Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen

After enjoying the unforgettable three days in the oasis, the group continued the journey. Just thinking about all the containers that can hold water, filled with sweet water, it feels completely new. In addition, we saw sporadic sand-growing needles along the way from time to time. Or the remains of the riverbed, the mood is very different.The implementation is much more at ease. The camels store enough food and water in their bodies, and walk vigorously, like flying and leaping, showing their unique sand dancing steps.The destination is the sacred mountain that stretches 150 miles from east to west across the hinterland of the "Sea of ​​Death".

According to Tie Gang, who has traveled back and forth many times, the red and white mountains that Longying and others have heard about each other are the two mountain mouths protruding from the eastern end of Shenshan Mountain, which reach the west bank of the Khotan River. Regardless of whether it is winter or summer, there will always be water flowing.Winding for more than 20 miles, it forms the largest oasis and is a life-saving place for travelers. Since the Shenshan Oasis is located in the middle of the shortcut road, it is a place that has been contested by military strategists since the Han Dynasty. Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty built a strong fortress and beacon tower here, but was forced by the Tubo people. After leaving Anxi, the fortress was once occupied by the Tubo people.After the Tubo people withdrew, the fortress had been abandoned.

Longying and the others learned how to be good, no longer just relying on hats to cover the scorching sun, but imitating Qiemo and wrapping his head and face with cotton cloth.Only one pair of eyes was exposed.At this point, I understand why Persian girls wrap their whole bodies tightly in white cloth, which is a necessary means of survival in the hot desert like a steam oven. After walking day and night, they walked for two days.Plants are getting rarer, replaced by chains extending in all directions, with layers of undulating sand dunes.Yellow and clear, undulating, sandy mountains as high as 40 to 50 feet.Like solidified golden waves, it shines brightly under the scorching white sun, dazzling the eyes.The most eye-catching one is the spire-shaped sand hill, which towers over countless crescent-shaped sand dunes, more than twice as high as other sand hills. It not only emphasizes the three-dimensional sense of the sand mountain, but also becomes sharp and angular. The light and dark of the sand mountain also form the pattern of the earth, which is amazing to the wonder of the hand of nature.

However, for travelers, it was a very difficult journey. The careful climbing and descending of the mountain depended on the keenness of the three of Longying, who chose a relatively compact sand layer and walked forward step by step. Even so, there were still several incidents of camels falling down the slope. It was not as simple as rolling down the sand slope, but deep in the sand.When such a situation occurs, it must be rescued immediately, and it is easy for people to rescue it. Lifting a big and heavy camel out of the sand is a major project that requires all magic weapons, and it will not die or be injured.Three poor camels died in one day after entering this terrible area.

Everyone's relaxed mood turned heavy, and they wanted to leave this beautiful death trap quickly, but they couldn't do it because of the dangerous and difficult terrain. Set up camp and rest for one night in Shagu Shagou.When the red sun passed through the sand and mist, the undulating horizon of the sand dunes in the east rose slowly, and they set off for the vast sand sea.Not long after noon, danger came. Three tornadoes appeared in the distance, rolling up sand pillars pointing to the sky. During the day, they were replaced by gray-black wind and sand.Compared with the sudden and billowing tornado sandstorm last time, they are prepared to fight this time, but they are more nervous. Just think about the hundreds of millions of stones of sand being crushed by the tornado, and the situation is amazing. Bury a large group of people and animals at once, and you will know how critical the situation is. Even with the abilities of Long Ying and the three of them, they will not be spared.

The only thing that can be done is to close your eyes and beg God to be extra merciful, and the staggered tornadoes will detour and let them go. When the sky is dark and the sky is dark, everyone loses the concept of time, because a moment of time is like years and months. After the terrible screeching sound of the tornado gradually faded away, the sand and dust in the sky slowly drifted down like snow flakes, the boiling sand calmed down, and the world was in chaos. They tidied up their mood and started on the road wiping sweat from the bottom of their hearts.When I reached the top of the first slope, I was stunned for a moment. Lixu was still the same as before, and beyond that were flat sand dunes. The tornado flattened tens of millions of sand dunes and turned them into scales. Sand noodles, it is completely impossible to believe the eyes.

