Chapter 19 Part 1
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 19: Looking for Tao in the World of Mortals (1)
“Green! Suddenly green everywhere!”
Next to the arched bridge, the front of a gray stone tablet bore the engraved words “Gongfang (Public Land).” A white-haired old man was shouting excitedly at Bai Lian.
Su Youwei and Zhao Haiya frowned.
Why did it turn green? That was incredible!
However, the passersby around them didn’t seem surprised.
These outsiders were so uninformed!
Bai Lian gently calmed the old man’s excitement. “Old man, how long has this situation lasted?”
“Three years, almost three years,” the old man replied, holding a dry tobacco bag in his hand. He coughed lightly.
“It started in the spring after our Queen ascended the throne.”
That year, ten days before the ancestor worship ceremony, a camel carried a scout to the palace. The news he brought shook the entire Nanwang Country—
The desert had turned into an oasis overnight!
At first, the scout thought it was a mirage, but when he got closer, he realized it was real. There were lakes, willows, and reeds…
Her Majesty attempted to block the news, but the leader of the Float Sand Country learned about it.
Both nations tried to claim the oasis, further intensifying their already strained relations.
As Bai Lian had observed on her way here, the soldiers risked their lives for the survival and prosperity of their nations.
Bai Lian remained silent.
For the civilians of both countries, those soldiers were also heroes.
“A miracle occurred,” the old man said with a smile. “Since then, a new oasis has appeared every two months.”
“?”
The old man sighed deeply. “An oasis! Every oasis can support thousands of people. When I was young, if a family had too many children, the parents would have to… choke them to death. Do you know how painful that is?”
Bai Lian nodded.
If not for the struggle to survive, who would willingly kill their own children?
The white smoke from the dry tobacco bag blurred the old man’s vision.
“With these oases, such tragedies will never happen again. Everyone is happy. It must be heaven’s blessing on Her Majesty. I wonder if I will live to see the entire Nanwang Country become an oasis.”
The Third Younger Martial Sister opened her mouth to say something, but Bai Lian stopped her.
She understood that it was strange.
A desert tainted by an immortal’s blood shouldn’t transform into an oasis.
Based on the game’s storyline, the Nanwang Country would soon be buried under yellow sand.
This anomaly must be connected somehow. However, it wasn’t necessary to burden the old man with such worries.
People needed hope to keep living.
Bai Lian smiled warmly. “Old man, you’re in good health. I’m sure you’ll live to see it happen.”
The old man froze.
He removed the dry tobacco bag and squinted at Bai Lian. His failing eyesight made it hard to see her clearly.
She was a beautiful woman, with long hair like a waterfall and eyes like autumn water. Her white dress complemented her serene temperament perfectly.
For a long moment, the old man’s wrinkled face softened into a faint smile. “Girl, you’re different from all the other fairies I’ve met before.”
“Don’t flatter me,” Bai Lian quickly replied, shaking her head.
But the old man insisted, “You truly are different. Alas, I’m just an old fool—what do I know?”
“……”
The old man chuckled and shook his head before walking away across the arched bridge.
“Elder Martial Sister,” the Third Younger Martial Sister whispered.
Bai Lian gently patted her head without speaking.
She noticed someone approaching.
The man was white and plump, his smile reminiscent of Maitreya. His cultivation was at the mid-stage of the Golden Core Stage, and his aura was peaceful, as gentle as a Labrador.
“Alas,” the man sighed. “That old man is truly pitiful.”
Zhao Haiya tensed, his hand instinctively moving to his weapon. This stranger could be a subordinate of the demon villain rumored to be hiding in Nanwang City.
“What do you mean?” Zhao Haiya asked sharply.
The man noticed Zhao Haiya’s hostility but remained calm. “That old man’s younger brother was strangled at birth. Later, during a water shortage in Nanwang City, his parents gave him all their remaining water to save him. The old man survived, but his parents passed away one after the other.”
Su Youwei’s eyes widened in shock.
No wonder the old man’s gaze carried such complex emotions.
“How do you know this?” Zhao Haiya demanded.
The man smiled. “I’m Wen Su, an intelligence dealer who travels the world. I happened to see Brother Zhao from afar when I was in Huyang Town recently.”
“I see,” Zhao Haiya replied, still wary.
Wen Su continued, “As an intelligence dealer, I make friends and earn my living. Let’s talk about the oasis, shall we?”
Bai Lian leaned in slightly, listening intently.
“This phenomenon attracted the attention of many cultivators,” Wen Su explained. “Some prominent sects sent people to investigate. After all, where there’s an anomaly, there’s likely a Secret Treasure.”
“What did they discover?” Zhao Haiya asked.
Wen Su shrugged. “Nothing. After years of investigation, no one found any clues. Eventually, fewer people came to Nanwang, and my business declined.”
“Are you certain there’s no information?”
Zhao Haiya took out a top-grade Spirit Stone.
Wen Su accepted it with a laugh. “I deal in information with integrity. All I can tell you is that every new oasis has appeared within Nanwang Country.”
“Is there anything special about this country?” Zhao Haiya pressed.
“It’s hard to say,” Wen Su admitted. “Nanwang is an ancient country with over 3,000 years of history. But ever since the appearance of that immortal, it’s no different from its neighboring countries. If it does hold a secret, no one has uncovered it yet.”
“……”
Zhao Haiya felt something was wrong.
That’s it? That’s all?
For this little bit of information, do you not feel guilty accepting a top-grade Spirit Stone?
Wen Su smiled. “Is there anything else Brother Zhao wishes to ask?”
Should I ask about the person from the Demon Sect?
After some hesitation, Zhao Haiya finally voiced his purpose.
Wen Su responded with a smile. “Brother Zhao, if the person from the Demon Sect is in Nanwang City, the most likely place for them to hide is the royal city.”
The royal city.
Bai Lian’s eyes flickered.
The royal city was surrounded by a high brown wall, positioned just north of Nanwang City.
“Why?” Zhao Haiya asked.
“The person from the Demon Sect is searching for the inheritance. That inheritance is most likely hidden within the royal city.”
That makes sense.
Wen Su’s smile deepened. “But entering the royal city is not so simple.”
“?!”
“The royal city of Nanwang Country doesn’t allow men to enter.”
Bai Lian’s eyelids twitched slightly.
What kind of absurd regulation is this?