parentshiftbook Chapter 404 Revisiting the Bitter Spring, Camel Dragon and Old Friends
Chapter 404 Revisiting the Bitter Spring, Camel Dragon and Old Friends
Chapter 404 Return to Bitter Spring, Camel Dragon and Old Friends
The northern desert is hot.
The scorching heat was everywhere, as if it wanted to squeeze out the last drop of moisture from life.
The blazing sun, like a ball of molten gold, hung high in the blindingly pale sky, relentlessly baking the boundless sea of sand below. Hot winds whipped up dust laden with sand, lashing at everything exposed like rough whips, producing a grating, irritating rustling sound.
Akagi's figure appeared at the edge of this sea of death, his silhouette slightly distorted in the heatwave.
Even with his profound cultivation as the second-ranked official on the Earth Ranking and the High Priest of the Golden Wolf Royal Court, the continuous days of fleeing and maintaining a high level of vigilance had inevitably left him covered in heavy dust and a trace of barely perceptible fatigue.
The ordinary robes that had been used to conceal his identity are now covered in dust and are tattered, appearing somewhat dull.
He was like an old wolf fleeing in panic across the wilderness, each step he took was cautious and swift, his ears perked up and his sharp eyes constantly capturing the slightest movement.
Only when a reassuring green outline, so different from the monotonous yellow sand, finally stubbornly emerged on the horizon at the edge of the field of vision did Chi Nari's tense heartstrings relax slightly.
"Bitter Spring" Oasis.
One of the few remaining strongholds of life on the outskirts of the Sea of Death in the northern desert.
Relying on a spring with a limited amount of water, bitter in taste but enough to sustain life, people gradually gathered here, forming a simple desert town built of rammed earth and interspersed with poplar wood.
It is rough, noisy, and filled with the smell of sweat and livestock, but it is a rare place for travelers to catch their breath in this unforgiving desert.
On that day, China did not enter through the city gate, as it was a crowded and chaotic place.
Like a ghost, relying on his familiarity with the terrain and his extraordinary agility, he silently slipped into the town through a gap in a collapsed earthen wall.
The clamor of voices, the braying of camels, the shouts of vendors, the clashing of weapons—all sorts of noises mixed with the heat wave rushed towards him, instantly dispelling the oppressive feeling brought by the deathly silence of the desert, but also causing him to frown slightly.
He prefers absolute quiet and a sense of control, but at this moment, this chaos helps him hide.
He pulled his wide-brimmed felt hat, its edges tattered, down low, obscuring most of his face. His aura was perfectly concealed, and he blended seamlessly into the passing crowd, inconspicuous at all.
His original intention was to find a secluded corner, get some clean water and dry food, rest briefly, and then leave immediately to continue his journey into the deeper and safer heart of the northern desert.
However, a series of unusually loud noises coming from the direction of the town center caught his attention.
Many people, especially those martial arts practitioners carrying weapons and exuding a fierce aura, flocked towards the largest earthen and wooden building in the center of the town.
The building was of ordinary style, but it was considered "magnificent" in the desert. It was covered with a large sunshade made of dried palm leaves and thick coarse cloth, which was quite characteristic of the local area.
The area under the shed was already teeming with people of all kinds, a mixture of smells of alcohol, sweat, and excited shouts.
The sign hanging at the entrance reads "Shahai Tower" in crooked Chinese characters and a kind of northern Mongolian script.
Chinari's grayish-brown eyes flickered in the shadow of his felt hat.
The Sand Sea Tower is the largest news hub in the Bitter Spring Oasis, and a place where desert travelers and outlaws exchange information, make deals, or simply have fun.
With such a lively scene, could there be some special news or event?
China remained extremely vigilant.
Suspicion was ingrained in his character. As the heir to his tribe from a young age, he witnessed his tribe being massacred by enemies who joined forces with a more powerful force. With perseverance, patience, and a wolf-like cunning, he escaped alone into the vast desert.
At that time, those who chased him included not only ordinary warriors from the northern desert, but also experts who were half-step into the outer realm.
He miraculously survived by virtue of his familiarity with the desert terrain, his almost instinctive sense of danger, and his almost cruel composure in hiding in desperate situations time and time again.
That experience shaped the Grandmaster Chinari we know today:
He trusted no one but himself, was extremely sensitive to danger to the point of being neurotic, cherished his own life above all else, and always prioritized self-preservation. He was like an old wolf, scarred and cunning yet more ferocious, forged by the cruel laws of nature.
That's why, after his defeat at Qiandao Lake, his first reaction wasn't like that of the Undying King, who went straight to a place with a clear backer to seek refuge.
