Chapter 40: Disagreement

Aside from him and Situ Han, everyone else had prepared a substantial amount of food. The dried salted meat brought by Nian Songyu looked unremarkable, dark and reddish, but when roasted over the fire, it released an extraordinary fragrance, clearly indicating the addition of many seasonings. Slicing off two pieces to eat with fine white flour flatbreads made the expedition feel a bit like a picnic.

He Chunhua prepared a bowl of flour tea with oil. As boiling water was added, the fragrance of sesame and peanuts wafted further than even the scent of meat. He had also added some cashew nuts and walnuts, instantly elevating its quality.

He Lingchuan always felt that such a drink was most satisfying when slurped down quickly and noisily, but his father, by contrast, ate with quiet elegance.

He Chunhua's expression changed slightly after he heard the Grand Master's words and pondered for a moment. "Went at the wrong time? Wait, he couldn't possibly be referring to the Furious Sand Season, could he?"

"'All treasure-hunting teams avoided the Furious Sand Season, yet they found nothing,' Sun Fuping said slowly. 'Zhu Gen used every known method and supernatural ability but could not detect the presence of the Great Square Cauldron. He concluded that this treasure was likely well-hidden by Zhong Shengguang, or even by the deity he worshipped, and that finding it required fulfilling certain preconditions. Otherwise, later arrivals could comb every inch of the Panlong Ruins and still never find it.'"

He Lingchuan's mouth was glistening with oil, and he was eating with relish, but it didn't stop him from speaking: "Zhong Shengguang resented the allied army, so of course he wouldn't want them to get the Great Square Cauldron. Is there a possibility that the Great Square Cauldron was taken back by the deity and is no longer in the mortal realm? And all the strange phenomena currently in the Panlong Desert are caused by vengeful spirits—no, wait, by heroic spirits. After all, the Three-Corpse Worms originate in the human body; they're not a specialty of the Great Square Cauldron, are they?"

He adhered to the principle that no matter how tough things were, his mouth shouldn't suffer. He first tore off a sauced goose leg and devoured it, then crunched noisily on two fragrant noodle pancakes.

The local noodles in Blackwater City were springy and chewy after being cooked, and when hot-air dried, they surprisingly resembled instant noodles, a favorite comfort food from his other world. Locals would cook the noodles, then re-dust them with flour, fry them into cakes, and sprinkle some chili and spices, creating a high-quality dry ration suitable for both home and travel.

He Lingchuan had specifically requested extra meat and eggs for his portions.

As he practiced martial arts, his appetite was considerably larger than others', requiring substantial portions of staple foods and meat with every meal.

He was practically a glutton, and his eating manners were crude. Nian Songyu cast a disdainful glance at him. "Three-Corpse Worms that can even infest sorcerers must be a specialty of the Great Square Cauldron," he scoffed.

From the moment a person is born, Three-Corpse Worms are symbiotic with the human body. As one grows older, they become more troublesome, disrupting thoughts, fueling greed, and spawning evil intentions. Therefore, they are actually referred to as "Three-Corpse Gods," far from being mere lowly insects. For a person to cultivate and attain enlightenment, a mandatory trial is to wield the Sword of Wisdom and sever the Three-Corpse Worms, thereby achieving purity of mind.

Of course, this refers to severing the Three-Corpse Worms within one's own body.

The Three-Corpse Worms lurking in the Panlong Desert can even affect sorcerers with pure minds. They can also operate outdoors for extended periods, fearing nothing but sunlight.

This enhanced version of the Three-Corpse Worms must surely have originated from the Great Square Cauldron.

He Lingchuan chuckled, "So, according to the Grand Master, the Great Square Cauldron only appears during the Furious Sand Season?"

"'Highly likely.'"

"'Then we're not staying; you can enjoy yourselves,' He Lingchuan said, standing up abruptly and walking away without looking back. 'Dad, let's go home!'"

