Chapter 129: Ash and Sunfire, the Elder Who Smoked the DesertRyan trudged into the desert city at the very mouth of the Maldhi wasteland, his boots crunching against sand that seemed to radiate heat straight through the soles. The sun overhead was merciless, a burning god glaring down at all who dared to cross its territory. He squinted, sweat stinging his eyes. This was his very first encounter with a true desert, and even though he’d prepared himself mentally, the sheer violence of the heat still struck him like a slap in the face.The city was small, a scattering of cube-like structures carved out of sunbaked stone, their edges eroded by wind and grit. Compared to the elegant spires of Frexia or the damp greenery of river towns, this place felt like someone had spilled a handful of dice onto the sand and called it civilization. The air shimmered. The horizon rippled. Ryan inhaled—and nearly gagged on the thickness of it, dry and hot enough to sear the inside of

Chapter 131 – The Desert Nun and the Trial of Sandfire“Nnh… Hah…”A soft, trembling moan broke the silence of the violet night. The nun’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes glazed with confusion and exhaustion. The shimmering purple firelight danced across her pale face, tracing her features like the brush of an artist lost in reverence.Ryan sat cross-legged across from her, the other side of the fire between them. His expression was calm but sharp, like a blade wrapped in silk. The purple fire burned strangely — Dioki-infused, flickering without consuming its fuel, emitting both warmth and a subtle hum that only those attuned to Dioki could feel.“It seems you’ve woken up,” Ryan said with a faint smile, his voice carrying that faint teasing edge that made people uncertain whether to thank him or glare at him.The nun blinked, her pupils tightening as she noticed him. “Ah?”“You collapsed earlier,” Ryan explained casually,

Chapter 133 – Shadows Beneath the Dunes---The sandstorm had quieted to a whisper, the desert lying beneath a shroud of dim gold as dusk bled into the horizon. From atop a sand dune, Ryan narrowed his eyes toward the cluster of buildings in the distance.“So that’s the stronghold, huh? Doesn’t look that impressive. More like another damn village to me,” he muttered, squinting against the glare of the dying sun.Beside him, Sera crouched low, her dark scarf fluttering faintly in the dry wind. “Yes,” she replied with a nod. “That’s the stronghold we’ve been tracking.”Ryan studied it carefully, his gaze tracing the crude architecture of the place — no signs of wealth, no banners, no water source in sight. “There aren’t many people,” he observed quietly. “Less than twenty buildings, maybe. But that big one in the center… that’s where they’re nesting. No oasis either. This place shouldn’t even exist.”Sera followed his gaze. “T

Chapter 135: Shackled ShadowsThe metallic echo of chains clanging against iron cut sharply through the dimly lit cell, bouncing off the stone walls and twisting Sera’s stomach into uneasy knots.A low, strangled groan escaped her lips as she tried to move. Her body protested violently, every muscle tight with tension, as if bound by invisible threads. She blinked against the harsh glow of torchlight, fuzzy vision slowly focusing, and realized her limbs felt alien—heavy, unresponsive. Her hands, once nimble and deft, throbbed with pins and needles, as if all the blood had abandoned them.Her gaze dropped. The cold, black iron cuffs around her ankles glinted cruelly. Panic flared, sudden and scorching.“What…?” Her voice cracked, high and shaky. She lifted her torso instinctively, only to be stopped by another chain that clinked sharply, restricting every movement. Her mind raced. Every instinct screamed danger, but confusion clawed at her thoughts

Chapter 137: Ryan’s Suggestion The scorching sun hung lazily above the desert horizon, casting long, jagged shadows across the dunes. Every grain of sand shimmered with a heat that could almost singe the skin through thin fabric. Yet, in the midst of this relentless landscape, Ryan stood firm, his cloak flapping gently in the faint breeze. He paused for a moment, letting the Dioki energy circulating around him settle like a coiled spring. Beside him, Sera remained tense, her silver hair catching the dying light and giving her an almost ethereal glow. The faint outlines of her angelic and fallen angel wings flickered behind her shoulders, the Dioki within them pulsing softly — one wing a serene white, the other a stormy shadow. Ryan’s eyes, sharp and calculating, scanned the area. The task at hand was daunting. Every move needed precision. And now, it was time to reveal his ace — the hidden force he had saved for a moment like t