Book 15: Chapter 22: Endless Sea of Sand and Great Desolate Swamp
Book 15: Chapter 22: Endless Sea of Sand and Great Desolate Swamp
Zhang Ping walked out from Purgatory Mountain’s tallest palace.
The scepter in his hands also began to release surging black smoke, surrounding him within, making his figure look especially large and powerful.
All of the Purgatory Mountain Divine Adjudicators who saw him along the way prostrated in fear and respect, as if they were going to kiss the dirt and the tips of his toes.
This was especially the case with some Purgatory Mountain Divine Adjudicators who recognized him, they previously had statuses above him in the workshops, so they were even more so scared to the point where their bodies were huddled within their divine robes.
However, Zhang Ping didn’t notice their existence at all. The only thing in his head was Purgatory Mountain’s dignified figure.
After Lin Xi and Zhantai Qiantang’s string of assassinations, as well as the deaths of Wenren Cangyue and two Purgatory Mountain Great Elders, his status in Purgatory Mountain already became more and more stabilized. Regardless of whether it was Purgatory Mountain or Great Mang, he was already a formidable great figure. However, he knew that Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was the true great figure.
Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s eyes were also currently aimed at the palace’s entrance.
Since no one dared stand by the palace entrance, he could easily see many places in Purgatory Mountain.
Those who walked and labored in Purgatory Mountain were just ants.
Right now, these ants seemed to have become much fewer. However, the smoke released from the workshops of many peaks instead seemed to have become even stronger.
Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s expression was cast even further. Within his eyes that were as deep as the sea, also seeming like the underworld, was a contemplating expression, unknown what he was thinking about.
…
To Yunqin Empire’s west was Jadefall City.
Behind Jadefall City was Tangcang Ancient Country’s territory.
After the new emperor succeeded the throne, Tangcang Ancient Country had also experienced a series of internal disorders. After the Divine Elephant Army left, it was to the extent where there were even more troops loyal to Imperial Uncle Xiao Xiang who, out of their dissatisfaction towards Emperor Feng Xuan and Green Luan Academy’s cooperation, allowed Yunqin’s people to kill their own Tangcang officials in rebellion.
These rebellions made it so that Tangcang Ancient Country only made progress over this kind of people with great difficulty. One rebel army even destroyed a portion of the drainage canal that led to Quicksand City, making the amount of drinking water in Tangcang last summer reach dangerous levels. However, these rebellions were all suppressed without exception. Then, all of Tangcang’s people completely understood that as long as Sanskrit Temple existed, there was no way anyone could chase Emperor Feng Xuan from the throne.
When news of Wenren Cangyue’s death reached Tangcang, it was already early summer.
During the same early summer, Tangcang’s temperature was already much hotter than Yunqin and Great Mang’s. In some desert wasteland areas, the heat rising from the ground was already like transparent flames.
The tender faced little monk Yun Hai was also working. He brandished an iron shovel that was even larger than his own body, filling up half a wheelbarrow with a single shovel, leaving everyone stupefied.
“Senior Xuan Yuan!”
Suddenly, Yun Hai shouted out, throwing his iron shovel flying. He excitedly leapt out, jumping a few times as if he was crazy, and then ran crazily westward.
Many people looked in the direction Yun Hai ran towards with shock, but they didn’t see anything. Only when Yun Hai’s figure became a tiny speck did some people vaguely make out a moving small dot in the endless yellow sand.
This was a white robed monk who wore a conical bamboo hat and leaned on an ebony staff.
In the yellow sand, his gait seemed to be a bit confused, unsure as to which direction to head in.
Only when he heard Yun Hai’s continuous screams, did this white robed monk stare blankly for a moment. Then he seemed to have realized the direction, raising his head with a chuckle, revealing half of his ordinary, but extremely kind and clean face.
Yun Hai’s body continuously bounced on the yellow sand, stirring up large amounts of dust, as if he was riding on a cloud.
Even when he was less than ten steps from this white robed monk, he still didn’t stop. With a boom noise, he directly threw himself into this white robed monk’s embrace.
The white robed monk’s cloak was blown by the surging winds, as if it was going to fly away like a kite.
“Senior Xuan Yuan, why did you only return after staying in the endless desert for so long! I thought that you might have already died! You were actually still alive, still alive!”
Yun Hai was too happy, momentarily not willing to let go of this white clothed monk, his words even becoming a bit incoherent.
The white robed monk stroked Yun Hai’s head, saying with a smile, “When I heard your voice just now, I thought it might have been a hallucination. Who would have thought that I really already arrived at Sanskrit Temple.”
Yun Hai raised his head in shock, seeing this white robed monk’s sunken eyes that were withered like a flower. He immediately cried out in alarm, “Senior Xuan Yuan, what happened to your eyes?!”
“I cannot see for now, but it will get better. There’s no need for worry.” The white robed monk laughed.
Yun Hai became even more shocked. Bystanders might not be able to see this white robed monk’s changes, but with Yun Hai’s perception, he could clearly sense that this white robed monk’s skin and wilted flower like eyes all began to continuously become full again.
