Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Upon hearing Ning Yuzhou's explanation, everyone finally understood how they had been ensnared by the poison, and they were secretly alarmed.

They never expected that the bandits of Blackrock Gorge would be capable of concocting such a terrifying poison, one that was virtually impossible to guard against. Had it not been for these two individuals today, they would have met their end here unjustly.

Following this realization, another thought crossed their minds: Could it be that these two were in possession of an antidote?

Ning Yuzhou, well aware of what they were pondering, calmly stated, "Before entering the desert, we took our clan's detoxification pills, which rendered us immune to its effects."

Upon hearing this, disappointment washed over their faces.

Ning Yuzhou's words not only revealed their origins but also hinted at the remarkable power of their clan, for only a formidable force could possess such potent detoxification pills. This revelation deterred any malicious intentions they might have harbored.

But now, what were they to do?

As time passed, they felt their bodies gradually turning stiff, their expressions frozen, with only their eyes still able to move.

The leader of the merchant convoy, a cultivator of the Yuanling Realm, managed to speak despite his weakened state due to his higher cultivation level, which granted him stronger resistance to the poison. He struggled to say, "M... My... Lord... Detox... Pill..."

Though he spoke with difficulty, Ning Yuzhou understood, "I'm sorry, but we've already used up all our detoxification pills."

The leader's face remained rigid, his eyelids trembling as he realized that since this person could identify the components of the poison in their bodies, there must be a way to counteract it. Gathering his remaining strength, he asked, "D... Do... you... know... h... how... t... to... c... counter...?"

After uttering these words, his vitality waned further.

Ning Yuzhou replied, "In my opinion, if we can locate the root of that spirit herb and grind it into a liquid to consume, it should suffice as an antidote."

With these words, everyone's gazes shifted towards the bandits, then turned pleadingly towards Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao.

It was clear without asking that these people hoped they would find an antidote on the bandits.

Since these few bandits dared to secretly sprinkle the pollen in the cave, it stood to reason that they must have carried an antidote with them.

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao promptly searched the bandits' storage bags, unceremoniously removing them.

These storage bags were imbued with the cultivators' divine senses, and since their cultivation levels were higher than theirs, erasing their divine senses was out of the question. The most effective solution was to kill them.

Once the owners were dead, the divine senses on the storage bags naturally dissipated, rendering them ownerless items.

Wen Qiao dispatched the two bandits whose faces had been mutilated by Wen Tutu.

The air was thick with the scent of blood. Seeing the two bandits slain, no one present felt any emotion. These bandits had committed countless evils; eliminating one more meant ridding the world of a malevolent presence and saving countless innocent lives. No one would mourn their deaths.

Once the divine senses on the storage bags vanished, they could easily be opened.

They sifted through the contents of the storage bags, discovering that the bandits were impoverished, lacking valuable items. Instead, they found plenty of distasteful objects.

Among the jumble of miscellaneous items, they quickly located some plant roots.

The roots were a vivid crimson, with a complex network resembling the threads of a spiderweb, akin to the root system of the Threadvine Grass, albeit distinct in that the roots of the Threadvine Grass were pure white like jade.

Ning Yuzhou studied them for a moment, recognizing them as the roots of the Redfrost Flower.

The Redfrost Flower was a poisonous plant native to the desert, with large calyxes that bloomed like patches of red frost amidst the golden sands, exquisitely beautiful. Its toxicity was not particularly strong, but when its pollen was extracted using special techniques, it transformed into a bone-softening and muscle-stiffening poison. It also caused cultivators' spiritual energy to stagnate and fail to activate.

As Ning Yuzhou had previously mentioned, its roots served as the antidote.

Ning Yuzhou crushed the root of a Redfrost Flower into a liquid and first administered it to the leader of the merchant convoy.

After consuming the liquid, the leader regained mobility swiftly and expressed his gratitude to Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao with clasped hands. Then, he assisted in crushing more Redfrost Flower roots to extract their juice.

Within half an hour, the poison had been purged from everyone in the cave.

The bandit trapped within the formation watched in terror. He was the sole uninjured bandit, but he felt no joy, for he knew that his turn would soon come.

Earlier, they spared him merely because they were preoccupied.

Once everyone regained the ability to stand, they all extended heartfelt thanks to Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao.

Ning Yuzhou modestly said, "There's no need for such formality. These bandits have wronged many, and it is justifiable for anyone to take action against them. We merely acted in self-defense. As for the remaining two bandits, what do you suggest we do with them?"

"The answer is obvious—they must be killed!" the leader of the merchant convoy declared with a murderous intent.

As a caravan traveling through the desert, they detested the bandits who plundered caravans more than anything else.

