Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

The campfire crackled, illuminating the three faces. Ayiguli's words drifted in the night wind, yet like a seed, they were deeply planted in the hearts of Fu Shaoping and Nangong Yue.

"Moonlight Castle..." Nangong Yue murmured softly, her eyes sparkling with longing.

Fu Shaoping was silent for a moment, his gaze deep: "If that castle really exists, perhaps we can find the answer we're looking for."

Batel scratched his head and grinned, "You guys better think this through. That place is no joke. Aygul said even the 'Desert Eagle' doesn't dare to approach it easily, which shows how dangerous it is."

Nangong Yue clenched her fist, her tone resolute: "But if we don't go, who can solve this mystery?"

Looking at her stubborn profile, Fu Shaoping finally nodded: "Okay, let's go."

Three days later, they arrived at the oasis town.

This is a small town surrounded by greenery, where clear spring water gushes from the ground, nourishing palm trees and meadows. In the center of the town stands a simple inn with a sign bearing the image of a soaring eagle – “Eagle’s Nest”.

Pushing open the door, a scent mingled with spices and leather wafted out. The inn was small, with a few wooden tables casually arranged, around which several merchants from the Western Regions sat, conversing in hushed tones. The crackling fire in the fireplace illuminated the rough stone walls, where several dried animal hides and rusty weapons hung.

Fu Shaoping's gaze swept across the inn, finally settling on the middle-aged man behind the counter. He was thin, with dark skin and sharp, hawk-like eyes. A curved sword hung at his waist, its hilt wrapped in faded red silk, as if it had weathered countless storms.

"Excuse me, is 'Desert Eagle' here?" Fu Shaoping stepped forward and asked, bowing slightly.

The middle-aged man looked up from behind the counter, his gaze sweeping over the three men with sharp, piercing eyes. A slight smile played on his lips: "You're looking for me?"

His voice was deep and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against rock, carrying the roughness of years spent traversing the desert. Nangong Yue noticed that his fingers were rough yet strong, with several obvious scars on his knuckles, clearly indicating that he was a battle-hardened man.

“We heard that you once approached ‘Moonlight Castle,’ and we hope you can take us there.” Nangong Yue smiled slightly, stepped forward, and spoke sincerely.

Desert Eagle narrowed his eyes, sizing them up. His gaze lingered on Nangong Yue's face for a moment before turning to Fu Shaoping: "Who are you? Why are you going to such a dangerous place?"

Fu Shaoping said in a deep voice, "I am Fu Shaoping, and this is Nangong Yue. We come from the Central Plains in search of a legendary ancient city."

"People from the Central Plains?" Desert Eagle raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. "People from the Central Plains would be interested in legends from the Western Regions?"

Fu Shaoping nodded: "Some answers can perhaps only be found deep within that sea of ​​sand."

Desert Eagle was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed, his laughter low and hoarse: "Interesting, very interesting..." He stood up, dusted himself off, and walked toward the curtain at the back of the inn. "Come in, I'll tell you the story of that castle."

The three followed him through the curtain and into a small room at the back of the inn. The room was simply furnished with a wooden table, a few wooden chairs, a yellowed map hanging on the wall, and several ceramic bowls and a pot of wine on the table.

Desert Eagle gestured for them to sit down, then sat at the table, poured himself a bowl of wine, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing as the wine dripped down his beard. He wiped his mouth, his gaze deep: "You know the legend of 'Moonlight Castle'?"

Nangong Yue nodded: "Ayiguli mentioned to us that there are endless treasures and lost martial arts manuals hidden there."

Desert Eagle sneered, "Treasure? Secret manual? Ha, those are all deceptive tricks." He tapped his fingers on the table, making a dull sound. "Ten years ago, I was hired by a caravan to cross this desert. A sandstorm struck, and we were forced to find shelter, which led us astray into that white sandy area."

Fu Shaoping frowned slightly: "White sand?"

“That’s right.” Desert Eagle’s eyes turned serious. “The sand in that area isn’t golden, but an eerie white, as if it’s been bleached by moonlight. We saw ruins there, and a crescent-shaped symbol was carved on the castle gate.”

Nangong Yue's heart raced: "And then?"

