Hoa Van Town

The next morning, just as the sun rose above the horizon, pale golden light spread across the temporary settlement in the oasis.

Inside the central tent, Hao Nhien sat beside a small fire that had nearly burned itself out. Before him, a patch of sand had been flattened into a makeshift planning board. A few simple lines marked the tent areas, water storage, the location of the wounded, and the different groups currently living together. He held a sharpened wooden stick in one hand, occasionally adding another mark to the rough diagram.

Footsteps sounded outside the tent.

Luu Thanh lifted the curtain and entered with five people behind him. All of them were Fire Qilin clansmen who had spent many years scattered across the Western Wastes. Their skin was darkened by the sun and their cloaks were still covered in desert dust, but there was a toughness in their eyes and bearing that belonged to people who had wandered far from home for years without ever allowing the flame of their tribe to completely die.

The moment they saw Hao Nhien, all five dropped to one knee.

“Greetings, Clan Head!”

Hao Nhien set down the wooden stick and rose.

“Stand. I did not call you here today for ceremony.”

The five stood one after another, though their attitudes remained respectful.

Luu Thanh stepped to the side.

“Clan Head, these are the five people I selected from the Fire Qilin clansmen here. All of them are familiar with traveling through the Western Wastes, and during their years of wandering, each handled different responsibilities.”

He introduced the first man, who appeared to be around forty. He was somewhat thin, but his eyes were quick and alert.

“Khuong Van. He once helped prepare tribal rites and kept part of the maps of our old routes. He still remembers many of the codes, shelters, and signs Fire Qilin clansmen used to leave behind.”

Khuong Van cupped his hands.

“I still remember most of the routes around the Dragonmist Thorn Forest. Some of the old shelters may have been abandoned, but the tribe's identifying signs would not have changed easily.”

Luu Thanh turned toward the youngest of the group.

“Tan Liet handled reconnaissance during our recent journey. He is good at reading wind direction, footprints, wheel tracks, and estimating how long ago a caravan passed through.”

Tan Liet merely bowed his head toward Hao Nhien without adding anything.

The next two were Mac Phong and Tu Minh. Mac Phong had thick, powerful arms and an old long saber strapped across his back. He had once trained the hunting party of a scattered Fire Qilin branch and was experienced in protecting formations that included the elderly and children. Tu Minh was slightly shorter than the others, with several leather pouches and a small bone abacus hanging from his waist. During the journey out of Heavenly Eye Forward City, he had handled most of the accounting for water, dry rations, and transportation.

The final man was an elderly cultivator whose hair had already turned half gray. He was tall, with the steady aura of early Foundation Establishment. His cultivation was far from the strongest among the Foundation Establishment cultivators Hao Nhien had met, but the way the other four naturally gave him half a step of space was enough to show that his authority did not come from cultivation alone.

Luu Thanh said,

“Do Son. He once led one of the tribe's larger hunting parties. During the journey out of Forward City, there were several times when he voluntarily stayed at the rear to keep the formation together. Of these five, he is the one people trust most.”

Hao Nhien studied Do Son for a moment before asking,

“Do you all understand the mission?”

Do Son answered,

“We do. We are to find the group led by Lanh Hoa and work with Tam Thành's people to bring them into a safe area. There are elderly people, children, and wounded among them, so they cannot move quickly, and their current route must remain secret.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“If you encounter a Heavenly Eye unit of roughly equal strength along the way, what do you do?”

Do Son barely needed to think.

“Avoid them if possible. If we cannot, the combat group delays them briefly while the Fire Qilin members lead the civilians away by another route. The objective is not how many enemies we kill. It is preventing the group from being dragged into battle.”

Hao Nhien continued,

“What if a supply wagon gets stuck while the enemy is approaching?”

“Abandon it.”

“What if someone refuses to leave their possessions behind?”

Do Son's voice became slightly heavier.

“Force them to move. Lost property can be recovered. A lost life cannot.”

Hao Nhien looked at him and asked one final question.

“If Lanh Hoa believes the group should continue along the original route, but Tam Thành's escort discovers signs of an ambush ahead, who makes the decision?”

This time, Do Son was silent a little longer.

“Authority must be clearly divided before departure. If we wait until something happens to argue about it, it will already be too late. The Fire Qilin side will be responsible for identifying clansmen, codes, and the actual condition of the group. Tam Thành's people understand enemy patrol routes, enemy strength, and coordinated combat better than we do. If immediate danger appears, the escort commander decides how to withdraw from the area. If we need to change the destination, divide the group, or alter the entire route, then Lanh Hoa, the Tam Thành commander, and I will decide together.”

