226: Everything is ready

Inside Black Iron City.

Jiang Ning walked out of a merchant caravan.

He had altered his appearance and walked the streets of Black Iron City.

Currently, the Tiance Military Prefecture had issued a bounty order to investigate his whereabouts.

He didn't even need to actively 'fall into the trap'; he just had to go to a merchant caravan, briefly mention some details about him and the young girl, and ask the caravan to keep it a secret.

Naturally, the Tiance Military Prefecture would find out.

This was an important 'control' area for the Tiance Military Prefecture, and also the lawless Black Iron City. If they couldn't control this place, then the Tiance Military Prefecture would be too incompetent.

Just now, his Divine Sense had detected the caravan leader's action of transmitting a message to the outside, and then someone came to confirm it.

"Only Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal is missing," Jiang Ning murmured to himself.

After Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal received the message, there would be two possibilities.

The first was to start a battle within Black Iron City.

The second was to wait for the merchant caravan to leave Black Iron City and engage in battle in the Gobi Desert.

Regardless of which, Jiang Ning would need to intentionally lead Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal into the grand Formation.

This step was the most difficult.

"If I'm lucky, Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal will choose to fight in the Gobi. The direction I've set up the Formation is favorable for my escape, and even if Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal sees me fleeing, he won't think much of it."

Jiang Ning walked, vigilant of his surroundings.

The period between exposing his location and Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal making a move was when he was most mentally tense.

He had to guard against Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal suddenly striking, using all his means to directly kill him.

Until evening.

He waited for the caravan leader, who informed him that the caravan would depart tomorrow morning.

By now, Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal couldn't possibly be unaware of the news.

It seemed they planned to act in the Gobi Desert, and even prepare in advance.

As Jiang Ning was thinking, his sound transmission jade slip suddenly lit up.

Flowing Water transmitted, "Just now, someone from the Tiance Military Prefecture set up a grand Formation about a hundred li after you entered the Gobi Desert, and they even used the Xuan Hu Battalion's eighth-grade Spiritual Artifact, the Town Yuan Boundary Lock Plate.

They want to lure you into the Formation and kill you. It seems the caravan will also be buried with you; the Formation won't leave them a way out.

Jiang Ning, you're really something, to make a Grand Marshal of the Tiance Military Prefecture care so much... Even if... never mind, we will definitely succeed."

Flowing Water had originally wanted to say, even if he died, it wouldn't be a loss.

Remembering that one should avoid ill omens before a battle, she stopped herself.

After listening, Jiang Ning immediately began to recall in his mind the route he had taken with Zhao Rong last time.

A hundred li after entering the Gobi Desert... The caravan's route was only one, and Jiang Ning quickly pinpointed the location.

"In that case, I must act before reaching this location."

Jiang Ning reminded himself.

The next day.

Jiang Ning set off to rendezvous with the caravan.

As expected, the Tiance Military Prefecture did not act during the night, and there wasn't even anyone monitoring him.

Marshal Xuan Hu was cautious, knowing that for a Nascent Soul Cultivator, any superfluous planning would become a 'hidden danger'.

The caravan leader was extremely respectful to Jiang Ning.

This was a Nascent Soul Cultivator!

If he wasn't respectful, what if the Cultivator became unhappy and directly crushed him into a meat paste?

The caravan leader felt some regret.

He shouldn't have reported Jiang Ning for the bounty; he was just trying, and he didn't expect it to really be Jiang Ning.

The Tiance Military Prefecture directly ordered him to cooperate in completing the mission, otherwise, not only would he be crushed into a meat paste, but his entire family, old and young, would also become meat paste... Being greedy for small gains led to a huge loss. If he could return safely, he definitely wouldn't do this again in the future.

Within the caravan.

An inconspicuous attendant honestly drove a flatbed cart, laden with goods to be sold in Yellow Sand City.

The attendant kept his head down, glancing at the caravan leader from the corner of his eye.

He had already been taken through Possession by a Tiance Military Prefecture death warrior.

This was so he could constantly observe Jiang Ning.

The caravan leader couldn't be taken through Possession, after all, even a tiny, imperceptible detail would be a huge flaw in the eyes of a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

He also dared not look directly at the Nascent Soul Cultivator; fortunately, just watching the leader was enough.

Now, the caravan leader was just a pile of meat paste in his eyes.

Although it was their Tiance Military Prefecture that would profit, he still wanted to complain: a Qi Refining Early Stage Cultivator participating in a battle between Nascent Soul Cultivators, wasn't this purely asking to become meat paste!

He still thought he could cooperate with the Tiance Military Prefecture to protect his family.

In reality, his family had already turned into meat paste yesterday.

The Tiance Military Prefecture always acted meticulously, and they believed that those who turned to dust and ashes would not make mistakes.

Heh heh... When the fight started later, he didn't know what would happen to Jiang Ning, but this leader would definitely be the first to turn into meat paste.

On the other side.

As the 'pillar' of the team, Jiang Ning was naturally assigned a carriage with a compartment.

He sat in the carriage, eyes closed, observing the movements around him.

They set off in the morning.

According to the caravan's speed, they would probably enter the Gobi Desert by evening.

However, for safety, the caravan would rest outside for one night and continue traveling after dawn the next day.

Jiang Ning knew Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal's plan.

Marshal Xuan Hu Grand Marshal intended to wait for the caravan to travel for a while, allowing Jiang Ning to relax his vigilance, then suddenly strike and kill him.

This was no different from Jiang Ning's expectations.

At night.

The caravan set up camp outside the Gobi Desert, still within the Tiance Military Prefecture's sphere of influence.

The day-night temperature difference here was significant.

The caravan leader organized bonfires, and everyone gathered to chat.

"After this trip, I'll have saved enough money for my daughter's immortal studies. Then my family will also have a Cultivator!"

"I won't dream of having someone in my family cultivate immortality. After this trip, I want to get my old mother's legs checked. Her legs hurt whenever the weather turns cold, and I heard immortal medicine can cure it."

"These are all old ailments from working hard when we were young. Let alone the elders, even I now feel pain in my arms and waist whenever the weather turns gloomy..."

The caravan leader listened to everyone's chatter, forcing a smile.

He knew the inside story and had fled internally in advance, but all these people were going to die.

But don't worry, he was a conscientious leader. He would make up the money for the young girl's immortal studies, and he would also help get the old woman's illness treated... As for those with physical ailments... he would perform a ritual to ensure they reincarnated into wealthy families in their next life, so they wouldn't have to toil.

Jiang Ning sat in the carriage, adjusting his state.

He could hear the sounds outside.

But he wouldn't do anything.

He wasn't a saint; he had to prioritize his own affairs first.

Many people's lives were riding on him!

Late at night... The caravan members drank some wine and, taking advantage of the warmth, curled up in their tents to sleep.

The Tiance Military Prefecture's plan allowed for no accidents.

There would be no mishaps along this journey... Dawn broke.

After a simple resupply, someone came to ask Jiang Ning if he wanted to leave.

Jiang Ning hummed in affirmation.

After inspection, they were allowed to pass.

Jiang Ning began to plan the distance of their journey through his Divine Sense...