strength of the enemies I face.

I wonder to what level my cultivation will advance during this journey overseas... Thus far, the threshold to the Third Layer Secret Treasure is still far off, not to mention reaching it.

Zhao Changhe stepped out of his room, a distant island with visible structures coming into view.

Tang En was waiting by the side, smiling as he saw him emerge, "That over there is Taiping Island, where we usually make a stopover."

Zhao Changhe, unfamiliar with these details, asked, "Is it that our provisions of food and water are insufficient?"

"Speaking strictly, what we have should be enough to reach Haitian Island, but replenishing along the way is good too, just in case we lose our way; it always provides extra security," Tang En answered with a smile. "Additionally, Master Zhao, you might not notice while meditating... but being on the open sea for a long time can be stifling. Seeing the same scenery all the time can wear on one’s mental state. Not all the sailors and warriors are seasoned; many are on their first voyage and need adjustment. A break along the way is essential for relaxation."

Zhao Changhe understood, laughing, "There might be places for you all to indulge in revelry."

Tang En winked, "If Master goes, we’ll definitely keep it a secret, and won’t tell our young miss."

"Eh, who told you I have anything to do with your young miss?" Zhao Changhe muttered to himself. He hadn’t flaunted his relationship with Wanzhuang in public... Had their hand-in-hand stroll in the Capital been leaked? Or had Bao Qin or Tang Buqi gossiped?

Tang En grinned, "The special way our young miss treats you, every elder in the house can see it; the old master is just turning a blind eye, but actually, he is quite pleased..."

He lowered his voice, "After all, you are ’His Highness.’"

Zhao Changhe: "emmmm..."

Is it that obvious...

Ever since Xia Chichi recognized Xia Longyuan as her father, even though their attitudes were still quite strange, Zhao Changhe had felt his identity had actually shifted back to Chichi; he wondered if the Tang family’s elders would be utterly disappointed when the time came.

Tang En said again, "Talking about Taiping Island, it actually isn’t just an interim supply island, because the shipping route itself doesn’t see many ships—a year might pass with just one or two fleets passing by. The locals are Xia fishermen who fled war and harsh politics to live at sea. They set up just like many small nations overseas, but because they’re few, they spent their days fishing and entertaining themselves. Later on, when the occasional fleet passed by, they’d buy supplies from them, so they developed some inns and gambling houses with very expensive prices. After all, they only open a few times a year, and brothels are even more expensive..."

Zhao Changhe suddenly said, "They’re fishermen themselves and they run brothels? Where do the girls come from? Their own hometown?"

Tang En was dazed, clearly having never considered this question, and didn’t know how to respond.

Zhao Changhe said again, "We can even encounter pirates in our nearby seas, can you imagine how rampant the piracy has become? Could these simple fishermen still entertain themselves on their little island? Would they have lives to live even if they earned money?"

Tang En opened his mouth wide, stunned.

The place he had thought was normal, Zhao Changhe, with just a few casual remarks, made it feel like a lair of tigers and dragons. He himself had patronized brothels there several times over the past few years. Was it pure luck that he still had his kidneys?

After snapping back to reality, he quickly went to give an order, "Don’t approach Taiping Island anymore, we—"

Before he could finish, Zhao Changhe pulled him back, turned his head to look, and saw Zhao Changhe smiling faintly, "If nothing happened to you guys before, it’s likely nothing will happen if we go again ... Actually, I am curious to check out exactly what kind of tiger and dragon den this is."

This was his investigative instincts kicking in again...

The blind man, with his arms crossed, muttered to himself that you originally wanted to discard the Jade Token, this was clearly your own preference. Of course, this trait also suited her needs very well, Xia Longyuan was right.

Tang En was very speechless, "We already know it’s dangerous, there’s really no need to go anymore..."

"Why not go? I’ve always been curious about what exact reason pirates have to try to send us back... Aren’t you curious?"

"...I’m not curious."

"Not curious but we still need to go, live and let live."

"Clank." Amidst the squabbling, the fleet slowly approached the shore.

The sailors aboard the ship cheered and leaped off, rushing eagerly toward the flag-marked bar in front. The seemingly quiet small island quickly buzzed with activity.

Zhao Changhe, who had always been secluded, couldn’t really understand the exhilaration these sailors felt from seeing the same ocean scenery for over ten days.

Walking in the crowd, his mind, however, was keenly observing.

He had thought it was just a rundown island, a tiny town, a couple of small taverns. But seeing it firsthand, the pubs, casinos, and brothels spread vastly, the scale of entertainment venues alone almost made up a town.

It made sense. A fleet often has a lot of people, a couple of small taverns couldn’t accommodate everyone.

But the larger the scale, the more it proved it couldn’t just be some fishermen creating this themselves—there had to be some trick behind it.

Zhao Changhe casually followed the crowd into a tavern, which was bustling with girl entertainers surrounding him, "Greetings, gentlemen..."

Apparently, the tavern and the brothel were combined.

Zhao Changhe didn’t mind, casually instructing the madam, "Let these brothers have their fun, I’ll pass. Just find me a quiet private room where I can drink alone."

Meanwhile, in the brothel’s backyard, San Niang ran in excitedly, "I heard Zhao Shouyi entered this place, right? Which room is he in? I’ll go meet him."

No matter which tavern, gambling house, or brothel Zhao Changhe entered, the madame was always the boss lady—it was her home ground!

Hua Zhenming advised, "Boss lady should still be cautious... This person is really strong, don’t underestimate him."

San Niang brimmed with confidence, "Just a whelp who visits brothels right after disembarking, how could I be afraid? If we take him down, the Tang family’s fleet will be ours."

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PS: Three updates have arrived, seeking monthly ticket ying ying ying~