C8 A Desert of Death

The Death Desert lay a staggering three thousand miles from White Feather City.

For an ordinary person to traverse the challenging terrain of mountains and rivers, the journey would take a minimum of one to two months. Han Fei, on the other hand, was exceptional. Having reached the first level of the Vital Spirit Stage, his agility was akin to that of a swift swallow, making mountainous ascents feel like strolls on level ground.

Throughout his solitary trek, Han Fei carried no entourage nor steed, just a modest pack containing essentials such as a change of clothes, a water flask, a map, pills, and banknotes.

In his travels through cities, towns, and rural villages, Han Fei would find lodgings in local inns. In the wilderness, he sought shelter in deserted temples, and when no such refuge was available, he made do with the sky as his blanket and the earth as his bed.

Whereas a typical traveler on horseback would spend at least a month or two on the road, Han Fei arrived at the fringes of the Death Desert in just half a month.

Situated in the northern reaches of the continent, the region's climate was unforgiving, devoid of rainfall throughout the year. By day, scorching heatwaves and blinding sandstorms prevailed; by night, temperatures plummeted, and biting winds threatened to turn one into an ice sculpture.

Han Fei was now fully immersed in the severity of these conditions.

The relentless sun blazed overhead, its rays seeming to extract every last drop of moisture from one's body. Heatwaves distorted the air, causing distant views to shimmer and duplicate. The ground beneath him, a vast expanse of loose yellow sand, gave way beneath his feet like quicksand, swallowing his steps only for them to be erased by the shifting sands.

A thick layer of sand clung to Han Fei, falling away with each step only to be replenished by the next gust of wind, rendering it an endless cycle of accumulation that could never be fully cleared.

"Ah, the Death Desert, truly a forsaken place that welcomes no living soul. I can't fathom how Uncle Han Feng managed to endure three long years here."

Han Fei mumbled to himself as he found a nearby dune to rest and regroup.

With the windbreak, the relentless roar of the wind and sand around his ears diminished significantly.

Han Fei unfastened his pack, took a few sips of water from his canteen, and then ingested two or three Origin Recovery Pills to swiftly regain his depleted vitality and strength.

He then spread out the map that his older brother, Han Chen, had thoughtfully prepared for him across his thighs, and began to pinpoint his location.

"By my calculations, I've only just entered the Death Desert and haven't covered more than ten miles. If I'm reading this map correctly, I'm here, and it's only half a day's journey to Oasis Town. I should arrive by nightfall."

Oasis Town is an enclave within the Death Desert where warriors congregate. It's a haven for adventurers, a hub for trade, and a lawless territory.

Over a decade ago, the Han family owned a shop in Oasis Town that specialized in purchasing various pill-refining materials from local adventurers. Periodically, the Han family would organize a caravan to transport vast quantities of these materials back to White Feather City.

However, since the Han family caravan met with disaster three years ago, the family's fortunes have waned. Their shop in Oasis Town was sold off.

The shop's proprietor, Uncle Han Feng, a Third Empyrean of the Vital Spirit realm, shifted his focus, transforming the Han family's forces into a search party that tirelessly scours the Death Desert, seeking the remains of the Han family members lost in the tragedy...

After hydrating and taking the pills, Han Fei rested for a while.

As the sandstorm subsided, Han Fei was about to rise and continue his journey when a faint rustling caught his attention. The ground's yellow sand began to stir, and a large yellow scorpion emerged, confronting Han Fei.

This scorpion was enormous, with a tail as tall as a person, truly a giant among its kind. Its carapace gleamed a sandy yellow, and the spikes on its tail resembled steel needles. They glistened with a ghostly chill under the sunlight, suggesting a lethal venom lurked within.

Han Fei instantly recognized the creature before him as a common Fellbeast of the Death Desert, known as the "Sand Scorpion"—a notoriously cruel species.

When the sandstorm had swept through earlier, the Desert Giant Scorpion had burrowed into the ground with even greater sensitivity than Han Fei, seeking refuge from the swirling sands. Now, as the storm had subsided and Han Fei was preparing to continue his journey, the scorpion emerged as well.

Their unexpected encounter left Han Fei in surprise, but the Desert Giant Scorpion wasted no time in attacking. Its tail, gleaming with a chilling light, lashed out at Han Fei with lightning speed.

With a scoff and a swift dodge, Han Fei moved three steps aside, easily evading the venomous strike. "Quite the creature you are," he remarked. "I had considered sparing your life out of respect for our shared shelter from the storm, but since you've chosen this path, you can't blame me for what comes next."

No sooner had he spoken than he reached out with a powerful grasp. A surge of Qi energy coalesced and struck the Desert Giant Scorpion, sending it tumbling through the air before crashing to the ground. Its exoskeleton shattered, spilling innards and blood—death was instantaneous.

Han Fei was hardly taken aback by the outcome. At the first tier of the Vital Spirit Stage, his ability to project his energy could harm an opponent from a distance, and at close range, it was even more devastating. A mere Desert Giant Scorpion, a standard Rank One Fellbeast, stood no chance against his might, its hardened shell notwithstanding.

Surveying the remains of the Desert Giant Scorpion, Han Fei stepped forward and, with a precise gesture, released a burst of Qi. From the creature's underbelly, a small 'core' was ejected, landing snugly in the palm of his hand—the scorpion's inner core.

Such cores, found within all demonic and fell beasts, were their most valuable asset, imbued with potent demonic energy suitable for medicinal use or for crafting pills.

Yet, the core resting in Han Fei's hand was disappointingly small, no larger than a fingernail, pitted and uneven. The demonic energy within was chaotic and feeble, a sorry shadow of its potential power.

The inner core of a First Rank Fellbeast Desert Scorpion may not fetch a high price, but on the black market, it can still command the equivalent of one or two gold coins. It's not particularly useful, but once we reach Oasis Town tonight, I'll sell it for some cash.

Han Fei stowed the inner core in his bag.

He had nearly depleted the silver notes he had brought with him on this trip. If he could just make it to Oasis Town and locate his Seventh Uncle, Han Feng, he was sure to receive more silver notes. Yet, Han Fei preferred to earn his own way rather than rely on family support.

Continuing his journey toward Oasis Town, Han Fei encountered numerous desert scorpions. The weaker ones were dispatched with a single strike, allowing him to harvest their cores with ease. However, there were formidable adversaries too, such as a Third Rank Desert Scorpion, which was on par with a master of the Vital Spirit Realm.

Upon detecting the presence of such a powerful creature, Han Fei instinctively chose to take a wide berth, avoiding any confrontation with the beast.

In addition to the desert scorpions, Han Fei also came across a sand snake. This devious creature, no larger than a hand, lay concealed beneath the sands. As Han Fei passed by, the sand snake launched itself at him in a swift attack. Thankfully, his quick reflexes saved him from a potentially dangerous bite.