The desolate desert winds and sands, the first glimpse of the remnants of the Ming dynasty
Seven days after leaving Shenxing Valley, the landscape had completely changed.
The endless snowfields and ice peaks were left behind, replaced by a boundless expanse of hazy yellow. Dry, hot winds, carrying sand and gravel, blew ceaselessly, emitting a mournful wail. The sky was a murky yellowish-brown, even the sunlight seemed weak, filtered by dust into a sickly, pale white. This was the Western Desert, a forbidden zone for life.
Yun Zhiyu and his group of eleven were all dressed in heavy windproof cloaks, their faces covered with specially made masks, revealing only their eyes. Even the Snow Owl demons felt their demonic energy sluggish and uncomfortable in this extremely dry and hot environment. They rode on a "Sand-Walking Lizard," a species unique to the demon realm. This beast had excellent endurance and broad, thick feet, allowing it to move steadily across quicksand.
Yun Zhiyu sat atop the lead sand lizard, his right arm still wrapped in thick bandages, the ashen color spreading to his shoulder blade. The ethereal chill emanating from him was like a bone-deep ailment, relentlessly eroding his life force. Most of his attention was focused on the jade pendant in his robes. The two remnant souls remained dim, but after entering the Xuanmo Desert, the wisp of icy sword intent would occasionally emit a faint fluctuation, as if drawn by something distant.
"Chief, according to the map and celestial observations, we have entered the outer perimeter of the Xuanmo Desert by three hundred li. Further ahead lies the 'Flowing Sand River' area, where the magnetic field is chaotic and it is extremely easy to lose one's way," a soldier in charge of exploration reported loudly, his voice somewhat distorted by the sandstorm.
"Keep moving forward, stay alert," Yun Zhiyu ordered, his voice muffled through his face mask. He had no way out.
After another half day of travel, the sand dunes ahead grew increasingly massive and menacing, like solidified yellow waves. The heat in the air distorted the view, and occasionally, one could see huge, white animal bones half-buried in the sand, telling tales of the cruelty of this place.
Suddenly, the soldier on the flank let out a short cry of surprise!
Without warning, the sand beneath his feet collapsed, forming a rapidly spinning vortex of quicksand! He and his mount were instantly swallowed up, with most of them engulfed!
"It's a tributary of the Flowing Sand River! Retreat!" Yun Zhiyu shouted sharply, and at the same time, he swung his right hand out, and a blue demonic power turned into a chain, which accurately wrapped around the warrior's arm, trying to pull him out.
However, the suction force of the quicksand was far greater than imagined, and a chaotic magnetic field was interfering with the flow of demonic energy. The ice chains creaked under the strain, and the warrior's body continued to slowly sink, his face filled with despair.
Just then—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several sharp whooshing sounds rang out from behind the sand dunes on the side!
That wasn't an arrow, but a short spear made from some kind of black bone. It was extremely fast and shot at a tricky angle. It wasn't aimed at Yun Zhiyu and the others, but rather it accurately pierced the quicksand surrounding the warrior!
A bizarre scene unfolded.
After the short spear pierced the quicksand, the twisted runes engraved on the spear instantly lit up with a ghostly light, and the rotation speed of the quicksand in that area visibly slowed down, greatly reducing the suction force!
"Pull!" Although Yun Zhiyu was surprised and uncertain, he reacted very quickly. He seized the opportunity to exert his strength, and the icy blue chains shone brightly. He suddenly pulled the warrior and his sand lizard out of the slowing quicksand!
The shaken soldier collapsed on the sand, panting heavily.
Yun Zhiyu and the others immediately formed a defensive formation, warily looking in the direction from which the short spears had been fired.
Beyond the dunes, all was silent. Only the wind and sand continued.
A moment later, several figures slowly emerged from the top of the sand dune.
They were also wrapped in heavy windproof robes, but the material seemed to be the leather of some kind of creature, its color almost blending into the yellow sand. They were not tall, but exceptionally wiry, with rough skin on their exposed palms and faces, covered with the marks of wind and frost. Their eyes were long and narrow, adapted to the wind and sand, with pupils tinged with a faint amber color.
The leader pulled back his hood, revealing a weathered middle-aged face. His sharp gaze swept over Yun Zhiyu and the others, finally settling on Yun Zhiyu's obviously unnatural right arm. He spoke in a deep voice in Common Tongue with a heavy, strange accent:
"Outsiders, Xuanmo doesn't welcome guests. Especially... guests who bring an air of 'death'."
As he spoke, his companions silently dispersed behind him, each holding a similar bone spear or a uniquely shaped scimitar, subtly encircling Yun Zhiyu and his group. Their movements were agile, clearly indicating their extensive familiarity with the desert environment.
