Chapter 210: The Wind Has Started
Due to Jiang Lin's large-scale announcement of the bounty task in Gamma Sacred City, which specifically mentioned high-grade magic core crystals, if Jiang Lin used his real identity, it would be clear to anyone that his presence signified that a certain faction had already "launched" their ancestors.
Therefore, to protect "patient confidentiality," Jiang Lin had no choice but to hide his identity. He crossed the edge of the Tagore Desert and walked toward the Black Mountain Hills. Of course, in less populated areas, he would use the dual-winged sheath wings to fly. However, Jiang Lin discovered that the flying speed of the dual-winged sheath wings could not keep up with A Mo's running speed on the ground, as A Mo only had the cultivation of a Dou Shi.
"What materials does Master need?" Kui Qing wanted to ask more, but was stopped by A Mo, who shook his head. "Uncle Kui, Brother Lin will speak up if he finds something suitable. There's no need to ask too much."
"Sorry." Seeing this, Kui Qing realized he had been too hasty, so he quickly apologized to Jiang Lin. Jiang Lin only shook his head silently and asked, "When can we leave?"
Kui Qing looked at the grayish, transparent crystals embedded in the ceiling and spoke in a hoarse voice. "It won't take long to reach the Black Mountain Hills. As long as the sandstorm clears up, we can reach the tribe in five days."
"However, traveling during a sandstorm is too dangerous. Magical beasts may venture out in the storm, and it's very risky. Of course, the magical beasts in the sandstorm aren't the main concern. The real danger comes from the sandworms hidden by the sandstorm. On normal days, we can use our experience and sense of smell to avoid the sandworms or even lure them into traps. But during the sandstorm, their scent is hidden, and we won't be able to distinguish them. We might step into a trap and fall right into their mouths." Kui Qing explained the terror of the sandworms and also showed Jiang Lin the leg armor they had tied to their legs to deal with the creatures.
The sandworms Kui Qing mentioned weren't just one type of beast, but a series of dangerous beasts, with the desert yellow-armored scorpions and desert burrowing worms being the most notorious. The latter was particularly terrifying because their traps were their jaws. A bite could sever a limb, and if it was a more powerful bite, they could swallow and crush a person whole.
These sandworms were an important economic source for the tribes in these remote areas, as many tribes hunted them and exchanged their bodies in the cities for living and cultivation resources.
"Hmm." Jiang Lin, fully wrapped in his black cloak, merely nodded in acknowledgment and said nothing further. Now, in his current role as a 'doctor,' he needed to remember his profession and not do anything he shouldn't.
Fortunately, the yellow sandstorm outside didn't last too long. A few hours later, it gradually dissipated. Although it was getting late, the starry sky above the desert was exceptionally bright, and the Buli werewolves prepared to set off under the cover of night.
"Normally, in desert areas, night is the best time for travel." On a wooden board with no wheels, Jiang Lin, along with A Mo and several injured werewolves, as well as some supplies, sat. The board was being pulled quickly through the sand by a few strong werewolves. Their powerful physiques made them incomparable to humans.
Jiang Lin also noticed an interesting detail: the higher the cultivation level of the male werewolves, the more their beastly traits became prominent. A Mo, being a Dou Shi, had only large ears, wolf eyes, and a tail, while the Dou Shi and Da Dou Shi werewolves had various striped fur patterns, and their faces became more like short-snouted wolf heads. Among them, Kui Qing, a one-star Dou Ling, had the most obvious beastly transformation. His skin was covered with fine, dense fur, and his body seemed to be evolving toward greater barbarity and combat. And rather than being terrifying, this savage, violent beauty was perfectly reflected in him.
On the other hand, the female werewolves showed less of a beastly transformation. Besides retaining wolf ears, a tail, and a fierce, well-defined wolf gaze, their bodies were almost identical to humans.
"Indeed, since I started flying, I haven't traveled like this much," Jiang Lin said with a slight sigh, lying on the wooden board, which the Buli werewolves referred to as the "desert boat," as he gazed at the bright stars in the night sky.
In the vast desert, several groups were traveling in different directions under the cover of night. There was no conversation among them as everyone focused on making the journey, hoping to bring back the goods they had bought in the city to their respective tribes. The Buli werewolves had stored the goods in a type of storage device called "Na Shi" and carried them along.
Na Shi was the raw material for making Na Jie (spatial rings). These 'industrial products' were a bit too luxurious for the Buli werewolves. Just having Na Shi was already very fortunate.
Compared to humans, who were born to occupy plains and lakes, these beastmen, driven into the mountains, truly had to struggle for their livelihood every moment.
"I've heard that on the other side of the mountain, there's a vast prairie that seems to have no end," A Mo said, looking toward the dark mountains in the distance.
Jiang Lin looked up, seeing on their caravan's left, the oppressive dark mountain range, and on the right, the endless desert. They were traveling through two completely different landscapes.
"The Black Mountain Fortress of the Gamma Empire should be in that direction," Jiang Lin remarked, looking at the mountains in the distance. "Historically, the Gamma Empire was quite strong, but after they lost, they lost the prairie."
A Mo looked eagerly at the direction of the Black Mountain Fortress. "The elders in our tribe say that our original homeland was in the northern prairie, but we were driven out and had to live in the Black Mountain Hills. When I grow up, I'll definitely join the military and help the Gamma Army take back the northern prairie!"
"Let's hope so." Jiang Lin smiled indifferently. The Gamma Empire was strong compared to other empires in a broad sense, but when it started to rise, other empires would join forces to suppress it.
Thus, Jiang Lin lay on the wooden board for two or three days as the Buli werewolves swiftly carried him along. Their pace didn't slow at all, and Jiang Lin's resting didn't slow them down in the slightest. Along the way, he silently observed the Buli werewolves' cultivation state. He found something interesting and deepened his understanding of the differences between humans and other races.
'Since human cultivation techniques replaced magic cores... could it be possible to artificially compress a magic core through techniques or external objects?'
On the third night, as Jiang Lin quietly observed A Mo, who was striving to cultivate through his magic core, he suddenly opened his crimson-gold eyes and looked at the murky starry sky.
The wind had started.
(END CHAPTER)
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