Free Web NovelChapter 573: Chapter 573: Tracking the Enemy (Part 2)
Zhang Yuan withdrew the Red-eyed Crow.
It wasn’t because he was afraid of the two eagles that had just appeared— the Red-eyed Crow could easily defeat them in battle.
The main reason was that the three eagles that appeared one after another were clearly not wild raptors, but artificially trained and controlled animals.
Zhang Yuan suspected that the one controlling these eagles might just be the target he was searching for!
Of course, it might not be such a coincidence, but to avoid alerting the enemy, he let the Red-eyed Crow fly far away and then stored it back in the Divine Nest.
For the time being, Zhang Yuan decided not to use the Red-eyed Crow to continue reconnaissance over Crescent Oasis.
At least not during the day, as it could easily catch the attention of anyone with ill intent.
He rode his old horse at a leisurely pace toward the oasis ahead.
As Zhang Yuan approached the oasis, several knights suddenly rushed out of the woods and swiftly blocked his path.
These knights, clad in worn leather armor, with dark skin and rough appearances, looked quite formidable and imposing.
One of them shouted in a deep voice, "Outlander, where did you come from? What do you want here?"
Zhang Yuan pulled back the reins and calmly replied, "I came from Hekou Market to buy some necessary items here."
The knight coldly scrutinized Zhang Yuan for a moment, then said, "Crescent Oasis welcomes all friends, but you must abide by the rules here, do you understand?"
Zhang Yuan nodded.
"Very well."
The knight tossed a wooden token to Zhang Yuan. "Ten taels of silver."
Zhang Yuan caught it with a quick hand and found it was something like an identity token.
Presumably a pass to enter and leave the oasis.
This was quite different from Hekou Market, Crescent Oasis was clearly controlled by one or more powers.
Its management was much stricter.
Zhang Yuan didn’t haggle, he simply took out a silver ingot from his pocket and tossed it back.
The knight caught it, weighed it in his hand, and smiled with satisfaction. "Not bad, you know the rules. Remember to hang the token on you, and once you’re inside, inquire about our rules here."
"It’s only for your benefit!"
He whistled and called his two companions to turn around and leave.
In the blink of an eye, they disappeared from Zhang Yuan’s view.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yuan keenly sensed that one gaze on him had disappeared.
Apart from the three knights who openly questioned him, someone else was secretly watching him.
Moreover, this person’s cultivation strength was far above the three knights.
This showed how extraordinary Crescent Oasis was!
Zhang Yuan urged his horse forward, slowly entering this mysterious place along a well-trodden path.
The deeper he went into the oasis, the less greenery there was, while more strange buildings appeared.
For Zhang Yuan, a visitor from afar, whether it was passerby or local residents sitting at doorsteps, they all eyed him with indifference and caution.
Interestingly, throughout his journey in the oasis, Zhang Yuan didn’t see a single beggar or vagrant.
Moreover, the number of the elderly, women, and children was exceedingly low, or perhaps he could count them on one hand!
Everywhere he looked, there were fierce and strong individuals with unfriendly gazes.
It wasn’t until he reached the bustling open-air market by the Central Lake that the atmosphere changed.
Here, the crowd was lively, and things seemed more normal.
Yet within this crowd, there were various peculiar smells mixed in.
For instance, the odor of animal excrement, the scent of scorched wood, the stench of something decaying, and the smell of human sweat...
These scents combined with the noisy sounds, creating a unique ambiance in the oasis market.
Standing amidst it all, Zhang Yuan felt a bit bewildered, unsure of where to go.
Fortunately, his adaptability was strong, and in no time he adjusted his senses to blend into the atmosphere, preventing himself from appearing out of place.
Beside the market, numerous thatched huts and wooden houses served as taverns, restaurants, and teahouses, as well as stores resembling general stores.
Zhang Yuan chose the busiest one, tied his horse to a nearby post, and went in to find a seat.
He ordered some food and drink and carefully listened to the conversations of the patrons.
He did gain some valuable information.
The most important thing he learned was that two days later, the oasis would host its monthly Crescent Auction, where special treasures were rumored to appear for bidding by those destined for them.
Hearing this, Zhang Yuan felt a stir in his heart.
So far, he hadn’t found any trace of the Desert Wind Army or the Cyan Wolf Camp.
The latter was likely hidden within this oasis.
But without a reliable source of intelligence, Zhang Yuan couldn’t just wander aimlessly like a headless fly.
He remembered the most important task Wu Ziyu from the Wu Family entrusted him with was to recover the stolen seven-leaf reishi.
Zhang Yuan specifically asked about it, learning that this reishi was a rare celestial herb.
As for why it was being sent to the Western Regions, Wu Ziyu refused to disclose.
The reason seemed significant.
Now, with the auction about to take place in the oasis, could it be that this seven-leaf reishi might be up for auction?
If it were, Zhang Yuan could potentially follow the clues to track down the culprits!
Feeling he heard enough, he left the tavern and found a nearby inn to stay at.
Once settled, Zhang Yuan returned to the market.
He wandered around, familiarizing himself with the surroundings in case of future needs.
In the open-air market, there were many stalls selling a plethora of bizarre items, including herbs, ores, weapons, antiques, ingredients, and more.
The variety left the newcomer Zhang Yuan quite amazed!
Suddenly, something from a stall caught Zhang Yuan’s eye.
This stall displayed items like vine roots and animal bones, among which a dark red dry grass stood out to Zhang Yuan.
Qilin Grass!
He was very familiar with this spiritual material and recognized it with just a glance.
So he asked the stall owner, "How much for this herb?"
The stall owner, a skinny middle-aged man, blinked at Zhang Yuan’s inquiry and then held up his hand, wiggling his fingers.
Zhang Yuan frowned, "Five hundred taels of silver?"
The middle-aged man chuckled, revealing a mouthful of yellow, uneven teeth. "Fifty thousand taels!"
What the...!
Zhang Yuan was speechless.
This Qilin Grass was only a few decades old and hadn’t been processed well. Despite his low offer of five hundred taels of silver, it wasn’t drastically underpriced.
The other party asked for a hundred times more, clearly treating him like a fat sheep to fleece!
Feeling disinterested, Zhang Yuan shook his head. "Forget it, I can’t afford it."
"Wait!"
Just as he was about to turn and leave, the stall owner called after him, "You haven’t paid yet!"