The others largely agreed, regarding the two bandits with intense disdain.

Thus, the two remaining bandits were thrown out of the cave by the enraged cultivators, watching as the sandstorm outside tore them apart, leaving nothing behind.

The leader of the merchant convoy was a middle-aged man with a short beard under his chin, his appearance suggesting he was a shrewd shopkeeper.

His name was Qin Shixun, and he was the leader of a small division of the Baolai Merchant Guild.

Qin Shixun said, "My deepest gratitude for saving our lives will forever be etched in my memory. May I ask why the two of you ventured into the Shifting Desert?"

Qin Shixun's intention was clear—he wanted to repay their kindness. If the two needed assistance, the merchant convoy would gladly return the favor. Although their cultivation levels were lower than his, their prowess had been demonstrated during the earlier battle. Whether it was Wen Qiao's ability to challenge opponents above her rank or Ning Yuzhou's extensive knowledge and cunning as an array master, both had earned their admiration.

Throughout history, those with exceptional abilities have always commanded respect and friendship.

Clearly, Ning Yuzhou was a formidable array master, and Qin Shixun wished to establish a friendly relationship under the guise of repaying their kindness.

Wen Qiao stood aside, holding Wen Tutu, observing her husband's interaction with the group without interference.

Tasks requiring negotiation were typically handled by Ning Yuzhou, for he possessed the rare ability to effortlessly elicit goodwill from others, allowing them to let down their guard and forge a brotherly bond with him.

Qin Shixun was no exception, and after a brief conversation, his regard for Ning Yuzhou grew significantly.

Ning Yuzhou explained, "My junior sister and I came to the Shifting Desert for training, and to search for spirit herbs that grow in the desert. We have no specific destination in mind."

Qin Shixun pondered for a moment before retrieving a map, saying, "I have little with which to thank the two of you, but I can offer this map. It details the various sandstone caverns and cultivation cities mapped by our Baolai Trading Company in the shifting desert. With it, your journey through the shifting sands will be much more convenient."

Ning Yuzhou was pleasantly surprised. The trading caravans, familiar with the shifting desert's terrain and distribution of rock formations, would find a detailed map invaluable for avoiding missed lodgings and significantly enhancing their safety.

Such maps were typically treasured by each trading company, not easily shared with outsiders.

Qin Shixun's gift of a map demonstrated his sincerity.

It was precisely what they needed now, and Ning Yuzhou accepted without hesitation. "Thank you, Senior Qin, for your generosity. I would be rude to refuse."

"It's merely a map, hardly repayment for saving our lives," Qin Shixun said with a smile, his grin widening as Ning Yuzhou accepted the gift.

Ning Yuzhou's lips curved into a smile. Those who remembered kindness were far more pleasant than those who forgot their debts. The Baolai Trading Company seemed to conduct themselves admirably.

With an hour until dawn, after expressing their gratitude to Ning Yuzhou, everyone settled down to rest and inspect their conditions. Though the poison had been neutralized, they feared the bandits from Blackrock Gorge might have other tricks up their sleeves, necessitating a thorough examination.

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao returned to their previous corner to rest.

Ning Yuzhou deactivated the surrounding array formation, allowing the two yellow crystal ants to quickly crawl toward them, ascending Wen Qiao's robe to nestle in her waist pouch.

The yellow crystal ants possessed no combat abilities; during the battle, Wen Qiao had hidden them. Now that the danger had passed, they returned to the safety of their owner's pouch.

After sitting down, Ning Yuzhou once again took Wen Qiao's hand to inspect it.

Earlier, she had grabbed the bandit's large ring blade with her bare hands, causing her palm to split and bleed profusely.

"These are mere flesh wounds, already healed," Wen Qiao assured him with a smile.

Ning Yuzhou caressed her pale, soft palm, still stained with blood, fetching water to clean it gently. He then pressed a kiss onto the tender center of her palm.

Wen Qiao felt warmth surge to her face and hand, unable to withdraw it casually. She remained obediently still as he kissed her.

Fortunately, they were tucked away in a corner, shielded from view by a reclining camel beast.

***

As dawn broke, the sandstorms gradually subsided.

Radiant morning light flooded the cave entrance, illuminating the entire cavern.

The air no longer carried the scent of blood, the world tranquil and serene as if the bandit uprising of the night before had been nothing more than a dream.

Everyone emerged from the cave.

Wen Qiao led a camel beast, walking alongside Ning Yuzhou. As they stepped on the sand, they could feel its movement, always at risk of being swept away by its currents.

Only the camel beasts were unaffected.

The camel beast followed Wen Qiao docilely. Last night, it had stayed in the corner, immobilized by inhaling some red frost flower pollen. The bandits paid no heed to a single camel beast until later when fed the root sap of the frost flower, regaining mobility.

