As the sun climbed over the distant mountain ranges, dawn spread a pale golden light across the Western Wastes. The chill left behind by the long night had not yet fully faded, and the sand still held a trace of moisture from the morning dew, catching the first rays of sunlight in tiny scattered glints.
From the western horizon, a streak of silver sword light tore across the sky, moving so quickly that only a faint trail remained behind it.
Hao Nhien stood atop the Tieu Dao Sword, his white robe streaming in the wind. Compared with his first attempt at sword flight when he was still at Foundation Establishment layer two, his posture was now far steadier. Instead of trembling beneath his feet, the Tieu Dao Sword moved with the surrounding air currents, and whenever he encountered a strong gust or needed to change direction, the Spirit Wings behind him gave a subtle beat, allowing him to shift his balance and return to his intended course almost at once.
Things had not gone nearly so smoothly during the first day after he left the Fire Qilin ancestral homeland.
Although reaching Foundation Establishment layer four had given him enough spiritual power to sustain sword flight for extended periods, controlling a sword beneath his feet was entirely different from commanding it as a flying weapon. Hao Nhien had to keep the Tieu Dao Sword stable, adjust his body to changes in speed, sense the direction of the wind, and continuously refine the sword’s trajectory with his spiritual awareness. If even one of those responses lagged by half a beat, the blade would immediately waver or drift away from its intended path.
The Spirit Wings shortened that period of adjustment considerably.
His Wind affinity had already made him sensitive to changes in the surrounding air, while the Spirit Wings allowed him to correct his body in midair without relying entirely on the Tieu Dao Sword. After repeatedly accelerating, changing direction, deliberately landing, and trying again, he had found a natural rhythm between his spiritual power, spiritual awareness, the Tieu Dao Sword, and the Spirit Wings by the end of the first day.
From that point onward, sword flight was no longer a matter of forcing the sword to drag his body through the air.
Hao Nhien began learning how to move with the wind.
When he wanted to accelerate, he angled the Tieu Dao Sword along the airflow and let the Spirit Wings provide an additional burst of force. When turning, he no longer used his spiritual awareness to wrench the blade sideways as he once had, but adjusted its angle just enough for momentum and wind to complete the movement. By the morning of the second day, most of his initial awkwardness had disappeared, and his traveling speed had far surpassed the old method of running across the sand while using the Spirit Wings only for short bursts.
The process brought him another gain he had not expected.
In the past, when controlling the Tieu Dao Sword in battle, Hao Nhien had mainly relied on spiritual awareness to send it forward, call it back, or alter its direction over relatively short distances. After spending an entire day standing directly on the flying sword and feeling every subtle change in the blade beneath him, however, he began to understand that controlling a flying sword was not merely a question of how much spiritual power he used.
Distance, angle, momentum, the timing of each turn, and even the currents of air surrounding the blade could all become part of sword control.
If he could bring those insights into actual combat, the Tieu Dao Sword would no longer be limited to direct trajectories that an opponent could easily predict. With sufficiently precise spiritual awareness, the flying sword could alter its course just before reaching its target, carry momentum from one arc into another to increase its speed, or attack from angles Hao Nhien had never considered before.
He had not yet had the chance to test every possibility, but the experience had already changed the way he understood sword control.
Below him, the golden desert flowed backward in a blur. High dunes, shallow ravines, and scattered clusters of thorny vegetation disappeared from sight one after another.
Hao Nhien maintained a fast pace, though he never pushed himself until his spiritual power was completely exhausted. After each long stretch of travel, he would find a sheltered ravine or a small oasis hidden among the dunes, enter the Cosmic Ark, and sit down to regulate his breathing.
Since completing the rite at the Fire Qilin Altar, the connection between him and the Fire Qilin Jade had clearly deepened.
The jade remained within his Sea of Consciousness, but whenever Hao Nhien circulated his cultivation method to recover, the Fire spiritual qi stored within it would gradually follow the movement of his spiritual power and flow down through his meridians. That energy did not directly replace the spiritual qi he absorbed from the surroundings, yet its near-perfect compatibility with him made the recovery process more stable and noticeably reduced the burden on his meridians after long periods of sword flight.
Combined with the abundant Wood spiritual qi inside the Cosmic Ark, the time he needed to recover had shortened considerably. He still had to rest after heavy expenditure, but he no longer needed to remain still for nearly as long as he had during early Foundation Establishment.
During one such rest, Hao Nhien opened his eyes inside the Cave Dwelling and quietly calculated the distance that remained.
