Departure

Lu Yuan stood there, watching his back.

Next time we meet?

The empire's territory is vast; he is going to Bronze City, and Morris is returning to the Royal Capital, a thousand miles apart. They will go their separate ways in the future, and may never cross paths again in this lifetime.

Morris couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

So the meaning of this sentence is quite clear—he doesn't intend to get that Sanity Ring back.

Another favor done for us.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and made a mental note of the matter.

Heller Vincent were already in the car.

Vincent nodded to Lu Yuan as a farewell. Heller, however, didn't even glance at him, maintaining his usual cold and aloof demeanor.

Herman stood at the door, watching the carriage leave.

"Drive!"

The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage slowly started moving, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lu Yuan stood there, watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance until it vanished on the horizon.

"They've left?"

Herman's voice came from behind.

"I'm leaving." Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze.

Herman walked over to him, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and together they gazed at the empty desert in the distance.

"The Pathfinder's badge..." He glanced at Lu Yuan's chest, "Not bad, better than the Night Watcher's."

How so?

"The Night Watcher are law enforcers; they make people tense wherever they go," Herman exhaled a puff of smoke. "Pathfinder are different; they explore the way, and wherever they go, people are willing to help."

Lu Yuan did not respond.

"The caravan departs the day after tomorrow," Herman said. "Use these two days to finish what you want to do."

He glanced at Lu Yuan, his eyes carrying a meaningful look.

"That kid Karl's been talking about teaching you to play the flute all the time, I'm practically sick of it."

As evening fell, the afterglow of the setting sun painted the desert in a golden-red hue.

Lu Yuan sat cross-legged on a stone in the courtyard, holding the Sandworm Bone Flute in his hand.

The flute has a faint milky white luster, a warm and smooth feel, and is lighter than a regular Bone Flute. It has several holes of different sizes, arranged in a very regular pattern.

Karl sat opposite him, also holding a flute, his eyes sparkling.

Do you really want to learn?

"Hmm." Lu Yuan nodded.

A big smile immediately spread across Karl's face.

"That's great! I thought you were just saying that casually!"

He excitedly shifted his position, moving closer.

"Let's start with the basics, first learning how to hold the flute."

"Look, left hand on top, right hand on the bottom, fingers should be positioned like this..."

Karl gestured carefully, held the flute to his lips, and blew a short syllable.

"Beep-"

The voice was a little immature, but the rhythm was very steady.

"And then there's this..."

"Beep beep-beep-"

After Karl finished playing, he looked up at Lu Yuan, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Why don't you give it a try?"

Lu Yuan put the flute to his lips and imitated Karl's fingering.

Take a deep breath and exhale gently.

"Du... woo... chi..."

The sound was intermittent, interspersed with the sound of leaking air, and completely out of tune.

Karl frowned.

"No, no, your breathing is unsteady." He stood up and walked to Lu Yuan's side. "You need to blow with your belly, not your mouth."

"With your stomach?"

"It's just..." Karl thought for a moment, then scratched his head, "What did Grandpa call it again... diaphragmatic breathing?"

He patted his stomach.

"The air should come out from here, not be squeezed out of your throat. Try again."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

He knew about diaphragmatic breathing; he used it when he was prospecting for minerals in the mountains and had to hold his breath for long periods. But using it for playing the flute was a first for him.

He adjusted his breathing and tried again.

"Beep-"

This time it's better; the tone is much more stable. Although it's still a bit raw, at least it's no longer leaking air.

At the edge of my field of vision, grayish-white text danced gently:

[Ancient Music Theory: +0.2...0.3/10]

"Yes, yes, that's it!"

Karl clapped his hands excitedly, his smile almost reaching his ears.

"You learn so fast! It took me ages to practice and even play a single complete note, but you did it on your second try!"

Lu Yuan remained silent.

The experience bar is rising, which means you're on the right track.

"Then let's continue." Karl sat down again, his expression becoming serious. "Next is the basic scale, seven notes in total, each note corresponding to a different fingering..."

Night fell.

