Twin peaks faced each other, while a river wound between them like a ribbon, flowing through a world of black-brown and ashen yellow.
From high above, this was a vast, desolate stretch of Gobi.
As far as the eye could see, there was not a hint of fresh green. Only scattered tufts of needlegrass stubbornly clung to the endless gravel. Now and then, the silhouettes of sand scorpions and venomous snakes flashed past, furtive and elusive.
The mighty river flowed freely, yet gave rise to no oasis. Instead, its banks were overgrown with a kind of dusky vegetation that glimmered faintly beneath the daylight, attracting the attention of the only creatures left here: snakes and insects.
Snake and insect carcasses littered the vegetation, a grim and lifeless sight.
The mighty river reflected the empty vault of the heavens, where a colossal, faintly visible flying vessel hung.
Demonic beings flitted around the vessel, eerie and terrifying.
It sped in from the distance, then abruptly stopped before the river.
Soon after, an exquisite Embroidered Pavilion followed close behind and came to a halt in midair, like a mirage.
Inside the flying vessel, in the top-floor cabin.
Pei Ling's eyes were tightly shut. His dark hair and sleeves whipped wildly despite the lack of wind.
Vast, boundless power of heaven and earth poured into him like the Milky Way cascading backward. His powerful aura swept through the entire cabin, making all the furnishings tremble. Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink... With every breath Pei Ling took, a steady stream of clattering sounds rang out.
Noticing that the flying vessel had reached the border between Suzhen Heaven and the Cold Abyss Sword Sect, and that no one was nearby, Pei Ling finally relaxed. This place was a great distance from Suzhen Heaven, so he