Looking more closely, even the shape of the boat is similar to the fishing boats of the Great Zhao State.
Rowing the oars, Xi Heng continued to approach.
The old fisherman seemed to have never thought that someone would come from the direction of Chonghai. Even though he heard some sound of water, he was still busy fishing.
This time, only two or three fish were caught.
He sighed and reluctantly threw the fish into the basket.
Today's harvest is really not good, but fortunately we can find such a remote place to fish, otherwise if we were seen by the gangs in the port, we would have to pay tribute to them every time we caught fish.
"Let's collect the net and go back." He put the basket safely away and groped for the oar with his dim eyes.
Before he could raise his oars and take action, the shadow of another boat appeared not far away to the west.
"what is that……"
Although his old eyesight was blurry and he couldn't see clearly, the people on the opposite boat were obviously not dressed as fishermen, so he had to flatter them quickly: "What a coincidence, everyone. I just happened to catch a few fish, and I'm giving them to you gentlemen."
Xi Heng sat on the boat and listened, but his frown deepened:
“Why are the languages the same?”
It took her one hundred and sixty days to cross the Chonghai Sea and reach this island.
But the more he looked at her, the more he felt that the man in front of him was no different from the fisherman from Da Zhao.
Skin color, language and appearance
But how could it be different when the distance is so great?
Xi Heng felt more and more strange and asked:
"Old man, we have come across the sea, may I ask where this place is?"
"Cross the sea?" But the old man in front of him couldn't understand for a moment.
"We came from the other side of Chonghai." Xi Heng said.
"Chonghai? The other side?" Du Jianang was even more confused: "People say that Chonghai has no boundaries, and you can't get across no matter how hard you swim."
"Where is this?" Xi Heng didn't waste time talking to the other party and just continued.
"This island has no name, but a few thousand meters to the north is Cangcheng..."
"There is a city? This place is close to the land?" Xi Heng thought that having a village was already pretty good, but he didn't expect there was a city.
This seemed like good news, but the more she listened, the weirder it felt.
"Of course, just go north."
"It really does exist..."
The crew members who accompanied Xiheng here also became excited when they heard this.
It’s just strange, why are the clothing and language of the people in this land so similar to those in Da Zhao?
"Which country is this?"
"Which country? Of course it's the Great Zhao." The other party answered in confusion.
How could there be anyone who doesn't know the name of the Great Zhao State?
Could it be that these people really came from the other side of Chonghai?
"...What did you say?" Xi Heng's voice became slightly louder unconsciously.
The other party felt that he had said something wrong and dared not say anything more. He just asked:
"Are you really coming from the other side of Chonghai? What is the name of the country over there?"
Xi Heng didn't want to answer.
How could this be the Great Zhao? She has been sailing towards the east where the sun rises.
Did the sun rise in the wrong direction? Did she return home unconsciously? How could it be possible...
Rather than believing this, it is better to believe that you have crossed the Chonghai and made a round-the-world voyage.
"You said this is Da Zhao?" Chen Fenghuo beside him was obviously unable to accept it just like Xi Heng.
"Yes, yes." The old fisherman's voice trembled.
"Really Da Zhao?!"
"I have been a citizen of Da Zhao since I was a child..." the other party said cautiously.
As for the crew members, they didn't react much to this, and their companions around them just looked at each other in confusion.
They did not seek immortality, and after experiencing many disasters at sea, they became increasingly numb over the past two hundred days.
Now that we have found land and gained life, we are already quite satisfied.
And after returning to Da Zhao, some people were able to reunite with their relatives and friends.
However, seeing that the two princes in front seemed to be in a bad mood, they didn't say much and just stayed there quietly.
"How could it be...you and I have been heading east, crossing Chonghai and reaching the other side, but this other side is Da Zhao?" Chen Fenghuo couldn't accept it.
"Maybe the world is round like the full moon in the sky." Xi Heng said, "If you keep walking around the sphere, you will naturally return to your original position."
Chen Fenghuo looked up and saw the clear sky and the scorching sun.
She understood Xi Heng's theory of the earth being round, but felt even more lost:
"If so, does it mean that there is no other shore in this world..."
Her voice was soft, and she seemed quite lost.
"Maybe." Xi Heng comforted: "But maybe this Great Zhao is not the Great Zhao of the past. There may be a place for cultivating immortals in it."
Then, she turned her eyes to the old fisherman in front of her wearing an old straw raincoat and said:
"Take us to the Cangcheng you just mentioned. I'll give you a few taels of silver when we get there."
When he heard the word "silver", his eyes immediately cleared up: "Please follow me, sir."
Xi Heng nodded, then turned back and said to several of his crew members:
"Go back and inform the fleet to camp on this island first. We will discuss the rest of the matter after I and the Goddess of Scarlet Sky return."
"Yes!"
……
Da Zhao Nanhai, Cangcheng.
Together with Chen Fenghuo, we boarded the old fisherman's fishing boat and sailed for half an hour, then we could see a small port town shrouded in thin fog.
There were not many people at the port in the early morning. There were only a few strong men wearing dark blue clothes and with knives on their waists giving orders to a group of thin and weak porters, ordering them to unload the large ship's supplies again and again and continue to patrol the port.
When they see a ship approaching from the sea, they surround it and demand port fees.
But when they first saw Xi Heng's figure, before they could react, they immediately felt a chill on their backs, as if something horrible was climbing up their backs.
