HAGLTP Chapter 39

In the boundless desert of the northwest.

The sun is exceptionally scorching, and the dry hot wind seems to be roasting all the moisture out of the air.

A group of people is riding camels across the vast sea of sand, with several large carts surrounded in the middle, covered with thick oilcloth, filled with rare goods brought from the Central Plains. This caravan plans to sell them in several key towns on the northwestern frontier for substantial profits.

Two assistants in the caravan are whispering to each other.

“Who do you think that person in the red clothes at the back is? They’re following us with a half-grown child, carrying no goods, yet heading into the great desert.”

“Probably just like those treasure seekers.”

“Just the two of them? They look so delicate, like they can’t lift a finger, and they’re as beautiful as fairies. Do you think they can survive in the man-eating desert?” The one asking clearly doesn’t believe it.

“Keep your voice down.” The other quickly covered his mouth, “From what I’ve observed these past few days, those two are not simple. Remember when we encountered the pack of sand wolves? Everyone was busy running away, but I saw three fierce-looking wolves charging towards them.”

“At that time, I thought they were done for, but unexpectedly, the one in red just waved their hand a few times, and even the camels didn’t budge. Those three wolves dropped dead instantly; they must have some skills.”

“Really that impressive?!”

“That smiling kid isn’t simple either. There’s a steward in the team who tried to take advantage of him because he looked unfamiliar, but ended up being sick for three days after that. Now he gets nervous just seeing him.”

“Wow, that kid is as obedient as a rabbit in front of his master; you wouldn’t expect it.” He glanced towards the edge of the caravan, where several people wearing bamboo hats were, “Those over there look even more like trouble.”

“How long have you been on the road? There are many things you can’t see. In the future, when you encounter someone who looks weak but dares to roam the martial world, treat them politely and never offend them, got it?”

Xiao Lu and Mo Xue are riding two camels side by side, both wrapped their heads in scarves to shield themselves from the scorching sunlight and the sand carried by the strong wind.

Mo Xue cast his gaze ahead: “Further ahead is the no-man’s land; the caravan won’t go there. After that, the road will only be for the two of us.”

Xiao Lu surveyed the vast, boundless desert, unsure if this trip would successfully achieve its purpose.

After resolving the hidden crisis with He Lun, the two headed northwest. To facilitate their journey into the desert, Xiao Lu joined this caravan as a guard. There are many treasure seekers heading into the northwestern desert, so they don’t seem out of place.

The journey has been relatively smooth; although there are sand bandits and wild beasts, they are not difficult to handle.

However, as they venture deeper into the desert, they can clearly feel that the wild beasts they encounter are fiercer than before, and their sizes have increased significantly. They don’t know what these creatures are eating; clearly, this place is desolate, with few herbivores around.

After parting ways with the caravan, the two walked deeper into the desert.

This is a martial arts world without any magical powers or supernatural abilities, at least not at the moment. All their supplies must be carried by themselves. The camels can only bear a limited weight, and if they don’t find their destination within three days, they will have to find a way to turn back.

Night falls.

The desert is as unbearably hot during the day as it is cold at night. This vast world of yellow sand seems deliberately divided into two halves, marked by sunrise and sunset—one half is engulfed in fierce flames, while the other is shrouded in icy cold.

The two found a rock to shield themselves from the wind, tied the camels nearby, and started a fire to rest.

Mo Xue skillfully prepared dinner, firmly refusing Xiao Lu’s attempts to help.

He was very worried that if his cheap master got involved with tonight’s ingredients, they might not survive this desert.

With nothing to do, Xiao Lu could only stare blankly at the fire.

These past few days, he has been thinking about the same thing, regarding the inheritance that He Lun mentioned.

In the original owner’s memories, his master had never mentioned anything related to inheritance, yet in the daily teachings, he subtly infused some deeper knowledge, quietly imparting it to his disciple.

Aside from the medicinal pearl in the entire medicine furnace, there were no records of any secret formulas. Perhaps the physical form of that inheritance had long been destroyed, or maybe it was just knowledge passed down orally, which is why He Lun couldn’t find it despite his efforts.

A waft of meaty aroma interrupted Xiao Lu’s thoughts.

Mo Xue took some dried meat and spices bought in town, added a little water to simmer, while also roasting the purchased flatbread by the fire. The combined aroma of the bread and meat made one’s mouth water.

While cooking, Mo Xue remained calm, just like every time he brewed medicine.

The desert night is extremely cold, and the firelight casts a gentle warm hue on the boy’s profile, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Perhaps Xiao Lu’s gaze was too direct, causing the boy to turn and look at him, silently asking what he wanted to do.

Is he hungry?

Xiao Lu reached into his sleeve and pulled out the bag of candy given by his third uncle.

Along the way, they passed through many towns and bought various candies of different materials and flavors, some good and some bad, but this particular one was his favorite, which he usually saved for special occasions.

He pulled out a plump, round candy and handed it to Mo Xue: “Here, your master is feeling generous today, take it.”

Mo Xue looked at his “generous” cheap master, feeling a bit helpless.

Actually, he didn’t like eating candy that much.

But…

Xiao Lu saw the boy break into a light smile, then lower his head and gracefully lean down, swiftly taking the small candy from his fingers.

