The desert is called "Tianhe". It was the battlefield where the battle between immortals and demons took place many years ago, and it is also the entrance to the Demon Realm.
The sky above Tianhe was filled with dead air, and there were still traces of evil magic and traps set by the demons, making it unsuitable for flying. Therefore, the destination that the group arrived at by flying swords was a small town called "Pingchuan" in the south of the desert.
Although Pingchuan is built on an oasis, it is still filled with endless yellow sand and sparse greenery. Even the leaves seem listless and curled up into a wrinkled ball.
The gray sky and the yellow air connected into one piece. Ning Ning just jumped off the Xinghen Sword and couldn't help coughing.
"After so many years, Pingchuan Town hasn't changed at all."
Tian Xianzi looked around, not disguising his sigh, and finally turned his head to look at the young man in white beside him: "Brother, are you feeling unwell?"
The man shook his head and replied in a gentle voice, "No problem."
It was Wen Hemian.
At that time, the demons were defeated one after another, and the cultivation world also suffered heavy casualties. It took almost all the strength of the major sects to finally build the Yin-Yang Microdust Array, which condensed into a barrier at the end of the sky valley, separating the human and demon worlds.
Due to the shortage of talented people, it is difficult for monks to meet the vast spiritual power required by the formation. Therefore, when forming the formation, they often use flesh and blood to fill the spiritual power gap.
Wen Hemian is one of them.
He tried his best, causing his sea of consciousness to collapse and his tendons to be damaged, but his cultivation was far beyond that of an ordinary person, and the remaining sword energy protected the last bit of his spiritual vein, and he barely managed to save his life.
When I woke up from the gates of hell, I saw a sea of blood and corpses, and everything had changed.
He is one of the main forces and planners in forming the Yin-Yang Microdust Formation and knows every arrangement of the formation. If one wants to thoroughly investigate any loopholes in the formation, Wen Hemian is definitely the best choice.
In fact, to be honest, Tianxianzi has always been unsure whether he is willing to leave Qingxu Valley.
He knew that this senior brother was full of pride and had lost all his self-cultivation, and had been closed in his own little world for many years.
This morning he brought his disciples to look for him without much expectation. Unexpectedly, before they even set foot in Qingxu Valley, they saw a figure in white next to the stone tablet at the entrance.
——In the swaying shadows of the trees, Wen Hemian stood upright, staring down at a letter in his hand.
Hearing his footsteps, the young man raised his eyelashes slightly, and after a very brief hesitation and shock, a gentle arc appeared at the corner of his lips: "Let's go."
It's really a strange thing.
The letter paper looked ordinary, like the kind that only young disciples would use, but Senior Brother Wen had almost lost contact with the outside world and never received any communication talismans.
Who could have sent him this letter? Is it related to Senior Brother Wen’s agreement to leave the valley?
Tian Xianzi racked his brains but could not figure out any clues. Full of doubts, he did not notice that Ningning's expression froze when he saw the letter.
That was the letter she wrote to Wen Hemian last night, still under the anonymous identity of "Little Fan of Elder Jiang Xing".
The two of them have always maintained a pen pal relationship. Last night, Wen Hemian suddenly sent her a message. The content was very concise and asked what kind of person he was in her heart.
Ningning thought for a long time and wrote him a letter very seriously.
Therefore, when she went to Qingxu Valley to see him the next day and saw the extremely familiar piece of letter paper in Wen Hemian's hand, she was subconsciously stunned.
Regardless of whether the letter had any comforting effect, Wen Hemian finally agreed to leave Qingxu Valley and go to the desert with them.
This is the best possible outcome.
"This place is really hot and stuffy."
After finally arriving at Pingchuan Town, He Zhizhou used his hands as a small fan and looked around: "It's so hot even outside. How hot must it be in the desert?"
"You have to be mentally prepared."
Tian Xianzi smiled leisurely, "There is a barrier in the Tianhe Valley, the devilish energy and death energy have not dissipated yet. In addition to the monsters that are most likely hiding in the dark, there are also many monsters infected by the devilish energy. The deeper you go, the more uncomfortable you will be."
Ning Ning asked curiously, "Pingchuan Town is close to the entrance to the Demon Realm and is extremely dangerous. According to common sense, the townspeople should have fled long ago. Why are there still so many people staying here today?"
“Yes.”
He Zhizhou touched his chin and said, "If it were me, I would never stay here for even a moment."
Wen Hemian's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and he wanted to say something but stopped. All the words he didn't say turned into a sigh.
