Oasis Turmoil, Dawn Breaks

Smoke curled upwards, and the morning sun painted the sky.

In an oasis under the jurisdiction of five sects, including the Leaving Fire Sect, Green Mist Sect, and Mystic Moon Cave.

The morning here began with the crisp chirping of birds. Women went to the stream for water, men checked the irrigation channels, and children laughed and chased butterflies. The oasis held their lives and their hopes.

"Dong!" "Dong!" "Dong!" "Dong!"

Warning bells rang out, shattering the peace of the oasis.

A sound like thunder came from hooves. Seven or eight riders appeared on the horizon, moving incredibly fast, like a whirlwind, kicking up dust into the sky. In the blink of an eye, they were upon them.

A group of bandits galloped towards the oasis, their presence menacing. The scar-faced bandit leading them brandished a long saber, which glinted with a cold light under the sun.

Their mounts were no ordinary horses; they were all covered in shimmering scales, tall and strong. These were Dragon Scale Horses, shaped like horses but covered in green scales, capable of traveling four to five thousand li a day without tiring.

"The bandits are here! Everyone be careful!"

A cry of alarm instantly broke the tranquility of the oasis, and a cloud of fear quickly enveloped everyone. Outside the stone stockade, people shouted and horses neighed, causing a panic inside the village.

"Quick, hide! The bandits are attacking! Everyone grab your weapons!"

Many young adults organized the elderly and children to hide, then grabbed sharp knives and rushed to the stockade gate.

The people of the Northern Region were known for their toughness. Although terrified, they resolutely picked up their weapons and prepared to resist to protect their homes and loved ones.

"Hand over all the Source in your village!" a bandit shouted as he reached the front of the stockade.

"Esteemed sirs, our village's Source was already handed over to the Green Mist Sect a few days ago," an old man came out and said with a fawning smile.

"Don't try to scare me with the Green Mist Sect! Don't think I don't know you're holding back! Hand over three jin of Source immediately! If it's short by an ounce, we'll flatten your village!" The bandit was completely unmoved, becoming even more arrogant.

Helplessly, fighting eventually broke out. The residents resisted with all their might, struggling to hold on, but they gradually began to falter.

The bandits, like hungry wolves, slaughtered indiscriminately. Blood quickly stained the land that had once been full of life.

The scar-faced bandit kicked away the old man who was blocking him and laughed wildly, saying, "You bunch of useless wretches, you dare to resist me?"

Another bandit grabbed a woman by the hair and cursed, "You poor devils, you hid so little, and you still dare to oppose us! Today, you'll all be sold to the Source Mine! You'll wish you were dead!"

The residents were in despair, the end seemed near, when suddenly, a sound of rushing wind came from the sky.

A group of cultivators arrived, dressed in the attire of the Holy King Sect. Seeing the tragic state of the oasis, their hearts were instantly filled with rage.

The scorching sun hung high, the desert was hot, and as sand and dust swirled, the disciples of the Holy King Sect met the bandits head-on.

"You've committed countless evils! Today is your doomsday!"

A Holy King Sect disciple roared. Divine Patterns instantly lit up around his body. Crimson-gold chains danced like spiritual snakes, carrying immense Spiritual Energy, and rapidly wrapped around the bandit leader.

The bandit leader's face changed drastically. He quickly swung his great saber to block. "Clang!" With a loud crash, sparks flew. The great saber was no match, and fine cracks appeared on it.

At the same time, a female disciple formed a hand seal with her delicate hands. A short sword appeared, wreathed in flames, and shot out like a meteor towards a bandit who was about to kill a child.

The bandit quickly swung a wolf-tooth club covered in strange runes to block. The scorching firelight and the eerie dark power collided with a bang, erupting in a blinding flash.

Another disciple possessed astonishing Divine Power, and his fighting spirit was soaring. He was like a black lightning bolt, instantly charging into the bandit group. With every punch, he brought a rolling sonic boom. Where his fist wind reached, bandits were sent flying.

In an instant, Divine Patterns shone, and precious light soared into the sky. Various Divine Weapons and Sharp Tools crisscrossed. The bandits were immediately thrown into disarray, becoming a chaotic mess. They wanted to flee but were terrified to find their retreat had already been cut off.

Though the bandits were fierce, under the tacit cooperation and powerful offensive of the Holy King Sect disciples, they quickly collapsed, falling to the ground and begging for mercy. Peace finally returned to this great desert.

At this moment, an elder holding a whisk gently waved it. A surge of immense power poured out, like invisible shackles, firmly binding the many bandits. What awaited them was their deserved judgment.

After the battle, the residents who had survived the ordeal gathered around, their eyes filled with gratitude and reverence. The elder took out a Merit Book and carefully recorded the merits of the disciples in this battle.

Then, the village elder, with doubt and worry, slowly walked up to the elder and said, "Thank you, immortal sirs, for saving us. We are truly grateful!"

Afterward, his eyes widened in surprise, clearly having recognized the other's identity. "Elder Chen, is that really you? Haven't you been missing for several years? I even heard you were imprisoned by the Green Mist Sect..."

"That's right. Because I refused to associate with those people from the Green Mist Sect, I was indeed imprisoned by them," Elder Chen nodded slightly, his expression calm.

"A few days ago, our Sect Master came here for training and discovered that the people from the five major sects had done too many heinous things, so he dealt with all of them.

Afterward, to maintain order in this area, the Sect Master gathered the remaining upright individuals and established the Holy King Sect. After being rescued by the Sect Master, I naturally joined them.

Now, the territories of the previous five major sects are all under the control of the Holy King Sect," the Green Mist Sect elder said gently, looking at the village elder.

"The Sect Master is compassionate. These past few days, we have been following the Sect Master's orders, going out everywhere to suppress the roaming bandits. Most of them are remnants of the five sects.

Once these wicked bandits are all eliminated, we will also send disciples to patrol the borders day and night. From now on, you can live in peace, free from the worry of banditry."

The village elder was instantly overjoyed, filled with endless gratitude.

Then, full of curiosity, he couldn't help but step forward and ask, "After you eliminated the bandits, I saw you recording something in a book. What is that?"

Elder Chen patiently explained, "This is the Merit Book. Each disciple has one, specifically for recording the good deeds of the Holy King Sect disciples. They solve problems for the common people, and every merit is recorded in the book.

Whether it's diverting river water to nourish the land, dispelling sandstorms that cover the sky, or using Divine Abilities to promote the growth of vegetation in the oasis, these might be trivial matters for cultivators, but they can truly improve your lives.

Furthermore, the Holy King Sect will select cultivation prospects from among the residents. If there are children with excellent aptitude, they can embark on the path of cultivation and change their own destiny and that of their families."

Upon hearing this, the village elder's eyes lit up with hope. He sighed, "That is wonderful. I only hope that life will be more stable in the future. These past years, we have already had a difficult time in this great desert, and we were often harassed by bandits. It was truly unbearable."

Elder Chen gently patted the village elder's shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry. With the Holy King Sect here, such disasters will never happen again!"