Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Half an hour later, two noblewomen appeared on the street. They were indeed eye-catching; nobles were a rare sight these days, and traditional noble attire was even rarer. However, upon seeing the two women dressed in such a manner, everyone instinctively stepped aside to display their gentlemanly demeanor.
The two noblewomen disguised themselves as the victims of an assault to purchase ferry tickets, extinguished Force, and boarded the Ferry that would take them to Purple Moon City on the Eastern Continent three days later. To enter the Dawn Desert, they didn’t need to return to the Eastern Continent; they could head directly to the York Clan located in the York Mountains, and from there, it was just east to reach the Dawn Desert.
Upon arriving at Purple Moon City, Feng disregarded Cui Ming's protests and changed back into male attire, also buying a set for Cui Ming. Feng chose two sets of denim outfits, specifically getting a red cloak for Cui Ming. To his surprise, Cui Ming looked quite striking in it. The black ensemble, paired with a large red cape and a low-brimmed hat, showcased a mature masculine charm distinct from Cui Ming's usual appearance.
Feng's outfit was a sandy-colored denim suit that also looked quite handsome. The two successfully transformed from alluring noblewomen into charming men. Cui Ming praised Feng's choice of clothing, while Feng explained countless times that he didn't care for appearances and had no taste in clothes; he never relied on clothing to enhance his beauty. Cui Ming rolled his eyes, clearly unconvinced, knowing that Feng was quite particular about his appearance.
Cui Ming liked the cloak not just because of its color but because it gave him a certain feeling. Among the members of the Thieves Guild, Cui Ming admired the Magician most. He had worn Magician robes before but always felt something was missing. Now, this cloak was perfect; it allowed for subtle movements without being as constricting as the robes of a Magician.
The York Mountains were the largest mountain range on the planet. The Eastern Continent had largely been spared from world-class warfare due in large part to the presence of these mountains. Although there were only about ten thousand Yorkians, there were three cities within the mountain range. Of course, even if they were referred to as capital cities, they were merely gathering points—villages. Familiar with this area, Cui Ming led them as they traversed the mountains. He asked, “When we first met you, had you just come out of the desert?”
“Yes,” Feng replied. “I came out of the desert and sought help from the Yorkians, applying for membership in the alliance. I only left the York Clan after receiving my amnesty certificate. Damn it, I got lost as soon as I reached the Grand Canyon. I hadn’t gotten lost in years while wandering through the desert but ended up lost in the gorge. And then I unfortunately ran into you guys. Tell me honestly—when we first met, did you plan to kill me?”
Cui Ming answered honestly, “Yes, but I miscalculated our respective strengths. I mean, do we really need to carry two large backpacks full of supplies?”
Feng replied, “Of course we do if you want to stay for two years. We need to head east for ten days before reaching the first oasis. It’s beautiful; I named this oasis Bean Sprout Spring. There’s a clear spring here and about two hundred square meters of greenery. I dug a waterway around the perimeter of the green area and excavated several large pits to create ponds. During my adventures in the desert, can you believe it? Six months later, fish appeared in those ponds—a small school of them! I started researching and later discovered there’s an underground lake near this oasis. I went to buy tools and concrete from the York Clan, dug open a springhead to let water flow through the waterway back into the underground lake. I even bought four rabbits for the oasis…”
“Were you lonely?” asked Cui Ming.
Feng was silent for a long time before responding, “Yes. The sound of flowing water in the quiet desert was like music from heaven. The silence of the desert is deathly still; it makes you feel devoid of any vitality.”
“So you bought some saplings.”
“Yeah,” Feng said. “I also bought some flower seeds. The desert taught me one thing: to cherish—to cherish every green leaf, every bird song, every little moment in life; these things are incredibly precious in the desert.”
Cui Ming laughed heartily: “I say you’re starting to act all melancholic now.”
“This is called life philosophy,” Feng said as he looked ahead. “I’m now caught in a deadlock: if I leave the desert, my junior sister will kill me; but if I don’t leave, I can’t track down my master’s murderer.”
"You can reason with your junior sister," Cui Ming said.
"Hey, she's a woman. Trying to reason with a woman? Are you out of your mind?" Feng Dao replied. "I must break through myself so that I can easily defeat my junior sister without hurting her."
"Well... while you're breaking through, do you think your junior sister will also be breaking through?"
Feng's face darkened as he turned and asked angrily, "Can't you say something nice?"
"I believe that in two years, you'll be able to defeat your junior sister with just one finger."
Feng shook his head helplessly and asked, "Hey, we're about to enter the desert. Can you tell me who you've offended?"
Cui Ming replied, "Lich."
