Read Novel Full Arc 16: Tai Gu Desert | Chapter 305: Coveted
Arc 16: Tai Gu Desert | Chapter 305: Coveted
At the top of the mountain, the sword cultivator in white stood alone, unmoving as a mountain.
When Xu Ziqing reached the peak, he broke the stillness and spoke, “Shixiong.”
Yun Lie turned around: “Are you ready?”
Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “Everything is prepared.” He had just thought about asking Chonghua to take him back to Shifang Pavilion to exchange for some spirit talismans, which would save him some true essence. As for the various elixirs he had on him, they were sufficient, having been granted by the sect earlier.
Yun Lie nodded slightly: “Let’s go.”
Xu Ziqing responded, “Yes, Shixiong.”
Chonghua had grown a bit larger now, and its intelligence was no longer as naive as before. It understood its purpose for this trip, so it jumped down from Xu Ziqing’s shoulder and transformed back into its true form with a shake.
It was over ten zhang long, its wings spread out like clouds covering the sky; its eagle-like beak was curved, seemingly forged from fine steel. Its sharp claws resembled hooks, and its tail feathers were like blades, while its skin shone like gold, dotted with fragments of light, making it not only majestic but also imposing. Its aura was far different from its previous weakness; now, just by opening its beak, it could unleash powerful innate divine abilities. Its demonic energy was concentrated in every feather, rich and substantial.
At this moment, the third-tier demon beast crouched down, exposing its back.
Xu Ziqing leaped up and turned around, smiling, “Shixiong, how about having Chonghua carry us both to see its abilities?”
Yun Lie swayed slightly and stood beside him: “That works.”
The two sat side by side on Chonghua’s broad back, which could easily accommodate four or five people without crowding. Compared to before, it was truly much more comfortable.
Chonghua let out a resounding eagle cry, its wings spread wide as it soared straight up, piercing through the clouds!
So fast!
The wind howled in their ears, and the scenery around them flew by rapidly, forming a thin line that was almost indistinguishable.
Even with Xu Ziqing’s keen eyesight, he could not discern the view below; he could only see stretches of color blocks flashing by.
Chonghua was putting in all its effort to demonstrate its prowess, flying at such astonishing speed.
No wonder it possessed the bloodline of the Kunpeng; even just a tiny fraction of that bloodline allowed it to fly so quickly.
Now, it was merely a third-tier demon beast, but one could only imagine how fast it would be when it reached a higher tier.
Even though Xu Ziqing had never truly hoped for Chonghua to be exceptionally powerful, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at this moment.
All those years of consuming beast elixirs seemed to have paid off.
Yun Lie said, “When it matures, it will be a great help to you.”
Xu Ziqing smiled, “Chonghua has always worked hard; I believe that day will come.”
Chonghua, with its keen perception, sensed its two masters praising it below, and without realizing it, it managed to fly even faster!
Demon beasts are typically full of energy and can fly for several days and nights without tiring. Though Chonghua was flying fast, it did so effortlessly due to its bloodline talent.
After a day and night, they would soon reach the Tai Gu Desert.
Near the Tai Gu Desert was a small town, a place for merchants to replenish supplies and rest. Ever since the Tai Gu Desert had been occupied by a group of demons, the flow of people had gradually decreased, and many townsfolk had fled to other places for survival. Ordinary cultivators would no longer come here.
Unfortunately, with fewer townsfolk, the demons in the desert were displeased. Those who left late could no longer escape, forced to endure daily suffering under the oppression of the evil beings.
Chonghua landed outside the small town, and Xu Ziqing was eager to gather some information first.
Although the mission stated that these demons were indeed ruthless and the chance of error was extremely low, seeing it firsthand, he couldn’t simply jump to conclusions.
Chonghua quickly transformed into a half-grown eagle about a foot long and landed on Xu Ziqing’s shoulder, while Yun Lie stood on Xu Ziqing’s other side, and the two proceeded into the town.
This town was quite desolate, with few people around. The passersby were all mortals, appearing quite weak and dressed very simply, as if they hadn’t been able to eat enough or stay warm for many years, resulting in their current appearance. They moved hurriedly, avoiding glances at the newcomers, seemingly reluctant to provoke trouble, and kept their distance.
Upon entering the town, the two noticed that it was not small; the streets were spacious, indicating that it must have once been prosperous. The ground was made of neatly laid blue stone slabs, and the houses on either side were uniquely crafted; if they weren’t so dilapidated, they must have been quite exquisite.
There were no shops on either side of the street; places that should have been shops were completely empty.
In a slightly narrower street, the houses were densely packed on both sides, with tightly closed doors, seemingly unwilling to let anyone enter.
This felt like a form of extreme insecurity and profound self-protection.
Xu Ziqing frowned at the sight.
It was easy to imagine that the people living here were indeed on edge, merely trying to survive.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Ziqing glanced at Yun Lie.
Yun Lie understood his intent and nodded slightly.
Xu Ziqing approached the door of one household and gently knocked.
No one responded.
He sighed and knocked a few more times, increasing his strength.
This time, he heard hurried footsteps from within, and someone quickly opened the door wide.
The person who came was a thin man in his forties, repeatedly saying, “I’m late, I’m late! Please don’t hold it against me, please don’t hold it against me…” He mumbled, appearing extremely frightened of the person outside, as if fearing that any delay would result in punishment.
Xu Ziqing sighed even more inwardly, but his expression didn’t change; he spoke gently, “My Shixiong and I are passing through and have some matters to inquire about. May I ask if you could assist us?”