Desert Eagle took a deep breath, his voice low: "We dared not linger. Just as we were about to leave, the sandstorm suddenly intensified, and people in the team began to disappear one by one..." He paused, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, "In the end, only me and two others were left. We ran for our lives, but the desert seemed to come alive, constantly swallowing up our companions."

Fu Shaoping pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you believe that castle is truly cursed?"

Desert Eagle sneered, "I don't know if it's a curse, but there's definitely something strange about that place. I never dared to go near it again, or even mention it."

Nangong Yue clenched her fist: "But we have to go."

Desert Eagle stared at her, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, I'll take you there."

Fu Shaoping frowned: "Are you willing to take the risk?"

Desert Eagle's gaze deepened: "For ten years, I've regretted not having the courage to go in and investigate back then. Perhaps... this time it was destiny."

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist, illuminating the area outside the inn in the oasis town. Dewdrops shimmered on the palm leaves, and the crisp chirping of birds broke the tranquility of the desert town.

Fu Shaoping woke up early, pushed open the wooden window, and took a deep breath of the fresh, grassy air. In the distance, the outline of the desert was faintly visible in the morning light, the golden dunes stretching to the horizon like frozen waves. He turned to look inside; Nangong Yue was packing her belongings, her movements gentle and meticulous. She folded a dark blue cloak and placed it in the innermost layer of her backpack, then took out a small bronze compass and repeatedly checked the direction of the needle.

"Did you sleep well?" Fu Shaoping walked to her side and asked softly.

Nangong Yue raised her head, her eyes still showing a hint of weariness, yet retaining that familiar determination: "Yes, I had a dream. I dreamt that we found the 'Moonlight Castle.'"

Fu Shaoping smiled slightly: "I hope it's a good dream."

Just then, a commotion arose in the inn's backyard. Desert Eagle was there preparing for departure. As they approached, they saw him skillfully and efficiently securing several water bags to the camel's back. The camel, named "Wind Shadow," was tall and robust, with light brown fur, but its eyes were surprisingly gentle.

"Its name is 'Windshadow'?" Nangong Yue curiously reached out to stroke the camel's neck. The camel obediently lowered its head and gently nuzzled her palm with its trunk. Desert Eagle, adjusting the water pouch, explained, "This camel has been with me for over ten years, and we've weathered no fewer than twenty sandstorms. Its endurance and sense of direction are top-notch in the desert." He patted the camel's flank. "Windshadow, these two are your new companions."

The camel seemed to understand its master's words, letting out a low moo as a response.

Fu Shaoping inspected his equipment: a sharp longsword, a leather pouch filled with dry rations, a water bottle, and several precious maps. He paid particular attention to the specially made water pouches prepared by the Desert Eagle—these pouches were thicker than ordinary ones and coated with a special oil to better retain moisture in the high temperatures of the desert.

“These water bags,” Fu Shaoping asked, pointing to them.

Desert Eagle nodded: "I made it myself. I smeared the inside of the camel's stomach with fat to prevent moisture from evaporating. In the white sands, every drop of water could be a lifesaver."

Nangong Yue tightened the jade pendant at her waist. It was a piece of warm, lustrous jade, carved with intricate patterns, gleaming faintly in the sunlight. This was a family heirloom, said to be able to sense the flow of spiritual energy between heaven and earth. She quietly tested it; the jade pendant seemed to react to the aura emanating from the Desert Eagle, becoming slightly warm.

Batel had arrived at the inn entrance at some point. He was wearing his signature leather armor, carrying a curved sword, and sporting a hearty smile: "Ready to set off?"

Fu Shaoping nodded: "Everything is ready."

“Good luck to you,” Batel said sincerely. “That white sand... to be honest, even I don’t dare to approach it easily.”

Desert Eagle fastened the last water bladder and stood up: "Time waits for no one, let's go."

The three mounted the camels. Fu Shaoping sat to Feng Ying's left, Nangong Yue to his right, and Desert Eagle at the front, leading the way. He gently patted Feng Ying's neck, whispered something, and the camels began to move with steady steps.

