Inherited 100 Million - Chapter 14

Jingcheng was the last major city in the west of the Wuqin Kingdom. Once you passed through its gates, you would be greeted by the vast, yellow sands of the Yangsuo Desert. Even though it was located next to the harsh climate of the desert, Jingcheng remained one of the most prosperous cities in the Wuqin Kingdom. This was because the other side of the desert led to the Great Yan Dynasty, the most powerful country in the Eastern Continent, and the Yangsuo Desert was virtually the only route for communication between the two.

Crossing the Yangsuo Desert to reach the Great Yan Dynasty took at least a month, and supplies were scarce in the desert. Driven by both the threat of death and the promise of profit, merchants would embark on this journey. The most respected people in the desert were the seasoned guides who led caravans between the two countries. During the journey, people’s lives were half in the hands of fate and the other half in the hands of the guide.

Zhong Meng had just returned to Jingcheng with a caravan when a broker led him to the two most unique clients he had ever had in his career as a guide.

The meeting took place at the most luxurious inn in the city. Some said that Jingcheng was built with gold and jade. As a major trading hub, Jingcheng had accumulated wealth that would astound even the capital of the Wuqin Kingdom. It was a place with both the lowest of the low—people who risked their lives for sand—and people whose wealth was on par with that of emperors.

The Yunjian Pavilion was a place you would never imagine to be an inn next to a desert. Ice basins were kept in every season to maintain the perfect temperature, and rare flowers and trees were watered with a large amount of fresh water every day. Zhong Meng and the broker were led by a servant through a series of long corridors. The scenery around them changed so many times that he almost thought he was in Jiangnan.

Zhong Meng whispered to the broker, “Who are the clients this time? Royalty?”

The broker shook his head and replied softly, in a voice only they could hear, “I haven’t heard… I suspect they’re not from the Wuqin Kingdom.”

The servant leading the way stopped and moved to the side, respectfully saying, “Gentlemen, we have arrived at the Shuxue Courtyard. The guests are inside.”

The path to the courtyard was made of wooden steps, with a gentle stream flowing on either side, carrying fallen blossoms. Before they even reached the courtyard, they saw a peach tree branch extending out, its blossoms a vibrant pink despite it being the middle of summer.

Zhong Meng instinctively lowered his footsteps, as if afraid of disturbing the people waiting in the courtyard.

Perhaps it was at the clients’ request, but the servant waited outside and did not enter. The broker pushed open the half-closed courtyard door, revealing the full view of the courtyard. There was a clear spring, a small pond, a few scattered peach trees, and an old man and a young girl playing chess on the wooden steps.

They looked completely out of place together.

The old man was in his seventies, with dry skin and cloudy eyes that gave off an air of approaching death. He was wearing a simple gray cloth tunic, just like any ordinary laborer outside. The girl, on the other hand, looked to be in her early teens. Her hair was styled in a bun, and she wore a dress of delicate silk with exquisite embroidery. The red carp on her skirt was so lifelike that it seemed to swim when the wind gently blew. She looked every bit like a young lady from a wealthy family.

The two who seemed to have no connection were now sitting together, playing chess in a peaceful and harmonious manner.

Sensing someone’s arrival, the girl, who had just placed a piece, looked up. Her light-colored eyes met Zhong Meng’s. After a moment of pause, she saw the broker beside him and smiled, standing up.

“Are you Mr. Zhong Meng?” the girl asked, her voice clear and filled with a gentle laugh.

“Yes,” the broker said, pulling Zhong Meng forward, his tone quite proud. “Miss Xu, this is the best guide in Jingcheng I told you about!”

When Zhong Meng got a clear look at the girl’s face, it was as if he, who had been accustomed to the winds and sands of the desert, had suddenly seen a soft handful of snow from Jiangnan. His face flushed red instantly. Thankfully, his sun-darkened skin hid it well. However, he, who was not a man of many words to begin with, now stammered and couldn’t speak, only waving his hands repeatedly.

The girl smiled faintly, not commenting on Zhong Meng’s embarrassment. Instead, she said to the two of them, “Since Mr. Zhong has returned, let’s discuss the journey to Great Yan.”

A map was spread out on the stone table, and the four of them sat around it. Zhong Meng had been looking at the map for a while, his brow tightly furrowed.

He hesitated before finally speaking. “Miss Xu, I don’t recommend you cross the Yangsuo Desert at this time.”

The broker agreed. “The Yangsuo sandstorm is expected to last for at least a month. It would be too dangerous to travel to Great Yan now.”

Xue Yizhuo nodded slightly. “I am aware of this, but we cannot afford to delay. We must depart within three days.”

