Otherworldly Desert Dust

Mrs. Zeng had died!

Her spine was trampled and shattered alive.

The entirety of Ya City bore witness to this scene, including the few remaining Martial Warriors Mrs. Zeng had brought.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the thinly clad woman whose presence was terrifying. The chilly rain finally began to fall slowly, dampening her shoulders.

The rain soaked her hair, which slid from her jade forehead to the corners of her eyes, and the droplets followed the curve of her eyes and cheeks...

Loneliness and cold seemed to be an unshakeable destiny that would follow her forever.

Ruan Muhuan had never imagined that she would become a Martial Saint, crushing Mrs. Zeng under her feet as if in a dream.

But there was not a trace of joy in her heart. She had always assumed that power was the only pursuit for survival in this world, yet when she finally obtained it, direction suddenly eluded her.

The world was still immersed in a vast and sorrowful rain – her long and miserable life had always been so.

If it had been like this from the beginning to the end, she might have remained calm, yet fate had allowed her to experience the sensation of waking up to sunlight on her cheeks every morning... It was warm, clean, comfortable, and it showed her the way forward.

Ruan Muhuan's other hand gripped the Silver Fan, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Lifting it, she then listlessly let it fall.

"From now on, I will protect everyone," Ruan Muhuan said softly as she swept a glance over the unyielding citizens of the city.

...

...

In a luxurious tavern in Lun Mountain City, a banquet of heroes was in full swing.

A man of slight stature but with thick eyebrows and large eyes stood on a chair, then loudly proclaimed to everyone present, "I, Guan Li, have never embarrassed you all, right? If you talk about the first stain on Mrs. Zeng's armor, it was surely left by me. Do I deserve to share a drink with you all?"

"You guys from the Black Tiger Gang are all brave souls, I'll drink three cups to you!"

"We, the Five Eagle Heroes, are not cowards either – we've cut down at least ten Deputy Generals. If it weren't for Mrs. Zeng's Martial Saint gear, we would have chopped her down too!"

"Hey, baldy, we've got a whole table of meaty dishes here. Can you stomach it, or should we ask the waiter to bring some vegetarian food?" the vice-leader of the Black Tiger Gang asked a plainly-dressed middle-aged uncle next to him.

The middle-aged uncle glanced at him sideways and replied irritably, "I'm not a real monk."

"It's such a shame, all you big guys didn't live to see it, so you don't know how awesome that lady was. In front of her, Mrs. Zeng was like a mere cur, defeated in just a few moves!"

"Who was that woman? Was she one of our kin?"

"Of course not, but she seemed to have a good relationship with the young master. They've been together for several months, and there are quite a few tales of their exploits against villains in the borderlands. It's just such a pity, a real pity."

"Yeah, if she had broken through just a bit earlier, the young master wouldn't have had to die."

"It was already quite impressive. I heard that half a year ago, the female Martial Saint was still just a Martial Arts Disciple. Such talent is unheard of across the entire True Martial Continent. She's bound to dominate a territory in the future, and may even have a chance to challenge the Martial God."

The group conversed, mixing emotions from offline relationships with stories from the True Martial World.

The compensation promised by the young master was quite generous, even exceeding what they had earned in the True Martial World. With their new virtual reality equipment and the "express delivery" from their kin, they would soon be able to rise again.

Moreover, Guan Li from the Black Tiger Gang took the lead in proposing that everyone establish a gang offline, named after the deceased young master Lu Yun, find a base, and link up virtually.

This way, they could all reunite in the True Martial World and embark on a true conquest.

"Couldn't we just find a way back to Ya City? Even if we assume the identity of other Awakeners, and the journey's long, we could still make it, right? After all, that's the territory we fought for, with its Jade Spirit Mine," someone asked.

However, Guan Li from the Black Tiger Gang shook his head and said, "That's very difficult. The True Martial Continent is actually a Super Continent, with territories separated by the Demon Spirit Pass. These passes are either giant mountains, the Sky-reaching Demon River, or strange cities of the Demon Country... It takes a very strong military force and the blessing of the Martial God to cross. The likelihood of us awakening in the same territory next time is very low, but if we do this large-scale virtual connecting of awakeners, it's highly probable that we'll be in a larger landmass where many of our kin are. With the resources we have now, we can turn things around pretty quickly."

"Alright then, although it's a bit regrettable."

"What regret? Being able to gather here today is worth more than anything!"

"Yeah, yeah, let's all drink together!"

"Together!"

In a corner of the restaurant, Wu Hen also raised his glass and joined everyone in the toast.

After finishing his drink, a big blond sitting next to him immediately filled Wu Hen's glass, and with a cigarette dangling from his lips, squinted and asked, "Friend, what was your name in there? I haven't heard you mention it."

"Oh, I was just a marginal martial master. I barely rushed in before being cut down by the enemy commander—not worth mentioning," Wu Hen replied.

"Ah, that's not too bad then, after all, the compensation the young master provided is indeed high. As a martial master, you could get something close to what the Wu Family offers. Getting involved means you're earning," Dahuangmao said.

