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However, I also reminded myself in secret that my flaw is getting carried away with success. After escaping from Peach Blossom Island back then, I thought my martial arts were invincible and started killing indiscriminately, which led to being ambushed and fleeing in disarray. Later, when I practiced the Bone Claw and Heart-Shattering Palm techniques to a moderate level in Mongolia, I became arrogant again. As a result, someone discovered my whereabouts, and I didn't take it seriously. My careless actions led to the thief's wife losing her eyes, and I was stabbed to death. This time, not only do I need to escape the pursuit, but I must also protect Jin Luosha and defeat our enemies splendidly, making a name for myself. I can no longer be careless.

The next morning, when the crippled Sword Hero Ruyns woke up and faced the now empty mountaintop, he had completely forgotten what he said the night before. His resolve to mobilize the entire Star Shield Chamber of Commerce to hunt down Jin Luosha and "Silver Moonlight" remained firm.

Before dealing with this Sword Hero, I had planned to return to Jacia and provoke the Star Shield Chamber of Commerce into launching a large-scale manhunt. However, since this fool has taken the initiative, I naturally don't want to risk my life again. Although I have confidence in my skills, who knows what unexpected events might occur?

After questioning him last night, I made the Sword Hero forget everything that happened. I carried Jin Luosha and left the mountain peak before dawn, riding on Ice Wind southward for a hundred miles, arriving at a small town just before sunrise. We landed nearby, entered the town, found an inn, and rested while having a meal. With the Star Shield Chamber of Commerce causing trouble, I might as well take the opportunity to go to the desert's Mercenary Empire and complete the high-level mission of exploring the ruins, advancing to become a senior mercenary. This wouldn't waste any time. As for the Star Shield Chamber of Commerce, I can deal with them later.

Jin Luosha fled in haste and did not bring anything except a necklace representing her identity, not even a change of clothes. Fortunately, although this small town is not large, it lies along a trade route, and there is no shortage of silk and satin brought from the south. I paid a high price for the materials and hired local tailors to make children's clothing. These tailors usually work for wealthy merchants passing through, so although the designs were simple, the craftsmanship was exquisite. Jin Luosha felt comfortable and well-fitted in the clothes. As for the cost, over the past two months, I completed several major tasks, earning bonuses and selling war spoils, enough for an ordinary person to live lavishly for years. Even if it wasn't enough, I brought considerable wealth from Fontainebleau. However, to avoid arousing suspicion from the Temple in the future, I should use it sparingly.

Jin Luosha and I stayed at the finest inn in town, replenishing supplies and soothing her emotions. I told her stories and spun lies, eventually cheering her up. It wasn't until two days later that news of the Star Shield Chamber of Commerce hunting us reached the town. The Mercenary Guild would not accept such personal assassination missions, but the Adventurer Guild issued a quest to rescue the Star Shield Chamber of Commerce's lady kidnapped by a Sword Master. The Dark Mercenary Guild offered a bounty for our heads, and the Assassins Guild placed a high reward for mine. Even the Thieves Guild gathered intelligence on me. In a short time, I truly gained fame, and before various forces arrived, we left the town calmly and continued south.

### Chapter 47: How Many Songs in Dreams

The Endless Sand Sea is a vast desert dividing the eastern and western parts of the Mainland, larger than the combined areas of the Half-Orc Wastelands and the Never-Ending Mountains. Its harsh climate and endless sandstorms have always made it a place of dread. However, unlike the truly uninhabitable Half-Orc Wastelands, the Endless Sand Sea contains numerous oases, allowing countless tribes to survive and form large nations. The concept of a nation here differs from elsewhere; there are no borders to defend. You can cross the entire desert without hindrance, provided you do not touch the oases or water sources. The people of the desert do not consider the desert their own; they guard only the oases and water sources essential for survival.

The harsh living conditions make the children of the desert fierce and brave. To survive, they constantly fight and battle for their space. They also leave the desert as mercenaries to join armies of various countries, fighting wars and earning money to support their families back home. These skilled desert cavalry excel in using scimitars and bows, enduring hardships and risking their lives, making them highly valued members of the army. During the human founding wars four hundred years ago, desert mercenaries fought alongside human armies against orc wolf riders in countless battles, sacrificing countless lives for human victory.

After the glorious battles, the mercenary nation centered around the Endless Sand Sea was established by returning desert descendants, aiming to build a country based on the freedom and bravery of mercenaries. However, the harsh reality taught these passionate mercenaries that a nation requires an army, laws, and governance. The first attempt at nation-building by human mercenaries revealed their idealistic vision as a castle in the air, with constant rebellions and divisions. Many mercenaries turned into shameful bandits, leading to the collapse of the mercenary nation, which was eventually annexed by the Radiant Temple-led Holy Nation. When the Holy Nation also fell apart due to the assassination of the Pope, the legendary hero "Mercenary King" Lishu rose again in the desert. He united the tribes, established reasonable systems, and integrated tribal and national structures, sending mercenaries abroad to earn income, finally establishing a nation within the Endless Sand Sea.

However, the "Mercenary King's" methods went beyond that. As the Mainland was engulfed in chaos, with countless factions vying for the remnants of the Holy Nation, Lishu secretly controlled the flow of mercenaries, influencing the course of the Mainland's struggles. Though not decisive, this influence significantly delayed the reestablishment of peace and prevented any single power from dominating. By the time the nations stabilized and refocused on the desert, they found a formidable fortress standing at the "Sunken Star Valley," controlling the richest trade route between north and south. After several failed attempts to conquer it, the nations had to recognize the Mercenary Empire's sovereignty over the vital artery. The wisdom of the "Mercenary King" and the fame of the "Unfallen Fortress Star Shattering Abyss" became epic tales.