His movement was as quick as a dragonfly skimming the water, and in an instant, he was gone, but the softness and warmth of his lips seemed to linger on Xiao Lu’s fingertips.

It was softer than Xiao Lu had expected.

In that moment, it felt as if the boy had broken through the rigid shell, and several illusory tails appeared, swaying in the air.

How strange.

Yet, right after that moment, Mo Xue returned to his previous gentle demeanor, as if that instant was merely a figment of Xiao Lu’s imagination.

With a smile, he said to Xiao Lu: “Master, are you hungry? Just wait a moment.”

Xiao Lu suddenly came back to his senses, cursing this old fox for playing tricks on him!

The night grew deep,

The two took turns resting by the fire.

Xiao Lu, who had been dozing off, suddenly heard Mo Xue’s voice: “Master, wake up quickly!”

He was already not sleeping deeply, and with that call, he immediately opened his eyes to see Mo Xue’s slightly anxious expression.

Behind Mo Xue, the starry sky that should have been brilliant now appeared hazy, mostly obscured by the swirling yellow sand.

It’s a sandstorm.

A large amount of sand and dust was whipped up by the fierce wind, obscuring their vision. The desert, which could be seen clearly before, now seemed like a forest shrouded in mist.

The two quickly packed their belongings, nimbly climbing onto the camels’ backs, and ran towards the direction that the sand city had not yet reached.

The fierce wind carried the swirling yellow sand, madly chasing behind them.

In the face of such powerful natural forces, all human strength seemed so small and humble. Soon, the two found themselves in a state where they could barely see, and the remaining camels were startled, struggling to throw off their riders.

Xiao Lu reached out to pat the camel’s neck, trying to calm it down, but it was no use; the camel’s struggles grew more intense.

Seeing the situation was dire, Xiao Lu decisively dismounted the camel, using lightness skill to carry Mo Xue as they continued to evade the sandstorm.

Without any visible reference points, Xiao Lu could only rely on his instincts to keep moving forward.

He didn’t know how long they had been advancing through the yellow sand.

Suddenly, Xiao Lu saw a vague, towering black shadow appear ahead. He couldn’t tell what it was, but there were many shadows connected, vaguely resembling a mountain range, likely a place to take shelter from the wind.

Xiao Lu quickened his pace, rushing into the area of shadows.

As he got closer, Xiao Lu realized they were in a tall stone forest, with countless oddly shaped giant stones standing tall. The layers of stone forest blocked the raging wind and sand outside, creating a temporary resting area.

After running for so long, even Xiao Lu, who had martial skills, felt a bit fatigued, let alone the already weak Mo Xue.

“Cough, cough, cough…” Mo Xue leaned against the stone wall, covering his chest and coughing hard, an abnormal flush appearing on his pale cheeks.

This cheap disciple was already physically weak, with an invisible innate energy lingering in his meridians, and even his meridian structure was somewhat different from ordinary people. He was frail, sensitive to cold, had difficulty practicing martial arts, and his internal energy was sluggish—he had all these issues.

Sometimes Xiao Lu wondered why he chose such a body.

Was it because he loved working hard and wanted to experience the joy of being exploited by a ruthless master?

But based on their previous exchanges, he felt that the other party shouldn’t have such a peculiar preference.

The ruthless master finally walked over, gently patting his cheap disciple’s shoulder: “Are you okay? Do you need me to help you clear your meridians?”

“Cough, cough… No need…” Mo Xue replied, “I just ran too fast and can’t catch my breath…”

He took a deep breath, forcing his chaotic breathing to calm down.

But the next moment, a long finger firmly pinched his chin, forcing him to look up.

Mo Xue’s tone remained calm: “Master, is there something you need?”

Xiao Lu extended his other hand, gently wiping the corner of the boy’s mouth, which had a hint of red: “Next time you say you’re fine, remember to wipe off the blood you coughed up.”

Mo Xue’s gaze shifted to Xiao Lu’s fingertip, where a bright red spot of blood stood out against his fair skin, like a red plum falling in the snow, particularly eye-catching.

Mo Xue lowered his eyes: “…”

Alright, this time he overlooked the details.

Xiao Lu watched Mo Xue hide his gaze behind his long eyelashes and suddenly felt he had discovered a little secret belonging to Mr. A.

This guy really loved to show off, unwilling to let him see any sign of weakness. Even in the previous world, even when he was on the brink of death, he still maintained an elegant and composed demeanor.

“Sit down.” Xiao Lu released his grip on Mo Xue’s chin.

“Master, I—”

“Don’t make me say it a second time.” His gaze slightly lowered, his face devoid of a smile, and the playful glint in his eyes faded, revealing a hint of the authority of a master.

“Understood…” Seeing that his disguise had been seen through, Mo Xue had no choice but to obediently sit cross-legged in front of him.

Xiao Lu sat behind Mo Xue, extending his hand to press against the boy’s back, slowly channeling his true energy into him.

The gentle true energy flowed into the painfully constricted meridians, alleviating the discomfort that made one’s blood surge. Mo Xue let out a soft breath, and his slightly tense expression relaxed a bit.

The desert night is extremely cold, and the sand and dust continue to howl outside, but within the dense stone forest, there is a rare sense of tranquility.