Interlude: The Hidden Sands

In the small tavern located in the Flowing Dune city, a figure wearing a cloak to hide their features sat at the corner with their drink, listening to the chatter of the locals.

"Did you hear about the incident yesterday?"

"You mean the one about Sha Xun?"

"Exactly"

The men snickered as they looked at each other.

"I heard he got beat up by an outsider in the sect, his father was even forced to use a powerful elixir to save his life. They say that the outsider had said something about his family which caused the fight"

"Then you heard wrong. I got a friend who trades regularly with disciples in the Hidden Sands sect. He told me that it was young master Sha Xun who offended the outsider girl, resulting in him getting beaten up by her"

"Seriously? How can he call himself one of the top experts of his generation if he is beaten up by an outsider? A girl at that?"

As the men continued to snicker, the figure in the corner tightened their grasp on their cup but did not move.

It was after some time that a new figure dressed in a cloak entered the tavern and headed straight for the figure in the corner.

"….Did you find anything?"

The newly arrived figure gave a small bow and nodded his head in affirmative. He then spoke to the other figure who continued to tighten his grip on the now-deformed cup.

"As the young master commanded, this one managed to find out that she is someone from the Volcanic Flame sect. Her fighting style is slightly different and her beast companion is not something that someone from that sect would have, but there is no mistaking the nature of her Qi. She definitely practices the Volcanic fury arts. We also found out that she just left the city a few hours ago and headed north, probably to head towards the ancient ruins to attend the auction next week"

The figure in the cloak, the Young master of the Hidden Sands sect, Sha Xun nodded at his servant's words and stood up.

"Find her. No one disrespects me in my own territory and gets away with it"

He stood up and walked towards the exit but paused and looked towards the two men that were still making fun of him behind his back.

"...Clean up this place"

At his words, the servant just nodded and stayed behind as his young master headed out.

By the next day, word traveled around the city that a small tavern at the edges of the city was completely destroyed and all that was left of its occupants was the blood-soaked sands inside the tavern.