After replenishing some water and resting for a while, Ning Xue turned his eyes to the mirage that seemed to be far away in the horizon again, and sighed heavily.
He plans to keep following.
Even if it is still a phantom, it is still better than wandering aimlessly in this yellow sand.
After all, it is the only road sign in sight that can guide the direction.
Just as he climbed over one sand dune after another, his vision suddenly opened up.
In the relatively flat sandy valley below, a series of slowly moving black spots unexpectedly appeared.
It's not an illusion.
It's human!
It's a caravan.
Seeing this, Ning Xue quickly turned on Byakugan to observe the other party.
Although the distance was too far, Byakugan's field of vision could not be completely covered, but within the effective observation range, he could clearly see about seven or eight camels, carrying heavy cargo on their backs, and being pulled along the bottom of the sandy valley by a dozen people wrapped in turbans and covered with dust.
The outline of the team was slightly distorted in the heat wave, but the sense of reality was far from comparable to a mirage.
Ning Xue leaned down and observed carefully.
This caravan does not have many guards, and its equipment is relatively ordinary. More importantly, there are no ninja escorts, and no family emblems or flags.
It looks like an ordinary civilian caravan with low risk.
He needs information now, needs direction, and needs supplies.
Thinking of this, he quickly took out the contact lens that he had taken off due to the intense heat from Ninja Tool Pouch, cleaned it, and put it on carefully.
Immediately afterwards, he tidied up his clothes and wrapped his head and face again, only revealing his new pair of eyes.
After doing all this, he stood up, Earth Flow walked slowly down the sand dune, and walked in the direction of the caravan.
After a while...
The caravan soon discovered Ning Xue.
The guards walking on the outside drew their weapons and looked at the sudden appearance of the uninvited guest with vigilance.
Ning Xue stopped about twenty meters away from the team, raised his free hands to show that he was not hostile, and then raised his voice and spoke.
"Everyone, I don't mean any harm. I just want to ask for directions. If possible, I would also like to change something."
In the caravan, a middle-aged man who looked like the leader walked out.
His skin was dark and rough, and his eyes were full of vigilance as he had been walking Desert all year round.
He looked Ning Xue up and down, especially staying for a moment on the other party's thin clothes and empty luggage.
"Alone? From where?"
"Coming from the east, intending to go to the west."
Ning Xue avoids specific place names and only gives a direction.
"East?"
The leader frowned and asked.
"Which trade road did you come from? From the Land of Fire side, or the Land of Rivers side?"
"I didn't follow the fixed trade route."
Ning Xue was stunned for a moment, and then told the truth.
"I came directly from the Land of Tea coast."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.
... No, man? Tell me where you come from?
Many people in the caravan had such thoughts in their minds, and even the leader couldn't help but be surprised.
"Land of Tea? Just wear Desert and come here?"
The leader repeated it again, his tone full of disbelief.
"Boy, do you know that if you don't follow the commercial road, you are almost seeking death in this sea of sand? Except for a few old roads with wells and inns, there is nothing else! When the sandstorm comes, you can't even find bones! You can get here... you are so lucky!"
Ning Xue just said "hmm" lightly without explaining much.
What can he say? He has no idea that there is such a thing as a business path. He has relied on cactus and spicy strips to survive this journey.
Seeing his dull reaction, the leader smacked his lips, and the suspicion in his eyes dissipated a lot, and he became more filled with emotion and admiration for Leng Tou Qing.
"Forget it, it's fate that we met each other. Which way do you want to ask?"
Ning Xue raised his hand and pointed to the green phantom in the distance.
"Is that mirage a reflection of the real oasis? In which direction is it specifically?"
Everyone in the caravan looked in the direction he pointed, and immediately showed expressions of understanding, and even couldn't help laughing.
"Oh... that," the leader smiled and shook his head, "that's no ordinary oasis.
The phantom you see is a private estate located on the edge of a Desert."
"It is said that there is an underground river below, and various exotic flowers and plants are planted in it. We have seen the real outline several times from a distance, and it is indeed not as beautiful as the things in Desert."
Another caravan member answered.
"However, it is heavily guarded and not open to the public at all. Those of us who are merchants can only operate at the designated trading points at most, and it is impossible to get close.
The phantom is often projected into the depths of Desert because the garden is too conspicuous, coupled with the specific weather and light. It looks close, but is actually far away, and the direction is also very tricky. If you follow the phantom, you will most likely get lost and get further and further away from the real trade route."
So that's it.
Ning Xue understands clearly.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a private estate, and I was running for nothing.
"What you are transporting is..." Ning Xue turned the topic to the caravan's goods.
"Mainly water,"
The leader patted the skin bag and water tank beside him.
"There are also some fine cloths and dyes brought from Land of Fire.
In Desert, water is more valuable than gold, and these cloths can be sold at a good price in the oasis market.
We came from the main trade road of Land of Fire. Although it is a long way, it is safe and stable, and there are water stations along the way for supply."
Land of Fire Shangdao.
Ning Xue noted this information.
It seems that if you want to cross this Desert safely, you still have to take the commercial road.
"So, how can I get to the nearest market where supplies can be replenished?"
Ning Xue asked the most critical question.
The leader did not hesitate this time and gave him directions in detail. He even drew a simple route map on the sand with a wooden stick, marking several sand dunes that needed attention and landmark points where temporary water sources might be found.
In return, Ning Xue took out some money and exchanged it with the caravan for drinkable water, a small bag of shelf-stable dried meat, and a thicker headscarf.
The transaction was completed, and both parties breathed a sigh of relief.
The caravan must continue on its journey and reach the next scheduled camping spot before dark.
Ning Xue adjusted its direction based on the newly obtained information and headed towards the nearest supply point.
Before leaving, the leader turned around and shouted again.
"Boy! Don't go straight through Desert stupidly next time! Follow the business path and you will live longer!"
Ning Xue nodded after hearing this and waved goodbye to them.