Feng Shui Chapter 171: Frying an Egg Barehanded

The sunlight was bright, and visibility was crystal clear. Not long after Brother Chen Xiao walked into the water, he came across a cluster of reef rocks. On the reefs grew patches of coral, vibrant in color and varied in shape, swaying gently with the ocean currents.

The clothes he wore were made of a special fabric custom-made for him by his eldest brother at Qianxiu Workshop. Apart from feeling the chill of the seawater, Chen Xiao remained completely dry. He held a breath pearl in his mouth and inhaled deeply; streams of bubbles escaped from his nose. His eyes scanned back and forth but didn’t spot a single fish. He wasn’t surprised. The water here was so clear that unlike fish elsewhere, the sea creatures here hid in caves and crevices during the day, only coming out to move around at night.

That didn’t mean there was nothing to catch during daylight. Chen Xiao carefully examined the reef and soon spotted something. He kicked his legs and moved like a fish, gliding over to a patch of sandy gravel on the reef. There, he picked up a large, pale yellow creature covered in fleshy spikes, a sea cucumber.

Xi Yunqing floated over gently beside him. Chen Xiao excitedly waved the sea cucumber in his hand and placed it into the chain net he was using as a makeshift basket.

Xi Yunqing watched his movements closely. He had never harvested seafood underwater before and naturally didn’t recognize these strange, living creatures so different from what appeared on the dining table.

He memorized what the sea cucumber looked like, then gestured toward another patch of reef. Chen Xiao nodded without hesitation and followed him to the new spot.

There was another sea cucumber there, but the current disturbed it and it tried to slither away. Xi Yunqing moved swiftly and caught it easily.

Chen Xiao clenched his teeth to keep seawater from entering his mouth and couldn’t help but smile broadly. He gave Xi Yunqing a thumbs-up, opened the chain net wide, and Xi Yunqing tossed the sea cucumber inside.

After a while without finding more sea cucumbers, Chen Xiao caught a sea urchin, three starfish, and quite a few scallops, oysters, and clams. These creatures usually lay still and blended in perfectly with the reef rocks thanks to their natural shells, making them easy to overlook. But with careful observation, they were easy to spot, and easier to pry loose with a lever.

Because fierce aquatic predators roamed these waters near Yingsian Island, ordinary fishermen rarely ventured here. That left the seafood abundant and unusually large. Before long, Chen Xiao’s chain net grew heavy, beginning to slow his movements.

They still had several days to stay here, and Brother Chen Xiao didn't want to use up all the fun at once. He decided to stop while ahead, storing the net back in his storage box and placing the water arrows within easy reach. Then he followed Xi Yunqing deeper into the Yumen Water Domain.

After some swimming, the light grew dimmer, and massive reef formations appeared on the ocean floor. Chen Xiao looked up and saw only a white, refracted glow from the surface far above. This was still manageable, but further down, where sunlight couldn’t reach, one would easily become disoriented, unable to tell up from down.

But this was no problem for Chen Xiao. His mental sea contained a compass, allowing him to always know the correct direction. He could even mark the route based on bearings.

Ahead, a dark shape appeared. As they got closer, Chen Xiao realized it was a massive arch-shaped reef. Around it grew dense forests of giant seaweed, with many fish darting in and out of the kelp. Chen Xiao marveled at this spectacular natural scene and guessed this must be the origin of the name “Yumen Water Domain.”

Sure enough, Xi Yunqing had deliberately brought him here to see this giant reef arch.

The sea floor was thick with mud, where the seaweed planted deep roots. Air sacs on the stalks and leaves kept them upright, floating straight in the water. The seaweed needed sunlight for photosynthesis, so they grew tall and sturdy to reach the surface, with thick stalks and broad leaves.

The dense kelp forest formed an underwater woodland. Many fish lived in the mid-level canopy, while the ocean floor near the roots was a paradise for small shellfish.

Chen Xiao swallowed hard, impressed by the sight, and memorized the location, planning to return the next day.

After exploring the reef arch, Xi Yunqing changed direction, and they swam for nearly an hour before the water brightened again.

Chen Xiao broke the surface just as the sun was about to set below the horizon. Not far away was the island Tong Nuo had pointed out earlier. People were surfacing and heading toward the island to rest.

“Brother Xiao, let’s head ashore. It’s getting dark, and we still need to find a suitable campsite." Xi Yunqing said.

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead." Chen Xiao replied, nodding.

He stored the water arrows in his storage box and followed Xi Yunqing onto the shore.

As soon as he left the water, the heavy feeling in his limbs returned. Standing on solid ground, he felt like he couldn’t jump. But the heaviness faded quickly as he readjusted to gravity.

His clothes, still dripping seawater, quickly dried and became fresh again. Only his hair, soaked in saltwater, clung wetly to his shoulders and back.

Xi Yunqing’s hair dried much faster. He turned to Chen Xiao and asked, “Brother Xiao, do you want me to dry your hair for you?”

Chen Xiao hesitated, then said, “I’ll wash it later, so just leave it for now.” Salt in the seawater made the scalp uncomfortable if dried too soon.

Xi Yunqing nodded and didn’t press further. He didn’t mention that when he used fire-based true energy to evaporate water from his own hair, he simultaneously removed the salt. Since Chen Xiao wanted to wash, he respected his wish.