The exceptionally clean faced white robed monk revealed a gentle smile. He pointed in Sanskrit Temple’s direction, and then explained, “We are already quite close to Sanskrit Hall’s mountain streams, the air has much more moisture, so I can use some methods to draw it into my body. This is merely one of the small methods used when cultivating in the endless sea of sand. After all, in many places within the endless sea of sand, there isn’t even a single stalk of plantlife, that is why…”
“That is why senior, for the sake of remaining alive, you could even first lose all of the water in your eyes, this way ensuring that you can still continue walking?” Yun Hai shouted in shock. Judging from the white robed monk’s gentle voice, he could sense just what kind of desperate situation this white robed monk encountered.
The white robed monk’s eyes seemed to have already begun to be able to see some things clearly. He chuckled, pointing in Sanskrit Buddhas’ direction and said, “You all are repairing the underground canal?”
“Yeah.” Yun Hai’s shock decreased a bit, nodding his head and saying, “After fixing this underground canal, Sanskrit Province and other lands won’t lack water anymore either.”
“Excellent.” Xuan Yuan said with sincere praise, “It is difficult to bring water from its rest. Now, in even the most deprived lands, people can seek survival. That is why the will of people will forever be the most powerful zen.”
“Senior, I do not understand your zen. You’ve spent almost two years in the endless yellow sands… The last two times, you almost went blind, yet you were already sure that there were almost no water sources in the endless yellow sands. However, you still wanted to go a third time.” Yun Hai looked at this white robed monk in a distressed manner, holding his hand. Suddenly, he thought of something, asking again, “Senior, you could even take in water from the air… Then the amount of water left in your body should be even less than the water content in the air?”
Xuan Yuan was a bit confused as to what Yun Hai was trying to say. He nodded his head. “That is indeed the case. What’s wrong?”
“Then if I talk to you, when water evaporates from our bodies, isn’t this the same as drinking my sweat and saliva?” Yun Hai said in a vexed manner, “This really would be quite gross.”
Xuan Yuan was immediately a bit stupefied, revealing a bitter smile as he said, “Junior brother, when water enters the air, it is already the purest substance. The water you normally drink, who would then think about where it had gone through before?”
“That makes sense too.” Yun Hai laughed. While looking at his senior brother who had an awkward expression on his face, alive and well, he felt happy again, asking, “Senior, did you find any true buddha remains in the endless sea of sand?”
Xuan Yuan shook his head. “I did not.”
“I was just going to say, what is there worth exploring in the endless sea of sand anyway? Apart from sand, there is only more sand.” Yun Hai looked at Xuan Yuan and said, “It’s so bad you almost didn’t even know you returned when you were about to arrive at Sanskrit Temple. If you ended up getting lost, wouldn’t you never be able to return?”
Xuan Yuan laughed again, saying, “This world has derived nothing into everything. My zen precisely has to be sought from the endless sea of sand.”
“That was what you said the last two times,” Yun Hai said, “Senior brother, are you still not tired of looking at sand?”
“This time is already different.” Xuan Yuan’s eyes already became even more bright and moist, as if they released buddhist radiance. He smiled while looking at Yun Hai, saying, “Even though I still couldn’t reach the very limits of the endless sea of sand, I already received some things in return, already saw some misty mirages. There are leaping fish and flying birds, a buddhist country with a sea and sky. I am already certain that there is definitely an end to the endless sea of sand.”
“Senior brother, maybe you were just incredibly tired, what you sensed was fabricated?” Yun Hai shook Xuan Yuan’s hand and said, “Green Luan Academy has Divine Wooden Flying Cranes that can move through the sky. Senior, if you really still want to go, why don’t you just ask them to lend you one?”
Xuan Yuan shook his head with a smile. “I might not necessarily be able to go further that way.”
Yun Hai thought of countless possibilities, thought about how perhaps using large amounts of soul force might exhaust even more moisture content, thought about perhaps by walking on the ground, Xuan Yuan could obtain some food… but in the end, he still couldn’t understand Xuan Yuan’s way of thinking. Only, as the distance from Sanskrit Temple got closer and closer, when Xuan Yuan’s eyes completely brightened, his skin releasing a layer of faintly discernible radiance, only then did an expression of shock appear on his face again, obtaining some indescribable realization.
…
Great Desolate Swamp, within Traveler’s Root Forest, over a hundred Cave Barbarian soldiers were currently on vigilant guard.
Heavy footsteps began to sound from the dense and lush jungle behind them. A dark green giant lizard who gave off an extremely threatening feeling slowly walked out from within the tall Traveler’s Root plants. The ones sitting on the saddle were Chi Xiaoye and Fire King.
The expressions of these over a hundred Cave Barbarian soldiers immediately became nervous and cautious.
After more than ten halts of time, several screams sounded from the even further jungle.
Chi Xiaoye nodded towards these Cave Barbarian soldiers.
These Cave Barbarian soldiers all withdrew behind the dark green giant lizard.
Soon afterwards, as the heavy steps got closer and closer, another dark green giant lizard walked out from the Traveler’s Root jungle right in front of them.
This dark green giant lizard’s back carried two people, apart from a robust Cave Barbarian who was a head taller than ordinary Cave Barbarian soldiers, there was also a young Yunqin cultivator. It was precisely Lin Xi.