Chapter 128 The Sand from the Ancient Kingdom Is So Delicious
The vast desert stretches out before the golden sea of light shines.
In this vast desert, the cluster of buildings, their outlines faintly visible in the distance, resembles a glimmer of hope, while the towering tower in the center, reaching straight into the clouds, is like the sun high in the sky, a beacon in the sea of sand.
Even in the settlements, there didn't seem to be a single tree, not a trace of greenery, which was quite strange.
Amidst the sandstorm, a voice whispered weakly, "Water...where is the water..."
Her hair was disheveled, and she would occasionally raise her hand to brush away the grains of sand from the seams of her clothes, looking like a lamp that had run out of oil.
Qiao Yanshen was the first to be outraged: "Even if the spiritual energy here is thin, it doesn't have to be like this."
"Senior Sister—" Shen Lixia straightened her back, shook off the sand, and instantly became energetic. "This is how you should look in the desert to feel right."
“You don’t apply any ointment or wear a light-colored robe, and you even use a sword as a cane,” Simmons commented from the side. “Tsk tsk, not professional at all.”
"Shut up," Shen Lixia said. She saw Simmons holding a jar of ointment and applying it to her exposed skin as she walked, so she jumped forward to snatch the ointment away.
Simmons didn't really care; in other words, she just happened to remember she had it and figured she might as well use it. But now that Shen Lixia was trying to take it, she wasn't so quick to hand it over.
The woman leaned back, holding the jar high above her head, and said, "Hey, beg me."
Shen Lixia tiptoed to catch it, exclaiming, "Hey, you!" She had been practicing archery since she went into seclusion, and her movements were very skillful. In two quick movements, she circled around the Simmons mattress and reached out as if trying to grasp the moon.
However, the goal was just a jar of ointment.
But Simmons was just as swift as a mother leopard; they were having a great time grabbing for it in the desert. In this lively scene, the quicksand seemed to have taken on the color of wine, rather than the life-devouring ocean.
Shen Lixia ultimately won, took the ointment, and examined it closely in her hands.
"It smells so good." She unscrewed the cap and applied a little to her wrist. With her spiritual energy protecting her, she didn't need to cover her skin or apply ointments like a true desert dweller, nor did she need to hide during the day and be active at night.
Clearly, Qiao Yanshen and Si Changxi didn't need it either, so she returned the ointment to Simmons.
Because they didn't know what was in that distant city, they didn't use their swords and tried to conserve their spiritual energy to deal with any unexpected situations.
If you calculate it, excluding the time it took to reach the crevice, they had already been trekking through the desert for dozens of days.
In the past, I would probably be a skeleton buried by quicksand long ago. Thinking of this, I felt a lingering fear, as if even after nearly ten years here, I had not forgotten everything that happened in the modern world.
Even longer, they probably won't forget.
The footsteps of a few people scattered on the sand, only to be quickly buried. The sun was scorching, and as the air fell silent, a rustling sound suddenly came from beneath their feet.
It looked like many snakes and venomous insects were rubbing their limbs, or it looked like quicksand was just moving.
—It's collapsing!
The gravel caved in, forming a whirlpool that, like a man-eating swamp, collapsed suddenly at an extremely fast speed. The sand beneath their feet, which had been flat, sank in response, and a suction force came from below. Shen Lixia's heart pounded with fear as she summoned her sword and looked at the others.
However, before she could even utter a word of "be careful," she saw Si Changxi's figure flash first and disappear into the quicksand.
The sandy ground felt eerie. She tried to struggle with her spiritual power, but it was like a drowning person slapping the surface of water—it only kicked up clouds of sand and did nothing to help. It was as if some terrifying beast lay beneath her, leaving her utterly powerless to resist.
In desperation, Shen Lixia could only reach out and grab Qiao Yanshen's sleeve, and then casually pull on the back of Simmons' collar.
Now they really are going to be buried together.
Before she was submerged by quicksand, that was her last thought.
In the vast, flowing sand pool, at the last moment before his mouth and nose were submerged, he seemed to hear something flapping its wings and slowly descending towards him.
-
Inside the city, the air was filled with fragrance, the roads were paved with white stone bricks, and the buildings were also in light colors, scattered in a staggered pattern, with gorgeous colors shimmering on the high windows and platforms.
Water, drawn from deep underground, flows into the pool, shimmering in the sunlight. Yet, even the vast ocean seems unable to nourish a single tree here.
