It technically hadn’t been that long since Wu Jian stepped foot on Yun Chi’s private complex within the Alchemy Academy’s grounds, but with how much had happened in the short time since he’d left, it felt like a lot longer.

It was located atop a mountain surrounded by alchemy gardens. The compound itself was surprisingly modest for something that belonged to a platinum rank alchemist. It was a three-story complex centered around a courtyard. Elevated off the ground like other buildings in this country, and with a pair of jade tigers standing guard over the entrance, it looked like the simple home of a well to do merchant.

Lili Ling had led him here early this morning and now he was sitting in a lavish waiting room. The walls were adorned with luxurious silk draperies in vibrant colors--a combination of deep reds, imperial yellows, and rich purples. Intricate embroidery featured motifs of dragons, phoenixes, and floral patterns that added to the opulence. Elaborately carved wooden screen stood as partitions, showcasing scenes of nature and historical events. Wu Jian was certain one of them depicted the Southern Tang Dynasty’s founding.

The furniture Wu Jian sat on was an antique, as were the rest of this room's furnishings. Chairs with intricately carved backs, low tables adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays, and chests embellished with brass fittings were arrayed around the room. Everything was polished to a high sheen, highlighting the natural beauty of the wood.

He hadn’t been let into this room before. Wu Jian surmised it was because he had been with Zhou Lihua last time. This must have been a waiting or meeting room reserved for guests of relatively high standing.

Wu Jian did not know how long he waited, but it was a long time. It felt like at least half a day had passed before the door opened and Master Yun Chi walked in with his apprentice in tow. Even though he was annoyed, Wu Jian knew better than to let it show on his face, so he stood up and offered a traditional martial bow.

“Master Yun Chi, I am pleased to see you in good health.”

“You can dispense with the pleasantries. My time is precious and I’d rather not waste it,” Master Yun Chi said with a wave of his hand.

“Very well.”

Wu Jian sat back down as Master Yun Chi went over to a chair on the other side of a low table. Lili Ling stood behind the man as he sat.

“My apprentice has already informed me of what you want and what you’re offering,” Master Yun Chi began. He really didn’t beat around the bush. “I can get you the ingredients you requested. In exchange, I’m going to have you accompany me.”

There were very few reasons for an alchemy master to leave their home. Many of them had an alchemy garden with all the ingredients they could ever need, and many people came to them with ingredients to offer in exchange for help refining a pill. Wu Jian could only think of one reason Master Yun Chi would want to leave the Southern Tang Dynasty.

“You are going after an alchemy ingredient, I take it?” asked Wu Jian.

“That is correct, and not just any alchemy ingredient. What I want is called Queen Medusa’s Tear.”

“Oh?” Wu Jian sat up straighter.

Master Yun Chi eyed him. “You know of Queen Medusa?”

Nodding, Wu Jian said, “I read about her a long time ago. She was a queen of the Qing Province who had reached the Perfection Realm. She was also the one who established the Qing Province after the War of Reformation.”

Numerous wars had taken place after the Four Great Guardian Sects had been destroyed. The War of Reformation was the last among them, and it was this war that had established the current nations and Three Celestial Sects.

Master Yun Chi seemed satisfied. “Indeed, you are correct. Shortly after establishing the Qing Province, Queen Medusa vanished. Rumors say she achieved godhood and ascended to a higher plane, but nobody knows if that’s true.”

Queen Medusa had disappeared a long time ago. Many people had searched for remnants of her, artifacts or her remains, but nobody had found anything even after scouring most of the Qing Province’s desert. Wu Jian tapped a finger against his mask as he thought this through. Master Yun Chi would not go after Queen Medusa’s Tear unless he knew it existed and its location, which meant…

“Somebody found a legacy tomb,” he murmured.

“Loathe as I am to admit it, I can see why my apprentice is so taken with you. You’re not only strong but intelligent,” Master Yun Chi said with a sigh. Wu Jian glanced at the gaping face of Lili Ling and determined that this man was not one to pay compliments lightly. “You are correct. A legacy tomb was discovered a little over two weeks ago. The place where it is located is called Sandstorm Abyss, and it is one of the most treacherous places known to man.”

Sandstorm Abyss--a vast expanse of shifting sands dotted with jagged rock formations and deep, hidden crevices. The sky above was perpetually shrouded in a swirling vortex of sand, with howling winds and that whipped up blinding sandstorms. It possessed scorching temperatures by day and bone-chilling cold at night. This area was said to be so dangerous that even Seeker Realm cultivators would not tread there lightly.

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The fact that Master Yun Chi was requesting his company during this excursion suggested he thought highly of Wu Jian, or at least of Zhou Lihua’s opinion of him. He was still only at the Deva Realm. That meant he was weaker than most people who traveled there. No doubt this request was being made because Wu Jian could battle against cultivators an entire realm higher than him.

“I take it we’re not the only ones who’ll be after this?” asked Wu Jian, having already agreed to help.

Master Yun Chi smiled. “Indeed, we are not. I’ve received information that Ruo Chong is also preparing to head there. It’ll be a race to see which of us will acquire Queen Medusa’s Tear first.”

