Nian Songyu, with a touch of arrogance, boasted, "Is Master He aware of the Endless Sea to the south of the heavens? A place where hurricanes rage all year round, undercurrents surge violently, and sea monsters roam freely, said to be a forbidden zone for the living. I was once commanded by the king to venture southward, entering and exiting the Endless Sea twice, each time emerging unscathed." This was a clear display of superiority, aimed at what he perceived as the naivety of the locals.
He Lingshan coughed lightly, "When you entered the Endless Sea, you had guides, didn't you?"
"Of course," Nian Songyu replied.
"But in the Panlong Desert, especially from September to March or April of the following year, there are no guides available. Nobody dares to enter!" He Lingshan looked at his father, adding, "Over the past fifty years, this desert has claimed the lives of at least four thousand people, and that's only the reported cases. The actual number is unknown. And during the desert's most ferocious period, do you know how many have returned alive?"
He raised a finger, "Just one. And that person went mad. According to the shamans, he lost a soul and a spirit and will never regain his sanity."
Sun Fuping, with the air of a national preceptor, interjected, "The Grand Marshal has already sent people to find something. With it, we might safely navigate the Panlong Desert. Besides, I will do my utmost to protect the expedition."
He Chunjian inwardly scoffed at the finally revealed intentions. Yet, he feigned surprise, "What is it?"
Nian Songyu explained, "It's an artifact left by Zhong Shengguang. With this relic, the resentful spirits guarding the ruins might allow us passage." He continued, "The Grand Marshal's clues have led us to the Sand Leopards of the Red Cliff Path. Master He, did you know Zhong Shengguang's spiritual beast was a Sand Leopard?"
"Indeed, I've heard such tales."
"We've had a minor conflict with the descendants of Zhong Shengguang's leopard while searching the Panlong Desert," Nian Songyu mentioned casually. "We suspect one might have entered Heishui City."
He Lingshan joked, "Simple, just post a notice seeking the leopard throughout the city. Heishui is full of demons and spirits."
Sun Fuping looked to He Chunjian, "We will need your help, Master He. Time is of the essence, and the battle at Woling Pass waits for no one. Even as we speak, countless lives are being lost. Only by quickly finding the Great Pot can we end this unjust war."
He Chunjian pondered for a moment before replying, "If we find the artifact, I will assign our best guides for your expedition."
"Our current party of twenty is insufficient; we need a military force. The ruins are a place of supreme evil, only the destiny of a nation can suppress it," Nian Songyu stated, implying the need for a sizable contingent, led by a commander bearing the nation's seal.
He Chunjian appeared troubled, knowing the gravity of sending troops into such a perilous mission.
Sun Fuping reminded, "It might be unseemly to mention, but Master He's survival and rise from the accusation of divine sacrifice, including the well-provisioned journey to Heishui and subsequent promotions, were not without the Grand Marshal's intercessions."
He Chunjian was silent before finally stating his willingness to mobilize resources, requesting the visitors to rest at the designated guesthouse until further arrangements could be made.
As the guests departed, He Lingshan queried his father about the feasibility of the desert mission, sensing the heavy burden of the request and the intricate web of political and supernatural challenges that lay ahead.