[Shengda Sha] met them with darkness, cold, and an ocean of sand.

"Hmm? Is this a concealed formation?" Bai Qi asked while turning to Kass Shaa'r. Not only the usual glimmer from the teleportation was hardly visible, but they were now standing a foot deep in sand, in place of the usual stone platform. Not to mention, his senses could not pick even a single form of life for over half a mile to each direction.

"Concealed? No, more like a forgotten one. If I am not mistaken, a creation of one of the [Steel Fang] founders." Kass Shaa'r answered with a shake of his head. Then he turned to the others, asking, "Perhaps one of you knows more?"

"The elders should know more, but from what I can recall, [Feixing Shangdi], the first exalted, created several formations in every land close to our region during his life." Heise Zhao rubbed his right ear as he shared what he knew.

"I see, not a bad strategy." Bai Qi muttered as he used a current of aura to dig out his legs.

While the others did similarly, Zhua questioned, "What do you mean strategy?"

"Hmm? Well, imagine someone attacks the region, and the Beastmen have to defend themselves. Fighting from the front will only lead to more deaths, as no enemy would be unprepared for such, but for a rear assault? Or a strike against their homes? Formations that are not known to others are practical for such strategies." Bai Qi explained as he spread his senses even more and confirmed the lack of any presence.

"Although I don't think the Exalted was thinking solely about that, it is indeed one of the possible reasons." Heise Zhao nodded to Zhua as he acknowledged Bai Qi's explanation.

"Mmm, anyway, you have scouted the lands around the formation, so where should we proceed? Oh, and did you discover any place to use as a temporary hideout?" Bai Qi turned to Kass Shaa'r while asking.

"I did check the surrounding five hundred miles, but except a small town near an oasis and a couple of beast nests, I have found nothing." Kass Shaa'r answered with a hint of shame. Several weeks, and he had not found anything of use.

"Hmm, is any of the nests close to the town you mention?" Bai Qi asked right away.

"About a hundred miles from it, why?"

"What kind of beasts?" Bai Qi did not answer but questioned in turn.

"I sensed a couple of Saint Beasts no higher than the 2nd level and a dozen weaker ones." Kass Shaa'r explained while inwardly wondering why Bai Qi was interested in that.

"Then it's perfect. Please lead the way." Bai Qi did not explain much, just nodded to something he was thinking and requested.

"To the town?" Kass Shaa'r inclined his head in wonder, but after Bai Qi's headshake, he nodded and hissed, "To the beasts, hss? Follow me."

***

Nobody asked anything as they moved, but when Kass Shaa'r stopped and indicated the only elevation in the otherwise flat desert, Bai Qi took the chance to explain, "We will clear the nest, and use it as a temporary base. For one, no random beasts or humans would approach to such location, and if they are edible, then we also get supplies."

"But why not stay in the town?" Gi La wondered as she looked towards the simple mound of rocks.

"If we want to capture, and question, someone, we need privacy. Also, a small town in the middle of the desert does not mean it has no way to contact someone, and even more, probably means they are connected to any group, righteous or not, nearby." Bai Qi answered in-depth to avoid further questions.

But Gi La asked again, "What do you mean by connected?"

"Bai Qi probably means that a small number of people living in a dangerous zone, and with beasts nearby, obviously have some protectors. Correct?" Heise Zhao answered her and then looked at Bai Qi for validation.

"Yes, that's right. Strong cultivators would not live in a village in the middle of nowhere, but someone must protect it. And these protectors are either hiding from something by living in the wild. If not, then they are from a group operating nearby." Bai Qi added a few more explanations before glancing at the others while asking, "Any other questions?" Confirming that there were none, Bai Qi said, "Let us start by getting a hideout then."

***

The mound of rocks that served as the nest took under a quarter of an hour to clear. The 16 Saint and Spirit beasts had no chance at all.

The [Sand-spike Moloch], a native of the region, was a type of beast that lacked both intelligence and innate abilities. Five feet long and less than two feet tall, they resembled sand-colored, spike-covered lizards. Their only means of attack were the spikes that covered their bodies, and while their defensive capacities were high, they had close to zero ability to use their aura. Thus, the Beastman's claws quickly dealt with them. Without even requiring to use anything else.

Bai Qi stayed back from the fight, not that he had any need to join it either. With only two beasts at the 2nd level of the Saint beast realm and over half of Spirit beasts, any of Bai Qi's companions would have been enough alone.

The beasts had emerged from the mound as soon they sensed someone's approach. And by doing so, revealed the entrances to a few tunnels leading to a small underground chamber. Being only a few feet wide and tall, it was barely enough for Bai Qi's group, but it was perfectly hidden.

"Mmm, I will set up a concealing array, and no one but a peak Warrior King will be able to discover us." Bai Qi clarified as he started taking and placing up a few demon cores. He had not revealed what arrays were, but neither of his companions asked anything, simply nodding. Half an hour later, he traced the lines and runes and activated the array.

He thought before motioning everyone to come closer.

"The array will hide our presence, but it does not help with the signs of battle." Bai Qi did not need to explain further before the six man-beasts nodded, so he continued on the next topic, "I plan to approach the town and bait someone."

"Bait?" Zhua asked.

"Mmm. I will turn in like a lost disciple from some power, ask for directions, buy some food, and so on. Maybe even feign an injury." Bai Qi explained as inwardly he added

"Wait, you intend to go alone?" Bai Rui immediately exclaimed.

