paranoianovel Chapter 120 Choice
Chapter 120 Choice
Chapter 120 Choices (5K)
The wind picked up again near the rift valley, but it was much colder than it had been a few days ago.
After the dragon went into slumber, the underground heat dropped sharply, and the permafrost began to slowly thaw.
Wu Qingshan had a military tent erected on the east side of the valley entrance.
The tent wasn't big, barely enough to squeeze four people in, but the thick animal hides kept out the cold wind.
Inside the tent, a whale oil lamp was lit, its dim yellow flame flickering on the iron frame.
Xu Hao sat on a folding military bench and took off his gray wolfskin cloak, which had been reduced to tattered strips.
The polar bear skin lining also had several holes, and the wounds on its ribs had scabbed over with black blood, but were no longer bleeding.
The bandages on my right arm were removed and re-wrapped. Although the broken bones were put back in place, it still made a cracking sound when I moved it.
Wu Qingshan sat down opposite him and had his personal guards bring in two bowls of meat soup.
It's stewed with beef bones.
The steaming oil floated on the surface of the bowl, and the aroma of meat filled the tent to the brim.
Xu Hao took the bowl and, without hesitation, gulped down half of it in three mouthfuls.
As the soup entered his stomach, his stomach wall felt a burning sensation, followed by a surge of qi and blood, and the body-refining effects of the "Suppressing Prisons and Ten Thousand Bones Technique" automatically activated.
A subtle tremor emanated from deep within the bones, as the new technique continuously transformed the foundation.
The energy conversion efficiency of this soup is more than 30% higher than before.
Wu Qingshan also took a sip and placed the bowl on his lap.
"Go ahead and tell me. Start from the beginning."
Xu Hao didn't waste any words.
Starting with the clue of encountering the Bone Mother in Shengzhou, the story continues through the ghost ship blood sacrifice in Mingzhou, the white bone totem at Wanghailou, the bone-devouring tent in Juejingcheng, the nail removal in the Rift Valley, and the soul condensation at Fengsuibao, tracing the entire path to the end.
What should be said was said, and what shouldn't be said—the specific details of the Blessed Land Scroll, the Sumeru Granary, and the Martial Ancestor's legacy—were not mentioned at all.
After listening, Wu Qingshan remained silent for a long time.
The sound of armor plates clashing could be heard from outside the tent as soldiers changed shifts.
"Two of the five secondary nails were removed, and you replaced one primary nail." Wu Qingshan held up three fingers. "Where are the remaining three?"
Xu Hao closed his eyes.
In his mind's eye, the image of the Six Nails Suppressing the Dragon appeared.
The positions of the six nails are clearly marked.
He opened his eyes, pulled a blank parchment from Wu Qingshan's field table, and with his left hand holding a charcoal stick, sketched the general outline of the vast land of Tianqing.
Three points.
"The first one, Qingzhou." The charcoal stick landed in the very center of the vast land. "Near the capital, roughly within three hundred miles south of the capital."
Wu Qingshan's brush-like eyebrows were twisted into a knot.
Qingzhou is the heart of the Great Heng Dynasty, at the foot of the imperial city, and the stronghold of the Imperial Observatory.
The Zhenbei Army's reach couldn't extend there.
"The second one, Shuozhou." The charcoal stick moved to the western side of Haotu, deep in the Red Sand Domain.
"The third one, Zezhou." The charcoal stick landed at the southern end of the vast land, in the sea of ten thousand poisonous forests.
The three nails are located in the three most extreme directions of the Sky Soaring Land.
One is in the center of power, one is in the desolate desert, and one is in a poisonous wasteland.
Guo Qingshan stared at the parchment for ten breaths.
"Where are the two 'stones' that Bone Girl removed?"
"One from Ningzhou, and another from the border area between Yanzhou and Mingzhou."
"Ningzhou?" Wu Qingshan's gaze sharpened. "Ningzhou was captured first?"
"Yes. Even though Yanzhou was closer to her, she deliberately took a long detour to Ningzhou first."
The two of them looked at the location of Ningzhou marked on the parchment at the same time.
Ningzhou suffered from drought for years, and uprisings broke out everywhere.
The Wusheng Sect.
