“I must say, I didn't expect things to end this way," Zou Lan sighed as she stood in a devastated garden.

The luscious greens that used to cover the ground of the Moonlight Sword Palace's mansion within the Frontier had all been lost to the encroaching desert sand. The formation that used to retain the moisture within the atmosphere had been ravaged by the deluge of sand until it ceased to function, prompting the scarce few water ponds to quickly evaporate until nothing remained. She couldn't help but show sorrow as she gazed at this desolate landscape.

The Moonlight Sword Palace wasn't the only one reeling from this devastation. A quarter of the populace had been lost to the outsider's assault. The streets were teeming with death and the corpses of those who gambled their lives in the hopes that the city would stand against the invaders.

Men and women mourned their losses as their tears were consumed by the merciless desert sands, and their cries of anguish disappeared into the ever-raging storm of the Great Barrier. Only a few left their houses, as the city had yet to regain any semblance of normalcy.

Meanwhile, fools gloated at others' misfortunes, utterly disregarding the city's woes and what they meant for the future. Zou Lan felt intense disdain for their shortsightedness yet could understand their motives, as she, too, had a sect that relied on her. Still, the embers of her hatred burned bright in her heart, threatening to emerge and reduce all their hopes to cinder.

However, the time had yet to come. She could only bear it and let it smoulder until the time was right. Sooner or later, they would pay for their actions, and she would personally ensure that.

“Indeed,” Qin Yun replied, slowly sipping on the fragrant tea he was offered. “None of us expected they would strike with such force. Still, it’s a good thing they remained level-headed and withdrew.”

Zou Lan turned to face him, slightly taken aback. Since the worst disaster had been averted thanks to Xu Weizhe's sacrifice, Qin Yun had been invited as a guest of the Moonlight Sword Palace. While they did so on the premise of expressing their gratitude for his involvement, Qin Yun knew better. The woman before him obviously sought some answers, yet was diplomatic enough to not pry them out of him. As such, he saw no reason to refuse, as he, too, needed something from her.

“That too... but that wasn't all I was referring to," she said, looking toward an isolated pavilion in their compound's centre. Qin Yun noticed a slight concern in her gaze.

“My apologies,” Qin Yun said with a wry smile. “Time was running out. I couldn't waste it answering all your questions."

“I would have appreciated it if you had not omitted some of them," she replied as she sat opposite him. It would have made the process easier, don't you think?"

She offered him a glare filled with reproach, yet Qin Yun brushed it aside with a silent smile. She could only sigh once again and shake her head, driving away her more destructive thoughts.

"I thought he'd have to spend the rest of his life buried within the confines of that underground chamber, forever hidden within the darkness of history, unable to ever emerge," she added.

"It seems even you do not know much about this formation," Qin Yun remarked before taking another sip. "I was under the impression that the four Sect Leaders should have been the ones with the most knowledge of it."

Despite the stench of death and decay that still hung in the air, the aroma of his tea almost made him forget what he had seen as he was in charge of the formation. Still, it wasn't as if what he had witnessed could leave a mark on his heart. He had already seen too much for such a limited bloodbath to affect him.

He remained calm and collected even as others were on the verge of breaking. Even Zou Lan, with her deep cultivation, found it hard to remain as serene as he was. After all, she was still considered a junior by most others of her rank.

“My predecessor perished before he could shed some light on it. Only fragmented information can be found within the clan's records. None of which depicted the means and consequences of becoming the formation's guardian. How was I supposed to know he wouldn't be forced to stay underground like the previous one?"

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“From what I could glean from the Forgotten One's personality, he was a hermit by choice. I do not know what happened in his life that led him to this, but he chose to fade away, never revealing his name, even at the end. You wouldn't happen to know, would you?"

“I do not,” she shook her head. “I doubt anyone here knows. After all, he was already the Frontier’s guardian when the Moonlight Sword Palace was founded. If you truly wish to know, your best bet would be to petition the Immortal Beast Sect Alliance. As far as I know, he once was one of their disciples.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Silence then reigned as neither spoke. Zou Lan's gaze plunged into Qin Yun's eyes as if trying to see to his core, yet the man only returned a noncommittal smile. He sipped on his tea without a care in the world, which couldn't help but make her frown. Still, she refused to be the one to broach the subject, if only because she was the most senior one. She had her pride, after all.

Even Yao Ruolan felt suffocated as she stood behind her Sect Master. If given the choice, she wanted to be at her master's side. Ever since the transfer, he had yet to awake. Yet, the formation was now stable. Although its strength had faltered slightly, the outsiders had yet to make another attempt. Still, there was no doubt they were bolstering their forces. They would come in time.

