Departing from the shores of the East Sea, Tang Xiaoqi turned westward, his figure appearing at the edge of the vast and boundless Western Desert. Yellow sand replaced the azure waves, the scorching and dry wind replaced the moist sea breeze, and all that met the eye was a staggering expanse of gold and desolation. He still sealed his cultivation, travel-worn and dust-covered, like a grain of sand blown to this place by the winds of fate.
In "Golden Sand Market," the largest oasis town on the edge of the Western Desert, he joined a medium-sized caravan preparing to cross the "Sea of Death" toward the heart of the Western Regions. The caravan was led by an experienced Western merchant named Hassan, primarily transporting Central Plains silk, porcelain, and tea in exchange for Western specialty jade, spices, and furs. This caravan was not small, possessing dozens of camels, over twenty guards, and scattered travelers like Xiao Qi who had paid a fee for protection.
Hassan was a shrewd merchant with sharp eyes and deep wrinkles carved by years of wind and sun on his weathered face, yet he was extremely strict about the caravan's rules, placing particular emphasis on "faith and righteousness." Before departure, he gathered all caravan members and travelers together, speaking in a grave voice: "The desert is merciless, but the human heart is a scale. On this road, water is more precious than gold, and a promise weighs heavier than life! Since we share the same path, we are bound together like grasshoppers on the same rope. I, Hassan, swear here that I will do my utmost to lead everyone safely across the Sea of Death! I also hope everyone will obey the rules, help each other, and harbor no evil intentions! If anyone violates this, do not blame the merciless desert, nor spare me!"
Xiao Qi listened silently, able to feel the weight behind Hassan's words. In this land that had swallowed countless lives and fortunes, what bound the group together was not merely force, but a spirit of contract that transcended interests.
The caravan set out. Camel bells echoed across the empty Gobi, soon entering the true Sea of Sand. The scorching sun baked the dunes, heat waves distorted the air, every step feeling like treading on red-hot iron plates. Water distribution was strictly controlled, everyone's lips cracked from dryness, silently enduring thirst and exhaustion.
Xiao Qi acted like an ordinary traveler, sharing some work within his ability, such as helping feed the camels and keeping watch at night. He was taciturn but observant. He saw the guard captain Zayir's hawk-like vigilant eyes constantly scanning the dunes where danger might lurk; he saw the camel drivers treating the camels like partners with care; he also saw the fear in the scattered travelers' eyes for the unknown road ahead and their dependence on Hassan.
On the seventh day of the journey, the anticipated danger finally arrived.
A gang of ferocious sand robbers appeared, familiar with the terrain, rushing out from behind a massive dune like ghosts. Their numbers were more than double the caravan's guards, each riding sturdy sand camels, waving scimitars, letting out bloodthirsty howls.
"Form ranks! Protect the goods and the women and children!" Guard captain Zayir shouted himself hoarse, and the caravan instantly fell into chaos and panic.
The battle erupted extremely suddenly and fiercely. Sword glints and sword shadows, blood staining the yellow sand. Though the caravan guards were well-trained, their numerical disadvantage was obvious, and they quickly fell into a losing position, people falling one after another.
At this critical moment, a change also occurred within the caravan! A manager responsible for some important supplies and water bladders, taking advantage of the chaos, secretly untied several camels carrying precious silk and fresh water, attempting to escape with these valuables!
"Abdullah! What are you doing!" Old merchant Hassan's eyes bulged with fury, roaring. He never expected betrayal would come from within.
The manager named Abdullah had a ferocious expression: "Old man Hassan! Don't blame me! Following you all is a dead end! These goods are enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life!"
His actions were like the last straw breaking the camel's back, causing the caravan's morale, already teetering under the sand robbers' attack, to collapse instantly.
However, just as Abdullah was about to spur his camel and flee, a figure appeared beside him like a ghost. It was Tang Xiao Qi! Without using any spiritual power, relying only on his superhuman agility and precise timing, he delivered a clean, decisive chop to the back of Abdullah's neck. Abdullah didn't even groan before tumbling off his camel.