An oil lamp was lit in the courtyard, its dim yellow light swaying gently in the night breeze.

Lu Yuan and Karl remained seated, one teaching and the other learning.

"Make this sound softer, and don't use too much force..."

"Yes, that's it, do it again..."

"No, no, you pressed the wrong hole. It's this one, not that one..."

Karl taught very diligently, correcting every detail several times.

Lu Yuan also studied very diligently, practicing each note repeatedly until he had mastered it completely.

Before we knew it, the moon had risen to halfway up the sky.

"That's enough for today," Karl yawned, rubbing his eyes. "We'll continue tomorrow."

Lu Yuan nodded.

At the edge of vision, gray and white text quietly emerged:

[Ancient Music Theory: 0.7/10]

From 0.3 to 0.7, it rose by 0.4 in one night.

The speed wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow either.

Karl stood up, stretched, and suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, do you know the story behind the Song of the Sandworm?"

"I don't know," Lu Yuan said. "What story?"

Karl's eyes lit up, and his tone carried a hint of pride.

"The Song of the Sandworm is the oldest tune in Sandworm Town, passed down for hundreds of years. When Sandworm hear this tune, they quiet down. They won't attack the person playing the flute; they'll even swim towards the direction of the sound."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Karl shook his head. "Grandpa said it's an agreement between Sandworm and humans, dating back a very, very long time."

He paused, then lowered his voice, as if he were revealing a secret.

"It is said that the earliest Song of the Sandworm was not created by humans, but sung by the Sandworm themselves. Humans simply learned it."

Lu Yuan looked at him without saying a word.

Did the Sandworm sing it itself?

Those enormous creatures with no eyes and only fangs, can they sing?

Lu Yuan recalled the scene he had witnessed at the Quarry that day. The hunters played their flutes, and Sandworm rose from the depths of the sand sea, as if summoned by something.

That wasn't simple domestication, but some kind of ancient connection.

"The Song of the Sandworm..." Lu Yuan repeated the name softly.

[Ancient Music Theory: +0.1...0.8/10]

The next day.

Lu Yuan got up very early in the morning.

He sat in the courtyard, holding the Sandworm Bone Flute in his hand, practicing what he had learned yesterday over and over again.

Basic scales, breath control, and fingering switching.

Every detail must be mastered, and there can be no mistakes.

When Karl got up, Lu Yuan had already been practicing for more than an hour.

"You started so early?" Karl came out rubbing his eyes, looking surprised.

"I can't sleep," Lu Yuan said.

Karl looked at him, then at the flute in his hand, and suddenly laughed.

You're much more serious than I was back then.

He ran back into the house, took out his flute, and sat down opposite Lu Yuan.

"Let's continue. Today I'll teach you legato."

In the evening, Herman returned from town carrying a cloth bag.

He walked into the courtyard and saw Lu Yuan and Karl still sitting there practicing the flute. He frowned slightly.

"Still blowing?"

"Grandpa!" Karl looked up, "Lu Yuan is learning so fast! He can already play a complete piece!"

"Oh?" Herman walked over and sat down on the stone bench nearby. "Play one for me."

Lu Yuan did not refuse.

He put the flute to his lips, took a deep breath, and began to play.

It's a simple minor key piece that Karl just taught us that morning. The melody isn't complicated, but it requires steady breath control and smooth fingering.

The sound of the flute echoed in the courtyard, deep and distant, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation.

Herman listened, his expression gradually changing.

After finishing the piece, Lu Yuan put down his flute.

"How is it?" Karl looked at Herman expectantly.

Herman didn't answer, but just looked at Lu Yuan with a complicated expression.

"Two days," he said. "You've only studied for two days."

Lu Yuan nodded.

Herman was silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled a thin booklet from his pocket and handed it over.

"Take it."

Lu Yuan took it, opened it, and looked at it.

The booklet was old, the paper was yellowed, and the corners were curled up. It was covered with hand-drawn illustrations and text, recording fingerings and scores for various flutes.

