Otherworldly Desert Dust

Under the five-colored soil, all of humanity was retreating, except for a few patrol squads stepping into the endless terrors of the locust world.

After understanding the laws of the Desert Dust, Wu Hen also realized that most of this space was in a state of "wild growth."

Once you step inside, it won’t be easy to retreat.

This alien locust realm, like a hopeless desert, was so terrifying that most people didn’t even have the courage to look. In the end, Wu Hen followed Mingyi’s patrol squad onto the locust hill...

Under a Firewood Stone Tower stood a woman dressed in a green fur coat, looking somewhat surprised as Wu Hen moved away.

"Is that guy also a Spirit Awakener?" Gao Yu Yan muttered to herself.

"Yu Yan, is that guy your first love from when you were fifteen?" a woman in blue clothing next to her asked.

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Gao Yu Yan said angrily.

"Hehe, you two used to hang out every summer vacation. I always thought he was a nouveau riche, far from matching your family’s status. I never expected him to become a patrol squad member, which makes him a super elite among Spirit Awakeners." The woman in blue laughed.

"Qing Hu!"

A call came from not far away; it was the White Hat Leader, who was clearly gathering other Guardians.

"Here!" Gao Yu Yan responded.

"You lead a hundred Guardians at the border, to rendezvous with the patrol squad as they clear out the hidden threats deeper inside, and kill any Evil Spirits that step into the Pure Land!" the White Hat Leader said.

Standing in mid-air, with his arms crossed over his chest, his fighting clothes made him look extraordinarily majestic, like an eagle.

From his body emanated a brilliance only Spirit Awakeners could perceive, referred to as a Crown, which was also a mark of their strength.

On the soil beneath where he stood, no Firewood Towers had been erected. Normally, this area would have long been swallowed by locust hills; but because of the Radiant Crown he emitted, reflecting his figure, he stood as a majestic statue amidst the tide of evil...

The evil aura halted its spread here, and even the imposing locust hills started to retreat.

A single person’s power surpassed the Firewood Stone Towers built by hundreds or thousands of people.

In fact, other Spirit Awakeners also emitted Crowns, but compared to the White Hat Leader, theirs were like Firefly Lights, requiring a large gathering to barely form a protective light.

"Well, we’ve become your first love’s logistics team." The blue-clad girl teased again.

"This is not the time for stupid jokes. Don’t you see many people have lost their lives?" Gao Yu Yan said with some displeasure.

"Alright, alright..." The blue-clad girl shut her mouth but rolled her eyes.

As if being serious and compassionate would bring those people back to life?

Now, humanity was like billions of fry thrown into the ocean, being filtered layer by layer. How many could truly integrate into the cruel sea?

Just like the disasters recorded in history, in the end, it’s nothing but a bunch of lamentable numbers.

...

Stepping on the "sand dust."

Climbing over towering locust hills.

Wu Hen finally understood why Mingyi’s team preferred wearing those tight combat uniforms.

In regular clothes with pant legs, collars, and sleeves, if a locust crawled inside, you’d walk with clenched buttocks; who knew if there was an indecent locust?

"Strange, why aren’t they attacking us?" Wu Hen asked, puzzled.

It looked creepy, but as Wu Hen and the others walked on it, the locusts didn’t go on a feeding frenzy...

The problem was, Wu Hen had just seen some slower runners turn into skeletons.

"Hadn’t someone told this kid?" The pale, tall man from earlier asked.

"He’s not a Pioneer; entered Desert Dust just before the public announcement." Captain Qin said.

"I’ll teach him, he’s my little apprentice." Mingyi said.

"First time seeing a rookie in a suicide squad; don’t blame me if I’m not polite when you drag us back." The one-eyed woman sneered.

So cocky!

Wu Hen secretly nodded, liking the presence of someone who looked down on him, so he’d look even more impressive later!

"It’s like this, us Spirit Awakeners don’t have clear ranks like in fantasy novels, but as Desert Dust Lives we emit a soul-derived Crown. This Crown deters and repels some Desert Dust Evil Spirits..."

"For example, if an ordinary person stepped in, they’d be devoured in less than a second. If you hadn’t become a Desert Dust Life, I wouldn’t have let you in either." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"To our current understanding, this soul Crown roughly gauges a Spirit Awakener’s strength..."

