494: Chapter 495 Sailing on the Starry Sea, the Carefree Emperor, Peace and Prosperity Across the Four Seas

The dialogue between the monarch and his subjects in the Fengtian Hall was, for Lu Chen at this moment, nothing more than passing smoke.

His so-called "seclusion" was naturally not about sitting in meditation.

Having just achieved a Breakthrough to the Peak of the Soul Transformation Realm, his Realm was very stable, and his Law Domain was easily mastered; the next step was Body Integration, which required even more Opportunity.

He simply... didn't want to work.

Being trapped on that Dragon throne every day, listening to the officials below buzzing about trivial matters, and reviewing mountains of memorials that were mostly nonsense... just thinking about it gave him a headache.

With that time, wouldn't it be better to enjoy life?

In the next instant, Lu Chen's figure appeared within the warm, spring-like Ethereal Immortal Palace.

Melodious music drifted over, accompanied by the crisp sound of tinkling jade pendants.

One hundred and eight Apsara dancers, dressed in colorful light gauze with graceful figures, were dancing lightly in the hall.

Their postures were graceful, their dance steps light; at times they were like flowing wind and swirling snow, at others like a startled swan casting its reflection. Every gaze and every movement was filled with exotic charm and indescribable allure.

Lu Chen leaned on a soft couch covered with a thick Persia rug; beside him, two Apsara dancers were carefully peeling crystal-clear grapes and feeding them into his mouth.

He narrowed his eyes, enjoying the song and dance before him, savoring the sweet fruit juice, and occasionally casting a look of approval at a particularly alluring dancer, causing her cheeks to flush and her dance steps to become even more energetic.

"Hmm, this tune is not bad; it deserves a reward." Lu Chen lazily snapped his fingers.

After enjoying the audio-visual feast, Lu Chen felt a bit weary again. With a thought, his figure vanished once more.

Kunlun Sacred Realm. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a geothermal hot spring was emitting misty steam. The spring water was crystal clear, emitting a faint scent of sulfur and rich Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Lu Chen was shirtless, wearing only a white bath towel around his waist, reclining comfortably against the smooth jade pool wall, closing his eyes to rest.

Several Persian Holy Maidens, also wearing only light, cool gauze, were kneeling behind and beside him. Their techniques were extremely professional; whether light or heavy, kneading or pressing, they accurately massaged the Acupoints on Lu Chen's body.

The warm spring water soaked his body, soothing every inch of his muscles. The professional massage techniques relieved his mental exhaustion. The rich Spiritual Qi nourished his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

"Hmm... the strength is good, a little to the left... yes, right there..." Lu Chen hummed in comfort.

After enjoying the full service of beauty and wellness, Lu Chen felt full of vitality again. It was time... to stretch his muscles.

Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand. Blue sea and sky, green grass like a carpet. In the picturesque fjord, Lu Chen's figure appeared before that hidden cave.

He did not go in, but stood at the edge of the cliff with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sparkling sea in the distance. A moment later, two figures landed steadily in front of Lu Chen like lightning.

They were none other than Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, whom he had exiled here to reflect on their mistakes. Now, they no longer had the disheveled look of prisoners. Clearly, in this retirement place far from the hustle and bustle, they hadn't been idle, and their cultivation had even faintly improved.

"Master." Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi bowed to Lu Chen, their attitudes respectful, yet their eyes filled with worship.

"Hmm." Lu Chen nodded and looked them up and down. "It seems the environment here is quite nourishing; you look good."

The corner of Amaterasu's mouth twitched imperceptibly. Tsukuyomi remained expressionless, though a trace of anticipation flashed deep in her eyes.

"Since you're idle anyway," Lu Chen stretched his wrists, a kind smile appearing on his face, "Come, spar with me. I've recently comprehended a few new moves and could use you to test their power."

Amaterasu: "..." Tsukuyomi: "..." They knew it; this Master would never come to see them without a reason. Great, they were going to get beaten up again.

Just as Lu Chen was living a carefree life, traveling the world to Cultivate, the vast Great Ming Empire, like a precision machine with a tightened spring, continued to operate at high speed in an orderly manner.

The Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Jiangnan, Quanzhou, and Liaodong... the five major Royal Shipyards were roaring day and night, brightly lit.

After adopting assembly line operations and modular construction, the Great Ming Navy's shipbuilding speed truly achieved the feat of "dropping dumplings." Almost every few days, a brand-new ten-thousand-picul giant ship or armed merchant ship would slowly slide into the water, joining that increasingly massive fleet.

The port docks presented an unprecedented scene of busyness. Giant sea ships flying the Sun and Moon Dragon banners, like moving mountains, shuttled back and forth between the major oceans.

Fleets fully loaded with exquisite carpets, spices, and glass products from the Persia Province arrived at Quanzhou Port, exchanging them for silk, porcelain, and tea.

Gems, cotton, and gold from the Tianzhu Province were transported to the capital, fostering an even more prosperous textile industry and luxury goods market.

Meanwhile, grain, cloth, ironware, books, and various industrial products produced in the Great Ming homeland were transported through these routes to every corner of the Empire, and even sold overseas.

An unprecedented, massive internal circulation economic system covering more than half the globe had already formed. Massive amounts of wealth, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, poured continuously into the Great Ming treasury.

The lives of the people also became visibly more prosperous. Grain prices were stable, products were abundant, merchants traveled incessantly, and towns became increasingly bustling.

Although there were occasionally local officials who were inactive or greedy, the "Three Iron Laws" hanging over their heads, along with the elusive and omnipresent Northern and Southern Zhenfu Division, made the vast majority of people afraid to step out of line.

What's more, that mysterious His Majesty the Emperor, whose head and tail were never seen, might suddenly pop up for an "incognito visit," and no one knew when.

The entire Great Ming presented a scene of prosperity and peace. And the creator of all this was, at this moment, leisurely sunbathing on a beach in New Zealand.

In stark contrast to the bustling, ever-changing prosperous scene of the Great Ming Empire, was the boundless desert deep in the Africa continent, scorched by the blazing sun.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and heat waves rolled. A pyramid, huge enough to be heart-stopping, was rising bit by bit in an extremely primitive, extremely slow, and extremely cruel way.

There were no machines, no livestock, and even decent tools were pitifully scarce.

A group of Hexagram People with dark, cracked skin were moving with difficulty across the scorching sandy ground with bare feet.

They once boasted of being the smartest race in the world, but now they were reduced to using the most primitive methods to build this tomb that imprisoned their future.