After much thought, Zhao Changhe decided to go to the Yellow Sand Market.

If this caravan had just left the target tribe, then there was a possibility of finding out about the missing team from them, which was more likely than going to the heavily guarded tribal headquarters.

Based on the conversation with Cui Yuanyong and these people, the Yellow Sand Market should be the central trading place for all tribes. If there was a core point on the grassland, this was it. Zhao Changhe also felt that his luck was strange. Since he had already deviated to the north, it was better to continue northward. His intuition was more favorable.

As for these people... Zhao Changhe looked coldly at the end of their team and thought to himself that even if he couldn't accomplish anything else this time, killing these people would still be a great achievement. Or perhaps collecting evidence and submitting it to Tang Wanzhuang? He didn't know what she could do.

After thinking for a while, he applied some ointment to his face to cover the scars and turned into a yellow-faced man.

Looking down at the horse again, he hadn't taken the time to properly wash the horse during these days of heading straight to Yanmen. The black horse's fur had turned gray, and the hooves were no longer white. It was a natural disguise.

He intentionally waited a while longer, until he had been away from this caravan for a longer time, before riding his horse in the direction of the Yellow Sand Market.

Alone, in a caravan of a thousand people, it was better not to try to sneak in and risk death. Not everyone you meet on the road will be willing to travel with you. If you directly attempt to rob and kill people, you won't even know how you'll die. It's better to head straight to the Yellow Sand Market. Zhao Changhe didn't believe that the Demon Suppression Division wouldn't have someone responsible for sending intelligence to Huangfu Yong.

............

The Yellow Sand Market was in the far northwest, and it took two full days of riding alone to see it from a distance. Zhao Changhe felt that he had probably already surpassed that caravan.

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These two days were quite torturous. Apart from encountering the caravan that night, he didn't even see a single dog. It was all endless grassland, as if sailing alone in the sea. At first, it was vast, but after a long time, it became lonely and oppressive, making people feel like they were going crazy and wanting to shout.

After walking for a long time, the scenery changed slightly, but it was nothing more than the grass turning yellow and becoming scarcer. It gradually turned into intermingled yellow sand, which made it even more uncomfortable. It was better to look at the grass. The black horse was also uncomfortable and hadn't eaten anything, so it was in a bad mood.

It seemed that Cui Yuanyong's judgment was quite accurate. Zhao Changhe, who seemed to be a lone traveler, was not actually used to being alone. It was extremely uncomfortable to be alone on horseback in the grassland without anyone to talk to, while Yue Hongling and Han Wubing probably didn't care.

They were the type who didn't need to talk to anyone and could live well on their own. But Zhao Changhe couldn't. He was so moved to see signs of human habitation from a distance that he was almost in tears.

This was a very strange place. Clearly, it was outside the depths of the grassland and was already in the yellow sand, but there was a clear spring in the sand, which reminded Zhao Changhe of the Crescent Spring in the Mingsha Mountain. However, this was not the location of the Crescent Spring, and the geographical location didn't match. He didn't know if this place existed in the modern world or if it was a unique geographical feature of this world.

In any case, although there was a water source, the environment was harsh and not very suitable for the reproduction and grazing of tribes. However, it was quite suitable as a temporary resting place, and over time, it evolved into a market where various tribes came to trade, managed by the Ironwood Army, which collected taxes. Many merchants were often stationed here, especially those who ran inns and restaurants, making it very lively.

The market naturally didn't have any city walls. Zhao Changhe didn't know where the army was stationed, but he saw many caravans stopping outside, with people moving goods inside.

As soon as he entered the dusty place, he saw a sign with wine flags, and following it, he saw a sign that said "Inn Available."

Zhao Changhe felt as if he had found home and led his horse inside.

What was extremely expected in a martial arts world was that there was indeed a charming and graceful lady boss in the inn, with a low-cut top that revealed deep cleavage and swayed as she walked, making the men who had just come out of the grassland and desert dizzy.

Why call it "Inn Available"? It would be so much better to call it "Dragon Gate Inn"!

Uh, it seems like it's fully booked?

"Boss lady, why does this mare's milk wine have a hint of seduction?" a guest called out.

The room burst into laughter. "San Niang's brewed wine naturally has a seductive taste. We only have this kind of seductive taste. If it's not seductive, we won't drink it!"

The guest laughed, "My barrel is especially seductive."