That night they set up camp twenty miles away from the tornado, and the weather was extremely cold that night. The three of them hid in the tent and ate dry food, as well as a fish caught from the oasis. Feng Guoting said: "If the mysterious man was nearby at that time, maybe he would be dragged hundreds of miles away by the tornado, and we would be able to eliminate disasters and solve difficulties, without having to be on guard day and night." Wan Renyu said dejectedly: "I can only be on guard in my heart, can I keep watch outside the tent? I am most afraid that they will kill innocent Qiemo people."

Long Ying said: "Don't worry, Wan Qi Ji Chun is definitely not someone who kills innocent people indiscriminately, remember? The first time I saw her, she felt pity for us, as if she couldn't bear to kill us. Such a person , would you hurt someone casually? What's more, my younger brother once kissed her fragrant lips." The two lost their voices: "What?" Although they had heard about Wanqi Jichun coming to meet him in private, they didn't know that they had an intimate behavior like a kiss on the lips. After explaining clearly, Long Ying said with a smile: "The difference between me and you is that I don't miss any chance to molested beautiful women, no matter if it's in the imperial palace, or when the enemy is facing each other. If you can take advantage, try to take advantage as much as possible, so in the romantic battle Come on, the record is shining. Ha ha!"

Feng Guoting smiled at Wan Renyu who had a disapproving expression: "This kid is not without reason, you will have a chance if you try. In terms of Yanfu, although I pretend to be romantic, I always feel that I am not as good as him." Wan Renyu said: "I will occasionally act in a show, but it depends on whether the other party is a woman from a good family. As a man, you must be responsible, from the beginning to the end." Longying said: "Of course, but she is as outstanding as Wanqi Jichun, even if you want to marry her. Sleep well tonight, and don't worry about her and the secret warriors."

Wan Renyu said: "Since this is the case, why is she still persevering? Could it be that she tried everything possible to catch up with us, just to give you another advantage?" Feng Guoting nodded in agreement. Long Ying said: "When I kissed her little mouth, I felt that she was not hostile to me. But now she still seems to spare no effort to chase and kill me, and she wants to explain to the Turkic people." Feng Guoting pondered and said: "Your intuition shouldn't be wrong. But in my opinion, she not only has to explain to Mo Chuo, but also to the patriarch. As long as she really does her best, no one can take her as an excuse." Articles. Under such circumstances, her actions are only aimed at you, and will not harm anyone else."

