New Ground

The next morning, just as dawn cast a pale golden light over Tam Thành, Tieu Lan had already finished preparing everything they needed to bring.

Three storage bags rested beside the courtyard gate. One contained spirit herbs and the soil samples taken from the military supply stores, another held books, notebooks, and the old records left by Hao Nhien’s father and Phong Van Tu, while the last was mostly filled with clothes, tea, a few daily necessities, and several boxes of pastries Tieu Lan had made herself the night before.

More than ten medicine bottles of various sizes were arranged on the table near the door. When Hao Nhien stepped out of his room, he found Tieu Lan checking them one by one, a notebook in one hand while she sorted the bottles into groups with the other.

“This one is for external wounds, this one is for when spiritual power is too depleted, and this bottle…”

Tieu Lan picked up a small white jade bottle and turned toward him.

“Young Master must keep this one on you.”

Hao Nhien looked at the medicine already covering nearly half the table and could not help asking,

“We are only returning to the Western Wastes to survey the Hoa Van Town site. We are not going to war.”

Tieu Lan did not argue.

She only looked at him quietly.

Hao Nhien remained silent for a moment, then obediently took the jade bottle and put it into his ring.

“I’ll carry it.”

Only then did Tieu Lan nod and return to checking the bag of spirit herbs, as if there had never been anything to discuss.

Hao Nhien watched her for a moment, the corner of his lips curving upward.

“Tieu Lan.”

She looked up.

“Yes?”

“Are you ready?”

He held out his hand.

“Today, I’ll take you to the place where Hoa Van Town will truly begin.”

Her eyes immediately brightened. Tieu Lan checked the storage bags one last time, then stepped forward and took his hand.

“I’m ready.”

Tieu Dao Sword flew from its sheath, its silver blade glowing softly beneath the morning sun as it hovered in the middle of the courtyard. Hao Nhien stepped onto it first, then turned and pulled Tieu Lan up behind him.

“Stand a little closer. This is your first long-distance flight with me. If you are not used to it, hold on tightly.”

The moment Tieu Lan stepped onto the flying sword, she instinctively gripped the back of his robe.

“Yes.”

Tieu Dao Sword gave a soft hum and slowly rose from the ground. Hao Nhien did not accelerate immediately. He guided the sword upward with steady control, waiting until Tieu Lan had adjusted to the loss of solid ground beneath her feet before increasing their altitude.

The morning wind lifted the hems of their clothes.

As the sword light began to pass above the rooftops below, Tieu Lan was still slightly tense. When Tieu Dao Sword crossed the city wall and a stronger gust swept toward them, she let out a soft cry and immediately wrapped both arms around Hao Nhien’s waist.

Hao Nhien laughed.

“It’s fine. I’m here.”

Tieu Lan did not answer, but her arms remained firmly around him.

Behind them, Tam Thành quickly shrank into the distance. The tall stone walls receded from view, replaced by the vast Western Wastes stretching beneath the sunlight. Golden dunes rolled toward the horizon, broken only occasionally by patches of black stone or low vegetation clustered around traces of moisture.

After some time, Hao Nhien felt Tieu Lan’s arms relax slightly. She began leaning to the side to look down, her initial nervousness gradually giving way to curiosity.

When a small oasis appeared among the dunes, Tieu Lan immediately pointed downward.

“Young Master, look.”

Hao Nhien followed her gesture.

A small patch of green lay in the middle of the endless sand. The oasis water reflected the sunlight, while low plants with thick leaves grew around it, most of them hugging close to the ground.

“It isn’t large, but the water source looks fairly stable.”

Tieu Lan observed carefully.

“Those plants tolerate the heat very well. I can’t make out their medicinal properties from here, but their leaf shapes resemble some water-retaining plants mentioned in Master’s notes.”

“We can send people later to collect soil samples and seeds.”

“I was thinking the same.”

The flying sword continued onward.

Not long afterward, a large Sand Eagle glided across the distance. Its dark brown wings stretched wide as it rode the hot currents rising from the desert floor.

Tieu Lan watched it for a long time.

“Young Master.”

“Mm?”

“It flies very fast.”

Hao Nhien smiled.

“Want to know whether Tieu Dao Sword is faster?”

Tieu Lan hesitated, then nodded, though her arms around his waist tightened unconsciously.

“I do, but not too fast.”

“Alright.”

Hao Nhien sent more spiritual power into Tieu Dao Sword.

The sword light accelerated and swept after the Sand Eagle. The great bird seemed to notice something approaching and immediately beat its wings harder, but the distance between them still shrank quickly.

Within a few breaths, the sword light overtook it.