If nothing unexpected happened, another ten days should be enough to reach Tam Thành's forward camp, where Lieu Thien Van was currently stationed. Tam Thành itself lay farther behind the front line, but Hao Nhien first needed to meet Lieu Thien Van and report what had happened in Heavenly Eye Forward City, the current situation of the Fire Qilin Tribe, and everything he had recently uncovered about Heavenly Eye.
However, as his route brought him near the territory of the Sand Thunder Tribe, Hao Nhien deliberately slowed down.
The air ahead carried a distinctive scent, something like the lingering trace left after lightning struck the earth. There was a faint sharpness and chill within the wind, yet breathing it in somehow cleared the mind. Thin threads of purple electricity occasionally flashed across the low rocky outcrops in the distance before vanishing beneath the morning sunlight.
Hao Nhien looked toward the mountain range ahead, memories of what had happened here surfacing in his mind.
The Sand Thunder Tribe had once forged an alliance with him amid fire and thunder. With the situation in the Western Wastes changing so quickly, he could not simply pass through without informing an ally of what was happening.
The Tieu Dao Sword gradually descended.
Before long, the main entrance of the Sand Thunder Tribe appeared ahead.
Compared with the Fire Qilin ancestral homeland after years of decline, this place still possessed a clear sense of vitality. Merchants from nearby tribes led burden beasts through the gate, young Sand Thunder clansmen with bows across their shoulders moved between rows of stone buildings, and the great stone pillars carved with lightning patterns occasionally flashed with pale purple arcs.
The guards at the gate noticed Hao Nhien the moment he landed.
A young man stared at him for several breaths before recognizing him.
“Clan Head Hao Nhien?”
His surprise quickly turned to genuine delight.
The other guards stepped forward and cupped their fists as well. They had met Hao Nhien during his previous visit and knew that he had saved Tieu Nhan and her group from the Sand Foxes, so the warmth in their expressions was not mere courtesy.
“Clan Head Hao Nhien, it has been a long time. Clan Head Cat Thanh will be very pleased to know you have returned.”
Hao Nhien returned the greeting.
“I was passing nearby and decided to visit Clan Head Cat Thanh. I also have several important matters to discuss with him.”
The young guard immediately volunteered to lead the way.
As they made their way toward the center of the Sand Thunder Tribe, many clansmen recognized Hao Nhien. Some stopped to greet him with cupped fists, while others simply smiled and nodded from a distance. A few young women standing outside a roadside shop watched him for quite some time before leaning toward one another and whispering, occasionally breaking into quiet laughter that left Hao Nhien feeling slightly awkward.
He did not need to hear the words to guess that their conversation probably had little to do with Heavenly Eye or the situation in the Western Wastes.
The young guard walking ahead struggled not to smile, but wisely said nothing.
Hao Nhien did not ask.
Before long, they reached the large stone building at the center of the tribe. The guard had barely stepped forward to announce him when a familiar laugh rang out from inside.
“Hao Nhien! You have already reached Sand Thunder territory and still let someone announce you?”
Cat Thanh strode out of the building.
He remained tall and broad-shouldered, his hair and beard touched with gray, while the aura of peak late Foundation Establishment around him felt even steadier than before. The usual authority in his expression softened the moment he saw Hao Nhien.
“It has been a long time.”
Cat Thanh descended several stone steps and cupped his fists. As the distance between them closed, however, his gaze lingered on Hao Nhien longer than usual.
“Your aura has changed.”
Hao Nhien returned the salute.
“I encountered some opportunities recently.”
Cat Thanh studied him for another moment before smiling.
“Then it seems the Fire Qilin Tribe has had some good fortune.”
“There has been good fortune, but even more trouble.”
Hao Nhien did not hide his purpose.
“I stopped here because I have several pieces of important information concerning Heavenly Eye that I need to share with you.”
Cat Thanh waved a hand.
“Even important matters do not need to be discussed at the door. Come inside first. We can talk over tea.”
He turned and ordered someone nearby to prepare refreshments, then seemed to remember something. A hint of amusement immediately appeared at the corner of his mouth.
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“Call Tieu Nhan as well. She will probably be very happy to hear that you are here.”
Hao Nhien caught the expression on his face and, for a moment, did not know how to respond. In the end, he simply followed Cat Thanh inside.
Not long afterward, the door opened.
Tieu Nhan entered carrying a tray of tea.
More than a month had passed since Hao Nhien last saw her, but she still possessed the distinctive beauty of a young woman raised in the Western Wastes. Her sun-browned skin looked healthy, her hair was braided neatly behind her shoulder and fastened with a small green stone, while her earth-brown robe was practical and close-fitting enough to emphasize her tall, athletic frame.
The moment she saw Hao Nhien, her eyes lit up.
The happiness appeared too quickly to hide, but she seemed to realize it almost at once and lowered her gaze, a faint flush spreading across her cheeks.
“Clan Head Hao Nhien, you have returned.”
Her voice was much softer than the confident tone Hao Nhien remembered from the desert.
“It has been a while.”
Hao Nhien smiled.
“You seem to be doing well.”
“I am.”
Tieu Nhan set down the tray, trying to move naturally, though her care with each motion was clearly greater than necessary.
Cat Thanh looked at his daughter, then at Hao Nhien, and finally failed to hold back.
“Usually, when the young men of the tribe try to say a few words to you, one glare is enough to make them forget what they wanted to say. Why are you suddenly so careful just because you are pouring tea today?”
“Father!”
Tieu Nhan immediately turned toward him, embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.
“I only respect Clan Head Hao Nhien.”
Cat Thanh stroked his beard.
“Did I say you did not?”
Tieu Nhan had no answer to that. She could only glare at her father once more before turning her face away.
Hao Nhien accepted the cup of tea she offered him.
“Thank you.”
Tieu Nhan nodded and took a seat to one side.
Hao Nhien was not entirely oblivious to the changes in the way she looked at him. It was not difficult to understand why a young woman might admire someone who had once saved her life. He did not want to read too much into a few small signs, but neither did he intend to take advantage of her enthusiasm simply because being admired was pleasant.
So he treated her as naturally as he had before.
After several cups of tea, the smile on Cat Thanh’s face gradually faded. He set his cup down and looked toward Hao Nhien, waiting for him to turn to the real purpose of his visit.
Hao Nhien placed his own cup on the table.
“Clan Head Cat Thanh, Heavenly Eye is expanding its control by building new cities. I have personally entered Heavenly Eye Forward City, and I want to hear how you view what they are doing.”
Cat Thanh narrowed his eyes slightly.
“I have received some reports recently as well. Forward City is growing very quickly, and there have also been reports concerning Left City and Right City. But the information merchants brought back has been fragmented, so I have not yet been able to determine Heavenly Eye’s true objective.”
Hao Nhien took out a map and spread it across the table.
“I have been inside Forward City, so at the very least I can confirm that it is not merely a settlement or a new trading center.”
His finger moved across several marked locations.
“Heavenly Eye City already existed. Central City lies ahead of it, while Forward City extends even farther outward. Left City and Right City sit on either side. Once the positions are connected, the territory Heavenly Eye is building begins to resemble a locking formation. Forward City is the deepest point of advance, while the two flanking cities can gradually close off the surrounding routes.”
Cat Thanh lowered his gaze to the map, his expression growing more serious.
Hao Nhien continued.
“The greater danger is not the cities themselves. Heavenly Eye is drawing smaller tribes into its system by controlling water sources, food, marketplaces, travel routes, and even the young people capable of fighting. Once a tribe becomes dependent on those things, leaving will no longer be easy.”
His finger stopped over Forward City.
“The tribes willing to submit will gradually become part of their system. Those that refuse will eventually be treated as obstacles.”
The room fell quiet.
Tieu Nhan sat beside Cat Thanh, all traces of her earlier embarrassment gone.
Cat Thanh’s hand tightened slightly.
“Heavenly Eye’s people have indeed appeared more often near Sand Thunder territory. At first they only asked for directions or traded goods, but later they began showing interest in our water sources, the number of people in the tribe, and the routes we normally use.”
He gave a cold snort.
“It seems they were doing more than trading. They were probing us.”
Hao Nhien gave a slight nod.
Cat Thanh watched him for a moment before continuing.
“There is another matter I have heard about. Three merchant groups returning from Forward City all told almost the same story.”
He leaned back slightly.
“During Duong Quang’s public proclamation, someone openly exposed the way Heavenly Eye was controlling the Western Wastes, right in front of a massive crowd. That person then led a large number of people out of the city.”
The corner of Cat Thanh’s mouth lifted.
“Some called him a troublemaker, while others said he had spoken aloud what many people in the Western Wastes had wanted to say for a long time.”
He looked directly at Hao Nhien.
“I suspect that man is not unfamiliar to you.”
Hao Nhien was silent for a moment before exhaling softly.
“It was me.”
