Chapter 4: Encountering Two Young Masters at a Bar 2 - Introduction of the Short-Haired Woman...
The short-haired woman introduced, "...This is...Muer."
The boy named Mu'er was about fourteen or fifteen years old and had an innocent appearance. If it were anyone else, they would definitely question the authenticity of this child as a guide.
None of the three people present—Lianxi, Jiangyu, or Liu Taohua—had any objections.
After all, it was Lian and Jiang who found the person, but what about Liu Taohua?
She was overjoyed to be benefiting from someone else's success, and besides, appearances can be deceiving.
Liu Taohua rummaged through her bag, took out a few dried apricots, placed one in Mu'er's hand, and said with a smile, "These are the best dried apricots in the world. I don't have any valuable treasures on me. If you don't mind, consider this my thank-you gift, okay?"
Muer stared at the dried apricots in his hand for a moment, then closed his palm and said, "I don't accept money for guiding people, but I really like your gift. Thank you."
Although Muer has the voice and mannerisms of a young man, he possesses a maturity beyond his years.
His simple clothes and unadorned appearance couldn't hide his true nature.
Liu Taohua also handed a piece of dried apricot to each of the two proprietresses behind Mu'er, explaining that she was afraid they would think she was going to pay with a few dried apricots, "Don't misunderstand, although I don't have much extra money on me, I can still afford the cost of the lodging and food. It's fate that we met, so consider this a small gift."
Thinking of something, Liu Taohua asked, "After all that has happened today, we've become acquainted through conversation. May I ask how the two shopkeepers are addressed?"
The two women exchanged a glance, and the taller woman spoke first: "Manluo Xian."
The short-haired woman continued, "...Wutali."
Liu Taohua stuffed two more pieces into their hands. Manluoxian was puzzled. Liu Taohua blinked and said, "I think you two are pretty, so I wanted to give you another piece."
“”
A mutter came from behind, but I couldn't make out what it said, followed by a very restrained groan.
Liu Taohua then turned to look at Lian and Jiang, who had been standing behind her for a long time. Jiang Yu had a furrowed brow and his hands behind his back. Lian Xi, on the other hand, had a playful expression and a slight smile.
Liu Taohua, not understanding why, also stuffed a few pieces into her hand, saying, "Here, a small gift. Everyone who sees this gets one."
Whether it was a misperception or not, Lianxi's knuckles seemed to tremble slightly when she took the dried apricot. Jiang Yu, who was standing nearby, took all of this in, thanked her, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
Manluo Xian said, "It's getting late today, so it's not advisable to travel. Please rest first, and tomorrow morning, Mu'er will lead the way for you."
Wu Tali led Liu Taohua to the guest room upstairs. As she was leaving, Lianxi called out to her, "Liu Taohua, see you tomorrow."
Liu Taohua turned to look at Lianxi, waved, and said with a smile, "See you tomorrow, Lianxi."
Following Wu Tali to the second floor, the gauze-draped platform still stood in the center, but the tables and chairs that had seemed to connect to the second floor from below now appeared to be far away. In this corridor, which could only accommodate two people walking side by side, there was only a bare wall besides the railing on one side.
Wutali casually touched a pillar beside the fence, and the bare wall made a sound. Then, the wall in front of her slowly receded to one side, revealing three main rooms located on the left, center, and right sides. The floor was dust-free, and the wood paint on the doors still gleamed, indicating that although the place had been uninhabited for a long time, it had been well maintained.
Liu Taohua was surprised to find that the guest room was hidden behind a wall; what seemed like an ordinary wall turned out to be a hidden world.
Liu Taohua thought to herself, "The person who built this house can be described as a master craftsman. Even Chunshan Tower would find it hard to find someone with such construction skills. However, rather than saying that this tavern is a cleverly constructed house, it is more like a mechanism disguised as a house."
No one in the world possesses such craftsmanship except the ancient Guoyunhuai.
Wu Tali pointed to the room in the middle and said, "You'll stay in that room tonight."
Liu Taohua looked in the direction she was pointing. There were two candlesticks hanging on either side of the door. Under the right candlestick hung a wooden plaque with some kind of writing on it.
