I am the sacred tree, evergreen for eternity.

In the side hall of the council chamber, several elders sat facing each other across a stone table.

Several reports from various provinces were spread out on the table, filled with detailed registration information from different places.

"In the Northern Province, 1,200 people have registered. Forty percent of them are at or above the Body Refinement stage."

"Nine hundred people signed up for the Southern Xinjiang Province. The craftsmen from Tianhe Shipyard spontaneously organized a logistics team, saying they would follow the expeditionary force and be responsible for repairing ships and paving roads."

"In the western provinces, eight hundred people have signed up. The Pharmacist Association has allocated three batches of herbs, which are already packed and ready for shipment."

"Eastern Province, Registration Open—"

The elder who was reading the report paused for a moment, raised his head, and widened his eyes slightly.

"Two thousand six hundred people."

There was a moment of silence in the side hall.

An elderly man with graying temples slowly spoke, his voice choked with emotion yet tinged with something fervent: "By the Tree God..."

He didn't finish speaking.

Those present were all old guys who had experienced that bloody battle between humans and transvestites.

They understood better than anyone what stepping outside the area covered by the spirit field meant...

Without the protection of totem poles, without the continuous supply of earth's spiritual energy, without reinforcements, and with no way out.

It was a true expedition, a journey of life and death.

The blood of humans has never cooled.

All the Xia Kingdom wanted was a spark.

One that everyone will remember.

They are the sparks that tell us who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.

"The Grand Commander is right." Another old man looked out the window toward the altar.

"We've been hiding under the tree god's protection for far too long..."

……

Thousands of miles away, the wind-eroded wilderness stretches out.

Deep in the canyon to the southwest, the stench of blood was so strong it seemed to drip down.

Qi leaned against a blood-stained rock, placed the iron-clad broadsword across his knees, and carefully wiped the purplish-black pus off the blade with a piece of animal hide.

The pale golden light on the blade had faded, but the edge was still sharp enough to reflect a person's image.

At the bottom of the canyon, more than a dozen snake demon corpses lay scattered about.

These snake demons were nearly twice the size of their ordinary counterparts, and their scales were covered with purplish-black patterns, the marks left by the parasites that had devoured them.

The battle lasted for three whole days.

The vanguard team of 21 people used five waves of luring and killing to finally wipe out these monsters that had been corrupted by fel energy and lost their minds.

Fortunately, although the snake demon's power had increased dramatically, its mind had become confused, making it easier to deal with than those organized demon clans.

Yu squatted beside the largest snake demon corpse, his twin swords stuck in the sand at his feet, his hands covered in purplish-black slime.

He is extracting the gallbladder from a snake.

The blade cut through the gaps in the scales, slicing down along the lines of the abdomen, a technique so practiced it seemed like it had been done a thousand times.

Having spent so long in the wasteland, he could tell you with his eyes closed what kind of monsters could yield what kind of materials and how to obtain them in the most complete way.

"Snake gall, snake skin, snake bones, snake fangs..." he muttered to himself, his hands never stopping.

"We risked our lives for this, so we can't waste it."

Just as they were muttering to themselves, a dull thud of rolling stones came from the direction of the canyon entrance.

No one bothered to lift their heads.

A large gray boulder rolled out from around the corner of the canyon.

It moved very fast, stopping steadily when it was more than ten feet away from the group.

"Stone" slowly stood up.

The three-zhang-tall stone body cast a huge shadow in the canyon.

On that face with indistinct features, two slit-like eyes shone with a dark yellow light.

"Oh, my brave warriors, you've worked hard."

The small thought spread out, carrying that unique, seemingly simple and warm feeling.

"The roads are inconvenient, but I'm not too late, am I?"

Qi resisted the urge to roll her eyes and jumped off the rock.

He walked up to the pile of monster materials that had been sorted and packaged, and kicked the largest animal hide package.

"The materials are here; name your price."

Xiao Xiao crouched down, and the huge stone head came close to the package.

The stone man extended a thick, stone finger and casually flicked it.

"Ten pieces of iron ore, plus three pieces of lapis lazuli."

"Lapis lazuli?" Qi frowned. "What's that used for?"

"For forging magical artifacts." A small smile crept across his stone-like face.

"You'll need it in the future."

Qi pondered for a moment and then nodded.

"make a deal."

With a small opening of its mouth, a dozen or so pieces of ore rolled out one after another with a crunching sound.

Fortunately, the Stone Spirits don't spit...

Qi examined it briefly and confirmed that it was indeed high-quality ore.

The weapons and armor forged from these ores, crafted with exceptional skill, are at least a level superior to the ironware currently used in the Xia Kingdom.

On the front lines, every extra sharp knife and every extra piece of sturdy armor could mean one more person could return alive.

This stone figure before me, though it's likely to have an obsidian heart if cut open...

However, it must be admitted that the supplies it provides are indeed what the vanguard team needs most right now.

Xiao Xiao stretched out her hands and carefully picked up the packets of monster materials, stuffing them into her rock-solid chest.

The materials seemed to be held in place by some force, firmly embedded in the gaps of its body.

"A rolling stone gathers no moss; if business is good, come back again."

After saying that, it shrank back into a ball and rolled away like an ordinary boulder, raising a cloud of dust.

The setting sun was turning the entire wasteland a dark orange-red.

Qi led the team toward the faint outline of the ancient ship in the distance.

Those second-generation scions around him, who once lived a life of luxury in the royal city, have undergone a complete transformation.

Their current identity is that of people who will carve out a road for the Xia Kingdom in the wilderness.

For months, the Abyss Clan has been providing intelligence on the Devouring Spawn, the Humans have been conducting trials of slaughter, and merchants have been trading goods...

This process creates a peculiar cycle that rapidly enhances the strength of the pioneering team.

only.

Of the criminals who were with them, three have already been buried in the mountains and seas.

No one cried.

The brothers silently dug through the rubble and buried their comrade's body on the wasteland.

A low mound is built with stones, and a sharpened wooden stick is placed in front of the mound.

That was a custom on the border of the Xia Kingdom, used to guide travelers on their journeys.

Those who are alive, continue on your journey.

This is the destiny of the pioneers.

"We still have a long way to go."

Qi held the reins, and the four-legged lizard quickened its pace.

Halfway there, the wind suddenly changed direction.

It wasn't the kind of dry, cold monsoon that sweeps across the wasteland from west to east, but rather a descending airflow from the northwest, carrying a biting chill.

Qi pulled on the reins and looked ahead.

On the horizon, a gray-black curtain wall is rising.

It rises straight from the ground into the sky, swallowing up half of the sky.

"Black Erosion Wind".

Yu's voice came from behind, tinged with tension.

The Black Erosion Wind is the most bizarre celestial phenomenon in this wasteland.

It roams the wasteland like some kind of living creature, indiscriminately going about its business.

The most frightening thing is that the wind carries tiny, almost imperceptible particles of pollutant.

Those particles can erode spiritual light and corrode flesh, posing a deadly threat to any life form.

Qi made a quick judgment.

"Find a sheltered spot and set up camp."

The black, corrosive wind quickly pressed down.

A sandstorm swept in, making a fine, dense sound, like countless insects gnawing at bones.

Qi stood on the outermost edge of the rock wall's recess, spiritual light flowing across his body, forming a thin protective layer.

His gaze pierced through the wind and sand, looking into the distance.

Within the gray-black sandstorm, something could be seen moving.

It's a shadow.

A person's shadow.

The shadows of many people...