The Northern Region was rich in Source Ore, but most of it was desolate, like a vast Gobi Desert.
Because Yaochi rarely involved itself in local affairs, and with the Great Bandits running rampant, the people had become fierce and unruly due to the region's Source production.
Thus, apart from the many large sects, the Northern Region was also filled with countless small sects, as dense as locusts.
Usually, all one needed was to occupy a suitable oasis to establish a sect.
However, the quality of these sects left much to be desired.
Not only did they enslave ordinary people as mining slaves, they often acted as bandits as well. The Thirteen Great Bandits had such a foul reputation today largely thanks to these small sects.
There were simply too many people doing such things, making it impossible to keep them all in check.
Azure Mist Sect was one such small sect.
It was even smaller than the Blessed Lands of Yan Country back then. The strongest person in the sect had only been at the Dao Palace Third Realm, and he had died from a cultivation backlash several months ago.
However, fearing that neighboring sects of similar size would come knocking, they had carefully concealed this bad news.
Other than the sect's Dao Palace Realm higher-ups, ordinary disciples knew nothing about it.
They still strutted about outside, exploiting the people mining Source.
Yet today, a figure clad in a sandproof straw cloak and wearing a conical hat arrived at this oasis through the raging yellow sands, entering the territory controlled by Azure Mist Sect.
Since the entire oasis belonged to Azure Mist Sect, this stranger's sudden arrival immediately drew the attention of the sect's patrolling disciples.
**"Who goes there? This is Azure Mist Sect territory! Leave your valuables behind