"The barbarians are connected to the Wusheng Sect," Wu Qingshan stated bluntly.
Xu Hao nodded. "Ningzhou is adjacent to Shuozhou. There is another secondary nail in the Chisha Domain. After she removed the one in Ningzhou, she didn't head south, but instead turned northwest—the third one was found in the direction of Yanzhou."
But the one from Shuozhou is definitely already on her list.
If Bone Maiden pulls out another one, all three secondary nails will be destroyed, and Chongyuan Dragon Lord will immediately awaken.
The repaired remnants of military spirit could not stop it.
The tent remained quiet for three breaths.
"I need to protect the remaining three first," Xu Hao said, putting down the charcoal sticks. "Or at least the most dangerous one."
Which one?
"Shuozhou." Without hesitation, "Bone Lady should already be heading west. Qingzhou is near the capital, and it won't be easy for a barbarian royal to sneak into the capital. Although the hawks and hounds of the Surveillance Bureau are worthless, they have a keen sense of smell. The Wan Du Forest in Zezhou has a harsh environment, and barbarian hunting parties would be sending themselves to their deaths if they went in. Only the Red Sand Region of Shuozhou is vast and sparsely populated, with oasis city-states governing themselves and no large-scale garrisons. She will almost certainly not encounter any significant obstacles when she travels through the Red Sand Region."
Wu Qingshan nodded, the old scar on his face casting a dark shadow under the light.
"Go to Shuozhou and intercept her."
"It's not just about intercepting her."
Xu Hao paused for a moment.
Deep within the sea of consciousness, something else is pulsating.
It's not the Six-Nail Dragon-Suppressing Diagram, it's a compass.
After obtaining the "Suppressing Prisons and Ten Thousand Bones Manual," the compass triggered a chain reaction.
Three more light spots were activated from different directions.
Faint, indistinct, but undeniably present.
The positions of the three new light spots coincide with the positions of the three remaining Dragon-Suppressing Nails.
Of the nine divine skills of the Martial Ancestor, he obtained two incomplete copies.
The remaining fragments—at least three—are buried near the Dragon-Suppressing Nail.
The fact that nails and martial arts techniques are placed together is no coincidence.
The one who takes the nail must be the one who breaks the seal.
Those who achieve merit must be the ones who suppress the dragon.
Emperor Wuzu (the founder of the Wu Dynasty) calculated this clearly back then.
But these words cannot be said to Wu Qingshan.
The fewer people who know your trump card, the better.
"There's something in the Red Sand Domain of Shuozhou that's related to the sealing principle of the Dragon-Suppressing Nail," Xu Hao revealed only half of it. "Once you get your hands on it, you can strengthen the existing seal."
Wu Qingshan scrutinized him for a couple of breaths.
The commander of the Dragon Roar Guard is not a fool.
He could tell there was something holding back in his words.
But he didn't chase after him.
This person just paid the price of an arm and 103 military souls to replace a Dragon-Suppressing Nail.
The bottom line of trust doesn't need to be proven with words.
"You go to Shuozhou," Wu Qingshan decided. "I'll take care of the rest."
He picked up a charcoal stick and drew a circle around the location of Qingzhou.
"I'll inform the Prince about the spy in Qingzhou. The Prince has old connections with the Emperor. Although the Emperor Heng can't be relied on, there are still a few old ministers in the court. Besides, the Imperial Censorate is watching over the area within a 300-mile radius of the capital. If Gu Niang wants to get involved, she'll have to get past these lackeys first."
The charcoal sticks drew another circle in Zezhou.
"The Ten Thousand Poisons Forest is a natural barrier. If a barbarian hunting party goes in, three out of ten will come out alive. She won't be able to get there anytime soon."
"And you?"
"I'll lead the Dragon Roar Guards to guard the Rift Valley." Wu Qingshan put down the charcoal sticks. "The dragon is sleeping here; this is the most strategic location. If Bone Lady can't remove the remaining nails, she might change her strategy and tamper with the Rift Valley directly. The newly repaired nails are 40% effective; if they are damaged, she won't need to find other nails, and the dragon will break free on its own."
The division of labor is clear.