"Think about it, with the desert sand and demons rampant, can the brothers and sisters who can live in this place be ordinary people?"
Tian Xianzi said: "Of course not! This place is full of horse bandits and street gangs. If they get angry, they can fight monsters!"
...fight against monsters.
Ningning started imagining at the right time, and a scene emerged in her mind of a group of shirtless uncles waving their machetes wildly, chasing the demons until they cried bitterly.
Very magical realism, and very flat.
"The most important point," Tian Xianzi continued, "is that this was once the battlefield of a great war between immortals and demons. Although it forced many people to retreat, it also attracted many people."
Lin Xun couldn't understand: "Now that the battle between immortals and demons has ended, what are those people who were lured here planning?"
He couldn't figure out the cause and effect, but Ningning frowned and replied, "Could it be because of... those remaining objects scattered on the battlefield?"
Tian Xianzi sighed, as a sign of agreement.
In the decisive battle that took place in Tianhe, both sides suffered countless casualties. Both the demonic cultivators and the righteous cultivators left behind many magical weapons and secret manuals, which were scattered in every corner of the desert.
If you could enter the desert and find one or two valuable items in it, the money from selling the treasures would be enough to ensure you have food and clothing for the rest of your life.
"B-But this——"
Lin Xun's eyes widened, unable to accept the logic: "Those who died in the desert were heroes who sacrificed their lives to eliminate demons. What they did was... to steal the relics, right?"
No one responded.
Because it is indeed true.
The deceased monks sacrificed themselves one after another, but in the end, not only were they not remembered by the world, but their personal belongings left behind became commodities that were fought over.
It's really chilling.
"Don't be sad, little friend."
Seeing him dejected, Wen Hemian comforted him slowly, "Not all people in the world are like this. There are many people with good intentions."
"Senior brother is still of this nature."
Tian Xianzi laughed out loud and patted Little White Dragon on the shoulder: "Your uncle is right, but the saying 'human hearts are like demons' is true. You should be more careful when you venture into the world in the future."
He paused, his smile faded, and he lowered his voice, "The theft of the relics is bad enough, right? You would never have thought that during the war, something even more disgusting happened."
Lin Xun opened his lips slightly and listened quietly to him continue speaking.
"Take for example an incident that happened in the Tianhe Desert."
Tian Xianzi was very patient: "The group of cultivators who first entered the desert were unfamiliar with the area, so they specially asked several local townspeople to be their guides. Unexpectedly, the townspeople were all lured by the demons, and for a few gold, silver and jewels, they led them into the encirclement of the demon cultivators."
"That's the lives of more than a dozen monks. To them, it's far less valuable than the wealth and glory they will have in their next life."
When Tian Xianzi said this, the smile in his eyes had completely disappeared, leaving only a dark look of disappointment: "You were born in the Dragon Palace, and have been pampered since childhood. You have rarely come into contact with such things. No matter when, you should remember that people's hearts are separated by their stomachs, especially in this desolate land-"
Before he could finish his words, a dark shadow suddenly passed by him.
A little girl bumped into Lin Xun's side, said "sorry" hastily, and turned away, coming and going like a gust of wind, leaving no trace.
Tianxianzi and Xiaolong, the most naive of his disciples, looked at each other in bewilderment.
Tian Xianzi: "Do you know what this situation is called?"
Lin Xun replied in a daze: "That...the destined encounter between the hero and heroine of the storybook, the unexpected meeting?"
Tian Xianzi: ...
Tian Xianzi's expression was like a ghost, and he told him word by word: "Your money bag is gone."
=====
One, two, three, four...
The girl hiding in the shadows held the deflated shark silk bag in her hand and frowned involuntarily as she counted.
That group of people looked very noble and the purses they used were extremely luxurious. They should be high-ranking disciples of a cultivation sect, so why were they so poor?
This bag of stones is not enough to buy a shark gauze bag to hold them.
She was concentrating on counting, when she suddenly heard a slow voice behind her: "Hey, you're counting already?"
"Uh-huh."
She nodded obediently, and in a moment she realized something was wrong. She turned around in panic and saw a familiar face.
——The young man who had been talking to the owner of the money bag smiled, leaned over with his hands behind his back to look at her, and when their eyes met, the corners of his mouth curled up: "You should run far away after stealing the money. You hid after turning two corners, aren't you just waiting to be caught?"
He didn't say anything else, but an indescribable pressure emanated from his whole body. It was very light and subtle, and he must have been restraining himself intentionally, but it still made her heart tremble.
Tian Xianzi glanced back and pulled Lin Xun forward.
