Walnut used me to boost her sales performance.

Before we had even fully passed through the former Huan Na Lan Na, the view was gradually enveloped by sand and dust.

The howling wind carried yellow sand past, as if even the mouth and nose were being sealed by the sand.

"Quick! Cover your mouths, noses, and ears with cloth, put on goggles, and hide in this big tree over here!"

Having encountered sandstorms before, Aite calmly directed the two newcomers who were facing the yellow sand for the first time.

There were no sand barriers here, and before we had even fully passed through the former Huan Na Lan Na, we were already facing a sandstorm.

The Sand Wolf Mercenary Group is all from the desert and has long been prepared for sandstorms.

Only Jiang Bai and Hu Tao were still in shock from their first encounter with a sandstorm, but fortunately they quickly recovered.

Jiang Bai quickly took off his coat and covered Hu Tao's head with it, then hid in the nearby salsa tree.

The huge hollow sand trees act as a natural barrier, keeping the yellow sand out.

In just a short while, Jiang Bai's head was covered in yellow sand, and a lot of sand even seeped into his clothes through his collar.

Jiang Bai lowered his head to clear the sand from his head, then shook the sand off his body, and sighed:

"This sandstorm is too ferocious..."

If there were nowhere to hide, my ears would probably be filled with sand.

"That's what the desert is like. Not only are there sandstorms, water shortages, and large temperature differences between day and night, but there's also a lack of food, and it's extremely easy to get sunburned..."

Aite spoke of these things calmly.

Although the desert is harsh, it will always be their homeland and their final resting place.

Chapter 777 The Harsh Desert

"To prevent sunburn, try not to expose any skin after entering the desert, and double-check that you have enough food and water..."

"There's no need to worry about the water source."

Jiang Bai called Gu Dong out of the Sanqing Bell. Gu Dong, who had just woken up, yawned.

Jiang Bai took out a basin, preparing to wash the grime off his face.

"Glug, water."

"Goo-"

Clean water condensed and fell into the basin, making the Sand Wolf Mercenary Group members stare in disbelief.

Clean water is an invaluable treasure in the desert.

This also means that their desert trip is going well.

Aite's gaze followed Gudong's figure as if he were looking at the most precious treasure in the desert.

Gudu wasn't used to being stared at, so it hid behind Jiang Bai.

Jiang Bai patted his head, signaling him not to be afraid.

Hu Tao took out a cloth and helped Jiang Bai cover his head and face.

He then pulled out two large white robes with hoods.

This robe effectively blocks sunlight and is also very breathable.

Every member of the Sand Wolf Mercenary Group has similar equipment.

The yellow sand howled for a quarter of an hour before finally stopping, revealing the true face of the desert to the group.

The endless yellow sand stretches to the horizon, with only a few withered trees occasionally visible.

At an unknown distance, there was a massive mountain that filled the entire field of vision, where a persistent sandstorm lingered.

The sandstorm seemed to merge with the sky, and the high mountains, which seemed to protect the sandstorm, were also part of it. Even from a distance, it inspired a deep sense of fear.

What place is that?

Hu Tao was awestruck by the magnificent sight. Such a grand spectacle made her deeply aware of the vastness of the world and the insignificance of humankind.

“That place is called the Thousand Ravines Sandy Land. That mountain is called Mount Dama. The center of that sandstorm is said to be the place where the goddess of flowers once died,” Aite answered her question.

That's the good thing about having a guide; you don't have to look around aimlessly and not know where you are.

"Has that massive sandstorm always been there?" Jiang Bai asked.

He knew that there were three demon gods in Sumeru, and they all had a good relationship, but in the end only the Great Compassion Tree King remained.

"Yes, in our oral traditions, in the distant past, sandstorms have always lingered in the heart of the Thousand Sandy Lands."

As for how long ago that was, we don't know.

Jiang Bai had a hunch: it was probably caused by the death of the Flower Goddess, and perhaps the entire terrain of the Thousand Ravines Sandy Land was also caused by the death of the Flower Goddess.

It's important to know that the death of a demon god is never peaceful; it's perfectly normal for the energy released at the moment of death to alter the weather and terrain.

"Aite, where in the desert is your home? Are there any towns in the desert?"

"There are no towns in the desert, only tribes scattered throughout the desert, each ruling their own territory."

"As for me, I came from a small tribe in the Dama Mountains, but it has now disappeared."

"Disappeared? Why?"

"Small tribes are inherently small in population and lack resources. Some, like me, leave to seek new opportunities in the outside world, while others are drawn to larger tribes and join them. When the elders who remain in the tribe die, the tribe naturally disappears into the yellow sand..."

When these things were mentioned, Aite remained calm.

Such things are perfectly normal in the desert.

Especially in oasis areas, the competition for resources between tribes is particularly fierce.

Small tribes may be swallowed up by larger tribes, or they may band together to live in groups. If they occupy a good location but do not have equal strength, then what awaits the tribe is annihilation.

Huan Nalan was no longer dangerous, and his journey home was shortened by more than half, even though his home had disappeared into the yellow sand.

"The brothers of the Sand Wolf Mercenary Group also come from all over the desert. Some of them I rescued in the desert and then followed me, some I met in the rainforest... Some of the brothers still have tribes, while others, like me, have had their tribes disappear into the yellow sands long ago..."

"Home is where your boss is."

"That's right, the place where the boss is is home."

The mercenary brothers echoed their agreement.

