Chapter 137: A Ruthless Character

There are four types of people in this world: those who know the value of things, those who do not, those who know but pretend they do not, and those who do not know but pretend they do. The vast majority of people are fools, only a few are clever, and those who can truly be called wise are even rarer. Those who are led around by the nose are the fools.

The map in Ning Xiu’s hand was genuine—it was the true treasure map. Consider that in the previous atmosphere of intense confrontation, it would have been impossible for that young man to find an identical piece of sheepskin in such a short time. Furthermore, throughout the entire ordeal, Ning Xiu’s attention had never once left the map, so he knew for a fact it had not been swapped. He reached out and brushed his hand over the sheepskin; a piece of paper with a unique texture suddenly appeared in his palm, feeling somewhat like a human-skin mask. Ning Xiu smiled, tossed it aside, and turned to walk deeper into the desert.

...

Not long after Ning Xiu left, the young man who had shouted "Senior Brother" among the crowd circled back to the spot. Considering that all the martial artists were currently scouring the world for him, his return carried significant risk, yet it also demonstrated his extraordinary agility to have slipped back unnoticed. However, when he arrived at the original location, the treasure map was nowhere to be found. He stamped his feet in frustration, but just as he turned to leave, he was intercepted by a group—the three Li brothers, who had returned.

The eldest Li brother said in a low voice, "I almost fell for your trick, boy. Hand over the treasure map!" The three brothers surrounded the youth. "I never imagined you were so capable, using the real map as bait. It’s a pity that your cleverness has backfired. Now that everyone knows the map is in your hands, once we dispose of you, we can search for the treasure without worry."

"Golden Blade Wang, if you can save my life today, I will give the map to you!" the young man suddenly shouted toward the distance. After what had just transpired, the Li brothers were not so easily fooled again. Just then, a dull sound echoed from behind them.

"Hand over the map first."

After a few seconds of silence, the eldest Li brother turned abruptly, his pupils contracting. The one-armed swordsman had returned! Seizing the opportunity, the young man reached into his robes, pulled out an object, and threw it toward where Golden Blade Wang was positioned. The Li brothers saw a black shadow streak by and hesitated, wondering whether to pursue it. In that split second, the young man broke through the encirclement and escaped.

...

Ning Xiu had no interest in the young man's ultimate fate. He was currently lying on a camel, comparing two maps. One was the treasure map he had just acquired, and the other was the map of the Death Desert drawn by Old Di. As he held them together, they aligned perfectly. The ruins of the Ancient Loulan Kingdom were marked with a large red cross on Old Di's map. A red cross signified a place of extreme danger. Ning Xiu tucked the maps away, took a swig from a jug of Bamboo Green wine, looked up at the rising sun, and slowly closed his eyes. The plan remained unchanged: the destination was the ruins of the Ancient Loulan Kingdom.

...

Spring Water City.

"Old Di, Old Di..." Hun-er called out loudly as usual in front of the dilapidated wooden shack. This time, there was no response. After calling a few more times and hearing nothing, he pushed open the door. The room was empty. Where had Old Di gone?

At the Dragon Soaring Inn, the doors had been closed early. Nine-Niang sat at the counter, the usual laziness gone from her face, her expression grave as she stared at a slip of paper. "What a bold move. Who exactly is stirring up this storm behind the scenes?"

...

As time passed, Ning Xiu gradually adapted to life in the desert. However, compared to the experienced desert travelers, he still lacked a certain edge; even with a map, he had nearly lost his way several times. He was now far from Spring Water City. One day, while practicing his Sword Thirteen, he heard a commotion nearby. Looking ahead, he saw a group of men surrounding an individual in a tense standoff. Conflict was unavoidable anywhere in this world, and Ning Xiu had no intention of interfering. He was about to leave when a shout made him pause.

"Mo, if you know what's good for you, hand over the treasure map! Don't blame us for being impolite!"

"What a joke. A bunch of bottom-tier thieves like you dare to covet the treasure of Loulan?"

"You're courting death!"

A dozen men on camel-horses, brandishing scimitars, surrounded the young man. Standing on a high ridge in the distance, Ning Xiu raised his eyebrows. The young man was dressed in white, standing perfectly straight. Faced with the fierce-looking thugs, he didn't even blink. His snowy robes, though stained with sand, still looked clean and elegant under the sun. His face, in particular, was strikingly handsome.

The leader of the thugs, enraged by the youth’s disdain, roared, "Death it is!" He whipped out a long lash from his waist and lashed it toward the youth. The leader had built his reputation in the desert with this whip, earning him the nickname "Poison Dragon Whip." The name was well-earned; the whip cracked through the air like a venomous snake, the sharp whistling wind whipping the youth’s white robes. Even so, the youth’s expression remained unchanged.

"Down you go!" The youth flicked his right hand, and the whip seemed to fall into his grasp automatically. With a sharp tug, he yanked the leader right off his mount.

*Boom!*

The leader slammed into the sand and spat out a mouthful of grit. He cursed and tried to stand, but felt a sharp pain in his cheek. A snowy-white boot pressed firmly onto his face, pinning him back into the sand.

"Who gave you permission to stand?" the youth said coldly.

From the high ridge, Ning Xiu’s lips curled into a smile. "Not bad. A ruthless character, indeed."