Chapter 560

Chapter 560: Lone Smoke Over the Great Desert

Through the water mirror embedded in the ship, Wang Chen gazed down at the expansive desert below.

Although he had spent a considerable amount of time stationed in Daying City and had engaged in fierce battles with the Sand People, this was his first venture deep into this barren land, experiencing the unique landscapes of the West.

Upon entering the West Desert, the speed of the flying ship significantly decreased, and it could no longer maintain its original altitude.

This was due to the fact that the spiritual energy in the desert and Gobi regions was far more sparse than that of the West Sea Spiritual Realm.

The magical flying ship primarily relied on absorbing spiritual energy from the surrounding environment to maintain its speed and altitude; its performance naturally varied in different settings.

If Wang Chen wished to increase the ship’s speed in this area, he would need to infuse it with his own power, consuming a substantial amount of spirit stones in the process.

Such a costly endeavor was something he would certainly avoid.

Although Wang Chen was on an official mission, the allowances provided by the sect were not generous.

Burning through spirit stones to hasten his journey would undoubtedly result in a significant loss!

Moreover, with ten days remaining until the official commencement of the Spirit Mountain Conference, even if the flying ship moved slowly, there was ample time to reach the destination.

Therefore, Wang Chen adopted a leisurely mindset, treating his journey as an opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

Suddenly—

A sharp cry of an eagle echoed from afar, and a massive black eagle appeared in the water mirror, swiftly approaching the flying ship.

Seated on the eagle’s back was a gray-robed cultivator.

Wang Chen immediately recognized him as a wizard from the Sand Tribe!

With a flick of his fingers, the magical flying ship emitted a soft glow, and a golden swastika symbol appeared on its surface.

Given Wang Chen’s current strength and the capabilities of the magical flying ship, as long as the opposing wizard was not at the Golden Core level, defeating him mid-air would be a straightforward task.

However, Wang Chen was not there to engage in battle with the Sand Tribe; his role was as an envoy from the West Sea Sect to observe the proceedings in the West.

Thus, he displayed the Buddhist emblem to signal his intentions to the other party.

Upon seeing the emblem, the wizard riding the black eagle patted the eagle’s neck and promptly turned away.

Wang Chen was unperturbed.

Since entering the West Desert, he had encountered similar situations multiple times.

The Sand Tribe was composed of thousands of clans, both large and small, occupying various oases within the desert. Each clan had its own territory and often clashed with others, lacking unity.

Naturally, they remained particularly wary of outsiders.

However, no Sand Tribe clan dared to offend the Buddhist sect; in essence, they were akin to watchdogs raised by the Western Buddhist Sect, surviving by barking at their neighbors (the West Sea Sect).

Thus, Wang Chen’s strategy of displaying the swastika symbol proved highly effective in the great desert.

There would be no repercussions from the Western Buddhist Sect, as this understanding had been a tacit agreement between both parties for years and had remained unchanged.

Having left the interceptors far behind, the treasure ship continued its westward journey.

It was now dusk, and the setting sun cast a golden glow over the vast desert, creating an extraordinarily magnificent scene from above.

In the distance, a column of red smoke rose straight into the sky, strikingly visible even from a hundred miles away.

Beneath the smoke column lay a massive mountain range stretching across the desert, extending many miles from south to north.

In the distance, many mountain peaks spewed thick smoke and flames.

Fire Mountain!

This place is a necessary passage into the heart of the West from the Great Desert, and it serves as a natural barrier.

Beyond Fire Mountain lies the vast and fertile basin.

When they reached this point, the magical flying ship controlled by Wang Chen felt as though it was trapped in a quagmire. Its speed dropped to an unbearable level, and the consumption of spirit stones from the built-in formations increased sharply.

The altitude was also continuously decreasing.

The environment around Fire Mountain was extremely unique, with natural sky restrictions preventing flight. It was said that even giant celestial ships could not fly over it, and Golden Core true masters had to land obediently here.

Wang Chen, being only a Purple Palace cultivator, was not arrogant enough to challenge the rules of heaven and earth, so he landed the flying ship on the sandy ground and stored it away.

He took out the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image and summoned the large blue donkey.

"Aw-aw-aw~"

The large blue donkey rolled on the ground and quickly sprang up.

Seeing Wang Chen again, it was overjoyed, bounding around happily, wagging its tail, and sticking out its wet tongue.

Wang Chen disdainfully pushed its head aside and stuffed a large carrot into its mouth.

This was not an ordinary carrot; it was a celestial food ingredient.

“Go!”

Wang Chen jumped onto the donkey’s back and patted its furry neck.

As the donkey chewed the carrot, it galloped forward, kicking up clouds of dust behind it.

Its speed was comparable to that of a racing horse.

This fellow had been pent up for a long time; after becoming Wang Chen’s mount, it had spent most of its time sealed within the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image. Now that it had a rare opportunity to run free, it naturally exerted all its strength to show its worth.

Wang Chen carried the two-region map provided by the sect, so even though it was his first time here, getting lost was not a concern.

He was heading to Chituo City, located at the foot of Fire Mountain.

To cross Fire Mountain, he had to enter Chituo City.

Chituo City had a teleportation formation that could directly traverse Fire Mountain and enter the heart of the West!

The large blue donkey moved quickly; in less than half a stick of incense, it had carried Wang Chen to Chituo City.

Chituo City was built against the mountains, surrounded on the north, south, and east by countless sand dunes. Its city walls were made from fiery kiln rock quarried from the mountains, appearing from a distance like burning firewalls.

When Wang Chen arrived, a long caravan of camels was entering the city.

This city at the edge of the desert was not under the control of the Sand Tribe; it was actually a Buddhist city. The walls were engraved with countless verses in Sanskrit, and it was said that there were over a dozen temples within.

Wang Chen’s knowledge about Chituo City came entirely from the information provided by the sect.

He followed behind the caravan and entered the city.

Chituo City had a very special feature: it had walls but no city gates, and there were no guards at the entrance.

Whether cultivators, ordinary people, or devout monks, everyone could freely enter and exit the city.

Moreover, there were no fees required.

So when Wang Chen entered, no one questioned his background.

By this time, night had fallen, and every household in Chituo City had lit lamps, with the most eye-catching being the exquisite Buddhist temple in the center of the city. The glazed lamps hanging from its eaves radiated colorful light, making it look particularly beautiful.

People came and went on the bustling streets, with shops, taverns, and inns all around.

Among the pedestrians were both Sand People and monks, but the majority were ordinary folk.

As for cultivators like Wang Chen, he still saw quite a few around; they were not rare at all.

Chituo City gave Wang Chen the initial impression of being rough and backward, yet surprisingly inclusive.

He noticed that despite the general poverty of the people here, most had peaceful expressions, with little hostility.

It was quite interesting.