"Yes, as I am the only one that can pass for a target." Bai Qi answered before adding a small joking remark, "And from all of us, I am the only one that can pass for a human."

"So you want to paint a target on your back and then attract them here for us to deal with?" Kass Shaa'r knew how Bai Qi usually acted, so he understood the plan since the first words, now just confirming.

"Yes." Bai Qi nodded.

"But it will be dangerous! Let one of us come, at least one!" Bai Ze protested.

"No, if one of us goes, the plan is doomed to fail." Heise Zhao shook his head.

"That's right. Beastmen are very rare outside [Steel Fang], and if the ones we are looking for are close, they will escape as soon as they perceive one. Not to mention that you all are just a little too strong for the region." Bai Qi continued the man-lynx's idea while he sent a thought via their link to both sisters, {Don't worry, it's just a hundred miles. I can escape any cultivator below the Warrior King realm with no problem. And if something happens, our link works as an emergency beacon as well, doesn't it?}

In the end, Bai Qi's plan was agreed upon by everyone. And after some preparations, he began walking towards the direction Kass Shaa'r indicated.

___________________________________________________________________

[Diushi Sha] was a small town located almost in the center of the [Shengda Sha] desert. Although the desert bordered both the [Demon Worshippers] and the [Great Forest] region, it remained unclaimed. A city did exist on the southern edge, [Sha Cheng], but even it never tried to enforce its rule over the small village.

Thus, except for a few passing cultivators that used the hostile environment to temper their bodies and skills, [Diushi Sha] was, as the first character of its name indicated, a lost town indeed.

Barely a thousand people lived in it, and while all of them had some level of innate cultivation, they were hardly anything else than mortals. Once every three fortnights, a caravan would arrive and exchange the few precious [Yellow Blood Ore] pieces they could find for food and other necessities.

The caravan had departed only a couple of weeks ago, so when Ye Su noticed a figure approaching the sand blocks wall that surrounded the town, she immediately supposed it was a lost disciple from one of the two nearby regions.

But the closer the traveler approached, the clearer it was that he was not from the [Demon Worshipper] powers. He probably wasn't even from some large power at all. His age, the grey robe that showed signs of wear, and cultivation of a peak Sage, the same that Ye Su, who doubled as both guard and the sole peddler of the village, indicated he was hardly someone to take note nor caution of.

"Thank the Heavens! I, at last, found something else than sand." The traveler exclaimed as he approached.

"Did esteemed guest lose his way?" Ye Su asked while examining the young man, even boy, in front.

"Ah, yes. I got separated from my group and have been wandering for a couple of days already." The boy tiredly smiled while slowly slumping to the ground.

"Please, enter. We, at [Diushi Sha], do not have much to offer, but you are welcome to rest for a while and try to contact your group." Ye Su smiled and motioned for him to enter.

"Thank you. I am a trainee of the [Path of the Spear Saint] Martial School, Pan Hui." The young man slowly stood and introduced himself before entering the small opening between the sand blocks that served as the entrance for the town.

Ye Su's watch turn was close to finished, so she motioned to another local to take the post, deciding to accompany the young man.

***

Pan Hui was both young and naive. He did not hide anything while she accompanied him to the only inn in the town. One that could not even be called an inn. Just a run-down eatery that sometimes rented a couple of rooms in the next building to the occasional traveler.

"Regretfully, our town has neither teleportation nor communication formations. So I am truly at miss about how to help you." Ye Su shook her head, showing embarrassment for her inability to help.

"Before we entered the desert, I was told that there is a city somewhere in it and that our vice-head will be waiting for us to finish. There is yet a couple of weeks until our supposed deadline, so I think everyone is going towards it now." Pan Hui explained. And then, with a wry smile, added that he was to blame for not investing in some communication talismans before.

"A city? Oh, that will be [Sha Cheng]. But it is far from here, and the journey is dangerous." Ye Su sighed before explaining that Pan Hui would need to cross almost half of the desert, close to two thousand miles, to get there.

Pan Hui could only nervously chuckle in response, indicating that he had nothing to do but risk the way.

"Maybe you should wait here until the next caravan comes? It is just ten weeks, and even if you don't find your vice-head, the city has a teleportation formation, and you should be able to return." Ye Su offered and then attempted to confirm if Pan Hui had money by saying, "Staying here will not be expensive, and the caravan should accept you as a guard, so if you have the money for the teleportation, then you will reach back safely."

Pan Hui shook his head, and Ye Su assumed it meant he was broke, but his following words refuted her thoughts.

"Ah, spirit stones are not the problem. It is just that I can not stay here for so long. Our advancement tests happen on the first day of autumn, and if I miss them, I will have to spend an entire year along with the beginner Sages." He explained before deciding, "I will stay a night and then brave the journey. Thank you very much, Miss Ye. And while it is not much, can I at least pay for your drinks today?"

"I would feel bad for taking advantage of a lost traveler." Ye Su faked an ashamed reaction but then added with a wink, "At least if the traveler does not insist."

"Oh, but he does insist indeed. And how could someone refuse the company after being lost? Especially the company of a beautiful woman." Pan Hui laughed and then walked towards what the owner called a liquor stand, nothing more than a simple table with some bottles of [Roaring Sand Wine], hardly a wine either.

Ye Su thought before making a small sign to the only other person in the room except for the owner, a thin youth that was feigning being busy cleaning the other, unoccupied table.