The prophecy also says that when the tree takes root in this place, the ancient splendor will reappear, peace will last forever, and the people of Galant will be able to reappear in the world.
In times of peace and prosperity, no one will covet the flesh and blood of immortality, regarding them as "the most precious treasures."
The ancient country is now full of vitality, and the arrival of distinguished guests from afar adds to the joyous atmosphere.
The people were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. They wore light-colored robes, with pearls and jade pendants adorning their necks and waists, and golden bracelets on their arms. Their faces were smeared with ointment, and gold chains spun in their hair, highlighting the abundance of the place.
These men were all over seven feet tall, and when they raised their arms, their muscles were clearly visible. Even with ointments to protect their skin, it had a rough, warm, bronze hue that shone brightly in the sunlight.
They all have a pair of enormous wings. Some are pure white, some are indigo, and some have the same plumage as the female eagle; all are the wings of birds of prey.
These wings gave them exceptionally strong and broad shoulders and backs, as if they could bear a thousand pounds of weight.
In a long corridor, several people carrying huge water jugs were chatting animatedly: "This is the first time in all these years that anyone has come here!"
Many people died before they even saw a glimpse of the city.
“Since they were able to cross the quicksand, they must be chosen by fate,” another person said. “Could it be that they can get out now? Our ancestors said there are trees outside, and even ‘snow.’ I really want to see it!”
"Let's wait for these people to wake up first. I heard that one of them is very special. The king said he would treat her as a distinguished guest."
"Does that mean we might run into her in the arena? Could she be from the Azure Dragon tribe?"
Her words caused a moment of silence. Then, one person's expression changed drastically, and he lowered his voice, "Shh...don't say anymore. Don't you remember? —That tribe disappeared long ago."
This topic was quickly moved on, and the young people turned to discussing their distinguished guest, how to arrange the venue, and how to clean the ingredients. Their faces lit up with joy, and they even couldn't help but spread their wings slightly, as if the visitor were truly a messenger from heaven, bringing news of peace.
Of course, it would be even better if the distinguished guest hadn't been knocked unconscious and tied up.
When Qiao Yanshen and Simmons woke up, there was perfume, water, and a white robe beside them.
The rich floral fragrance intertwines with the aroma of milk and honey, and even without worldly desires, one cannot help but feel one's mouth water when one opens one's eyes.
However, they had a golden ring locked on their wrists, which, while not affecting their movements at all, restricted all their spiritual power.
This is a spacious and clean room, with sunlight filtering through stained glass windows, numerous lamps, and intricately carved walls, exuding luxury. The wood is a dark, deep brownish-red, and the blankets are as soft as lamb's wool.
A tall woman was pouring tea. Hearing them wake up and sit up, she turned around and smiled slightly.
Her long hair was tied up high, and she wore armor on some parts of her body. Underneath her white skirt were trousers and boots for easy movement, and a metal badge was fastened to her shoulder. She also wore a dark red silk cloak.
Her eyebrows were like slender swords, with slightly deep contours; her nose was rounded; and her eyes were a light amber color. A dark red gemstone was held by a thin chain and hung from her forehead.
The moment Qiao Yanshen saw her, he was reminded of the wise owl god from an ancient civilization that was still in modern times.
Compared to these exotic features, the most striking thing is the pair of large wings on her back, which are now folded up, and the thick feathers give people an indescribable sense of security.
“Welcome,” the woman said, serving them tea. “Welcome to the ancient kingdom of quicksand.”
With her spiritual power restrained, she no longer worried about the threat posed by the person before her. She treated him as an honored guest, but in reality, she placed him under house arrest. The fruit-infused honey wine, sweet and intoxicating, could also soften bones and melt away internal organs.
The two exchanged a glance, and Qiao Yanshen spoke first, asking, "The Ancient Kingdom of Flowing Sands? You are residents of the Chaos Rift, aren't you?"
"So outsiders call this place the Chaos Rift?" The woman raised an eyebrow and asked in return, "Indeed, it's hard to come up with a good name for exiled people."
"exile?"
“We live here, and going out would be extremely dangerous. Aren’t we being exiled? But in the end, it was we who exiled them.”
Her smile carried a hint of coldness.
“We are blessed for generations, yet we were regarded as monsters and driven away. Since then, the human race has never been able to find the true traces of the gods. And some people, blinded by greed... while despising us, also coveted our ‘immortality’.”
Simmons, who had intended to speak, suddenly found herself speechless. The woman glanced at her lightly, clearly having already seen the marks under the fine fabric, but said nothing more.
