Chapter 45: Kang Feng
*Two weeks earlier *
Desert of Forgotten Souls
Hu Qinling had been advancing through the arid desert for days. The heat was overwhelming, an unrelenting furnace that would have reduced any ordinary being to ashes. Even with her level, she felt fatigue accumulating, her endurance tested by the incessant attacks of desert creatures. But it wasn’t the monsters that annoyed her the most.
"Hu Zhen! You have nothing better to do than follow me? Damn it, you should get lost, you’re getting in my way!"
She shot a furious glance at her older brother, who, unperturbed, continued to walk beside her.
"No need to shout, Ling’er. I’m here to protect you."
"I don’t need it!"
As she turned around again to complain, a sandworm suddenly burst from the ground, its gaping maw ready to swallow her. Before she could draw her sword, Hu Zhen leaped with lightning speed and, with a violent palm strike, the creature exploded into a mass of foul flesh that scattered across the burning sand.
"See?"
Hu Qinling clicked her tongue, furious.
"I could handle it just fine on my own."
She clenched her fists. The real reason for her journey into this perilous region was the information she had purchased some time ago. It wasn’t the first time the ruins had opened, and although the data she held might be outdated after all these years, it still gave her an advantage. Moreover, the Soul Fishing, a rare phenomenon unique to this desert, was a precious resource that would help her deepen her understanding of her law at the right time.
But more than anything, she was desperate.
She felt she was falling behind in her cultivation lately. Her progress had slowed alarmingly. The cause was obvious: the death of Xuan Shen. Since that day, a void had formed within her, undermining her inner strength, hindering her progress.
Even venturing into this land of death, her brother couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone. Hu Zhen followed her like a shadow, relentless in his determination to protect her, despite her categorical refusal to accept Guowei’s help, whom she didn’t consider trustworthy. She knew this man was capable of betraying her at the opportune moment, stealing what she coveted.
The days passed, and the journey continued. With each new sandworm attack, Hu Qinling didn’t even have time to draw her sword. Hu Zhen took care of everything, his martial arts prowess allowing him to annihilate the creatures in an instant. He wasn’t an innate genius like Daiyu, but in just a century, he had already become a Holy Sage, a formidable expert. In this world, lineage is everything.
She advanced blindly.
She had no idea of the exact route to follow, only a simple instruction in mind:
’Just find the oasis in the middle of the Desert of Forgotten Souls.’
A week passed, marked by relentless sandstorms and desert creatures that grew increasingly powerful. Finally, she had to admit she would never have come this far without her brother.
Then she spotted an oasis in the distance.
Her heart leaped. Finally. A smile lit up her weary face. Without hesitation, she rose into the air, speeding toward her destination. But as she approached, a strange sensation overcame her.
"Ling’er... be careful."
Hu Zhen had taken a serious tone, but she paid him no attention. Her expression darkened when she realized they weren’t alone.
Two tents were erected near the oasis, and the desert wind fluttered an emblem she immediately recognized.
The Feng.
The ancestral family of the Phoenix.
...
*POV: Kang Feng *
"Information truly is power."
I stretched leisurely, savoring the sensation of my body brimming with energy. I’d cultivated all night, and thanks to those Soul Peaches, my progress had been monumental. My gaze fell on the tray where three of the five fruits I’d harvested still lay. Not excessively rare, certainly, but precious. There were other resources with similar effects, but none could match the purity and gentleness of the Qi these peaches offered.
Lost in thought, I was jolted back to reality by a faint vibration in my transmission token. I picked it up and activated it.
[Qing Long, disciple of the Immortal Tao Academy, you are requested to proceed to the Celestial Mountains Valley. This is a matter of utmost importance, concerning the hunt for the Devourer.]
"The Devourer, huh?"
I sighed, tossing the token carelessly onto the table.
"What the hell does that have to do with me... That guy really thinks he’s the sect’s heir. Next time I see him, I’ll put him in his place."
As I nonchalantly massaged my neck, an unpleasant sensation crawled down my spine. A presence.
"Who’s there!?"
I immediately stepped out of my tent, on guard.
"Young Master, it’s Miss Qinling of the Hu Ancestral Family," one of the five guards announced.
"Oh~"
A smile tugged at my lips as I looked up. There she was, draped in her usual air of disdain, her slender figure and piercing gaze unmistakable.
"What should we do, Young Master?" another guard asked.
"Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle this myself."
I cleared my throat and stepped forward casually.
"What a surprise, Miss Qinling. Are you lost in this vast desert—"
"Spare me the formalities, Kang Feng. How did you find this place?"
Her voice was sharp as a frostblade.
I couldn’t help but smile. Always so distant, the noble cultivator with the pure blood of the White Tiger. Despite my attempts to get close, she never let anyone breach her defenses. Only Xuan Shen had ever made her smile.
But now that that bastard was dead...
A predatory grin stretched across my face.
’Time to make this haughty woman mine.’
I was talented, handsome, well-bred, and my talent was even purer than hers. She couldn’t find better, and I was certain she’d finally realized it after that idiot’s death.
’ She must’ve crossed this entire desert just to see me. Such devotion.’
I chuckled inwardly, keeping my mask of calm intact.
"Ah~ Please forgive me, Lady Qinling. I forget my manners. The journey must’ve been long. Come, rest—"
"Are you stupid or just pretending?"
"...Huh?"
I froze for a second, caught off guard.
’ Didn’t she follow me to finally reveal her feelings?’
I narrowed my eyes, scrutinizing her carefully.
"What do you mean, Lady Qinling?"
She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Before I could react, she lunged at me, her sword drawn, slicing through the air with clear hostility.
"Where are the Soul Peaches?"
I leaped back, quickly putting distance between us. My voice turned colder.
’ Seems she still hasn’t given up on her feelings for that dead trash.’
"Sorry, but the Feng Family has already taken care of them."