Damon, Mo Fan, Zhao Manyan, Zhang Xiaohou, Lingling, Ye Xinxia, and Chen Yi—a cousin of Zhao Manyan—formed a party of seven, ready for their treasure hunt.
Their destination, Dunhuang, was famous throughout the country as the habitat of many ancient demon beasts—those with the purest lineages and longest histories. It was also considered one of the most brilliant milestones of their nation's magic civilization. Hunters often ventured there to uncover remnants of ancient times, and those lucky enough would discover great artifacts and valuable equipment.
The Burning Valley was located to the east of Dunhuang, deep within the barren sands of the Gobi Desert, where loess storms swept across the skies and the heat was so extreme that even seasoned hunters felt the pressure. The place was so notorious that even hunters from foreign lands knew of its name.
As soon as they arrived in Dunhuang, the group was struck by the unique charm of its desolation.
Looking ahead, there was nothing but endless yellow sand stretching into the horizon. The dunes and hills of the desert were layered in varying shades of brown, stacking upon one another in waves.
Unlike the flatlands of the southeast, the terrain here was uneven and split into different layers. As they journeyed forward, the bright sun would occasionally vanish as they entered the shadow of an immense fault line extending in both directions like a wall—while the path ahead lay right above it.
Even though the entire party consisted of magicians, not all of them could teleport freely. They rode Wind Camels raised by the locals, steadily advancing toward the infamous Burning Valley.
The Gobi Desert was home to many creatures, its rich Earth and Fire elements nurturing countless elemental beasts. Yet, the most dangerous of them all were the ruler species—the apex predators that reigned at the very top of the food chain. Among them, the Sand Tiger Horde was feared above all, forcing any who entered their territory to tread with extreme caution.
Roar!!
As the group made their way through the sands, a deafening roar erupted. The very dunes trembled as if the earth itself were sinking. A warrior-class Sand Howl Tiger appeared before them, its roar shaking the air.
"How unlucky! We just got here and we've already run into the ruler species of this region!" cursed Zhao Manyan, who quickly recognized the beast from its roar.
Before anyone could react, Zhang Xiaohou charged toward the tiger without hesitation. His reckless bravery shocked the others—but before he could reach the creature, a torrent of rose flames roared past him, consuming the beast entirely. It was burned to ash in an instant.
Everyone turned in disbelief toward the source of the flames—a black-haired man casually leaning against a camel, blue eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.
"What? Impressed?" Damon smirked as he met their stunned gazes.
"Th-that… that was…" Mo Fan stammered. As someone deeply familiar with the Fire Element, he immediately recognized the spell. It was an instant cast—definitely Novice Tier—but the power, amplified through the Rose Flame Spirit, rivaled that of Intermediate-tier magic.
The destructive force had even surpassed Tier 4 Great Rupture… Could it be?
"Tier 5?" Zhao Manyan muttered in disbelief, feeling the light fade from his eyes. As the second heir of the Zhao Family—one of the richest families in the nation, infamous for its extravagance—he prided himself on luxury. Yet in front of Damon, he finally understood what "a sky above the sky" truly meant.
Millions of dollars' worth of soul essences used merely to enhance a Novice-tier spell—this was a level of opulence even Zhao Manyan couldn't describe.
After the beast's death, the team pressed onward until they reached the edge of the White Sand Desert, where they confirmed the presence of the White Sand Demons—massive creatures said to form the desert itself.
Each demon stood over three meters tall, their pale bodies blending with the dunes. Even though they were considered the weakest of their kind, Zhao Manyan couldn't help but gulp at their sheer size.
"If we go in there, that means…" He trailed off as they found themselves surrounded by towering monsters wielding equally massive swords.
'Gulp.'
Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan both swallowed hard, imagining the disastrous possibilities.
"Have you ever heard of…" one of them whispered, "Blacked?"
Unholy thoughts flashed through their minds, and both men tensed up, cursing Damon under their breath.
The tense atmosphere lightened as the group continued, aided by Ye Xinxia's psychic abilities and the vast array of tools and resources Damon had brought along. Instead of engaging the sand demons, they carefully bypassed them, heading north toward the Burning Valley.
There, they encountered the legendary Fire Calamity—an event that occurred only once in several decades. Forced to retreat, they sought shelter and waited for the cataclysmic flames to pass.
"...Let's split up!" Damon finally said, separating from the group. He had more important goals. After the Fire Calamity, the valley would be reborn—new treasures formed, old ones strengthened. It was a sacred opportunity no hunter could ignore.
As an Advanced Mage and the first to enter, Damon couldn't afford to waste such a chance. The others soon followed suit, searching for soul seeds and fragments scattered throughout the valley.
The place was a goldmine—both for fortune and power.
With most beasts wiped out by the calamity, Damon moved freely, sweeping through the valley and storing everything of value into his inventory.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team gathered spirit seed fragments, captured fire spirits, and sought items worth a fortune. Chen Yi's cover was soon blown, however, as she convinced the others to help her search for the rare Fire Calamity Fruit—claiming it could cure her ailing mother.
None of them knew the truth—that the demonness had already begun weaving her vicious plot.
***
A/N:
Sorry for only one chapter today and late upload. It's bhaidooj you know relatives and all I didn't have anytime to write at all