The Sinking Sands

Hao Nhien looked down at the members of the Cat Loi Tribe gathered in the valley below.

“First, we should meet them.”

Luu Thanh understood and followed him down the rocky path.

Cat Dang was already waiting at the foot of the slope. The silver-bearded middle-aged man had not escaped the previous night’s battle unscathed. His left shoulder was still wrapped in bloodstained bandages, but his back remained straight. Of the group that had once numbered more than ten, only a few were now able to stand on their own. The others were either lying down to rest or leaning on their companions for support.

The young woman stood half a step behind Cat Dang. One of her shoulders was also bandaged, and sand still clung to her hair. Her eyes were slightly red from lack of sleep and everything she had endured, but when Hao Nhien approached, she still straightened herself according to the customs of the Western Wastes.

Cat Dang cupped his hands and bowed deeply.

“Cat Dang of the Cat Loi Tribe greets Clan Head Hao. If the three of you had not intervened last night, I fear none of us would still be standing here. Cat Dang will remember this life-saving grace.”

The survivors behind him bowed as well.

Hao Nhien raised a hand to stop him from bowing any lower.

“Elder Cat Dang, there is no need for this. In the Western Wastes, if I came across people surrounded by spirit beasts and had the ability to help, I would not be able to simply stand aside and watch.”

Cat Dang gave a bitter smile.

“Clan Head Hao makes it sound simple, but what happened last night was not something just anyone would have dared to step into.”

His gaze unconsciously shifted toward the corpse of the Sand Fox King in the distance.

“I have lived in the Western Wastes for many years and have seen my share of powerful cultivators. But an early Foundation Establishment cultivator willing to face a King like that head-on is truly rare.”

Hao Nhien did not accept the praise.

“We did not win because of me alone. Without everyone working together, the outcome might have been very different.”

Cat Dang glanced at the two men behind him and nodded.

“I saw that last night.”

He paused, and his expression gradually became more serious.

“Luu Thanh told me that your group is connected to the Fire Qilin Tribe. I do not know how much you understand about the tribe’s current situation, but the Western Wastes have changed greatly over the past few years. If Clan Head Hao truly intends to go deeper, the road ahead will not be easy.”

Hao Nhien met his gaze.

“I never expected it to be.”

“But I believe that with you, the Fire Qilin Tribe will rise again.”

Cat Dang spoke without hesitation.

Hao Nhien remained silent for a moment before replying.

“For now, I am returning because I want to understand what actually happened. Whether the Fire Qilin people who now stand with Heavenly Eye did so willingly, were forced into it, or had other reasons, I cannot draw a conclusion from a few things heard along the road.”

Cat Dang looked slightly surprised.

Hao Nhien continued, “I will find those who still want to choose their own path, and I will uncover the truth behind the changes within the Fire Qilin Tribe. As for what Duong Long, Duong Quang, or Heavenly Eye have truly done, I want to see it with my own eyes before deciding anything.”

Cat Dang was silent for several breaths before slowly nodding.

“Hearing Clan Head Hao say that actually puts me more at ease.”

He looked toward the vast Western Wastes beyond the valley.

“In recent years, too many people have chosen sides the moment they heard a name. In the end, the ones who die are still the smaller tribes like ours.”

There was no fury in his voice now, only a very real exhaustion.

“The Cat Loi Tribe does not want to enter Heavenly Eye Forward City. It is not because we enjoy hardship. A well that never dries up, walls that can keep spirit beasts outside, a place where children can survive the storm season... who would not want those things?”

Cat Dang gave a faint, humorless smile.

“We simply do not believe they come without a price.”

Hao Nhien remembered what Luu Thanh had told him earlier and did not argue.

Cat Dang continued, “At present, the Cat Loi Tribe is trying to form alliances with several other tribes so we can preserve our own water routes and migration paths. This journey is part of that effort.”

He looked toward the young woman.

She lowered her head slightly, then stepped forward by half a pace. Placing both hands before her chest according to the customs of the Western Wastes, she bowed.

