96: Chapter 96 Ruins Appear

"Ning Yuan, you don't need to blame yourself. You've already done very well!"

"Mm-hmm, how could we possibly blame you!"

"If anyone's to blame, it's Jiaojiao, that stupid dragon. If she hadn't been tricked, there would've been no need to rescue her!"

"Ah, this..."

"..."

Subsequently, Nangong Xi and the other two took turns criticizing Du Jiaojiao. Knowing she was in the wrong, Du Jiaojiao repeatedly pleaded for mercy. Finally, she agreed to serve as the mount for the three women once they got out, and only then did they let her off.

Ning Yuan watched the four of them play-fighting with a smile, having no intention of stopping them. He felt much better and no longer felt so guilty.

"Ning Yuan, are we really just going to leave her?" After the fooling around ended, Nangong Xi looked back. Seeing no sign of Tao Yao, she couldn't help but ask Ning Yuan.

Hearing this, Ning Yuan's footsteps faltered. He turned to look back, thinking she would be smart enough to follow on her own. He hadn't expected her to be another fool. He said casually, "Wait for me here!"

Then, ignoring the teasing looks from Nangong Xi and the others, he turned and walked back toward the place they had just left.

He just told her to leave, and now he's turning back to find her. A man's mouth is truly a lying ghost!

"Do you think Ning Yuan can win her over?" Mu Qingyao whispered as she watched Ning Yuan leave.

"I think it's unlikely. With her personality of constantly clashing with Ning Yuan, I don't see it happening!"

"Hmph, Master is very capable. How could he not win her over!"

"..."

Because of Mu Qingyao's single sentence, the four women began a heated discussion. After analyzing from various angles, they all felt Ning Yuan had a decent chance of success.

While the four women were discussing whether Ning Yuan could win over Tao Yao, Ning Yuan returned to the spot where the flowing light boat had crashed.

Seeing that Tao Yao was still there, Ning Yuan's heart immediately settled. He had been worried she might have left, as he wouldn't have known where to find her otherwise.

Upon seeing Ning Yuan, Tao Yao's slightly vacant eyes flickered with a hint of light again, but they quickly dimmed once more as she remained silent.

Perhaps in her heart, landing in this Spirit-Severing Sand Sea was a death sentence. She had completely given up hope and had no motivation to live.

Ning Yuan said calmly, "Come with me."

Tao Yao's voice was raspy as she said, "Didn't you say we'd go our separate ways? Why come back?"

Did she cry until her voice went hoarse?

But it didn't matter. Ning Yuan spoke again, "Are you staying here to wait for death?"

"Going with you is also death. I'd rather die here and save some energy!"

This wouldn't do; staying behind really meant certain death. Ning Yuan frowned slightly, his tone growing a bit firmer: "I'll say it one more time, come with me!"

"..."

Since you refuse to walk, I'll carry you!

Seeing she had no intention of moving, Ning Yuan steeled himself, leaned down, and scooped her up by the waist. He then turned and began walking back.

"Ah... Ning Yuan, what are you doing? Put me down!" Tao Yao screamed, struggling desperately in Ning Yuan's arms, flailing her limbs, but she couldn't break free.

"Stop shouting. If you keep it up, don't blame me for being impolite!"

"I will shout! I want to see just how 'impolite' you'll be!"

Tao Yao glared at him. It was because of him that she had fallen to this state, and now she wasn't even allowed to shout? Where was the justice?

Hearing this, Ning Yuan paused. He looked down at that nearly perfect, charming face and those incredibly seductive red lips. He slowly lowered his head and said in a deep voice:

"Are you sure you want to try? Right now, you aren't a Soul Transformation expert, just a weak woman with no spiritual power at all!"

"You... what are you going to do?"

Looking into Ning Yuan's eyes, which seemed like they wanted to melt her, she knew all too well what that look represented. Tao Yao felt a pang of apprehension, and her tone softened.

"Follow me obediently, and I won't do anything. Otherwise..." Ning Yuan threatened again. After speaking, he strode forward while still carrying Tao Yao, completely ignoring her look of mixed shame and indignation.

If she hadn't lost all her spiritual power, Tao Yao would have surely slapped this bastard to death. At the same time, she was afraid Ning Yuan might actually do something to her. In this godforsaken place, she had no room to resist.

Tao Yao was incredibly conflicted, not knowing what to do. She could only let Ning Yuan carry her, remaining silent. A trace of bashfulness welled up in her heart; she had never been in such close physical contact with a man before.

Just then, a crisp, pleasant voice suddenly rang out, interrupting all her thoughts.

"Ooh, I told you! She'd definitely be won over. He even carried her back!"

"Mm-hmm, Master is the best!"

Hearing this, how could Tao Yao stay in Ning Yuan's arms? She hurriedly and frantically broke free, smoothed out her slightly disheveled dress, and then resumed an air of nonchalance as if nothing had happened.

Ning Yuan said indifferently, "Let's go."

He then walked straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to the teasing looks from Mu Qingyao and the others. Tao Yao didn't have his thick skin; under those gazes, she acted like an ostrich, nearly burying her head in her chest.

Seeing this, The women stopped teasing them and set off once more, embarking on their journey to find a way out of the vast sea of sand. Under coercion, Tao Yao had no choice but to follow Ning Yuan and the others.

In the boundless sea of sand, the sun was like fire during the day, scorching like a furnace. At night, it was bone-chillingly cold, with an extreme temperature difference between day and night.

Ning Yuan and the others traveled like this for half a year... This half-year yielded absolutely nothing. All around was nothing but sand, with the occasional mummified corpse buried in the vast desert.

Without spiritual power, they could only advance step by step on foot. The distance they covered was but a drop in the ocean compared to the infinite sea of sand.

In this situation, wanting to walk out of the sand sea was nothing short of a pipe dream.

In the sea of sand, Ning Yuan carried Tao Yao on his back through the scorching sun, stumbling forward. Nangong Xi and the others followed closely, their faces haggard, lips cracked, and their whole bodies in a state of disarray.

"Ning Yuan, do you think we can walk out of this sand sea?" Tao Yao whispered into Ning Yuan's ear, her charming eyes slightly dim, revealing a hint of despair.

"As long as we don't die, we'll get out one day!" Ning Yuan's dark eyes were full of determination. He turned his head slightly to look at the beauty on his back and smiled:

"Didn't you call me a bastard? Well, bastards live a long time, don't they?"

"Haha! Um... look, what's that?" Out of the corner of her eye, Tao Yao seemed to see something. She kept tapping Ning Yuan's shoulder, her voice filled with surprise.

"Hmm?"

Ning Yuan looked up in confusion toward the direction Tao Yao pointed. Gazing at a patch of ruins not far ahead, his heart jolted, and he froze in place.

Before long, Nangong Xi and the others also arrived at his side, looking at the architectural ruins with faces full of disbelief.

This was the first thing they had seen in half a year besides sand and mummies; they couldn't help but be shocked.