"Don't make any rash moves. Stay here until you get permission." The coldness between her brows dissipated, replaced by gentleness. "Furthermore, if you have any needs, just ask."
Qiao Yan sighed deeply. Both her and Xi Mengsi's storage bags had been taken, and since Yu Feng's spiritual power was locked, there was no point in summoning him now. She couldn't sense any spiritual power from the person in front of her, but there was a strong and fierce power flowing within her body. Even if her spiritual power were restored, she probably wouldn't be able to gain the upper hand in a fight.
Indeed, he is a person blessed by the Four Symbols, and his path of cultivation is different from others. Perhaps it is the same path as that of the sacred land of Nagaran.
Clearly, this is where the Kalamites lived.
Seeing the current situation, Simmons couldn't think of anything to do. She sighed, resigned herself to her fate, walked to the long table, grabbed a piece of milk cake from the plate, and took a bite.
Oh no, it was actually quite delicious.
Fortunately, these people are different from the madmen on the snowfield, otherwise they would probably be beheaded by now.
She tried to find a bit of humor in her bitterness.
Qiao Yanshen temporarily set aside her struggle and decided to think of other ways. She looked at the woman and smiled in a feignedly friendly manner, "Could you please get me some local books? I'd like to take a look. Also, what should I call you?"
The woman uttered two words that struck Qiao Yan like a thunderbolt.
"Hua Sheng".
Even though she pronounced it with the second tone, she knew it must be the surname that she herself—her past self—had given to Hua Ying when she was young.
On the other side, in the arena built around a circular area on a central tiered platform, people were still asleep in a small room.
The sand was cleaned up, and colorful flower petals were scattered in the pool, releasing a strong fragrance when soaked in hot water.
The boy lay on the stone platform, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. The next moment, a more dazzling gold than ever before slowly bloomed.
She opened her eyes, and the memory of being trapped in the sand flashed through her mind. She quickly took a deep breath, but choked and coughed awkwardly.
Where is this place?
Before she could speak, a gentle voice sounded beside her: "Now that you're awake, change your clothes."
Turning my head, I saw a woman wearing a white robe.
She held a neatly folded robe and a piece of bright red silk in her hands. Shen Lixia stepped off the stone platform, and the Flowing Fire instantly appeared in her hand. Without hesitation, she thrust it towards the woman's face!
The way he was sleeping just now seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.
The woman reached out and gently caught the blade of her sword, stopping her attack as easily as picking up a plate that had fallen to the ground.
Shen Lixia's expression changed slightly, her fierceness intensified, and her eyes, though warm in color, now seemed to hold shards of ice.
She drew her sword and retreated, only to find that she couldn't activate her spiritual power. Without hesitation, she released divine fire, drew her bow, and nocked an arrow. A dark red longbow appeared in the firelight, and the woman's gaze fell upon it, then she suddenly froze.
Immediately afterwards, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
But she didn't show it on her face, and first intercepted the incoming arrows. The two exchanged blows for several rounds, and when Shen Lixia saw that there was no hope of killing her, she began to look for a way to escape, and her attacks slowed down.
Seeing that the little bird seemed tired from fluttering, the woman finally smiled slightly and asked, "Aren't you going to talk to me?"
"You used quicksand to knock us unconscious and bring us here. When I woke up, I didn't see anyone else. How can I trust you?" Shen Lixia frowned. "If you want people to be friendly, at least treat them kindly first."
"Yes, it was my oversight." The woman smiled. "Change your clothes, or the people at the celebration will be getting impatient."
"A celebration?" Shen Lixia remained wary. "We're not the same kind of people as you, so why are you participating in a celebration?"
“It’s made especially for you,” the woman said simply. “I can’t say anything else; you’ll know once you see it for yourself. But since you’re loyal to your comrades, I’ll make one condition.”
Only by throwing out a lure will a soldier give his all.
She handed the robe to the boy and took out a bright gemstone. The gemstone was polished into a teardrop shape. It seemed to be filled with countless drops of blood, its vibrant color chilling.
"If you hold out until the end of the celebration, I will set them free."
support?
Why use this word for a joyous event? Do you expect people to swarm you and disturb your ears?
Shen Lixia was still thinking about this question when she took the robe.
However, she soon realized just how arduous the so-called "endurance until the end" really was.
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The author adds a few points: 1. All Galan people are orphans, some choose to live with their partners, and some do not; it is an all-female society.
2. Seven feet = 2.1m, using an earlier unit of measurement.
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