A strong sense of fear seeped into their minds, causing them to take several steps back.
Seeing that the deterrent effect of the murderous aura had been achieved, Xi Heng casually threw a few taels of silver to the old fisherman next to him and left the small fishing boat.
Having experienced such a strong murderous intent sweeping through their bodies, these gang members understood the difference in strength and did not dare to say or ask any more questions. They respectfully made way.
Xi Heng looked around the plain appearance of the port and asked casually to someone standing by:
"Where in Da Zhao is this Cangcheng located?"
The other party was stunned for a long time, until Xi Heng showed a hint of murderous intent to wake him up, and then he answered nervously:
"Your Excellency... Cangcheng is located on the coast of the southern region of Great Zhao, bordering Qiongya to the north and Nanjiao to the east."
"Qiongya?" Xi Heng had heard of this name.
When the emperor was handling state affairs in the court, there were often records of officials being exiled to Qiongzhou and Qiongya.
Qiongya is a city on the southernmost peninsula of the Great Zhao. It is remote and has inconvenient transportation, making it difficult to communicate with the Central Plains. As a result, Qiongya is much more backward than the cities in the Central Plains in terms of culture and economy, and the officials sent there are difficult to manage and control.
Officials were often killed here, so they were avoided by court officials.
One of the greatest punishments for civil servants in the palace in the past was exile to Qiongya.
Because once you go there, you will probably die here soon.
"I'm really back to Da Zhao..." She held her forehead with her hand.
I didn’t expect that by heading east, I would actually complete a round-the-world voyage.
The gangster in front of him was stunned for a moment and then asked carefully: "Excuse me, where are you from, and when will you arrive in Cangcheng? If my Blue Shirt Gang can do it..."
He could see that the person in front of him had an extraordinary background, and his figure, appearance and temperament were far beyond that of an ordinary person. Perhaps he was the dark energy master as rumored.
If they could get in touch with this connection, it would be a great benefit to their gang.
"I had no intention of coming to this place." She shook her head. "Do you have a map? Bring me one."
The man wisely ordered his men: "Go to the ship and get a map."
The younger brothers around him didn't dare to ask any more questions and quickly got up and left.
Xi Heng just waited there quietly.
Just as Senior Sister Hong Miao once said, as long as a warrior is strong enough, he will be treated as a guest of honor and with courtesy no matter where he goes.
After a moment, the person in front of him respectfully handed over a map of the coastal areas on the ship.
Xi Heng took the scroll and unfolded it, and saw that it was basically the same as the map of the southern territory of Great Zhao, except that there was an additional maritime area.
"Even if you don't want to admit it, it seems like you and I have returned to Da Zhao today."
She smiled bitterly at the Red Sky Goddess who was following her.
The other party was silent for a long time, and the brilliance in his eyes turned into a sigh that was slowly exhaled.
For some reason, Chen Fenghuo moved a little closer to Xi Heng, as if his body was gradually losing strength. He leaned on her shoulder and whispered:
"I have heard that the Pure Fire Master exists on the continent across the Chonghai Sea, but now it seems that the so-called other side of the Chonghai Sea does not exist in the world at all..."
"Maybe you and I are just heading in the wrong direction." Xi Heng comforted casually.
"Or perhaps, there is no place in this world where one can cultivate immortality and seek the truth." The other party shook his head: "It is only possible if a flying boat crosses the boundary, but there is no trace of a flying boat in the world today, so how can we cross it?"
"There will always be a way."
"Maybe..." The other party sighed again, then leaned on Xi Heng's shoulder and fell silent.
The girl threw the map to someone casually, then ignored the other person and took Chen Fenghuo to the interior of Cangcheng.
This city is not too small, at least it is slightly larger than an ordinary remote town, and can barely be called a city.
Leaving the port and walking through the muddy alleys, you will come to a larger area where fishermen are constantly shouting to sell fish.
There was a notice standing here, and above it hung a few wanted portraits with rough and poorly drawn lines, and a few tax notices.
The strong wind from the sea made the rice paper wet and the words became a little blurred.
Although the final result of the voyage was just returning to Da Zhao, which made Xi Heng unhappy...but after finally returning to the shore, he finally had to take a good rest.
She found the largest inn in the city and asked the waiter to bring some food.
Although the dishes in this seaside inn are just the fish and shrimp that we are used to eating, they are still more delicious than the meals on the boat.
"After that, you and I will go look for immortals somewhere else." She said to the lost Goddess of Red Sky.
"Hmm..." the other party just murmured softly.
Xi Heng told the other party about his previously made plan:
"Before setting sail, the Pure Bright Sect and the Mahakala Sect had already established a firm foothold in the southeastern region of Da Zhao. Now that half a year has passed, their influence must have increased a bit."
"After that, you will continue to lead the sect and help me seize the throne, okay?" Xi Heng picked up a piece of dessert, touched it to his lips, and bit it lightly.
"The throne?" These two words drew the attention of the Goddess Chi Tian from her loss.
"Have you forgotten? I am the princess of the Great Zhao. According to the original order of succession, the throne should have been mine."
"...Is there such a thing?" Chen Fenghuo was a little confused.
Xi Heng continued, "Your goal and mine are both to seek immortals. Once I have the status of the Emperor of Great Zhao, I can mobilize the power of the entire Great Zhao to help you and me find immortals. So are you willing to lend me a helping hand?"
The other party was silent for a while, but answered the question with a question:
