The Sand Thunder Tribe

Over the next two days, Hao Nhien's group continued northwest. The desert wind remained dry and the sand beneath their feet still burned with heat, but after leaving the Sinking Sands, the atmosphere among the group had clearly become much lighter.

Tieu Nhan led the way in front. From time to time, she would turn and point toward a distant rocky mound, a darker stretch of sand, or a low mountain range blurred along the horizon, introducing the familiar routes around the Sand Thunder Tribe as they traveled. Luu Thanh rode nearby, sometimes asking about Fire Sand Wine, sometimes whether the people of the tribe often held knife contests around the campfire, and occasionally throwing in some completely unrelated question. At first, Tieu Nhan answered him seriously, but after a while, all she could do was laugh as they traveled.

Lanh Hoa kept half a step behind Hao Nhien. He remained as quiet as ever and never stopped observing their surroundings, though the rigid killing intent that had clung to him during the days of waiting had faded considerably.

By late afternoon on the second day, as the sun began to sink toward the west, a group of beast riders appeared beyond a distant stretch of sand.

The one at the front was Cat Dang.

The moment the silver-bearded middle-aged man spotted Hao Nhien, his eyes lit up. He raised a hand to signal those behind him to slow down, then jumped from the back of his desert beast and hurried across the sand.

"Clan Head Hao! You really returned safely!"

Cat Dang reached Hao Nhien and was just about to bow when Hao Nhien raised a hand to stop him.

"Elder Cat Dang, there's no need for that. I said I would return, so naturally I couldn't break my word."

Cat Dang looked him over from head to toe. Only after seeing that Hao Nhien's aura was stable and that his face was no longer pale as it had been after the battle with the Sand Fox King did he finally let out a long breath.

"Thank goodness. Even after this old man returned to the tribe, I still couldn't settle my heart. Tieu Nhan insisted on staying behind to wait for you. The Clan Head didn't blame her either. He only said that if Clan Head Hao truly returned, we had to invite you to the Sand Thunder Tribe no matter what."

Standing nearby, Tieu Nhan lowered her head slightly, though her eyes were clearly brighter than before.

Cat Dang laughed and continued.

"Everything is fine now. The Clan Head is waiting, and the tribe has already prepared to receive our guests."

The moment Luu Thanh heard that, he asked:

"You've prepared a feast?"

Cat Dang glanced at him and burst into laughter.

"If the Sand Thunder Tribe welcomed the people who saved our lives without wine and meat, what face would we have left to live in the Western Wastes?"

Luu Thanh clapped his hands.

"Excellent! I'm starting to like the Sand Thunder Tribe already."

Lanh Hoa turned to look at him.

Luu Thanh immediately coughed and corrected himself.

"What I mean is, such hospitality is truly worthy of respect."

Cat Dang laughed even harder.

The two groups joined together and continued northwest. After nearly another full day of travel, just as the sunset dyed the horizon red, the Sand Thunder Basin finally came into view.

It was a broad stretch of land surrounded by low mountain ranges that curved around it in a wide arc. From a distance, those mountains resembled a natural wall embracing the entire basin. Inside, the monotonous sea of yellow sand gave way to a lake, patches of vegetation, houses, and trails of cooking smoke rising beneath the evening light.

At the center of the basin lay a large lake. Its clear surface reflected the burning red sky like a mirror of fire. Around it, low houses made from wood, stone, and beast hide had been built in several rings. Their roofs were covered with dried leaves, and wind chimes made from beast bones and desert shells hung from the eaves. Whenever the wind passed through, faint chiming sounds drifted across the settlement.

At the center of the largest open ground stood a three-story building. Its pillars were carved with patterns of swirling sand, flames, desert beasts, and desert eagles. A banner of the Sand Thunder Tribe hung in front, its background the color of earth, with a pale golden bolt of lightning piercing through a spiral of sand at the center.

