Chapter 131: Springwater City

It was clear that none of Peng Wanli’s group welcomed these uninvited guests.

"How unlucky," Peng Jiali muttered under her breath. "To run into these annoying people."

Ning Xiu looked up, surprised; he had not expected this girl, who had been fearless throughout the entire journey, to show such signs of trepidation.

Three camels came to a halt in front of them. The man sitting on the lead camel was a stout, middle-aged man. He swept his eyes over Peng Wanli and his companions with an unrestrained gaze, then grinned. "Well, if it isn't Chief Peng! What brings you to Springwater City to trade this time?"

The fat man clicked his tongue, adding, "But to come all this way, through so much hardship, and bring so little cargo? That's a shame."

"Boss, maybe their cargo is worth a fortune," a tall, thin man beside him remarked with a laugh.

Anyone could hear the mockery dripping from his words. The fat man even feigned a look of earnestness, nodding as he said, "You’re right. In that case, I wish you a good price when you sell it."

"The affairs of the Peng Family Fortress are no concern of yours, Chairman Meng. You’d be better off worrying about yourselves," Peng Wanli said in a low, stern voice.

The fat man remained unfazed by the threat. His shifty eyes wandered through the crowd until they landed on Peng Jiali, and a repulsive smile spread across his face—looking for all the world like a lecherous creep.

"Oh, if it isn't our little Jiali? Why are you hiding in the back? Not going to come out and greet your Uncle Meng?"

Peng Jiali shrank back into the group, showing no intention of coming forward. The fat man didn't press the issue further. He chuckled and said, "Just saw a familiar face and came to say hello, that’s all. No other meaning."

"Now that the greetings are over, we’ll be off. See you in Springwater City."

With a hearty laugh, the fat man turned his camel around and rode off, the departure swift and decisive.

As they left, the group clearly let out a sigh of relief, though Peng Wanli remained with a dark, grim expression. Ning Xiu watched the fat man’s retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had keenly sensed that while the man’s surface behavior was meant to provoke, his gaze had been repeatedly drawn to the cargo on the camels at the back of the group—even while he was teasing Peng Jiali.

***

Although Peng Wanli had claimed they were almost at Springwater City, it still took them three full days to arrive. Counting the initial journey, they had spent over half a month crossing the desert.

During this time, Ning Xiu had not only mastered his newly learned martial arts but, by a stroke of serendipity, had also gained insight into the "Little Li Flying Dagger." Yes, it was through the wood carving of Lin Shiyin and a set of throwing knives forged by a master blacksmith in the capital over the course of two hours that he had managed to grasp the technique.

Of course, Ning Xiu wasn't sure if what he had grasped was the true "Little Li Flying Dagger." Perhaps it was better to say that even if he had learned it through system infusion, and even if he could guarantee that every shot would hit its mark, it was no longer the original "Little Li Flying Dagger." Ning Xiu was Ning Xiu—why should he try to be Li Xunhuan?

Ning Xiu smiled, put away the throwing knife, and looked up at the silhouette of the city appearing in the distance. "Uncle Peng, is that Springwater City up ahead?"

Peng Wanli nodded, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. Seeing the city so close, the gloom that had hung over him for the past few days vanished. After all, if this business trip went smoothly, the profit would be enough to feed his entire fortress for two or three months.

Springwater City was built around an oasis deep within the Desert of Death. It earned its name because every spring, the oasis would gush with an endless supply of water.

It was somewhat different from the desolate, ruined cities Ning Xiu had imagined; his impression of the desert had been stuck in the imagery of the films and dramas from his past life. Yet, the small Springwater City was bustling with activity, with merchants constantly coming and going.

In just a short while, Ning Xiu saw at least two other caravans entering the city, similar to Peng Wanli’s. They were all small in scale—hardly comparable to the massive camel trains like the Tianfeng Trading Company he had once seen. Beyond the merchants, there were a few wandering swordsmen, though they were few in number and mostly attached to the caravans, as it was nearly impossible to reach this place without a deep knowledge of the Desert of Death.

The buildings on either side of the streets were constructed from rubble and cobblestones; while not particularly beautiful, they possessed a unique charm.

"Uncle Peng, let us part ways here. Thank you for your care along the way," Ning Xiu said, leaping lightly from his camel to the ground and bowing toward Peng Wanli.

Peng Wanli hesitated but did not try to persuade him to stay. What he had to do next was clearly not suitable for an outsider like Ning Xiu. He had considered recruiting him along the way, but ultimately, he hadn't acted on it.

"Then I wish you luck, young brother, in finding your lost companions and the Two-Life Flower," Peng Wanli replied with a resonant bow.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ning Xiu keenly felt several dark, probing gazes sweep over them before quickly vanishing.

Acting as if he had noticed nothing, Ning Xiu smiled, reached into his robes, pulled out a wood carving, and walked over to Peng Jiali to hand it to her.

"This is for you."

"Oh? Uncle, when did you make this? I didn't even know!" Peng Jiali took the carving and gasped, her eyes full of wonder. "It looks just like me!"

The wood carving was indeed a likeness of Peng Jiali.

"Do you like it?" Ning Xiu asked with a smile.

"I do!" The young girl nodded, her eyes curving into crescents.

Ning Xiu patted her head, pulled a small knife from somewhere, and handed it to her as well. "Keep this, too. Consider it a souvenir."

With that, Ning Xiu took a step back, bowed to the group, and turned to walk into the city.

Watching Ning Xiu’s retreating figure, Peng Wanli remained silent for a moment before waving his hand. "Let’s go, too."

***

Upon entering Springwater City, Ning Xiu headed straight for an inn. Whether for a rest or to gather information, an inn was always the best choice.

He chose the largest one in the city. He paid ten times the usual price, yet the room he received was worse than the cheapest inn in Lingnan. It was not only cramped but also dilapidated. And this was the "Grade A" room—heaven only knew how bad the "Grade D" rooms must have been.

Just as Ning Xiu was mentally complaining about the room, a familiar voice suddenly drifted in from outside the inn.