Feeling the murderous aura radiating from Shen Haoran, both Elder Bai and Murong Wanqing were startled. ’Just how many battles must he have fought to develop such a dense killing intent?’ It was hard to imagine what Shen Haoran had been through over the past decade or so.

"Don’t worry. Nanny Wan isn’t in any immediate danger, but her foundation is damaged. That’s why she needs the Profound Yellow Fruit for Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence," Murong Wanqing quickly explained, looking at Shen Haoran.

"The Murong Clan is such a massive family. Can’t they produce even a single Profound Yellow Fruit?" Shen Haoran demanded. ’The Profound Yellow Fruit is rare, but can the Murong Clan, with its thousand-year legacy, truly not have even one?’

"Well..." Murong Wanqing’s expression turned grim. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Back then, Nanny Wan violated a clan rule. The Elder Council expelled her from the family and imprisoned her in a secret dungeon, sentenced to never see the light of day again. Because of that, clan resources are not allocated to her," Murong Wanqing said with a long sigh.

"Hmph, is the Murong Family full of cold-blooded animals? My mother was the eldest daughter of the Murong Family, after all! Are they just going to stand by and watch her suffer?" Shen Haoran snorted coldly.

"Of course not. Grandfather has wanted to save Nanny Wan all along, but the Elder Council, led by the Grand Elder, threatened him with the fate of the clan. Under pressure from the other clan members, Grandfather had no choice but to give up. But he’s been helping Nanny Wan in secret. The only reason I was able to sneak out to search for the Profound Yellow Fruit is because he secretly held back the Elder Council for me," Murong Wanqing said with a helpless, bitter smile.

"Hmph. One day, I will return to the Murong Clan and rescue my mother in grand style. A clan like this isn’t worth staying in anyway!" A cold glint flashed in Shen Haoran’s eyes as he spoke icily.

Looking at the resentful Shen Haoran before her, Murong Wanqing could only sigh softly. It was no wonder Shen Haoran held such a huge grudge against the Murong Clan. After all, the clan had imprisoned his mother. Even Murong Wanqing, a member of the clan herself, found it hard to stomach, let alone Shen Haoran!

"This isn’t the time to talk about this. The most important thing right now is to find the Profound Yellow Fruit for Nanny Wan and stabilize her foundation. If we drag this out, she’ll be in danger!" Murong Wanqing said in a low voice.

"The Profound Yellow Fruit usually grows in places with the densest Earth Attribute Spiritual Power. There are countless such places in this Desert Land, and the area is vast. Trying to find a Profound Yellow Fruit here is like looking for a needle in a haystack!" Shen Haoran said, his brow furrowed.

"Elder Bai and I actually found a place where a Profound Yellow Fruit is growing," Murong Wanqing said.

"You found it?" Hearing this, Shen Haoran’s face lit up with pleasant surprise.

"Yes, but there’s a problem." Thinking of the place where the Profound Yellow Fruit was hidden, Murong Wanqing couldn’t help but touch her forehead and give a bitter smile.

"What kind of problem?" Shen Haoran asked.

"A month ago, I found an oasis deep in the Desert Land, and I also discovered a Profound Yellow Fruit tree. However, just as I was about to pick the fruit, I was suddenly ambushed by Flame Yellow Pythons! It turns out that a group of Flame Yellow Pythons were guarding the fruit, and among them was a Snake Emperor on the verge of breaking through to Tier Seven!

"But the Snake Emperor was in the middle of shedding its skin, so I was able to escape after giving it my all." At this thought, a lingering fear still showed on Murong Wanqing’s face.

"A Snake Emperor!" Shen Haoran was also taken aback. A Tier Seven Snake Emperor was equivalent to a human Martial Artist at the Spirit Emperor Level. ’No wonder the Profound Yellow Fruit is so hard to obtain.’

"No matter how difficult it is, I must get that Profound Yellow Fruit!" Shen Haoran’s fists clenched. This time, it wasn’t just for himself; it was for his mother!

"That Snake Emperor has probably finished shedding its skin and advanced to Tier Seven by now. I wonder if Elder Bai can hold it off," Shen Haoran mused aloud.

"It’s just a beast. Leave it to me!" Elder Bai said, patting his chest.

"Then the rest of the Flame Yellow Pythons are up to me and Wanqing," Shen Haoran said, nodding at Murong Wanqing.

"Okay!" Murong Wanqing nodded. With Elder Bai and Shen Haoran’s help, the chances of getting the Profound Yellow Fruit were much greater now!

"Alright then, let’s get ready and set out as soon as possible!" Shen Haoran said, unable to hide his impatience.

Afterward, the three of them went back to Han Xu and his father, and Shen Haoran told Han Xu that he was going to the Desert Land.

"You’re going to the Desert Land? That place is fraught with danger! One moment of carelessness and your bones will be buried in the endless sands!" Han Xu said with a frown.

"I have to go this time. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful! You, on the other hand, need to be on your guard back at the Han Family, especially against the Lan Family. I’m worried they’ll make a move against you," Shen Haoran urged, thinking of Lan Sha.

"You can rest assured too, Brother Shen. The Han Family is still one of the three great powers in Desert City. Even though our strength has declined somewhat, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Lan Family wouldn’t dare to move against us!" Han Xu said confidently.

Seeing Han Xu’s confidence, Shen Haoran nodded. He gave Han Xu a few more words of caution, and then he, Murong Wanqing, and Elder Bai left the Han Family estate, heading towards the Mercenary Guild Hall in Desert City.

The Desert Land was nothing but yellow sand. Without an experienced old mercenary to guide them, it was very likely they would get lost. Moreover, Shen Haoran and his group needed to venture deep into its heartland this time, so they definitely needed a guide.

After leaving the Han Family, the three of them altered their appearances slightly. After all, following that duel, Shen Haoran and Murong Wanqing were now known by practically everyone in the city, so they needed to disguise themselves to avoid unnecessary trouble.

The three of them walked together until they arrived in front of a huge hall in the city. This was the Mercenary Guild of Desert City.

Stepping into the Mercenary Guild, they were immediately hit by a wave of clamor. Burly, rough-looking men stood around with their sleeves rolled up, shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Come on, come on, forming a team! Heading to the outskirts of the Desert Land! Need two Spirit General-level Martial Artists! Reward is ten Spirit Crystals!"

"Outskirts of the Desert Land! No power level requirement, need two people! Must be of good character!" Shouts like these were endless.

Shen Haoran wandered around the Mercenary Guild for a good while and found that most of the mercenary teams were only going to the outskirts of the Desert Land. Very few were heading into the heartland.

This made sense. The Desert Land was a forbidden zone to begin with, and going deep into its heartland was considered a one-way trip. Naturally, few such missions were posted.

However, after wandering for a long time, the trio finally spotted a few people with a sign placed in front of them. It read: "To the heartland of the Desert Land. Martial Artists below the Spirit Marquis Tier need not apply."

Seeing this, the three of them looked delighted and walked over.

"Excuse me, are you heading into the heartland of the Desert Land? I was wondering if the three of us could join you?"