Hao Nhien watched him for a few more breaths before turning to the other four.

“Who do you think should lead this group?”

Khuong Van answered first.

“Do Son.”

Tan Liet and Mac Phong nodded at the same time. Tu Minh added,

“He is not the strongest man we have ever met, but during the worst days of water shortage after leaving Forward City, he was always the last one to drink.”

Do Son looked at the others without showing any pride. He simply cupped his hands toward Hao Nhien.

“If the Clan Head trusts me, this old man will accept the responsibility.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“Then from today onward, you will lead these five. On the Fire Qilin side, you will bear primary responsibility for this mission.”

Do Son dropped to one knee again.

“Since the Clan Head has placed his trust in me, I will do everything I can.”

Hao Nhien reached out and helped him to his feet, then looked at all five of them.

“Remember this clearly. Your mission is not to fight or win glory. Keep your movements hidden, find Lanh Hoa's group, coordinate with Tam Thành's escort, and bring the survivors back safely. If a battle can be avoided, avoid it. If supplies must be abandoned to save people, abandon the supplies.”

The five cupped their hands together.

“We obey the Clan Head.”

Not long afterward, Hao Nhien left the temporary settlement with Luu Thanh and the five Fire Qilin clansmen, heading toward the forward camp.

None of the five could ride flying swords, so the group used desert mounts and several low-altitude flying artifacts. Their speed could not compare with Hao Nhien traveling alone, but it was enough to cross difficult terrain without exhausting too much strength.

The morning desert wind was still fierce. Thin sheets of sand repeatedly swept across their cloaks, but everyone in the group was already accustomed to it. Nearly half a day later, the walls of the forward camp finally appeared ahead.

The guards recognized Hao Nhien from a distance. After checking those traveling with him, they quickly opened the gate.

“Greetings, Fellow Cultivator Hao.”

Hao Nhien nodded in return and led the group directly to the central meeting room.

Lieu Thien Van was already waiting beside a large table covered by a map of the Western Wastes. Hot tea, dried meat, and several wooden route markers had been placed nearby. When Hao Nhien entered, Lieu Thien Van's gaze passed over the five Fire Qilin clansmen and finally settled on Do Son.

“You chose your people?”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“This is the group responsible for making contact with Lanh Hoa's people. Do Son will lead them. I would like you to provide additional personnel experienced in both combat and survival in the Western Wastes, along with water, food, medicine, transportation, and a secure method of communication.”

Lieu Thien Van did not waste time.

“I prepared everything last night.”

He pointed to a route on the map.

“There are twenty elite riders who have been stationed in the Western Wastes for years. They know how to find water, recognize sinking sand, and identify some signs of an ambush. To avoid drawing attention, the entire unit will disguise themselves as a desert caravan. Their wagons will appear to be carrying sandstone, medicinal herbs, and beast hides, while the water, dry rations, and medicine will be concealed underneath.”

He looked toward Do Son.

“The Fire Qilin side will be responsible for locating and identifying Lanh Hoa's group. My people will scout ahead, provide protection, and maintain communication. If immediate danger occurs on the road, the escort commander has the authority to order a withdrawal from the area. Any larger change must be discussed with you and Lanh Hoa.”

Do Son cupped his hands.

“This old man understands.”

Lieu Thien Van turned toward the entrance.

“Bring in the escort.”

Before long, twenty men entered the courtyard one after another. All of them wore the loose robes of desert merchants, with hoods covering nearly half their faces. Even their weapons were concealed beneath the cargo. Their commander was a bearded middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a remarkably steady demeanor.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from NovelPhoenix. Please report it.

He cupped his hands toward Lieu Thien Van.

“The wagons, water, and supplies are ready. If there are no further changes, we can depart within a quarter of an hour.”

Lieu Thien Van looked toward Hao Nhien.

Hao Nhien stepped forward and placed a hand on Do Son's shoulder.

“Go. Be careful with every step. Finding the people matters more than arriving quickly.”

Do Son and the other four Fire Qilin clansmen bowed deeply.

“Clan Head, take care.”

The group soon left the camp. The cries of desert mounts, the rumble of wagon wheels, and the voices of men tightening cargo ropes gradually faded beyond the gates until they disappeared into the wind.

Lieu Thien Van watched for a while before turning back.

