Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 280 The Source of Windbreak and Sand Fixation
Even in the Ili River Valley, a region in Northwest China known as the "Jiangnan of the Northwest," the temperature difference between day and night is quite large.

It's only May in the Gregorian calendar, and the daytime temperature in the city is already over 30 degrees Celsius.

However, there are still quite a few people selling various kinds of barbecued meat on both sides of the street.

Especially those selling meat skewers.

The barbecue restaurant was quite busy, with long barbecue grills set up outside the door.

The aroma wafted out continuously, accompanied by occasional shouts and calls.

To be honest, the way the vendors called out their wares, mixed with the local accent, was remarkably similar to the accent of the lamb skewer vendor in a Spring Festival Gala skit from a few years ago.

Often, barbecue restaurants are interspersed with places that sell nuts, cold drinks, and ice cream.

"Yogurt rice dumplings?"

Chu Tianshu stood in front of a cold drink and dessert shop and glanced at it a few more times.

In Hailing, families cook zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) together. They make savory zongzi with pork belly and sweet zongzi with hawthorn or jujubes, all cooked in one pot. They distinguish the types by the color of the plastic bag used to tie the zongzi. Occasionally, some people also wrap solid zongzi and dip them in white sugar.

When Chu Tianshu was a child, he didn't like eating solid zongzi. Every time he got one, he would dip it in sugar and pour yogurt on it. At that time, he thought it was his own invention.

So this kind of thing has existed in the Northwest for a long time, and it's quite common.

"Have some to try."

Chu Tianshu glanced at the people around him, "What about you?"

The four of them went out without a car, relying entirely on their own two feet, wandering around aimlessly.

Lin Chucheng eagerly raised his hand, and Tang Nu also asked for a share.

Only Mo Xiaoyu raised her water bottle, indicating that she would only drink water.

Without making a sound, she took in everything around her—the sounds of people and vehicles, the laughter and actions of shopkeepers and travelers.

Chu Tianshu, however, had already gathered in front of the counter, watching the shop assistants process the zongzi.

Use a wooden spatula to flatten the rice dumpling, cut it into small pieces, place it in a plastic square box, and pour a layer of yogurt on top.

The counter also has various fruit syrups, such as dragon fruit, mango, and kiwi, all of which are very brightly colored.

After pouring the sugar syrup, pour another portion of honey water mixed with a few honeysuckle petals.

After the three received the zongzi, Chu Tianshu took a bite first, but it wasn't as sweet as he had imagined.

It highlights the milky aroma and the cool texture of the crushed fruit, and when you chew the rice dumpling, you can taste the aroma of glutinous rice.

The Ili River Valley is a tourist destination and the first place in the province to show signs of spring.

This month is when the scenery of the Ili River Valley is at its peak.

There were many tourists on the street, eating as they walked, but Chu Tianshu and his group were not noticeable at all.

It's rather unusual to see a woman like Mo Xiaoyu, with her bright looks and fair skin, not wearing a sun hat or carrying an umbrella, and only holding a mineral water bottle.

Mo Xiaoyu quickly noticed this and bought an ice cream from the shop next door, holding it in her hand to appear sociable.

"There's no need to be so cautious."

Chu Tianshu said with a smile, "We might not encounter anything, let's just treat this as a trip for fun."

Lin Chucheng nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes."

He would eat one piece before saying "yes," and the intervals between these three "yes" were not short. He would shake his head and sway his body, clearly extremely happy.

As they reached the street corner, a strong gust of wind blew by, bringing a refreshing coolness to all of them.

Lin Chucheng's eyes lit up, and he pointed to the street next to him: "Let's go play over there."

On the streets there, many shopkeepers dressed up in a way that conformed to people's stereotypes about Northwest China.

They sell dried fruit, yogurt, naan bread, rice cakes, and mutton pilaf, among other things.

There are also many shops selling keychains, specialty clothing, fishing rods, whips and other souvenirs.

This is a street area specifically prepared for tourists; it's exceptionally lively and also exceptionally expensive.

Locals rarely go there for sightseeing or dining.

"go with!"

Chu Tianshu made a decisive statement: "Wherever Senior Lin says we'll go, we'll go. Nothing else matters."

