There was a desert in the northeastern part of this continent. The harsh climate of the desert and dangerous beasts and demons living here made this place unsuitable for human habitation. Only a few tribes of powerful races or outlaws living away from the society lived here.
Other than them cultivators did visit this place occasionally. The deeper parts of the desert was a good place for them to train and that was the reason why quite a few cultivators occasionally visited this place. But that was the story of older times.
After a few sects used that desert as the practice ground for their disciples, most of the demons and beasts living here were killed. That should have been a good thing if not for the fact that this also destroyed the natural ecology of the location.