After the task assignment was completed, Zhu Ke looked around at Xiao Mu and Wang Yuan, saying solemnly, "Guarding the Eastern Desolation is a heavy responsibility, and I hope that when the time is critical, we can support each other."

Wang Yuan snorted, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Mu, "I have no problem, but I wonder if this newcomer can hold the fort."

Xiao Mu felt displeased and retorted casually, "If Grand Elder Wang has no problem, I certainly have none."

"Haha, quite the bold words, let's hope you truly have no problem when the time comes."

Wang Yuan's smile became stiff.

"Likewise." Xiao Mu replied bluntly.

"Alright, you two." Zhu Ke hastily mediated to prevent a real conflict, "Disputes are one thing, I hope both of you will consider the bigger picture and not stand idly by if either of you is in trouble. After all, the three of us are united; if any of us encounters an accident, the others can't hold the Eastern Desolation."

"Do you think I'm someone who doesn't know the importance of matters?" Wang Yuan responded casually, looking displeased.

Xiao Mu nodded but said nothing further.

Subsequently, the three discussed some details and how to keep in touch, then each flew off in different directions.

With Qiao Zhong leading the way, Xiao Mu flew all the way to the north.

For quite a long time after, he felt that he was going to be guarding the northern part of the Eastern Desolation.

The invasion of the Heavenly Court will make the northern part of the Eastern Desolation extremely dangerous. Given his strength, he may not be able to guard it, but fortunately, before departure, Lady Shenfeng had promised to provide support at any time, so he wasn't too worried about his safety.

Flying northward, after about a day, they arrived at a vast area.

This immense terrain spans at least several million square kilometers, primarily mountainous, with few plains to be seen.

In fact, the terrain of the Eastern Desolation itself resembles a shattered ancient battlefield, where the landscape has dramatically changed, littered with huge pits, massive mountains, and giant hills, giving a sense of a primal, scarcely inhabited wasteland.

Qiao Zhong began to introduce it to Xiao Mu, "Grand Elder Xiao, this is the northern part of the Eastern Desolation. Here, we have a great array monitoring the movements of the strong from the Heavenly Court. Once one appears, the array immediately senses it, allowing us to know in advance and make arrangements."

As he spoke, he pointed upwards to the sky above the northern part of the Eastern Desolation.

Xiao Mu looked up, following Qiao Zhong's finger, and saw shadows floating in the sky over the northern part of the Eastern Desolation, resembling clouds or some kind of magic treasure's refraction.

The power refracted by these shadows enveloped the entire northern part of the Eastern Desolation.

Xiao Mu was curious and couldn't help but ask Qiao Zhong, "Does your setup really monitor the movements of the strong from the Heavenly Court?"

Qiao Zhong shook his head with a wry smile, "To be honest, Grand Elder Xiao, it works only for those at the Divine Spirit level, but once they reach the level of True Gods, it becomes completely ineffective."

"Oh!"

Xiao Mu responded with an "oh," noncommittal. According to Qiao Zhong, the so-called array monitoring in the Eastern Desolation was actually of little significance.

Ordinary strong ones at the Divine Spirit level he could handle easily, so whether he could monitor them or not was not particularly meaningful. But True Gods were tricky for Xiao Mu to deal with, and since the array couldn't monitor them, it meant Xiao Mu wouldn't know when they might appear.

"Grand Elder Xiao, please!"

Qiao Zhong gestured an invitation to Xiao Mu while explaining, "The mansion of the guardian of the northern Eastern Desolation is just below."

Hearing this, Xiao Mu looked again in the direction Qiao Zhong pointed, seeing a grand hall.

This grand hall was built entirely on a mountaintop and camouflaged such that, without careful observation, it might be mistaken for a peculiar mountain.

Xiao Mu nodded and descended first, flying towards the grand hall.

Qiao Zhong hurried to follow.

However, shortly after descending, Xiao Mu noticed a group of people moving southward below the mountains where the grand hall was located.

This group was large, including not just ordinary people but also quite powerful individuals, some even reaching the Divine Spirit level.

These people, with families in tow and in a panic, were carrying various supplies, looking like refugees.

"What are they doing?"

Xiao Mu pointed downward, looking at Qiao Zhong.

Qiao Zhong glanced down, showing a wry smile and replied embarrassedly, "Grand Elder Xiao, these are all refugees."

"Refugees? Why are they fleeing?"

"Sigh!"

Qiao Zhong sighed and explained, "Strong ones from the Heavenly Court have descended, wantonly harvesting the lives of ordinary people. Here in the Eastern Desolation, everyone is in panic. Moreover, not just ordinary people, even some strong ones have begun to flee. To be frank, Grand Elder Xiao, in recent times, there have been over a dozen Divine Spirit level strong ones fleeing in the northern Eastern Desolation alone, with ordinary Yin Gods fleeing in numbers approaching hundreds or thousands."

Xiao Mu was at a loss for words, pondered for a moment before asking, "Have you not thought of stopping them?"

"Stopping them?"

Qiao Zhong smiled wryly, "How do we stop refugees? Besides, now with the northern Eastern Desolation truly in danger from the invasion by the Heavenly Court's strong ones, everyone's life is not guaranteed. On what grounds would we stop them? Honestly, Grand Elder Xiao..."

Speaking, Qiao Zhong smiled wryly out of shame, "If I weren't part of the Alliance, I would probably have fled like the others. It's precisely because I'm part of the Alliance that while others can flee, I can't; I must stay and guard the Eastern Desolation."

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