Chapter 820: White Pagoda Temple Back Hill

Although vast stretches of yellow sand still surrounded them, He Lingchuan could distinctly feel that this place was vastly different from before.

Pedestrians came and went, no longer restricted to the Red Cliff Road itself.

A few children squatted by the roadside, playing in the sand. Previously, such behavior would have been met with a harsh reprimand from adults, followed by a swift tug and a beating with a bamboo stick. But now, they built several small sand houses unsupervised.

The desert was quiet, and small patches of green grass had even sprouted in sheltered, shaded spots.

He Lingchuan clearly saw something moving in the dunes not far away, yet it did not approach to attack the children.

Qiu Hu and the others looked around, finding everything quite novel. "Is this the famous Coiling Dragon Desert?" he asked.

They were all seasoned veterans who had seen battle, but most had never traversed a desert. They marveled at the soft sand dunes, which surprisingly rose higher than mountains.

The grand desert landscape was truly unique.

"Famous?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "Is the Coiling Dragon Desert known in Rong Mountain as well?"

When he had previously told the group they would be traveling to Coiling Dragon City, the Rong Mountain people had simply agreed, following his lead without much discussion.

"Coiling Dragon City has stood here for over thirty years, resisting foreign invasions and fighting against the Heavenly Gods. There are countless tragic yet heroic tales. We have heard many of them within the sect," another Rong Mountain mystic chimed in. "We deeply admire it."

This man, named Xiang Lian, was over thirty and specialized in logistics.

He Lingchuan was surprised. "Even within the Rong Mountain Sect, are these past events discussed?"

"One who forgets the past is condemned to repeat it," Qiu Hu nodded. "Yes, they are."

He Lingchuan understood. The Rong Mountain Sect was also an immortal faction, and as such, held a natural affinity for Coiling Dragon City, which had resisted the Heavenly Gods.

As they casually discussed the history of Coiling Dragon City, He Lingchuan realized that the Rong Mountain people knew more historical facts than the common folk of nearby Blackwater City.

The journey was clear and pleasant, with no wind or sandstorms.

The next day, they checked into Weicheng Station.

The ancient cities along the Red Cliff Road had all been developed into relay stations for passing merchants and travelers to rest. "Weicheng," as He Lingchuan recalled, had already been destroyed by the Baling Kingdom when he first entered the Coiling Dragon World. Before joining the Coiling Dragon City patrol, He Lingchuan had even claimed to be from Weicheng.

The ancient city, long eroded by yellow sand, had originally been reduced to a dozen or so dilapidated low walls. Blackwater City had used these as a foundation to rebuild some structures.

By late May, the Red Cliff trade route grew increasingly busy. From the low houses of the inn, one could often hear camel bells, horse neighs, and even people tapping clappers outside.

As always, goods at the old inn were expensive.

He Lingchuan was not one to skimp on such expenses. With a wave of his hand, he ordered an expensive set meal for each of his team members, complete with meat, vegetables, and tea.

The meat was genuine camel meat, not some strange desert insect disguised as such.

As He Lingchuan and his team ate in the hall, about twenty strong men entered from outside.

He Lingchuan glanced outside and saw the inn staff leading their carriages. Caravan flags were affixed to the horses' heads, and boxes were tied to the carts.

Everyone who entered was dusty from travel. They surveyed the people in the hall for a moment before getting food and water.

While they were away from their seats getting food, Qiu Hu leaned closer to He Lingchuan and whispered, "These fellows have a tough demeanor. They're either bandits or soldiers; neither type bodes well."

"One of their boxes fell to the ground just now, and it sounded empty," He Lingchuan said, raising his bowl to drink soup. "They've come from the north, and at this time of year, goods are usually transported south. Their carriages should be full to make a profit."

This, then, was a fake caravan.

What were they planning? A robbery?

Qiu Hu then quietly reminded his fellow disciples to be vigilant during the night.

At that moment, a dispute arose at the front of the hall. It turned out that a few of the men from the newly arrived group were arguing with the cook.

"A coarse steamed bun and two sips of water, and you dare charge me thirty coins!" one man exclaimed, slapping the table. "Is your bun inlaid with gold?"

The cook, who simply dished out food, remained expressionless. "This is the price here. If you want it cheaper, go home."

The man's face reddened, and he stepped forward.

An inn attendant immediately rushed over. "What are you doing!"

The man's companion quickly pulled him back, offering apologetic smiles to the others. "He's just overheated, everyone, please don't mind him!"

As he turned, his smile vanished, and he angrily told the man, "What are you doing, going crazy? Aren't you concerned about our main business?"

The man grudgingly sat back down, forced to chew on the thirty-coin bun.

He Lingchuan exchanged a look with his team members, and after finishing their meal, they left, leaving only two behind in the hall to keep watch.

That night, all was quiet.

There were many guests staying overnight at the inn. When everyone awoke the next morning, nothing had happened; not even a single copper coin was missing.

It seemed yesterday's incident was nothing significant, and He Lingchuan and his team felt relieved, continuing their journey.

After traveling on the Red Cliff Road for two days, He Lingchuan returned to Blackwater City.

With the cooperation of the government office, Hu Qin completed his inspection of the Red Cliff Road's authentic ledgers from previous years and, uncharacteristically, expressed satisfaction.

They were unaccustomed to the desert climate of Yuanxi, experiencing nosebleeds and chapped skin after just a few days. So, with He Lingchuan's consent, Hu Qin and the other two commissioners departed first, returning to Rong Mountain.

Their mission was complete, and it was time for them to return. The fifteen Rong Mountain disciples assigned to He Lingchuan by Elder Dao remained with him.

He Lingchuan hosted a farewell banquet for them and personally escorted them to the East Gate the next day, fulfilling all proper etiquette and providing generous red envelopes.

Hu Qin was not easily swayed, but on this distant assignment, he had found He Lingchuan quite congenial. Before departing, he guaranteed that whenever He Lingchuan needed assistance in the future, he should simply send a letter.

"With Mr. Hu's word, I feel much relieved!" He Lingchuan wished to foster a good relationship with such a figure.

After seeing off Hu Qin and the others, he hesitated for a long time before leaving Qiu Hu and the others in the city and heading west alone.

His destination was White Pagoda Temple.

The temple was not large, with only four or five resident temple priests, but it had a steady stream of worshippers, with people constantly entering and exiting every few minutes.

He Lingchuan recalled that his original body had visited a total of two or three times, and once had even hunted a wild rabbit on the back mountain.

He never expected that the birth mother of his original body was buried here.

He Lingchuan hadn't originally wanted to come, as his original body's birth mother had no connection to him as a transmigrator. He felt it was best to let the past remain in the past.

Yet, a subtle voice within him urged him to make the trip.

He knew it was the longing of his original body.

Since his affairs in Blackwater City were largely complete, he decided to walk over.

There were many graves on the back mountain.

According to Great Shaman Mandu, who had inspected the site, White Pagoda Mountain had good feng shui. With his elder's endorsement, wealthy local families were willing to bury their deceased here, hoping for blessings upon their descendants.

The cemetery was well-maintained and free of weeds, clearly indicating professional care. Some gravestones even had fresh fruits placed before them.

He Lingchuan searched stone by stone and soon found a white stone tablet inscribed with "Lu Xiaoyun."

This grave was in an excellent location, the tablet stood straight, and the painted characters were very new, suggesting they had been retouched recently.