Wu Qingshan guards the Rift Valley, Zhenbei Wang is in charge of intelligence in Qingzhou, Zezhou is temporarily relying on natural defenses, and Xu Hao goes to Shuozhou to intercept the Bone Goddess and retrieve the key item to reinforce the seal.
"Before you leave," Wu Qingshan said, pulling an iron plaque from his pocket and tossing it over.
"The Dragon Roar Guard has undercover agents in various states. Six in Qingzhou, three in Shuozhou, and two in Zezhou. There aren't many, but they are all veterans at the Inner Strength Realm or above. They will cooperate when you need them."
Xu Hao caught it.
The iron token was heavy in the hand, with the character "吟" (yin) cast on the front and a line of small characters engraved on the back: "The holder of this token is under the jurisdiction of the Dragon Roar Guard and may be deployed and used."
Xu Hao tucked the metal plaque into his pocket and casually asked, "The territory is too scattered. Where am I supposed to find these three people? I can't exactly stand on the sand dunes holding up a sign and shouting."
Wu Qingshan picked up the earthenware bowl, finished the last sip of beef bone soup, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"You don't need to look for them." He placed the bowl on the marching table. "These people have been based in Shuozhou for at least ten years, doing all sorts of dangerous business. They could be innkeepers, bandit leaders, black market merchants, anything goes. As long as you enter the Red Sand Domain, show your face in a few of the main oases, and make a little noise, they'll come looking for you on their own."
Xu Hao flexed his left wrist.
Make some noise.
There's a lot of room for maneuver with those four words.
"How much noise is considered noise?"
"Just don't destroy the oasis."
Guo Qingshan stood up, lifted the tent flap, and gave a few instructions.
A moment later, a guard carried in a long leather bag and placed it on the table.
The skin is opened.
A brand new pair of arm guards, with a black iron base and dark gold patterns, and exquisite workmanship.
The inside was lined with a layer of finely woven chainmail fabric, just enough to cover the injured arm.
"Standard issue from the Zhenbei Army's forging battalion." Wu Qingshan tapped Xu Hao's crackling right arm with his chin. "Even if it's reattached, you won't be able to use your full strength for half a month. This arm guard can hold you in place; it's better than your tattered rags."
Xu Hao put on his arm protectors.
Dark gold patterns are inlaid into the cuffs, fitting perfectly.
The bone fragments were held in place by the hard structure and no longer shifted during movement.
It still hurts.
But at least I can hold a knife now.
Wu Qingshan had another pack packed for him.
Frozen bread, strong liquor, and medicine for injuries.
In addition, there were three top-grade Blood Fiend Crystals—the quality of which was much higher than what Zhao Poyue had given him, each one gleaming with a deep crimson luster.
"There are some things in the Crimson Sand Domain that are difficult to deal with. The black iron and red gold produced by the Shuozhou mines can interfere with the circulation of qi and blood, and the qi will be significantly weakened when fighting. Keep these top-grade blood evil crystals to save your life."
Xu Hao put away the supplies and stood up.
The tent flap was lifted, and a cold wind rushed in.
Before he stepped out of the tent, Wu Qingshan said something behind him.
"Xu Hao".
Xu Hao turned around.
Wu Qingshan remained seated on the marching bench, the flame of the whale oil lamp casting a clear distinction between light and shadow on his face.
"Is a 37-year timeframe enough for you to find a long-term solution?"
"I don't know," Xu Hao answered readily.
Wu Qingshan snorted. "Then hurry up."
The curtains fell.
Xu Hao stepped onto the frozen ground and headed southwest.
The black tortoise in his arms shrank to the size of a fist, its shell flashing with a ghostly blue light, as if counting heartbeats.
Within his mind, the compass needle slowly deflected.
A light flickered on in the direction of Shuozhou.
It's three points clearer than before.
Red Sand Domain.
The remnants of ancient civilizations, scattered oasis cities, and—the third fragment of the divine skill buried by the Martial Ancestor.
He hadn't taken fifty steps when the scroll painting of the blessed land suddenly trembled.
On the Six-Nail Dragon-Suppressing Diagram, the secondary nail from Shuozhou visibly flickered several times.
It's not disintegration.
Someone touched her.
Someone is already looking for this nail.
Not a bone spirit.