“Why did you come here?” Zou Lan finally broke the silence, feeling as if things couldn’t stay this way. “I doubt you came all this way to sight-see...”

Still, her expression couldn’t help but darken as she saw Qin Yun’s smile brighten, almost as if he had won. She couldn’t explain the feeling, but she had never been able to trust this man. Her sharp instincts screamed at her that he—a mere Qi Refining junior—was a threat she couldn’t ignore.

“I have some business further west,” he finally said, only for Zou Lan to frown even more.

Her sword domain began to spill outwards as her emotions mounted. Qin Yun could feel its sharpness on his skin, yet he remained completely calm, looking deep into her fiery eyes, only for her to return his gaze. The silence reigned once again as Yao Ruolan took a few steps back as the rubble that remained from the war exploded into powder as soon as they came into contact with the domain.

Just as Yao Ruolan was on the verge of losing consciousness, the pressure she felt was suddenly cut short as stone dust rained back to the ground. Zou Lan scoffed slightly as she used her domain to pick up her tea, only to look deep within without taking a sip.

Qin Yun said nothing as he sat back, looking upwards. He noticed countless vultures circling the deep blue sky, attracted by the stench of blood and death. Still, they could not bypass the shimmering barrier, yet tried nevertheless, for the prize was that attractive. He couldn't help but scoff at their futile efforts, knowing the price they would have to pay to waste time and energy in this harsh land.

That being said, Qin Yun didn't press her for input, knowing how preposterous his claim was. He could only let her come to terms on her own, as he knew she wasn't the type to be swayed by any rationale, especially from a man as suspicious as he was. The only one who may be able to help was still in a coma, and his only disciple wasn't faring much better.

Yao Ruolan supported herself using a nearby wall, feeling intense vertigo, and her heart wanting to beat out of her chest. She could feel the thump in her head as the increased pressure gave her a headache. It took her all just to keep standing.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a deep fear when looking back to the small table located under a canopy where the two were seated. While her sect master had left her a deep-seated impression, what truly made her feel dread was the man who opposed her.

She felt as if the man who had saved their lives within the desert was but a mirage made of her preconceptions. She thought she had already rated him highly, yet could barely register what she had just witnessed. Even under the full brunt of her sect master's aura and domain, the man remained calm and composed, slowly sipping his tea. She couldn't even conceive of her master doing the same, not to say of this man barely older than her.

“So you seek entry into the World’s Edge,” Zou Lan finally said. Her expression had returned to normal, yet Qin Yun easily saw the distrust in her eyes. “For what purpose, and why should I humour you?”

“Because you can only gain from it," he replied instantly, raising his gaze to meet hers.

“How so?”

“Think about it. What do you all most lack against the outsider's hordes?"

Zou Lan only looked at him without answering.

“Information,” he replied, not taking her silence to heart. “You allowed them to take you by surprise. Had you known, you could have prepared.”

“You think we don’t know that?” she scoffed. “How many do you think have died travelling these forsaken lands? Trying to do so will only lead us to further losses. The land itself is hostile to our kind. Qi is almost nonexistent. Travelling through them is hard enough, not to mention trying to infiltrate them. Many of our best have already lost their lives. Even the most promising among the four sects dare not stray too far from the fortress. Would you fare any better with your strength?"

“I would,” he replied, his words oozing confidence.

Yet, Zou Lan remained skeptical. While she knew he was special, she had no way to know how. Every time she tried to probe him with her divine sense or her domain, it was repelled by some unknown force, making her even more suspicious of his identity. While he claimed to be from the Qin Clan, she couldn't help but doubt.

Just as she was about to voice them, she was interrupted. A young woman wearing the garbs of a disciple of the Moonlight Sword Palace barged into the ravaged courtyard, visibly out of breath. Zou Lan turned to face her, yet remained silent, allowing the disciple to catch her breath.

“Representatives of the three sects seek an audience with you, Sect Master!" she finally said, prompting Zou Lan to raise a single eyebrow, but then a vicious expression flashed on her face.

“So, these cowards have finally decided to act," she said as she rose from her seat, her words laced with clear malice, before turning to Qin Yun. "I must handle this first. You will wait here until I return. In the meanwhile, Ruolan can keep you company."

She then did a half-turn, her white robes fluttering in the breeze as she walked away toward the Main Hall with the winded disciple in tow. This left Yao Ruolan completely taken aback, yet Qin Yun showed no surprise. It seemed only to be expected.

“You saw her face, right?” Yao Ruolan said as she looked in the direction her sect master had left, only for Qin Yun to slightly nod. “I hope she won’t go too far...”

“Oh, she will," he replied confidently, sipping his warm tea.