Although Luo Yang hadn’t been able to find the antidote on Ji Yunshu’s body, he hadn’t come away empty-handed either.

He had conveniently obtained a pouch of broken silver!

It counted as a full harvest.

He weighed the stolen broken silver a few times. Seeing this, Xiao Ba quickly asked: “Brother, how do you have money?”

His eyes gleamed!

Luo Yang pointed his finger up at the sky and said: “Heaven rewarded me.”

Then he contentedly stuffed it into his pocket.

Xiao Ba stared eagerly at the pitch-black sky, puzzled in his mind.

Silver falls from the sky?

Luo Yang patted him: “Stop looking. Hurry up and sleep.”

“Then brother, are you sleeping or not?”

“You sleep first.”

“Oh.” Xiao Ba curled up his body and went to sleep.

Luo Yang pondered for a while—he had to think of another way to find the antidote.

Across the vigorously burning fire, he looked toward the sleeping Ji Yunshu.

Those features were delicate and attractive.

Making one filled with curiosity and imagination about her appearance.

But no matter how much Luo Yang imagined, he couldn’t believe the face beneath that cloth would be hideously ugly.

But only ugly women would cover their faces!

After all, they worried about frightening people.

He withdrew his gaze and took a deep, heavy breath, thinking: On this journey, I must find an opportunity to lift that cloth and see.

See whether she’s a celestial beauty?

Or hideously ugly!

The next day, just as dawn broke, Lord Hu had everyone extinguish the still-burning fires, pack up quickly, and get on the road.

Supposedly, the hills ahead were the gates of hell in the Nansai Desert. Once night fell, the windstorms would be severe, and the sand dunes there could shift at any time, burying people alive. So going at night was tantamount to seeking death.

They could only hurry through while it was light.

The group hastily pressed forward, not daring to delay for even a moment.

Finally, they crossed that stretch of sand dunes.

During the journey, they saw many human bones and wild beast bones.

Like a realm of carnage!

Ji Yunshu had been riding the camel the whole time. Because Lord Hu took special care of her, she wasn’t affected at all.

As for Luo Yang’s body search last night, she was completely unaware. Even though the broken silver on her person was gone, she paid it no mind.

After all, silver truly wasn’t useful in this desert. She just assumed it had been lost during yesterday’s rush!

Luo Yang had walked all morning and was already gasping for breath, exhausted. Suddenly he collapsed beside the camel, hugging Ji Yunshu’s dangling foot. Drenched in sweat and physically and mentally exhausted, he panted: “Little ancestor, save me.”

His words were weak and feeble.

Ji Yunshu looked down at him: “What’s wrong?”

“This camel… let me ride it for a bit. I can’t take it anymore. I’m dying, about to lose my life! If I really breathe my last, you won’t find Sha Tuo, and you won’t find the person you’re looking for either.” Luo Yang panted heavily in great gasps, his face flushed bright red.

Right now, he was truly so tired his eyes could barely stay open.

Only half a life remained hanging on.

Seeing him like this, Ji Yunshu felt somewhat reluctant after all.

So she agreed!

She yielded the camel.

Luo Yang’s face lit up with joy, as happy as if seeing a mirage, unable to contain his delight.

But Lord Hu, walking ahead, roared loudly: “Can’t even handle this—what’s the difference between you and a waste?”

If this were outside the desert, Luo Yang would definitely hold onto his pride.

But now, his life was nearly gone!

What pride, what being a real man—all of it could go to hell.

Life is more precious than the sky—that’s the truth!

Never mind the details!

After Ji Yunshu dismounted, he grabbed the rope tied to the camel and in one vigorous effort flipped onto it, saying as he went: “Right now I’d rather be a waste, I’d rather be a salted fish lying belly-up. I just don’t want to walk anymore. My feet have been rubbed raw by the sand creating fire.”

Luo Yang’s way of speaking always made people laugh involuntarily.

The corners of Ji Yunshu’s lips, hidden beneath the black cloth, couldn’t help but curve upward.

Meanwhile, Luo Yang sprawled his entire body directly on the tall camel hump.

Truly becoming a salted fish lying belly-up.

Lord Hu glared: “Useless thing!”

Street rascals like Luo Yang who liked to play petty tricks had always been what Lord Hu despised most.

Ji Yunshu didn’t mind this at all. Holding the portrait in her hands, she prepared to walk on foot.

Lord Hu quickly said: “Miss, you can ride another camel.”

She politely declined: “No need. These camels are originally used for transporting goods. You’ve already given up one—there’s no need to trouble further. Besides, I’d like to walk anyway.”

“But…”

“Rest assured, Lord Hu. Previously I also walked alone from the Beisai Desert to Zhuxin City. There’s no problem—I can endure it.”

Hearing she had crossed the Beisai Desert alone to reach Zhuxin City, Lord Hu was astonished: “Miss, you were alone?”

She nodded.

“Very few women can cross the Beisai Desert alone. I truly have to admire you, miss. Skilled in medicine and so resilient.” Lord Hu greatly appreciated her.

Just as everyone was about to continue forward, Xiao Ba started clamoring again.

Following suit, he tightly hugged Luo Yang’s foot dangling from the camel and said: “Brother, you got on the camel, so what about me? I’m also dying, can’t hold on much longer. I feel like there’s fire burning in my chest, about to spew out. What do I do? Will I be burned to death before the poison kills me?”

As he spoke, he began wailing.

A grown man crying like this made everyone both helpless and amused.

Uncle Jing quite liked Xiao Ba, finding this lad particularly interesting. Seeing him cry, his heart softened too.

“Kid, this camel can carry two people. You just get on too.”

Xiao Ba’s eyes lit up: “Really?”

“Of course.”

Uncle Jing directly grabbed him by the back of his collar and flung him onto the camel’s back, sitting behind Luo Yang.

“Hold on tight—don’t fall off. When the time comes, no one will save you.”

Xiao Ba made several affirmative sounds, then imitated the already exhausted and collapsed Luo Yang by sprawling on the camel hump.

Just like two salted fish sprawled there.

Both comical and amusing.

The convoy set out again!

Ji Yunshu wasn’t delicate. She walked alongside Lord Hu like a man.

Not uttering a single word of complaint about being tired.

During this time, she also chatted with Lord Hu.

It turned out the glass beads and some other items being transported to Qujiang this time were being delivered directly into the Qujiang imperial palace.

As tribute!

Almost once every half year.

Of course, Lord Hu also asked some things about her: “Miss, where are you from?”

Where was she from?

She herself was conflicted. Originally the Princess Imperial of Huyi, yet she had lived in Dalin since childhood.

After thinking it over, she finally answered: “From Dalin!”

Because wherever Jingrong was, that’s where she was!

Lord Hu asked curiously again: “Then why are you going to Qujiang?”

She said: “Looking for someone!”

“It seems that person must be very important to you, miss. Otherwise you wouldn’t take such great risks, crossing the Nansai Desert to reach Qujiang.”

She smiled faintly, looking at the endless yellow sand before her and said: “That person is indeed very important to me. I traveled all the way from the Beisai Desert to Zhuxin City, also to search for him.”

“I see.”