Chapter 1222: So Extravagant
The cultivators, having made their plans and arrangements, hurriedly set off. Not only did they quickly catch up with Shen Qiang, who was leisurely enjoying the scenery with the beautiful heroic thief Jiang Hanyang, but they also swiftly surpassed him, with smirks on their faces.
Shen Qiang was not bothered.
After all, to Shen Qiang, this desert oasis, with its desolate and solemn appearance in the cold winter days, had a kind of majestic beauty. Coupled with the beauty beside him, he felt quite at ease.
Not just that.
On the map, this desert oasis appeared as only a tiny dot.
But once inside, its vastness was astonishing.
The lake shore was frozen, yet the snow-covered lake inside was not frozen at all.
The forest with bare branches and swaying dead wood under the wind, the grotesque rocks, the desolate mountains, the deserted grass covered in snow, and the startled rabbits fleeing at the sound of human voices, all gave Shen Qiang a breath of wilderness that was completely different from the city.
Strolling and pausing along the way, Shen Qiang spread out his divine sense to search for traces of demons, but even with his divine sense covering twenty miles, it was impossible to scan the entire oasis in an instant.
Especially since Shen Qiang, who had made some preparations to capture the demons in this oasis, arrived with Jiang Hanyang at the oasis at noon. It was mid-winter, the shortest daylight period of the day, so by four in the afternoon, it was already getting dark.
To avoid any unforeseen events.
Led by Nie Yongsheng, nearly a hundred cultivators set up camp in a mountain cove by the lake. They then noisily dug through the ice to catch fish, hunt rabbits, and chase wild chickens.
By the time Shen Qiang and Jiang Hanyang approached a small hillock by the lake not far from them, smoke was already curling from their campfires.
Watching as the sky quickly darkened and the cold wind howled, causing the temperature to plummet, Jiang Hanyang's small hands turned cold. After saying something to Qing Scorpion, Shen Qiang began to set up a tent at a wind-sheltered spot on the hillside, preparing to spend the night there.
Observing this scene, the nearly hundred cultivators burst into raucous laughter, their camp now filled with the aroma of cooking smoke.
They deliberately raised their voices, infusing them with True Yuan, and mocked with words Shen Qiang could definitely hear.
"Hahaha, on the hillside, with the Gang Wind howling, it's both cold and uncomfortable, only fools would choose such a place to camp!"
"Exactly, that's hilarious. It really shows a lack of brains. In such cold weather, staying on the hillside is nothing short of idiocy."
"Yes, how pathetic. Look at the place we chose, comfortable with the wind blocked by the mountain, plenty of wood around, we can cook whatever we want, just light a fire. Hahaha, on that big hillside, are they going to use stones to start a fire and cook?"
Listening to their mockery.
Shen Qiang just smiled calmly, while the beautiful heroic thief Jiang Hanyang looked at them as if they were fools.
Meanwhile, at a wind-sheltered spot down the hillside, a twin-tailed girl, cold and shivering after taking a sip of cold bottled water, pouted cutely, "Ko... sis, maybe we should start a fire too. I'll go to the lakeside to find some firewood, it's too cold. Even cultivating energy doesn't help much, and the food is hard to swallow."
The stunning mixed-blood beauty calmly replied, "It's nothing. We're used to enduring the elements on our field missions. Just bear with it."
The twin-tailed girl was unhappy, hesitated a moment, then quietly said, "Sis, I'm on my period, I really feel uncomfortable."
The stunning mixed-blood beauty paused, hesitated briefly, and said, "That might be for the best. Let's go pick some firewood."
But just as the two were getting up to take action.
From among the nearly one hundred cultivators, the voice of a man in his forties came, "Hahaha, Shen Qiang, just relish your cold wind and cold buns. We've already collected all the wood within five miles, hahaha. Thinking about collecting firewood now is too late."
"Hahaha, why tell him? Wouldn't it be better when he can't find firewood then say something?"
"Yeah, hahaha, does it feel embarrassing to be with us? Does being the King of Demons mean anything? Do you know the expression 'when everyone gathers wood, the fire burns high'?"
Hearing this, the two women fell silent at once.
Moments later, the stunning mixed-blood beauty looked at the twin-tailed girl and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't consider these issues. There are still four solid alcohol blocks in the Qiankun Bag for boiling water, why don't we..."
"No need." The twin-tailed girl, hugging her knees, sat on her sleeping bag and said, "When the sun comes out tomorrow morning, it'll be warmer."
The stunning mixed-blood leader sighed helplessly, then asked hesitantly, "You didn't bring any fuel in your Qiankun Bag?"
"Of course not." The twin-tailed girl responded, "My Qiankun Bag isn't big. I need room for a change of clothes, cosmetics, and some food. It's already packed full. Besides, a Qiankun Bag is a magical treasure. Who would be so bored to put dirty, ugly fuel in such an expensive space magical treasure? Isn't that silly?"
Before her words fell, from the hillside behind them came the sound of a box of charcoal hitting the ground, followed by Shen Qiang's light laughter on the breeze, "Ladies, I am that silly person. If you don't mind, come on up. I have not only enough charcoal but also lots of delicious food and the best tent sleeping bags."
"Moreover, if you are truly familiar with outdoor life, you should know that although conditions are harsh on the hillside, it offers an unobstructed view. You can advance or retreat as needed. If anything unexpected happens while you're trapped in the cove, it becomes a dead end."
Instantly, the two women's eyes widened, and they exchanged a glance.
"Ko... sis, should we..." The twin-tailed girl asked hesitantly but hopefully, looking at the mixed-blood beauty.
The mixed-blood beauty sighed and transmitted her voice, "Let's go up. Even though I don't want to admit it, if that fierce beast really comes, we won't have room to maneuver in this cove. Besides, I'm curious to see what abilities this King of Demons truly has."
"Thank you, sis!" The twin-tailed girl immediately responded, "Great, then let's go up now."
At this moment, upon hearing Shen Qiang claim to have charcoal as the wind carried his words, laughter erupted from the cultivators' camp.
"Hahaha, as expected of the King of Demons, their thoughts truly differ from ordinary people's. Whether storage rings or Qiankun Bags, they are priceless treasures. Who would possibly use them to store charcoal!"
"Laughable. Even if they brought charcoal, how much can they store? It's only five in the afternoon. By the time the sun rises tomorrow, it'll be at least half-past seven. Fourteen to fifteen hours! With only a little charcoal, they must be joking if they think they can act all high and mighty."
Amid the laughter from the many cultivators, the slightly hesitant mixed-blood beauty and twin-tailed girl walked up the hillside, unable to help but think to themselves, "Indeed, a long winter night with just a bit of charcoal is far from enough to solve the warmth issue."
Yet even as they pondered this.
Crack!
Accompanied by the sound of a match being lit and then tossed.
Boom!
A burst of flame shot up.
The two women widened their eyes in shock, staring at the whole newly-opened box of solid alcohol blocks already ablaze.
"How extravagant!"