At this moment, a few silhouettes were rapidly moving through the clouds of red dust, their figures garbed in cloth that covered their armor, each with the crest with a myriad of weapons.
They rode on the backs of Desert Raptors that dashed through the stormy dunes at incredible speeds, blurring left and right as even the clothes that draped around their armors fluttered wildly behind their backs due to the speeds.
Looking at each of their faces, one would notice that they each carried a cold look as they glared ahead of them as if seeking out a person’s form, but no matter which direction they went or inspected, there was no figure to found.
Suddenly, one of these individuals raised his hand causing his Desert Raptor to halt after skidding on the sand, the others behind him also did the same as they halted a few steps behind him and stared around in silence.
Now, only the sounds of the crisp wind could be heard as the sands swept by their figures, after a short while, the person at the lead sided with a helpless look on his face as he stared at his men and spoke.
"Let's go back, we'll have to report this time's failure to the young master."
When the others heard this, their eyes showed helpless looks as they nodded, without even wasting another moment, the leader of this team slapped the Desert Raptor and shouted as he pointed towards different direction.
"Move out!"
Following those words, the others did the same as their Desert Raptors shrieked and kicked up more dust trails in wake. It didn't take long for the group to vanished further into the sandy hazy towards distant parts of the southern lands.
However, when this happened, the party had failed to realize that there was a stone a few hundred meters away from their previous position. If one were to peer further through the sandy haze, they would notice that there was something most strange about this stone, as if it were artificial in nature.
Suddenly, the stone broke to pieces as a familiar-looking figure appeared from within it, it was a two-meter-tall young man that sported a stylish sleeveless shirt and some loose-fitting trousers. His black hair swayed with the wind as each strand brushed across his chisel face as his exhausted but strong looking eyes peered towards the direction the men left with hatred.
'Hmph! Soon, very soon I'll pay back those bastards, they can count on it,’ The familiar figure said as he lowered his posture and reached for something below the rubble from the artificial stone.
With a hard pull, he unearthed a massive bow with strange markings, fixing it onto his back before taking a step towards a different direction, his figure slowly fading into the sands as his journey in the south continued.
Chapter 298
Curious Rumors, A Strange Encounter
The hot winds grew milder as the day slowly transitioned from its peak to the hours passed noon. Despite this, however, the Oasis's liveliness was not hindered as crowds of practitioners be it southern natives and outsiders mingled together in the sandy streets.
Amidst this sea of people, Miren Fei, Myria, Tuzi Baoli, Tira, and Tiana explored the various items in the market sector. Here, there were even items from low-grade to top-grade mortal rank artifacts and even rare earth rank artifacts. Occasionally, one would even see a few alchemic cultivation pills and other accessories lined on top of counters as vendors shouted to attract interest in sales.
"Come and get your Repairing Essence Pill, it’s the best medicine to recover from any injuries!"
"My Rising Dragon Pill is the very pill that a man will forever need; if you need an extra boost with that special miss, I urge you to buy one! Offers are cheap, buy one for 100 middle-grade essence stones and get another for free!"
When the girls walked by a few stalls, Miren Fei's face couldn't help but turn a bit red as she heard the last vendor's words, casting a look towards the strange pill on his countertop, having the insignia of a coiling dragon rising towards the heavens.
'Shameless...' Miren Fei thought not daring to stare at the rising dragon for too long. Myria on the other hand, glanced at it as if she was seriously concerned about something.
Tuzi Baoli had a flash in her eyes as she stared at the pill, she seemed to be contemplating something, but as for Tira, she merely scoffed in disdain as if she knew Toram didn't need such accessories.
Tiana was the only innocent soul amongst their group; she looked at the pill and tugged her mother's sleeve as she asked, "Mother, does that pill taste good?"
Tuzi Baoli and Miren Fei looked at Tiana with strange looks as Tira laughed before replying, "Hehe, my child, that's not a pill for us girls to eat, come now, we should find some more interesting things, maybe we’ll find a clothing shop."
