As evening approached, Chen Hao and his companions arrived at Dust Town.

Bathed in the warm glow of dusk, Dust Town exuded a sense of tranquility from afar.

Seeing the unique architectural style of Dust Town, Lin Huashan and Yi Ning couldn't help but marvel.

"So beautiful!" Lin Huashan exclaimed, "It's a town built on a garden!"

Chen Hao gave a slight smile, her thoughts mirrored Lin Huashan's.

He turned to Ye Yuqiao beside him and whispered, "Yuqiao, would you like it if we lived in a town like this in the future?"

"Yes!" Ye Yuqiao smiled gracefully. Then she nodded slightly, shyly avoiding Chen Hao's gaze, and responded, "Actually, as long as I am with you, I would like it no matter where we are."

"Hahaha!" Chen Hao laughed proudly, holding onto Ye Yuqiao's left hand, "Really?"

"Yes, of course."

Just then, chaotic sounds of troops and horses from the direction of Dust Town pierced the calm.

Startled, they all looked ahead, where a cloud of yellow dust was rolling towards them.

Among that cloud were the figures of warriors and steeds.

"Be careful!" Chen Hao stepped forward to shield the others.

It wasn't long before the cloud of dust reached them and then halted, revealing dozens of cavalry and soldiers.

"Your Majesty!" A general clad in silver armor immediately recognized Yingji, dismounted hastily, and knelt before her to pay his respects.

This general, named Chen Yong, was a great general of the Dust Tribe.

"Your Majesty, I am relieved to see that you're unharmed! Our king has been assassinated by an assassin, please accept my condolences!"

Yingji stepped forward, helping the great general Chen Yong to his feet, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Great General! I am aware of the situation. I was beside the king when the assassin killed him. Later, I was taken away by that assassin."

Chen Yong looked up at Yingji, his eyes filled with doubt. He glanced at Chen Hao, Ye Yuqiao, Lin Huashan, and Yi Ning behind her and quietly asked, "Your Majesty, who are these people behind you?"

Yingji turned to look at Chen Hao and suddenly let out a pained scream. She wanted to have Chen Hao, who had killed Chen Yu, apprehended, but the Dust King Ring on her left hand prevented her from doing so.

"It seems this woman has always wanted to take revenge for her man; her late husband was indeed very far-sighted," Ye Yuqiao murmured to Chen Hao.

"Yes, luckily we have the Dust King Ring, or else we would have encountered many troubles."

After a brief sigh, Yingji shifted her gaze back to Chen Yong, her face clouded with helpless frustration, "They are my saviors, they rescued me from the assassin's clutches."

"Oh," Chen Yong looked Chen Hao and the others up and down carefully, realizing none of them belonged to the Dust Tribe. Many questions arose in his mind, but out of respect for Yingji's words that they were her saviors, he didn't press further.

After a pause, Chen Yong continued, "Your Majesty, what about the assassin who attempted to kill the king?"

"Well..." Yingji hesitated.

"He got away!" Chen Hao suddenly interjected on Yingji's behalf. Thinking of King Nanlin, he decided to pin the blame for the assassination of Chen Yu on him, "That assassin is very powerful and is most likely still within the Dust Realm. We must locate him at once!"

Chen Yong nodded.

"By the way," Yingji asked with a furrowed brow, "what's the situation within the tribe now?"

Chen Yong's expression darkened as he replied mournfully, "The situation is dire. The moment news of the king's death broke out, turmoil erupted within the Fallen City. The High Priest and the Great Protector are at each other's throats, fighting for power, and now each controls one part of the city, with constant conflict."

"What about the elders within the tribe?"

"The eldest elder has joined the High Priest's camp, while the second and third elders, along with myself and a few protectors, left Fallen City and now control Dust Town," Chen Yong responded.

After careful consideration, Yingji said, "Great General, quickly take me to see the elders and protectors in Dust Town. Tomorrow, I want to return to Fallen City!"

"That's not advisable!" Chen Yong shook his head immediately, "Currently, the High Priest and the Great Protector are fiercely battling for the throne. If you return now, your Majesty, you would only be a target for both sides. Besides, with our manpower and strength, we are no match for them."

"But I have this!" Yingji extended her left hand with the Dust King Ring towards Chen Yong.

"What's this?" Chen Yong was clueless.

"The Dust King Ring!"

Chen Yong was stunned! He never anticipated that the Dust King Ring, symbol of supreme authority within the Dust Tribe, would reemerge in the Dust Realm after being lost for tens of thousands of years.

"And I have him!" Yingji pointed to Chen Hao, "He wields the Sword of Dust!"

Chen Yong was even more shocked!

Night had fallen deep.

With Chen Yong's introduction, Yingji and the rest, including Chen Hao, met with several elders and protectors of the Dust Tribe.

After seeing the Dust King Ring, all the elders and protectors showed their fealty to the queen, expressing their loyalty.

At night, as Chen Hao had wished, he and Ye Yuqiao stayed together in those homes that floated in the air among the flowers of Dust Town.

...

...

After dawn, leading merely a few thousand soldiers, Chen Hao and his party set off for Fallen City.

By noon, they arrived at the gates of Fallen City.

There were no guards on the city walls at that time. Chen Hao used Nether Vision to look into the city, and he saw not a soul on the main thoroughfare in the city center, only stains of blood and scorched marks left by the ravages of battle.

On both sides of the thoroughfare, high walls made of dust as if two worlds were separated by the thoroughfare. In these two worlds, Chen Hao saw many soldiers and even more refugees in a state of panic and displacement.

"Once we enter the city, the left side is the domain of the High Priest, and the right side belongs to the Great Protector," Chen Yong explained to everyone.

"These people are really audacious!" Yingji exclaimed angrily.

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