Xie Lian said, "Even though what you read are just wild tales, the Half Moon Kingdom really did exist."
San Lang replied, "Oh?"
At this moment, Nan Feng finally finished drawing a complex array on the ground, stood up, and said, "Done. When do we leave?"
Xie Lian quickly packed a bundle, went to the door, and said, "Right now."
He placed his hand on the door and said, "Heavenly officials bless us, nothing is forbidden!" and gently pushed.
When the door opened, the small hill and village outside had vanished, replaced by a wide, empty street.
Though the street was broad, it was nearly deserted, with only a few passersby appearing after a long while.
It wasn't because it was dark, but because the northwest region was sparsely populated. Being close to the Gobi Desert, even during the day, there wouldn't be many people on the road.
Xie Lian stepped out, closed the door behind him, and when he looked back, he realized he hadn't come out of the Pugilistic Shrine, but a small inn. This step had taken him a thousand miles away. Such was the magic of the Shrinking Earth Technique.
A few passersby glanced at them, whispering cautiously.
Just then, San Lang said from behind him, "According to ancient texts, when the moon sets, if you walk towards the North Star, you'll find the Half Moon Kingdom. Brother, look." He pointed to the sky, "The Big Dipper."
Xie Lian looked up and smiled, "The Big Dipper, it's so bright."
San Lang stood beside him, glanced at him, and also looked up, smiling, "Yes. Somehow, the northwest night sky seems clearer than the Central Plains."
Xie Lian agreed. While they were earnestly discussing the night sky and stars, the two young clerics behind them were bewildered. Nan Feng said, "How is he here too?!"
San Lang innocently said, "Oh, I found the Mysterious Gate Escaping Technique fascinating, so I came along to have a look."
Nan Feng angrily replied, "A look? Do you think we're going on a trip?!"
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead and said, "Forget it, he's already here. He won't eat your food, and I brought enough. San Lang, stay close to me, don't get lost."
San Lang obediently said, "Okay."
"Is this about food?!"
"Ah, Nan Feng, it's late, and everyone's asleep. Let's focus on our task and not worry about such things. Let's go."
...
The four of them followed the Big Dipper, heading north.
They walked all night, and the towns and greenery gradually became sparse, while the road became more sandy.
When the ground was no longer soil, they had entered the Gobi Desert. Using the Shrinking Earth Technique allowed them to travel a thousand miles in one step, but the further they went, the more spiritual power it consumed.
After Nan Feng used it once, he couldn't use it again for several hours. And since Nan Feng had already spent some spiritual power, Xie Lian wouldn't let Fu Yao use it again, to ensure someone had enough power in reserve.
In the desert, the temperature difference between day and night was extreme.
The cold at night was bearable, but during the day, it was a different story. The sky was clear, high, and the clouds sparse, but the sun was intense.
As they walked, it felt like they were entering a giant steamer, with heat rising from the ground, as if walking for a day would steam a person alive.
Xie Lian used the wind direction and some plants hiding under rocks to find their way, worried someone might fall behind, he kept looking back.
Nan Feng and Fu Yao weren't ordinary people, so they were fine, but San Lang made him laugh.
Under the scorching sun, the young man had taken off his red outer robe, lazily using it to shield himself from the sun, looking both lazy and slightly annoyed.
His skin was fair, his hair jet black, and with the red robe covering his face, his features appeared even more striking.
Xie Lian took off his bamboo hat and placed it on San Lang's head, saying, "You can borrow this."
San Lang was startled, then smiled, "No need." He handed the hat back. Xie Lian didn't insist, saying, "If you need it, just ask." He adjusted his hat and continued walking.
After a while, they saw a small gray building in the yellow sand ahead.
As they got closer, it seemed to be an abandoned inn. Xie Lian looked up at the sky, calculating that it was past noon and soon to be the hottest time of the day.
They had walked all night, so it was time to rest. He led the others inside, found a square table, and they sat around it.
Xie Lian took a water bottle from his simple pack and offered it to San Lang, "Want some?"
San Lang nodded, took a sip, and handed it back. Xie Lian drank a few gulps, feeling the coolness in his throat, refreshing.
San Lang, resting his chin on his hand, seemed to be watching him. After a while, he suddenly asked, "Is there more?"