Tieu Lan’s laughter rang out through the wind.

“Young Master really is faster.”

“Of course.”

Hao Nhien replied, then deliberately slowed down again.

“But there’s no need to hurry today. If you want to see the Western Wastes, take your time.”

“Yes.”

Tieu Lan gently rested her cheek against his back.

Hao Nhien could not see her expression, but the arms around his waist had completely relaxed.

This time, she was no longer standing in the courtyard, looking toward the Western Wastes while waiting for him to return.

She was truly traveling with him.

Near noon, the temporary settlement of those rescued from Heavenly Eye Forward City came into view.

Compared with when Hao Nhien had left, the place was far more orderly. The rows of tents had been arranged more neatly, the temporary supply storehouse had been reinforced, and additional sections of wooden fencing and thorny desert branches had been erected around the outer perimeter.

Even so, it was still only a temporary refuge.

The actual Hoa Van Town site lay farther southeast, some distance from the settlement.

Hao Nhien guided Tieu Dao Sword down toward an open patch of ground outside the tents.

The moment the sword light faded, several members of the Fire Qilin Tribe recognized him.

“The Clan Head has returned.”

The call quickly spread.

Luu Thanh, who had been working near the registration area, hurried over. He cupped his hands toward Hao Nhien, then glanced at Tieu Lan with a trace of curiosity.

“Clan Head.”

“The Tam Thành survey team arrived less than half an hour ago.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“Good timing.”

Luu Thanh looked at Tieu Lan again.

“This must be Miss Tieu Lan?”

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Tieu Lan gave a slight bow.

Luu Thanh immediately returned the gesture with cupped hands.

“Luu Thanh. There is no need for such courtesy.”

People nearby gradually gathered around. Some were from the Fire Qilin Tribe, while others belonged to different tribes and had also been rescued from Heavenly Eye Forward City. Most of them knew Hao Nhien, but not everyone knew who the young woman beside him was.

Hao Nhien did not let their curiosity linger for long.

He brought Tieu Lan a step forward and said,

“This is Tieu Lan, someone very important to me. From today onward, she will be responsible for the medicine garden and medicine room in the plan for Hoa Van Town.”

The gazes around them immediately changed.

Hao Nhien continued,

“If Hoa Van is going to survive in the long term, we cannot rely only on walls, water, and weapons. We need medicine for wounds, medicinal liquids for recovery, treatments for sand poison and Fire injuries, and we also need to know which plants in the Western Wastes can save lives. Tieu Lan has studied medicinal herbs since childhood and later learned more about spirit herbs and medicine preparation under Phong Van Tu of Tieu Dao Sect.”

He looked around at the gathered people.

“But a medicinal compendium for the Western Wastes cannot rely only on books from the Eastern Plains. Those who have lived here for generations understand better than anyone which plants can be used, how they should be used, and where they can be found.”

An elderly man standing nearby thought for a moment before stepping forward.

“Our tribe has several kinds of roots that we use for sand poison. They do not need to be made into pills. We simply grind them and soak them in water.”

Tieu Lan immediately bowed.

“If Senior is willing, I would like to record the method. But until we verify it clearly, we will not let others use it carelessly.”

The old man looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

“That kind of caution is good.”

A young female cultivator also spoke up.

“I used to travel with herb-gathering teams south of the oasis. If you need someone to help process spirit herbs, I can assist.”

Tieu Lan looked at her and smiled faintly.

“I still have a great deal to learn myself. If everyone is willing to work together, we can record each thing and verify them one by one.”

Hao Nhien remained beside her and said nothing more.

Tieu Lan’s ability did not need him to prove it with words.

In time, she would make these people trust her herself.

Luu Thanh waited until the crowd quieted before saying,

“The survey team is waiting over there. Since Clan Head has arrived, we can leave immediately.”

“Let’s go.”

The planned site for Hoa Van Town lay southeast of the temporary settlement.

When Hao Nhien, Tieu Lan, and the survey team arrived, all they saw was a wide stretch of land broken by sand and stone into uneven rises and dips. A few wooden stakes had already been driven into the ground as rough markers, several carts of tools stood along the outer edge, and fresh footprints from the surveyors covered only the nearest sections.

There were no walls.

No roads.

Not a single permanent building.

At this moment, Hoa Van Town was still nothing more than an idea waiting to be placed onto the land.

The survey team consisted of a middle-aged formation master, a specialist in locating underground water, two builders who had previously constructed desert stations, and several people responsible for measuring terrain.

After hearing Hao Nhien explain what was needed, they divided their tasks.

