Chapter 247 - Growth Trajectory
Gungun's nose twitched, immediately attracted by the smell of meat. He held the meat jerky, which was bigger than his face, with his two front paws and began to chew it happily, making a satisfied "hmm" sound.
Seeing Gungun eating with relish, Tieniu's smile became even brighter, and he finally had time to take a closer look at his two senior brothers.
He noticed that Chu Linyuan's aura was becoming more and more unfathomable, like a deep abyss and a towering mountain. Although Xie Zhao still looked as lively as before, his eyes were brighter and clearer, and it was obvious that his cultivation had also improved a lot.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, how did you...travel here?" Tie Niu asked in a muffled voice, while he began to deal with the corpse of the sandstorm stone lizard skillfully, peeling the skin and taking out the meat. His movements were swift, and it was obvious that he had done this a lot during this period of time.
"Yeah, let's walk around and take a look." Xie Zhao found a sand dune sheltered from the wind and sat down, watching Tie Niu busying around. "But you, silly Niu, why did you come to this godforsaken place by yourself? And you're even fighting with this giant lizard?"
Tie Niu's men kept moving, but his tone became much more serious. "I... I felt that I was too dependent on my brothers and sisters when I was in the sect. I came out and realized that there are always better places. This desert environment is harsh, and the monsters are fierce. It's just right for me to hone my will and combat power. This sandstorm stone lizard has a hard shell and is very powerful. Fighting it will allow me to better control my power." He paused, and his voice became lower. "I... I want to become stronger."
Upon hearing this, Xie Zhao and Chu Linyuan exchanged a glance, and they both saw the relief in each other's eyes. Tie Niu had truly grown up and had his own goals and pursuits.
"That's a good idea." Chu Linyuan rarely spoke up and affirmed.
Tie Niu was encouraged and worked even harder on the stone lizard materials, muttering, "The meat of this stone lizard contains earth-element spiritual energy, and it's most delicious when roasted! The skin and shell can be used to refine excellent armor, and the bones can be used as medicine or to refine weapons... It's a pity that Senior Sister Luo is not here, otherwise she would definitely know how to use this lizard's venom sac to refine an even more powerful poison..."
When mentioning Luo Hongyi, Tie Niu's voice unconsciously lowered, and a trace of imperceptible longing and loneliness flashed in his eyes.
Xie Zhao was so astute that he immediately caught on to this. He leaned closer to Tie Niu, winked, and whispered, "What? Are you missing Junior Sister Luo?"
Tie Niu's bronze face instantly flushed red, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, and he stammered in denial: "No... no! Second Brother, don't talk nonsense! I... I just think that Senior Sister Luo is very good at using poison, and it's a pity to waste this material..."
"Oh~" Xie Zhao deliberately stretched out his tone, grinning like a fox, "What a pity~ Junior Sister Luo is now the eldest princess in the imperial palace, dressed in fine clothes and well-fed, with a constant stream of people following her. I wonder if she still remembers us, a big, stupid guy from a poor and remote village~"
"Senior Sister Luo is not that kind of person!" Tie Niu suddenly raised his head and retorted eagerly with a firm look in his eyes, "Even if Senior Sister Luo becomes a princess, she is still Elder Luo of our Guixu Sect! She...she must remember it!" But his confidence did not sound that strong.
Chu Linyuan quietly built a bonfire on the side, skewered the stone lizard meat that Tie Niu had processed on cut branches, and roasted it over the fire. The fat dripped into the fire, making a sizzling sound, and the rich aroma of meat filled the air.
He listened to their conversation without interrupting, only occasionally turning the barbecue with skillful movements.
Xie Zhao stopped teasing him and asked, "By the way, what are your plans next? Continue your training in the desert?"
Tie Niu looked at the leaping flames, was silent for a moment, and then said, "I plan to cross this vast desert and visit the Ten Thousand Swords Tomb in the west. I heard that it was an ancient battlefield for sword cultivators, with countless sword intentions remaining. Although it is dangerous, it should be helpful in honing my hammer intention."
"Ten Thousand Swords Tomb?" Xie Zhao raised an eyebrow. "That place is not a simple one. It is said that even Divine Transformation cultivators who enter are in danger of perishing."
"I know." Tie Niu clenched his fists, his eyes determined, "But I want to give it a try! Senior Brother said that the path of cultivation is like rowing against the current! I can't stay in a safe place forever!"
At this time, Chu Linyuan handed the first piece of roasted meat to Xie Zhao, and then handed another piece to Tie Niu, saying calmly: "Okay. Do what you can."
After getting the permission from the eldest brother, Tie Niu was even happier and nodded heavily: "Yes! I know!"
The three of them sat around the campfire, eating the roasted sandstorm stone lizard meat that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, drinking the spiritual wine brought by Xie Zhao, and listening to Tie Niu telling about his experiences along the way.
Although Tie Niu is not good at speaking, he can describe those dangerous situations and interesting things vividly.
He talked about how he had exchanged a worthless fluorescent stone for a torn desert treasure map from a cunning sand fox merchant in the oasis, although in the end he only found a pile of discarded ore;
It tells how he was chased by a group of desert army ants and fled in panic, finally escaping by jumping into an underground river;
It also talks about learning how to find water and identify directions in the desert from an ancient sand tribe...
Xie Zhao listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting to make a few comments, or taking out a photo stone to record the wonderful parts of Tie Niu's story, saying that he would take it back to show Su Tang and Xiao Lu.
Although Chu Linyuan remained silent, his cold profile appeared much softer under the illumination of the bonfire.
As the night deepened, the starry sky above the desert shone brightly, almost as if within reach. Having eaten and drunk his fill, Gungun curled up beside Xie Zhao's legs and fell asleep, snoring softly.
Tie Niu looked at the two senior brothers beside him, feeling the long-lost warmth and security, and felt that the loneliness and hardships he had experienced alone during this period were all worth it.
He knew that no matter how far he went or how strong he became, Guixu Sect would always be his home, and his senior brothers and sisters would always be his strongest support.
"Big Brother, Second Brother," Tie Niu said in a deep voice, with great seriousness, "I will definitely become stronger when I return from the Tomb of Ten Thousand Swords! Then, I will be able to better protect the sect and everyone else!"
Chu Linyuan looked at him and nodded slightly.
Xie Zhao smiled and patted his shoulder: "Okay! We'll wait! Then I'll let your Senior Sister Luo see that our Tie Niu is also a master who can stand on his own!"
When Luo Hongyi was mentioned, Tie Niu's face turned red again, but his eyes became more determined.
Under the starry sky, beside the campfire, the figures of the three brothers were stretched out, full of warmth and strength.
This unexpected reunion in the desert not only witnessed Tie Niu's growth, but also deepened their bond.
The road ahead may still be full of challenges, but they all know that they are never alone.
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