Xie Lian wiped the moisture from the corner of his mouth and nodded, offering the bottle again. Just as San Lang was about to take it, Fu Yao interrupted.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at him. Fu Yao slowly took out another water bottle from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it over, "I have some here too. Please."
Xie Lian immediately understood. Fu Yao, with his personality, wouldn't want to share a bottle with others.
Remembering they wanted to test San Lang, this bottle must contain truth-revealing water.
This secret potion is harmless to ordinary people, but if someone isn't human, it will reveal their true form.
Since they were testing if the young man was "Supreme," this truth-revealing water must be potent.
San Lang laughed, "I'm fine sharing a bottle with my brother."
Nan Feng and Fu Yao glanced at Xie Lian, who thought, why are you looking at me? Fu Yao coldly said, "His water is almost gone, don't be shy."
San Lang said, "Is that so? Then you two go ahead."
"……"
Neither spoke. After a while, Fu Yao said, "You're the guest, you first."
Though he spoke politely, Xie Lian felt he was gritting his teeth. San Lang gestured, "You first, it would be impolite otherwise."
Listening to their back-and-forth, Xie Lian felt the poor table under his hand might collapse from the tension.
After a few rounds, Fu Yao couldn't hold back and coldly said, "Are you afraid to drink because you're guilty?"
San Lang laughed, "You're the ones who won't drink first, isn't that more suspicious? Did you poison it?"
Fu Yao said, "You can ask him if it's poisoned."
San Lang asked Xie Lian, "Brother, is this water poisoned?"
Fu Yao's question was tricky. Truth-revealing water isn't poison; it's harmless to ordinary people. Xie Lian could only say, "No poison. But..."
Before he finished, Nan Feng and Fu Yao stared at him. San Lang suddenly let go and said, "Alright."
He picked up the bottle, shook it, and said, "Since you say it's not poisoned, I'll drink it."
With that, he smiled and drank it all.
Xie Lian didn't expect him to be so straightforward, slightly stunned. Nan Feng and Fu Yao were also surprised, then became fully alert.
But after drinking the truth-revealing water, San Lang shook the bottle and said, "Not very tasty." He casually tossed it, and it shattered on the ground.
Seeing he was unaffected, Fu Yao's face showed a moment of doubt. He calmly said, "It's just water. How could it taste different?"
San Lang took Xie Lian's bottle and said, "Of course it's different. This one tastes better."
Seeing this, Xie Lian couldn't help but smile. He truly didn't care about the outcome, so this whole charade seemed pointless to him.
He thought it would end there, but then, with a clang, Nan Feng placed a sword on the table.
His demeanor seemed as if he was about to kill someone, leaving Xie Lian speechless. He asked, "What are you doing?"
Nan Feng seriously said, "Where we're going is dangerous, I'm giving this young man a sword for protection."
Xie Lian looked down at the ancient-looking sword, realizing it wasn't ordinary, and felt a headache coming on. "It's the Red Mirror."
This sword was called the "Red Mirror." It couldn't vanquish demons, but no demon could escape its reflection. If a non-human drew it, the blade would turn blood-red, revealing the person's true form. No matter how powerful, none could escape!
Young men are often drawn to swords and horses. San Lang said, "Oh?" with interest, "Let me see."
He held the sword, slowly drawing it. Nan Feng and Fu Yao watched him closely. The blade emerged, shining brightly. After a while, San Lang chuckled, "Are your servants joking with me?"
Xie Lian coughed, "San Lang, I said they're not servants." He turned away again. Nan Feng coldly replied, "Who's joking?"
San Lang laughed, "A broken sword, how can it protect?"
He sheathed the sword and tossed it on the table. Hearing this, Nan Feng frowned, grabbed the hilt, and drew it. With a clang, he held a sharp, cold... broken sword.
The Red Mirror's blade was broken three inches down!
Nan Feng's face changed, and he shook the scabbard. With a clatter, the remaining blade fell out in shiny, sharp pieces.
The Red Mirror could see all demons, but nothing was said about breaking it into pieces!
Nan Feng and Fu Yao both pointed at San Lang, "You..."
San Lang laughed, leaned back, put his boots on the table, and played with a piece of the Red Mirror, "I doubt you meant to give me a broken sword. Maybe it broke on the way? Don't worry, I can protect myself without a sword. You keep it."
