Chapter 24: The Future of the Yellow Sand Sect and the Origins of the Chief

"It's all sand. Boss, are you sure you aren't lost?"
"Don't be a fool, I have a map."
"I'm the god of food delivery in the mountain city, after all."
"The boss is invincible!"
"I wonder if this map is even real."
"What if that old man tricked us?"

The player at the back of the party was filled with doubt. From the very beginning, he had been skeptical of the old man who gave them the map. The old man was just too suspicious. He had approached them out of nowhere, lured them in with the promise of the Yellow Sand Sect, and then handed over a map for free. If the map had cost money, he might have understood, but a free map made no sense. Could an NPC really be this kind? If he hadn't once been tricked by an NPC into using hemp to wipe his rear, he might have actually believed in benevolent NPCs.

"The map didn't cost us anything, so if it's a scam, it's a scam. We're here to take a gamble anyway. If we win, we live like kings; if we lose, we only waste ten days or so. Stop asking so many questions and save your breath."

The group pressed on, treading through the yellow sand and venturing deeper. Shortly after they left, the sand beneath their feet stirred.

"Outlanders?"
"Who exposed the location of the sect?"

A head emerged from beneath the sand, eyes fixed on the players with a mix of venom and murderous intent. The Yellow Sand Sect was indeed the strongest sect in the Great Desert, but that didn't mean they were without enemies. To be precise, they and all other demonic factions shared two common foes: the righteous sects and the Imperial Court. The Court was manageable; as long as they didn't overstep, the officials generally turned a blind eye. The righteous sects, however, were mortal enemies. Those hypocrites would constantly rally their peers, form so-called "Righteous Alliances," and scream about "eliminating demons and upholding justice" while attacking them.

As the preeminent sect of the Great Desert, the Yellow Sand Sect was a primary target. Whenever the sect flourished and seemed poised to expand beyond the desert, these righteous forces would inevitably appear to lay siege. Thirty years ago, when the sect was at its peak with countless experts and a Sect Master who had broken through the First Rank threshold, they were ready to march south and dominate the martial world. But for reasons unknown, those hypocrites united and attacked under the pretext of purging evil remnants. In the ensuing war, their Sect Master and many elders were killed or forced to flee, leaving the survivors to retreat into the deep desert to recuperate.

For the past thirty years, while the Yellow Sand Sect remained the strongest on paper, news of them was scarce. The desert's greatest power was like the shifting sands—once you sought them, they were nowhere to be found. Their location remained a mystery. Despite countless sieges, the righteous factions could never pinpoint their headquarters. Yet now, a few outlanders had actually tracked them down.

If the route had been wrong, he wouldn't have cared; he would have let them wander. But the problem was that their path was accurate. Every change in direction was spot on. Once or twice could be a coincidence, but every single time? The disciple began to suspect that the sect's location had been compromised and that there was a traitor within. He thought rapidly and soon made a decision.

The sand shifted. A moment later, screams rang out, and the players dissolved into particles of light. After killing them, the disciple picked up the dropped map. The handwriting looked familiar, but he couldn't place it, so he returned to the sect to report it.

However, his fate was not a kind one. Shortly after informing the sect of what he had seen, an elder sought him out and gave him a brutal thrashing. The map had been leaked by that very elder, who intended to recruit fresh blood for the sect—and the immortal outlanders were the perfect candidates. The disciple’s interference had ruined his plan, leaving the elder so furious he could have torn the fool apart.

***

"Die, die, die! You're all going to die!"

The bandits of Black Mountain Stronghold were in a killing frenzy. Charging on horseback, they plowed into the players' ranks, slaughtering anyone within reach. Having lost the advantage of an ambush, the players struggled to deal significant damage in a head-on collision. Those with bows and crossbows fared better, but the ordinary players without money for equipment were essentially walking to their deaths. With no weapons, armor, or mounts, several players turned into light particles after a single exchange.

The chieftain of Black Mountain Stronghold moved like a god of war, unstoppable. Yet, the players kept surging forward like a tide. They were so numerous that even if they couldn't win, they could use human-wave tactics to exhaust the boss's stamina and create an opening for the NPCs of Woyou County.

"Black Wind Blade Technique: Peerless Storm!"
"Ultimate move: Five-Gate Jumping Slash!"
"Charge!"
"Kill these outlanders, break through, and take the town! The gold and the women are all yours!"

The chieftain led the charge, cutting through the sea of players and heading straight for Woyou County.

"Wow, Chief Constable, that bandit leader is incredibly arrogant," the constables gathered on the city wall remarked, looking down with displeasure.

"Hmph," the Chief Constable chuckled. "Their arrogance won't last long."

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Lu Yuan was already removing his outer robe.

"Chief Constable, are you going down there?"
"Do you need us?"
"My blade has been thirsty for too long!"
"Get lost," the other constables snapped at their subordinates. "What would you do other than get in the way? Leave the bandit leader to our Chief Constable."

***

NPC: Han Shan [Black Mountain Stronghold Chieftain] [Disciple of the Demonic Yin Sect]
Level: 59 [Fifth Rank]
Race: Human
Strength: 900
Defense: 600
HP: 3000
Stamina: 2000
Mana: 300
Skills: Demonic Yin Body, Summoning the Demon, Iron Sand Palm, Demonic Shadow Steps, Black Wind Blade Technique...

***

"Demonic Yin Sect?" Lu Yuan muttered, looking at the chieftain's stat panel with confusion. What exactly was the Demonic Yin Sect? The other bandit leaders of Black Mountain had stats and backgrounds similar to the Ninth Chieftain, but this one had far more skills and the unique title of a Demonic Yin Sect disciple. He had never heard of such a sect.

"Old Sun."
"Yes, Chief Constable?"
"Have you ever heard of the Demonic Yin Sect?"
"Eh? The Demonic Yin Sect? Chief Constable, why are you asking about that out of the blue?"

Sun the constable's expression shifted; it was clear he knew something about them. "He... he is a disciple of the Demonic Yin Sect."