Long Ying said: "Well said! She and I are just flirting, you have to be in the mood to watch the show, and see how I can accept her obediently. Ha! It's so cool!" Knowing his tricks, the two chatted for a while, covered their heads with blankets, and fell asleep. In the pitch-black tent, Longying closed his eyes, his thoughts fluctuating.Wan Qi Jichun deliberately left a smell in the oasis, is it a kind reminder?Or a malicious temptation? The cold wind howled outside the tent. He said it easily just now, but what he thought was completely different. After experiencing the ruthlessness and harshness of the desert, he began to understand that the people living in such a harsh environment will only obey nature and weed out the weak and retain the strong. ruthless nature.Even though the mysterious woman Wanqi Jichun has a three-point affection for him, once the action of killing him is put into practice, she will never show mercy.For the Mysterious, being emotional is a sign of weakness. He once fought against a mysterious man who turned into a flower picker, and it was very difficult to win. If there are so many mysterious men who are close to the flower picker with Wanqi Jichun, plus Wan Renyu and Feng Guoting, they will still be difficult to please .What's more, they don't know anything about the mysterious man's desert tactics. The wind whistling outside was even stronger, the camp tent was shaking, and the cold wind seeped in through the gaps, and the felt felt like it lost its warmth and turned into thin paper. Long Ying couldn't help but think that what really dominates the desert is neither the sun nor the sand, but the wind.The wind determines the overall landform of the desert, causing the sand to change and flow continuously, and to wreak havoc in the form of sandstorms and tornadoes.Different wind directions and different wind effects determine the shape of each dune and the ripples of the sand, which is uncanny. Thinking of this, with a twitch in my heart, I already knew where, when, and what kind of tactics Wanqi Jichun would use to deal with him, and that he could escape her slender hands. The holy mountain, in the middle of the desert hinterland. There is no way to go to heaven, no way to go to earth, it seems to be the most vibrant place, but it is a desperate place at the core of the desert, and it is a terrifying sea of ​​sand wherever you go. Longying sticks to his Taoist heart and is in close harmony with the cold wind outside the tent. Only by completely mastering the master of the desert can he win in defeat, which makes the secret person accept Wan Chengjing's evaluation of him as "no one can beat". Could Wan Chengjing be one of the mysterious people watching from the sidelines? Tianming continued the journey. When it reached a high place on a hill, Longying laughed and said: "My little brother sensed the oasis in the section of the Shenshan River!" Feng Guoting, who was following behind, said happily, "Do you smell moisture?" Long Ying shook his head and said, "The oasis is still beyond my perception." Wan Renyu rode his camel to follow the wind across the court, and was surprised when he heard this, "Then how do you know that the oasis is ahead?" Facing the morning wind, Longying took a deep breath, and said intoxicatedly: "It's because of the change of the wind direction, don't you feel that the wind is different from before?" Feng and Wan are top-notch masters, reminded him, and he really noticed that the wind was shorter and stronger than before. From time to time, there were puffs of sand and dust being carried away from the sand dunes, but they were scattered in different directions.Sometimes a long wind blows from the northwest, and then suddenly blows from the other direction. It is still early, and if the sun moves to the mid-heaven, there will be no wind at all. Feng Guoting asked in surprise, "Why is it like this?" Long Ying said: "Because we are constantly approaching the sacred mountain, it is nearly two hundred miles across the hinterland of the Great Sand Sea, which is equal to a dividing line, and due to weathering and erosion, it has become a series of strange mountains that are both independent and connected. Ridges are split vertically and horizontally, and the northeast and northwest winds of the Dashahai Sea pass through Shenshan, affected by the terrain, and will form multi-angle refraction, forming a complex and chaotic terrain wind, which is blowing so hard that I can't open my eyes wind of." Feng Guoting smiled and said to Wan Renyu who was behind: "For the first time, I feel that our Eagle Lord is really a guide who has been in the desert for more than ten years. Ha!" Wan Renyu couldn't help laughing, and sighed: "Three Greats in the Desert, thankfully this kid can say it casually." Knowing that the target was in sight, the three of them relaxed, talking and laughing, and the "Sea of ​​Death" was no longer that scary. After sensing the wind from the mountain, it still takes five days to reach the oasis of the mountain. When the mountain of God appeared ahead.The majestic and frightening scene made the three leading Long Ying stunned and marveled at the wonderful hand of nature. The most noticeable thing is the red and white mountain mouths at the east end, standing majestically on the west bank of the broad Khotan River.The beautiful oasis is like a shadow, always accompanying the sacred mountain. All the beauty and beauty of the "Sea of ​​Death" are gathered here. The ancient garrison fortress was built on the