Bone Lady's route is from northeast to west, and according to her pace, it will take at least seven more days to reach the Red Sand Domain.
The second group.
Xu Hao quickened his pace.
The shortest route from Yanzhou to Shuozhou is to pass through the western part of Mingzhou and then turn towards the border of Ningzhou, traveling westward along the dried-up riverbed.
The entire journey is approximately 1,400 li.
They traveled for about five days without sleep or rest while in the Tongqiao Realm.
Xu Hao did not take this path.
Rebellions broke out in Ningzhou, and the Wusheng Sect occupied various counties. Everywhere there were bandits collecting tolls and government troops checking household registrations.
He took the northern route.
They went directly south from the southwest of Yanzhou into Mingzhou, and then traveled west along the supply line of the Zhenbei Army to Chishakou, the border between Mingzhou and Shuozhou.
No one dared to rob the supply lines of the Zhenbei Army.
The iron plaque given by Wu Qingshan was more effective than an imperial edict.
After the guards at the three checkpoints along the way verified the "Yin" token, they not only let us pass but also provided us with dry rations and water.
One of the dark-faced guards even gave up his own mount—a military horse with the blood of a strange beast, its hooves like iron, with extremely strong endurance, capable of traveling three hundred miles a day on frozen ground without panting.
Xu Hao rode a horse for two days.
On the morning of the third day, the warhorses began to become restless.
It pawed at the ground with its hooves, puffed white breath from its nostrils, and wouldn't take another step forward no matter how much it was coaxed.
The terrain ahead has changed.
The snow suddenly disappeared at a barely visible dividing line.
North of the dividing line lies the bitter, frozen soil of Minnesota, while to the south lies the Gobi Desert of the Red Sand Region.
The two extreme climates can switch within a hundred steps, without even a transition zone.
This is not physical geography.
Xu Hao dismounted and walked to the dividing line, holding the reins.
A crack appeared in the frozen ground beneath my feet, and dry, hot air seeped out from the crack.
The hot wind carried fine red sand particles that stung my face slightly.
The protective energy experienced a brief period of stagnation in the hot wind.
Wu Qingshan once said that the black iron and red gold produced from the Shuozhou mines would interfere with the circulation of qi and blood.
The sand grains in the Crimson Sand Domain contain trace amounts of black iron powder, which permeates the air and acts as a thin layer of qi interference field.
Fighting in this area will reduce the combat power of those at the Tongqiao Realm by 30%.
The warhorses stubbornly refused to cross the line.
Xu Hao didn't force it. He untied the reins, patted the horse's neck, and let it run back on its own.
The horse left, and he walked across the line.
The first step onto the ground of the Red Sand Domain sent a strange tremor through my feet.
It wasn't an earthquake.
It's a mineral vein.
Beneath the Gobi Desert beneath our feet lie crisscrossing mineral veins, with veins of black iron and red gold spreading like blood vessels deep within the earth.
After mastering the "Suppressing Prisons and Ten Thousand Bones Technique," his perception of the earth's veins became more and more acute.
You can roughly determine the direction, depth, and content of these mineral veins by stepping on them.
Interestingly, the ore veins are not uniform.
In some places, the density is so high that the surface stones have a dark silver luster.
In some places, the vegetation is so sparse that you can hardly feel any disturbance.
Secret places are natural martial arts forbidden zones.
A sparse area is a safe passage.
The oasis city-states of the Red Sands are all built in areas where mineral veins are sparse.
It's not a coincidence; it's the site selection wisdom left by ancient civilizations.
Xu Hao walked for half a day along the direction where the mineral veins were sparse.
The Gobi Desert has turned into a desert.
The red sand dunes undulate in the midday sun, gleaming with a dark red light.
heat.
In stark contrast to the extreme cold of Yanzhou, the daytime temperature in the Red Sand Domain is hot enough to cook an egg.
He stripped off the polar bear skin lining, leaving only the coarse cloth shirt underneath.
The cloak was long gone, and the sun was shining directly on the back of my head. In less than an hour, my neck was burning red.
He took out the goggles that the shopkeeper of Lao Xiong Ji had given him from the Sumeru Warehouse and put them on.
