Xiang Shaoyun turned around in joy and asked, "Is that true?"

"It's not like you have never been to the Holy Hall. Although we're a hidden organization, we're not that much weaker than other organizations. We also have some connections with the outside world, so it won't be hard for us to find some materials for you," said Tuoba Wan'er.

Xiang Shaoyun slapped his forehead and said, "True. I completely forgot. I'll have to trouble you and Elder Urchin to take a trip back and see how many of the materials you can gather."

If he could obtain their help, he would have a much easier time gathering materials.

"Are you not coming back with me?" asked Tuoba Wan'er, hope plastered all over her face.

Xiang Shaoyun's heart softened when he sensed her emotions. He nodded and said, "Ok. I'll take this trip with you. It's about time we pay the first elder a visit. They are probably starting to worry about you."

A smile bloomed on Tuoba Wan'er's face. She hugged Xiang Shaoyun, planted several kisses on his face, and said, "Thank you, holy son-in-law."

Xiang Shaoyun gently stroked her hair and said, "Foolish girl. I was the one who had made your life hard."

"That's not true at all. So long as I can stay by your side, I am the happiest woman under the sky," said Tuoba Wan'er, her voice full of emotions.

Looking at her tender cheek, Xiang Shaoyun couldn't help but plant a kiss there. He spent several days dealing with sect affairs. Duo Ji was charged with guarding the sect, Pang Tongyuan was charged with handling all the administrative affairs, and Qian Furen was in charge of purchasing all the required materials and items. Xiang Shaoyun started preparing for his return to the Holy Hall with Tuoba Wan'er.

As for the high priest, he would stay in the sect for a bit, which was his way of giving Xiang Shaoyun a helping hand to prevent the Dragon Society's further encroachment.

Chen Zilong had already taken his leave two days prior. Since he couldn't accept Xiang Shaoyun's offer, it wouldn't be proper for him to stay. In any case, Xiang Shaoyun himself was incredibly busy. It was time for him to return to the Dragon Society.

When Xiang Shaoyun finished handling the sect affairs, he set off on his trip to the Holy Hall with Tuoba Wan'er, Old Urchin, and the old donkey. This time, he brought 49 riders with him. They would serve to boost the Ziling Sect's image and prestige. He had to ensure that the Holy Hall wouldn't belittle his sect.

The riders were led by a Soul Foundation Realm expert, and the rest were Emperors. This was already the most elite group the sect could send. With all these people leaving, the sect's strength weakened considerably.

Even so, Xiang Shaoyun had to do it. This was his first time returning to Tuoba Wan'er's home with her. He had to treat this visit seriously and ensure that Tuoba Wan'er wouldn't lose face.

In any case, it was unlikely that the Dragon Society would still dare to invade them. Furthermore, those organizations under them would probably stay obedient after the sect's recent victory over the Dragon Society.

The Holy Hall was located in the Desert of Despair, while the Desert of Despair was located within the Western Desert. It wasn't too far away from the sect. They could reach it after going through several provinces.

All these provinces were linked with teleportation formations. After about 10 teleportations, they finally arrived at the Desert of Despair. This wasn't Xiang Shaoyun's first time here. However, he could still feel a sense of despair as he looked at the vast and boundless desert. If even someone with his strength would feel despair, one could only imagine just how wide the desert was.

"Wan'er, is there no teleportation formation here leading us straight to the Holy Hall?" asked Xiang Shaoyun.

Tuoba Wan'er shook her head and said, "No. After the Holy Hall entered seclusion, they had no intention of maintaining too many connections with the outside world. Thus, no teleportation formations were built."

Xiang Shaoyun smiled bitterly. "Let's get going, then."

They then entered the desert. With the old donkey leading the way, they did not need to worry about getting lost or being attacked by demonic beasts. The old donkey was the lord of this path. He had walked this same route countless times, and all the demonic beasts in the area would withdraw at the sight of him.

However, the 49 riders Xiang Shaoyun brought were having a hard time. They might all be strong, but the Desert of Despair's environment was difficult to be in. After two days of travel, they encountered a group of bandits encircling a group of people.

Such scuffles were common occurrences in the desert, so Xiang Shaoyun originally did not intend to interfere. However, he still couldn't contain his curiosity and ended up extending out his senses.

Not far away, over 1,000 bandits were attacking dozens of people. A bitter fight was ongoing. The people in the smaller group were comparatively young. They were all in their early twenties and were at the prime of their lives. Everyone was incredibly valiant, no weaker than fifth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm. Some had even reached the late-stage Dragon Ascension Realm.

Such young Emperors practically had boundless prospects. They would be the pillars of any organization they belonged to. Why would they be here attacked by so many bandits? The answer was quite obvious. Only the Dragon Phoenix Academy could gather so many young geniuses in the Desert of Despair.

The leader of the smaller group was none other than Zhuge Zhantian, someone Xiang Shaoyun viewed as a brother, and he was also someone from the Overlord Legion. He was on a bandit extermination mission to practice his war formations and help temper his fellow brethren.

However, he had not imagined that they would encounter such a large group of bandits. They instantly sank into a predicament, but Zhuge Zhantian did not panic. He continued to command his people calmly, displaying the bearing of a great general.

The others followed his every command and performed spectacularly in the battle, fully defending themselves against the bandits. In fact, they even launched some attacks of their own, hitting some bandits that couldn't escape in time.

Unfortunately, there were three Sovereigns among the bandits. With the three Sovereigns working together, not even Zhuge Zhantian's battle formation could hold on. Terrifying explosions rumbled on and on, creating numerous clouds of dust and sand. Eventually, the Overlord Legion's formation was broken up, and they could no longer work together to fight the bandits.

"You are quite amazing, little pups. Too bad you're still a tad bit too tender. Do you dare to set your sights on us, the Barbaric Desert Snakes? You must be tired of living," said the bandit leader with a look of contempt. "Slaughter all of them. All the things on them are quite valuable, so this will be a decent harvest."

"You dare touch my brother? Die!”

A roar suddenly sounded when Zhuge Zhantian and the others were feeling extreme despair.