Though he was a cultivator, he didn’t feel that mortals should be looked down upon; he naturally adhered to the appropriate etiquette.
However, Xu Ziqing didn’t realize that while he understood courtesy, the man was filled with doubts.
The thin man was taken aback at first, then carefully looked Xu Ziqing over.
In this place, no ordinary person dared to come anymore, but those flying immortals that occasionally visited typically had an air of arrogance and never treated them with such politeness.
Thus, he was momentarily perplexed, unable to understand whether this seemingly gentle and kind youth was a humble “young hero” from the mortal world adventuring through the jianghu1The Jianghu is a shared world and an alternate universe. It consists of several martial artists and pugilists gathered in the Wulin (武林), who are usually congregated in sects, clans, disciplines and various schools of martial arts. It is also inhabited by others such as “Youxia” (wandering heroes), nobles, thieves, beggars, priests, healers, merchants and craftsmen. The best Wuxia writers draw a vivid picture of the intricate themes of honour, loyalty, love and hatred between the individuals and communities within this milieu. or one of those flying immortals aiming to “slay demons and eliminate evil.”
Mortals couldn’t see spiritual auras or discern identities, leaving him dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond.
Xu Ziqing was not in a hurry and waited for the thin middle-aged man to gather his thoughts.
After the thin man appraised Xu Ziqing a few times, he then looked at Yun Lie, and with that gaze, he drew in a sharp breath. He was not without discernment, but the young man in the green shirt had been so gentle that he failed to recognize the one behind him. Upon seeing the man in white, he immediately sensed a strong pressure emanating from him, causing him to choke momentarily. He quickly forced a smile and said, “Oh, so it’s two esteemed immortals. Please, come in!”
Xu Ziqing smiled; it seemed that his Shixiong had a stronger presence than he did. To gather information about the situation here, he stepped inside, followed by Yun Lie.
The thin man was extremely cautious; after leading the two in, he quickly shut the door and brought them to the main hall.
A similarly thin woman saw them and hurriedly wiped two somewhat decent chairs with a cloth before tremblingly saying, “Please, esteemed immortals, have a seat.”
Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing both sat down.
The couple felt a bit relieved once they saw that the two were relatively easy to get along with.
The thin man pondered for a moment before speaking, “I’m not sure what the esteemed immortals wish to ask…”
Xu Ziqing thought for a moment and replied with a smile, “It’s just a small matter.” He paused, “My Shixiong and I are passing through this area and intended to find an inn to rest for a bit, but we noticed that there were hardly any people in the town. It seemed quite strange, so we came to knock on the door.”
Upon hearing this, the thin man’s eyes showed a hint of sorrow, and then he shook his head and sighed, “Esteemed immortal, this matter is not easily explained. I…” He had a good impression of this easy-going young man, and after struggling with his thoughts for a moment, he said, “If the esteemed immortal believes my words, it’s best not to linger here and to leave quickly; that would be the wisest course of action.”
Xu Ziqing felt a tightening in his heart upon hearing this. It seemed that what was mentioned on the merit pillar was mostly true; otherwise, this place wouldn’t be so desolate, and the local mortals wouldn’t be facing such hardships. Before he could respond, a sudden loud knock echoed from outside.
This knock was especially forceful and rather rough as if someone were about to barge in.
Hearing this, the thin man’s expression changed to one of panic, and he repeatedly said, “Do you two esteemed immortals have any methods to leave immediately? If you do, please leave quickly; if you stay even half a moment longer, then…”
The thin woman was even more flustered; she stood up hurriedly and headed toward the door, saying in a panic, “I’m coming! I’m coming! Please forgive me!”
Seeing the two in such a state, Xu Ziqing had begun to understand, yet he pretended not to know and asked, “Why do we need to leave? Who is outside?”
The thin man grew increasingly anxious, but it was evidently too late.
Soon, two figures strode in, their sleeves swaying as they approached.
These were two tall young men with a sinister glint in their eyes, dressed in radiant, magical robes, both of them at least at the foundation-building level in their cultivation.
Almost immediately, Xu Ziqing utilized his breath-concealing technique, adjusting his aura to match the mid-foundation-building stage.
Yun Lie, being at a higher cultivation level, merely suppressed his aura slightly, appearing to match Xu Ziqing’s cultivation level, with his entire presence seemingly diminished in an instant.
Once the two young men entered, they immediately spotted the pair of Shixiong and Shidi, and their eyes lit up.
Ah, what a pair of beauties!
The thin man knew the situation was dire and felt a deep sense of regret. They had been trapped in this town for a long time; aside from carefully appeasing that group of demons, they had witnessed many filthy deeds. Now, he could only pity this pair of upright immortals who were about to meet a bad end…
The thin woman shrank back, lowering her head further to avoid being seen by the two.
However, this time, the two young men paid no attention to the woman; their gazes were fixed on the newly discovered beauties, their lewd smiles flitting past, but their tone turned serious: “To actually see two fellow Daoists here! I am Niu Shengyu, and this is my younger brother Niu Shengque. May I ask why you two fellow Daoists have come here?”
Xu Ziqing thought, Is it them? However, his face remained smiling as he said, “Greetings, fellow daoists. I am Yun Qing, and this is my Shixiong, Yun Jian. We are both disciples of the Qianque Sect.” He had a naturally handsome and elegant demeanor, and when he smiled, he appeared even more gentle and approachable, quite captivating.
Upon seeing this, the two young men exchanged glances, their hearts filled with secret delight.
Such fine specimens!
Qianque Sect? Just a ninth-grade minor sect, hardly worth mentioning!
Translator: Lynn
Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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