The storm raged on either side, merely offering a lonely path, only wide enough to provide passage. The path wound and bent around the ever-changing dunes sculpted by the never-ending winds. The path would fork from time to time, sometimes in multiple other directions, yet only a single one led to his destination. Others became dead-ends or looped in on themselves, creating a large natural maze.

  A week passed since he left the Frontier. He left at dawn with no fanfare; none even realized he had gone. Still, he was under no illusion that his departure remained hidden. The sects were undoubtedly aware of it, maybe even sent some of their men after him. After all, he had left a storm in his wake—a storm that wouldn't die down anytime soon.

  Still, he had never hidden his destination. Zou Lan was fully aware, yet didn't try to stop him. In fact, he only briefly met with Yao Ruolan before he left. She came only to express her thanks for what he had done for her and those she cherished.

  Xu Weizhe had slowly regained his strength and, even more, gained ownership of the city-wide formation. With his help, the city might stand a bit longer, yet it would only remain so until the Outsiders were ready for another assault. Qin Yun knew his time was limited.

  Ever since he left the city, Qin Yun had felt the qi density slowly dwindle, almost as if only the remnants of what passed through the Great Barrier were slowly being devoured the further he went on his journey.

  Qin Yun made great time the first few days, relying on the surrounding qi to supplement his own. On the fifth day, qi came to an equilibrium, unable to restore his reserves. As such, his pace had slowed considerably, trying to ration its use as much as possible. He could only rely on the strength of his own body to survive in this harsh environment. Fortunately, this was enough for his current needs.

  It wasn’t until today that things turned rather dire. He was now too far from the city to consider returning. Besides, the path changed constantly, and even the map Nalia had given him was nothing more than a suggestion. There were no landmarks within these storms, only endless, ever-changing sands and the creatures living in this harsh ocean.

  Speaking of which, Qin Yun felt movements beneath his feet. It was more than mere wind; more like a low-frequency rumble that appeared deep underground, yet was swiftly surfacing. Without much thought, Qin Yun launched himself into the sky, using his muscular legs as springs. His white mantle—protecting him from the glaring sun—fluttered in the wind as he rose, then fell a moment later.

  Mid-air, Qin Yun glanced at where he stood just a moment earlier and saw an open maw swallow mountains of sand, only to be ejected from each side of its body through tiny openings, as a fish would water.

  The sandworm chased after Qin Yun, using its tail firmly planted into the ground as a foundation to extend its jaw toward him. It was massive, much bigger than those he had seen attacking the city. It was easily a hundred times his size; its maw able to swallow over a dozen individuals at once. Its sharpened teeth spun within this gulf, hoping to shred him to pieces, yet he was just out of reach.

  A few moments later, the sandworm couldn't support its weight and fell back to the earth, shattering a dune in the process. Then, it dived back into the storm, awaiting another prey to enter its net.

  Using his mantle, Qin Yun slowly glided back down, a look of calmness on his face. This had been far from the first time he had a run-in with such a creature. At first, he used his sword to slaughter them, yet they seemed endless. Furthermore, the spilled blood attracted more of their kind, feasting on the corpses of their deceased kin before following the trail that led back to Qin Yun.

  I'd hoped the storm would be enough to mask my presence here, but it seemed they could locate me through the vibrations of my footsteps. Unfortunately, the storms have eroded any signs of firm footings. I wonder how the Outsiders deal with these pests? How did they maneuver an entire army through these lands to reach the Frontier?

  Qin Yun had many questions yet had little time to ponder them. As soon as he set foot back on the ground, it gave under him, creating a large crater where sand swirled down to the middle as if a land whirlpool.

  In the middle, two large mandibles emerged from the sand, akin to two large curved swords rising to the sky. Yet there were countless barbed spikes on the sides. They swiped at him, trying to ensnare him within, yet Qin Yun reacted just in time, pushing against the sand slope just enough to avoid the two bladed jaws.

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  In a single leap, he had reached the other side of the crater yet could barely stop his descent toward the central abyss where the creature waited for its prey. The sand fell all around him, unable to bear his weight, only for the jaws to swiftly turn around to try and catch him once more.

  With a slightly exasperated look devoid of fear, a black sword appeared in Qin Yun's hand, which he swiped in the jaws' direction. However, to his surprise, the black crystal sword only bounced, leaving but a nick on one of them.

  Still, it seemed the creature could feel pain as it began to thrash within its hole. Clumps of sand flew high in the air before falling back down, causing multiple avalanches that swept up Qin Yun, bringing him close to the core, where the creature lay in wait.