“This junior is Cat Tieu Nhan. Thank you, Clan Head Hao, for saving my life.”

Hao Nhien looked at her.

Tieu Nhan appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen. She did not possess the soft refinement often seen among female disciples from the sects of the Eastern Plains. Her skin was sun-browned, her features distinct, and her build leaner and firmer than that of a girl raised inside a city. The wind and sand of the Western Wastes had given her a resilience all her own.

“Your injuries are not serious?”

“Only flesh wounds.”

Tieu Nhan raised her head. Her eyes rested on Hao Nhien for a moment before drifting toward the flame-shaped mark between his brows, now almost impossible to see.

“Since I was young, I have heard the elders of my tribe say that certain inheritances could make the spirit beasts of the Western Wastes wary. I always thought those were only stories told around the fire.”

She hesitated before continuing.

“After last night, I realized those stories may not have been entirely legends.”

Hao Nhien neither confirmed nor denied it.

“I only learned about it myself not long ago.”

Tieu Nhan looked momentarily taken aback, perhaps not expecting such an answer.

Hao Nhien merely smiled faintly before turning toward Lanh Hoa. The middle-aged man understood and stepped forward.

“There is another matter.”

Cat Dang immediately turned to him.

Lanh Hoa said, “The Sand Foxes have not fully withdrawn. We still saw them watching from a distance last night. The King we killed was indeed the leader of the pack that attacked us, but there may be a stronger one behind it, controlling several packs at once.”

Cat Dang showed no surprise. He merely looked toward the opposite slope where Lanh Hoa was indicating.

“I saw them as well.”

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His voice grew heavier.

“A pack that loses its King should scatter. If they are still keeping their distance and watching us, there is a good chance another one is holding them together.”

He turned to Hao Nhien.

“What is Clan Head Hao planning to do next?”

Hao Nhien answered, “I only have a general direction for now. About two and a half days to the southwest, there is a large region of sinking sand. Lanh Hoa has passed through it before. If the creature behind those packs truly continues following us, the terrain there may become an advantage.”

Cat Dang considered this, then nodded.

“I know the place. The Cat Loi Tribe calls it the Sinking Sands. Much of the surface looks no different from ordinary desert, but one wrong step can swallow both man and horse.”

“That is exactly why I want to go there,” Hao Nhien said. “We reach it first, study the terrain, then decide what to do.”

Cat Dang studied his complexion.

“What about your injuries?”

“I can still travel,” Hao Nhien replied. “I am simply not in condition for another serious fight yet.”

Lanh Hoa frowned slightly but did not object.

Hao Nhien looked between Lanh Hoa and Cat Dang.

“We cannot remain in this valley and wait for them to close in around us.”

Cat Dang nodded.

“I agree.”

Hao Nhien continued, “You two know the Sinking Sands and the Western Wastes better than I do. How we travel, what traces we leave, who goes first and who follows, you should decide between yourselves. The goal is to reach the area without making the Sand Foxes realize we are deliberately drawing them toward a specific place.”

Lanh Hoa looked at Cat Dang. The two did not need long to discuss it before reaching an agreement.

Cat Dang spoke first.

“My people are wounded, but the Black Horses and most of our supplies are still intact. If we leave first, our pace will not be especially fast. That will also make our trail look natural, like a caravan simply leaving the site of an attack.”

Lanh Hoa added, “Luu Thanh goes with them.”

Luu Thanh raised an eyebrow.

“Me?”

Lanh Hoa pointed toward the Sand Fox corpses.

“On the road, you can use their blood and fur to strengthen the scent, but do not make it too obvious. If a false trail looks deliberate, even spirit beasts can notice.”

Luu Thanh nodded.

“I understand.”

Cat Dang looked toward the southwest.

“From here to the Sinking Sands, with our wounded moving at their current pace, it will take a little more than two days. I know two small water sources along the way and one place where we can shelter from the wind. We can follow that route.”

“What do you do once you arrive?” Hao Nhien asked.

“We do not go deep,” Cat Dang replied.