At the edge of vision, gray and white text quietly emerged:

[Detection Target: Ancient Music Theory Manual (Handwritten Copy)]

[This collection records various ancient musical pieces that have been passed down in Sandworm Town, including a complete version of the Song of the Sandworm.]

[Note: Some content is old and requires careful identification.]

"This is..."

"Something passed down from town," Herman said. "It was originally intended for Karl, but that kid..."

He glanced at Karl and shook his head.

"I've studied for three years, and I still haven't passed the basics."

"Grandpa!" Karl shouted in dissatisfaction.

"Shut up." Herman glared at him, then turned to Lu Yuan. "You're different; you can play a complete melody in two days. This thing is more useful to you than to me."

Lu Yuan looked at the booklet in his hand and remained silent for a moment.

"No need to be so polite."

"It's not just a polite gesture," Herman shook his head, "You've solved a huge problem for us, what's a booklet?"

He paused, his tone becoming somewhat serious.

"Moreover, I have a premonition."

What's your premonition?

You'll come back someday.

Lu Yuan looked at him.

"For Sandworm Town to develop, it needs to engage with the outside world," Herman continued. "You're Night Watcher and Pathfinder; you certainly know more people than I do."

"If you need any help in the future, just let me know. Consider this booklet as an advance deposit."

Lu Yuan put the booklet away and nodded.

Yes, it will.

On the morning of the third day, the caravan prepared to depart.

Three horse-drawn carriages were parked on the edge of town, loaded with Sandworm skins, Sandworm Oil, and various desert specialties.

Young people from several towns are doing a final check to ensure the goods are securely tied.

Herman stood beside the first vehicle, explaining something to a young man. This might be his last trade trip; as the mayor of Sandworm Town, he wouldn't be able to leave so easily anymore.

Lu Yuan walked over carrying a bag containing his belongings.

The Night Watcher's Badge, the Pathfinder badge, the Sandworm Bone Flute, the Ancient Music Theory Manual, the "Knowledge Path Guide" that Mo Shui gave me, and that unopenable bronze badge.

There was a faint warmth in my chest; it was the Time Bestower Pocket Watch that had become part of my body.

At the edge of vision, gray and white text quietly emerged:

[Sanity: 68/120]

[Ancient Music Theory: 1.2/10]

After three days of rest, my rationality has returned considerably.

Although we're only halfway through, at least we won't see those weird hallucinations anymore.

"Ready?" Herman glanced at him.

"Um."

"Then let's get on the bus. There are still three days left on the journey."

Just as Lu Yuan was about to get into the car, he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.

"Etc!"

It's Karl.

He came running up, panting, clutching something in his hand.

"You... why did you leave without calling me!"

Lu Yuan stopped what he was doing and looked at him.

It's too early, I didn't want to wake you.

"You should have said something!" Karl said, sounding a little aggrieved. "I thought... I thought you left without saying goodbye..."

Looking at his flushed face, Lu Yuan suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

"It's not like I'm not coming back."

Karl paused for a moment.

"Real?"

"Hmm." Lu Yuan smiled and said, "I haven't finished learning the Song of the Sandworm yet. Next time I come back, you'll have to teach me the rest."

Karl's eyes lit up immediately.

"Okay! I'll practice hard! When you come back, I'll definitely play better than you!"

He shoved what he was holding into Lu Yuan's hand.

It was a small bag of dried Sandworm.

"I'll eat this on the road," Karl said, blushing. "I dried it myself; it's delicious."

Lu Yuan looked at the cloth bag in his hand and remained silent for a moment.

"... Thanks."

He carefully packed up the cloth bag, climbed onto the carriage, and found a seat next to the goods.

Herman raised his whip.

"Drive!"

The carriage started slowly, its wheels crunching over the sand.

Lu Yuan turned around and glanced at the Sandworm Town that was gradually disappearing into the distance.

Low-lying mud-brick houses, clotheslines fluttering in the wind, and Karl standing at the crossroads waving incessantly.

He looked for a while, then looked away and gazed ahead.

The yellow sand stretches endlessly to the horizon.

Bronze City.

He's here.