"Great!"

Lin Chucheng quickened his pace and walked over there.

He looked around as he walked, but after walking more than half the street, he stopped in front of a flower shop.

The flower shop was filled with at least a hundred potted plants, all with lush green leaves and vibrant flowers, looking full of life.

There are also many saplings planted in pots, their gnarled and ugly appearance contrasting with the flowers, creating a kind of austere beauty.

The shop owner was a thin old man wearing a white short-sleeved shirt. He had sallow skin, a kind face, and a leisurely demeanor. He was watering the flowers at the entrance with a watering can and chatting with a few customers.

Several vehicles, including vans and small trucks, were parked on both sides of the store entrance, looking quite dusty.

Chu Tianshu knew that many tourists who came to the Northwest knew that following a tour group wasn't that fun, so they often chose to look up some travel guides online and rent a car to drive themselves when they arrived.

These orange-red car models are very popular at the store entrance.

There are more than a dozen similar vehicles on this tourist street, but the ones in front of the flower shop are old and worn, and don't look like they're rented.

"Grandpa, where did you get all these flowers and trees? They're so cute."

Lin Chucheng went straight up to him.

The guests smiled when they saw that he was a child and didn't blame him for interrupting.

The florist laughed and said, "You're so young, but you have a good eye for quality. These precious seedlings of mine were all brought from the mountains, and many people from my workplace take care of them there."

"The land is excellent, the people are good, so naturally the seedlings are excellent."

unit?

Mo Xiaoyu stood at the door and glanced at the several signs in the flower shop.

"So they were from the plantation."

Mo Xiaoyu turned around and explained to Chu Tianshu, "It was probably a few years ago when the city was being planned to turn this area into a tourist street. The planting base also provided support, which led to the opening of this unique store."

Chu Tianshu said, "I've heard that Yili is one of the world's three major lavender growing bases. They grow lavender there?"

"No."

Mo Xiaoyu shook her head and said, "The corresponding planting base here is not for growing cash crops, but for cultivating seedlings of plants that prevent wind erosion and fix sand."

The city where Chu Tianshu and his group were located was actually close to the edge of the Ili River Valley.

Once you leave the Ili River Valley, it doesn't take long to see a desert-like landscape.

Large-scale windbreak and sand-fixing projects are underway throughout Northwest China.

They recruited local people to combat desertification, laid grass checkerboards and planted vegetation in the border areas to gradually increase the greenery in the desert.

"In earlier years, to prevent wind erosion and stabilize sand dunes, the main plants were red willow, saxaul, and white thorn."

"In recent years, there have been directives to increase biodiversity in order to prevent pests and diseases. As a result, many oasis cities have set up planting bases specifically to supply those who are fighting desertification."

Mo Xiaoyu explained in detail.

Chu Tianshu had a better understanding of the situation, and then looked at the shop entrance. Lin Chucheng was already chatting and laughing heartily with several customers and shopkeepers.

The florist approached him and said, "Is this your child? He really wants to visit our planting base..."

"We are also very interested."

Chu Tianshu said with a smile, "If you don't mind, please let us come with you, but we didn't drive here."

The florist noticed that Chu Tianshu actually carried a sword at his waist, and thought to himself that he was also a childlike person.

The other guests also gathered around.

"Didn't drive? No problem! We're the advance team transporting seedlings to the county. We were going to stay for two days anyway, and the trucks have been empty for the past two days."

"We'll take you there."

One middle-aged man, looking at the tourists on the street, sighed, "The scenery there is truly beautiful from May to July every year. It's such a pity that tourists from other places don't go there."

Having reached an agreement, Chu Tianshu and the other three got into the car.

There was no air conditioning in the van, but when the van sped up on the highway, the wind rushing in through the windows was enough to make the interior temperature comfortable.

After driving for more than half an hour on the highway, the rolling hills became even more towering.

The distant hillsides and forests appeared to be shrouded in mist.

"The base is just ahead!"

The driver honked the horn twice, the sound echoing between the vast blue sky and distant mountains.

Despite being called a base, there were no signs of large-scale construction in the mountain valley in front of it.

Small saplings and flowerbeds accompany each other, spreading from the mountain valley to the open hillsides in all directions.