“I still remember the first time you told me you had no interest in becoming Clan Head.”

Hao Nhien gave a slightly awkward smile.

“I am still not sure I enjoy it.”

Lieu Thien Van laughed.

“But you are doing it.”

Hao Nhien looked toward the camp gate.

“At first, I simply had no other choice. But after coming this far, I can no longer treat them as outsiders.”

Lieu Thien Van said nothing more. He only nodded and returned with Hao Nhien to the table.

After pouring more tea, Hao Nhien asked,

“Brother Lieu, have you ever heard of the Heavenly Spirit Auction House?”

Lieu Thien Van frowned slightly.

He thought for quite a while before shaking his head.

“Not the Heavenly Spirit Auction House. But there is a very large merchant organization in the Eastern Plains called the Mystic Spirit Auction House. Some of its lower-level branches use the name Yellow Spirit Auction House.”

Lieu Thien Van lightly tapped the table with one finger.

“If their names truly follow the Heaven, Earth, Mystic, Yellow hierarchy, then there may be an Earth Spirit Auction House above Mystic Spirit, and perhaps even a Heavenly Spirit Auction House above that. But this is only my speculation. I have never seen any record confirming it.”

Hao Nhien's eyes shifted slightly.

He remembered the Yellow Spirit Auction House on the outskirts of Thanh Van City, remembered Lam Tuyet, the ancient bow, and the black arrow he had obtained from the ruins beneath the desert.

If those names truly belonged to the same system, then the scale of that organization might be far greater than he had once imagined.

But this was not the time to investigate further.

Hao Nhien committed the matter to memory and turned his attention back to the map.

“There is another matter. The Sand Thunder Tribe.”

Lieu Thien Van's expression became more serious.

“Go on.”

“Sand Thunder is the Fire Qilin Tribe's first ally. They have courage and sincerity, but their current strength is too small compared with Heavenly Eye or Sandwood. Their position is also fixed in the middle of the Western Wastes. If their water sources or routes are blocked, they will have difficulty defending themselves for long.”

Lieu Thien Van nodded.

“Sand Thunder has tradition and capable fighters, but no real rear support.”

Hao Nhien placed a hand over the location of Sand Thunder on the map.

“I want Tam Thành to send people to establish contact with them. There is no need to build a base or station a large force there. A communication post and a discreet supply route would be enough. If something happens to Sand Thunder, we can learn of it early. Later, if other tribes join the information-sharing network, that place could become one of the first relay points.”

He paused before continuing.

“More importantly, those who agree to work with us need to know that they will not be abandoned the moment danger comes.”

Lieu Thien Van stared at the location for a long time.

“That can be done.”

He traced a line with his fingertip from the forward camp toward Sand Thunder territory.

“I will send Deputy Commander Luu Phong ahead. In about three days, he can take a small group to meet Cat Thanh. For now, they will only establish a communication post and survey the route and nearby water sources. If the location is suitable, they can set up sound transmission talismans and a temporary communication formation. Anything larger should wait until the relationship between both sides becomes more stable.”

He looked at Hao Nhien.

“Does the Fire Qilin side want to send someone with them?”

“Yes. I want Luu Thanh to go. He is already familiar with Sand Thunder and can speak with them more easily. If possible, send a formation master as well to evaluate where the post should be placed.”

Lieu Thien Van nodded.

“Very well. I will arrange it.”

Hao Nhien studied the map for a while longer before moving on to the heavier issue.

“Brother Lieu, there is one more thing. Saving people is only the first step. Once they have been rescued, we still have to keep them alive.”

Lieu Thien Van looked at him.

Hao Nhien continued,

“There are already seven hundred and twelve people at the temporary settlement. Lanh Hoa's Fire Qilin group still has more than a hundred people on the way. If the network between the tribes truly begins to take shape, the number of people seeking shelter could soon exceed a thousand, perhaps much more.”

He pointed to the area around the camp.

“They come from different tribes and different professions. There are elderly people, children, and wounded among them. We cannot rely forever on supplies distributed by Tam Thành or the goodwill of a few tribes. I can speak to them about choice and hope, but neither of those can replace food.”

Lieu Thien Van set down his teacup.

“That is the real difficulty.”

He looked toward the eastern side of the map.

“Tam Thành can hold the border because the entire Eastern Plains stands behind it. Food, pills, weapons, and talismans all arrive through established supply lines. But the people gathering in the Western Wastes have no true rear base.”

Hao Nhien fell silent.