The water specialist drove a bronze staff deep into the ground, moving from place to place while examining moisture and the soil layers below. The formation master planted small flags in circles to sense where spiritual qi and underground moisture converged, while the two builders tested the firmness of the ground at locations suitable for storehouses and residential areas.

Hao Nhien did not interfere much.

He followed along, listened to each report, and marked the findings on the map.

Tieu Lan focused on something else.

She continuously collected soil samples from different areas, placing them beside the three bags of oasis soil they had brought. She squeezed each sample gently in her hand, checking how well it held together and how quickly it lost moisture.

After nearly an hour, the water specialist identified two areas with relatively stable moist soil layers.

One was close to the planned water-gathering reservoir, but the soil contained a high proportion of sand.

The other lay farther east, where the ground was thicker and firmer, though bringing water there would be more difficult.

Tieu Lan crouched near the first location, took a handful of soil, and compared it with the samples they had brought.

“The soil here drains too quickly.”

The water specialist nodded.

“Correct. It is not ideal for plants that need a lot of water.”

“Can it be improved?”

“Yes. You can mix in soil from the oases, then cover the surface with dry grass or moisture-retaining materials. Once the water-gathering formation becomes stable, it will be easier.”

Tieu Lan turned toward the eastern area.

“The soil over there is better.”

“But harder to irrigate.”

The water specialist replied.

Hao Nhien asked,

“Where do you want to test first?”

Tieu Lan did not answer immediately.

She moved between the two locations, checked several more samples, then pointed to the ground nearer the planned water source.

“We test here first, but only with a small bed. If the water drains too quickly, we adjust the soil. We can reserve the eastern area for later, after the water-gathering and irrigation systems are more stable.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“We’ll do it your way.”

The formation master standing nearby glanced at him.

“No further discussion?”

“The medicine garden is her responsibility.”

Hao Nhien replied.

“When it comes to plants and soil, she understands more than I do.”

Tieu Lan turned her head slightly toward him but said nothing.

She opened the bag of spirit herbs and took out a small Fire Sand Grass. Its roots were still wrapped in the damp soil from the courtyard.

A Fire Qilin tribesman approached with a shovel, intending to help.

Tieu Lan stopped him as soon as she saw how deep he was about to dig.

“No need to make it that deep.”

She adjusted the hole herself, spread a layer of oasis soil at the bottom, then placed the plant inside. After covering the roots, a very thin layer of Wood spiritual power spread from her fingertips into the soil, only enough for her to sense the plant’s vitality rather than forcing it to absorb spiritual power.

The small leaves trembled gently in the wind.

There was no dramatic change, but neither did they wilt.

Tieu Lan observed it for quite some time before saying,

“For now, we plant only one. We’ll check its vitality tomorrow morning before deciding whether to plant more.”

Hao Nhien stood behind her, looking at the tiny Fire Sand Grass that seemed almost insignificant in the vast stretch of land.

To anyone else, it was merely a medicinal plant brought from Tam Thành to test the soil.

To him, it meant something different.

Hoa Van Town still had no walls, no roads, and not even a true house.

Yet a first life had already been placed into its soil, not for battle or defense, but to test whether people could truly live here for the long term.

The survey team continued working until late afternoon.

Several locations were marked for water sources, residential areas, supply storage, and transport routes. Everything remained preliminary, with nothing fully decided yet.

As for the temporary medicine room, Hao Nhien did not want to wait until the main construction began.

At the edge of the site stood an old stone shelter once used by patrol teams. Its stone floor was relatively level, the two small windows could be sealed during heavy sandstorms, and it was far enough from the livestock pens and cooking area.

After the dust was cleared out and a table and several wooden shelves were moved inside, Tieu Lan walked around the room once before nodding.

“It will work for now.”

Hao Nhien stood nearby watching for a while before realizing he was almost completely useless.

Tieu Lan placed the three bags of oasis soil in separate corners, tying a small cloth tag to each one to record its source. The spirit herbs that had not yet been planted were moved near the window, where there was light but no direct sunlight. Dried medicinal ingredients went onto the highest shelf, raised above the ground and kept away from the door.

The medicine bottles she had brought were quickly sorted as well. Treatments for external wounds were placed on one side, medicine for meridian injuries and spiritual-power recovery on another, while anything not currently needed was sealed inside wooden boxes.

Hao Nhien watched her move back and forth between the shelves. Several times he considered helping, only to realize he did not even know which things were supposed to be stored beside which.

In the end, he asked,

“What can I do?”

Tieu Lan was checking a bag of dried Fire Sand Grass. Hearing him, she turned around.

She thought for a moment and pointed toward the chair nearby.

“Young Master can sit there.”

Hao Nhien looked at the chair, then at her.

