Chapter 121: Carvan Journey

There were three great rivers in the Southern Border, and the Yellow Dragon River ranked third among them. Stretching for more than eight thousand kilometers, it originated from Huang Guo Mountain, passed through Qi Lian Mountain, Gang Jia Mountain, Qing Mao Mountain, Bai Gu Mountain, and Fei Tian Mountain before finally flowing into the sea.

Looking across the entirety of the Southern Border, the Yellow Dragon River twisted and curved across nearly half the region. Its current was swift and turbulent, while its muddy waters carried enormous amounts of sand and silt downstream. Fish, turtles, snakes, clams, and countless other creatures flourished within the river.

“Finally, water! Damn it, I’m dying of thirst!”

A mortal travelling with the caravan rushed excitedly toward the riverbank and scooped up a mouthful. The surging current immediately rewarded him with a mouthful of muddy water mixed with sand.

“Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!”

He hurriedly spat it out. “Are you kidding me? This river is full of sand!”

His companions immediately burst into laughter. One of them patted him on the shoulder and said, “You don’t know? This is the Yellow Dragon River, the third-largest river in the Southern Border. Compared with the Red Dragon River and Jade Dragon River, the Yellow Dragon River is famous for the enormous amount of silt in its waters.”

An older man nearby chuckled. “Young man, this must be your first time travelling with a caravan. The Yellow Dragon River has always been like this. If you want to drink from it, you’ll have to let the water settle first, then filter it properly.”

The young man sighed helplessly. “It really is my first time. I thought travelling with Gu Masters would make everything easier. Who would’ve expected that even getting clean water would be troublesome? The Gu Masters are the only ones who never have to worry about food or water.”

This young man was a martial artist from Qing Mao Mountain. His elder sister had become the concubine of a Gu Yue Clan Gu Master, and relying on that connection, he had joined the caravan and left Qing Mao Mountain in search of better opportunities.

Before leaving, he had imagined that travelling with a caravan would merely be somewhat dangerous. Food and water should have been easy to obtain along the way, since they could hunt wild animals or gather fruits whenever necessary. Only after joining did he discover how difficult life on the road truly was.

Even the small comforts he had taken for granted on Qing Mao Mountain were difficult to obtain here. Moreover, without the lingering influence of his Gu Master brother-in-law, he and his companions would likely have been bullied by the caravan’s experienced veterans long ago.

“Alright, stop complaining.” The old man patted the young man’s shoulder. “Our lives may be more dangerous than most, but the rewards are also much greater. There’s a saying along the Yellow Dragon River: the greater the waves, the more valuable the fish.”

“When this caravan journey ends, as long as we return alive, each of us should earn at least a hundred primeval stones. That’s several years of income for an ordinary mortal. If you aren’t willing to take the risk, you can always settle down in Jia Clan Village, marry, and live peacefully.”

The old man was right. An ordinary mortal living around a mountain village might only earn two or three primeval stones each month. Travelling with a caravan carried the constant risk of death, but a successful journey lasting less than half a year could bring more than a hundred primeval stones.

The young martial artist nodded and stopped complaining. Together with the old man, he collected water from the Yellow Dragon River in a large jar, allowing the sand to settle before repeatedly filtering the water through layers of cloth.

“Hahaha! We’re eating well tonight!”

About half an hour later, an excited shout suddenly attracted everyone’s attention. A young man stood near the riverbank holding an enormous white egg in both hands. It was nearly half the size of a washbasin, with a smooth oval shell covered in scattered red spots.

The old man stared at the egg for several breaths, feeling that it looked strangely familiar. Suddenly, his expression changed.

“Damn it! Put that down! That’s a Six-Legged Crocodile egg!”

He immediately stood up and shouted, “Everyone, search the riverbank! See if there are any more eggs buried in the sand. If there are, this entire stretch of riverbank might be Six-Legged Crocodile territory!”

Unfortunately, his warning came too late.

Hundreds of thick objects resembling dead logs had already appeared upon the turbulent Yellow Dragon River. Carried by the current, they rapidly approached the shore before climbing onto land one after another, revealing enormous crocodiles covered in sturdy scales. Each possessed six powerful legs, rows of sharp teeth, and bloodshot eyes fixed upon the people gathered near the riverbank.

They were all Six-Legged Crocodiles! The young man holding the egg froze. His fingers loosened unconsciously, and the white egg slipped from his hands.

Crack! It struck the sand and shattered, spilling yolk and egg white across the ground.

Roar! The nearest Six-Legged Crocodile immediately released a furious roar. Its six legs dug into the ground, and its enormous body charged toward the mortals with astonishing speed.