In the desolate northern lands lay a vast, unending desert. None knew where its borders truly lay.

Within this desert resided “demons.” For countless ages, they had plagued the human world.

Legends spoke of a time of ancient antiquity, when a demon tide of such magnitude swept forth that it threatened to engulf all of humanity. It was only through the united efforts of the wise sages of that era that the embers of human civilization were preserved. The vanquishing of that demon tide was widely regarded as the twilight of the ancient era.

In the north, two powerful nations stood: Jing and Mu.

Both Jing and Mu maintained formidable armies stationed at the desert’s edge, a bulwark against the encroaching demon tide.

Thus, this boundless expanse became known as the Edge Desert.

It signified the dividing line of humanity, the stark contrast between prosperity and barrenness.

Though these two great powers of the northern domain were rivals in every other aspect, when faced with the desert, they always stood united. This alone offered a glimpse into the terrifying nature of the “demons.”

Yet, to the vast majority of people in the present age, “demons” were little more than myth. For since the ancient era, none had managed to emerge from the desert’s depths.

Perhaps the only lingering dread felt by humanity regarding “demons” resided in the notorious nine great Human Demons.

The easternmost reaches of the desert were an endless expanse of quicksand. Beyond this treacherous barrier, the desert’s edge could be roughly divided into two halves: the eastern sector guarded by the nation of Mu, and the western sector by the nation of Jing.

As one of the strongest nations in the northern domain, Mu possessed the largest grasslands in the world, and consequently, the most formidable warhorses.

Among the ten publicly acknowledged strongest cavalry forces under heaven, Mu alone claimed two.

Standing at the desert boundary guarded by Mu, one saw to the left an unending vista of verdant grassland, and to the right, a boundless, deathly silent desert. Heaven and earth had drawn a stark division here; life and death so intimately close, their contrast so profound.

The myriad military tents belonging to Mu’s forces were all pitched on the grassland side. Majestic, armored knights patrolled along this boundary. Unless war was upon them, none willingly stepped foot into the desert.

Though this place seemed isolated from the world, standing as a lonely sentinel at humanity’s edge, it was as if so long as one remained outside the desert, one still belonged to the human world.

The desert was utterly silent, devoid of even the slightest breeze; it seemed as though wind itself perished upon reaching this place. Animal life was an impossibility. Save for the occasional wandering Yin Demon, the soldiers stationed here had never witnessed any other living creature.

A patrolling knight reined in his warhorse, halting to gaze upon the desert. In his vision, a figure slowly approached, gradually becoming clear.

His long hair was simply tied back, resting against his nape. He wore a plain sheepskin jacket, the common attire of grassland herdsmen.

His hair was somewhat dry, his lips cracked, like an ordinary person succumbing to the relentless sun – this was not uncommon, for even those at the peak of cultivation who ventured deep into the desert would suffer thus. Only those with a physique of golden body and jade marrow could ensure their physical form remained untouched by the desert’s corrosive influence.

The figure dragged a large leather sack behind him, leaving a long furrow in the desert sand as he walked slowly forward. The dark stains on his clothes also registered in the knight’s eyes; that was demon blood, for the blood of “demons” was black.

But what truly astonished the knights was the figure’s face.

Upon seeing him, one would be struck by wonder: how could someone possess such an appearance? How could “beauty” manifest in this way?

This “beauty” transcended gender, possessing a charm capable of captivating all.

Even with cracked lips and rough skin, the combination of his features radiated an irresistible allure.

Yet, none of the knights dared to linger their gaze. Previously, a tribal leader who had coveted this face had “disappeared” without a trace, and his tribe had long since been parceled out.

“Zhao!” The leading knight laughed heartily, “My Yei Ai! May the great Cang Tu god protect your safe return!”

“Yei” meant to pull, and “Ai” meant to include, to complete.

“Yei Ai” was someone who would always pull you forward, no matter the circumstances. In the nation of Mu, its meaning was akin to “brother.”

And the Cang Tu god was the object of faith for the people of Mu. Legends described a divine being with a wolf’s body, eagle’s wings, and horse’s hooves – a god of wolf, eagle, and horse. However, some priests believed He had no concrete form, unable to be precisely described. He did not possess any appearance imaginable by humans, yet at the same time encompassed all imaginings. He existed nowhere, and simultaneously, everywhere.

