Chapter 354: The Desert (2/2)

Although Xue Wei wanted to use the geniuses of the Demon Phoenix Continent, he did not want to abuse them.

He was calm as he considered what to do. Entering the desert in front of them was dangerous, but he could see that these people were also eager to test their strength, anxious to get their hands on rarer items.

”Are we going to follow this border between the forest and the desert?” one of the geniuses could not help but ask as he looked at Xue Wei waiting for an answer.

”We are going to enter the desert,” Xue Wei answered with a grin on his face as he turned around and looked at the others.

”Entering... Entering the desert?” The others were puzzled. Even Xue Wei's friends were wondering why he would intentionally pick such a dangerous and highly unsuitable route.

Even so, they did not doubt him. As such, they just shrugged their shoulders and began preparing to enter the desert.

”Right,” Xue Wei nodded his head decisively.

”But, why?” someone could not help but ask, and Xue Wei glanced at him.

”You think everyone would intentionally avoid this desert?” he asked, and everyone nodded their heads. ”Entering this desert is something you only do if you have no other option,” The First Prince was the one who answered.

Although he was cheering inside because Xue Wei had made such a stupid decision, he was not showing anything outside. He had learned that Xue Wei should not be underestimated.

”Correct,” Xue Wei nodded his head. ”Everyone avoids it, does this not mean that any treasure within can become ours?” he asked, and all of them were suddenly stunned.

If no one had ever entered the desert, it would have a few immensely rare treasures.

”Not only this, it is a scorching environment,” Xue Wei continued, ”So every treasure within will be of Yang nature, something that is very useful to your flaming bodies, your flames will be refined further.”

Every single word that Xue Wei said tempted them further. They suddenly understood why he was interested in this desert.

Knowing that they could maybe enhance their flames and that there was a chance for even more outstanding treasures, all apprehension that these people had before vanished like fog in the sunshine.

Xue Wei snickered when he saw their eager expressions and felt relieved. The many people who were initially against it could suddenly no longer wait to enter and explore the desert.

After resting for half a day, and preparing themselves, they sat off into the desert. The First Prince had naturally not said anything after realizing that the people were no longer on his side, and he too felt a need to get his hands on some items that could enhance his flames.

The desert was challenging to traverse. Although they were no longer in need of water to clench their thirst, their throats were still feeling rough from the sand that was everywhere when they breathed.

The sand was also very soft, so whenever they took a step, they would sink slightly into it, requiring some force to continue forward.

They encountered a few creatures on the way, most of which were scorpions and snakes.

None of them were very strong, but their bodies were filled with poison, so instead of wasting them, they were saved for the sake of giving them to alchemists when they returned.

They also encountered a few herbs. These herbs were very different from the ones they had seen in the jungle.

While the jungle's herbs were green and filled with vitality, these were all brown, and if one did not look closely, they would have thought them withered.

But within these herbs was a tenacious lifeforce alongside overwhelming medicinal properties. Although there were none so far, which improved the quality of their flames, these were not bad for increasing one's cultivation base.

Although they were very beneficial to one's cultivation base, they had to be refined by an alchemist first. The medicinal properties within were simply too overbearing, and if one were to consume it directly, they would explode.

They had walked for two days before Xue Wei stopped in his tracks and a smile flitted across his lips.

”We are almost there,” he said smilingly as he looked at the sand in front of him.

Looking in the direction of his gaze, the others stilled. There were traces of others moving this way.

Although the traces seemed human, there was something about them that seemed out of place.

”Did you not say that no human would enter this desert? Now they are here, haven't they taken all the good stuff?” the First Prince was not happy, and he directly attacked Xue Wei who just glanced at him. It seemed that the First Prince was about to lose his cool and could no longer act righteous, calm, and gentle.

”They are not human,” Xue Wei smiled as he looked closer at the traces he had found. ”At least not the kind of humans we are used to.”

His words puzzled the others, but by now they all trusted him an thus they asked no more, they just waited for him to continue.