"Flame Mountain?"
Qiu Yan's heart stirred slightly as he recalled a previous encounter. While he was pondering it, the Winged King continued, "...There is also an Ice Plains, bitterly cold and sinister. In its coldest reaches, even thoughts can be frozen solid; it is called the Extreme Ice Plains. There is also a gorge, deep and bottomless, filled with poisonous insects and savage beasts, all ancient species, called Thread of Heaven. The last is a vast ocean, deep and unfathomable, concealing endless mysteries and teeming with ghosts, called the Netherworld Sea."
As they walked and spoke, with each place the Winged King introduced, the desert's Killing Intent around them faintly responded, shifting into all manner of images. It was clearly propelled by Karma and Fortune, and even these several hidden lands were connected to it.
With every name they heard, Elder Silver Wolf and the others changed expression by another degree. Naturally, they knew that these were all famous secret realms and perilous lands.
"These four places are synonymous with danger throughout the Northern Continent. They can be reached not only through this desert; they can also be reached from beyond the desert," the Winged King said. He paused before continuing, "However, few outsiders know that these four secret realms are in truth the four corners of this Vast Sea desert. Reaching them from outside and reaching them through the desert are two utterly different matters. There is no gate from the outside, and entering means almost certain death. Yet if one goes through the desert, the path is somewhat smoother, and only then can one speak of a chance at opportunity."
Qiu Yan nodded, then asked, "So we must choose one of these four places to visit. I wonder what Your Majesty intends. Which place are we going to?"