They traveled all over the country together, and their relationship was no less than that of blood relatives.

After a few emotional exchanges among the brothers, Aite continued to tell Jiang Bai about the situation in the Thousand Valleys Sandy Land.

"The largest tribe in the Thousand Valleys Sands is called the Tanit tribe. They occupy the ruins of a former city as their residence and are very powerful. It's best not to make enemies with them..."

"The desert is also home to many vultures, scorpions, flying snakes... some have even mutated into elemental monsters, which will hunt other creatures without hesitation, making them extremely dangerous..."

"Hicrulls, fungusts, and pack animals are common in rainforests, and they also exist in deserts..."

"Another very dangerous creature is the sandworm. They are enormous and can sense vibrations in the soil and ground, allowing them to silently emerge from underground to hunt..."

Besides having to withstand harsh weather, surviving in the desert also requires facing many ferocious monsters.

Finding a place to stand in the scorching sun, where to camp in the yellow sand, and how to avoid hypothermia at night are all questions that need to be answered.

Without a guide, these two travelers entering and leaving the desert would have suffered greatly on their first day.

"Luckily, I had the foresight..."

Jiang Bai was truly glad that Aite was chosen as their guide. With Aite around, they didn't need to worry about anything; they could just follow the guide.

Although he hadn't been in the desert for long, Jiang Bai already felt the heat. Sweat streamed down his face, making him wish he could take off all the clothes he could.

No wonder the people in the desert are dressed so lightly; it's so hot.

The Sand Wolf Mercenary Group had a much higher tolerance for heat than Jiang Bai and Hu Tao. Although they wore long robes, the clothes underneath were quite revealing.

The silk ribbon tied around the eyes allows light to pass through, making it easier to see the road and effectively preventing the eyes from being hurt by strong sunlight.

Jiang Bai and Hu Tao, wearing sunglasses, stepped into the yellow sand.

The scorching sand and the blazing sun together formed their second impression of the desert.

Jiang Bai manipulated the gentle breeze to blow continuously, and although the wind itself was hot, it was at least a little more comfortable.

"I really can't imagine how I could live in such an environment..."

Before even venturing deep into the desert, Walnut, who grew up in the comfort of the coast, already felt the suffocation of the environment.

It was so dry that she felt like she was in an oven.

Even Gudu burrowed under Jiang Bai's cloak and refused to come out.

Aite said with a touch of self-deprecation, "Well, if I had a choice, I'd also like to be born in the rainforest..."

Since I was born in the desert, all I can do is try my best to survive.

"You'll probably get used to it if you stay a few more days. If you really can't get used to it, you can always turn back..."

"No, we've come all this way, how can we just go back like this..."

Chapter 778 Guardians of the Great Ruins Left by Kanria

The terrain of Bintie Sand Dunes is quite flat, with no large sand dunes, and the view is excellent on sunny days.

What's that over there?

Jiang Bai saw something huge and out of place on the sandy land to the north.

It's just that the distance is too far, so I can't see it clearly.

"That... that's a huge guardian ruin, said to have been left behind by the ancient Tukho people..."

Aite knew what he was talking about as soon as he saw the direction he was pointing. This huge guardian of the ruins had been there for a very long time, and the desert people were already used to it.

"The Tu Ke people?" This was the first time Jiang Bai had ever heard this term.

"It means Kanriya, but the Sumerian people are more accustomed to calling it the ancient kingdom of Tuko. There are quite a few such massive ruins guarding Sumeru; there's one in the Atuo River Valley of the rainforest..."

"Atuo River Valley..."

Jiang Bai remembered that this was a large area in the southeast of the rainforest, and the port of Omos in Sumeru was also there, but he had never been there.

Why would the Kanreia leave such ruins to guard Mount Sumeru?

“I don’t know about that.” Aite shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing about it.

They are just ordinary grains of sand in the desert, and these ancient stories are beyond their knowledge.

Jiang Bai shielded his forehead from the sunlight and looked out.

"Master, let's go take a look."

We should be able to reach that distance before dark, and there should be a suitable place to camp and rest beneath that massive ruin.

"it is good."

Hu Tao also wanted to see what the huge guardian of the ruins looked like, and it would be even better if she could go inside and take a look.

On their way to the ruins guard, they encountered another sandstorm.

Jiang Bai promptly built a house with rock elements, thus avoiding having his face covered in yellow sand.

"Are sandstorms this frequent here?"

Inside the airtight rock-elemental house, the Sand Wolf Mercenary Group members sat directly on the scorching hot yellow sand to rest and replenish their water.

Jiang Bai found the heat too hot for his bottom, so he simply conjured two stone benches.

Gudong condensed a large mass of clean water, but in this desert region lacking water, it was much more difficult for it to condense water than usual.

Without having to conserve drinking water, the members of the Sand Wolf Mercenary Group drank to their hearts' content, feeling that this desert trip was exceptionally easy.

"Yes, it's always been like this as long as I can remember... but it seems that sandstorms are only frequent in the Thousand Valleys Sandy Land. Other places also have sandstorms, but not as frequently..."

Jiang Bai felt something was off.

As far as he knows, extreme desert weather events such as sandstorms and earthquakes are actually a manifestation of the pollution caused by taboo knowledge. However, since taboo knowledge has been eliminated, this phenomenon should stop.

But it's not like that at all here.

Is it like the evil spirit of Hachiman Island, caused by the death of the Flower Goddess?