The Golden Wolf Royal Court has a loose structure, with complex relationships between various tribes and even larger powers. Fighting each other is common, and sometimes the internal strife is even more brutal than the external wars.
The reclusive Dharma body Temur is a symbol revered by both the grasslands and the northern deserts, representing supreme military power, but he is not the personal guardian deity of Chinari.
He dared not entrust his life and death entirely to that elusive "care".
Therefore, he chose the method he was best at: hiding, relocating, and utilizing all available hidden resources.
He first used a complicated route to confuse potential pursuers, then hid in a small, absolutely safe secret realm that no one even inside the Golden Wolf Royal Court knew about, a realm only he himself had discovered during his early adventures, where he lay dormant like a hibernating viper for quite some time.
Only after confirming that the outside world seemed to have calmed down and that Li Xijun had not continued his pursuit in a high-profile manner did he cautiously resurface like a groundhog, choosing this relatively hidden route on the outskirts of the northern desert that could quickly lead to a deeper, safer area.
"Sand Sea Tower—" Chi Nari murmured to himself.
He needed to know the latest news, especially about the movements of that jinx in the south—Li Xijun, as well as the safety situation in the Bitter Spring Oasis and even further north. Blending in with the crowd and listening to their gossip might be safer than asking around on his own.
Like a silent fish, Chi Na Ri quietly approached the edge of the most crowded area outside the "Sand Sea Tower".
His figure was hidden behind several burly bandits who were talking and laughing loudly; the shadow cast by his wide-brimmed felt hat perfectly concealed his face and eyes.
A cacophony of sounds filled my ears, initially consisting of irrelevant boasting and vulgar laughter.
But soon, some recurring words, like cold needles, pierced through the noise and precisely stabbed into his already taut nerves.
"My goodness, how long has it been? His Highness the Star Lord's strength has improved at an astonishing pace."
"That's right! In the Battle of Thousand Island Lake, my goodness, one against three! The Crimson-Blooded Marquis, that's a well-known figure, I heard he's incredibly powerful, but what happened... He was blown to bits by the Star Lord with a single punch, leaving no trace of his body!"
"It's not just the Crimson-Blooded Marquis! Didn't you see the newly posted official gazette? It says in black and white that the High Priest of the Golden Wolf Royal Court, what's his name, Cinara, is second on the Earthly Ranking, and the Undying Venerable King of the Vajra Temple in the Western Regions is third. Even when the two of them joined forces to launch a sneak attack, they were still beaten like stray dogs by His Highness the Star Lord, fleeing in a sorry state. Tsk tsk, those are second and third on the Earthly Ranking!"
"How old is Your Highness, the Star Lord? You must be just over twenty. This is simply—simply inhuman! Even the resurrected ancient Thunder God couldn't be more extraordinary."
"That's why they say he's the chosen one. His cultivation speed and combat power are beyond human comprehension."
These exclamations, discussions, and even fanatical praises burned like a red-hot iron into China's heart. His fingers, hidden beneath his sleeves, unconsciously curled slightly.
The crushing defeat at Qiandao Lake was the greatest shame and fear of his life, but now it has become the topic of conversation for these ants, who repeatedly chew on it and praise the enemy's strength. This has caused a violent and evil fire to silently rise in his withered body.
His cold gaze swept across the center of the crowd, where a simple wooden sign stood with several brand-new sheets of paper bearing blurry official seals. These were summaries of the official gazette about the Battle of Thousand Island Lake, which had been passed down from the Great Xia Dynasty, along with some "detailed records" from various江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) media.
Although the handwriting may have become somewhat blurred due to repeated copying, the words "Red-hearted Marquis Died," "Red-hearted One Flees in Defeat," and "Undying King Retreats" are still extremely glaring.
Just then, a voice with a heavy northern accent, seemingly drunk, shouted, "Hey! You guys say... this Star Lord really—really really came to our godforsaken Bitter Spring Oasis? It sounds like he's bragging to me!"
This remark immediately drew laughter and rebuttals.
"Bragging? That's like a frog in a well. Old Master Tuolong knows this best; ask him!"
"That's right! Old Master Tuolong, please tell me... Did His Highness the Star Lord really pass through here back then and ask you about something?"
The crowd naturally parted to form a gap, their gazes focusing on an elderly man slowly smoking a pipe in the corner of the shed.
The old man's skin was dark and withered like old tree bark, his face was covered with deep wrinkles filled with sand and dust, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's. At his waist hung a polished bronze compass and a short-handled curved knife.
He was the most senior and knowledgeable镖头 (bodyguard/escort) in the Bitter Spring Oasis, now known as "Camel Dragon," who escorted goods for the Great Merchant Guild in the desert.