"Firefly Light, Night Ghost, Thunder Bright, Cang Xia, Heavenly Light."

"These are the basic categories."

As her first little apprentice, Mingyi explained patiently to Wu Hen.

Mentioning "Heavenly Light," Wu Hen quickly thought of Zai Wu!

That guy was a Heavenly Light!

Which meant, reaching the Heavenly Brilliance Realm, one’s soul radiance would expand their territory and create a powerful spiritual belief, turning the species in this soil into their followers or under their control???

Wu Hen suddenly thought of all those evil threads...

Whether the so-called evil threads truly existed was debatable, but they indeed established a form of control!

"However, I once communicated with other Divine Realm inhabitants, and they seemed to only use Heavenly Brilliance as a reference. Below that, they don’t categorize; this classification is our Pioneer’s way." Mingyi said.

"Below Heavenly Brilliance are all mortal dust." Wu Hen muttered.

"Hmm... saying that hurts our human pride. No one among us Spirit Awakeners has truly reached the Heavenly Brilliance Level." Mingyi said.

"Huh? Not even one?" Wu Hen asked, surprised.

"You know, we haven’t interacted with the Otherworldly Dust for long. It’s certain that some of our human prodigies will reach it soon, but for now, no." Mingyi said.

"Haha, kid, do you think reaching the Heavenly Brilliance Realm is just surviving a few Evil Soils and sheer effort? Though we’ve just entered the Tui Jie Era, even in hundreds of years, those who reach Heavenly Brilliance would be scarce. Focus on surviving, little shrimp!" a young man not much older than Wu Hen said.

This youth wore a minimalist forehead crown with a white feather decoration, his clothes pure white, with tassels on his waist, looking like a peacock about to display its tail.

Entering the locust evil field, he walked beside Mingyi intentionally or otherwise, but Mingyi showed special affection towards Wu Hen, even announcing in the team that Wu Hen was her little apprentice, making him quite displeased.

"Mr. White Chicken Feather, what’s your realm? Can you share?" Wu Hen politely asked.

This infuriated the delicate white-feather man instantly. He glared at Wu Hen, emitting a powerful radiance. His figure in the backlight seemed as grand as an old demon revealing its Demon Essence!

"He’s the patrol squad member codenamed ’White Peacock.’ Codenamed Spirit Awakeners are top-notch humans, at least Night Ghost Level." Mingyi stepped in between Wu Hen and the white-feather youth.

"Captain, next time you induct new members, teach them the rules before bringing them into the team!" White Peacock said coldly.

"Enough, focus on the unknown, don’t let minor matters affect the team’s atmosphere!" Qin Sheng said sternly.

White Peacock said no more but continued glaring at Wu Hen, with a hint of warning and disdain.

He soon realized that the survival rate for new patrol recruits was less than fifty percent, especially in a terrifying locust evil field. Once this newbie’s body got cold, he’d spit on it!

"Mingyi, how about you?" Wu Hen kept pushing, with a hint of flirtation.

"Me? Of course, I’m stronger than these useless people. I’m the combat pillar of the team." Mingyi arrogantly put her hands on her hips, emphasizing ’useless’ so everyone could hear.

Strangely, while all team members looked haughty and cool, none dared to refute Mingyi’s insult; they lowered their heads and marched on.

Alright, confirmed as Thunder Bright.

"And the beauty pillar too." Wu Hen complimented.

"Your sweet talk hasn’t changed." Mingyi’s eyes curved like silver moons. Recruiting Wu Hen felt wise; this team was too dull without him!

Exploring the otherworld, one must stay highly alert, life and death uncertain.

Yet, Mingyi believed even a suicide squad mission didn’t need constant gloom!

"Of course, you know me inside out." Wu Hen raised an eyebrow, growing bolder.

"Stop it!" Mingyi remembered a recent scene, her heart pounding.

Captain Qin, walking in the middle, listened to their flirtatious banter in the Forbidden Death zone, utterly helpless.

Previously, Mingyi bonded with this kid using her Yuan You, and now they were more unrestrained in person.

Though Mingyi’s ’useless’ label included him as the captain, Qin Sheng dared not object.

Up front, White Peacock’s face darkened.

Somehow, he felt like a drag horse, pulling a cart for two elegant nobles on a spring outing!