The place Old Li was going to was Konglong Mountain in the Western Continent.

Xue Yizhuo didn’t know where Konglong Mountain was, but she knew about the Western Continent. To travel from the Eastern Continent to the Western Continent, they had to cross the Liduan River. There were only two ways to cross: either by air or by water.

Traveling by air required a flying magical vessel called the “Cloud Skimming Flying Boat.” This artifact was extremely rare even in the Western Continent, held by only a few sects and noble families. It was impossible for one to exist in the Eastern Continent. If they traveled by water, the biggest problem Xue Yizhuo would face was the perpetual fog over the river.

The Liduan River was shrouded in a thick fog for ten months of the year. Within the fog, all instruments for navigation would fail. It was like a natural maze. Even cultivators could get lost in it. The only way to cross the Liduan River safely by water was to wait for the fog to clear.

The fog would usually clear in October and last for a short period, anywhere from a month to a whole season. Xue Yizhuo and Old Li had left Qingping Town in mid-July and had traveled without rest. It was a month later when they arrived in Jingcheng. Traveling across the Yangsuo Desert now would put them right on time for the fog to clear. If they waited for the sandstorm to pass before leaving, in the worst-case scenario, they would have to wait in Great Yan for almost a year.

Xue Yizhuo almost regretted not leaving with Jun Yu. If she had known she would have to go to the Western Continent anyway, she should have just followed Jun Yu. The Shiwai Pavilion definitely had a Cloud Skimming Flying Boat.

Although a guide’s authority was significant in the desert, they could only advise their clients, not make decisions for them. Since Xue Yizhuo was determined to leave now, Zhong Meng could only start planning the safest route.

“The extent of the sandstorm is unpredictable. Since there’s little information recorded about the Yangsuo Desert during the sandstorm season, I can only rely on my experience to choose a route.” Zhong Meng picked up a pen and drew a line on the map. “I recommend taking this route.”

The line passed through several recorded oases, making it a relatively safe route.

Xue Yizhuo noticed a black circle it went through.

She pointed to the black circle and asked, “What is this place?”

Oases, inns, quicksand areas, and other landmarks were all labeled on the side of the map. Only that black circle appeared without any explanation.

Zhong Meng hesitated for a moment. “This map is a bit old… The black circle represents a country, but that country has since disappeared.”

Xue Yizhuo was a little surprised. “There were countries in the desert?”

Zhong Meng nodded. “That was Guque, which was known as the ‘Country of Lotus,’ even though it was in the Yangsuo Desert. This was because large areas of lotus bloomed in its waters. It was built around a few oases and consisted of one major city and four smaller ones. But due to environmental changes, the oases disappeared, and Guque was destroyed two hundred years ago.”

“Very few people remember that there was once a Country of Lotus in the Yangsuo Desert,” Zhong Meng said in a low, somber voice.

The sandstorms in the desert were terrifying, but time was even more so. The thing that truly erased a country from existence wasn’t the wind and sand, but the passage of time that made people forget.

“Although Guque is gone, some of its buildings still remain. If we encounter a sandstorm along the way, Guque would be an excellent shelter,” Zhong Meng explained.

Xue Yizhuo nodded. She knew nothing about the Yangsuo Desert. At this point, she could only unconditionally listen to the professional.

Zhong Meng continued, “It will take a month to cross the Yangsuo Desert, so we must bring enough supplies. Should I get those ready?”

“Yes, you can prepare them,” Xue Yizhuo said, happy to be a hands-off boss.

Even if they didn’t have enough supplies, she wasn’t worried. She had a system inventory that contained all kinds of resources.

It was just a shame she didn’t have the Cloud Skimming Flying Boat. Xue Yizhuo sighed inwardly, guessing that the game hadn’t released this item yet. She had searched for a long time but couldn’t find any flying artifacts, so she had to honestly travel by water to the Western Continent.

“One more thing,” Zhong Meng said, looking at Old Li. “Is this old gentleman also traveling with you?”

Xue Yizhuo nodded. “He’s with me.”

Zhong Meng felt the weight on his shoulders suddenly become much heavier.

He had guided countless caravans across the Yangsuo Desert. He had almost never seen children or very old people because the environment in the desert was too harsh. If a caravan didn’t have sufficient protection, people with weak bodies would have a very low chance of survival.

Even with enough supplies, these people were far more likely to get into trouble in the desert than strong, healthy men.

This time, his two clients were a young girl and an old man with one foot in the grave.

Thinking about how difficult this journey would be, Zhong Meng felt a headache coming on, but he had no way of refusing this job.

Xue Yizhuo had simply offered too much.