After resting for a while, the group carried the bodies of the envoys on camels and continued their journey towards the Kingdom of Quicksand.
They advanced rather quickly this time, fearing the return of the Sand Bandits.
The bandit leader was injured and didn't get much loot. They still have a lot of things on them, so they might really come back.
"You've really grown up." Cheng Huaijin said with satisfaction as he rode a camel between Gu Xin.
"Little Jin, you're amazing too!" Gu Xin gave a thumbs up.
"No. You're the amazing one. If it weren't for you holding off that leader today, our casualties would have been much worse. Thanks to you, Xin Xin," Cheng Huaijin said sincerely.
"Yes, of course I'm very good. I've been practicing martial arts every day for the past few years." Gu Xin paused, then said, "Brother Xiao Jin, do you know how many of those sand bandits there are?"
“I don’t know the specifics, because people from any tribe or small country here, when driven to desperation, might join the Sand Bandits. Among the Sand Bandits, it doesn’t matter what you did before, as long as you can fight and are obedient. When they steal, everyone gets to eat; they don’t discriminate, and they are very loyal,” Cheng Huaijin explained.
"Oh, I see..." Gu Xin touched her chin.
To catch a thief, first catch his king. Once you capture the leader, you'll have the opportunity to add a team to your ranks and put it to your use.
She dealt that leader such a painful blow today; next time they meet, he'll definitely target her first.
Therefore, after arriving in the Land of Quicksand, one must find herbs and obtain some medicinal powder.
Gu Xin was not arrogant at all. She was already very clear about her own strength during the fight. She knew that she could not defeat the leader of the sand bandits in a one-on-one fight, so she could only rely on external aids.
"Xinxin, do you have something on your mind?" Cheng Huaijin asked.
"Hehe, Brother Jin, I won't tell you for now. I'll tell you when I'm ready." Gu Xin kept him in suspense.
Cheng Huaijin smiled helplessly.
The rest of the journey was uneventful, except for encountering a sandstorm.
In mid-December, they finally arrived in the Land of Quicksand.
The customs of the Flowing Sand Kingdom are completely different from those of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so they do not celebrate the New Year. Moreover, they record time differently. Although the twelve two-hour periods of a day are the same, the year, month, and day are different.
Gu Xin has her own system for recording time, which she does every day.
The stone-built city gate was no shorter than the cement gate of Kuncheng. On the city tower, guards dressed in the uniforms of the Liusha Kingdom stood ramrod straight.
Gu Xin looked around curiously.
The city gate guards naturally recognized Cheng Huaijin, so they didn't even need to check his identity; they simply opened the city gate and let him in.
This is the capital city of the Flowing Sand Kingdom, and there are also some smaller cities around it that belong to the Flowing Sand Kingdom.
They had passed through two cities in the Flowing Sand Kingdom along the way, and Gu Xin had learned some of the language of the Flowing Sand Kingdom, very simple everyday phrases.
The Flowing Sand Kingdom is a small country established more than 20 years ago, founded by Cheng Huaijin's godfather, the current ruler of the Flowing Sand Kingdom, and a group of brothers. In this vast western desert region, the Flowing Sand Kingdom is truly small.
Gu Xin noticed that the people here really liked gemstones, and most of them used gemstones as accessories in their clothing and accessories.
She also discovered that there were many people in the Flowing Sand Kingdom who looked like her, but she didn't know if they were from the Great Zhou Kingdom, the Lang Kingdom, or the Goddess Kingdom.
Cheng Huaijin had told her before that during the previous dynasty, some people came here and were unable to return. They settled down here and it is normal for them to look like the people of the Great Zhou.
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