Chapter 41: Departure

In the Death Desert, wild winds whipped up sand and dust, howling with unbridled ferocity.

A young man, using his sword as a cane, struggled to support the girl on his back. She was utterly silent, as lifeless as a corpse.

His steps were unsteady, yet his determination never wavered as he pressed forward.

The man seemed about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. His lips were already pale, showing clear signs of exhaustion and dehydration.

Yet still, he pressed on with unyielding tenacity, mumbling, “Xin’er, don’t fall asleep. I’ll find the Soul-Returning Flower soon…”

But the girl on his back gave no response.

In this desolate Death Desert, any passerby would instantly see that she had been dead for quite some time.

Her face was mottled with the marks of death, and her body exuded a stench so foul it was almost unbearable.

“Xin’er, are you thirsty? I’ll get you some water.”

He carefully laid the girl down, then picked up a waterskin and tried to pour some water into her mouth. But the water merely trickled out the corner of her lips.

As if not noticing, he took a few sips himself, then forced a smile. “Xin’er, we set out early, so we’ll definitely find the Soul-Returning Flower. You must hold on—don’t fall asleep.”

With these words, he once again lifted her onto his back and continued trudging through the desert.

His solitary figure beneath the blazing sun seemed both lonely and indomitable, as if even the desert winds could never bring him down.

...

Within the Qilin Sect, Jiang Yan and the others were fully prepared to depart.

Lin Qi had expressed his wish to go with them, but Ji Chuxue adamantly refused.

“Master, you’d better stay at the sect. Don’t go and create unnecessary trouble,” Ji Chuxue said firmly.

Qin Feifei and the others nodded in agreement. “Senior Sister is right, Master. You should remain at the sect.”

Jiang Yan was puzzled. Why did his senior brothers and sisters all think their master shouldn’t go?

Was it because their master’s cultivation was only at the Golden Core stage?

But his own cultivation was only at the Golden Core stage too.

“Hmph, you unfilial disciples. Very well, your master won’t go. But you must all return safely—and take good care of your junior brother,” Lin Qi said, finally yielding to the unanimous opposition.

Little White, the one their master mentioned, meowed with emotion: Master, you must take care of yourself while you’re here at the sect!

Lin Qi stroked the cat’s head. “Good disciple, do you still remember the technique I taught you? Don’t slack off in your cultivation while you’re on the road…”

The others, watching this heartwarming scene between man and cat, couldn’t help but sigh: Truly, beasts have it better than men!

After bidding farewell to Lin Qi, Jiang Yan started up the off-road RV.

Little Dragon’s eyes widened with excitement as he gazed out the window. “Wow, following you really was the right choice—this is amazing! So much fun!”

Wen Yue claimed a bed in a corner and promptly fell into a deep sleep.

“Xiao Liu, have some spirit tea,” Xie Lingzhou offered Jiang Yan a cup.

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Jiang Yan took the cup and drained it in one go, instantly feeling a surge of vitality.

This spirit tea really was extraordinary!

“Do you know, that single cup of spirit tea is worth five hundred high-grade spirit stones,” Xie Lingzhou remarked.

“That… such a small cup? Does it have some miraculous effect?” Jiang Yan was utterly shocked.

Luckily, he had already finished it; otherwise, he might have spat it out in surprise.

Why in the world was tea so expensive?!

Clicking his tongue, he thought: Third Senior Brother really knows how to enjoy life. Well, considering he lives in such a grand castle, it figures someone of his caliber would indulge in such luxuries.

“You must have felt it too—the spirit tea invigorates the mind,” Xie Lingzhou explained.

Jiang Yan wondered silently if his third senior brother had been scammed. To pay so much just for a refreshing drink—wasn’t that a bit outrageous…?

“Heh, it does make you feel alert,” Jiang Yan tried to hide his skepticism.

Noticing Jiang Yan’s hand on a round disk, which he occasionally turned, Xie Lingzhou asked curiously, “Xiao Liu, do you steer this thing by twisting that disk?”

“That’s right, Third Senior Brother. Are you interested in learning to drive?” Jiang Yan replied with a smile.

“Drive?” Xie Lingzhou repeated, puzzled.

“Yes, this off-road RV is equipped with complex mechanisms. You have to learn how to operate it before you can drive it,” Jiang Yan explained.

At present, he was the only one who knew how to drive.

He secretly rejoiced—if he could teach his third senior brother to drive, he might finally get some rest. Hehehe...

“Is it really that amazing? I want to learn too!” the little dragon exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Wu Qianqian, always eager to join in the fun, said enthusiastically, “Sixth Junior Brother, I want to learn too! It looks like so much fun.”

“Sure, anyone who wants to learn is welcome,” Jiang Yan agreed readily.

Teaching one or teaching several made no difference to him—it was all free labor in the end, he thought gleefully.

Jiang Yan patiently explained the basics of driving, and everyone listened attentively—even Ji Chuxue and Qin Feifei joined in.

Of course, some people understood it in theory, but actual practice was another matter entirely.

As the journey continued, the RV was driven in turns. Of all the new drivers, only Xie Lingzhou handled it like a seasoned pro; the others drove in a lurching, crooked fashion...

The little dragon, both clumsy and playful, especially loved stepping on the accelerator, sending the vehicle careening wildly from side to side.

The one who took cultivation most seriously along the way was Little White. The cat actually sat cross-legged in meditation—had it lived in the modern world, it would have been an instant celebrity, a star among felines!

Moreover, Little White’s cultivation had already reached the peak of the Qi-Refining stage.

Jiang Yan hadn’t expected his cat to possess such extraordinary talent for cultivation. As expected from the cat of Long Aotian!