174: Redstone Barrier

The biting desert night wind, like countless cold sandpaper, scraped against exposed skin, stirring up fine sand from the ground and emitting a whimpering sound.

After a brief moment of excitement, the team was quickly enveloped by the tense atmosphere that Old Jack had suppressed.

They had just escaped the shadow of the Dragon Country's border fortress, but that didn't mean they were safe.

"Keep up! Don't fall behind! This 'Silent Sand Sea' is not a good place!"

Old Jack lowered his voice, his cloudy eyes vigilantly scanning the boundless, silver-gray wilderness around him.

Under the moonlight, the sand dunes undulated like frozen giant waves, casting deep shadows, as if predatory beasts lurked within them.

As Old Jack had warned, this journey would be anything but smooth.

Although this smuggling route was a "familiar path" that their "Black Raven Caravan" had trodden for years, the recent great upheaval in the Dragon Country had clearly disrupted the delicate balance in the border area.

The aftershocks from spatial rifts in various places seemed to have disturbed the magical beasts lurking deep in the wilderness, making them unusually active and aggressive.

Just two days after leaving the fortress, the caravan had encountered no less than ten attacks.

The first was when they were passing through a weathered rock forest, and a group of "Shadowclaw Sand Lizards" ambushing in the shadows suddenly launched an attack.

These lizard-like magical beasts, covered in grayish-brown scales and with claws as sharp as knives, were extremely fast and specialized in ambushing from the sand.

The caravan's guards reacted swiftly, the clash of blades and the roar of dwarven blunderbusses intertwined, filling the air with the smell of blood and gunpowder.

Lin Feng, mixed among the guards, wielded his heavy refined iron broadsword in a seemingly clumsy but actually incredibly precise manner; each chop perfectly severed the sand lizard's neck or joints, without any unnecessary flair, only the most concise and efficient killing.

He deliberately suppressed his strength, only displaying the power of an early Gold-level, but his composure and ruthlessness made several other guards, who were also fighting fiercely, unable to resist glancing at him more than once.

"Not bad skills!"

A Gold-level guard with a knife scar on his face panted, wiped a splash of blood from his face, and grinned at Lin Feng, his eyes showing a hint of approval.

Lin Feng merely nodded slightly, remaining silent, his gaze vigilantly sweeping the shadows around him.

Attacks came one after another.

When they set up camp at night, a flock of "Carrion Vultures," attracted by the smell of blood, swooped down like a dark cloud, their talons and beaks glinting coldly.

During the day, while crossing a dry riverbed, they encountered the charge of several enormous "Sandstone Rhinos" with skin like rock.

Once, the caravan even almost stepped into a quicksand area and was surrounded by a colony of magical beasts called "Sand-Devouring Worms," which could secrete special mucus to soften the sand and drag their prey into the abyss.

Each skirmish was accompanied by roars, screams, the clash of weapons, and the snarls of magical beasts.

Lin Feng consistently played the role of "Lin Shitou."

He silently swung his sword, precisely parried, and protected the cargo area assigned to him in the most unadorned manner.

He deliberately mimicked the fighting style of ordinary guards, even occasionally being "clumsily" scratched by the magical beasts' claw winds, leaving shallow blood marks on his coarse clothes.

Only those fighting beside him could vaguely sense something unusual—this "mute" man's movements were too steady, his eyes too calm, as if the bloody slaughter before him was merely daily labor.

His deliberately restrained aura, like a stubborn rock buried deep underground, stood out even more in the chaotic battlefield, at least catching the attention of the Transcendent-level expert in the team.

That was a gaunt, middle-aged man with sinister eyes, nicknamed "Viper"; he rarely made a move, but each time he did, it was ruthless and deadly.

His occasional glances at Lin Feng carried a hint of scrutiny and an imperceptible wariness.

Old Jack observed all this, a shrewd glint flickering in the depths of his cloudy eyes.

On the third day at dusk, when a continuous expanse of massive rock walls, reflecting a dark red glow in the setting sun, appeared on the horizon, a suppressed cheer erupted from the team.

"We're here! Redstone Bastion!"

Old Jack's voice was hoarse with a hint of relief, and a rare, weary smile appeared on his face.

Passing through a narrow pass naturally formed by giant red rocks, the sight before them suddenly opened up.

A majestic fortress city stood nestled within the Redstone Bastion, completely different from the heavy, rugged, iron-blooded, and historically weathered style of the Dragon Country's southwestern fortress.

The Pagoda Country border fortress—"Redstone Bastion."

The buildings here were mostly constructed from neatly cut, massive reddish-brown rocks, with more upright and sharp lines.

Spires soared into the clouds, like swords pointing to the sky, bearing a distinct Western cathedral style.

Most strikingly, almost every building's walls, doors, windows, and even the street paving stones were inscribed with dense, intricate alchemical arrays that shimmered with faint energy light.

These arrays had complex lines and precise structures, full of exotic mystery, and were distinctly different from the Eastern array systems Lin Feng commonly saw in the Dragon Country, which leaned more towards runic carving and energy guidance.

The air was no longer filled with pure 肅殺 (solemn killing intent), but a mixture of alchemical potions, mineral dust, and an indescribable, ancient, and eerie scent.

At the city gate, guards in black and gold-trimmed, uniquely styled armor meticulously checked the merchants and travelers entering the city.

Their armor was also covered with alchemical patterns, their halberds glinted coldly, and their eyes were sharp.

Old Jack clearly had some connections here; he stepped forward and spoke quietly with the guard captain, then subtly handed over a small pouch; the other party weighed it, a satisfied expression appeared on his face, and he waved them through.

Entering the city, the streets, compared to the spacious and grand fortresses of the Dragon Country, appeared narrow and winding, with smoothly worn flagstones.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their signs displaying twisted, tadpole-like Pagoda Country script.

The style of dress of the pedestrians was also very different; robes, belted leather armor, and hooded cloaks were common.

People's gazes swept over the caravan with scrutiny and curiosity, but soon moved on, as if they were long accustomed to caravans arriving from afar.

Lin Feng keenly felt that the atmosphere of this city was somewhat oppressive, and the subtle sense of eeriness in the air grew stronger.

Old Jack, familiar with the area, led the team to an inconspicuous inn near the city wall, with a sign that read "Old Oak Barrel."

The innkeeper was a one-eyed old man; seeing Old Jack, he merely nodded slightly and arranged for them to stay in the independent warehouse area in the backyard, clearly another "old acquaintance."

"We'll rest here for two days, resupply, deal with some of the 'goods,' and then continue our journey to the interior of the Pagoda Country."

Old Jack announced.

"Remember, this is Pagoda Country, not Dragon Country; mind your mouths and hands, don't cause trouble, especially at night!"

"At night?"

A young guard couldn't help but ask.

"What about at night?"

Old Jack's cloudy eyes swept over everyone, lingering on Lin Feng for a moment, a smile of unknown meaning playing on his lips.

"After nightfall, no matter what you hear or see, stay in your rooms, lock your doors and windows, don't light lamps, and don't make a sound."

"Before dawn, absolutely do not step out of the inn! This is the iron rule of 'Redstone Bastion'; do as I say if you don't want to die!"