On the beast-hide map, Tam Thành's forward camp looked like a nail driven into the eastern edge of the Western Wastes. Behind it lay the Eastern Plains with its cities, farmland, and trade routes established over many years. Ahead stretched a sea of sand, scattered tribes, Heavenly Eye, dead lands, and countless dangers that had yet to reveal themselves.

After a while, Hao Nhien cupped his hands.

“Brother Lieu, I have an idea. It is still rough, but if it works, it could solve more than the immediate problem of these seven hundred people.”

Lieu Thien Van raised an eyebrow.

“Let me hear it.”

Hao Nhien walked to the map and pointed to a region behind the forward camp, slightly to the southeast.

“Here.”

Lieu Thien Van followed his finger.

“I want to build Hoa Van Town here.”

This time, he did not answer immediately.

Hao Nhien continued.

“Not another fortress with nothing but walls and soldiers. If we simply build another military camp, then in the end we will still have to keep pouring resources from the Eastern Plains into it just to maintain the border. I want Hoa Van Town to become a real settlement, a place capable of producing part of its own food, raising livestock, conducting trade, repairing tools, training people, and gradually becoming a place where people from both the Eastern Plains and the Western Wastes can live together.”

Lieu Thien Van did not interrupt.

Hao Nhien used the small wooden stick on the table to draw a circle around the location.

“The first problem is still water and food. The Western Wastes lack water, but not every part of the desert is completely unsuitable for cultivation. If we can find usable underground water, then combine wells with water-gathering formations and small moisture-retaining formations, we can expand the cultivable land around an oasis piece by piece instead of trying to turn the entire desert into farmland.”

He thought for a moment before continuing.

“The tribes that have lived here for generations must know drought-resistant crops better than we do. The Eastern Plains, on the other hand, have more varieties of vegetables and staple crops, along with more stable farming experience. We can try combining the knowledge of both sides.”

Lieu Thien Van asked,

“But water will still be the limit.”

“Which means we need to use it differently.”

Hao Nhien drew several thin lines in the sand from an imaginary reservoir toward individual plants.

“In my homeland, there is a method of irrigation where water is not allowed to flood the entire field. Instead, it is carried along small channels close to the roots and released little by little. It takes more effort to set up, but it saves a great deal of water.”

Lieu Thien Van studied the drawing.

“Little by little?”

“Yes. The goal is not to soak all the soil. It is to deliver water exactly where the plant needs it.”

Lieu Thien Van considered it for a while.

“We could test it on a small area first.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“That is what I was thinking. We cannot build an entire town around an idea just because it sounds good. We should start with a few experimental plots and see how the soil, water, and crops respond. If it works, then we expand.”

He moved the wooden stick to another section.

“Livestock should be handled the same way. The people of the Western Wastes have desert mounts, pack beasts, and many kinds of livestock adapted to heat. There is no need to use formations to completely replace natural conditions. We only need shade, stable water, clean enclosures, and some formation support when the weather becomes too extreme. The actual knowledge of raising them still has to come from the people who have lived with these animals for years.”

Lieu Thien Van was beginning to understand where he was going.

“You want Hoa Van Town to feed at least part of its own population.”

“Not immediately.”

Hao Nhien replied.

“If, during the first year or two, we can reduce part of the pressure on food and transportation, that alone would be a success. Only after the population becomes stable should we think about supporting a permanent fighting force.”

He pointed again to the route connecting the Eastern Plains and the Western Wastes.

“Then comes trade. If this place is safe enough, has water, a market, and clear rules, merchants from the Eastern Plains will have a reason to come here. People from the Western Wastes will no longer need to travel deep into the Eastern Plains just to exchange goods.”

“The Eastern Plains can bring pills, basic artifacts, cloth, tools, and seeds. The Western Wastes have beast hides, cores, ores, medicinal herbs, mounts, and other things that are difficult to obtain in the east.”

Hao Nhien looked at Lieu Thien Van.

“Once goods begin moving through this place, spirit stones will follow. Trade creates work. Work gives people a reason to stay. Some will build houses, some will open shops, some will raise animals or make tools. Once that happens, the people currently living on relief supplies will finally have a way to support themselves.”

Lieu Thien Van folded his arms, his expression now far more serious than before.

Hao Nhien continued.

“As for equipment, there is no need to think about high-level treasures yet. Hoa Van Town first needs ordinary things: heat-resistant light armor, durable water containers, desert knives, bows and arrows, cargo wagons, tools for digging wells, farming tools, and materials for repairing tents and houses.”