"Yeah," Wu Hen nodded.

"Do you have any plans about founding a guild? I'm definitely joining. My brothers and I used to hack away in Legendary in internet cafes. To be honest, that game is like another Jianghu to me... But my old brothers died in the Otherworldly Dust during the downfall, and I was the only smart one to survive. I thought I'd never get back to those days, but the battle at Ya City brought me back, and my hands are still trembling with excitement." Dahuangmao was actually not young, but to honor his friends, he still maintained his aristocratic style well into his thirties.

"I live in Silver Dome City, and my classmates have called me over to their side, so I won't be joining," Wu Hen declined politely.

"Alright, then I wish you good luck. Ah, if only we had entered this era earlier, my old brothers and I could have made waves in the True Martial World," Dahuangmao said.

"It's not too late now."

"Yeah, technology has advanced. We don't have to live in fear anymore. This virtual equipment is the greatest invention."

Without this entry into the Virtual Era, everyone would indeed be gathering beneath the Netherworld.

"It's a pity, the young master didn't come. He must be a big shot. It would've been cool to meet him," Dahuangmao said.

"He might have come, maybe because of his special identity, it's not convenient to meet everyone directly, so he's hiding somewhere watching us drink," Wu Hen suggested.

"That makes sense!" Dahuangmao raised his hand and gave Wu Hen a hearty slap on the shoulder. "I'm going to toast each and every one of them soon, specifically targeting those handsome guys lurking quietly in the corner. Maybe I'll really bump into him, hehehe, anyway, bro, I'm off to mingle with the big shots!"

...

Leaving the tavern.

Wu Hen walked the streets of Lun Mountain City.

Lun Mountain City had regained its former prosperity, with even more diversity, and street vendors were visible everywhere.

Crossing a large bridge, Wu Hen saw a barbecue stall and sat down.

Before long, Shen Wenhai arrived at the location, dressed formally as if heading to give a speech at the United Nations, but then sat on a greasy plastic stool, leaving the barbecue stall owner speechless.

"The people you found are all pretty good," Wu Hen was very satisfied with the "heroes from all walks of life" Shen Wenhai had dispatched this time.

Although he perished, they were victorious in the end.

"I've allocated a base to them; they plan to establish a virtual gang," Shen Wenhai mentioned.

"Can the technology now allow hundreds to awaken together?" Wu Hen asked, surprised at the notion.

It felt like technology was evolving every day.

Actually, when Wu Hen and his classmates first connected to awaken, they used the most advanced product at the time. And in just about half a year, technology jumped another major step.

"It can handle up to a thousand people, but of course, it consumes a considerable amount of energy. For the big corporations that have already established a foothold in the True Martial World, it's a necessary investment. But for the average Spirit Awakener, it's not yet essential," Shen Wenhai explained.

"That's quite impressive," Wu Hen acknowledged with a nod.

"What are your plans moving forward? Continue entering the True Martial World as a visitor?" Shen Wenhai inquired.

"Why, have you encountered some kind of problem?" Wu Hen perceived the underlying implication in Shen Wenhai's words.

"Well, as you know, we're establishing the Pure Land City. No matter how we use the virtual equipment, we ultimately have to face the Otherworldly Dust properly. The Pure Land City is a piece of land sheltered under Nuwa God End, serving as an intermediary acclimation zone between our home and the Otherworldly Dust..." Shen Wenhai said.

Wu Hen nodded; the Five-Colored Pure Land beneath the Nuwa Divine Tree was indeed unique. Some who had become Desert Dust Life reduced their visits back home and started settling in the Pure Land City. These people probably didn't want to wander in the True Martial World as strangers. To evolve better and faster, they would venture in their true life forms, and many of them were motivated not solely for personal reasons but also for all humanity.

"Yeah, I understand. This acclimation zone is necessary, like how we must set up a space station on the moon if we plan to conquer space," Wu Hen agreed.

"But as you know, apart from those overbearing martial artists, there are unpredictable Demon Spirits in the True Martial World, especially the Demon Gods. They are terrifying and mysterious top predators of the Desert Dust. Our Nuwa God End is now hidden within the mountains and rivers of the True Martial World, and while human beings there can't detect us, those Demon Spirit communities can sense our presence..." Shen Wenhai continued.

"Got it. You want me to guard the Pure Land City for a while to ensure that this important transition area can be established?" Wu Hen said with a smile.

"Yes, that's right, hehehe."

"But I still need to feed my Little Jianjian," Wu Hen added.

"You take care of guarding, and I'll handle collecting Yuan You," Shen Wenhai suggested.

Wu Hen thought it over. He hadn't managed to save Lu Yun or bring him back to Nuwa God End, which meant that Little Yi couldn't absorb Jade Spirit Ore within either, and Little Yi was in urgent need of Yuan You to replenish. There was no choice but to sell his labor.

Alright!

Since his venture had failed, it was time to work.

Though he wouldn't be rich, at least his income would be stable!