Chapter 737 - Sapphires Welcome Gift (1/2)

Shao Xuan and his entourage ran across the desert, following the flying insect.

It was a hardy one, only resting at night, licking the wax-like substance in the oval ball whenever hungry. Shao Xuan also fed it some water. Being an insect, it did not consume much anyway.

Shao Xuan also sensed Sapphire’s presence while following the insect. He planned to look for the people first as it was the most pressing task. Then he would look for Sapphire. Their consciousness were connected anyway, Sapphire being his first slave. Knowing that Sapphire had awakened, Shao Xuan let it be for the moment. It would come if it wished.

Right now, Shao Xuan could feel Sapphire approaching and coincidentally will pass through their route. If they continued to travel in the same direction, they should meet eventually.

They rested in a spot with boulders, drank some water, refreshed themselves and then continued on their journey.

“We still haven’t met the monsters.” Tuo scanned their surroundings. Their vision was distorted from the hot desert air.

They did not sense anyone or any dangerous beasts around. Opening a flask and downing some water, he noticed something beneath his foot and pushed some sand aside, revealing white bones.

This was too common, they often tripped over white bones along the way, some human while others animal. Must have been recent deaths or their bones would not remain.

The scratches on the bones meant it was killed by something sharp. Not beast claws or teeth, more like human weapons.

“Other than the monsters from Rock Hill City, there are also sand robbers here. Keep vigilant,” said Shao Xuan.

“Ah Xuan, do you think those Gongjia people are still alive?” asked Lei. Conditions were harsh here. Would all ten people survive their journey across the desert?

“They’re definitely alive. If they had been eaten or killed, their bodies would never be left behind in a place like this. And the insect would stop flying.” Gongjia Heng had written about this in the scroll. If the flying insect stopped or started to pace around without travelling forward, they should stop searching because it meant they were out of luck.

“I see. That’s great, the people we’re looking for are still alive,” smiled Lei. He did not want this trip to be a waste. All he had seen so far were bones.

As they spoke, they noticed Shao Xuan looking in a direction. Tuo asked, “Ah Xuan, you sense something?”

He shook his head. “Just Sapphire. It’s travelling in our direction right now, we should meet it soon.”

“Sapphire? It’s here?!” Tuo and Lei looked around. They still remembered the beetle Shao Xuan reared, it was tiny when they first saw it, small enough to be squashed by a finger. The next time Shao Xuan brought Zheng Luo and the rest over, Sapphire was already taller than a man.

“It’s been a long time, I wonder if it grew any more,” said Lei.

“It must have grown a little.” Based on past experience, Sapphire grew larger every time a lock was unlocked. The fourth lock had been opened now, so Shao Xuan knew it must be larger.

Some of them had never seen Sapphire and only heard stories. All they remembered was that this beetle could trigger a sea of insects and it was as terrifying as a sandstorm.

They looked forward to seeing a sea of insects.

The group continued to hurry along their journey. On the second afternoon, Shao Xuan stopped abruptly and stared ahead.

Ta and the rest shielded their eyes from the sun and looked ahead.

Something was approaching.

It wasn’t human, it was an animal.

Ta was about to warn them when Shao Xuan waved a hand. “It’s Sapphire.”

Sapphire?

Tuo looked in front and finally saw a large ball appearing on a sand dune in front.

Yep, a ball made of sand. There was also something inside.

After the peak of the dune, the ball rolled down the slope.

“Move!” Everyone made way for the ball to roll past them.

Everyone could feel its mass from the breeze that came with the rolling ten-metre-tall ball.

Their eyes did not linger on the ball for long because a blue silhouette was approaching quickly behind it.

Lei’s jaw dropped, pointing at the approaching beetle. “Sapph… THAT’S the beetle?!”

“Yep,” nodded Shao Xuan.

“This is what you meant by ‘a little’?!” Lei looked at the giant beetle larger than his house, now ten strides away from himself. “How could this be?! What has it been eating?!”