The lady boss was not angry and smiled, "I peed in that barrel when I was brewing the wine, yes, it's your barrel."

Everyone burst into laughter, "Why is he being rewarded? Why don't we have any?"

The lady boss's eyes flowed, "I'll reward you with foot-washing water."

The previous guest said, "I see that this wine isn't human urine, it's horse urine. Boss lady, add some of your own water to compensate?"

The people who had been joking around suddenly fell silent and looked at the man as if he were a miracle.

Everyone was just joking around, are you serious?

Are you flirting with San Niang in the Yellow Sand Market?

Zhao Changhe looked at the table of guests, who were four big, bearded men with slightly curly beards, high noses, and deep-set eyes, and their Chinese was not very standard, so they were probably guests from the Western Regions.

San Niang's smile didn't change, "Oh, if I don't have water, what will the guests do? Not pay?"

The man said, "If the landlady is willing to give us some juice, then there's money to be made, a lot of it!"

"Then I'll give it to you," San Niang sashayed over, sidling up to the burly man. She lifted a cup of wine from the table, pretending to feed him.

The burly man's eyes gleamed with anticipation, but suddenly, he froze.

With a "ding," the wine cup was crushed, a shard flying out and piercing straight into his throat, killing him instantly.

His three companions finally reacted, rising to draw their swords, but before they could unsheathe them, shards of the wine cup scattered, slicing precisely at each person's throat.

In an instant, all the guests at the table were dead.

As if nothing had happened, the landlady continued with a smile, "Someone, take their belongings and throw the bodies outside for the dogs."

A few waiters scurried over to clean up. The other patrons glanced over and then looked away, as if the bloody murder was no more than the killing of a few dogs.

Zhao Changhe recalled what Cui Yuanyong had said about the place being more chaotic than Jianhu City. Of course, it was. Jianhu City, after all, was still under some semblance of civilized order, whereas this place was pure chaos. Perhaps the various factions here still had some mutual restraint, but a foreigner who dared to act recklessly here would not even know how they died.

These four brash guests were clearly not thinking straight, driven by lust without regard for their lives. A flirtatious and charming landlady who dared to show her face in such a place without being played with like a rag doll must either possess extraordinary strength or have the backing of an extremely powerful force. Only someone with a death wish would dare to provoke her.

Zhao Changhe felt that this woman had at least the strength of the Ren List, and possibly even the Di List, but he couldn't match her with any name from the Chaos Chronicles known as San Niang. Moreover, he sensed she must be from the Central Plains. Could a person from the Central Plains really thrive in such a place? During this time of war, what was Tie Muer's stance on this?

Someone, seemingly unafraid of death, continued to ask, "San Niang, you've been keeping everyone in suspense for many years. Aren't you worried about losing your charm as you age? When will you show some real affection?"

"When you ascend to heaven," San Niang replied with a laugh, not taking the flirtation seriously.

Ascend to heaven—whether that meant to die or that only those on the Tian List were worthy of her attention, she answered casually. Her gaze had already fallen on Zhao Changhe, who had been standing at the entrance watching the scene with his horse for a while.

She swayed her slender waist and smiled coquettishly, "We didn't have any seats available earlier, and I apologize for not being able to serve you... but now a spot has just opened up. Would you like to come in for a few drinks? We have warm mare's milk wine."

Zhao Changhe also smiled, "But I don't drink anything frivolous."

San Niang blinked, "Pure? How about Jiangnan osmanthus wine?"

"Yes." Zhao Changhe handed the reins to a waiter, "Does San Niang's place offer lodging, or is it just for dining?"

"Of course, we offer lodging. Would you like to stay?"

"Definitely. I have a feeling that San Niang's place is particularly safe."

San Niang laughed, "You have a good eye."

She looked Zhao Changhe up and down, puzzled as to how a lone traveler had appeared here, apparently without any goods.

Looking at the broadsword on his back, she couldn't recognize any particular significance. In these parts, the main weapons were curved sabers and heavy broadswords, which were commonplace.

As Zhao Changhe took his seat, San Niang personally brought him wine and casually said with a smile, "Not only do we offer lodging, but we also have a gambling den. Would you like to try your hand?"

Zhao Changhe was perusing the menu when he heard this, and a thought struck him. He asked, "This gambling den of yours... can you win?"

San Niang's expression remained unchanged, and she chuckled, "Who goes to a gambling den not hoping to win?"