"Lich? Haha, the first boss of Eternal Sphere." Feng Dao said. "This guy is not just terrifying; Lich... someone who made a deal with the God of Death. Although they gain endless power, they can only live on Shadow Island for the rest of their lives, guarding this land for the God of Death. It is said that many years ago, a red dragon could not bear the cold of the Arctic and left, discovering Shadow Island. It thought this land would become its new habitat, but within ten minutes of landing, it lost its life."
Cui Ming knew this story; it was recorded by the professor. The professor had been collecting research materials on Shadow Island and had witnessed Lich effortlessly kill an adult red dragon. How powerful is an adult red dragon? In terms of strength, it would take three Wei Wei to defeat one red dragon, and that’s just defeating it, not exterminating it.
...
As they chatted along the way, they finally entered the desert. There are two types of deserts: the first type is what everyone sees on television during racing shows—thin sand with sparse bushes and stones. The second type resembles a snowy plain where stepping in can sink you up to your calves.
Most areas of Dawn Desert are typical of the second type. This was Cui Ming's first time in the desert; previously he had been surrounded by many people, but this time he was alone with Feng. Even with two people, one could immediately feel the solitude. The endless yellow sand stretched as far as the eye could see, silent and still—there was not even a breeze, only the scorching sun beating down. Unable to hold back a shout, he realized that in this vast desert, there was no echo.
"How did you come to this desert?" Cui Ming began to understand why Feng liked to put on a show; it was entirely for self-entertainment and stress relief.
Feng was also amusing himself now, running while dancing with his sword as if performing a dance on the wind ahead without looking back. He answered, "I chased the Murderer from Sakura Island all the way to Nordo City but lost track of him there. My bounty had already been issued; I couldn't leave Nordo City. My junior sister also arrived in Nordo City, and practitioners there began searching for me in secret while hunters headed toward Nordo City as well. I had only one choice: head west across the unguarded border into Dawn Desert."
Feng had brought a pack of food and water into the desert because after killing his junior brother, he felt extremely negative. He thought about just walking until he either starved or dehydrated or crossed the vast desert. He knelt down and prayed to the heavens for guidance. Then he took a compass along with some food and water into Dawn Desert.
One day passed, then two days, three days... more than ten days went by. The water ran out, and so did the food. Exhausted, Feng finally collapsed onto the sand; he no longer struggled but looked up at the blue sky, waiting for death to arrive. Although he still had revenge to seek against his enemies, death felt like a release for him at that moment.
A Rattlesnake appeared, and the wind stood still, allowing the Rattlesnake to crawl up its body. When it slithered over the wind's neck, the wind bit down on its vital spot, caught between life and death; ultimately, the wind chose to live. The Rattlesnake feared both cold and heat, so there must be rocks nearby for it to cool off and bushes to keep it warm. This meant there had to be a water source nearby. Given this hint from the divine, a final chance for survival, the wind struggled and devoured the Rattlesnake. With the strength gained from the Rattlesnake, it found the first plant, dug out water, and then discovered a thicket until it reached an oasis.
The wind settled down here, where food was relatively abundant—Rattlesnakes, scorpions, vultures, lizards, sand mice, and more. The oasis also provided plenty of plant-based food.
"The oasis I found is only three days' journey from Bean Sprout Spring. However, compared to that oasis, I am an outsider there; at Bean Sprout Spring, I was the first living being. Of course, there are still little bugs and mosquitoes," Feng Dao said. "I moved the sand mice to Bean Sprout Spring. Without natural enemies, their breeding speed is astonishing. Luckily, I noticed in time and quickly exterminated them; otherwise, that oasis wouldn't have enough food for them."
Cui Ming asked, "With the resources at Bean Sprout Spring, can we survive?"
"Below Dawn Desert lies an Underground River. I've discovered five oases in total; the farthest is a four-day journey away, while the closest is just a day's round trip. I'm talking about our speed as cultivators," Feng explained. "Oh right, we have a neighbor."
"A neighbor? What kind of animal?"
"Not an animal; it's a person."
"What?!" Cui Ming exclaimed in surprise.
"I met him at the largest oasis. He was sitting by the lake, completely still, quietly watching the water. Judging by his age, he looked to be around forty—a man. At that moment, I thought to myself: if the divine is going to give something, why not give more? A young girl would have been much better..." Feng chuckled and continued, "While exploring the desert, I found a way to the York Mountains. When my craving for alcohol hit me, I went to buy some to bring back to the oasis. I invited him for a drink and chatted for a while. He spoke very little; after asking many questions, I finally learned that he had been abandoned at the oasis by a merchant caravan."
"A cultivator?" Cui Ming asked.
"Not unless he encountered me—a stranger cultivator—who dared to extinguish his Force." (To be continued.)
Comment 0 Comment Count