Yun Zhiyu felt a chill run down his spine. These people could not only move freely in the Flowing Sand River, but they could also see the root cause of his arm injury at a glance? He pressed down on the jade pendant in his bosom, which was now faintly emitting a sense of vigilance due to the appearance of strangers, stepped forward, and nodded slightly: "Thank you for your help. We have no ill intentions; we are only seeking a glimmer of hope to cross the Xuanmo Desert."
"A chance of survival?" The middle-aged leader of the remaining tribes scoffed, his gaze sweeping over their travel-worn appearance and the sand-walking lizards that were clearly unaccustomed to their surroundings. "The Xuanmo Desert is nothing but a dead end. The 'deathly' aura emanating from you will only attract something even more terrifying from the depths of the desert. Returning the way you came is your only chance to live."
"What if there's no way to retreat?" Yun Zhiyu asked calmly.
The leader of the remnant tribe looked at him silently for a moment, then at the snow owl warriors behind him, who, though exhausted, had resolute eyes. Finally, he shook his head: "Stubborn outsider. Come with me. The sandstorm is coming. This is not the place to talk."
He made a gesture, and the remaining people surrounding them immediately put away their weapons, their movements swift and decisive.
"Leader, be careful, it might be a trap," Yunfeng warned in a low voice.
Yun Zhiyu watched the leader of the remnant people turn and lead the way, and then felt the fluctuations emanating from the icy sword intent in the jade pendant in his arms, which seemed to be faintly attracted by something in front of him, and made a decision.
"Keep up with them."
Led by the survivors, they bypassed several massive sand dunes and arrived at an inconspicuous sand wall. The leader of the survivors pressed a few points on the sand wall, and the sand wall silently slid open, revealing a dark, downward-pointing hole.
A cool, earthy scent wafted out of the cave.
"Go in, outsider. Remember, in the tribe of 'Ze,' mind your own business and what you shouldn't have brought with you." The leader of the remnant tribe gave Yun Zhiyu's right arm and chest a meaningful look before stepping into the darkness.
Yun Zhiyu took a deep breath and, filled with doubt and wariness, stepped into the mysterious world beneath the Xuanmo Desert.
The cave entrance slowly closed behind them, completely isolating them from the raging sandstorm and the dim sky outside.
The passageway descended, its walls lined with moss that emitted a soft white light, providing illumination. The air was damp and cool, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat above.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the view suddenly opened up before us.
A vast underground cavern came into view, its ceiling adorned with countless luminous stalactites, resembling inverted stars. Below lay a sizable underground oasis, where a clear underground river flowed gently, nourishing bioluminescent ferns and some peculiar crops that required no sunlight. Many similar entrances dotted the cavern's perimeter, forming an intricately structured tribal settlement built upon the natural cavern.
This is the "Ze" tribe.
Upon seeing the chief bring back a group of unfamiliar faces who were clearly from out of town, the tribe's residents cast curious, wary, and even somewhat repulsive glances their way. They too were dressed in leather clothing, and regardless of age or gender, their eyes carried a resilience and alertness honed by the harsh environment.
The leader of the remnant people—who called himself "Yan"—settled Yun Zhiyu and others in an abandoned grotto near the edge of the cave.
"Wait here. Do not move around without my permission, and do not touch anything that glows," Yan instructed in a deep voice. "As for you," he looked at Yun Zhiyu, "the High Priest wants to see you."
Yun Zhiyu's heart stirred, and he nodded. He told Yun Feng and the others to stay in the cave to rest, while he followed Yan to the deepest part of the cave, where there was an ancient stone palace built against a huge cluster of crystals.
The moment Yun Zhiyu stepped into the stone hall, the jade pendant in her arms suddenly throbbed with a clear vibration!
It wasn't fear, nor vigilance, but rather a kind of... resonance, like a wanderer returning home, tinged with sadness and longing!
In the center of the stone hall, an old woman dressed in an elaborate white robe adorned with bone ornaments and holding a twisted wooden staff slowly turned around. Her face was covered with wrinkles, like a dried-up riverbed, but her eyes were clear and deep, as if reflecting the birth and death of stars.
Her gaze passed over the rock that was leading the way and landed directly on Yun Zhiyu... or rather, on the jade pendant in his arms that was trembling violently.
She tapped her wooden cane lightly on the ground, producing an ethereal echo.
"Traveler carrying the souls of ice and fire..." The old woman's voice was aged and distant, carrying the weariness of someone who understood everything, "You have finally come. I, the High Priest of the 'Ze' tribe—'Xi', have been here... waiting for a long time."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