Not long after, the girls had arrived at a different section of the market; here, they found a series of stylish desert wears hung atop of lines from various vending stalls.
One particular skinny vendor with a turban couldn't help but notice their arrival; his eyes lit up as he hurriedly beckoned them over with his hands as he shouted, "These beautiful young misses, come-come-come! I can see that your all quite well built. Such fine ladies deserve only the best of wears, and my store is the best."
Tira, Miren Fei, and the others looked at each other before they nodded and went over. A few other vendors were about to do the same thing, but as their rival beat them to it, they clenched their fists and complained.
"Che! That bastard, he got them first!"
"Don't worry, there's no guarantee that he'll get their sales."
As the others complained about the current scene, Miren Fei and the others had arrived before the vendor, who gave them a good look over before he smirked as he spoke, "Might I ask what kind of wears that you fine ladies are searching for?"
Miren Fei thought for a moment before she replied, "I want..."
She was about to say something, but Tuzi Baoli tapped her shoulder, halting her words as she whispered something into the vendor's ears. As if shocked by her words, the vendor gave the girls another good look while thinking to himself, 'Those lucky sons of bitches!'
While he thought such thoughts, he didn't dare to show it on his face; he made a sly smile as he beckoned the ladies with his arms and spoke, "Follow me, I have just the right kind of items."
Tira looked at Tuzi Baoli with a knowing smile while Miren Fei had a hint of nervousness; she giggled as she spoke before walking along with Tiana towards the vendor, "Come one, we don't have all day."
Tuzi Baoli slapped Miren Fei's shoulder, giving her an encouraging look as she spoke, "Sister Fei, you've got to be bolder, since you said that he's been keeping a woman outside, then you've got to press harder while he's alone."
Miren Fei thought for a bit as a firm look came into her eyes as she replied, "Yes, I will do my best."
Tuzi Baoli nodded as she followed behind Tira and Tiana, as Miren Fei accompanied her. Soon, their small party had followed the vendor into a large tent, it was a bit dark at first, but as the vendor snapped his finger, it lit up in a reddish hue. The girl's eyes widened as they saw a variety of strange clothing. Wears that were far beyond the likes which any normal man could see.
The vendor smiled as he looked at them and spoke with sly eyes, "Please, help yourself."
The eyes of Tira, Tuzi Baoli, and Miren Fei had flickering lights as they stared at the clothing, foreshadowing a troublesome future for those destined to fall prey to their charms.
∞ ∞ ∞
While Miren Fei and the other girls were out shopping, Lang Kuang and Toram were currently sitting in an outdoor pub surrounded by tents and fully crowded with all kinds of individuals. They sat around a counter on a stool as they drank and chatted.
"Haha, this is good booze; we could really use some more like it on our southern escapades!"
"Indeed, Savior Lang speaks well, gah-gah! I really do enjoy that taste buds of humans; they can make such tasty food and liquor."
Both Lang Kuang and Toram said she gurgled down a large mug of liquor and slammed it onto th
e counter. While the duo was chatting, another figure sat in the corner with a burdensome look on his face.
Lang Kuang snickered at this as he eyed the person from the corner of his eyes and spoke, "Hey, Leon, are you still sour about that argument with Myria? If you were going to be like this, then why did you treat her like that, huh?"
Leon frowned at this and snorted as he replied, "Lang Kuang, that's none of your business!"
Toram chuckled at this as did Lang Kuang, who replied, "Indeed, it isn't, but if you keep being like that, don't complain when the fairy flies to better springs."
Leon rolled his eyes at this and looked away, he knew what he was implying, but he had misgivings about openly admitting it due to his great pride.
While their group had grown silent as they only drank and thought to themselves, the words of those in the surroundings soon after reached their ears, causing them to look towards the speakers with curiosity.
"Hey, I don't know if it's only me, but the south's been full of a lot of shit lately." One person said.
His companion looked at him before replying, "No, you're not wrong; I've heard quite a few stories and rumors popping up just about everywhere."