  With slightly narrowed eyes, Qin Yun struck again, this time aiming at the soft ground beneath his feet, putting all his strength and weight behind the blow, only for a massive rain of sand to be propelled into the air, most of it out of the hole, only to reveal the creature behind his predicament.

  It was large—at least ten times his size—yet its body seemed infantile, as if it hadn't reached its true form yet. It was insectoid in nature, possessing the two large jaws he had witnessed before, as well as countless small legs on either side of its large body. Its body was brownish black, blending well with the surrounding sand.

  Qin Yun failed to notice any eyes on the creature, yet it possessed countless small bristles, alerting it to the slightest of movements. It also had multiple antennae able to register the slightest fluctuation in pheromones and scent. It would be the perfect hidden predator if not for its disproportionately large body, unable to be manoeuvred quickly.

  Qin Yun stood still as the two faced each other, prepared to strike. His black crystal sword was firmly in his grasp, but it offered no sheen even as the harsh mid-day sun fell upon it. It was like an abyss, absorbing it all within its core, like a black hole given shape.

  Qin Yun noticed the beast sway back and forth, displacing mountains of sand as it sought to bury itself under the land. Its massive body quickly slipped through the granular ground as its bristles pushed the sand back and forth. Qin Yun's eyes narrowed, and his legs were ready to launch forward to deliver a devastating strike. He knew he only had a single chance to slay the beast.

  Ever since the sixth day, Qin Yun felt the change in his environment. The world had never been so barren: devoid of water but also qi; he might even liken it to the void of space. He couldn't even hold on to the qi within his core anymore.

  The flow of energy Qin Yun absorbed from the world had slowly reversed, depleting with every moment. The further he trekked from the well of qi at the continent's centre, the faster the flow became. He was now almost back to being a mortal, utterly devoid of qi. Thankfully, he still had his sturdy body and the sword in his hand. Still, he couldn't help but imagine what he might encounter at World's End.

  Just as the beast was about to vanish beneath the sand, Qin Yun was poised to strike, yet abruptly stopped himself. He felt a deep vibration propagating underground like a ripple upon a lake, swiftly closing in. He had been so focused on the foe before him that he was too slow to react. The ripple was now upon them.

  Suddenly, another giant sandworm emerged from the sand, the large insects stuck in its open maw. Its head rose to the sky, its sharp, spinning teeth ripping into the insect's body. Part of its flesh and bodily fluid rained upon the dry desert, only for countless others—but much smaller—to emerge from the dune to partake in this feast, gorging themselves in this creature's humidity.

  Qin Yun watched the scene, slightly shaken, knowing he could have been targeted. Yet, he remained completely still, his sword still ready to strike, were it to come after him next. Fortunately, such a time never came. As if satisfied, the large sandworm fell back toward the ground, digging away the soft sand as its body quickly disappeared underground, leaving behind few scraps of his recent prey.

  Only half an hour later did Qin Yun finally decide to move again. He sat on the ground, slightly exhausted by the ordeal. He prided himself in his ability to survive and the massive amount of experience he possessed, but even for him, such a harsh environment was a first. There was no such thing as good and evil here; it was only predator and prey—just survival of the fittest. He couldn't help but feel admiration for those who this place was all they had ever known.

  It’s no wonder they try so hard to breach the Great Barrier... For us, the edge of the Western Region is called a wasteland with its lack of qi and vitality. To them, it would be nothing less than paradise. Yet, for some reason, the creatures here seem to thrive. I haven't seen any sandworm near that big on the other side. Does the Heavenly Dao stunt their growth somehow? Is this what these creatures genuinely look like, free of its oppression?

  With many more questions in mind, Qin Yun rose again, resolved to reach his destination. While the road was long still, he was determined to press on, willing to adapt to this place if it meant he could find what he sought.

  Still, the soft sand sapped his strength with every step, as did the harsh desert sun. Fortunately, he was well prepared, his storage filled to the brim with sustenance and water, enough to satiate a small nation. It cost him much of his fortune, yet he felt it worth the price. After all, what good would spirit crystals be in a world devoid of qi? They would only crumble to dust as time went on.

  Just as he parched his thirst with a sip of water, Qin Yun finally saw something other than sand on the horizon. A break in the storm where peacefulness reigned. In fact, he could even hear the cries of birds in the distance, as well as a slight humidity on his skin.

  As he climbed to the top of a nearby dune, Qin Yun finally found what he was looking for: an oasis within the desert where life thrived. There was even a small amount of greenery near the lake's edge, as well as several man-made structures. He had reached the first step of his journey.