As Liu Taohua was trying to figure out where the script was from, Wu Tali said, "No one has lived here for a long time..."
Liu Taohua snapped out of her reverie and looked at Wu Tali again. Wu Tali's eyes were lowered, as if she were lost in memories, and she said to herself, "We...we always kept it clean, it was very clean. But it's been too long...too long since anyone came...it's all gone..."
For some reason, Wutali's voice became choked, and her body began to tremble. Soon after, she curled up and began to sob softly.
Liu Taohua was startled, completely bewildered as to why things had suddenly turned out this way. Had she said something she shouldn't have?
He didn't say anything at all!
Liu Taohua patted Wu Tali's shoulder carefully and asked, "Are you alright?"
Wu Tali breathed a few times, and when she looked up again, there were no more tears in her eyes. Her expression returned to normal, and she said, "For a moment... I was moved by the scene. Please don't be offended, Miss Peach Blossom. It's getting late, so please rest."
Before Liu Taohua could respond, Wu Tali hurriedly left.
That's such a quick change of heart!
A wave of exhaustion washed over Liu Taohua, who had no time to think about anything else and just wanted to lie down in bed and get some sleep.
She pushed open the door and entered. The room was simply furnished, clean and rustic, with a faint fragrance in the air, different from the scent on Man and Wu.
Liu Taohua smiled slightly, stretched, settled Momo in, washed up quickly, and then fell asleep sprawled out on the ground.
The next day, early morning.
Manluo Xian had prepared pepper cakes and water for the group early in the morning. When Liu Taohua finished getting ready and came out, Lianxi and Jiangyu were already waiting for her at the door.
And of course, there's the donkey.
When Liu Taohua saw the donkey, she was incredulous. While thinking to herself, she blurted out, "You really did come riding a donkey...?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Liu Taohua sensed something was wrong, thinking, "Why did I have to say it out loud! And now, just before I'm leaving, I'm having to go through this embarrassing situation again!!!"
Liu Taohua laughed awkwardly and said, "Um, I'm not..."
Lianxi chuckled and asked, "Did Miss Peach Blossom sleep well last night?"
Liu Taohua was taken aback and said, "Ah, that's great. Thanks to the calming incense the shopkeeper prepared, I was able to shake off my fatigue and sleep soundly through the night without any dreams until dawn."
Liu Taohua turned to thank Wu Tali again, then suddenly felt something was off. She looked at Lianxi and asked, "Didn't you already call me by my name yesterday? Why are you calling me 'Miss' again today?"
Lianxi seemed surprised by the question, chuckled softly, and said, "It would be inappropriate for us to address each other by our first names since we've just met."
Liu Taohua, however, disagreed, saying, "The outcome of this journey is uncertain. In this vast desert, no one knows anyone. Even if we did, what difference would it make? Besides, didn't I call your name yesterday? What was wrong with that?"
Lianxi said, "Then shall I call you Peach Blossom from now on?"
Liu Taohua said, "Of course."
Lianxi said, "Okay, peach blossom."
Lianxi smiled again after he finished speaking, but for some reason, Liu Taohua felt that there was a hint of joy and pride in his smile.
Jiang Yu, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but roll his eyes. He carefully packed the dry food, water, and luggage, placed them on the donkey's back, and then lightly patted the donkey's rump. His tone was somewhat sarcastic, but his expression was playful. He said, "You little rascal, hurry up and move along! Otherwise, this pepper cake and water will be dried out by someone!"
A tuft of hair?!
Liu Taohua asked, "Is your donkey braying about a tuft of hair?"
Speaking of this, Jiang Yu's eyes were full of pride and smugness as he solemnly introduced it to Liu Taohua: "That's right! As you've heard, this is my precious little tuft of hair!" After the introduction, Jiang Yu added, "Little tuft of hair is much cuter than someone else!"
Lianxi gave a mocking snort and ignored him.
Manluo Xian spoke up at the opportune moment: "Alright everyone, it's time to set off. Before you leave, I want to remind you all: 'Only true warriors can enter Yez.' Also, if you do enter Yez, do not let the scenery of Yez dazzle you and make you forget to return."