As Hao Nhien's group entered the basin, the sound of a horn immediately rang out, deep and prolonged, echoing from the low mountain walls before spreading across the tribe.

Voices rose from several directions soon afterward.

"Honored guests have arrived!"

"Clan Head Hao is here!"

"The man who killed the Sand Fox King has returned!"

People emerged from the houses around the lake. Most of the men were broad-shouldered and sun-darkened, with curved knives hanging at their waists. The women wore earth-colored robes, their hair braided long, small stone necklaces resting around their necks. Children ran ahead of the adults, their eyes shining as they stared at the arriving group.

Some brought clean water, others offered cloths to wipe away the dust, while several carried wine. Elsewhere, people had already begun lighting additional fires across the large open ground in the middle of the tribe. The once-peaceful basin quickly became lively. Small fires appeared one after another from the lakeshore to the earthen square before the Clan Head's residence. The scent of roasting meat mingled with Fire Sand Wine, cooking smoke, and dry grass, forming an atmosphere unique to the people of the desert.

Hao Nhien had passed through Thanh Van Town, the Tieu Dao Sect, Third City, and even the gloomy ruins deep beneath the earth, but the scene before him held a very different kind of appeal. It was neither magnificent nor solemn, and it lacked the drifting immortal aura cultivators often valued, yet it possessed a reality that was impossible to ignore. Every laugh, every footstep, and every hand offering water carried the rough but warm vitality of the Western Wastes.

Cat Thanh, Clan Head of the Sand Thunder Tribe, was already waiting in front of the large residence.

He appeared to be a little over fifty, tall and strongly built, with graying hair tied neatly behind his head. Years of wind and sun had carved many lines into his face, but his eyes remained remarkably bright. He wore no elaborate ceremonial robes, only a clean dark-brown robe beneath a thin beast-hide outer garment, with an old curved saber hanging at his waist.

When he saw Hao Nhien approach, Cat Thanh stepped forward, placed his right hand over his chest, and bowed deeply.

"Cat Thanh of the Sand Thunder Tribe greets Clan Head Hao. The Sand Thunder Tribe will never forget the debt we owe you for saving our people."

Hao Nhien stepped forward and helped him straighten.

"Clan Head Cat Thanh, there's no need for such a grand ceremony. I only did what should have been done."

He did not correct the way Cat Thanh addressed him. Hao Nhien understood very well that he had not yet been formally acknowledged by the Fire Qilin Altar, but there was no point arguing over titles in front of the Sand Thunder people at a time like this.

Cat Thanh looked at him for a moment before laughing heartily.

"Someone who can say that after daring to remain behind and face the Sand Fox King is worthy of a cup from me."

He turned and called out loudly.

"Light the great fires and bring out the wine! Tonight, the Sand Thunder Tribe welcomes our honored guests!"

Cheers immediately spread across the basin.

Before long, the square before the Clan Head's residence was brightly lit by great fires. Beast meat was skewered over wooden racks, fat dripping onto glowing coals with a constant sizzle. Several large stone pots stood beside the flames, filled with meat, desert herbs, and mild wine. Waves of fragrance rose from them, enough to make anyone hungry at the first breath.

The elders sat near the fires drinking and telling stories, while groups of young men competed in knife throwing, arm wrestling, and footwork contests across the sand. Children ran between them carrying small lamps made from dried fruit shells, their flickering lights like stars hovering close to the ground. The young women of the Sand Thunder Tribe wore clothes in shades of earth, dark red, and desert gold, with small silver bracelets around their wrists that chimed pleasantly whenever they moved.

Hao Nhien sat near the central fire. Lanh Hoa and Cat Dang were beside him, while Cat Thanh sat across from him. Tieu Nhan sat near the low table and poured wine for everyone. She had changed into a cleaner earth-brown robe, her hair neatly tied with a small green stone ornament tucked into it.

Cat Thanh raised his cup, his deep, warm voice carrying through the firelight.

