From the fake emperor to the concubine

"Alright, that's all I have to say. The rest of the journey is up to you." Zheng Yi's voice softened. "Remember, if you encounter any insurmountable difficulties, you can contact your master through the jade pendant."

"Yes, Master!"

The jade pendant's light gradually dimmed, and the master's voice also disappeared.

Zhang Yunfan gripped the jade pendant tightly, his heart filled with fighting spirit.

"The Western Wilderness Desert, the Tower of Heart Refining." He looked towards the distant yellow sand, "I've arrived!"

After another day of flying, Zhang Yunfan finally entered the western desert.

As soon as he stepped into the desert, he felt the difference between this place and other places.

The spiritual energy here is extremely thin and filled with violent elements. There isn't a single cloud in the sky, and the scorching sun bakes the earth, making the temperature incredibly high.

What's most unsettling is that the yellow sand here seems to contain some kind of mysterious power that can interfere with a cultivator's spiritual sense.

"As expected, this is one of the most dangerous places in the cultivation world," Zhang Yunfan exclaimed. "The environment alone is enough to deter ordinary cultivators."

He took out the travelogue of the Western Wilderness that his master had given him and began to study it carefully.

According to the guide, the Western Desert can be divided into three areas: the outer perimeter, the middle layer, and the core.

The outer area is relatively safe; the main dangers come from the harsh environment and some low-level monsters.

The danger level in the middle layer increases significantly, with not only powerful groups of monsters, but also various natural traps and mazes.

As for the core area, it is the most dangerous place, where even Nascent Soul stage cultivators are said to perish.

The Heart Refining Tower that Master mentioned is located at the deepest part of the core area.

"It seems there's still a long way to go to reach the Refining Heart Tower," Zhang Yunfan said, closing the guide. "But now that we're here, there's no reason to back down."

He took a deep breath and began to venture deeper into the desert.

Zhang Yunfan hadn't gone far when he encountered his first problem.

A group of sand dunes appeared ahead, each dune hundreds of feet high, and they kept moving under the blazing sun.

Even more terrifying is the strong demonic aura emanating from these sand dunes, clearly indicating that powerful demonic beasts are lurking within.

"The Sand Sea Maze," Zhang Yunfan recognized the terrain based on the guide's description. "This is one of the most famous natural traps on the outskirts of the Western Wilderness Desert."

According to the guide, the Sand Sea Maze is a complex trap formed by a special geomagnetic field and the arrangement of demonic beasts. Once trapped inside, one will not only lose their way but also be attacked by demonic beasts hidden in the sand dunes.

"However, the guide also records the method to break it." Zhang Yunfan carefully recalled the contents of the guide. "The key is to find the location of the array's core."

He closed his eyes and used his divine sense to carefully perceive the flow of energy around him.

Although the mysterious forces in the desert could interfere with divine sense, Zhang Yunfan's divine sense, thanks to his master's special training, was much stronger than that of other cultivators at the same level.

He quickly noticed something amiss.

On the top of a sand dune in the southeast direction, the flow of energy is distinctly different from other places.

"Found it!" Zhang Yunfan's eyes lit up.

He moved cautiously toward the dune, remaining highly vigilant.

Sure enough, before they had gone halfway, several huge sand worms emerged from the dunes.

Each of these sandworms was as thick as a water bucket and more than ten feet long, covered with a hard shell, and looked extremely ferocious.

"Sandworms at the Foundation Establishment stage, and they're attacking in groups." Zhang Yunfan quickly assessed the enemy's strength.

Although a single sandworm is not as strong as him, the advantage of this monster lies in its large number and its natural advantage in the desert.

"Piercing Void Sword Technique - Sword Qi Like a Rainbow!"

Without hesitation, Zhang Yunfan launched an attack immediately.

A dazzling sword light flashed among the sand dunes, and several sandworms that charged at the forefront were killed on the spot.

But even more sandworms surged out from all directions, densely surrounding Zhang Yunfan.

"There are too many of them, we can't linger!" Zhang Yunfan made a quick decision and used his movement technique to rush towards the sand dune where the formation's core was located.

He moved with incredible speed, weaving through the sandworm swarm like lightning, and quickly reached his destination.

"Void-Piercing Sword Technique - Formation-Breaking Slash!"

Zhang Yunfan slashed his sword at a certain spot on the top of the sand dune, which was the energy convergence point he sensed.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, the entire Sand Sea Maze began to shake violently.