Seeing Wen Qiao leading the camel beast, envious gazes fell upon them, even from the traders.

In the urgency of the previous day, they had abandoned their camel beasts, rushing to reach the cave safely. Their beasts had vanished in the sandstorm, leaving them to traverse the upcoming journey on foot.

Cultivators could naturally fly over the shifting desert using magical tools, but due to the desert's peculiarities, such travel was highly draining on spirit energy. Encountering beasts or bandits mid-flight with depleted spirit energy posed significant danger.

Therefore, when camel beasts were available, few cultivators wasted spirit energy flying magical tools.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao mounted the camel beast naturally, pulling up their cloaks' hoods to cover half their faces.

Since Wen Qiao only managed to rescue one camel beast, they would have to share it for the journey ahead.

Ning Yuzhou had no objections.

Qin Shixun cleared his throat. "Everyone, it will take three days to reach the next cultivation city. Once we arrive there, we can purchase camel beasts. Until then, we'll have to make do with a bit of hardship."

It was a comforting thought.

The group cast envious glances at the solitary camel beast before setting off.

As Qin Shixun had predicted, they finally reached the next cultivation city on the evening of the third day.

This cultivation city was larger and grander than the first they encountered upon entering the shifting desert. It stood like a colossal fortress amidst the boundless sands, rising from the earth and towering in the sunset's glow.

The entry fee was twenty-five spirit stones, more expensive than the first cultivation city's.

The shifting desert's cultivation cities calculated their entry fees based on depth within the desert. Cities deeper in the desert charged higher fees because the risks increased. Not only cultivators but also the cities themselves faced occasional attacks from desert beasts. Cultivation cities served as havens for humans seeking shelter, requiring higher entry fees for protection.

Upon arriving at this cultivation city, Ning Yuzhou bid farewell to the trading company, indicating they would not continue the journey together.

Qin Shixun was reluctant but did not insist. Instead, he said, "Young Master Ning, Miss Min, should the two of you emerge from the desert in the future, seek me out in Yellow Sand City outside. There is a Baolai Trading Company shop where I usually reside when not venturing into the desert."

"Thank you, Senior Qin. We'll visit when we have the chance."

After their farewells, the trading company went to sell their goods while Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao settled their camel beast and rented a cave within the city to rest.

The following day, the trading company departed the cultivation city, continuing their journey to the next destination.

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao planned to rest in this cultivation city for two days, taking the opportunity to explore and purchase useful items.

The market in this cultivation city was larger than the first, offering a wider range of goods at higher grades.

Spotting intermediate-grade spirit herbs native to the shifting desert, they both bought some, sending them to the space for Puppetman Ah Qing to cultivate.

As they purchased spirit herbs, commotion erupted outside.

Wen Qiao looked up to see five or six cultivators carrying the massive corpse of a green-winged demon wolf into the market. Surrounding cultivators crowded around them, clamoring to inquire whether the green-winged demon wolf's carcass was for sale.

"A green-winged demon wolf, these beasts are formidable foes indeed."

Indeed, they always come in packs; caravans rarely escape unscathed when they encounter them."

"A corpse of a Sixth Rank Azure-Winged Demon Wolf is worth three thousand spirit stones, and this one has reached the Seventh Rank—what a prize it must be."

"The essence core of a Seventh Rank beast is even more potent; I wonder if they're willing to sell it."

...

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao overheard these comments, somewhat surprised by the price of an Azure-Winged Demon Wolf.

However, neither was particularly interested in the wolf's carcass, so after a brief look, they moved on.

The next day, as they were about to leave the cultivation city, news spread that Azure-Winged Demon Wolves were attacking the city.

From afar, they saw a pack of azure-furred, winged wolves encircling the cultivation city. The number of wolves was astonishingly high, reaching into the thousands, led by a Ninth Rank Azure-Winged Demon Wolf. It hovered in mid-air, its wings spanning an incredible ten meters when fully extended, its cold, beastly eyes glaring down at the people in the cultivation city.

When the Azure-Winged Demon Wolves appeared, the cultivation city had already activated its defensive barrier.

"It's the Azure-Winged Wolf King!"

Upon seeing the Ninth Rank Azure-Winged Demon Wolf in the sky, the cultivators within the city gasped in shock.

"Why would the Azure-Winged Wolf King appear here? Could it be in response to the Azure-Winged Demon Wolf hunted by Zhou You and his group yesterday?"

"How could that be? That Azure-Winged Demon Wolf was just an ordinary beast; the Wolf King wouldn't personally lead an attack for such a trivial matter. There must be another reason."