Lanh Hoa nodded as well.

“First find somewhere near the outer edge to hide the people and the Black Horses. After that, we observe the terrain and make a more detailed plan.”

That matched Hao Nhien’s own thinking.

“Then we do it that way.”

He looked at Luu Thanh.

“Go with Cat Dang. If the Sand Foxes follow, keep your distance. Do not provoke them into a fight.”

“Understood.”

Hao Nhien then looked at Lanh Hoa.

“We follow behind.”

Lanh Hoa simply nodded.

About half a watch later, the Cat Loi group began preparing to leave the valley. Hao Nhien watched them for a while before turning to Lanh Hoa.

“I need a little more time.”

“I’ll wait outside.”

Lanh Hoa sat cross-legged near the cave entrance.

Hao Nhien nodded and went back inside. He only intended to spend another few hours restoring his spiritual power before setting out. Given his current condition, every bit he recovered now would make the journey ahead easier.

Deep inside the cave, Hao Nhien moved his will. The Cosmic Ark manifested in its Cave Dwelling form, and he stepped into the familiar space.

He sat down and placed more than a dozen mid-grade spirit stones around himself. Their spiritual qi blended with the already dense Wood-attributed spiritual qi in the Cave Dwelling, quickly thickening the concentration around him.

Hao Nhien began to cultivate.

This time, he did not dwell on the battle or Berserk. He focused only on guiding spiritual qi through his meridians, refining it bit by bit, then drawing the resulting spiritual power back into his dantian. The thin layer of liquid spiritual power there slowly grew thicker, and the feeling of depletion throughout his body gradually faded.

At first, nothing seemed unusual. But after many circulation cycles, Hao Nhien began to notice that his spiritual power was moving more smoothly than before. Several sections of his meridians that had previously felt slightly narrow now seemed broader, and their ability to withstand the passage of spiritual power had improved. The refined spiritual power also no longer simply settled in his dantian, but gradually formed a smoother cycle between the dantian and his main meridians.

Hao Nhien did not stop. He continued cultivating while quietly observing the changes within his body, and after some time, he began to understand the reason.

His foundation at Foundation Establishment layer one had already become stable. The battle with the Sand Fox King, especially the use of Berserk, had forced his body and meridians to endure a level of strain far beyond normal. His spiritual power had then been nearly exhausted before being absorbed and refined all over again within the dense Wood-attributed spiritual qi of the Cosmic Ark. Under that repeated pressure and recovery, the boundary of the first layer, which had previously remained indistinct, was finally beginning to reveal itself.

Nearly half a day after entering the Cave Dwelling, Hao Nhien circulated another cycle and truly sensed that limit.

It did not feel like a solid wall. Rather, it was like an invisible restraint holding the flow of spiritual power at its current level. Each time his spiritual power passed through, that restraint trembled slightly, as though only one more step was needed to push it open.

Hao Nhien slowly opened his eyes.

He had not planned to attempt a breakthrough now. But if he ignored the opportunity before him, there was no telling how long it would take for the bottleneck to become this clear again. More importantly, he saw another advantage in taking the risk.

If he continued recovering normally, he would still need considerable time. But if he used this chance to break through, the process would force him to absorb and refine a much larger amount of spiritual qi. If successful, it could not only carry him into the second layer, but also restore much of the spiritual power he had lost.

The Cat Loi group had already left, but they were traveling with wounded companions and could not move quickly. Even if he delayed another half day, there was still a good chance of closing the distance afterward. The delay carried risk, but a higher cultivation level would also give him greater confidence when facing whatever danger lay ahead.

After a brief calculation, Hao Nhien decided to seize the opportunity.

He took out several more mid-grade spirit stones, placed them around himself, and closed his eyes again.

Spiritual qi gradually gathered around him. Hao Nhien maintained a steady circulation, repeatedly guiding spiritual power through meridians that had only recently been pushed to their limits. With each cycle, the liquid spiritual power in his dantian grew denser, while the invisible boundary became increasingly loose.

Then his dantian trembled faintly.