The item used to prevent snow blindness on snowfields can also be used to prevent sandstorms in the desert; it serves two purposes.
It was dusk the next day.
A patch of green appeared on the distant horizon.
The first oasis.
Xu Hao stopped atop the sand dune, overlooking the entire oasis.
Not big.
Within a radius of about three or four miles, there is a pool of emerald green spring water in the center, surrounded by a ring of drought-resistant poplars and tamarisks.
The area surrounding the bushes consisted of low, mud-brick houses, crammed together with about a hundred households.
The outermost ring is a stone wall about half a person's height, and a tattered flag is propped up at the entrance to the oasis.
The flag depicts a well and a crossed scimitar.
Two people were sitting under the banner.
A bald, burly man sat cross-legged on a stone bench, shirtless, with a centipede tattoo on his chest, and clutching an iron rod in his hand.
Another thin old man squatted next to the big man, a pipe dangling from his mouth, dozing off with his eyes half-closed.
The big man saw Xu Hao first.
He slammed the iron rod into the ground and stood up.
"Passing through or staying overnight?"
His voice was deep and resonant, with strong energy, reflecting the blood and qi fluctuations characteristic of the late-stage Bone Forging Realm.
A martial artist of this level would only be a local thug leader in the heart of Daheng, but in the Chisha Domain, he would be good enough to be the gatekeeper of a small oasis.
"Let's find a place to stay." Xu Hao walked to the entrance. "Buy water and food, rest for the night, and leave tomorrow morning."
The burly man sized him up. His gaze lingered on the Devouring Sea Blade at his waist and the dark gold arm guard on his right arm.
"Martial artist," the burly man gestured with his chin towards the oasis, "do you understand the rules?"
Tell me about it.
"In Jingquan Town, the town lord is Chen Bantong. In the oasis, if no one makes a move, whoever draws their sword first gets out. We don't accept Daheng copper coins, only red gold sand or blood demon crystal fragments."
The old man dozing nearby added, his pipe still in his mouth, "We also take heads. For heads with bounties, the price will be the deal."
The rules of the Red Sand Domain.
Simple, crude, and direct.
Xu Hao took out a small pinch of red gold sand from the Sumeru Warehouse—he had stockpiled some of this stuff on the Shengzhou black market, but he never thought he would use it here.
It was scattered on the stone pier in front of the big man.
The burly man rubbed the color between his fingers, nodded in satisfaction, and stepped aside.
Xu Hao walked into Jingquan Town.
The town was more dilapidated than it appeared from the outside.
The walls of the adobe house were pitted and uneven from wind and sand erosion, and the door panels were made of poplar wood with gaps large enough to fit a finger.
The street was paved with gravel, which made a clattering sound when you walked on it.
There were not many residents; most stayed indoors to avoid the sun, and occasionally a few women wearing headscarves would carry earthenware jars to the spring to fetch water.
The inn was located at the east end of the town, a two-story mud-brick building. The signboard featured a picture of a pot of wine and a bowl of rice, but omitted any words.
Xu Hao pushed the door open and went in.
A middle-aged woman was sitting behind the counter.
With dark skin, prominent cheekbones, and deep-set eyes, he doesn't look like a typical Daheng native, but rather has some features of local Shuozhou ancestry.
She was wiping the bowl with a rag, without even looking up.
"One room, one night. Water and food will be delivered to the room."
The woman put down her bowl and glanced at him.
"The third room on the left on the second floor, the window faces the spring, and the wind is gentle." She placed a brass key on the counter.
Xu Hao paid and went up to the second floor.
The room was cleaner than expected. A layer of coarse linen cloth was hung on the mud walls to keep out the sand, and a wooden bed and a three-legged stool were placed in the corner.
The window faces the direction of the spring, and indeed the wind is light, but you can see the activity of half the town.
He put the package down, and the black tortoise crawled out from inside.
Upon arriving in this dry and hot place, the black tortoise became noticeably listless, and the faint blue light on its shell dimmed considerably.
A water-attribute spirit creature in the desert is like a fish out of water.
"Bear with it." Xu Hao poured some water from his water bag into a bowl and let the black tortoise soak in it.
The black tortoise soaked all four legs and its belly in the bowl, its eyes narrowed into slits with comfort.