**Chapter 40: Eastern Desert**
From the edge of the Misty Forest, the land gradually became barren.
The Misty Forest is a special place, where there exists a certain ‘dead magic area.’ Simply put, it is a place where elemental energy is chaotic, and the magic network has vulnerabilities. Spellcasters here are affected, and there is a possibility of spell failure or even madness. Such places are mostly very dangerous because of strong energy radiation, making them prone to the emergence of powerful mutated creatures. Deep within the Misty Forest is the site of a fallen deity, where a once-powerful deity met its end. To this day, very few are able to enter.
Even saints, avatars of deities, find it difficult to enter, and only a small number of legendary druids can connect to that place through dreams.
There were some fragmented rumors from the past.
It was rumored that deep within the Misty Forest connects to a divine kingdom, a massive semi-plane embedded directly in the material plane.
Unfortunately, no one has been able to confirm this.
………………
The sandstorm gradually intensified.
After entering the desert, everything before me became increasingly desolate. This desert is the territory of werewolves, where many werewolves are active. Many semi-wild monsters from the hinterlands of the continent have evolved into professionals due to the harsh living environment. Moreover, this area is under the deity of the Abyss Lord ‘King of Werewolves’ Yenogu, a demon lord from the 422nd layer of the Bottomless Abyss, one of the most powerful werewolves.
Perhaps it isn’t the strongest Abyss Lord, but nobody can take it lightly.
For its enemies are the Succubus Queen and the Minotaur King. Being able to fight these two foes for thousands of years without falling shows either it has incredible luck or genuine skill.
The King of Werewolves is not a particularly complex Abyss Lord, for Soren has been to its domain before.
Its lifelong goal is to make the werewolf race prosper, and it preys on weaker creatures as much as possible, or schemes against its enemies.
Unfortunately, werewolves naturally rely on hunting for sustenance, which makes their numbers hard to thrive.
A gust of wind swept by.
The excellent tracking ability of the werewolf scouts enabled them to spot Soren traveling alone across the desert. They cautiously hid behind cover and communicated in a special way. Their sufficient intelligence led them to understand that a lone traveler is not easy to deal with, but the thirst for flesh still made them restless.
Swoosh!
A sharp arrow flew out.
To avoid trouble, Soren immediately drew his elven war bow. He shot an arrow that hit a werewolf scout’s shoulder; due to the wind direction, the arrow veered off when it should have struck its head.
Properly demonstrating force can reduce trouble.
Awooo!
A howl of pain erupted as the werewolf scout finally realized that the target before them was not something they could handle. These creatures quickly retreated deeper into the desert.
The further one goes into the desert, the fewer signs of vegetation there are.
Eventually, a desert landscape appeared before Soren’s eyes, a desolate scene with yellow sand filling the air. Almost no green was visible.
This is the disaster brought about by the Arcane Empire.
Many once-glorious cities are now buried beneath the yellow sand, partially due to humans, as severe deforestation in the past led to soil erosion that left no trace of vegetation.
Rivers dried up, and the land turned to sand.
After over-exploitation, humans migrated from here, leaving all other creatures to dwell.
Crossing this desert leads to the Eastern Kingdom.
This is the largest desert in the material plane, even using flight spells would require several days. Soren’s goal lies within the desert, so he first needs to find a city in the desert.
Oasis!
Since the gradual deterioration of the environment began, some morally-upright druids came here.
They formed the legendary ‘Arborists,’ who, for hundreds of years, have created greenery in this harsh desert. This is a daunting task. The deteriorated environment is hard to repair, and many areas still have residual energy radiation. Arborists are a different faction of druids; they rarely interfere in inland affairs. Their mission is to sow plants, establishing oases in the desert. These Arborists have high prestige in the desert region, and the oases along the Eastern Trade Route were established by them. (Note: Details are mentioned near the Elf Kingdom.)
Finding an oasis is not easy.
This environment is also unfamiliar to Soren; he can only rely on flight spells to determine his position and track the signs of life in this desolation.
Day one.
He had to spend the night on a sand dune, then continued his journey at dawn.
As he gradually delved deeper into the desert, ruined structures began to appear ahead—grand buildings reminiscent of Egyptian pyramids, though now they are in ruins and surrounded by yellow sand. To enter, one must dig a path. This is a dangerous task; Soren nearly got buried by quicksand. The ground beneath his feet was once a city, now transformed into ancient ruins in the desert. Apart from the occasional adventurous soul seeking treasures, few would dare to enter.
Because there are too many dangers within.
This desert has buried nearly a third of the cities from the Arcane Empire era, and there are also sealed ancient evil artifacts. Exploring here is akin to exploring a city, a monumental undertaking. Often, one cannot find an exit and has to dig themselves a path. The most dangerous places are in the Eastern Kingdom, where many such ancient ruins lie beneath the monasteries of monks, several of which suppress terrifying evil artifacts.
Half a day’s time passed like this.
Finally, a patch of greenery appeared before Soren, as he saw a river—a river in the desert.
On either side stand tall trees, evenly distributed around. These are not naturally grown trees, but areas that have been artificially planted and cultivated.
The work of the Arborists.
Finding a river signifies the nearby presence of an oasis, prompting Soren to quicken his pace and dash forward.
A city wall built from sand and stone emerged.
At the city gate stands a tall flagpole, showcasing a starkly different scene from the hinterland of the continent; the entire town is surrounded, blocking the wind and sand from all sides. Traveling merchant caravans no longer use horses, instead opting for camels, burdened with heavy goods, while nearby are Eastern merchants dressed in attire reminiscent of Arabian styles. Many of the surrounding buildings are built from sand and stone, exuding a rugged and desolate feel.
Soren entered this desert city.
………………(To be continued ~^~)
