This caravan was traveling through the desert, its rolling wheels leaving long trails on the soft sands. On both sides of the caravan rode black-armored soldiers mounted on fierce beasts. The long blades in their hands gleamed with a sharp, intimidating light.
On the caravan were several iron cages, each holding a fierce beast. These mighty creatures, once powerful and untamed, now lay listless and weak inside the cages, yet their eyes still burned with a fierce, savage glare.
The black-armored soldiers remained alert, scanning the surroundings, but when they glanced at the captured beasts, a hint of satisfaction flickered across their faces. This was their greatest catch in a month.
“This time, with the young miss traveling alongside us, we’ve had a bountiful haul. I wonder what a fine price these beasts will fetch,” remarked one black-armored guard, his mood light as he rubbed a scar across his gleaming black armor.
Despite the dangers of the journey, there had been no casualties thanks to the young miss’s leadership. Capturing six fierce beasts at the peak of their cultivation was no small feat.
Riding his beast, the guard approached the modest, unadorned carriage at the front and respectfully called out, “Miss, ahead is Heixiakou Pass. We must proceed with caution.”
In the Death Desert, one had to be wary not only of the beasts lurking beneath the sands, but also of the desert bandits who prowled these lands.
The Fourteen Desert Bandits were an even greater terror than the beasts.
“Understood. Have everyone stay alert,” came a clear, melodious voice from within the carriage, so enchanting that it could easily captivate the listener.
The black-armored guard gazed respectfully at the carriage, his thoughts drifting. How could such a woman exist in this world? He wondered who could ever win the heart of such a rare beauty.
In the distance, dust swirled into the air as a group of dark figures on fierce beasts sped across the desert.
“Haha! We’ve had our eyes on them for a whole month. Now that they’re returning with their bounty, it’s our lucky day,” roared the leader, a one-eyed bandit with a fearsome expression.
He was Sand Dragon (Sha Dulong), the chief of the Fourteen Desert Bandits, a mid-stage Divine Realm cultivator who had mastered eight martial techniques, each at the lower grade of the Mysterious Tier. He was a top figure in the Death Desert.
The other thirteen bandits all bore names beginning with “Sha”—Sha Daotian, Sha Miexiong, Sha Wuxing…
The Fourteen Desert Bandits were notorious in the Death Desert. Travelers passing through not only had to watch for the fierce beasts beneath the sands but also be wary of these ruthless outlaws.
The Fourteen never had underlings; the group of fourteen always moved as one, dominating the vast desert. Once, a powerful cultivator had tried to eliminate them, but tragically, he was buried alive by the bandits in the desert. Since then, no cultivator dared to challenge the Fourteen again.
“Six beasts are yours, but that little beauty is mine,” Sha Dulong laughed, as if victory were already his.
“Haha! After you’re done, don’t forget to let us have some fun too. I’ve never tasted a lady from the Gong family before,” said Sha Miexiong, a short, wiry man, licking his lips with a lecherous gleam in his eyes.
“Fine…”
…
At that moment, the caravan had reached a narrow passage in the Death Desert, flanked by wind-sculpted sandstone cliffs—neither too tall nor too low, forming a natural barrier that left only this single path through.
“Miss, we’ve arrived at Black Canyon,” a black-armored guard signaled for the caravan to halt and warily scanned the area.
At that moment, the small doors of the carriage opened, and a figure stepped out.
Dressed in a simple white robe, spotless and pristine, her hair was neatly coiled, with long strands framing her face, accentuating her peerless beauty. Her delicate eyebrows, usually gentle, were now slightly furrowed as she gazed ahead.
“Danger approaches,” Gong Bingye said softly.
The black-armored guard’s expression changed instantly, and he quickly ordered his men to prepare for battle.
“Haha! No wonder you’re the smartest lady of the Gong family. You can sense danger at a glance,” came a mocking voice from above as fourteen figures dropped down from the cliffs. Their fierce beast mounts crouched on the cliff edges, snarling and baring their fangs, their eyes filled with killing intent.
“The Fourteen Desert Bandits,” the guards muttered, their faces paling at the infamous sight.
“Brave sirs, we understand the rules. We can leave you the gold, but may we take the six beasts with us?” said the guard standing beside Gong Bingye.
He knew that facing the Fourteen Bandits head-on was impossible.
Sha Dulong chuckled and stroked his blind eye. “Leave the gold, the beasts, and the little beauty here. Then you can crawl away.”
The guard’s face darkened with anger but he kept his composure. “This is the Gong family’s young miss…”
Before he could finish, Sha Dulong cut him off. “Hmph! It’s precisely the Gong family’s miss I’m after. This eye of mine was gouged out by your Gong family patriarch. Pity he died here himself.”
“If I kill him, then have his daughter entertain us, that’ll be a real treat,” Sha Dulong sneered, and the other bandits laughed lewdly.
“Miss, I’ll protect you and escape. We can’t fight the Fourteen Bandits,” the black-armored guard whispered.
Gong Bingye’s eyes burned with hatred as she looked at the bandits.
“Sweetheart, don’t look at me like that. It’s making me angry. But don’t worry, soon I’ll make you scream in pleasure, and you’ll never forget it,” Sha Dulong laughed maniacally.
To Sha Dulong, the greatest grievance of his life was the loss of his eye, inflicted by the Gong family patriarch. Years ago, the Gong patriarch had led a group into the Death Desert to hunt the Fourteen Bandits. In the ensuing battle, Sha Dulong had been no match for him, but the Gong patriarch had been arrogant, drawing the attention of a powerful beast that ultimately killed him. Sha Dulong barely escaped with his life, losing one eye in the process.
Now, the Gong family’s daughter had appeared before him. He would make her suffer for the misfortune that had befallen him.
At that moment, Gong Bingye’s beautiful eyes narrowed, and with a sharp clang, she drew her sword.
Sha Dulong raised his hand. “Kill all the men. Keep the woman.”
With a fierce cry, the Fourteen Bandits charged forward, weapons raised.
But at that very moment, the fierce beasts on the cliffs suddenly roared in panic, leaping down from above. Upon landing, they wildly scrambled in all directions, as if sensing an approaching terror.
The six caged beasts, previously weak and motionless, now howled in fear, throwing their weakened bodies against the bars of their cages.
Confusion gripped everyone.
“What’s going on?”
The bandits shouted at their beasts, but the animals were now completely out of control, ignoring all commands. Some, in sheer panic, even slammed themselves against the cliffs, killing themselves.
“Miss, what’s happening to the beasts?”
Even Gong Bingye’s exquisite face showed shock and confusion. Her red lips parted slightly as she shook her head.
And in that very instant, the ground trembled violently, and the cliffs shook as if something immense was awakening.
“Whoa, damn it, take it easy…”
…
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