He smiled faintly.

“Those things may not look as impressive as a Spirit Sword, but for someone who has to live in the desert, they can sometimes be worth much more.”

Lieu Thien Van laughed as well.

“On that point, I agree.”

Hao Nhien set the wooden stick down.

“Tam Thành does not need to carry everything. At the beginning, it only needs to provide what the Western Wastes currently lack most: several formation masters, experienced craftsmen, seeds, tools, basic artifacts, and enough protection to keep the area from being raided.”

“After that, the Fire Qilin Tribe, Sand Thunder, and the people already living in the temporary settlement can participate. Once other tribes see that this place truly works, anyone who wants to work, trade, or settle here can come.”

He looked at the empty land on the map.

“The people of the Western Wastes understand the sand, the water, the storms, and how to survive here. The people of the Eastern Plains have more stable production methods, skilled craftsmen, and established trade networks. If the two sides simply stand apart and watch each other, their differences will only grow. But if they build houses together, dig wells together, grow crops together, and protect the same market…”

Hao Nhien paused.

“Perhaps one day, this place will no longer be merely a border.”

Lieu Thien Van stared at the map for a long time before asking,

“Do you know how many spirit stones, how many people, and how many years it would take to build something like this?”

Hao Nhien shook his head.

“Not exactly.”

“Then why propose it?”

“Because if we never begin, the seven hundred people today, eight hundred next month, or a thousand in the future will all continue depending on others. We can save them once, but if we truly want them to have choices, they need a place where they can support themselves.”

Lieu Thien Van fell silent.

Hao Nhien continued,

“I am not asking you to build all of Hoa Van Town today. We only need to begin with a small logistical settlement. One well, several housing areas, a grain storehouse, a few experimental fields, a repair area, and a simple market. If it fails, we lose some resources but learn why it failed. If it succeeds, then we expand.”

Only after a long while did Lieu Thien Van slowly nod.

“That much can be tried.”

He pointed toward the land behind the forward camp.

“Within my authority, I can approve a trial logistics post to support the front line and the civilians temporarily living outside the camp. I can also send some formation masters, builders, and guards ahead.”

He raised his head and looked at Hao Nhien.

“But the Hoa Van Town you are describing is no longer merely a logistics post. If you want to turn it into a permanent settlement, establish a market, and attract residents and merchants, I will have to report it to Tam Thành. This will involve land, taxes, merchant interests, transport routes, and administrative authority. It is not something I can approve with a single nod.”

Hao Nhien smiled.

“I never expected it to be that easy.”

Lieu Thien Van laughed.

“Good. Then you still understand what you are asking for.”

He looked at the map again, this time for even longer.

“But if it truly succeeds…”

His finger slowly moved from the Eastern Plains toward the Western Wastes.

“People from the Eastern Plains would no longer come here only to defend the border. People from the Western Wastes would no longer come here only to ask for water or exchange a few goods. If they truly live, work, and protect the same place together, the relationship between these two regions could change.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“That is what I want.”

“We will not force any tribe to come here, and we will not use Hoa Van Town to force them to choose Tam Thành or the Fire Qilin Tribe. We only need to create a choice good enough for them to decide for themselves.”

Lieu Thien Van placed both hands on the table.

“Very well. I will send the proposal back to Tam Thành. For the first step, I can assign a small group to survey the land, water, and transport routes. If the results are good enough, then we can decide how many people and how many resources to commit next.”

Hao Nhien cupped his hands.

“Thank you, Brother Lieu.”

“Do not thank me yet.”

Lieu Thien Van looked at him, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“If the plan is approved, the first person to suffer the headaches will probably be you.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“I already expected that.”

The two of them looked down at the map again.

The land behind the forward camp was still nothing more than a yellow-gray patch. There were no walls, no farmland, no market, and no houses.

But in Hao Nhien's mind, that image had already begun to change. He could almost see rows of drought-resistant trees growing around a reservoir, grain storehouses standing beside a main road, the sound of hammers ringing from a forge, wagons from the Eastern Plains stopping beside desert mounts from the Western Wastes, and children from different tribes running beneath trees that had finally grown large enough to cast shade.

For now, it was only a possibility.

It might succeed, or it might fail. Between an idea drawn on a map and a real town lay countless problems that neither Hao Nhien nor Lieu Thien Van could yet see.

But at least it now had a place to begin.

Hoa Van Town.