Xie Lian couldn't face the sword. Originally, the Red Mirror was a collection of Jun Wu's.
When Xie Lian first ascended, he saw it in the Divine Martial Hall and found it interesting.
Jun Wu gave it to him. Later, when he was demoted and struggling, he had Feng Xin pawn it.
Yes, pawned it!
The money from pawning fed them for a few meals, and that was it.
Xie Lian pawned many things then, so he forgot them all to avoid heartache. Feng Xin probably couldn't bear seeing the sword lost and retrieved it, polished it, and placed it in the Southern Sun Hall, where Nan Feng took it.
Seeing the sword gave Xie Lian a headache, so he looked away. He thought the three were arguing again, shook his head, and focused on the weather outside, thinking, "Looks like a sandstorm is coming. If we keep going, will we find shelter?"
Just then, two figures flashed by in the golden sand outside.
Xie Lian sat up.
The two figures, one in black and one in white, moved not hurriedly but swiftly, as if walking on clouds. The black-clad figure was tall and slender, while the white-clad one was a female Taoist with a sword and a duster. The black figure didn't look back, but the white-clad woman smiled as she passed the building. The smile, like their figures, was fleeting but strangely eerie.
Xie Lian, watching outside, caught the scene, but the others only saw their backs. Nan Feng stood up, "Who were they?"
Xie Lian stood too, "I don't know. But they're definitely not ordinary."
After a moment, he said, "Stop playing. The wind's picking up; let's get moving. Let's see how far we can go."
Luckily, though they often bickered, they were serious when needed. They gathered the Red Mirror pieces and left the building.
They walked against the wind for a while, but the distance covered was far less than before. The wind and sand were much stronger.
The wind whipped the sand, stinging their exposed skin. The further they walked, the harder it got. The wind howled, and the sand filled the sky, making it hard to see. Xie Lian held his hat, "This sandstorm is strange!"
No one answered for a while. Xie Lian thought they might have fallen behind, but when he looked back, they were still there, just not hearing him over the wind.
Nan Feng and Fu Yao didn't need his concern, walking steadily. San Lang followed five steps behind, unhurried.
In the yellow sand, the young man was calm, hands behind his back, red clothes and black hair flying, unaffected by the wind and sand, not even blinking.
Xie Lian's face hurt from the sand, worried about San Lang's indifference. He said, "Be careful of sand in your eyes and clothes." Realizing he couldn't be heard, Xie Lian went over and adjusted San Lang's collar to keep the sand out.
San Lang was startled again. The other two joined them, and they could finally hear each other. Xie Lian said, "Be careful, this sandstorm is sudden, something's not right, it could be an evil wind."
Fu Yao said, "It's just wind and sand, what else could it be?"
Xie Lian shook his head, "The sand's fine, but there could be something else in it."
Just then, a sudden gust blew Xie Lian's hat off. Once gone, it would be lost in the sand, but San Lang quickly caught it and handed it back. Xie Lian thanked him, tying it back on, "We should find shelter."
Fu Yao disagreed, "If this sandstorm is trying to stop us, we should press on."
Hearing this, Xie Lian hadn't spoken, but San Lang laughed. Fu Yao looked up, "What's funny?"
San Lang, arms crossed, laughed, "Going against the grain makes you feel unique?"
Xie Lian often couldn't tell if San Lang's smiles were sincere or mocking. But this time, it was clear he meant no good. Fu Yao's gaze turned cold, Xie Lian raised a hand, "Stop. Talk later. A strong wind is scary."
Fu Yao said, "Will it blow us away?"
Xie Lian said, "Yes, that's very possible..."
Before he finished, the people in front of him vanished.
In fact, it wasn't them who disappeared, but him—the sandstorm had lifted him into the air.
A whirlwind!
Spinning in the air, Xie Lian shouted, "Ruoye! Grab something solid!!"
Ruoye flew out, and suddenly, Xie Lian felt a weight on the other end, pulling him. He steadied himself in the air and looked down, realizing he was ten feet above the ground.
He was like a kite, tethered by a single line. Amidst the sand, he held Ruoye, trying to see what it had caught. He finally saw a red figure. Ruoye seemed to be wrapped around a young man in red.
He had asked Ruoye to grab something solid, and it had grabbed San Lang!