The sense of restraint suddenly dissolved, and the spiritual power in circulation naturally surged beyond its former limit, flowing through his meridians with greater volume and ease than before.

He had entered Foundation Establishment layer two.

Hao Nhien knew he could not stop there. The breakthrough itself was only the first step. He continued absorbing spiritual qi, stabilizing his new cultivation while replenishing what Berserk had consumed. With the bottleneck gone, he could draw in more spiritual qi with every circulation cycle, and the refinement process became noticeably smoother.

Another half day passed.

By the time Hao Nhien opened his eyes, nearly a full day had gone by since he entered the Cave Dwelling.

He slowly circulated his spiritual power once. His condition had almost completely recovered, with only a faint ache remaining in his right arm whenever he exerted too much force. Compared with when he had entered, his state was entirely different.

Foundation Establishment layer two had already stabilized to a reasonable degree, and with his spiritual power nearly restored, his traveling speed would be far greater than before. If Lanh Hoa chose the route well, the distance that had opened between them and the Cat Loi group could still be made up.

Hao Nhien was about to leave the Cave Dwelling when his gaze suddenly settled on the ancient patterns along the walls of the Ark.

Something felt different.

After stepping into Foundation Establishment layer two, his spiritual awareness seemed slightly sharper. The patterns that had once given him only the faintest impression now returned a clearer response.

He stood still and allowed his spiritual awareness to slowly spread across them.

From somewhere deep within the Cosmic Ark came a very faint sensation. It was not speech, nor did it feel like a consciousness trying to communicate. It was simply a vague need belonging to the treasure itself.

A need for energy.

An enormous amount of it.

Hao Nhien frowned slightly.

He immediately remembered the three supreme-grade crystals the Cosmic Ark had absorbed before. That energy had helped open the Cave Dwelling form he was using now. He still had three more inside his storage ring, but the thought of taking them out appeared only briefly before he dismissed it.

He did not know how much energy the Ark required, nor what would happen if he supplied more at this stage. Those three supreme-grade crystals were among the rarest high-level resources he still possessed. It was far too early to spend them merely to test a vague sensation.

“Wait a little longer.”

He spoke quietly into the empty space.

The Cosmic Ark remained as silent as ever.

Hao Nhien did not wait for a response. He simply committed the matter to memory, withdrew his spiritual awareness, and left the Cave Dwelling.

Lanh Hoa was still waiting outside the cave.

When Hao Nhien emerged, the middle-aged man looked over at once. His gaze lingered on Hao Nhien a little longer than usual, clearly noticing the change in his aura.

“You broke through?”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“Foundation Establishment layer two.”

A trace of satisfaction appeared in Lanh Hoa’s eyes before he looked toward the sky.

“The Cat Loi group has been ahead of us for nearly a full day. With your current condition, if we maintain a good pace, we should be able to close most of the distance by tomorrow.”

Hao Nhien looked toward the southwest and nodded.

“Then let’s go.”

The two did not remain in the valley any longer.

Hao Nhien and Lanh Hoa rode southwest, pushing their Black Horses into a steady gallop. Sand-laden wind blew against them, carrying traces of dried blood and Sand Fox fur that Luu Thanh had deliberately left along the route.

They had been traveling for nearly half a watch when Lanh Hoa suddenly tightened his reins.

Hao Nhien stopped as well.

On the sand ahead, beside the human footprints and hoofprints left by the Cat Loi group, another trail had appeared.

The tracks were enormous, each one pressed far deeper into the hardened sand than those of the Sand Fox King they had killed. The claw marks were clearly defined, and the distance between each stride was much wider. Even at a glance, it was obvious that whatever had left them possessed a body at least a full size larger than the King from the previous night.

Lanh Hoa dismounted and crouched beside the tracks, examining them for a long moment.

Hao Nhien followed the enormous trail with his eyes as it stretched southwest, perfectly aligned with the route taken by the Cat Loi group.

Whatever that creature was, it was no longer merely watching from afar.

It had begun to follow them closely.