Xiao Qi quickly controlled the startled camels, tying their reins firmly together. His movements were lightning-fast, drawing little attention in the chaos, but they were witnessed by Hassan and guard captain Zayir who had been observing the overall situation.
Just then, Zayir seized the moment when the sand robber leader was slightly distracted by the internal commotion, charged forward fearless of death, and at the cost of one arm being slashed, cleaved the sand robber leader off his camel with one strike! With the leader down, the sand robbers' formation fell into chaos, their assault faltering.
"Kill! For the caravan! For righteousness!" Zayir, ignoring his injury, roared bloodily. The remaining guards and some scattered travelers whose fighting spirit had been roused saw this and their morale surged, launching a counterattack.
Seeing the tide had turned, and the caravan interior seemed stabilized, the sand robbers dared not continue fighting, whistling as they fled with some of the less valuable goods and a few camels, disappearing behind the dunes as quickly as they had come.
The surviving caravan was a mess. After taking stock, five guards were dead, three seriously wounded, two scattered travelers dead, goods lost about half, and much fresh water was plundered and wasted by the sand robbers.
Old merchant Hassan, without time to bandage the scratch on his arm from a stray arrow, first respectfully bowed to Xiao Qi: "Friend, thank you! I, Hassan, owe you a life, and owe the caravan an explanation!" Then his cold gaze fell on the bound Abdullah, whose face was ashen.
According to caravan rules, traitors, especially those who betrayed and attempted to flee with everyone's life-saving supplies during danger, only had one fate—death.
On the scorching sand, Hassan personally carried out justice. He had no many words, only saying gravely before all survivors: "The desert may devour our flesh, but greed and betrayal will devour our souls! Today I kill Abdullah, not for personal grudge, but for the sake of 'faith and righteousness'! Only thus can this road continue long, only thus can our hearts be without regret!"
The blade rose and fell, blood dyed the yellow sand. All who witnessed this felt that heavy weight.
After dealing with the traitor, Hassan did not pause for even a moment, immediately organizing people to treat the wounded, redistributing the scarce remaining water and food, encouraging everyone to regroup. He was not discouraged by the losses, but became even more determined to lead the caravan toward the set direction, continuing forward.
The remaining journey was even more difficult, short of water and food, wounded people groaning, but after the baptism of betrayal and blood, an even stronger bond sprouted among the remaining caravan members. Everyone cherished every drop of water more, trusted companions beside them more, because everyone understood that in this desperate situation, they could only rely on each other's faith and perseverance.
Xiao Qi still silently followed, helping care for the wounded, sharing his already small portion of fresh water. He watched Hassan, despite extreme scarcity of resources, still insist on giving priority to the wounded and the weak; watched Zayir, dragging his injured arm, still walking at the very front of the group scouting the path; watched strangers become like brothers and sisters through shared life and death.
Ten days later, when the caravan finally dragged their battered bodies and saw that stretch of green representing life ahead, everyone let out triumphant cheers of survival, many embracing and weeping.
Standing at the edge of the oasis, looking back at the Sea of Death that had swallowed companions' lives, Xiao Qi's heart was clear.
He witnessed betrayal, but more so witnessed that in desperation, there were still those who, for the sake of "faith and righteousness," could swing the blade at former companions, could deprive themselves for the sake of others. This steadfastness had nothing to do with strength or weakness, concerned the baseline and integrity of the human heart, the cornerstone that maintained a group from completely collapsing in adversity.
The weight of integrity can be entrusted with life and death, can stabilize hearts.
His path to Spirit Transformation seemed to have, once again in this land of yellow sand and blood, branded a profound mark about order, rules, and the radiance of human nature. Tempering the heart in the mortal world, with its myriad conditions, every experience accumulated indispensable foundation for his eventual transcendence.