150 - An Ancient River's Dying Throes

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It took another full day for the Exiles to reach a consensus. From what Qin Yun could piece together from what he was told, his offer had created a three-way divide within the tribe. A nontrivial number of them had already realized the threat the Ruling Tribe posed and were in accord with Qin Yun's plan. They believed this to be the best way to navigate these uncertain times, as food and water had always been their foremost worries.

A slightly smaller contingent believed in isolationism. They had faith in this sub-dimension to always offer the protection needed to live in peace away from the struggles of the other tribes. They were even in denial that this dimension wouldn't last forever. They believed that if they did nothing, the Ruling Tribe would soon forget about them, allowing them to live peacefully. However, to Qin Yun, that was nothing but wishful thinking, and the old elder did think the same.

The last group was by far the minority yet also the most vocal. Their thinking resembled that of the isolationist group, yet they wanted to take it further. Qin Yun's resources were too attractive to let them go to waste. They even devised a plan to rid themselves of him just to keep it all to themselves.

However, their plot was over before it even started. The leaders of the two other groups were all too aware of the conspiracy and had crushed it without Qin Yun ever being aware of what was transpiring.

All in all, these two days had brought much conflict to the tribe, the first in a long time. So much so that their leader had to step forward to keep the peace. As for what they did, Qin Yun wasn't told the details; they just broke the stalemate and chose to side with him.

“Should I give them my thanks?” Qin Yun asked the messenger as Kerak stood next to him.

“No need," the burly man said. "Our leader believes your involvement within the tribe has been destabilizing enough. They assure you that the terms attached to this gift will be upheld, for this is in the best interest of the tribe. However, they also advise you to leave as soon as possible."

Qin Yun showed no reaction, for this was expected, yet Kerak couldn't help but show his displeasure. He opened his mouth to say something, yet Qin Yun promptly stopped him.

“Let it be,” he said. “I understand the optics here. The tribe cannot be seen fraternizing with a foreigner. Besides, I don’t have the time to be lingering here any longer. Tell your leader I appreciate the warning.”

The burly man nodded before rushing back into the portal. Qin Yun turned back to gaze at the western end of the desert, only for Kerak to gaze alongside him.

“So, you're leaving things as they are?" he said. "Aren't you worried they might not keep their word?"

“So what if they don’t?” Qin Yun scoffed. “With my strength, what could I possibly do to stop them? This was a gamble from the start. What I can do is strictly limited.”

“But what about the princess’ prophecy? Doesn’t it count for something?”

"I am unsure of what she saw, but that doesn't matter," Qin Yun said dismissively. "I don't really care to know the future because it wouldn't change my choice. How could one mortal possibly make a difference when the world itself is unable to?"

Kerak remained silent, feeling his own powerlessness. The image of his dead tribe members lying motionless on the dry sand flashed in his mind as a flood of repressed emotions reemerged. His guilt couldn’t help but spur him on, even if he might suffer the ultimate consequences for it. Even if told otherwise, Kerak knew he wouldn’t stop—he couldn’t.

“So, you're really going?" Kerak said, looking toward the west, where all signs of life disappeared among the sand dunes.

“I don't have a choice," Qin Yun replied. "I must ascertain the truth. I must know if the possibility of saving this world still exists or if it's all in vain—the dying woes of a doomed world. What about you? I guess you'll stay here and fight, won't you?"

Kerak smiled, yet it was a smile filled with sadness and frustration. This would be a long, protracted war against his own people. Although the conflict wouldn't be a direct one, blood would still flow endlessly, dyeing the sand, and yet, it was inevitable, for the Ruling Tribe already wished for it.

Kerak had no idea why they would go this far, but the reports of the various spies they had within the countless tribes all corroborated one thing. Qin Yun was right in his assessment. A purge was incoming, and this was the decisive factor for them to reach a consensus.

“So this is goodbye...” Kerak said rather solemnly. “If someone had told me I would be reluctant to part with a foreigner, I would have surely punched them in the face. Such a thing would have been inconceivable just a few months earlier, yet here I am.”

“Oh, please...” Qin Yun shook his head. “Find yourself a wife if you wish to be sentimental. I’m so far from interested.”

Kerak jerked his head to the side, feeling slightly stunned by Qin Yun’s words, yet all he saw was a mischievous smile on Qin Yun’s lips just before he leapt for the ledge of this rock mountain, leaving Kerak alone at the top.

Less than a few seconds later, a few explosions of sounds rang in the air, and then a shower of sand bloomed almost halfway up the mountain before falling back down like rain. In its core was Qin Yun, unharmed as he walked away without looking back.