The sand dunes that were moving stopped moving, and the hidden monsters retreated into the depths of the dunes.

After successfully breaking through the Sand Sea Maze, Zhang Yunfan continued his journey into the depths of the Western Desert.

Under the blazing sun, amidst endless yellow sand, the air was thick with scorching heat. Zhang Yunfan channeled his spiritual energy to form a protective shield around his body, shielding him from the desert's intense heat.

According to the records in the Travelogue of the Western Wilderness, he is currently in the outer area of ​​the desert, but the environment is already so harsh that it is clear that the deeper he goes, the more severe the situation will be.

"No wonder so few cultivators are willing to come here for training," Zhang Yunfan thought to himself as he walked. "This kind of environment alone is enough to consume a lot of spiritual energy."

After walking for about two hours, Zhang Yunfan encountered his second challenge.

Ahead lay a strange expanse of black sand, a stark contrast to the surrounding yellow sand. Even more terrifying, dozens of enormous vultures circled above this black sand, each exuding the demonic aura of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

“Death Sand Sea.” Zhang Yunfan recognized the terrain and felt a chill run down his spine.

According to the guide, the Sea of ​​Death is one of the most infamous deadly places in the Western Wilderness. The black sand here is highly corrosive, capable of eroding a cultivator's spiritual energy defenses. The vultures there are demonic beasts that feed exclusively on the flesh and blood of cultivators.

But Zhang Yunfan had no choice but to turn back. This was the only way to reach the depths of the desert.

He took out the talismans given to him by his master, one of which was a "Vajra Protection Talisman" specifically designed to counter corrosive attacks.

After activating the talisman, a layer of golden light appeared on Zhang Yunfan's body. This golden light was more solid than spiritual energy protection and could effectively resist the corrosion of the black sand.

"Piercing Void Sword Technique - Flying on a Sword!"

Zhang Yunfan did not choose to traverse the land, but instead rode his sword, quickly passing through the Sea of ​​Death in the air.

The vultures immediately spotted him, letting out piercing cries as they swarmed towards him. "Good timing!" Zhang Yunfan exclaimed, more pleased than surprised.

The battle with General Bull Demon gave him a clearer understanding of his own strength, and he was now more than capable of dealing with these Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts.

"Piercing Void Sword Technique - Ten Thousand Swords Return to Their Origin!"

Countless sword shadows appeared in the air, shooting out in all directions like celestial maidens scattering flowers. The vultures that had been attacking had no time to dodge and were all pierced by the sword shadows, falling from the sky.

In a short time, Zhang Yunfan killed all the dozens of vultures.

"Your strength has indeed improved considerably," Zhang Yunfan nodded in satisfaction. "Before, dealing with so many Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts would have taken quite a bit of effort. Now, however, I can handle it easily."

After successfully navigating the deadly desert, Zhang Yunfan continued his journey.

In the journey that followed, he encountered various dangers such as sandstorms, poisonous fog, and illusions, but he overcame them all. Each successful encounter with danger boosted his confidence in his abilities.

And so, Zhang Yunfan trekked through the vast western desert for three whole days.

On the fourth day at dusk, as he crossed a huge sand dune, the sight before him left him speechless.

In the middle of the distant desert, an oasis suddenly appeared!
In the heart of the oasis, there was actually a human town!
"How is this possible?" Zhang Yunfan rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.

But after careful observation, he became convinced that it was indeed a real town.

The town is small, with only about a hundred households. The houses are all built of white stone, which stands out particularly in the setting sun.

Most remarkably, the entire town was enveloped in a pale blue light shield, completely isolating it from the sandstorms outside. Inside the shield, however, lush trees provided shade, and birds sang sweetly, creating a stark contrast to the desolate desert outside.

"There are actually humans living deep in the Western Desert?" Zhang Yunfan was filled with doubt.

What surprised him even more was that the town's protective measures were clearly extremely advanced. Maintaining an oasis in such a harsh environment was something no ordinary magic array could achieve.

"Could there be some special secret here?" Zhang Yunfan wondered to himself.

He carefully observed the town's protective light shield and discovered that although the shield looked as thin as a cicada's wing, it contained an extremely large amount of energy, which was definitely beyond his current strength to break through.

Just as Zhang Yunfan was observing the town, a portal suddenly appeared on the light shield.

Immediately afterwards, a middle-aged man walked out of the door.

