Logically speaking, powerhouses of such caliber usually make waves just by existing—there's no way they'd go unnoticed.
Wushuang Ghost, she had heard of. But Yi Tianxing? She had never heard his name before. It was as if he had just burst out from beneath the earth overnight—yet he was accompanied by a powerhouse like Wushuang Ghost. What's more, his strength was enough to kill Ghost Eye Spirit. Among those in the Life Aperture Realm, few could rival him.
This was the level of a prodigy-tier cultivator.
Only genius-level talents could stand against such strength.
"Hmph. I don't care who you are or where you came from. Since you dared to steal my Kunlun Divine Wood, don't even think about walking away unscathed. I, the Queen of Jingjue, will not rest until this is settled."
The Queen of Jingjue's eyes turned icy cold.
The Kunlun Divine Wood was something she would never willingly give up. This treasure was incredibly rare, and obtaining it a second time would be nearly impossible. It was also immensely beneficial to her cultivation technique. She had been saving it for a key breakthrough in the future. Now that it had been stolen, there was no way she could just let it go.
"Your Majesty!!"
A number of Snake Demon Guards rushed over, followed by a larger army that arrived soon after. Upon seeing the Queen of Jingjue, they all lowered their heads respectfully.
"Useless trash—all of you! You allowed outsiders to break into the forbidden zone. You all deserve to die!"
Her cold gaze swept across the soldiers.
"We acknowledge our sins!!"
The soldiers immediately dropped to their knees, visibly trembling with fear.
"Find them. Find those thieves for me! If you don't, then you have no reason to live either."
With a wave of her hand, she gave her command sharply.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing our lives. We shall find the thieves as swiftly as possible!"
Relief flashed across the faces of the soldiers.
Given how unpredictable and cruel the Queen of Jingjue could be, surviving her wrath—especially after such a critical failure—was luck beyond compare. However, this mercy came with a cost. If they failed to locate Yi Tianxing and the others, they wouldn't just face death—they would suffer.
In the Golden Sand Desert, one of the most renowned places was undoubtedly General's Valley.
General's Valley was built upon an oasis called Thousand-Army Oasis.
Though this oasis spanned merely a thousand kilometers—small compared to the vast desert—it was still large enough to sustain millions of lives.
Within this oasis lived not only humans, but ferocious beasts, monsters, and even alien races. Countless battles had been fought here, with the oasis as the center.
But what made it truly famous was—General's Valley.
General's Valley—where a thousand armies gather.
This place was home to countless soldiers from various dynasties and worlds. Their sheer number was enough to terrify even the mightiest factions. These were career soldiers, and with little effort, they could form elite legions of hundreds of thousands, ready to go to war. They were not rabble. Every one of them was battle-hardened and experienced in bloodshed.
No power dared to challenge them.
Thus, many nearby villages and towns regarded General's Valley with both respect and wariness. This was a rogue military force, unbound by any authority.
"How can one sleep peacefully with a sword hanging over their bed?"
This timeless truth was something every ruler understood—and General's Valley was such a sword.
Though the valley housed four Great General Mansions, each general was deeply respected by the troops, capable of commanding legions with unquestioned authority.
Thanks to their strength, the area around General's Valley was relatively peaceful. Their ability to hunt ferocious beasts brought safety to the region, which gradually attracted common people. In time, settlements began to form nearby.
These civilians were not driven off by the soldiers.
After all, a soldier's duty is to protect the people. Now that nations had fallen and no lords remained, how could they drive away those they once vowed to protect?
As time passed, more and more people came to rely on General's Valley for survival.
Life was hard, but not unbearable. People could survive here. With effort, those who obtained cultivation opportunities could become cultivators and change their fate.
These settlers—living under no banner, no allegiance—were known as free people. Though many factions saw them as prime targets due to their sheer numbers, no one dared to act rashly because of General's Valley's presence.
These free civilians and the generals of the valley became two defining features of Thousand-Army Oasis.
Over time, the scattered dwellings—rudimentary wooden huts, basic roads—gradually formed a town-like structure.
They named it General's City.
It had no lord, no military of its own, and total freedom of residence. Out of gratitude to the protection offered by General's Valley, the people chose this name.
Despite its lack of governance or resources, few ever chose to leave. Because here—at least you could survive.
One day, a group of strangers arrived at General's City—or more accurately, Thousand-Army Oasis.
These newcomers were none other than Yi Tianxing, Wushuang Ghost, Jiang Ni, and Song Yuting.
After escaping the Ghost Cavern via a spatial portal, they had intended to part ways. But Jiang Ni's next destination happened to be this oasis, and Song Yuting, after some thought, decided to accompany them. Her flying sword was damaged, and her combat strength had plummeted. Traveling alone would be dangerous.
Having shared adversity, there was a certain trust among the four. While they weren't exactly intimate, they had a sense of each other's characters. Compared to strangers met on the road, they were far more dependable.
"What a place. That must be the famed General's City ahead."
Standing atop a hill, Yi Tianxing looked into the distance. A vast "city" lay ahead—if one could even call it a city.
There were no walls, only makeshift fences.
The buildings were all wooden huts, crudely built and scattered throughout the area. Beauty was a luxury here—just having shelter was already a blessing.
Large stretches of farmland surrounded the area, filled with ripening rice crops. While not enough to feed the entire population, they were a crucial source of food.
General's Valley did not govern General's City. They merely ensured its security. As for how the people lived—that was their own responsibility.
"It doesn't look like the people here live very well," Song Yuting observed, noticing the tattered clothes and struggling conditions.
"It's not that they live poorly. It's that there's no order. No way to restart proper production," Yi Tianxing said with a slight shake of his head."Among millions of civilians, there's no shortage of craftsmen. But in this chaos, even if you know how to make something, you can't."
"This is a world in turmoil. Without stability, there's no industry, no economy. No facilities. No time or environment to rebuild.""This is what we mean when we talk about civil livelihood. It's not just a word—it's a system."
Without leadership, the people could not organize. Soldiers don't know how to govern. Even with millions, life could not improve.
There was no currency—not really. Perhaps crystals served as a sort of barter tool, but without proper circulation, they were not enough.
"But this place is still safer than most," Jiang Ni added, looking out."That's why many civilians choose to stay. It's chaotic here—murky waters. But in murky waters… big fish appear."
"Big fish, huh? Then I'll go fishing," Yi Tianxing said with a smile."And I love big fish."
"But you can't fish barehanded. You need bait," he added casually."Without bait, how will the big fish bite?"