The void tore open as Lan An, Yan Yue Qi, and Nangong Yuan emerged, their figures cutting through the spatial rifts like blades through silk. The air of the Yellow Sand Continent shimmered with oppressive heat, the horizon a haze of golden dunes stretching endlessly beneath a scorching sun. Their destination: the White Sand Empire, where the Strange Earth—a treasure capable of reshaping destinies—awaited.
Lan An's eyes gleamed with determination. The Extreme Ice Demon Monarch's tomb had yielded immense gains, but the Strange Earth was his true goal. Its power could elevate his body cultivation to new heights, aligning it with his spiritual and soul realms. Yet, he knew the White Sand Empire's political web—woven with the Hua Clan's influence and the Emperor's ambitions—would be a battlefield as perilous as any beast horde.
Yan Yue Qi, her Thunder Emperor Scepter slung casually over her shoulder, scanned the dunes with her phoenix eyes. "The White Sand Palace won't welcome us with open arms, Tiểu Nam. Bai Sa's pride won't tolerate your… acquisitions," she said, her lips curling with amusement, hinting at Hua Qing Zhu.
Lan An smirked. "Let him try. The Strange Earth isn't his to hoard."
Nangong Yuan, her Golden Mysterious Armor glinting under the sun, remained silent, her refined features set in resolve. The battle against Yu Guo had ignited her ambition. She'd witnessed Lan An's might and Yan Yue Qi's dominance. To stand as their equal, she needed to prove herself beyond her Imperial Needle Six Killing Scripture. Her heart burned to match their strength, to be more than a graceful shadow in Lan An's harem.
"Uyển—Yuan," Lan An corrected himself, catching her gaze. "You did well back there. Yu Guo was no weakling, yet you dismantled him like paper."
Nangong Yuan's cheeks flushed faintly, but her eyes stayed firm. "I won't disappoint you, my lord. But I know my limits. I must grow stronger to stand by your side."
Yan Yue Qi chuckled, her voice rich with approval. "Good spirit, Yuan. The harem doesn't need vases. Keep that fire, and you'll rival my daughters soon."
Nangong Yuan nodded, her resolve hardening. She glanced at the distant silhouette of the White Sand Palace, its spires piercing the sky like spears. "What's our plan for the Strange Earth?"
Lan An's expression turned serious. "The Strange Earth is likely guarded within the palace's Earth Vein Vault, a fortress infused with the continent's geomantic essence. Bai Sa's no fool—he'll have layered defenses, possibly including the Hua Clan's elders. We infiltrate, assess, and strike when the time's right."
"Direct assault's too risky," Yan Yue Qi added, her lightning crackling faintly. "The Hua Clan's loyalty to Bai Sa is shaky, thanks to Qing Zhu's… situation. We can exploit that."
Lan An's thoughts drifted to Hua Qing Zhu. The Tribulation Lust Mark bound her to him, a double-edged sword. Her heart resisted, yet her actions in the tomb—her trust in leaving the Monarch's storage ring with him—hinted at softening. He wouldn't force her, but her departure left a pang. Her return to the White Sand Palace, carrying the Monarch's treasures, would stir the Emperor's suspicions.
"Qing Zhu's in a delicate spot," Lan An said, voice low. "The Slave Seal keeps her tethered, but Bai Sa's paranoia might push her to act. We need to reach her before she's cornered."
Nangong Yuan frowned. "The Empress… she's a Body Unity cultivator. If she turns against us, even you—"
"She won't," Lan An cut in, his tone firm but gentle. "She's bound by more than the seal. Trust me."
Yan Yue Qi raised an eyebrow, her smile teasing. "Confident, aren't you? Careful, Tiểu Nam. A woman like her doesn't bend easily."
Lan An laughed, brushing it off. "Let's move. The longer we linger, the more time the Beast Taming War Sect has to spread rumors of my identity."
The trio activated their movement arts. Lan An's Fire Law Ten Thousand Miles cloaked him in cyan flames, Yan Yue Qi's lightning propelled her like a storm, and Nangong Yuan's Golden Radiance Shadow left trails of golden light. They streaked toward the White Sand Palace, a comet's tail against the desert sky.
Meanwhile, within the opulent halls of the White Sand Palace, Hua Qing Zhu knelt before a towering throne. Bai Sa, the White Sand Emperor, sat with a cold gaze, his aura oppressive as a sandstorm. The Hua Clan elders flanked him, their expressions unreadable.
"You return with the Monarch's storage ring, yet you bring no allies?" Bai Sa's voice was sharp, cutting through the hall's silence. "Explain, Empress."
Hua Qing Zhu's icy demeanor held firm, though her heart raced. The Tribulation Lust Mark pulsed faintly, a reminder of Lan An. "The Beast Taming War Sect ambushed us. I secured the ring, but the cost was high."
Bai Sa's eyes narrowed. "And this… companion of yours? Rumors whisper of a youth wielding Tri-Color Tribulation Lightning and three Strange Flames. Who is he?"
The elders stirred, their gazes piercing. Hua Qing Zhu's fingers tightened. "A wanderer who aided me. His identity is irrelevant."
"Irrelevant?" Bai Sa leaned forward, his voice a low growl. "The Strange Earth is the empire's lifeline. If this wanderer seeks it, he's a threat. Speak, or the Hua Clan's loyalty will be questioned."
Hua Qing Zhu's jaw clenched. The Slave Seal compelled her silence, but her pride as a Hua Clan daughter burned. She wouldn't betray Lan An—not yet.
Before she could respond, a tremor shook the palace. Alarms blared, and a guard burst in, voice frantic. "Your Majesty! Three figures approach at terrifying speed! One wields lightning, another flames, and the third… golden light!"
Bai Sa's face darkened. "Lan An."
Hua Qing Zhu's heart skipped, the Tribulation Lust Mark flaring. She rose, her staff glowing with icy power. "I'll handle them."
"No," Bai Sa snapped. "You stay. Elders, prepare the Earth Vein Vault. If they seek the Strange Earth, they'll face the empire's wrath."
Outside, Lan An's All-Seeing Thousand Miles scanned the palace's defenses. Arrays pulsed with earthen energy, guards mobilized, and the vault's location glowed faintly in his vision.
"They know we're coming," he said, halting midair. "Yuan, you'll infiltrate from the east wing—your metal techniques can bypass their arrays. Nguyệt Kỳ, draw their attention with a frontal assault. I'll slip into the vault."
Yan Yue Qi grinned, lightning crackling. "Leave the chaos to me."
Nangong Yuan nodded, her needles shimmering. "I won't fail you."
As they split, Lan An's thoughts lingered on Hua Qing Zhu. The Strange Earth was within reach, but her heart—and the empire's schemes—would test him as fiercely as any beast.