In the frigid lands, after my exile, I began to slay demons and monsters.

Chapter 212 Unapproachable

"Officer Ning, are you heading to the Western Flame Capital to participate in the trials?" Di Fei changed the subject. Actually, when Ning Xiaoxi took out the tent and other equipment, he already regretted asking her to share the night with him, as if they were taking advantage of her. After Fu Shan said those words, his regret reached its peak.

"I went to see what the fuss was about. I heard there were a lot of people. The adults said I was too young and should gain more experience."

"Yanzhou is mostly desert, and the roads are difficult to travel. Has the Ningzhou official found a good guide?"

"Ah!" Ning Xiaoxi really didn't want to find a guide. She just wanted to locate the place and go there. Why would she need someone to follow her?

Di Fei took out a plaque from his pocket and handed it to Ning Xiaoxi. "Officer Ning, this is the family plaque of the Fu family of Yanzhou. If you need a guide when you enter the desert, you can come to my Fu family shop at any time." When he saw Ning Xiaoxi's surprised expression just now, he knew that he had said the wrong thing again. This Officer Ning is really different from others in every way!

Although it wasn't necessary, Ning Xiaoxi didn't refuse Di Fei's kindness and accepted it, saying, "Thank you, sir. If needed, I will go to the Fu family."

Afterwards, Ning Xiaoxi quickly finished her dinner and returned to her tent without disturbing the others outside.

The next morning, Ning Xiaoxi said goodbye to Di Fei. This time she wasn't embarrassed. After walking a hundred meters, she took a step and disappeared.

Di Fei coldly stared at Fu Shan, "Ning Shuguan is under the command of Lord Tianji, yet he dared to travel such a long distance to Yandu alone, and he has helped us three times. Fu Shan, if I see you acting so recklessly again, you can go back to your clan's territory!"

Fu Shan's face turned deathly pale. "My lord, Fu Shan knows he was wrong and will never do it again."

Ning Xiaoxi has left Sizhou and entered Yanzhou this time. Let's see how you ask for help now!

Upon entering Yanzhou, Ning Xiaoxi immediately noticed that the temperature was several degrees higher than in Sizhou, and the forest vegetation gradually decreased, with almost no large areas of woodland or grassland remaining.

I checked the map in my mind. It's 600 miles from here to Yandu. There are three cities in between: the closest is Huangcheng, then Chencheng, and finally Tucheng.

Ning Xiaoxi looked at these cities with amusement, wondering if there was a Sand City among them. Just then, the arrow on the map turned in a different direction, and there really was a Sand City about fifty miles north of Dust City.

Looking at those two brightly lit characters, "Sand City," I was speechless.

Today is June 20th, there are still ten days left, so there's no rush.

The dry official road was lined with large trees, their leaves drooping listlessly.

Ten miles ahead lies a small oasis town, Huangcheng, with a population of no more than ten thousand.

After walking ten miles, Ning Xiaoxi looked up at the scorching sun and thought it was better not to make herself suffer too much. It was just a short distance, why bother?

This is a small town without city walls. Seeing the town amidst the flying dust and scorching heat made Ning Xiaoxi feel refreshed!

The small town is surrounded by vast oases, where tall palm trees and lush date palms intertwine to create a green sea. Clear streams flow gently through the oases, nourishing the land and bringing a vibrant atmosphere to the town.

The town boasts a unique architectural style, with mostly low, earthen-yellow houses that blend seamlessly with the surrounding Gobi Desert, appearing as if they grew naturally from the land. The houses have thick walls that effectively protect against the heat and sandstorms. Each house has a small courtyard filled with various flowers and fruit trees, creating a vibrant and fragrant atmosphere.

This place doesn't look like a small town on the outskirts of the desert at all. It's so peaceful and beautiful, much better than the northern lands!

There were very few pedestrians around; it was a leisurely afternoon, and everyone was staying indoors.

Ning Xiaoxi found a house with a banner that read "宿" (study) and went inside. She ordered a pot of cool tea and sat in the shady spot in the lobby.

The shop was almost empty; the owner wasn't there, and a young waiter was attending to customers. After bringing Ning Xiaoxi some herbal tea, he also slipped away to a quiet corner and started to doze off. This made Ning Xiaoxi's eyelids feel heavy too, and she wanted to lazily take a nap.

Just as Ning Xiaoxi was drifting into a half-asleep state, a faint demonic aura drifted over, instantly waking her up.

A little girl dressed in red clothes ran to the door, peeked inside, and then turned and ran away.

Ning Xiaoxi looked at the girl's back. There was indeed demonic energy, but it was too faint and not enough to cause any real trouble.

Before Ning Xiaoxi could even relax, a little boy dressed in white clothes poked his head out of the doorway, glanced around, and then turned and ran away.

[The Zhurong Child, a twin, was born from the flames left behind when Zhurong was destroyed, and coexists with the people of this land.]

Ning Xiaoxi looked at the description, [Tuanzi, are they demons?]

[It's not quite demonic yet, and doesn't possess that much power; it's just a newly formed flame. However, now that it's formed, it can't be left unattended. Even the slightest change could easily cause it to succumb to demonic possession.]

【But I can't exactly chase after the two kids in broad daylight, can I?】

Because of the large temperature difference between day and night in this area, the locals prefer to be active at night. At this time, the sun is strong, making it easy for anyone to see them. It's a good time to move around.

Ning Xiaoxi got up and went outside.

Not far away, two children, one in red and one in white, sat in front of a blacksmith shop, holding hands and blowing air into the furnace.

"The flames of Zhurong, isn't it a bit of a waste to extinguish them?" Ning Xiaoxi looked at the two children and thought she could make use of them.

So what do you want to do?

[I've already acquired a demonic pet, would a magical pet be okay?]

The dumpling popped out with a "bang," nodding frantically. "Okay, okay, collect them, and we'll have a fire spot."

Ning Xiaoxi took out the Spirit Crystal Heart, which transformed into a crystal lantern shaped like a twin lotus flower, and then condensed two fireballs into the heart of the lotus.

Since entering Yanzhou, Xiaoxue has been hiding behind her little nest and refuses to show her face.

Jiuyu was still rolling the spirit crystal ball by the little nest. When he saw the twin lotus lantern in Ning Xiaoxi's hand, he stretched out his finger and tapped it twice. The leaping flame gradually turned black.

Ning Xiaoxi looked at the flames that had turned black, seemingly unable to feel any temperature. But when they changed color, the two Zhu Rong boys suddenly turned their heads, their eyes shining as they stared at the lantern.

With a wolf-like smile, Ning Xiaoxi carried her lantern and walked across the street into a small alley.

Zhu Rong and his companions exchanged a glance, then held hands and ran over.

The twin lotus lanterns were placed on the ground, and Zhu Rong Tong Zi's eyes were drawn to them, unable to look away.

Ning Xiaoxi stood behind the lantern, backing away step by step.

The two boys looked up at Ning Xiaoxi at the same time, their expressions wary and defensive.

Jiuyu tapped his finger again, and the flame inside the lantern turned white, burning silently.

Without further hesitation, Zhu Rong Tongzi pounced forward.

The spirit-controlling array was activated, and spiritual light surged, trapping the two children.