He had skilfully slowed his fall by pushing off the rock wall three different times before finally reaching the ground. His final speed had been slightly too high, prompting his legs to bear the brunt of the impact, yet the minute injuries he suffered were quickly healed by the rush of the machines now in his bloodstream.

Surprisingly, he had yet to feel the backlash of their existence from the world. It may be because the Heavenly Dao's influence there was too thin to amount to anything, or it may be that it approved of Qin Yun's use for them. There was no way for him to truly know, only that it was fine for now.

Without so much as a look back nor any word of farewell, Qin Yun rushed into the distance, leaving only a rain of sand in his wake with each decisive step he took. The last Kerak saw of him was Qin Yun raising his right arm in the air, waving it back and forth, only to disappear behind the dunes.

Kerak remained still for a while longer, sighed loudly, and turned around to return to the hidden dimension. There was much work to be done. Their rebellion was only beginning, but they now had a fighting chance.

******

It had been a week since they parted ways. Qin Yun relentlessly ran upon the soft sand, following the river's edge separating the two regions. He stopped barely enough to catch a quick nap, just enough to allow his brain to refresh itself.

As for fatigue, Qin Yun ignored it. The machines he had acquired were a good substitute for rest, allowing him to keep running constantly. He only had to make sure to fuel them appropriately. Almost every waking moment was spent eating something, trying to fuel the furnace that was now his body.

Fortunately, he had kept a massive amount of food on him. He may have pointed out that he had spent his fortune on these ten bracelets, which was the truth, but only what he had acquired in this life. He still had many lifetimes of resources safely tucked away within the black box, waiting only for him to need them. Still, using so much of his reserves at once couldn't help but leave him regretful. He was a hoarder by nature.

Qin Yun had traversed much more distance in only seven days than in the last month. Such were the perks of travelling alone, unhindered by the bounds of the flesh. Still, he already couldn't wait to be at his destination.

On his journey following the flowing water, Qin Yun encountered oasis after oasis, yet not many had been populated. Of those that were, they were barely big enough to accommodate only more than a few dozen, far from enough for a whole tribe. Those people were mainly criminals exiled from their respective tribes, forced to live the rest of their lives on the edge.

Those oases slowly dwindled as he went on, becoming far from enough for humans to live on. He only saw the rare bird refresh itself on the sparse water before continuing their journey to another one, just a rest stop amidst the desert.

After a week of travel, Qin Yun finally reached the edge of the deep desert. The large river that once ran to the southwest was now a shadow of its former self. With but a single leap, Qin Yun could easily reach the other shore, stepping into the Southern Desolate, but he had no intentions of doing so, for the sight was even more revolting than these dry piles of sand stretching on as if to infinity.

While he had yet to see the Corruption take over the Western Desolate, as there was almost no life to encroach upon, the same couldn't be said for the southern one. Last he saw, the Southern Desolate was a large jungle without end. Just standing near its edge, Qin Yun could feel the intense humidity in the wind as it struck his face, only to disappear into the desert.

Qin Yun found this interaction peculiar, for with the amount of water being so close, Qin Yun had yet to see a single cloud cross the river's boundary and step onto this barren sky. It was most disturbing.

Yet, the worst wasn't the peculiar climate but the sight he had seen along the way as he travelled toward the edge. When he met the Exiles, Qin Yun had noticed the verdant lushness of that jungle from across the water. It was a deep green, and despite not hearing any sounds of animals from that distance, it seemed to be blooming with life. But now, things weren't so.

As he progressed, Qin Yun had seen green slowly turn to grey. Once upon a time, he could recognize the specific flora, even recalling their names, but now, nothing was familiar. Every species of plant had been transformed beyond recognition, becoming grey caricatures of their former selves. This garden filled with life had become a true representation of its name: the Southern Desolate.

Standing across the water, Qin Yun could feel the stench of decay coming from the other shore. The plants were twisted beyond belief, some becoming tendrils Qin Yun could recognize anywhere. From a mere look, Qin Yun also felt the erosion of the mind he had once experienced back in Jin City when he punctured the sky.

The Southern Desolate was already beyond hope. Even if sentient creatures could survive this Corruption, there was no telling what they might become. Fortunately, its spread hadn't reached its own equivalent of the Great Barrier yet, for everything had yet to turn completely grey.

After one last look, Qin Yun followed the river further. It became narrower with each step he took, its flow steadily decreasing. Some was lost into the ground as this was only water; the qi contained within had long vanished into the atmosphere.

Now, all that remained was a small stream less than a meter across. Qin Yun wondered if it would vanish entirely into the sand, yet he was wrong, for he saw the water disappear in the distance as if falling like a waterfall from an edge that seemed to appear suddenly.

Qin Yun couldn’t help but rejoice, for he had finally touched upon the World’s Edge.

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