top of the red mountain, like the patron saint of the whole region, despite the wind and sand, it still did not fall down. The holy mountain comes from the regular connection in the chaos of the western horizon.Intermittently, the highest point goes straight into the blue sky, like giant islands with "blood" relationship, floating on the golden waves of the sandy sea, and at the same time experiencing the vicissitudes of the desert. The most majestic mountain I have seen, the top is gray and white, the blade-shaped ridges are jagged, and the bottom of the top is in the form of brown mudstone. The three dare to say that they have never seen such a strange mountain. This mountain is more than ten miles away from them.It is already able to maintain the shape of the mountain. Under the erosion and peeling of tens of thousands of years, the shape of the mountain is strange and strange, and some are like cities and towers.Layered and tilted, it looks like all kinds of strange monsters, with thousands of shapes, it is difficult to describe.All in all.The wonderful hand of nature is brought into full play here, which is breathtaking.Overwhelmed.The three of them were all attracted, and for a moment they forgot to look at the Shenshan Oasis, which was several times larger than the previous oasis. The rear team arrived one by one, forgetting everything like them, and enjoying the exciting beauty in front of them. Long Ying pointed to one of the mountains and shouted: "My mother! Do you think that looks like a big mushroom? The umbrella can accommodate more than ten people to shelter from the rain." Feng Guoting said: "It will never rain here." Wan Renyu lowered her voice and said, "Do you know that you are speaking Chinese? Fortunately, no one has time to pay attention to you." After arriving at the oasis, everyone played in the water as usual, went fishing in the lake, and prepared for the wildfire meeting tonight. Long Ying and his two brothers went to visit the castle. Regardless of the fort wall and the main building, they are generally kept intact. They are built with brown-red mud and Populus euphratica branches. There are more tunnels under the fort, connecting the nearby underground warehouses. Feng Guo watched the beacon tower not far from the west of the fort through the window, and said: "This fort is enough to station a thousand soldiers." Wan Renyu squatted on the ground, picked up a little dust with his fingers, and said, "The mysterious man stayed here and even lit a fire to keep warm." Longying said indifferently: "If it is going to be launched, it must be tonight. They are recharging their energy, while we are exhausted after a long journey." Wan Renyu's eyes flickered, and he said, "Should we warn Qiemoren?" Long Ying said: "No! Let them have fun for a while, and then fall asleep." Feng Guoting said: "So what about us? Are you sitting and watching you fight the mysterious man to death?" Longying said: "I came here especially to grasp their position first. At present, regardless of strength and strategy, we are all at a disadvantage. The next strategy is to take it all. Fortunately, the younger brother has thought of a solution. It is to respond to all changes with the same. Trust me! With the wisdom of the mysterious woman, there will be a way to force me to face them alone. Your responsibility is to protect Qiemo so that I have no worries." Feng Guoting said to Wan Renyu: "His words are reasonable. Just think about it. If we face it head-on, we will still lose more and win less. Then we will know that there is room for the mysterious girl." Wan Renyu finally agreed. After returning to the camp, the three of them joined the wildfire party held by the Chemo people around the largest lake. Everyone sang and danced, and their emotions were high.Until midnight, because of tiredness, and because the weather was getting colder and colder, the cold wind came from the sacred mountain, and everyone went to the tent to rest. The three of Long Ying hid in the account, and none of them felt sleepy at all. The pressure from the mysterious person at any moment made them unable to relax, how could they sleep? Longying hung the black knife on his back, and added two barrels of more than thirty long arrows, looking ready to go. Wan Renyu couldn't help but said: "You alone, how can you deal with more than a hundred mysterious people who have returned to the desert like fish returning to the water?" Longying smiled and said, "They are small fish, and I am the biggest, strongest, and sharpest evil fish. Ha!" Feng Guoting said: "But this is their land." Long Ying said confidently: "Not again!" Before the words were finished, there was a strange sound of wheels hitting the ground in the distance, followed by the sound of exclamation and shouting. The three jumped out of the tent. The main business location where Rainbow and the others lived was filled with chaos. The three of them rushed away confusedly, met Feng Mo and more than a dozen of his subordinates who were chasing towards the holy mountain, and asked, "What happened?" Feng Mo, who couldn't keep any more blood on his face, shouted: "The holy thing was stolen!" The three of them looked in the direction of the holy mountain, and were shocked to find that the car loaded with the "holy object" was pulled by a tall figure, and the car sank into the darkness in the distance. Long Ying grabbed Feng Mo and shouted: "Don't chase after me! Leave this matter to me, and I will definitely send the holy object back before dawn."