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墨書 Inktalez
In the ranch, there were currently twenty to thirty large camels being held.
Besides that, the most important item was the parchment, which depicted the map to the Red Moon Desert and White Sun Beach, making it extremely crucial.
This was something Lu Chen didn't need to worry about, as Princess Zhulan had already made contact with Sun Zizhao's people and obtained the parchment, ensuring it was kept safe.
It seemed that Sun Zizhao was indeed able to acquire the parchment from the head of the Martial Arts Association, Young Master Ming. This confirmed that Sun Zizhao's methods were not as simple as they appeared; after all, he was a royal descendant and surely had some skills.
The group discussed in the living room for a while, gathering everyone's opinions to see if anything was missing.
When Princess Zhulan arranged for people to prepare supplies, she specifically consulted professionals from Tebalzuo Town. After some discussion, they found that nothing essential was lacking; they had basically everything they needed.
With this, all preparations before departure were in place.
As dusk gradually fell, Tu Youdong arranged for two Bear Demon Death Warriors to keep watch at night, while everyone else went to rest early to adjust their mental state for the best condition. The departure date was set for the next day.
Afterward, Lu Chen spoke privately with Princess Zhulan for a while to discuss some details. Soon after, they each retired.
Lu Chen ascended the wooden stairs in the living room to the second floor of the manor, where his room had already been prepared.
However, he wasn't feeling sleepy at all; he simply sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate casually.
Before long, the manor fell silent, with only distant sounds of commotion occasionally drifting from Tebalzuo Town.
In the middle of the night, around three o'clock, the sounds from Tebalzuo Town suddenly increased dramatically, accompanied by flashes of fire that illuminated this side of the manor.
Lu Chen quickly moved to the attic and found Princess Zhulan already there. She was quietly gazing towards Tebalzuo Town.
He could see flames rising, hear shouts from people, and the clashing of weapons; it seemed that things were quite chaotic.
"What is going on?" Lu Chen asked.
At that moment, light footsteps were heard from the attic again. Lu Chen turned to see that Tu Youdong had also arrived.
"Those people have started on their own," Princess Zhulan said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Lu Chen quickly understood. The forces heading to the Great Gobi were numerous and complex, all residing in Tebalzuo City, eyeing each other warily.
Before they could even set off, friction had already occurred, with two factions clashing in the city. These individuals were all after the treasures, fighting among themselves like dogs biting dogs, and it was of no concern to them.
Lu Chen, Princess Zhulan, and Tu Youdong stood together on the attic, not exchanging many words.
Gradually, the flames from Tebalzuo Town subsided, and the sounds of battle quieted down as the Golden Sunlight slowly rose from the east.
Everyone came out and gathered in the courtyard of the estate, where several Camels were being herded over by a few Camel Drivers from the Ranch.
These Camels, along with their two humps, were taller than an average adult.
Their fur was silvery-gray, with wide and large eyes, duck-like mouths, and broad feet. With such characteristics, it was no wonder they were the only ones suited for walking in the desert.
Princess Zhulan was willing to invest; these Camels were known as White Dragon Camels, the best breed among Camels. All were strong males capable of carrying two thousand pounds and valued at two hundred taels of silver each in the market.
This meant that purchasing these Camels cost several thousand taels of silver. However, acquiring them had great utility; they would carry people on the way there and treasures on the way back—two benefits in one—something Princess Zhulan had already calculated.
Soon, about ten Camel Drivers finished unloading supplies and got everything ready. The group began their journey.
Including Lu Chen, Old Mu, Lian Dashuang, Princess Zhulan, Tu Youdong, twelve Bear Demon Death Warriors from Yushan Kingdom, ten Camel Drivers taking care of the Camels, and a Guide familiar with the desert, there were a total of twenty-eight people.
The Camel Drivers are essential, as most people do not understand how to handle Camels, let alone care for them. Therefore, with twenty-eight Camels, ten Camel Drivers were specifically assigned, who also serve as porters responsible for loading and unloading goods.
Additionally, there is a Guide. This person is short with short hair and eyes that seem to have become bright copper-colored from long exposure to the desert sun, giving him a dark and shiny appearance.
Unlike other Steppe People, this individual does not enjoy being gloomy. His eyes dart around, and he often chuckles with a "heh heh," clearly indicating that he is quite slick.
The role of the Guide is also very necessary. Such individuals frequently roam the desert, familiar with the terrain, and only they can understand the routes on the parchment.
