CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE ROAD TO THE WEST
The road to the Western Desolation was long and treacherous.
Shen Chen had been walking for three weeks, his body thin and his spirit worn. The journey had been brutal—days of walking under the scorching sun, nights of shivering in the cold desert wind. He had survived on scraps, on berries and roots he had found along the way. He had fought off lesser demon beasts with nothing but his fists and his fading strength.
But he was still alive. Still moving.
Almost there. Just a little further.
The landscape had changed over the past few days. The rolling hills and sparse forests of the Azure Cloud Empire had given way to rocky terrain and barren plains. The air was drier, the wind sharper. The spiritual energy was thinner, more chaotic.
And the demon beasts were more frequent.
Shen Chen had learned to avoid them, to sense their presence before they sensed his. The System's Void Sense was still active, still providing a faint warning of danger. But he knew better than to rely on it completely. The System was a tool, not a savior.
I need to stay alert. Stay alive.
He crested a ridge and stopped, his breath catching in his throat.
The Western Desolation stretched before him, an endless expanse of red earth and jagged rocks. The sky was hazy, the sun a pale disc in the distance. It was a harsh, unforgiving land, but it was also empty. No Li Clan. No Shen Clan. No one who would hunt him.
This is it. This is where I'll rebuild my life.
But even as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a chill run down his spine. A presence. Sothing watching him.
He turned, his hand reaching for his blade. And then he saw it.
A demon beast. Massive, its body covered in black scales, its eyes burning with hunger. Its aura was imnse—Foundation Establishnt Realm, at least. Maybe higher.
No. No, no, no.
The beast lunged, its claws tearing through the air. Shen Chen dove to the side, his body crashing against the rocky ground. The beast's claws raked across his back, sending a jolt of pain through his body.
I can't fight this. I'm too weak.
He scrambled to his feet, his body screaming in protest. The beast turned, its eyes fixed on him, its hunger palpable.
Run. Run. Run.
He ran, his legs pumping, his heart pounding. The beast was fast, faster than him, its claws tearing through the ground behind him.
I'm going to die. I'm going to die out here, alone, forgotten.
He stumbled, his foot catching on a loose rock, and crashed to the ground. The beast lunged, its maw open, its teeth gleaming.
And then, nothing.
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