Before Cat Thanh could respond, Hao Nhien noticed that Tieu Nhan’s gaze had remained fixed on him longer than usual. There was a brightness in her dark-brown eyes that she was making almost no effort to hide. The moment she realized he had looked back, however, she froze, and a deep flush spread from her cheeks all the way to her ears before she quickly lowered her head.
Cat Thanh glanced at his daughter, amusement immediately returning to his face.
“Tieu Nhan, why are you staring at him like that?”
“Father...”
Her face grew even redder as she hurried to explain.
“I just did not expect the person in Heavenly Eye Forward City to really be Clan Head Hao Nhien. What he did was... very admirable, that is all.”
Hao Nhien raised his teacup, avoiding her gaze as he turned his attention back to Cat Thanh.
“What happened that day was not something I accomplished alone. If the people inside the city had not already wanted to leave, a few words from me would not have changed anything.”
Cat Thanh looked from one of them to the other. The smile remained at the corner of his mouth, but he finally chose not to tease them further.
“I had suspected as much, but I did not dare be certain.”
He slapped a hand against the table, laughter still lingering in his voice.
“What you said that day struck directly at the resentment that had been building in the hearts of many people across the Western Wastes. It was not that no one had seen the problem before. No one had yet stood inside one of Heavenly Eye’s own cities and said it openly.”
Hao Nhien did not linger on the praise.
“Thousands of people left Forward City with me that day. Some are being led toward Tam Thành by Luu Thanh, while others returned to their own tribes to spread the news. They are not yet an army, nor can they be called a unified force, but at the very least they now understand that Heavenly Eye is not the only path available to the Western Wastes.”
Cat Thanh remained silent for a while before rising to his feet.
“The Sand Thunder Tribe formed an alliance with the Fire Qilin Tribe that day. Such an alliance cannot have value only when circumstances are favorable.”
He looked at Hao Nhien.
“Sand Thunder is no longer at the height of its strength, but if Heavenly Eye truly intends to bring the entire Western Wastes under its control, we will not stand aside.”
Hao Nhien rose as well.
“For now, I do not want the Sand Thunder Tribe to confront Heavenly Eye directly. What I need most is information. If Forward City, Left City, or Right City begins making unusual movements, please send word to me immediately or forward it to Tam Thành's forward camp.”
“Agreed.”
Cat Thanh answered without hesitation.
Hao Nhien continued.
“Second, a large group of Fire Qilin clansmen will soon be moving toward Tam Thành. If your people encounter them along the way, I hope the Sand Thunder Tribe can quietly assist them, especially with water, medicine, and information about the road ahead.”
“You do not need to ask twice.”
Cat Thanh nodded.
“If they pass through areas within Sand Thunder’s reach, I will have people help them.”
“There is one more thing.”
Hao Nhien met his gaze.
“If Heavenly Eye begins pressuring the Sand Thunder Tribe or shows signs of preparing to move against you, inform me and Lieu Thien Van immediately. We do not yet have the strength for a direct confrontation, but we can at least maintain contact, share information, and keep them from isolating the tribes one by one.”
Cat Thanh nodded slowly.
“Hearing that puts my mind more at ease.”
Hao Nhien did not sit back down.
There was another matter he had been considering ever since he decided to stop at the Sand Thunder Tribe, and compared with Heavenly Eye’s new cities, it made him even more wary.
“Clan Head Cat Thanh, there is something else I must warn you about.”
Seeing the change in Hao Nhien’s expression, Cat Thanh immediately grew serious.
“Tell me.”
Hao Nhien lowered his voice.
“Duong Long was once the Grand Elder of the Fire Qilin Tribe, but his betrayal did not begin recently. What we discovered suggests that Heavenly Eye may have planted him among the tribe many years ago.”
Cat Thanh’s eyes turned cold.
Hao Nhien continued.
“Heavenly Eye does not need to force someone to betray an entire tribe overnight. They can let one of their people earn merit, build prestige, and gradually rise until everyone around him trusts him. Duong Long intended to become Clan Head of the Fire Qilin Tribe, merge with the Fire Qilin Jade, and then bring the entire tribe into Heavenly Eye’s system. If he had succeeded, the Fire Qilin Tribe would not merely have lost its freedom. It could have become a blade in Heavenly Eye’s hand.”
Cat Thanh clenched his fist.
“If that is true, then they had been preparing this for a very long time.”
“That is exactly what concerns me.”
Hao Nhien looked at him.
“And the Fire Qilin Tribe is not the only place where I have seen signs of them.”
Cat Thanh immediately raised his head.
“Somewhere else?”