Old Man Tuolong took a couple of puffs of his cigarette, and under the expectant gazes of the crowd, slowly exhaled a few smoke rings. A smile, a mixture of reminiscence and self-satisfaction, appeared on his face. In a hoarse but clear voice, he said, "Bragging? At my age, do I need to brag to you youngsters?"
He paused, seemingly savoring the memory, and raised his voice slightly, carrying a sense of pride: "That was all many years ago—back then, His Highness the Star Lord hadn't even reached the Outer Realm cultivation level, and wasn't as awe-inspiring as he is now, but his demeanor was already quite impressive."
"But...hey! I've traveled all over the country my whole life, and I can tell at a glance that he's no ordinary person!"
He narrowed his eyes, as if he could see the scene from back then: "Do you know who His Highness was asking me about back then? The second most talented person on the Golden Wolf Royal Court's ranking list at the time, the Little Wolf King, 'Gao Wang'!"
The moment the name "King Gao" entered his ears, the body of the person hidden in the shadow of the felt hat stiffened almost imperceptibly.
"That King Gao, relying on being the disciple of the High Priest of the Golden Wolf Royal Court, was extremely arrogant in the Northern Desert. He even dared to lead a team to hunt down the White Tiger Saintess, the sister of the Star Lord."
Old Master Tuolong continued, his tone filled with disdain for King Gao, "Although that sister wasn't his biological sister, upon hearing the news, His Highness immediately set out alone into the desert, intending to kill this scoundrel."
"He was at our 'Sand Sea Pavilion' at the time, and His Highness politely asked me for directions."
The old man's face showed a look of reminiscence, even with a hint of pride: "I may not have any other skills, but in this sea of sand, I know a little bit about which gerbil digs a hole and which wind blows which way. His Highness asked in detail, so I told him everything I knew about the Gao King on the spot."
He tapped his cigarette ash and continued, "And then, as you all know, His Highness intercepted the High King at Black Wind Pass, and in a great battle, he slew that arrogant little wolf king! He rid the people of a scourge and greatly boosted the morale of our border people."
"So, it seems His Highness the Star Lord and our Bitter Spring Oasis really do have this connection! This old man here, well, I guess I indirectly rid His Highness of a scourge and accumulated some merit, didn't I?"
A chorus of agreement and exclamations immediately arose from the surrounding area.
"I see!"
"Old Master Camel Dragon is amazing! He actually had such a relationship with His Highness the Star Lord!"
"So, if that's the case, then you, old man, also deserve some credit for His Highness the Star Lord's success in eliminating King Gao!"
As the old man listened to the flattery around him, his smile deepened, and the wrinkles around his eyes relaxed. He was clearly very pleased with the honor of having "intersected with a legendary figure".
However, amidst this boisterous atmosphere filled with praise for Li Xijun and envy for Tuolong, the gray-brown eyes under Yi Chi's felt hat that day had completely turned into two frozen pools of stagnant water, containing endless chill.
King Gao —
That disciple he took in on a whim back then, who was quite talented and had a decent temperament.
Although it wasn't a complete sharing of knowledge, but rather a tool for external deterrence, ultimately—bearing the name of his disciple Chi Na Ri, when he learned of the Gao King's death, he was only slightly displeased and didn't care too much.
It was just a tool; once it broke, it broke. He was too lazy to delve into the specifics, only remembering that it was the work of the newly rising Li Xijun.
But now, amidst this atmosphere of fanatical worship of Li Xijun, beneath this filthy and chaotic desert tavern, it is being brought up again by an old镖头 (bodyguard/essential bodyguard) as if he were an ant, with such a "glorious" tone—
It turns out that his good-for-nothing disciple didn't just die at the hands of Li Xijun.
His whereabouts, and his final resting place, were actually revealed to Li Xijun by this old man in front of him, whose cultivation was only at the half-step Exterior Realm and who survived by relying on a little desert experience.
A chilling, bone-piercing murderous intent, a mixture of shame, anger, and an extreme brutality stemming from being offended by ants, hissed and grew wildly in Akana's heart like the tongue of a venomous snake.
He took a slow breath, the dry, scorching air filling his lungs, yet it seemed to carry the smell of blood.
His gaze swept over the excited, worshipful faces before him, over the smug camel-like dragon still puffing on his pipe, over the simple, filthy shed, and over the ants crammed beneath it—the highest cultivation level being no more than half a step into the Outer Realm, the majority merely at the Enlightenment stage or even ordinary people—
Kill them all!
A simple, cold, and unquestionable thought took shape in his mind.