"Oh, what kind?" The person asked.
The companion had flashing eyes as he replied, "It's like this, not only in the Red Dunes of Easthaven City. I've heard that forces that had been hidden for a long time in the Black Dunes are starting to resurface, the Corpse Sorcerers being the most notable amongst them."
The person hearing this had a sharp look in his eyes as he spoke, "You mean that bunch that's showed up here to participate in this time's mess of a Grand Exchange?"
The companion nodded as he continued, "Indeed, but not only that, there's been all kinds of conflict popping up lately with a few rising talents showing their fangs. The fierce Mr. Kong and his arcane fist arts that trashed one of the Desert Hunter Squads being pursued by the Bandit Union, not to mention the scene caused by those other prodigies from various factions. There was even that bombshell of a prodigy Crimson Mask who even dared to ruin the Easthaven's Cui Clan's private business; I've heard that the Clan Patriarch was so furious he ruthlessly punished his son. However, no one knows why the clan hasn't directly sent for a large scale manhunt; it's said that the major parties gathered in Easthaven are preparing for something big."
The previous individuals frowned as he heard those details; he thought for a moment before he spoke, "I've already heard most of this, but the bit about the parties in Easthaven is a first, shouldn't the most important thing of the south be those ancient ruins of the Ruin Openings?"
A few others also shared this idea, but as if the companion who spoke didn't think like this, he smirked and replied, "You're right, it is indeed the Ruin Openings, but it's not about just any normal ruin."
When the others heard this, their faces showed strange looks as no one said anything more, because they knew full well which kind of ruin amongst ruins could cause such a grand change.
Lang Kuang, Toram, and Leon exchanged looks after hearing the conversation, their eyes showing a fascinating glint as they heard the mentioning of a few key names, one being their young master as the Crimson Mask, while the other was none other than Mr. Kang.
'I wonder, where's that fellow off to now?' Lang Kuang thought as he recalled his previous travel companion and their southern adventure. He was about to ponder more, but he soon noticed Dai Lin passing by their location.
"Huh? Isn’t that Team Leader Dai, where's he off to?" Lang Kuang muttered; he wanted to follow along but soon found that Dai Lin had vanished from his line of sight.
Toram also noticed this, as well as Leon, whose eyes narrowed as he muttered, "That fellow… he’s the only person in this world that I can’t truly understand."
Lang Kang and Toram made a thoughtful look as they heard those words, but neither said anything as they merely focused their attention on their drinks once more, their current thoughts hidden from everyone else.
Unaware of Lang Kaung and the others, Dai Lin was currently walking through the streets with a strange look on his face, almost as if in a daze.
Suddenly, he had found himself before an old stall, wrapped by colorful textiles with unique patterns stitched in many areas showing wear and tear. One would see a few rusty trinkets along with an orb at their center. It had a common look, and most wouldn’t even pay much attention. However, if one peered at it more carefully, they would notice that it was glowing with five different colors at its core.
As if drawn to it, Dai Lin had unconsciously reached his hand out towards it, but as he did so, the orb flashed in a myriad of colors before returning to normal.
'This... what's going on here? Why do I feel so familiar with this artifact? It couldn't possibly have come from there, so why do I keep feeling that presence here?'
Dai Lin was a bit confused, even more so as he felt powers that should by all right not exist in this world. He frowned, thinking to leave, but right at this moment, he looked up and saw that the vendor was looking at him with a curious expression.
This vendor was an old woman of dark brown skin, with old wrinkles wrapped in patched up cloth and a straw hat with trinkets hanging from its edges. Her hair was black and fluffy like perms, riddled with beads and other ornaments as her wrinkled brown eyes stared at him intensely.
Suddenly, this woman smiled as she spoke, "Quite strange, I feel the powers of their kind on you, but you are different from them, so tell me, stranger, what are you? Are you an Elementalist?"
Dai Lin had a different look as he heard the old lady's words; he gave her a good look before he replied, "I don't know what you speak of ma’am, I'm merely a random Lightning Practitioner."