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"Clan Head Hao, this cup is from Cat Thanh to you. Not only because you saved Tieu Nhan and Cat Dang, but because you chose to stay and face the Sand Fox King when everyone knew doing so could cost you your life. That alone is enough to earn the respect of the Sand Thunder Tribe."

He raised his cup higher.

"The Sand Thunder Tribe drinks to Clan Head Hao."

Those seated around the central fire raised their cups together, and many tribesmen farther away joined in. Their voices echoed throughout the basin.

Hao Nhien looked at the sun-darkened faces surrounding the fire. There was gratitude in those eyes, curiosity and respect as well, but little of the scrutiny or calculation he had grown accustomed to elsewhere.

He raised his cup.

"Clan Head Cat Thanh is too courteous. I didn't save anyone for fame. It's simply that in a desert like this, if people refuse to help one another, sooner or later the yellow sands will swallow everything."

Cat Thanh's expression shifted slightly.

Hao Nhien continued.

"The Western Wastes are in chaos right now. The Fire Qilin Tribe has its own troubles, the Sand Thunder Tribe is under pressure, and the other tribes are unlikely to be doing much better. If every tribe only tries to hold onto its own little corner, sooner or later someone will break us one branch at a time."

He held the cup at chest level.

"This cup isn't for a debt of gratitude. It's for the hope that, if circumstances allow, those of us who live under the same desert sky can help one another in the future."

Cat Thanh studied him for several breaths before laughing loudly.

"Well said! To the bonds between the tribes, and to those who refuse to bow before the Heavenly Eye. Drink!"

Everyone drained their cups.

The Fire Sand Wine burned as it went down Hao Nhien's throat, so hot and sharp that it felt like a line of fire descending into his stomach before quickly turning into warmth that spread through his limbs. It was nothing like the refined spirit wines served in the cities. It was strong, rough, and perfectly suited to this place.

Cat Dang laughed heartily beside him, filled another cup, and held it out to Lanh Hoa.

"Brother Lanh, this cup is for you. If you hadn't pulled that Sand Fox King away from me back then, this old Cat Dang probably wouldn't be sitting here drinking right now."

Lanh Hoa accepted the cup, his expression as cold as ever.

"I didn't think much about it. After it ate you, it would've turned around and eaten me. Saving you was also saving myself."

Cat Dang froze for a moment, then burst into thunderous laughter.

"Spoken like a man who's survived a battlefield."

The two clinked cups and drank.

The atmosphere quickly grew livelier. Wine passed constantly from hand to hand, along with roasted meat, and the Sand Thunder people cared little for rigid formalities. Those who wanted to drink drank, those who wanted to sing sang, and anyone who wanted to ask questions could approach as long as they respected the guests.

Hao Nhien sat beside the fire, red light reflecting in the wine cup in his hand. Since arriving in this world, he had traveled through many places and experienced life-and-death battles, struggles, schemes, and stretches of solitude where the only sound left was his own breathing. Yet this was the first time he had truly sat among a crowd of strangers without feeling completely like an outsider.

No one pressed him too deeply about where he came from, and no one tried to pry into the secrets he did not want to reveal. The Sand Thunder people simply poured wine, passed him hot meat, told stories, and laughed loudly, expressing their hospitality in the most direct way the people of the desert knew.

After one round of wine, Tieu Nhan stepped closer to refill Hao Nhien's cup.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Clan Head Hao, Tieu Nhan still wants to thank you once more."

Hao Nhien looked at her.

Tieu Nhan continued.

"Ever since I was little, I've heard many stories about people who killed beasts, saved tribes, or crossed sandstorms alone. Before this, I thought they were only stories elders told beside the fire. After what happened, I finally understood that there really are people who stay behind when everyone else has nowhere left to retreat."

She lifted her head.

"To you, it may have only been something that needed to be done. But to the person who was saved, it is something they will remember for a very long time."

Hao Nhien was silent for a moment before giving a slight nod.

