Chapter 347

Chapter 347: I Do Not Plan to Hand Her Over to You
The sand, baked by the high temperature, radiated a shocking heat. The air wavered and twisted, and everything they saw looked like a boundless, golden sea.

“No wonder it is called the Desert of Lost Souls. The temperature here is outrageously high!”

Even though he was wearing a Cooling Pearl, Si Tu Yan was tormented by the heat and felt miserable.

Si Tu Yu brushed back the hair at her temples that had been soaked by sweat and asked: “Fellow Daoist Yu, how far are we from our destination?”

Everyone turned to Yu Zhao with hope in their eyes.

Yu Zhao took out the scroll and roughly measured the area: “We still have to go three more days to the east.”

“Sigh!”

Several members of the Si Tu Clan could not help sighing.

Si Tu Jian Nan scolded them impatiently: “Look at yourselves, every single one of you. What do you look like? When you go out in the future, do not say you are from the Si Tu Clan!”

Ji Han Zhou and Bu Yan were also Golden Core cultivators, but they were in much better shape than the clan members.

Especially Bu Yan, whose face was calm and at ease, every bit the image of a master.

Looking at the endless desert, Yu Zhao thought to herself: [This is not quite the same as what Elder Gu described.]

Elder Gu had only said that it was hard to tell directions inside the desert, but he had never mentioned that the temperature here was abnormally high.

Was this change caused by the Ruins of the Ancient Dao Field, or was there another reason?

“Let us rest for a while.”

Seeing that the clan members were in bad shape, Si Tu Yu made a suggestion.

Yu Zhao and Si Tu Jian Nan rejected it at the same time: “No.”

Si Tu Yu did not understand.

“A sandstorm is coming.”

Si Tu Jian Nan looked off into the distance, his expression heavy.

Si Tu Yu’s expression changed at once.

Sandstorms were the most terrifying threat in the desert.

Everyone was already weakened by the heat. If they then ran into a sandstorm, the assassin of the desert, then even with two Nascent Soul Cultivators guarding them, things would be terrible.

If they had a little more bad luck, some people might even lose their lives here.

So Si Tu Yu hardened her heart and hurriedly urged the clan members onward.

Once the others heard that a sandstorm was coming, they did not need coaxing. They all snapped to attention, and their speed actually became a bit faster than when they had first entered the desert.

An hour later.

The sky began to darken.

Fine grains of sand floated up with the breeze, making soft rustling sounds.

Before long, the wind grew stronger, carrying a sharp, piercing howl.

By then, there was not a trace of light in the sky, like night had fallen. A natural pressure spread in all directions.

“Speed up!”

Knowing things were bad, Si Tu Jian Nan shouted a warning as he divided off part of his spirit power to help the clan members move faster.

Yu Zhao did the same.

Their flying speed instantly shot up another level.

They did not dare look back and did not dare stop. They all used every ounce of strength they had.

Even when the howling behind them shook the heavens, and the raging wind and sand slammed into them again and again, they did not slow their steps.

“Senior Situ, I will open the way in front. You guard the rear.”

The resistance from the wind and sand grew greater and greater, and their figures wobbled in the air.

Yu Zhao simply flew ahead, like a lone boat cutting through waves and wind, clearing the path in front, while the others lined up behind her in order.

After an hour of nonstop flight, the howling finally faded far behind them.

Yu Zhao was the first to slow down: “Everyone, we are safe for now.”

Thump, thump.

As soon as she finished speaking, several people dropped out of the line and fell onto the dunes below, gasping for breath, their eyes full of the feeling of having survived great danger.

“Uncle, Fellow Daoist Yu, can we rest now?” Si Tu Yu’s face was pale, and traces of panic still lingered between her brows.

“We can.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the rest stopped forcing themselves and also descended.

Si Tu Jian Nan was about to land with them when he suddenly saw Yu Zhao fly off in the direction they had just escaped from.

“Fellow Daoist Yu, what are you doing…”

“Senior Situ, stay here and watch over them. I will be right back.”

Yu Zhao flew forward for less than the time it takes to burn one stick of incense before she caught a faint fragrance in the air.

The corners of her mouth lifted. She followed the scent and slowly went forward until she stopped in front of a sand dune.

Forming a hand seal with both hands, she pointed at the dune. The defensive array covering the dune shook three times, then broke with a snap.

Suddenly, a black shadow shot out at high speed, heading straight for Yu Zhao’s face.

Yu Zhao did not dodge. Instead, she thrust out a palm.

“Ugh!”

There was a dull groan.

The black shadow fell to the ground, and the wide black robe slipped aside to reveal half of a delicate profile.

With a thought, Yu Zhao turned her soul force into two ropes that wrapped tightly around the black-robed person’s hands and feet.

Once she confirmed that the other person could not break free, Yu Zhao grabbed one end of the rope and dragged the person straight back toward the place where the group was resting.

The black robe scraped back and forth across the sand, and the face that had been hidden under the hood finally saw the light of day.

“Senior Yu is back!”

Because Yu Zhao had left so suddenly, everyone had been curious about where she had gone.

As soon as she came back, someone noticed.

At first, they only glanced over at her with curiosity.

When they realized she seemed to be dragging something, some people sat up, and some impatient ones ran straight over.

“It is not a thing, it is a person!”

When Si Tu Jian Nan swept his divine sense over the black-robed person, he froze for a moment, then exploded with rage: “It is her! She actually dared to come back!”

“Uncle, you know her?”

“She is the little thief who stole our clan’s sacred item!”

Si Tu Jian Nan had chased this person all the way. How could he not recognize her aura?

She had barely escaped with her life, yet instead of running for it, she had actually followed them into the Desert of Lost Souls. That was not just bold, it was utterly lawless.

From the way she looked now, she had probably run into the sandstorm head on and then been discovered by Fellow Daoist Yu. This was truly heaven’s will.

“What? That thief?”

“She actually dared to come!”

“She is asking for death!”

The other members of the Si Tu Clan were furious.

Leaving aside the crime of stealing the sacred item, if she had not purposely framed them, they would not have had to follow Yu Zhao to this cursed place and suffer.

Before Yu Zhao even came near, the people of the Si Tu Clan had already surrounded her, flames of anger burning in their eyes.

“Fellow Daoist Yu, thank you for catching the thief for my Si Tu Clan!”

Si Tu Jian Nan cupped his fists toward Yu Zhao in thanks. His tone carried both gratitude and apology.

Yu Zhao said calmly: “Senior Situ, you misunderstand. I do not plan to hand her over to you.”

Yu Zhao called Si Tu Jian Nan “Senior Situ” not as a mark of respect, but so she would not mix him up with Si Tu Yu.

As for this person, she had other plans for her.

“But…”

Si Tu Jian Nan grew anxious.

This thief had sneaked into the Si Tu Clan to steal their sacred item. If they did not bring her back to the clan for punishment, how could the Si Tu Clan show its face in the cultivation world in the future?

“Uncle!”

Si Tu Yu cut him off in time and shook her head at him.

From all the information she had gathered, Yu Zhao was the kind of person who could not be pushed around. If you wanted to gain her favor, you could not use a strong tone with her, much less try to force her.

Besides, Yu Zhao was the one who had caught the thief. They had not contributed any people or effort. On what grounds could they demand that Yu Zhao hand the woman over?

If they wanted things to go their way, they had to be more tactful and take it slow.

She said: “Fellow Daoist Yu, you were the one who caught her, so of course you should decide how to deal with her. We have no right to interfere. Please do as you wish.”