By my estimation, the ring would hold on for a year or two, especially if I fixed the formation within it from time to time. It was both a long and a short time.
In the worst-case scenario, I could always throw it in the deepest mountain crevice… or in an active volcano.
Somewhere no living being existed. At least this way, the damage from the portal would be minimized.
In the meantime, I gathered the remains of my army, the Union, and my things, and continued to explore the desert.
The Silver Sage was nearby, I was sure. The demon confirmed this. He was cultivating with the Qi from the portal, but not directly near the portal.
It was probably a sign that the Silver Sage wasn't corrupted by Qi deviation. At least I hoped he wasn't.
I and my army scouted the desert around the former portal for another week in a spiral pattern until I finally found him.
