"Hmm, that's impossible."
The man—clearly a cultivator—was using his true essence, yet still couldn't move the spatial gate. No matter what he did, he couldn't step inside. It was as if something invisible was keeping him out. The gate simply wouldn't allow entry.
It was bizarre and inexplicable.
"Let me try!!"
Another person stepped forward, refusing to give up. He too was blocked at the entrance. An unseen barrier held firm. No matter what they did, entry was impossible.
"Little sister, you try. As long as you can enter, you'll be safe. You won't have to be afraid anymore."
A boy encouraged the little girl beside him, his expression full of hope. Clearly, he wanted her to take the chance.
"Big brother, let's go together. I don't want to be apart from you."
The girl clutched his hand tightly, her young voice pure and sincere.
"Okay, we'll go together."
The boy nodded firmly.
Hand in hand, the two children stepped toward the gate. The cultivators nearby were still blocked by the barrier, and the two kids expected the same. As they took that final step, they instinctively closed their eyes.
And then—a stunning sight left everyone dumbfounded.
The barrier that had stopped everyone else didn't even seem to exist for the children. They walked through it effortlessly, vanishing in a flash of silver light.
It was like walking through an open door.
The entire crowd stared in disbelief.
"How is this possible? Why can those two children enter, but not the adults? The barrier is still there, keeping others out, yet the children went in unhindered. What does this mean?"
"Is the qualification tied to being a child? Are only children allowed to pass? That doesn't make sense. What is the real requirement?"
"Quick, send more children to try!"
The crowd grew more agitated.
More children were brought forward and led to the gate.
Each one walked through the barrier without resistance, disappearing into the spatial door as if entering another realm.
Adults were barred; children could pass freely.
This confirmed the suspicion—there was a requirement, and the children met it.
But why?
Frustration and despair took root. Hope was right in front of them, yet so far out of reach. For some, it was a psychological collapse.
"The qualification to pass lies within yourselves," Yi Tianxing said calmly, ignoring the desperate pleas from the crowd.
"It's not about age. It's not just children who can pass. Children are the future of the human race, the inheritors of tomorrow. They are born with the right. But your own qualifications are within you—you must find them yourself. No one can do it for you."
People shouldn't rely solely on pity or sympathy from others.
If one cannot stand on their own, and only knows how to beg, how are they different from beggars? A beggar might lack the ability to support themselves, but those with hands and feet—who still beg—have already cast away their most basic dignity. The word "human" implies standing tall and proud. Those who forget this… don't deserve to be called human.
Just then, the high-hanging sun was suddenly obscured by massive black clouds, plunging the desert into instant darkness—as if night had fallen in an instant.
"The sun—it's gone!"
"So dark… is this a sandstorm? No… it can't be. Sandstorms don't come like this."
"No… this is a sign of disaster. The awakening of the Grand Priest! According to legend, when the Grand Priest awakens, disaster follows. Black clouds will blot out the sun, and darkness will cover the world!"
Fear rippled through the crowd as they stared up at the sky, thinking of the ancient prophecy.
"So soon…? Has that so-called Grand Priest really awakened? He can alter the heavens themselves… It seems the civilization of the Pharaohs is not so simple," Yi Tianxing murmured.
"The Grand Priest, huh? I, Wushuang Gui, want to test how powerful he really is," the ghostly warrior chuckled, gripping his spinning blade. His eyes gleamed with battle lust.
Within General Valley, the four great generals lifted their eyes to the sky, expressions turning grim.
"It's begun. The omens from the prophecy… the Grand Priest must be awakening. The undead army may arrive at any moment," murmured Feng Xianlin.
"How many will die this time? I hate war, yet we can never escape it. I just hope we survive… that more civilians make it through," said Hua Mulan, concern written on her face. But there was little she could do now. All that remained was to prepare for battle. Win, and they'd minimize losses. Lose, and all was lost.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz!
As dread gripped the people, the black clouds began to thin—and sunlight peeked through once more. But with it came a horrific noise from the sky—a high-frequency buzzing, like the flapping of countless wings.
"Bugs! So many bugs! Look! The sky is full of them—they're heading straight for the oasis!"
"Black bugs—oh no! It's a plague of insects! Quick! Find shelter! These things don't look friendly!"
"No! I've heard of these before. In the desert, there's a terrifying species called Black Armored Corpse Beetles. They devour flesh and can reproduce rapidly after feeding. They're extremely dangerous—and swarm in massive numbers. It's said that once strong enough, they can even eat the corpses of gods and demons!"
Cries of panic rang out.
The sky was filled with an unending tide of black insects. The sight made people's scalps crawl with terror.
Civilians ran home, bolting doors and windows. Others dove into pre-dug tunnels. No one wanted to face those nightmare bugs. According to records, a swarm of Corpse Beetles could devour a grown adult in less than a second, leaving not even bones behind.
Utterly savage.
Utterly horrifying.
Screech!!
A golden vulture soared into the sky. But it wasn't trying to fight—it was trying to escape.
It failed.
Surrounded almost instantly, it was covered in the black insects. The vulture roared, its body bursting into golden flames, burning dozens of beetles alive.
But the insects didn't fear death.
They surged forward.
Biting.
Gnawing.
Tearing.
The vulture shrieked.
In less than a breath, it was gone. Not even a feather remained.
Other beasts took flight, trying to resist.
They fought valiantly—wind blades slicing the air, flames erupting, bloodline powers unleashed. But their efforts were meaningless. For every insect killed, thousands more filled the sky.
In mere moments, they were overwhelmed.
"All troops—use talismans! Flame Talismans! Target the swarm in the sky—burn them down!"
General Valley sprang into action.
Millions of talismans soared into the air, bursting into blazing fireballs. The flames merged into a roaring sea of fire, scorching the insect tide.
It was a terrifying sight.
Insects fell from the sky like rain. Countless burned to death.
And the Flame Talismans kept coming—nonstop.
A single talisman wasn't much—but a million at once? Even top-tier cultivators would tremble. The Corpse Beetles were powerful only in numbers, but against that inferno, they fell in droves.
The swarm retreated—vanished—just as suddenly as it had come.
Thanks to the swift, coordinated response from General Valley, the oasis suffered minimal losses. Civilians were mostly unharmed.
"The omens have begun… and they won't stop," Yi Tianxing muttered, eyes on the sun as it reemerged.
"Who knows what's coming next…"