"This, this girl."
Lin Xun was suddenly dragged forward. Even though he wanted to flee or keep silent, he felt a sharp pain in his heart when he saw his stolen money bag.
Every time she took a spirit stone, a melon in his yard withered, and its heart was cut bit by bit by the knife. It was as if the girl was holding not a purse but his life.
Between life and social phobia, Lin Xun resolutely chose the former: "This, this is my purse, can you give it back to me?"
The girl looked at him without saying a word.
For a moment, she felt that there seemed to be something wrong with this man's brain.
He was obviously the owner of the lost items, so why should he be so polite to a thief like her?
Even better than how many people in this town treated her.
"Why are you being so polite?"
He Zhizhou took a step forward and wanted to act fierce and ferocious, but when he saw the girl's pale and thin appearance, his words softened immediately: "Girl, stealing is not good. If you can return the purse to me, we will definitely not pursue the matter."
As soon as he finished speaking, he thought the other party would return the purse obediently, but he only heard the girl's cold laugh: "From the looks of you, are you also planning to enter Tianhe as a cultivator?"
Her tone was unfriendly, and she must have thought they were thieves.
Lin Xun hated such unkind and unjust behavior the most, so he would never want to be misunderstood.
Just as he was about to explain, he saw her smile heartlessly: "I see that your cultivation should be quite good, why don't you take me with you? I have been in and out of Tianhe for many years. In terms of seniority, no one in the whole town knows it better than me."
This girl looks young, but she is actually an old thief.
Xiao Bailong experienced great ups and downs in his emotions. He felt sad that fate was playing tricks on him. He stood with his mouth open in silence.
"My name is Lu Wanxing. Go to Pingchuan Town and ask around. Everyone knows me."
As if to prove something, she took out a storage bag from her bosom, and then a golden light flashed, and a long sword appeared in her hand.
"See? This bag and this sword, I found them in the desert. They can definitely be sold for a good price. I have even more good things on me. You won't lose out if you take me with you."
Although Wen Hemian still had memories of Tianhe, it had been a long time since then. In addition, the desert was treacherous and unpredictable. If they had a guide, their journey would be much easier.
But it shouldn't be this girl of unknown origin.
Moreover, from her words, it seemed that this girl had been stealing the relics of monks for many years. As they were all cultivators, they were disgusted by such ungrateful behavior.
Wen Hemian looked at the sword and whispered, "This sword exudes spiritual energy. It still shines after being covered in dust for many years. The owner must be an extraordinary person."
Tian Xianzi frowned and looked at him sideways: "I think... this sword aura seems a little familiar."
“Good vision!”
Lu Wanxing narrowed his eyes and smiled: "I have been in the desert since I was a child. I know the topography, climate change and monsters very well. If you ask who knows it best, I am second to none. Why don't you consider it?"
Ning Ning asked curiously, "There are many cultivators coming in and out of this place, why did you choose us?"
"I've been to both the inner and outer circles of Tianhe. They're not that interesting."
She held the purse in her hand and said, "You seem to have a high level of cultivation. You will definitely not be satisfied with just the outskirts of the desert, right? If I follow you, I will definitely find more good things."
This girl is quite good at judging people and doing business.
"Brother."
Tian Xianzi glanced at Wen Hemian and asked, "What should we do?"
Hearing this, Lu Wanxing looked up and met the young man's quiet gaze.
Among all the monks present, this person has the softest eyes, and he must be a kind-hearted person.
She was ready to be accepted, but she didn't expect Wen Hemian to shake his head: "Girl, we didn't enter the desert to steal treasures."
Lu Wanxing was stunned.
The meaning of his words was obvious: people with different beliefs cannot work together, so they would not take her with them.
"No, you don't have to take the treasure! I'll lead the way for you. How about you pay me?"
She seemed a little anxious: "I'm in urgent need of money now. As long as I have the wages, everything will be fine!"
Lin Xun suddenly realized: "So the reason you stole my purse was because you were in a hurry to use the money?"
Lu Wanxing nodded desperately.
It would be fine if she was calm, but now she is in such a hurry, it is inevitable that it is a little strange.
The evil cultivator is hiding in the dark, and all his plans are still unclear. If a girl with unknown purpose joins in the middle of the process, things are likely to go wrong.
What's more... she was so determined to go to Tianhe with them regardless of her own safety. This nonsensical thing itself seemed strange.
Ningning originally thought that Wen Hemian was a very easy person to talk to.
However, he was silent for a moment, without any hesitation, and finally shook his head.