“Back in the Eastern Plains, I once killed two members of the Huyen Thien Sect. Both of them bore Heavenly Eye tattoos.”
Cat Thanh’s expression changed.
“The Eastern Plains?”
“Yes.”
Hao Nhien nodded.
“That is why I no longer believe this is merely a struggle among several factions within the Western Wastes. If they were able to plant someone inside the Fire Qilin Tribe and also had people within a sect in the Eastern Plains, it is difficult to believe that every other place remains untouched.”
His gaze lowered to the map.
“I suspect Heavenly Eye is spreading a very large net. They are in no hurry to pull it closed. Instead, they place people in different locations, build cities, take control of resources, and wait until enough parts of that net are in place. When the time is right, they will only need to pull once.”
Silence settled over the room for a long while.
Tieu Nhan did not speak either.
Cat Thanh studied the marked locations on the map, his expression shifting several times before finally hardening.
“I will quietly review the people who have entered and left Sand Thunder territory over the past several years, especially those who have frequent contact with merchant caravans, patrol groups, and outside transport routes. Until we find something concrete, only a few people will know about this.”
Hao Nhien nodded.
“Do not alert the snake in the grass. If Heavenly Eye really has someone here, the deeper that person is embedded, the more patient we must be.”
“I understand.”
Cat Thanh looked at him.
“Thank you for the warning.”
He stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on Hao Nhien’s shoulder.
“When we first formed our alliance, it was because of the Fire Qilin Jade and the affairs of our two tribes. Today, this matter has already grown beyond either Fire Qilin or Sand Thunder alone.”
Hao Nhien met his gaze and cupped his fists.
“The Fire Qilin Tribe will not allow Heavenly Eye to continue manipulating our people. I believe the Sand Thunder Tribe is the same.”
“Of course.”
Cat Thanh gave his shoulder a firm squeeze before releasing him.
“The people of Sand Thunder may lose, but we are not accustomed to bowing our heads.”
The two men then returned to the map and agreed on several routes that could be used to pass information between the Sand Thunder Tribe, the forward camp, and Tam Thành. Cat Thanh agreed to establish several discreet contact points at oases commonly visited by merchant caravans and to appoint trusted people to carry messages, avoiding channels that Heavenly Eye might already be watching.
By the time noon approached, most of the important matters had been settled.
Hao Nhien rose to take his leave.
He still needed to continue toward the forward camp and could not remain with the Sand Thunder Tribe for long.
Tieu Nhan rose as well. She had barely interrupted the discussion, but her gaze had occasionally drifted toward Hao Nhien throughout the conversation. When she realized he was about to leave, a trace of disappointment passed through her eyes before she quickly concealed it.
Hao Nhien was just about to say farewell when hurried footsteps sounded outside.
A young Sand Thunder soldier entered and bowed first to Cat Thanh before acknowledging Hao Nhien and Tieu Nhan.
“Clan Head, guests have arrived.”
Cat Thanh frowned slightly.
“Who?”
The soldier answered,
“The Young Clan Head of the Sandwood Tribe. He has brought a group of attendants and a large number of gifts.”
Cat Thanh was about to ask another question when the soldier added,
“He says he has come to fulfill the promise made last year.”
The atmosphere in the room changed at once.
Hao Nhien noticed Cat Thanh’s expression stiffen slightly.
Before he could understand what had happened, a chair scraped sharply beside him.
Tieu Nhan sprang to her feet.
The embarrassment from earlier had vanished completely. Her brows drew together, her face tightened, and in her dark-brown eyes Hao Nhien saw a mixture of determination and hurt that he had never seen there before.
She stared directly at her father.
“Father, I will not accept their gifts, and I am not going anywhere. Things are different now. What was agreed last year cannot simply continue as though nothing has changed, and this time you have to listen to me.”
Cat Thanh opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Tieu Nhan pressed her lips together and continued, her voice trembling slightly even though every word remained clear.
“If you still try to force me, I truly will not speak to you again.”
With that, she turned and ran from the room.
Her tall figure quickly disappeared beyond the doorway, leaving only the sound of hurried footsteps fading down the corridor.
Hao Nhien watched the direction in which she had gone before slowly turning back toward Cat Thanh.
The Sand Thunder Clan Head, who only moments earlier had calmly discussed Heavenly Eye, hidden agents, and the changing balance of power across the Western Wastes, now sat silently before his cup of tea with a more complicated expression than at any point in their conversation.
Hao Nhien suddenly had the feeling that his brief stop at the Sand Thunder Tribe might not end nearly as quickly as he had expected.