Princess Zhulan is not worried about this person leaking secrets because the parchment will only be used once. As long as she keeps a close watch on him throughout the journey, there is no fear of him betraying them after seeing the parchment.
Moreover, even if he could slip away from Lu Chen and the others and reach White Sun Beach with the parchment, he would not be able to take the treasure. If he dared to sell the parchment, he might meet the same fate as those before him—being silenced.
In addition to their own people, they hired a total of eleven outsiders and paid them a considerable sum in wages, essentially buying peace of mind.
With everything prepared, the group left the estate and headed outside.
Since the estate is located outside the city, they did not need to enter; instead, they traveled north directly.
The people walked in a line together while the Camels formed a separate group. The Camels did not require anyone to lead them; they followed instinctively behind the front ones.
The group planned to walk for a while before riding the Camels when they could no longer continue on foot, thus conserving the Camels' strength.
Gradually, the massive Tebalzuo Town disappeared from sight. As they advanced further, the sparse dry grass on the ground completely vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of desert—miles of yellow sand stretching as far as the eye could see.
The sun blazed down from above, creating a feeling akin to being in an oven, making the desert appear even more fiery red.
The sand beneath their feet crunched layer upon layer with each step, and even through thick boots, they could feel its scorching heat.
Despite the harsh environment, there is a remarkably resilient plant that thrives in the desert, lush and green, growing vigorously.
This hardy plant resembles a human palm, its surface covered with dense, sharp thorns, giving it a somewhat terrifying appearance.
According to the Guide, they are called Cacti, the only type of plant in the desert that is not afraid of drought. With just a single piece, they can grow large on their own amidst the sand and gravel, which is quite miraculous.
At this moment, before them stood a towering Dune, extending far into the distance like a road. The group climbed up the steep sand ridge. By the time they crossed this Dune that stretched for miles, it was already noon.
At this point, they were at least ten miles away from Tebalzuo Town. Looking around, apart from their group, there was truly no sign of any living creature.
The group did not linger too long because the intensity of the Golden Sunlight was far beyond imagination. According to the Guide's explanation, it was not suitable to rest at this time; they needed to press on until the Golden Sunlight softened before making further plans.
Lu Chen and the others were all Qi Masters, so their stamina was naturally abundant. Aside from feeling extremely hot, there were no other issues for now.
The Guide did not seem to possess Qigong but did not complain about fatigue either. However, the Camel Drivers were all sweating profusely and appeared to be enduring great discomfort.
The Camels they were tending had white foam coming out of their mouths, creating a rather unpleasant sight.
The team continued forward, leaving a long trail of footprints in the sand. As they walked on, it indeed approached sunset; the sun sank in the west, and the desert gradually cooled down.
Only then did everyone sit down to rest. Except for Lu Chen, everyone grabbed their water bags and drank eagerly or took handfuls of jerky to chew voraciously, looking as if they were starving.
Even Old Mu and his companions were desperately consuming jerky and Clear Water. They were Qi Masters but had not reached Lu Chen's level of Cleansing Fasting; their need for energy was still quite significant.
Once everyone had replenished themselves, the ten Camel Drivers lay down on the ground without care, burping contentedly while wiping sweat from their brows and exhaling hot air.
The Guide stood off to one side, occasionally gazing into the distance or looking up at the sky as if searching for something. This aroused Lu Chen and Princess Zhulan's vigilance; unknowingly, they began to keep a closer watch on him.
After a short break, everyone continued on their journey at the urging of the Guide.
As the temperature in the desert had cooled down, it was a good time to travel, so they hurried on.
From noon until now, they had covered about eighty miles, and with the distance traveled in the morning, they had a total of around one hundred sixty to seventy miles.
This pace was not fast, but it was not slow either. After all, there were about ten people with Mortal Bodies in the group, along with Camels.
Especially those Camels, which looked tall and powerful, actually moved at a very slow pace, hardly faster than a strutting rooster.
Everyone pressed on deeper into the desert until visibility faded completely before stopping to set up camp for rest.
In total, they had traveled over two hundred miles, roughly equivalent to a round trip between the Five Element Sect and Haining County City.
As darkness fell, the temperature in the desert suddenly dropped, resembling late autumn with a cool and quiet atmosphere.
They set up their tents and started a fire inside to keep warm before retreating into them.
The Guide kept his eyes open, surveying the surroundings and occasionally glancing around while sprinkling some powder around the campsite to repel poisonous insects and snakes.
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