***

Wu Jian soon learned that it would not be just him and Master Yun Chi traveling to Sandstorm Abyss. They were going with a team of cultivators led by Tang Tiantian. She, like him, was only at the Deva Realm, but she was very powerful. She was in a team of three. The other two were Seeker Realm cultivators, though they were only at the first subrealm. Lili Ling was also going with them as Master Yun Chi’s assistant.

He had slept at Master Yun Chi’s residence and left alongside the alchemist master and Lili Ling. They met up with Tang Tiantian, who had been surprised but happy to see him, and then boarded an airship that would take them to the Qing Province.

The Qing Province touched the Southern Tang Dynasty’s northern border. Most of it was blocked off by mountains, but there was a section of the border that had no such encumberment. It was the space between mountain and sea, which they passed through without incident.

Their first destination was Shamo Meigui, the capital of the Qing Province. It had been established long ago by Queen Medusa.

Wu Jian had been standing in the observation deck when they reached their destination, and the first thing he saw was the massive palace, a sprawling fortress of sandstone and black granite, rising majestically from the desert sands like a bastion of power amidst the desolation. Its architecture combined elements of traditional desert fortresses with imposing citadels. It featured towering walls, crenelated battlements, and imposing watchtowers that overlooked the surrounding cityscape. There was also a surprising amount of blue and green surrounding it.

“That’s the Palace of the Mercenary King,” Tang Tiantian said. She had been with him for most of the trip. He guessed she wanted someone to talk to since Lili Ling spent most of her time with Master Yun Chi and she was the only other person close to them in age.

“It’s a lot bigger than I expected,” Wu Jian confessed.

“Right? It’s massive. Anyway, that’s going to be our first destination,” Tang Tiantian said.

“I guess a platinum rank alchemist can’t just pass through without greeting the king,” Wu Jian said.

“We don’t want to cause an international incident, after all,” Tang Tiantian said with a shrug. “We’ll also need a guide.”

“Mmmm.”

It was only a few minutes later when they landed. A group of guards were already waiting for them, making Wu Jian realize that Master Yun Chi had likely sent advanced notification of their arrival. The guards who greeted them wore helmets adorned with menacing visors and sculpted crests, a sturdy leather cuirass and gauntlets that were only slightly hidden by the thick cloak draped over their armor. They did not wear boots but sandals. All of them except one was a Deva Realm cultivator. Their leader was someone whose cultivation Wu Jian could not detect.

“Welcome to Shāmò Méiguī, Master Yun Chi. If you’ll come with me. The Mercenary King informed us to grant you an audience with him right away.”

“Very well. Lead on,” Master Yun Chi said with a wave of his hand.

They left the skyfairing dock and Wu Jian was able to take in the atmosphere of the city.

The grand structures of Shāmò Méiguī were crafted from golden sandstone, blending seamlessly with the desert landscape. Towers and minarets rose majestically against the backdrop of rolling dunes. Wu Jian was glad that the others seemed to know where they were going. The streets of Shāmò Méiguī were winding, filled with twists and turns like ancient serpents, leading travelers through a labyrinth of alleyways and courtyards.

Despite the scorching desert heat, Wu Jian did not feel all that hot. Certainly, his cultivation was a part of that. Strong cultivators were not as bothered by shifts in temperature. However, the architecture itself was another reason he didn’t feel the heat. All the buildings were designed to provide respite from the sun, and courtyards featuring bubbling fountains and shaded alcoves could be found in abundance.

The palace walls soon came within view, as did the massive gate guarded by several cultivators. They were only at the Human Limit Realm. However, the fact that they had Human Limit Realm cultivators guarding their entrance was telling. The Human Limit Realm had been the highest realm attainable in the Shang Kingdom until recently.

Entering through the massive sandstone gates, Wu Jian and the others found themselves in a vast courtyard paved with polished marble and lined with rows of towering date palms and lush desert gardens. A central fountain, carved in the likeness of a beautiful naked woman who Wu Jian suspected to be Queen Medusa, provided a cool oasis amidst the scorching desert heat.

The centerpiece of the palace was the Great Hall. It was a cavernous chamber with soaring ceilings supported by pillars carved of ebony and ivory. Tapestries adorned the walls, depicting epic battles that Queen Medusa had taken part in to found the nation. Massive chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over the opulent furnishings, and at the far end of the hall, sitting on a raised dais of polished onyx was the throne of the Mercenary King.

That must be the current Mercenary King, Wu Jian thought as he observed the man who sat upon the throne. He wore no shirt, exposing much of his muscular chest, though a single plate of armor covered his left breast, held together by leather straps. Likewise, a pauldron sat upon one shoulder. His skin was tan just like everyone else who was born and raised in the desert. He had broad shoulders, a head of thick hair, and eyes like axes as he gazed upon them. His thick beard made him look wild and untameable.

He was the very image of a barbaric mercenary.

The mercenary king bore no name, for the name was discarded upon claiming the throne. Every mercenary who became the ruler simply took up the moniker of Mercenary King or Queen. That was the reason Wu Jian had never heard this man’s name before.

“Welcome, Alchemy Master Yun Chi,” the mercenary king boomed. “We have been expecting you.”