=====
Tianhe is some distance away from the small town. After some discussion, everyone decided to hire a carriage to go to the desert.
There were so many of them that more than one carriage could accommodate, so they were divided into two, one in front and one in the back.
Ningning, Pei Ji and Lin Xun rode in the same car. The driver looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a thumb-long scar at the corner of his eye. He looked like a swordsman in a martial arts movie, and had a sense of ruggedness and heroism.
Ning Ning was still thinking about Lu Wanxing's tricks. After getting in the car, she whispered, "Driver, we are going to the Tianhe Desert. Just drop us off at the entrance."
The driver said "OK".
The desert is full of wild animals, and the carriages run at a vigorous speed that is incredible.
Ning Ning was afraid that the car Tian Xianzi was in would not be able to catch up, so she stuck her head out of the window and shouted urgently into the wind: "Driver, there's a car following us!"
Follow them?
She spoke very quickly, and her voice was blown away by the raging wind, making her sound even more anxious and flustered. The man's eyes flashed and he looked back.
In the endless yellow sand, there was actually a carriage following them stealthily, always keeping a distance from them.
If the female guest hadn't reminded him, he would probably never have noticed the pursuit.
What a despicable method!
The bloodiness of the desert man was suddenly aroused at this moment. His hands holding the reins trembled slightly and he felt unprecedented excitement.
Could this be the legendary...
Chase battle!
Ningning thought it must be her illusion.
Otherwise, why did the driver let out an evil, arrogant and domineering laugh when he heard this and answered "no problem"?
Meanwhile, on the other side.
He Zhizhou was originally following Ningning, but when he looked towards the window, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
The carriage in front of us suddenly jumped out of nowhere and rushed forward at lightning speed...
At the same time, he began to twist his body like a crazy snake!
This was such a crazy move that He Zhizhou felt something was wrong and shouted, "Brother, hurry up, hurry up and catch up with the car in front! Don't lose it!"
After hearing this, the young man driving the car also had a cold light in his cloudy eyes.
No wonder the car was moving in such an abnormal manner, it turned out that it sensed someone was following it! Can he be thrown off? Absolutely not! That's an insult to his years of skills!
"rest assured."
He snapped his fingers while speaking, and a wicked sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Leave everything to me."
Horses neigh in the wind and the setting sun shines across the desert.
The snaking carriage changed from one to two, raising trails of dust on the long road. The neighing of the horses and the roar of the driver mixed together, showing the level and style of the race, and recreating the spirit of when 86 climbed Akina Mountain that year.
This is no longer a simple carriage driving, but a contest of honor between two men!
This is the desert!
People and horses were thrown to the ground on the road, and the residents of the town were running around screaming.
Someone accidentally glanced at the window of the carriage behind and was almost frightened to death.
Everyone in the car was tossed sideways, up and down. At first glance, one could only see their hands, feet and heads twisted into a knot.
The distorted face of a young man in white slid past the window, his pupils filled with a desire to live and a tremor from his soul, his tongue and eyeballs almost flew off!
He Zhizhou's heart and voice were shaking wildly, and he shouted madly with a broken voice: "Big ah ah ah brother! Slow, slow ah ah ah ah goose goose goose!"
The howling wind made all the words seem so pale and blurry. The only word that finally reached the man's ears was "slow down", which was infinitely magnified and shouted desperately by He Zhizhou.
“Ahhh!”
The man had long been blood-thirsty, and seeing himself being left further and further behind, at this moment he finally let out the most heroic roar of the day.
As a driver, he would never allow anyone to say that he was slow!
Two carriages were racing on the same stage, and they reached the desert a whole incense stick's time faster than the estimated time. If someone didn't know, they would think they were recording a horse-drawn carriage version of "Boys and Girls Rush Forward".
After finally getting off the carriage, Ning Ning came out of Pei Ji's arms with lingering fear. She looked at the endless yellow sand behind her in a daze, unable to hide the trembling in her voice: "Uncle, where is the carriage behind us?"
"rest assured."
The cold wind lifted the strands of hair on his temples, and the scorching sun outlined the man's angular face. He looked up at the sky and slowly took a puff of his pipe.
In the suddenly dispersed misty white smoke, his gaze was so long and far-reaching, and his low and hoarse voice showed the demeanor of a king: "But a mere ant——"
The man sneered and said, "It's already been thrown away."
Ningning:? ? ?
Ningning:! ! !
——So you guys are just acting out "Infernal Affairs: The Cultivation Storm" on your own, uncle!
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