The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#143 - Friend of the people of Malasarhan

Chapter 143: A Friend to the People of Marasarkhan

As the sandstorm receded once more, Marasarkhan, the battered oasis town, finally caught a breath.

The residents who had survived the ordeal cautiously opened their doors and windows, peering out to ensure there was no further danger before emerging to embrace and comfort their relatives and friends.

Soon, however, they noticed something unusual.

This time, after the sandstorm, they heard no horrifying news of families being slaughtered.

Throughout the entire town, aside from one unlucky drunkard who had passed out in an alley and suffocated from the sand covering his mouth and nose, there were no casualties whatsoever.

This was the first time this had happened since the sandstorms began!

People discussed this miracle amongst themselves.

They soon realized it wasn't their imagination; others had also not heard the eerie rustling outside their doors and windows during this sandstorm.

However, some claimed to have heard a different sound.

It was the immense roar of metal clashing against metal, a sound that even the howling wind couldn't completely mask.

The ground trembled when the sound came!

Everyone had different theories about the source of this terrifying noise. Some believed that the prayers of the townspeople had finally worked, and the heavens had sent down divine punishment to eliminate the monsters in the sandstorm.

Others guessed that infighting had broken out among the monsters, and this was the sound of them killing each other.

Still others worried that this was an omen, and something even more terrible would happen soon.

… … … …

But soon, they learned the truth of it all: an Eastern swordsman named Lu Jing had risked his own life, plunging into the sandstorm to use himself as bait, attracting the monsters' attention and fighting them.

This was how he had protected the residents of Marasarkhan.

However, the swordsman named Lu Jing had disappeared after the fierce battle with the monsters.

Nada, the owner of the tailor shop, hoped to enlist everyone's help in finding Lu Jing, whether he was alive or dead.

At first, people were skeptical of this claim.

But soon, a respected elder in the town stood up to corroborate Nada's words. He said that his wife had gone to the tailor shop to buy clothes and hadn't been able to return in time when the sandstorm hit.

She had personally witnessed the monsters in the sandstorm, and just when she thought she was doomed, this Eastern swordsman named Lu Jing had stepped forward and saved her.

This swordsman named Lu Jing had single-handedly killed three monsters in the sandstorm.

Then, Yazdan, the second most important person in the town, publicly stated that Lu Jing was trying to investigate the sandstorm and resolve the crisis in Marasarkhan. Whether he succeeded in the end or not, he would always be a friend to the people of Marasarkhan.

Following that, even some people from the guard began to talk about Lu Jing's astonishing martial arts skills, such as being able to twist a scimitar into a Tianjin Ma Hua with his bare hands and leave fingerprints on the hard blade.

Those guards who had witnessed Lu Jing's actions were convinced that if anyone could save Marasarkhan, it would undoubtedly be Lu Jing.

As a result, the town was completely stirred up this time, and everyone, young and old, men and women, went out, not even bothering to sleep.

Whether out of gratitude for Lu Jing's selflessness or in the hope that Lu Jing could truly save Marasarkhan in the future, everyone wanted to find this Eastern swordsman.

… … … …

This was the scene Lu Jing saw when he returned.

After obtaining the black pebble, he had hung around behind the armored warriors for a while, trying to see if he could follow them to the ancient tomb depicted in the murals.

As a result, he chased them for about ten li, arriving at a small sand dune.

There, he saw the armored warriors lining up and entering the sand dune. The leading general even turned back to look at Lu Jing before jumping in.

It was as if he was saying, "Surprised, aren't you? We're taking the subway. Come down if you dare."

Lu Jing didn't dare, so he could only stop helplessly.

His internal energy was powerful, and he could circulate it to his mouth and nose to prevent sand from entering, but if he really burrowed into the sand dune, he would only be able to hold his breath.

Moreover, holding his breath was one thing. Lu Jing could now hold his breath for the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, but the problem was that once he burrowed into the sand, his movement speed and agility would definitely be greatly reduced.

When he reached the town gate, he saw a group of people in the distance, not sleeping at night, holding lanterns or oil lamps, and shouting something in unison.

Because their Chinese was too poor, Lu Jing couldn't quite make out what they were saying at first. It wasn't until he got closer that he realized they seemed to be shouting the words "Great Hero Lu."

"Are they looking for me?"

Lu Jing was a little confused, wondering what had happened in the town during his absence and why so many people had come out to look for him.

Moreover, some of them had sorrowful expressions on their faces, even suppressing tears. If you didn't know they were looking for someone, you would think they were summoning Lu Jing's soul.

But when they saw Lu Jing's figure appear.

The people outside the town were stunned at first, and then burst into cheers that soared into the sky!

Lu Jing was completely dumbfounded. In his memory, he had only seen such a scene when Beijing won the bid to host the 2001 Olympics.

Then, he saw those people rushing towards him together, calling out to their friends and companions as they ran. Before long, the crowd had surrounded Lu Jing.

At this time, the trouble of not being able to communicate in the same language became apparent. The female shopkeeper wasn't there, and Lu Jing didn't know what these people were saying all at once.

But he could still tell that these people had no malice.

Not only did they have no malice, but they were also incredibly enthusiastic.

Worried that Lu Jing was thirsty after the great battle, someone brought drinkable water. Worried that Lu Jing was tired from protecting Marasarkhan, someone offered steaming pilaf. There was even a doctor-like person with herbs, coming to examine the hero's body.

Before long, Lu Jing's hands were full of things. Seeing that he couldn't hold anymore, someone thoughtfully led a camel over, so that others could put the gifts prepared for the hero on the camel. Then, they hoisted Lu Jing onto the camel as well.

A group of people marched towards the town together, in a mighty procession.

As this long line moved, more and more people joined in.

The lights gathered together, and from a distance, it really looked like a long fire dragon.