Legend had it that the Dragon Gate Desert had once been an ocean long ago.
Though the fiercest sandstorm had already passed, dust still filled the sky, obscuring the sun. The world of swirling yellow grit was terrifyingly silent, while little creatures like lizards, scorpions, and sand rats were long accustomed to it.
Atop a sand dune stood a dull-colored, dust-covered horse, its nostrils wrapped in gauze as it remained motionless.
After a long while, its large eyes opened and surveyed the surroundings. It swished its tail, shaking off the dust, then vigorously tossed its head. It did not like the desert at all—not even a patch of mud to roll in.
"Neigh?"
It gave a greeting.
Nearby, the tip of a soft, spiny tail slowly rose from the sand, followed by the entire tail lifting free.
Bai Yujun pushed aside the Yellow Sand and raised her head, gazing blankly at the sky. The scales on her face were especially clean and bright because sand did not cling to them. Her brown vertical pupils blinked as she remembered that she had slept for two days.
She stood up and, like some beast, shook the moisture from herself, violently whipping her head back and forth and scattering a heap of Yellow Sand.
Forget washing her face and hair; she would wait until the dusty winds passed. Besides... after staying in such a dry, sand-filled environment for so long, even the skin on her face seemed to be getting a little parched.
She pulled a waterskin from the saddlebag, removed the stopper, then took out a bronze basin and poured water into it for the horse.
"So we have to travel in this dusty weather?"
The Black Horse snorted as it drank. It quickly emptied one basin, and it took three more