Manluoxian and Wutali placed their hands together in front of their chests and bowed to the three of them. They said in unison, "Then, we sisters wish you a safe journey and a safe return to Spring Mountain."
The three of them returned the greeting in unison and then set off with Mu'er.
The four left Gaoli City and headed north along the Gobi Desert, passing through a desert stone forest. The forest was filled with strangely shaped rocks, varying in height and form. Occasionally, weeds grew on the stone walls, and small desert lizards would dart out from under their feet. Despite the blazing sun overhead, the area was surprisingly cool, offering no relief from the heat.
Throughout the journey, Mu'er remained at the head of the group, his expression serious, saying little, focusing solely on leading the way. Jiang Yu, leading a tuft of hair, followed second, humming a little tune as they walked, in high spirits. Liu Taohua was third; today, she had removed her fishing net hat and wrapped a veil over it to protect herself from the wind and sand. Jiang Yu found this strange and asked her why she didn't just wear a straw hat, to which she replied, "For fun, that's all."
Lianxi naturally stayed at the back of the group, always keeping within seven steps of Liu Taohua. His steps were steady, yet he walked at a leisurely pace, as if he were in an oasis amidst the desolate desert.
Seeing that he was always walking behind, Liu Taohua couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to come up and walk alongside me?"
Lianxi laughed and said, "No peach blossoms. I think the scenery behind is better."
Upon hearing this, Liu Taohua looked around and recalled that apart from the vast Gobi Desert and these strange rocks, there seemed to be no other scenery along the way. Considering the vastness of the Gobi and the unique shapes of the rocks, it was indeed a beautiful sight; perhaps the view would be even more expansive if they continued on their way.
Liu Taohua would occasionally glance back at Lianxi, and every time their eyes met, Lianxi would return the glance with a smile.
Liu Taohua thought to herself, "Lianxi really lives up to her name. Even in such a dangerous place as the desert, she remains unaffected by external influences, her expression is calm, and she can still find joy in herself. She must be a person with a firm will and a deep, unassuming nature."
"Looking back at Jiang Yu, who accompanied us, although he seemed a bit cynical, he was actually a very thoughtful person. This trip was truly very rewarding."
The journey was relatively smooth.
The four of them passed through the stone forest and traveled for several dozen miles before they could vaguely see a grove of poplar trees not far ahead.
Mu'er stopped, pointed ahead, and said, "We're almost there. Oh, by the way, there might be something ahead..."
Before Mu'er could finish speaking, a sandstorm suddenly arose for some unknown reason. This sandstorm was strange; the gale-force winds whipped up yellow sand, lashing against them and causing a dull ache. The sand and gravel in the wind were even more powerful, tearing through any clothing they touched. In a short while, the clothes of the four men were covered with holes of all sizes.
The sandstorm blurred our vision, and the yellow sand beneath our feet had somehow turned into muddy puddles, making progress extremely difficult. We couldn't even make out the grove of trees ahead.
Liu Taohua tried to call out, but a mouthful of sand filled her mouth. The person in front of her was still there. Suddenly remembering Momo on her shoulder, she quickly grabbed her and stuffed her into her bag to prevent it from being swept away by the sandstorm. Just as she was about to speak again, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Liu Taohua recognized the person as Lianxi.
Lianxi looked calm and spoke to her, but because they were so close, their voices were carried away by the wind and nothing could be heard.
But judging from his lip movements, he was telling her, "Don't worry, I'll take you away."
The four walked for an unknown amount of time in the sandstorm, when suddenly the strange wind disappeared, and before them lay the poplar forest they had just seen.
Mur said, “That sandstorm just now was one of the trials on the road to Yez. Many who have passed through it have lost their way and disappeared, while others have returned without encountering it. It is already remarkable that you have made it this far. But this is only the beginning.”
Mu'er pointed to the poplar forest behind him and said, "I can't get through this forest, so I can only take you this far. You can reach Yez by passing through this poplar forest. Whether you can get there safely depends on your own fate. Just don't forget the instructions I gave you before you left."
Only true warriors can enter Yez.
Before the three could react, Mu'er vanished into the vast desert without a trace.
A note from the author:
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