After three days of pursuit northward, Ye Jingtang and his companions once again arrived at the foot of Huangming Mountain.
Although Shui'er had guided them the entire way and they had never lacked drinking water, three days of racing through the yellow sands of the Great Desert had still left the skilled martial artists somewhat weary.
And the one who had suffered most was none other than the working bird.
Niao Niao was already plump and sturdy. During the day, he could only hide in the basket and lie limp, but when the nights grew cool, he still could not rest. He had to report for duty immediately and search the desert for Li Si and the others.
Although Niao Niao had exceptional scouting abilities, and the desert offered little cover, meaning he could certainly find anyone within several hundred li, Huang Liansheng knew the desert terrain far better than Shui'er and was extremely skilled at evading pursuit.
The group they pursued twisted and turned through the desert, never remaining anywhere for more than half an hour, while windblown sand covered their footprints. Pursuing blindly without a clear view, Ye Jingtang essentially had to send Niao Niao out to scout after every stretch of travel. Before they reached a stopping point, Huang Liansheng and the others would already have moved on.
After several days of this repeated cycle, they had reached the foot of Huangming Mountain. Ye Jingtang could not help feeling troubled. Looking up at the towering mountains, he frowned.
"Looks like they've gone into the mountains. There are bound to be gorges and caves in there, easy places to hide. Following them may be difficult from here on."
Although Hua Qingzhi had spent the entire journey on Ye Jingtang's back without having to walk, and could even enjoy