Chapter 570: Why hasn't he come back yet?

Three days later, Sa Dike said: "Everyone, we have already reached the border of the Kucha Kingdom."

Everyone looked around.

Everywhere was yellow sand and dirt; underfoot was a dirt road full of pebbles and cracked dry earth, the sun baking it so that heat rose straight up.

Ahead there was a slope, where a few sheep could be vaguely seen scattered on it.

Xiao Er asked: "Wasn't it said that the Kucha Kingdom is strong and prosperous? Why is it so desolate?"

Sa Dike replied: "This is the border of the Kucha Kingdom, the territory of nomadic tribes; you need to go forward a few more days before you can see a major town."

Lu Qi looked around and said: "Nomadic? Where's the grass? Without grass, what are we to herd?"

Sa Dike laughed: "In the Western Regions, the wind and sand are strong; the grass grows like this, sparse and clinging to the ground."

"At its longest, it's just enough to cover a horse's hoof."

"Moreover, it's patchy here and there; even the soil can't cover it. Look at those sheep—they take a couple bites and then walk a few steps to find the next patch of grass."

Everyone nodded, understanding.

Tuan Tuan leaned against the window: "The color here is about the same as in Xibei, all yellowish."

Xiao Ningxun's heart stirred, realizing his sister was homesick; he hurriedly pulled her away from the window: "Be good, sit properly."

"There's nothing to see here, no scenery; we'll look when we reach a lively place."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan sat in his arms, stretched out her little arms and wrapped them around his neck: "Third Brother, I miss Mom and Dad and Second Brother."

"Mm, I miss them too," Xiao Ningxun gently patted her back, "We'll head back as soon as we finish our business—very soon."

Xiao Ningyuan also sat down: "Tuan Tuan, why do you only think of your Second Brother? Isn't it good to have your Elder Brother with you?"

Tuan Tuan glanced at him: "But you're always here! Second Brother isn't here."

"Uh," Xiao Ningyuan gave a worried frown, "Then Tuan Tuan, if I hide for a few days, would you think of me too, okay?"

Tuan Tuan grabbed him: "No! I also want Elder Brother."

Xiao Ningyuan beamed: "That's right! Elder Brother is here!"

Xiao Ningxun gave his elder brother a sideways glance, as if to say, "There's no way you coax a little sister like that!"

Kang An sat opposite, his face full of envy.

Xue Tong glanced at him; this child was also pitiful—his parents were gone, and his clansmen didn't know where they were, leaving him with no relatives in sight.

He raised his hand and rubbed the boy's head: "Kid, you can try these days to speak a few more words."

Upon hearing this, Tuan Tuan was delighted: "Xiao An'an, that's great!"

"Ah—!" Suddenly, Sa Dike's startled cry came from outside the carriage: "Whoa—!"

The carriage stopped.

Everyone looked up and saw a man gallop his horse to the carriage, tumble off the mount, and rush straight to the front of the carriage.

The man's lips were chapped, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins: "Honored ones! Several honored ones! When you came this way, did you see two boys aged five or six?"

Xiao Ningxun frowned, lifted the carriage curtain: "No. What happened?"

Upon hearing that, the man suddenly seemed to lose all strength, collapsing to the ground, his voice hoarse: "The day before yesterday, they ran out to play, never expecting a sandstorm to suddenly strike."

"After the sandstorm passed, the people were gone."

"It's already been two days—two whole days!"

He lifted his head, tears mixed with the dirt on his face streaming down: "Those two children are the sons of our chief!"

"The chief was so anxious he hadn't slept for two days, and his wife has fainted from crying several times."

"We've searched for two days, scoured everywhere, and found nothing!"

Xiao Ningxun's heart tightened: "Two days?"

In such a desolate place, how long could two children survive?

Sa Dike sighed: "You go look elsewhere; we're still in a hurry to get moving, we can't be delayed."

The man's face fell: "Where else could we look? We've already searched every place we could!"

Tuan Tuan poked her small body out of the carriage window to look at the man: "Uncle, don't be anxious."

She turned back into the carriage: "Third Brother, shall we help him?"

Sa Dike, hearing this from outside the carriage, furrowed his brow: "Little girl, you'd better not meddle in other people's affairs."

"Even a grown man would hardly survive a sandstorm here, let alone two five- or six-year-old children."

"It's more likely that misfortune outweighs fortune."

"Besides, if by the time we arrive we can't make it, how will we explain ourselves to the Great King upon returning?"

Tuan Tuan puffed out her little lips: "Uncle, didn't you hear? Their child can't be found, and his parents are frantic."

"Helping out wouldn't take long, right? Xiao An'an?"

Kang An nodded: "Right, Tuan Tuan, everything's correct."

Sa Dike grew impatient: "They're locals who searched for two days and found nothing; how could a little kid like you possibly find them?"

"It would just be a waste of time."

Upon hearing that, Xiao Ningyuan's eyes widened, he popped out of the carriage window: "Sa Dike, my sister said she wants to help; we haven't even said anything yet, why are you talking so much?"

Xiao Ningxun nodded: "Right, Tuan Tuan can do whatever she wants; you needn't say more."

Xiao Er and Lu Qi furrowed their brows, rode their horses up to the carriage, and together stared coldly at Sa Dike.

Seeing this, Sa Dike dared not speak further, embarrassed he closed his mouth, yet intentionally muttered loudly: "How could we possibly find them!"

"We might as well hurry on—I'm still eager to get home!"

Tuan Tuan snorted, lowered her head, and pulled a small wooden token from the embroidered pouch at her waist.

After a moment's thought, she whispered: "Let Red Cloud know where those two children are!"

Having said that, she loosened her little hand; a faint light flashed, and the wooden token vanished.

The next moment, the Red Cloud beneath Lu Qi suddenly lifted its forehooves and neighed toward the sky.

Tuan Tuan poked her head out of the carriage window: "Uncle Qi, let Red Cloud run on its own; it knows where the person is!"

"Yes!"

Lu Qi without hesitation loosened the reins, and Red Cloud turned its head and galloped off diagonally backward.

Xiao Er spurred his horse to follow: "Brother Lu, I'm coming with you!"

Lu Qi shouted: "Good!"

The man stared blankly as the two ran off, then blankly asked: "That horse, does it really know?"

Xue Tong and Kang An widened their eyes.

"Disciple, what immortal technique is that?"

"Tuan Tuan! Immortal, female?"

Tuan Tuan looked at them, grinning: "I'm an Immortal Envoy, you forgot?"

"Immortal Envoy?"

Xiao Ningxun then realized that the two before him didn't know about this.

He hurriedly explained how Tuan Tuan had prayed for rain for the people and been appointed Immortal Envoy, in brief: "Tuan Tuan, she... yes, she is the disciple of the National Preceptor."

Xiao Ningyuan quickly interjected: "Exactly, so Tuan Tuan knows some divination techniques."

"Oh oh," Xue Tong then understood, and immediately felt proud: "No wonder he's my disciple!"

Kang An looked at Tuan Tuan with admiration: "Tuan Tuan, awesome!"

Tuan Tuan giggled.

The man, anxious, paced back and forth on the ground: "Why hasn't he come back yet?"

Sa Dike snorted, not believing at all: "If he can find his way back, I'll be damned!"