"I'd say you haven't been paying it much mind, fellow Daoist. Still, these Three Great Demon Hazards are no trivial matter. When you need to cross the entire desert in the future, Brother Han, you really shouldn't underestimate them. The three are: the Soul-Falling Wind, the Earth-Burying Sand, and the Illusory-Howl Demon Wolves. I imagine you're already quite clear on that much. But the danger these three pose is vastly different from one another. Among them, adult Illusory-Howl Demon Wolves possess only Spirit Transformation stage cultivation. However, they almost always travel in packs — the smallest will still have seven or eight adult wolves. If you run into one, even if you manage to barely kill them, it will leave you severely drained. But this hazard poses the least threat to you of all, because although the Illusory-Howl Demon Wolves move through the desert like the wind, they are still a bit slower than the Eight-Legged Demon Lizards. As long as you spot them in advance, you can easily shake them off. Of course, if you didn't have the demon lizards for transport, Brother Han, that would be an entirely different matter. As for the Earth-Burying Sand, it is the second most dangerous hazard in the Illusory-Howl Desert, surpassed only by the Soul-Falling Wind…"
The yellow-haired large man launched into a lengthy explanation.
Although Han Li was already familiar with some of what the man said, he still listened with an attentive smile on his face.
……
About half a month later, Han Li — who had been sitting atop his demon lizard with his eyes slightly closed in meditation — opened his eyes with a subtle shift in expression. His gaze pierced straight through the murky sandstorm to faintly make out a patch of green some dozen or so li ahead.
And in the very next moment, the purple-haired woman's pleasant voice rang out from the front.
"Fellow Daoists, we are approaching the Yinchuan Oasis up ahead. There is a small outpost of our White Family there. We can stop and rest to prepare ourselves before going to drive out that demon beast. The mineral vein is only half a day's journey from the oasis."
"Excellent! I've been stuck on these demon beasts for a whole month, and I'm truly sick of it. Once we get there, I'm going to rest properly and have a big meal first of all. Brother Bai, that thing you promised beforehand — you'll need to hand it over there." Luanlong Tianjun patted his round belly, his eyes lighting up as he spoke.
"Haha, rest assured, Brother Luanlong. I know the demonic technique you cultivate is special, and you must consume that substance to bring it to its fullest potential. Once we reach the oasis, I will naturally present it to you with both hands right away." The purple-haired woman didn't get a chance to answer before the yellow-haired large man laughed and replied.
"Good. If I consume that substance, my Magical Power will increase by at least thirty percent temporarily. That will give me that much more confidence in driving out the demon beast. Besides, that thing tastes truly incomparably delicious — something truly rare in this world. I only had it once back then, but I still can't forget it to this day." Luanlong Tianjun nodded in satisfaction.
"Naturally. Even our White Family spent tremendous effort to obtain just that small amount." The purple-haired woman smiled and chimed in.
Han Li, listening to this exchange from the side, felt a faint flicker of curiosity. But after turning it over in his mind a few times, he let it go.
A short while later, the group — riding at full speed on their demon lizards — arrived at the small oasis.
The moment Han Li and the others entered the oasis, the howling sandstorms that had been assailing them abruptly ceased, as if an invisible force had shielded this small green haven from the desert beyond.
The entire oasis spanned only a few li across. Its edges were lined with low-growing shrubs of various sizes, while at its center sat a small dark-green lake roughly half a li in diameter. On one side of the lake, a cluster of gray buildings had been erected — all formed from compacted sand and earth, yet somehow remarkably hard.
These buildings covered only a few mu of land, but unusual fluctuations emanated from their surroundings, suggesting that some extraordinary restrictions had been laid down.
Han Li's gaze swept briefly over the small lake before finally coming to rest on the cluster of buildings.
All the buildings were shaped like inverted half-domes, standing only three or four zhang tall — noticeably shorter than ordinary structures.
At this point, the yellow-haired large man was the first to leap down from his demon lizard. With a wave of his hand, he stored the beast into his Spirit Beast Ring. Then, furrowing his brow, he glanced at the distant buildings and suddenly opened his mouth to let out a long, dragon-like howl.
The howl pierced straight up into the clouds, like rumbling thunder rolling through the low sky. But after quite some time, there was still no response whatsoever from the buildings — no one appeared to be coming out.
At this, the yellow-haired large man's expression changed. He raised one hand and made a strange gesture toward those behind him.
Immediately, Bai Yunxin and the other six White Family members dismounted from their demon lizards and carefully approached the buildings.
Upon reaching them, Bai Yunxin produced a pitch-black iron token with one hand and waved it through the air before her.
Instantly, a layer of dark energy surged rolling up from the ground, engulfing the group's figures within it. Then no sound came from within at all.
The purple-haired woman and Luanlong Tianjun watched all of this, their gazes growing somewhat more solemn.
Only Han Li stood watching everything quietly, his expression betraying not the slightest hint of surprise.