Before this, they had analyzed why they were here. The common thread they could find was that they were all senior disciples of their respective sects, but this commonality clearly didn't apply to Ji Yuanchi, so after some analysis, they ruled that out. They then began to speculate whether there might be other people in this desert.
So, to test this idea, they started burning some useless things some distance from their base, creating a thick cloud of black smoke that drifted into the sky, hoping others would see it and come looking for them. But several hours passed, and they didn't see anyone.
Ning Xi agreed with Zhan Qi's statement that sitting here and waiting for death was not a good idea. "Only by taking the initiative can we turn the passive situation into the active one."
Ning Xi looked at the people in front of him with an air of seriousness, trying to persuade them to come with him.
But Qian Qiqi and the others all looked at Xu Yuehuai, waiting for him to make a decision. "No."
After Xu Yuehuai gave the answer that it wouldn't work, Qian Qiqi and the others stood behind her without hesitation. Ning Xi, however, asked with dissatisfaction, "Why? What's the use of us being here all this time? We don't have any clues. Aren't we just sitting here waiting to die?"
"Besides, all the resources and food are in your hands. If you don't want to give them to us, we could die here at any time. What's wrong with finding a way out as soon as possible?" Ning Xi was in a bad mood after a day of collapse, and her tone was a bit harsh.
Xu Yuehuai's expression remained unchanged, but Ji Yuanchi beside her showed a slight change. "It's not safe here. Something bad is going to happen tonight. Instead of wasting time walking around, we might as well sit down and wait, then start burning the thick smoke and see if we can find the other person before dark."
Xu Yuehuai had a feeling that there were other people in this desert. Seeing that Ning Xi was about to say something profound, she spoke first: "If I wanted you two to die, you would have died long ago, you wouldn't be alive now."
Upon hearing this, both of them fell silent. Yes, just as Xu Yuehuai said, they had no food on them. If it weren't for the life-saving fruit Xu Yuehuai had given them, which provided both sugar and water, it would have been a lifesaver.
For a moment, Ningxi's face turned pale and then red. In the end, she chose to stay, but she kept her head down the whole time. While everyone else was making smoke, she didn't say a word. She just took out some useless things, which were actually not many, such as some clothes she had prepared.
It would definitely be useful under normal circumstances, but it doesn't seem so important at this time. Xu Yuehuai took out the most things. Her space is not to be underestimated. There are many things that Yuan Shui and Bai Ze brought in out of boredom, and they were all burned.
Many of these were Yuan Shui's beloved items. But saying they were beloved was a misnomer; they were items she hadn't had enough of. When she learned that Xu Yuehuai had burned them, she flew into a rage, reverted to her original form, and ignored everyone.
Xu Yuehua sighed, thinking she would make up for it next time. She really didn't know; the thing was piled up in the corner, and she thought it was unwanted trash.
Thick smoke rose again, drifting through the air with the wind. This time, the wind direction had completely changed, unlike during the day. The weather here was too unpredictable and elusive.
After finishing their work, the group returned to their base. The sandstorm outside had subsided considerably, but it still had some impact, and no one wanted to stay out in the wind and dust.
"If your method doesn't work, you'd better think about how to explain yourself. We all stayed because of you." Zhan Qi's words were clearly intended to morally blackmail Xu Yuehuai, but she didn't expect her to be so unmoved.
"I didn't stop you from leaving. Your feet are your own. Where do you want to go? Can I stop you? What do you want to do? Can I interfere?" Xu Yuehuai's voice was cold, and the questioning tone was extremely oppressive, making people feel intimidated.
Qian Qiqi couldn't stand Zhan Qi's behavior; he was so indecisive and wishy-washy, not manly at all! Now that Xu Yuehuai had spoken so directly to him, she was overjoyed.
Just as everyone was dozing off, footsteps came from outside. The rustling footsteps on the sand were uneven, and it sounded like more than one person was walking, with their footsteps being chaotic and disorderly.
Xu Yuehuai and the others quickly got up and went out to check. Even Ning Xi, who was throwing a tantrum, followed them out. There were three people standing outside the door, their heads hanging down, covered in dust, their lips dry and chapped, and their eyes lifeless. They looked almost like dead people.
"Second Brother!" Ji Yuanchi saw one of the familiar faces and rushed over excitedly, pulling him into the house to escape the sandstorm.
Of the three people in front of them, Xu Yuehuai and Ji Yuanchi were the most familiar with them; they were Nangong Yu, Ji Yaocen, and Pu Erge.
Xu Yuehuai did not give them water immediately. Instead, she gave them a pill first and then took out three large bowls of water. Together with Qian Qiqi, they fed the water to the three of them.
After drinking the water, the three people gradually felt much better as time went by.
When Pu Erge saw Ji Yuanchi, he thought he was seeing things. But when he opened his eyes again and found that she was still in front of him, he was sure that he had not mistaken her for someone else. He looked around and found that everyone in the room was familiar.
Pu Erge opened his mouth but found he couldn't make a sound. Ji Yuanchi's eyes were red, and she quickly said, "Don't talk yet. You haven't had any water and have been exposed to the sun for a while, so your vocal cords are a little uncomfortable. Talk to me when you feel better."
Pu Erge nodded.
Everyone's expression turned grim when they saw these three people, because the true nature of Rang, who was trapped here, became increasingly mysterious.
Zhan Qi stood up and went outside. The fire had been extinguished, and some black ash was scattered around. When he returned, he learned what had happened from Ji Yaocen.
They arrived here having been born together, and initially felt lucky. However, when they realized something was wrong, they tried to find a way out, but all their efforts were in vain. There was nothing in the desert, not even any green plants.
It's just big rocks, small rocks, and sand.
They kept walking, not knowing where they were going. The little they had on them was divided among the three of them. Considering that Ji Yaocen was a girl, they gave her a larger share, which is why she can still speak.
Nangong Yu felt that as the eldest brother and a man, he should take the least, so the moment he got a sip of water, he stretched out his hands and eagerly finished the whole bowl.
Xu Yuehuai quickly added a little more, but not too much, for fear of water intoxication.
They came this way because they saw thick black smoke floating in the sky.
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