The Furious Sand Season? What a joke. There were countless ways to commit suicide; he didn't need to come all the way here for that!

A figure flashed before his eyes: Nian Songyu stood with his sword, blocking the stairwell. "Get back and sit down, or I'll send you on your way right now, no need to wait for the Furious Sand Season!"

"'Oh?' He Lingchuan chuckled instead of getting angry. 'So soon, your true colors are showing?' He turned to his father. 'Dad, these two just want to use us as cannon fodder. Are you leaving or not?'"

He Chunhua put down his half-finished flour tea and stood up. "The Grand Master's plans are thorough, and victory is within his grasp,' he said. 'Even without Blackwater City's assistance, it seems he can still return with the treasure.'"

Nian Songyu's smile turned ferocious. "Do you think this is still Blackwater City? Killing you is as easy as killing chickens! Without you father and son, this team of over two hundred people will still be under my command. Who would dare object!"

If the He father and son were to die, the highest-ranking officer would naturally take command. The team would still remain in their control.

Zeng Feixiong had already stood up. At this moment, with a 'clang,' half of his blade was unsheathed. "Commander Nian, watch your words!" he declared. "We only acknowledge Governor He!"

The personal guards stationed outside the building rushed in upon hearing the commotion, surrounding everyone.

In just a few words, the tension in the air became palpable.

He Lingchuan's eyes darted around. What would happen if they seized this opportunity to reveal their true hostile intentions? Would the other two dare to kill him and his father?

Leaving aside Nian Songyu being a formidable person, could his own two hundred-plus men handle Grand Master Sun?

Was this a good opportunity to eliminate them both?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and the answers quickly became clear:

Yes, they would dare. No, his men couldn't. No, it wasn't.

It seemed he and his father couldn't escape unscathed; they would have to find another way.

"'Young man, you're full of fire,' Sun Fuping said, dropping his biscuit and gulping down some water. 'Governor He, you've always been known for your composure. Why are you stirring up trouble with this boy? If this were a death trap, would I travel a thousand miles just to die?'"

Before Governor He could speak, He Lingchuan quickly retorted: "No, you wouldn't. You'd only make *us* die."

These two, one old and one young, had been ill-intentioned from the very beginning.

Nian Songyu squinted at him. "Still trying to negotiate for more? You think one time isn't enough?"

The more he looked at He Lingchuan, the more disgusted he became; the feeling was mutual for He Lingchuan looking at him.

Neither of them bothered to hide their disdain anymore.

"'Everything else is negotiable, Grand Master,' He Chunhua coughed. 'But wherever the furious sand passes, life is extinguished. This is no joking matter; we shouldn't even consider trying it! Furthermore, the food and water we brought can only last another three to five days, which isn't enough to sustain us until the Furious Sand Season arrives.'"

He was trying to ease the tension, and Sun Fuping cooperated well. "If we can initiate the Furious Sand Season, I am confident I can lead everyone back safely,' he stated. 'If not, we will return to Blackwater City before the true Furious Sand Season arrives. How does that sound?'"

"'Initiate the Furious Sand Season?' Situ Han, the bandit leader, couldn't help but interject. 'Can that even be initiated early?'"

Are we supposed to die an early death?

He had been huddled in a corner, quietly finishing a naan bread, then taking out a few black-skinned scorpions to roast. He knew he wasn't qualified to speak; everyone here was his superior.

But as he listened, it sounded as if he was being led down a path to certain doom.

"'Wait, please wait a minute!' His expression shifted as he had a sudden thought. 'There are still people on Red Cliff Road right now. If the Furious Sand Season appears early, they will surely die!'"

"'There are only a few days left until the Furious Sand Season; everyone knows it's not worth trying to snatch the last penny,' Nian Songyu said dismissively. 'Besides, in previous years, the Furious Sand Season hasn't been fixed to a specific month, day, or time. Governor He, there are always casualties on this road every year, aren't there?'"