“Just sit?”

Tieu Lan nodded gently.

“Yes.”

Then she added quite naturally,

“If Young Master helps, I’ll probably have to spend time later figuring out where you put everything.”

Hao Nhien fell silent for a moment before laughing.

“Fine. I won’t get in your way.”

He actually pulled over the chair and sat down.

From there, he watched Tieu Lan continue her work.

She was not especially fast, but almost none of her movements were wasted. Every medicinal ingredient was opened and checked once before being stored. The books brought from Tam Thành were kept separate from the older notes, while her personal notebooks were placed on the large table in the center of the room where she could reach them at any time.

After a while, Tieu Lan took several thick pieces of cloth from her storage bag and hung them in front of the shelves holding the medicinal materials.

Hao Nhien asked,

“To keep out the sand?”

“Yes. Dried medicinal ingredients need to be kept above the ground, but that alone is not enough. The wind in the Western Wastes carries a great deal of sand. If we do not cover them, these things will not stay clean for more than a few days.”

As she spoke, she tied the ends of the cloth to the shelves, then pulled them down several times to make sure they could be opened easily.

Hao Nhien nodded.

These were things he genuinely would not have thought of.

In his mind, the medicine room had only needed a room, several tables, and somewhere to store ingredients.

In Tieu Lan’s hands, every small space gradually acquired a specific purpose.

Fresh spirit herbs were processed near the window for better ventilation. The grinding and medicinal-liquid preparation area was arranged around the large central table. Processed materials were kept farther inside, away from both sand and moisture.

Anything whose use remained uncertain or still needed verification was separated into another section, with a small wooden tag hanging in front of it.

Unverified.

Hao Nhien noticed it and asked,

“Why not write the names?”

“They are already recorded in the notebook.”

Tieu Lan replied.

“But placing them here means they are not to be used casually. If someone else enters the medicine room later, they will not take the wrong thing.”

Hao Nhien looked at the sign for another moment and nodded.

“That is a good system.”

Tieu Lan returned to arranging the room.

Nearly an hour later, the once-empty stone shelter had changed completely. It was still simple, and the shelves were only rough timber, but everything inside had a clear place.

Only then did Tieu Lan walk toward the deepest empty section of the room.

She stood there for a while, judging the distance from the shelves before lightly marking a spot on the stone floor with her foot.

Hao Nhien noticed.

“What is that area for?”

Tieu Lan turned around.

“I want to leave it empty.”

“Later, we can put a small table here for studying pill formulas. If we truly begin learning alchemy, the cauldron can also be placed here.”

She pointed toward the distance between that spot and the shelves.

“It is not too close to the dried herbs, and there is a ventilation opening above. If our fire control goes wrong, at least we will be less likely to burn the entire medicine room.”

Hao Nhien listened, his gaze gradually settling on the empty spot.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

With a slight turn of his hand, his Divine Sense entered his ring.

A moment later, an alchemy cauldron appeared before them.

It was not large, made of dark bronze, with only a few simple patterns engraved across its surface. This was the cauldron they had bought on the road to Tieu Dao Sect. At the time, they had only thought they might need one in the future, but ever since purchasing it, it had remained untouched inside his ring.

Tieu Lan looked at the cauldron, slightly startled.

“Young Master still kept it?”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“We bought it. Was I supposed to throw it away?”

He stood, lifted the cauldron with both hands, and carried it toward the spot she had marked.

“Here?”

Tieu Lan checked the surrounding distance once more and nodded.

“Yes, a little to the left.”

Hao Nhien shifted it.

“Here?”

“A little more.”

He moved it again.

Tieu Lan studied it for a moment.

“That’s good.”

Hao Nhien lowered the cauldron onto the stone floor.

A soft, heavy sound echoed through the room.

The alchemy cauldron that had remained inside his ring for so long finally had a place of its own.

Tieu Lan looked around the room one last time. Only after confirming that the soil samples, spirit herbs, medicine bottles, books, and tools were all where they belonged did she dust off her hands.

“Finished.”

Hao Nhien remained beside the cauldron.

He looked at it, then at the table where Tieu Lan had placed the books and notes related to medicinal herbs and alchemy.

Only yesterday, the two of them had agreed that there was no need to rush toward alchemy.

That had not changed.

Hao Nhien did not believe that simply because he could use Fire spiritual power and Tieu Lan understood medicinal properties, the two of them could immediately step into the path of alchemy.

But now that the cauldron had truly been placed in front of him, a very natural thought surfaced in his mind.

It was not about what kind of pill they should make.

Nor was it about whether they could become alchemists.

He simply looked at the cauldron before him and wondered:

Could they try?