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Chapter 649: Chu Liuxiang is Full of Questions
Chapter 649: Chu Liuxiang is Full of Questions
In the original story, Chu Liuxiang, unaware that Hei Zhenzhu is a woman, saw the note she left behind and truly believed that she had abducted Su Rongrong and the other two girls.
So, in a hurry, he rushed to Ningxia, only to meet Hu Tiehua just before entering the Great Desert.
Aware of the dangers that lay within the desert, Hu Tiehua took Chu Liuxiang to seek help from Ji Bingyan, who was currently a wealthy landlord in Lanzhou.
With Yan, Die, Hua, and Xiang, the trio of Chu Liuxiang, Hu Tiehua, and Ji Bingyan was complete.
Ji Bingyan was an experienced desert traveler with a calm and collected demeanor. Based on Chu Liuxiang's description, she deduced that Hei Zhenzhu had likely abducted Su Rongrong and the others, intending to lure Chu Liuxiang into the Great Desert to his disadvantage.
To defeat Chu Liuxiang, who was invincible in water, the plan was to draw him to the waterless Great Desert.
Thus, Ji Bingyan, along with Shi Tuo, who was familiar with the desert, and Xiao Pan, knowledgeable about human affairs, joined Chu Liuxiang and Hu Tiehua, stealthily venturing into the Great Desert.
As for Hei Zhenzhu's mount, the Pearl Stallion, it was left in the care of a farmer outside the Great Desert.
However, as soon as they entered the Great Desert, they found themselves under surveillance.
First, they encountered two people pretending to be in distress. They fooled Hu Tiehua into showing sympathy, only to suddenly attack and pierce all their water bags.
Later, they stumbled upon the Peng family's five tigers, who had died from poisoning, and a group of black-clad individuals who took the Star of Ultimate Bliss and left. The group trailed them but discovered that these black-clad individuals had been silenced, and the mastermind behind it all was Shi Guanyin.
The treacherous Shi Guanyin left them a pot of meat stew, and they almost fell for the trap, but Xiao Pan, well-versed in the customs of the tribes, succumbed to the poison.
Finally, guided by Shi Tuo's experience, they sucked on moist sand along the way and managed to find an oasis. Fearing an ambush, Chu Liuxiang decided to scout the area alone.
And so, after countless trials and tribulations and a narrow escape from death, Chu Liuxiang finally laid eyes on Jin Banhua, who was fishing and frolicking by the lake with a beauty.
...
The Princess of Pipa looked at Chu Liuxiang and then at Jin Banhua, "Who is he?"
Jin Banhua replied, "His status is similar to that of Sima Wuji. While Sima Wuji is a solitary thief who strikes fear into both sides of the Yellow River, he is a solitary thief who strikes fear throughout the world."
Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but rub his nose. He now had many questions for Jin Banhua.
But before he could ask, Jin Banhua spoke first, "It seems like you haven't had an easy time since entering the Great Desert?"
Chu Liuxiang looked at his own desert traveler's attire, covered in sand and dirt, and then at Jin Banhua, dressed in a gorgeous blue and gold silk shirt, looking relaxed and accompanied by a beauty.
Chu Liuxiang sighed, "Indeed, it hasn't been easy."
"Don't say I don't take care of you. The King of Kucha is hosting a banquet in his grand tent right now, with roasted meat, fine wine, music, and dances." Jin Banhua smiled, "I'm a guest of honor there, and I can take you along. Do you want to go?"
Chu Liuxiang immediately nodded, "Yes, I really want to."
Chu Liuxiang didn't reveal the whereabouts of Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan, as he was still uncertain if this oasis was a trap.
Although Jin Banhua appeared to be a carefree young master with a harmless air about him...
Who knew if he was being kept in the dark by Hei Zhenzhu or if he was in cahoots with her?
The fact that Su Rongrong and the other two girls were indeed abducted by Hei Zhenzhu, as admitted by Jin Banhua, and that he had accompanied them into the desert, only to suddenly appear here, was suspicious.
Would a pampered young master from the capital, unaccustomed to hardships, venture into the Great Desert for no reason?
Chu Liuxiang thought back to how he had almost been killed by Shi Guanyin, and before he could understand the relationship between all these people, how could he not be on his guard?
So, Chu Liuxiang followed Jin Banhua and the Princess of Pipa into the grand tent.
The guards outside the tent paid no heed to the sudden appearance of Chu Liuxiang, as he had arrived with the Princess of Pipa and Jin Banhua, whose martial arts skills were well-known to them.
Before stepping into the tent, Chu Liuxiang had prepared himself mentally.
Perhaps he would see Su Rongrong and the other two girls who had been kidnapped, or perhaps he would see Hei Zhenzhu, who was both ruthless and stunningly beautiful...
However, the situation inside the tent was exactly as Jin Banhua had described.
A middle-aged man in a red robe and a golden crown sat in the main seat, with a beauty in his arms, urging him to drink.
Five extravagantly dressed Central Plains warriors sat scattered around, toasting and drinking freely.
A few musicians played, and a few dancing girls performed.
The atmosphere in the tent was relaxed and cheerful, a stark contrast to Chu Liuxiang's experiences over the past few days.
Upon seeing the Princess of Pipa and Jin Banhua, both the King of Kucha and the Central Plains warriors raised their cups in greeting.
"My dear daughter, you've finally arrived!"
"Did the young master sleep well last night? The desert nights can be cold, so take care not to catch a chill."
"Greetings, Jin. I was just about to invite you, but the guards mentioned that you were out walking with the Princess, so I didn't dare disturb you."
Chu Liuxiang scanned the room, studying the expressions on their faces, but he couldn't detect any signs of deceit.
Could it be that Jin Banhua truly was an honored guest here?
Princess? And the one by his side was actually the Princess of Kucha?
But...
How could he, a pampered young master from the capital, possibly become a guest of honor for the King of Kucha, have the Princess of Kucha attend to him, and be treated with respect by these Central Plains warriors, who seemed to possess formidable martial arts skills?
Could the King of Kucha also be connected to Hei Zhenzhu?
But when I mentioned Hei Zhenzhu in front of Jin Banhua earlier, the Princess of Kucha didn't show any reaction, so she probably doesn't know her.
Chu Liuxiang's mind was filled with even more questions, but he remained calm and smiled at Jin Banhua, "I didn't expect you to be living so comfortably in the great desert."
"Of course!" Jin Banhua boasted, "With my wealth, superior martial arts, and dashing looks, it's only natural that I'm welcomed wherever I go."
Chu Liuxiang discreetly scanned the tent and noticed that everyone else also seemed to take it for granted.
"Come, come, take a seat." The King of Kucha invited Jin Banhua and the Princess of Pipa to sit and then turned to Chu Liuxiang, addressing Jin Banhua, "May I ask who this gentleman is?"
"His name is Chu Liuxiang, and he's a fellow wanderer like the Starlight Wanderer. He's also a solitary thief." Jin Banhua introduced.
The King of Kucha showed no reaction, but the five Central Plains warriors all changed their expressions.
A man's reputation precedes him, and Chu Liuxiang, with his moonlit night walks and fragrant traces, was undoubtedly famous in the martial arts world.
"I never expected to meet the renowned Chu Liuxiang here." Said the Starlight Wanderer.
Du Huan glanced at Jin Banhua and said to the Starlight Wanderer, "Since he's a fellow wanderer like you, it's only natural that he goes wherever there's money."
The Starlight Wanderer smiled slightly but didn't respond.
Just then, a loud, commanding voice was heard from outside the tent, along with the sound of scolding, "Old Stinkbug! Where are you?"
(End of Chapter)
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