The man appeared to be in his forties, dressed in simple clothes, with a kind smile on his face. But Zhang Yunfan sensed an unfathomable aura emanating from him.

"Young man, you're a cultivator here for training, right?" the middle-aged man asked, his voice gentle and friendly.

"Greetings, Senior." Zhang Yunfan quickly bowed. "This junior, Zhang Yunfan, has indeed come to the Western Wilderness Desert for training. I just didn't expect to encounter you and this small town here."

"Haha, quite a surprise, isn't it?" the middle-aged man laughed. "My name is Sha Wuchen, and I'm the mayor of this town. Your ability to get here alone is indeed impressive."

"Thank you for the compliment, senior," Zhang Yunfan said modestly. "However, I am curious, why would humans build a town in the Western Wilderness?"

"This is a long story," Sha Wuchen said, glancing at the sky. "It's getting late. Why don't you stay in town for the night, and I'll explain it to you slowly."

Although Zhang Yunfan was somewhat wary, he was indeed very tired from trekking through the desert these past few days, and he was also eager to learn about the origins of this mysterious town.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, senior," Zhang Yunfan said, cupping his hands in greeting.

“Don’t be so polite. It’s fate that we meet someone of our kind in this desert,” Sha Wuchen said warmly. “Come, follow me into town.”

The moment Zhang Yunfan followed Sha Wuchen through the portal of light, it felt as if he had entered another world.

Just moments ago, the desert was unbearably hot, but now a gentle breeze blows and the temperature is pleasant. The air is filled with the fragrance of flowers and grass, and the sound of flowing water can be heard.

"It's truly amazing!" Zhang Yunfan couldn't help but exclaim.

The scene before me was truly breathtaking. The town's streets were paved with bluestone slabs, and various flowers, trees, and shrubs were planted on both sides. Although the houses were simple, they were all exquisitely built and full of a rich sense of daily life.

What surprised Zhang Yunfan the most was that there were many children playing on the street, women washing clothes and chatting by the well, and men working in the fields. It was a scene of paradise.

"Senior, what about the residents here?" Zhang Yunfan asked in confusion.

“They’re all ordinary people.” Sha Wuchen seemed to sense his question. “I’m the only cultivator in the entire town.”

"Only one cultivator, senior?" Zhang Yunfan was even more surprised. "Then what about such a powerful protective barrier?"

“I didn’t set it up,” Sha Wuchen shook his head. “This barrier has existed for thousands of years, far longer than I am.”

The two chatted as they walked deeper into the town. The residents they encountered along the way greeted Sha Wuchen warmly, and showed no fear upon seeing Zhang Yunfan, a stranger; instead, they displayed curiosity and friendly smiles.

"Uncle, are you from outside?" A little girl of seven or eight years old ran over and asked innocently.

“Yes, little sister,” Zhang Yunfan crouched down and said gently, “What’s your name?”

"My name is Xiaoyue!" the little girl answered crisply. "Uncle, what's the outside world like?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhang Yunfan's heart stirred. This child had grown up in an oasis and was full of curiosity about the outside world.

"The outside world is very, very big, with high mountains, oceans, forests, and grasslands," Zhang Yunfan described simply.

The little girl's eyes lit up as she listened, her face filled with longing.

"Xiaoyue, please don't disturb the guests." At this moment, a woman walked over and said apologetically to Zhang Yunfan, "This child has always been very curious about the outside world, please forgive her."

"It's alright," Zhang Yunfan said with a smile. "A child's curiosity is a good thing."

"Thank you for your understanding," the woman said, bowing, then took Xiaoyue's hand and left.

Watching the little girl's reluctant departure, Zhang Yunfan felt a pang of emotion.

“Many children are like that,” Sha Wuchen said from the side. “They’ve lived in this little oasis since they were little, and they’re filled with longing for the outside world.”

"Why can't we go out?" Zhang Yunfan asked.

"As you can see, it's just a vast desert outside," Sha Wuchen said with a wry smile. "They're all ordinary people, without any cultivation; they simply can't survive in the desert."

"Then, senior..."

“Of course I can go out, and I often go out to find supplies,” Sha Wuchen said. “But I can only take a limited number of people with me, and the outside world is full of dangers for ordinary people.”

The two arrived at a large house in the center of town.

"This is my residence, and also the town's council hall," Sha Wuchen introduced. "Please come in."

The interior of the house was simply furnished, but very clean. A map hung on the living room wall, marking the terrain of the Western Desert. (End of Chapter)