After the two of them got ashore, they walked along the beach for a while before finding a clearing between a few large trees to set up camp.

Xi Yunqing had some experience training in similar environments, so Chen Xiao left all the camp preparations to him. By the time Xi Yunqing had used the clean water from the storage box to wash his hair, he had already cleared a large flat area and gathered some stones and wood to build a fire pit.

Chen Xiao took out a simple camping tent that he had asked Tong Nuonuo to make for him from the storage box. It was a cylindrical tube about one and a half feet tall and half a foot wide. Chen Xiao pressed a switch on the side, and the cylinder automatically split open and unfolded into a space very much like the camping tents from his previous life.

This tent’s size and functions were tailored specifically for him after Tong Nuonuo consulted with Chen Xiao. When he first opened it, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but be grateful that in the cultivation world, there were such ingenious craftsmen who could invent things like this.

The tent had two different opening modes, one larger, suited for flat ground, and a smaller one for rough terrain. The flat ground mode covered about eight square feet, while the rough terrain mode only covered four, and was set directly on the ground.

Tong Nuonuo knew that Chen Xiao was a bit different from the average cultivator, he seemed more fragile and less adaptable to extreme weather.

She carefully chose a special fabric designed for mechanisms. While it wasn’t as flexible as the legendary expedition tents, it provided excellent insulation and resistance against strong winds and heavy rain.

Not only did the tent unfold automatically, but it also folded back up completely on its own with just a press of a button, returning to its original cylindrical shape, extremely convenient.

Xi Yunqing sprinkled insect-repellent herbs around the campsite while Chen Xiao took out pots, bowls, spoons, and pans from the storage box. They only had a pot and a grill rack for barbecuing, along with a variety of seasonings. Since Tong Nuonuo wasn’t camping with them, there was no stove, so they had to cook directly over the fire pit.

Xi Yunqing left Chen Xiao to prepare dinner at the camp while he went to explore the island to see if they could find anything extra to eat.

Chen Xiao successfully lit the fire and split the wood into kindling, stacking it into a firepile. He soaked various seashells in water, adding some sesame oil to help them purge the sand.

He felt fairly confident about handling seafood. The ingredients already had a natural salty flavor, so he didn’t need to add many seasonings, just boiling them in water was enough. After changing the water twice and seeing it remained clear, he hung the pot over the fire pit to boil.

Then, carefully picking out the oysters that had a slightly fishy smell, he pried them open one by one. He spread a seasoning to remove the fishiness on the oyster meat and placed them directly on the grill rack. Once the starfish had also finished purging their sand, he put them on the grill in the same way.

After all this careful preparation, Chen Xiao found himself sweating lightly. He knew his cooking skills weren’t great, no frying or stir-frying for him, but he was determined to master the art of slow-cooked meals.

In the net, only one black, spiny sea urchin remained. This was the simplest to eat. Chen Xiao used a small knife to cut off the spines, then dipped the bright orange sea urchin roe in a vinegar-soy sauce mixture and popped it into his mouth, a true delicacy.

After checking the pot on the fire, the items on the grill, and the opened sea urchin, Chen Xiao put down his snacks and thought to himself that tonight’s dinner probably wouldn’t be a complete failure.

Before the soup in the pot boiled, Xi Yunqing returned.

Chen Xiao stood up in surprise. “You’re back so soon, big brother.” He glanced at Xi Yunqing’s hands, they didn’t seem to be carrying anything. “Didn’t find anything else?”

Xi Yunqing whispered, “Nothing farther out. Just found some bird eggs.” He pulled out a large leaf, on which lay about ten small eggs, each smaller than a chicken egg by two finger-widths, speckled with pale blue spots.

“Bird eggs! That’s great!” Chen Xiao smiled but then frowned a little. “If only Arou were here, she’d know exactly how to prepare these. What should we do with them? Maybe keep it simple and boil them?”

As a food enthusiast, Chen Xiao always mentioned others when it came to meals, which made Xi Yunqing a little annoyed. He brushed aside the wood near him with the hem of his shirt and said with an expressionless face, “How about big brother cooks the bird eggs, huh?”

Chen Xiao looked at him in surprise. “I never knew you could cook.”

Xi Yunqing paused. “I can’t. But thanks to my innate talent, I have some control over fire-elemental spiritual energy. Don’t worry, if it doesn’t turn out well, we’ll just toss it. I can always go find more eggs.”

Chen Xiao hurriedly said, “No matter how it turns out, little brother will taste it.” He joked, after all, big brother had eaten all his terrible cooking before, so this was payback.

Xi Yunqing seemed to smile, or maybe not. His expression remained serious as he raised one palm in front of him. Chen Xiao watched in amazement as the air above Xi Yunqing’s hand shimmered slightly, heated by intense warmth.

Holding his breath, Xi Yunqing cracked a bird egg on the grill rack, his movements a bit awkward as he peeled the shell apart.

The crack widened, and with lightning speed, he caught the flowing egg in his palm. Within moments, the transparent egg white turned opaque white, and the golden yolk solidified into a perfectly cooked form.

Chen Xiao stood by, utterly stunned. This was a fried egg cooked with bare hands!