"Then I'll accept your thanks."

Tieu Nhan smiled and went on pouring wine for the others.

At that moment, Cat Thanh set down his cup. His expression grew more serious, though his tone still carried the warmth of a host.

"Clan Head Hao, I didn't witness the entire battle myself, but Cat Dang told me what happened. That Sand Fox King had already approached the limit of the third rank and even forced its way into the fourth rank. A beast like that isn't merely powerful. It possesses intelligence and patience as well. For you to return alive after making it disappear into the Sinking Sands is something I truly admire."

Hao Nhien raised his cup but did not drink.

"Luck played no small part, and neither did the terrain. If the battle had taken place somewhere else, the result might have been very different."

Cat Thanh studied him carefully, then nodded.

"A man who knows why he won even after victory is someone I can trust."

Hao Nhien smiled faintly. He had no desire to let the stories surrounding him grow even more exaggerated, so he changed the subject himself.

"Clan Head Cat Thanh, I'd like to hear your view of the current situation in the Western Wastes. I've only just returned and still know too little, especially regarding the Heavenly Eye."

The atmosphere around the central fire gradually settled. Laughter and drums still sounded in the distance, but those sitting close to Hao Nhien put away their playful expressions.

Cat Thanh set down his wine cup.

"The Heavenly Eye is very powerful now, but we know little about its true foundation. What we can see clearly is that they are gathering the tribes under one banner."

He looked toward the distant lake.

"They say the Western Wastes cannot remain scattered forever. Small tribes will eventually be swallowed by beasts, sandstorms, and water shortages. They also say that only a large city can allow children to survive the dry season, keep the elderly from being abandoned along the road, and give the young enough resources to cultivate."

Cat Dang snorted coldly.

"The words sound beautiful. But once people enter the city, whether they still belong to their own tribes is another matter."

Cat Thanh nodded.

"Those who enter must register their lineage again. Healthy young people have to join hunting teams or battle units, and the Heavenly Eye is interfering more and more deeply in marriages between tribes. Food and water are distributed through them as well. If you want to live in the city, you must follow the city's rules."

Lanh Hoa's gaze turned colder.

At some point, Luu Thanh had moved closer. Even the cup in his hand had lowered.

Hao Nhien asked:

"If the Heavenly Eye's only goal were to help the people of the Western Wastes live more stable lives, then gathering the tribes together would at least make sense. But if they truly have ties to events from a thousand years ago, then their power may not be limited to the Western Wastes."

Cat Thanh looked at him.

Hao Nhien continued.

"We can't rule out the possibility that there are already Golden Core cultivators outside the Western Wastes, perhaps even Nascent Soul cultivators or other forces secretly connected to them. But that makes one thing even harder to understand. If they already have a path to the outside, why spend so much effort forcing the tribes of the Western Wastes to submit?"

Cat Thanh fell silent for a while before answering.

"That is exactly what I cannot understand either. The deeper one goes into the Western Wastes, the more heavily higher cultivation is restricted. Even Golden Core cultivators would find it difficult to operate here for long periods. If the Heavenly Eye only wanted to integrate into the Eastern Plains or Southern Frontier, then a few hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators from the tribes would not be enough to change the situation outside."

Hao Nhien looked into the flames before him.

"Then their goal probably isn't merely integration."

Cat Thanh narrowed his eyes slightly.

Hao Nhien continued.

"It's also possible that the Heavenly Eye is only one part of a much larger force."

The air around the fire immediately grew heavier.

Cat Thanh drew a slow breath.

"Those are serious words."

"I know." Hao Nhien nodded. "That's why, for now, it's only speculation."

He looked toward the distant west.

"What lies farther west, beyond the areas where the tribes normally operate?"

Cat Thanh's expression changed slightly.

"A forbidden zone."

He paused before continuing.

"At least according to the stories passed down through the Sand Thunder Tribe, no one has ever gone deep into that region and returned safely. Most people in the Western Wastes avoid even talking about it."

