RE: LORD OF TIME

As soon as William and the others entered the portal, their vision plunged into darkness, and they felt as if they were falling from a high cliff.

William had experienced the sensation of entering an Astral Rift many times, so he remained calm.

However, Alicia and Liam couldn’t help but panic slightly and flailed their arms around, as if trying to grab onto something.

Although they had heard about what a person would experience upon entering an Astral Rift, experiencing it firsthand was still far beyond their imagination.

Fortunately, the strange sensation of falling did not last long, and their surroundings gradually brightened.

At the same time, the feeling of plummeting from a great height disappeared, and their feet touched solid ground.

Thud! Thud!

The instant their feet landed, Alicia and Liam dropped onto their buttocks and gasped for breath.

William allowed the two of them a moment to adapt to the sudden change while he examined their surroundings.

They were currently inside a small room that contained nothing except a small portal hovering behind them.

The portal was the exit of the Astral Rift, allowing them to leave whenever they wished.

William waited for about a minute until Alicia and Liam had recovered before speaking.

"Let’s go."

He walked toward the only door in the room, opened it, and stepped outside.

Liam and Alicia exchanged glances, surprise visible in their eyes as they hadn’t expected William to be completely at ease while they were still feeling dizzy from the transition.

However, neither of them said anything and immediately followed after him.

"Is this the outpost the academy created?" Liam asked as he stepped outside and saw an empty hall with several reception counters.

However, there wasn’t a single attendant behind any of them, and the entire hall was completely deserted.

William nodded as they walked toward the exit.

"Normally, there are always a few people managing the outpost. But because of the unique nature of the Howling Desert, very few people choose to enter this Astral Rift."

As he spoke, the three of them stepped out of the building, and a vast desert engulfed by fierce howling winds came into view.

"Since people rarely enter this rift, only a single person is assigned to manage the outpost. He is probably sleeping in one of the rooms because of boredom."

Although the endless desert stretching all the way to the horizon was engulfed in violent winds, not a single grain of sand or gust of wind entered the ten-meter radius around the outpost building, as though an invisible force was blocking everything.

It was the work of a defensive array that protected the entire outpost, ensuring the building remained safe from monsters while also providing explorers with a secure place to rest.

Alicia pursed her lips as she looked at the raging sandstorm outside.

Just looking at it made her skin ache, as though she were staring at a giant grinding wheel.

"Alicia, there’s a changing room inside the building. Go change your clothes," William said, turning toward her. "That long dress isn’t suitable for exploring the rift."

Alicia froze for a moment before quickly reacting.

She had been so excited about entering an Astral Rift that she had completely forgotten to change into clothes suitable for traveling and combat.

"Just wait a minute." She said and hurried back into the building.

William shifted his gaze toward the endless desert once more, his eyes narrowing slightly.

’That place should be somewhere to the northeast of the outpost...’

His gaze settled in that direction.

’If we successfully discover it, I won’t have to worry about cultivation resources until I reach the peak of the Star Warrior Realm.’

William glanced at Liam from the corner of his eye, his expression turning thoughtful.

He hadn’t forgotten about the trial the spirit of the white pearl had given him.

If he were to establish a faction, Liam was definitely someone he wanted to recruit.

Despite all of his silly antics, Liam genuinely possessed an Epic Grade combat-oriented trait, and his combat talent was exceptional.

Moreover, his trait would evolve into a Legendary Grade trait in the future.

’My faction needs to occupy three of the top ten positions on the Heavenly Ranking. As long as Liam receives the proper guidance, he can definitely secure one of those spots.’

While William was lost in thought, Alicia returned after changing her clothes.

She was now wearing a white leather combat outfit paired with matching leather boots. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, and she carried a staff with a blue gem embedded at its tip.

William nodded in satisfaction before taking three masks out of his backpack and tossing one each to Liam and Alicia.

"Put these on, and we will be ready to leave."

As he spoke, William put one on himself.

The mask resembled a gas mask and completely covered his face.

"What are these for?" Liam asked curiously while examining the mask.

"If you don’t wear it, you will go blind within a few hours after entering the desert."

William pointed toward the countless tiny grains of sand swirling through the storm outside.

"Oh." Liam and Alicia immediately understood and put on their masks without asking any more questions.

Once they were fully prepared, the three of them walked forward.

The instant they stepped beyond the ten-meter protective radius surrounding the outpost, a violent gale slammed into them.

Dry winds mixed with countless sand particles battered their bodies like an enormous grinding wheel, threatening to tear them apart.

"Stay close to each other, or you might get separated in this sandstorm!" William shouted over the howling wind.

"Got it!"

Liam and Alicia nodded and stayed close beside William, following him since he was the only one who knew their destination.

"Now I understand why no students come here," Alicia couldn’t help but say as she felt sand gradually finding its way into her boots and clothes.

"Are you sure the senior you mentioned didn’t deceive you? Is there really something valuable hidden in this forsaken place?"

Just like Liam, William had already told Alicia why he had chosen the Howling Desert.

However, unlike Liam, she remained highly skeptical about the information.

"We will know once we get there. Besides, even if we don’t find the place she mentioned, there are still a few other interesting locations inside this rift."

William continued leading them deeper into the desert.

Suddenly, through the Eyes of Insight, he noticed something and immediately came to a stop.

"What’s wrong?" Liam and Alicia stopped beside him and asked in confusion.

"An old acquaintance is coming," William replied as he looked at the sandy ground beneath them.

"An old acquaintance?"

Both Liam and Alicia were taken aback by his words.

But before either of them could ask another question—

Bang!

The sand before them exploded as a massive snake’s head burst out, lunging straight toward William.

"A Desert Hunter!"

Shock appeared on Liam’s and Alicia’s faces as they instinctively moved to help.

However, before either of them could even take a single step, William lashed out with a kick at an astonishing speed, striking the Desert Hunter the instant it emerged.

Bang!

A deafening explosion echoed across the howling desert and the Desert Hunter’s upper body instantly exploded into chunks of flesh, its blood spraying in every direction.