“Yu Wen.” The young man who had returned from the desert chuckled, “It was not the Cang Tu god who saw to my safe return, but my blade and my fists.”

Cavalry Commander Yu Wen Duo was a burly man with many braided locks, astride a spirited warhorse. His voice was like a resonant horn. He dismounted swiftly, stepping forward to embrace the young man.

As they embraced, he whispered, “In Mu, you should have faith in the Cang Tu god, even if only with your words. Cooperate with me just once, this will save you much trouble.”

Separating from the embrace, he resumed his forthright demeanor, “My Yei Ai, how many heads did you cleave this time?”

Yu Wen Duo appeared no older than thirty. In Mu, to hold the rank of Ten Thousand Commander at this age was exceedingly rare, especially for a cavalry commander. This indicated not only his formidable strength but also a distinguished family background.

The young man, surnamed Zhao, lifted the large sheepskin sack and placed it at Yu Wen Duo’s feet. “They are all within.”

“This many?”

Although he had anticipated a substantial haul, Yu Wen Duo couldn’t help but reveal his joy.

“Continue the patrol!”

Yu Wen Duo shouted, directing his knights to resume their duties. He then hoisted the large sheepskin sack, leading his warhorse with one hand, and called out, “Let us enter the tent and rest!”

Given Yu Wen Duo’s identity, he possessed his own tent at this grassland boundary. Naturally, it could not be excessively large, its size restricted by his official rank.

But with the harvest of this expedition, perhaps he could enlarge it.

The contents of the sheepskin sack were all the heads of Yin Demons. It was said that there were many kinds of demons, but the warriors of the Edge Desert only ever encountered Yin Demons.

Yin Demons were semi-corporeal; their heads were formed of solidified demon qi, while their bodies were tangible, taking either beast or human forms. However, after death, only the head could be preserved, solidifying from its ethereal state, while the body, once real, would become ethereal and dissipate.

After counting the number of Yin Demon heads, Yu Wen Duo’s expression grew even more excited.

He had restrained his emotions in front of his subordinates, but now he no longer concealed his delight. “Each harvest is greater than the last, Yei Ai, you are truly the most formidable genius I have ever witnessed! You might not even be inferior to those prodigies within the royal court!”

“Perhaps you have simply seen too few,” the young man surnamed Zhao replied with a flat expression. “There are more geniuses in this world than you can imagine, but many of them… may never have the opportunity to flourish. The world is a cruel place.”

Yu Wen Duo didn’t know how to respond to this, so he simply skipped the topic, turning to face him with sincerity. “Zhao Thou Cheng Yei Ai, I will help you request merits. His Majesty possesses heroic spirit and grand strategy; as long as one has talent, your origin is fundamentally unimportant. With your strength and talent, you can ascend directly to the highest ranks in our great Mu.”

Zhao Thou Cheng shook his head.

The him of the past, who had been accustomed to fine clothes and exquisite food, now sprawled contentedly on a thick wool blanket, gnawing on a large, greasy sheep leg.

“The old arrangement stands. All merits are yours. I only require supplies.”

The so-called supplies were nothing more than wound medicine, Dao Source Stones, some emergency array disks, and the life soul stones essential for venturing into the Edge Desert. Human cultivators relied on life soul stones to resist the ubiquitous corrosion and resistance within the desert.

“You’ve just returned, and you already want to go again?” Yu Wen Duo was greatly surprised.

Zhao Thou Cheng casually discarded the stripped sheep leg bone, tearing off another piece, and spoke casually. “I feel the opportunity for a breakthrough is approaching.”

“Then you should rest well. Breaking through in a safe place is…”

“It’s faster in the Edge Desert.”

“Though that may be true…” Yu Wen Duo hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “All this time, I’ve actually had a question I wanted to ask you. I truly want to know, what drives you to be so desperate?”

Zhao Thou Cheng paused his action of gnawing on the sheep leg, fell silent for a moment, then lowered his head to look at the area over his heart.

“It is this heart of regret.”