At first, they followed the oasis path outside the town. Clear spring water gushed from the ground, forming a stream, its banks lined with lush palm trees and various drought-resistant plants. Several water birds frolicked on the water, emitting cheerful calls.

"This oasis is the source of life in the desert," the Desert Eagle said, pointing into the distance. "Any further on, you'll never see anything like it again."

As they ventured deeper into the desert, the surrounding scenery began to change. The green vegetation became increasingly sparse, replaced by a golden sea of ​​sand. The sun grew stronger, and the temperature began to rise. Nangong Yue pulled her cloak tighter at the collar, feeling her cheeks burning from the hot wind.

Fu Shaoping took a leather water bottle from his backpack and handed it to her: "Have some water."

Nangong Yue took the water bottle, took a small sip, and the cool water quenched her thirst. She noticed that Desert Eagle wasn't drinking water, only occasionally wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. Clearly, he was trying to conserve water.

"How much longer until we reach the white sand?" Fu Shaoping asked.

Desert Eagle looked up at the sun's position: "At our current speed, it will take about two more hours."

At midday, they stopped to rest in the shade of a sand dune. Desert Eagle took a leather bag from the camel's back, which contained some dry rations and dried meat strips. The three ate a simple meal to replenish their strength.

"What's so special about the white sand?" Nangong Yue asked while chewing her dry rations.

Desert Eagle's expression turned serious: "The sand in that area isn't ordinary yellow; it's an eerie white, as if bleached by moonlight. Even stranger, the sand there flows much faster than ordinary sand, and it can cause hallucinations."

Fu Shaoping frowned: "A hallucination?"

“I’ve personally witnessed my companions lose their way in the white sand. People who were just a few steps away would vanish without a trace in the blink of an eye,” Desert Eagle’s voice was deep. “No one knows how that happened, but everyone who experienced it swears that the sand 'came alive.'”

Nangong Yue felt a chill creep up her spine, but she quickly suppressed the feeling: "So we need to be extra careful?"

“Not only must we be careful, but we must also have absolute trust in Windshadow.” Desert Eagle patted the neck of the camel beneath him. “It can find the safest path in a sandstorm and sense the location of underground water sources.”

After a short rest, they continued on their way. As the sun gradually set, the temperature began to drop, but the fluctuating temperatures in the desert forced the three of them to constantly adjust their clothing.

Just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon, the Desert Eagle suddenly reined in the camel and raised a hand to signal it to stop.

“We’ve arrived.” His voice was unusually serious.

Fu Shaoping and Nangong Yue followed his gaze—the scene before them was breathtaking. The once golden sands had suddenly turned an eerie white, as if covered by a thin layer of frost. Even stranger, these white sand grains appeared finer than ordinary sand, shimmering with a pearly luster in the setting sun.

"Is this the white sand?" Nangong Yue asked softly, her voice filled with undisguised awe.

Desert Eagle nodded solemnly: "Remember my words, stick close to Windshadow, and don't stray from its path."

Fengying seemed to sense the change in its environment; the usually docile creature was now unusually alert. It lowered its head, carefully sniffing the air, and then began to take steady steps.

The three followed Feng Ying slowly into the white sand. The moment they stepped into this strange area, Nangong Yue sensed something amiss—the air seemed drier, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. Even stranger, her vision began to blur, as if a thin mist was floating before her eyes.

"Concentrate!" Desert Eagle's voice suddenly rang in my ears. "Don't be fooled by illusions!"

Fu Shaoping gripped the sword hilt tightly, feeling his thoughts begin to sluggish. He saw what appeared to be blurry figures moving in the distance, but they vanished in an instant. Nangong Yue seemed to be in worse shape; her steps began to falter, and her eyes glazed over.

"Nangong!" Fu Shaoping called out hurriedly, reaching out to help her.

Just then, Wind Shadow suddenly let out a loud cry and abruptly turned to one side. Desert Eagle swiftly took a specially made rope from the camel's back and tossed one end to Fu Shaoping: "Grab it!"

Fu Shaoping grabbed the rope, feeling a powerful force pulling him. Almost simultaneously, he saw Nangong Yue's body begin to fall backward uncontrollably, and the sand beneath her feet began to flow as if it were alive! (End of Chapter)