It forms a unique landscape with the wild grass and forests, where different heights and distinct boundaries are formed, yet they coexist harmoniously.

There are only a dozen or so wooden houses, scattered far away among the vast flower fields and saplings.

In some of the wooden houses, many wooden stakes were driven into the ground and wooden planks were laid on top, forming a path that overlooks the sea of ​​flowers.

A dozen or so young men and women, wearing sun hats and arm sleeves, walked along these paths, occasionally jumping into the flower fields to check for pests and diseases.

Some people sitting on stools in front of the house picked up their megaphones and shouted out.

"Attention!! No vehicles are allowed in this area. Please park outside, around the wooden houses on the east side."

Several cars skillfully drove to the open space next to the nearby wooden house and parked.

The driver got out of the car and said, "We're going to talk to them about this year's seedlings. You guys have fun on your own."

"It's fine to pick some flowers, as long as you don't damage the flower field. If you want to go back to the city before 7 p.m., come find us here."

"After seven o'clock, it's better to stay here."

The driver waved to them and then disappeared into the path between the flower fields.

Chu Tianshu waved goodbye to them, looked at the sea of ​​flowers, and took a deep breath.

The air here is much better than in the city.

Mo Xiaoyu bent down and whispered to Lin Chucheng, "Minister, did you just come here to have fun? Does this place give you any special feelings?"

"This place is beautiful."

Lin looked around as he left the city, somewhat uncertain.

"But if it's a special feeling, how about we go up the mountain and take another look?"

He pointed to the right, "The mountains over there."

Chu Tianshu squatted down and patted the child's shoulder.

"No rush, I meant taking you out to have fun, that's the primary goal."

Chu Tianshu's eyes shone brightly as he said earnestly, "Staying cooped up in the base won't allow you to use your inspiration. If you're going out to play, don't let impatience ruin your mood."

Lin Chucheng breathed a sigh of relief and moved his arm to the right front.

"I want to go there first. All the flowers there are purple, and they look so beautiful."

Chu Tianshu laughed and took his hand, leading him in that direction.

Tangnu scratched his face: "So we really came out to have fun today?"

"It's a good thing that nothing bad happens."

Mo Xiaoyu touched a flower bud the size of a longan with her fingertips, a slight smile appearing on her face, and took out her phone.

"I haven't had a vacation in ages. I'm going to take lots of photos today and send them to my girlfriends' group chat. They'll be so envious!"

A group of people strolled through the sea of ​​flowers, gently touching unfamiliar flowering trees, their eyes following the stunning butterflies.

Before they knew it, they had already gone beyond the planting base and climbed up the hillside to the top of the mountain.

After crossing this mountain, we looked out over the outside world.

There, in the lower part of the mountain, several rivers flowed quietly.

Small lakes, scattered here and there, are nestled among the mountains.

Chu Tianshu surveyed the landscape, then suddenly his eyelids narrowed as his gaze fixed on a small lake.

"Go over there and have a look."

He quickened his pace considerably, each step feeling as if he were gliding on a soft, resilient mat.

However, the other three were also fast runners and could keep up.

The aquatic plants along the small lake were uneven in height, and in some places, they showed signs of being eaten.

It's not surprising that there are many wild animals in the mountains.

Chu Tianshu swept through the grass and landed beside a large rock.

The rock resembles a reclining ox, is green and wet, half of it is submerged in water and slightly tilted.

On the land side, there is a shoe print.

The shoe print, as if carved by a knife or axe, is five or six centimeters deep in the stone.

“These are… the minister’s shoes.”

Mo Xiaoyu recognized the origin of the shoe print and couldn't help but look back at the mountaintop.

Standing on the mountaintop, Chu Tianshu could actually see the shoe prints hidden in the grass by the lake.

Lin Chucheng scratched his head, frowned, and looked around before turning his gaze to the lake, as if he had remembered something.

"I think I was in a fight here before?"

Tang Nu quickly asked, "Who did you fight?"

"people……"

Lin Chucheng frowned. "He doesn't seem human either."

Suddenly, a deep blue appeared in the green lake water.

Hidden a few inches underwater, silently, they reached the shore.

(End of this chapter)