Hao Nhien raised his cup, his gaze calm.

"If I become strong enough and learn more in the future, I'd like to go there and see it for myself."

As soon as he said that, Cat Thanh, Cat Dang, Lanh Hoa, and Luu Thanh all looked toward him. Even Tieu Nhan paused while pouring wine.

Cat Thanh asked:

"Clan Head Hao truly intends to go there?"

Hao Nhien laughed.

"I said in the future. Right now, it's far too early, and I still value my life."

The tension around the fire eased slightly.

He raised his cup.

"But if the shadow behind the Heavenly Eye truly stretches into the depths of the west, then sitting outside and guessing forever will never reveal the truth. That's something for another day. Tonight is the night the Sand Thunder Tribe welcomes its guests. There's no need to turn it into a council meeting."

Cat Thanh looked at him for several breaths before laughing as well.

"Very well. Important matters can wait until tomorrow. Tonight, we drink."

Everyone raised their cups.

Before long, the sound of a flute rose from the other side of the square, high and distant like wind passing through a mountain pass at sunset. The young women of the Sand Thunder Tribe began dancing around the fire, their earth-colored and dark-red clothes turning with the rhythm as silver bracelets on their wrists and ankles chimed together. The young men clapped and shouted to the beat before joining the circle one after another. Some spun knives, some tossed wine jars into the air, and others dragged their friends into the dancing crowd.

Luu Thanh was clearly made for this kind of gathering. It did not take long before he had thrown himself into the dance as though he had been born in the Sand Thunder Tribe. He sang the wrong words and missed the rhythm, yet somehow only made everyone laugh harder.

Even Lanh Hoa was surrounded by young men offering him wine. At first, he remained seated in silence, but eventually someone bold enough placed a large cup directly in front of him. Lanh Hoa looked at the cup, then at the group waiting expectantly, before draining it in a single breath.

The crowd immediately cheered as though they had just won a battle.

After a while, Tieu Nhan also rose.

She walked closer to the fire, placed both hands before her chest in the traditional salute of the Sand Thunder Tribe, and began to sing.

Her voice was clear and bright, not especially high but pleasant to listen to. The song was an old traditional melody of the Sand Thunder Tribe, telling of someone waiting beside an underground lake for another person to return through a sandstorm. Its verses carried the wind and sand, moonlight across a blade, and a cup of wine left unfinished.

The people of the tribe gradually quieted to listen.

Firelight fell across Tieu Nhan's face. From time to time, her eyes drifted toward Hao Nhien, though they never lingered for long.

Cat Dang, seated nearby, smiled faintly and poured another cup of wine.

"Clan Head Hao, Tieu Nhan sings this one rather well."

Hao Nhien accepted the cup, looked toward the fire, and nodded.

"Very well."

Cat Dang seemed about to say something more, but Hao Nhien had already raised his cup.

"Drink."

Cat Dang laughed.

"Fine. Drink."

The night gradually deepened.

Wine continued to flow, meat remained over the fires, and the sounds of drums, flutes, singing, and laughter echoed through the basin.

Hao Nhien sat beside the flames, the cup in his hand already more than half empty. The distant lake reflected the stars, the fires, and the silhouettes of people singing, making the entire basin feel separated from the rest of the Western Wastes.

For that brief moment, this place no longer felt like a land filled with beasts, sandstorms, and schemes hidden between tribes. It felt instead like a great home belonging to people who had spent their lives surviving hardship and therefore understood the value of a peaceful night better than most.

Hao Nhien raised his cup and drained what remained.

Since coming to this world, this was perhaps the first time he had truly allowed himself to sink into such a lively night, not because he had just won a battle or survived death, but simply because someone had opened their doors, lit a fire, poured wine, and invited him to sit among them.

Tonight, he was no longer a stranger standing outside the firelight.

At least for this moment, the people of the Sand Thunder Tribe had welcomed him into their circle.