This was a world of yellow sand. Endless dunes stretched to meet the horizon, making it impossible to imagine where the sea of sand ended.
As day gave way to night, I flew into the Tagor Desert on the last ray of sunlight. What I saw before me gave me my first impression of the place.
"Tagor Desert... I'm back."
I had traveled north from the Nalan Empire. What should have taken several days now took only an hour or two.
As I continued flying deeper into the Tagor Desert, the dense night closed in from all directions. The temperature over the desert rapidly fell, and the scorching heat of day was replaced by the frigid chill of night.
Ahead, the wind swept past. A figure shot toward me from the depths of the desert, trailing a long purple tail of light behind her as she blocked my path.
"Nalan Ye, what are you doing here?!"
A cold, crisp voice rang out. Cai Lin was still the same as before. Medusa Queen's attire seemed never to change: a purplish-red gown, a golden phoenix crown atop her head, bare feet strolling through the sky.
A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes before they quickly turned cold. "This is not a place you should be. Get lost."
The desert night was cold. I had long since become immune to heat and cold, but I still could not help breathing into my hands and rubbing them together as I used to. Smiling at Cai Lin, I said:
"It's really cold here. I remember that after we conquered the Chuyun Empire, half its territory was given to your Snake-People Tribe. Why didn't you move the King's Hall there? Why are you still living in the Tagor Desert?"
Cai Lin snorted coldly. "Where I