The woman chuckled at those words before she sighed, making a deep and lost look as she spoke again, "Fine, I won't pry into your secrets, you can take it; it will do you better than in these old hands anyway."
Dai Lin was a bit surprised as he heard the woman's words and saw her gesture towards the orb; he gave her another look before taking up the orb and walking away while leaving behind a few words, "I'm grateful for your gift, someday I shall repay you."
The woman shook his head and smiled while thinking, "Truly an interesting child, but I suppose... he's not the only fascinating brat."
Following the words, her eyes shifted towards a different direction, there she saw a red-haired man walking by with a crimson mask, his manner cold and icy, carrying a trace of mystery as he slowly neared her stall.
Chapter 299
A Gift? Attacked by Bounty Hunters
Feng Yu was currently walking along the streets, taking in the afternoon's sights. He knew that time for Tao Shen and his men to pick them up wasn't too far off from these hours, but still preferred to take his time now that he had the chance to experience a break.
While walking, he naturally heard bits of rumors here and there from wanderers and even met a few peculiar individuals, some who stared at him oddly while others had sly eyes.
'Hmm, it looks like though the Cui Family isn't too keen and sending out a large-scale manhunt for me, quite a few bounty hunters are willing to take risks. Heh, no matter, I'm not like how I was during that time with those assassins...'
Feng Yu thought as a saw a few intimidating characters stalking his back, trying to keep tabs on his movements; some of them even held onto a piece of paper in their hands, showing a profile of his mask.
As if they didn't concern him, Feng Yu feigned indifference as he continued on his way, he was about to leave this area, but suddenly, he noticed the strange old female vendor and wears.
When looking at her, Feng Yu didn't feel any presence from her being as if she was no different from a mortal, but despite this impression, he couldn't get the feeling that there was something most odd about her.
Curious, Feng Yu inched over to her stall, looking over the rusted ordinary items as he asked, "Elder, I can tell that the items you've got here are only for show. Migh
t I ask what you're truly selling?"
The strange old woman gave Feng Yu an in-depth look as she smiled while looking over his wears; she then replied, "Young man, it seems your quite lucky to have chanced upon those items. Huhu... since we're predestined friends, consider this as a gift of our first meeting."
As she said those words, she tossed a small token with a spiral marking towards him; Feng Yu hurriedly catch it and inspected with a puzzled expression before he asked, "Excuse me ma'am, but I don't think—"
He was about to say something, but by the time he lifted his head, Feng Yu's eyes widened as he noticed that both the stall along with the strange old vendor had vanished into thin air.
Feng Yu knitted his brows while thinking to himself, 'Such a powerful being, no fluctuation, no signs of movement, it's as if there was no one here... could she have been at the True Soul realm?'
When Feng Yu thought to here, he felt that though it could be true, there might be more to it than meets the eyes; he shook his head, no longer pondering such things as he placed the token away and continued ahead.
By this time, Feng Yu felt that the eyes behind him were only growing; he even felt that a few of them had begun to release vague murderous intent. He was about to do something, but suddenly, he noticed Dai Lin ahead of him, staring left and right before entering an unmanned alleyway.
"What's he up to?" Feng Yu thought as he walked over to his side; when he arrived nearby, he saw that Dai Lin was inspecting a simple-looking orb with no special fluctuations or markings.
'Is this some kind of treasure?' Feng Yu thought as he stared at the item, but as if Dai Lin only now noticed him, he made a surprised look as he spoke, "Young Master, when did you get here?"
Feng Yu chuckled as he spoke, "That's not like you, you are a bit distracted."
Dai Lin made a slightly awkward look as shook his head and replied, "Distracted? I suppose your right."
Feng Yu made a curious expression as he heard those words, he wanted to ask him about it, but suddenly, his eyes narrowed as a glanced towards his side with a hint of coldness.
Dual Sword God: Book 7: The Crimson Devil of the Redlands Page 10
