He picked up Kira Bear, jumped onto Bruno's back, and shouted, "Dragonfat, let's go!"
Bruno immediately galloped forward, riding a cloud of fire into the air. He said, "Cult Master, lately I've felt the Redfire Spirit Pill tastes off. Did you change my pills?"
Quinn shook his head, "Dragonfat, stop being so suspicious. If I changed your pills, wouldn't you notice?"
Bruno was still doubtful. Kira Bear exclaimed, "Dragonfat is running much faster than before, and his belly isn't as big as it used to be."
Bruno grew suspicious again. Every time he ate his pills, he peeled them open to check if Quinn had tampered with them, but found nothing amiss.
Quinn smiled. He had improved the Redfire Spirit Pill and Fire Essence Origin Pill, merging them into one. The taste was similar to the Redfire Spirit Pill but spicier. Bruno could taste the difference but couldn't pinpoint the change.
Bruno was much faster and more enduring than before. After two or three days, they arrived at the Great Ruins. Quinn followed his memory to find—
the Moon Boat, and Village Chief's stone statue was not far from the Moon Boat.
He was surprised to see two new households here—clearly newly built homes. They must have noticed the stone statue that warded off darkness and settled here.
The two families, seeing him ride a beast that looked like both a dragon and a qilin, grew nervous. Two young hunters stood guard at the door with steel forks, while young women peeked out from behind them.
One of the hunters quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense! He's just a boy, younger than us. How could he be the heavenly god on the boat?"
...
Quinn traveled west with Kira Bear, riding Bruno. At night, they stopped to rest.
They passed through the Western Heaven Palace Basin, observed the ruins, and then left. After more than ten days of travel, they finally reached the far western edge of the Great Ruins, where a snow-covered mountain range blocked the way.
"Is there also a Godsever Mountain Range here?"
Quinn rode Bruno to the mountain top. Suddenly, a Sky-Severing Ballista fired a massive bolt, and a blizzard erupted. Bruno swatted the bolt aside, startled, and shouted, "Cult Master, I've gotten stronger!"
Quinn looked around and saw huge Sky-Severing Ballistae on every mountain, all automatically aiming at them. He quickly shouted, "Dragonfat, run!"
Buzz—
The ballistae unleashed their power, filling the sky with snow as bolts rained down on them. Bruno leapt and dashed to the other side of the mountain.
Huge bolts fell behind them, turning into ice pillars. More arrows flew at them. Bruno roared, flames billowed behind him, and clouds of fire burned the bolts, but many ice arrows remained!
Quinn formed a sword seal, and with a sudden jolt, eight thousand swords flew through the air, slicing countless ice arrows apart.
Bruno dashed down the mountain, arrows raining behind them and sticking in the ground. The barrage stopped only when they reached the foot of the mountain.
Quinn breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly felt a wave of heat. Ahead stretched a vast desert, its flames blazing into the sky, turning it red-hot.
Quinn looked back—behind him stood the snowy mountains.
"Once we cross this Flame Desert, we'll reach the Western Lands."
Kira Bear said brightly, "The Western Lands are just beyond the desert."
Quinn was puzzled, "Why is there such a flaming desert between the Western Lands and the Great Ruins? Where did these flames come from?"
"My mother said a god lit this fire to keep the cast-outs from the Great Ruins from leaving."
Kira Bear suddenly jumped into the desert flames. Quinn was startled as she ran around, laughing, "The fire here doesn't hurt us—it only burns the cast-outs from the Great Ruins. For us, it's not hot at all, but for cast-outs, it's deadly! My mother said when cast-outs enter the desert, a flame mark appears on their brow to show their status. The higher their status, the more flames appear on their body."
Quinn reached out to touch the flames and suddenly felt a sharp pain. He quickly withdrew his hand as his fingertips began to burn.
He quickly put out the flames and frowned.
For the people of the Great Ruins, this Flame Desert is truly deadly—anyone entering is sure to be burned alive.
"Kira, come here!"
Quinn sent out his vital energy, swept up the running girl, and tossed her onto Bruno's back. He said, "The Imperial Preceptor and Palace Lord set out a few days before us. Let's not delay. Dragonfat..."
Kira Bear suddenly said, "Big brother, what's wrong with your face?"
Quinn was puzzled, "What's wrong with my face?"
"There are lots of patterns on your face!"
Kira Bear cried out, "The patterns are moving and getting more! Are you sick? Oh, right, you're a cast-out from the Great Ruins, but you have way too many flame patterns!"
Quinn was startled. He quickly took out the mirror Apothecary had given him and checked his reflection—sure enough, blue and red patterns twisted across his face, even covering his features!
He pulled open his collar and saw the same blue and red patterns all over his chest!
He stretched out his hand and saw the patterns growing from his wrist, spreading over his palm and the back of his hand.
Quinn tore off his shirt, and several mirrors flew out from his Glutton Dragon Pouch. Looking into the mirrors, he saw patterns growing all over his body, blue and red flames covering him.
Kira Bear stared at him. The bare-chested youth stood on Bruno's back, flame patterns nearly covering his whole body.
Mother said the higher a cast-out's status, the more flame patterns they have. Ordinary cast-outs only get one flame mark on their brow, but big brother has flame patterns everywhere.
The little girl was stunned. "What kind of status does he have...?"
Could it be the effect of the fire here?
Quinn pondered, "I just touched the flames and they entered my body, forming these strange patterns... Dragonfat, retreat to the snowy mountains!"
Bruno didn't understand, but carefully backed out of the Flame Desert to the foot of the snowy mountains. Quinn checked the mirror—his patterns faded and vanished.
He put away the mirror, dressed, and said blandly, "Dragonfat, let's keep moving. It's nothing—these patterns are just a symbol of being a cast-out."
Bruno dashed into the Flame Desert again, and the patterns on Quinn's body reappeared and grew rapidly. Quinn didn't care. The desert was full of fire tornadoes, roaring and sweeping everything. Bruno, being fire-aligned, loved the flames and charged into the tornadoes, nearly burning Quinn, who quickly stopped him.
Bruno saw Quinn's face scorched black and was startled, finally behaving. The fire didn't affect him, but for Quinn it was deadly.
Big brother, there's an oasis ahead!
Kira Bear said excitedly, "There's water there!"
Quinn was astonished and blurted out, "There's water in a place like this?"
Then he saw the oasis in the Flame Desert—olive trees grew beside a beautiful lake, and several white sheepskin tents rested by the water.
Bruno rushed over. When they reached the lake, Quinn jumped down and said, "Sorry to disturb you, I'm just passing through."
A youth emerged from a tent, smiling, "You're not disturbing me. I'm cultivating a strange method here and need someone to sacrifice... Wait, it's you!"
The youth's face changed drastically. Quinn immediately drew his sword, unleashing eight thousand swords to engulf the youth!