For the next six months, Mu Feng's life fell into a relentless rhythm.
Sometimes, he dueled Intermediate-tier mages, testing his reactions and control against human opponents who could think, adapt, and deceive. Other times, he accepted Hunter missions, tracking demon beasts across plains, forests, and ruins. Each battle refined him further.
During this period, his progress was steady and undeniable.
His Hunter rank advanced to Intermediate Hunter.
Both his Ice Element and Summoning Element reached Novice Level 3.
Most importantly, his coordination with the Dark Demon Tiger became seamless.
They no longer needed verbal commands or conscious intent. A glance, a shift in mana, even a subtle change in breathing was enough. In combat, Mu Feng froze escape routes and controlled terrain, while the Dark Demon Tiger struck decisively from the shadows. Their movements overlapped perfectly—offense and control woven into a single rhythm.
Aditya watched this growth with quiet approval.
Mu Feng was no longer just cultivating power.
He was becoming a true summoner—one who fought with his beast, not through it.
Even now, Mu Feng was on another mission.
This time, it had brought him to Rajasthan, deep into the western regions of India.
The mission report spoke of an expedition in the Thar Desert, supposedly searching for an ancient treasure. Several members had gone missing, and strange traces of demon activity had been discovered near the site. The Hunter Association classified it as a high-risk investigation, requiring coordination between multiple hunters.
Mu Feng had arrived the previous day.
After resting and adjusting to the harsh desert climate, he was now moving toward the designated meeting point, where the other members of the team.
After half an hour, Mu Feng arrived at the location.
It was a small town at the very edge of the Thar Desert, where the land gradually turned from stone and scrub into endless sand. Temporary camps and vehicles were scattered around the outskirts, and the atmosphere was tense but lively.
Nearly fifty people were already present.
Most wore hunter gear—armor, cloaks, storage rings glinting faintly under the sun. Some stood in groups discussing strategies, others quietly adjusted their equipment. The expedition clearly wasn't small-scale.
Mu Feng walked straight toward the man coordinating the mission.
"Hello," Mu Feng said calmly. "I'm here to participate in this expedition."
The man looked up from his tablet. He was in his forties, sun-darkened skin, sharp eyes that clearly belonged to a veteran hunter.
"Name?" he asked.
"Mu Feng."
The man glanced at him again, clearly assessing him.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"No," Mu Feng replied evenly. "I'm from China. I came to India to study magic and earn some money. I saw your mission and decided to join."
The man nodded slowly.
"So, what elements do you have?" he asked.
"And what's your cultivation level?"
"I'm a Summoning Mage, Novice Level 3."
At those words, a few nearby hunters turned their heads.
"Oh?" the leader raised an eyebrow.
"A summoner?"
He studied Mu Feng for a moment before gesturing lightly.
"Summoners are rare—but also risky. Show us your summoned beast first. Then we'll decide whether you're qualified."
"Sure," Mu Feng replied without hesitation.
He stepped forward slightly.
Mana surged.
A summoning portal opened beside him, dark and heavy, rippling like liquid shadow.
With a deep, resonant roar, the Dark Demon Tiger emerged.
Black fur shimmered faintly under the desert sun, muscles coiled with restrained power. Its eyes swept across the crowd—cold, intelligent, and unmistakably predatory. Several hunters instinctively took a step back.
The leader's expression changed instantly.
"A… Dark Demon Tiger?" he exclaimed.
"How did you manage to tame something like that?!"
Mu Feng remained calm.
"It's an outcast," he said.
"Its bloodline is damaged."
The man exhaled slowly, nodding as understanding dawned.
"Ah… that explains it."
He looked at the tiger again, then back at Mu Feng—this time with clear respect.
"Even with a damaged bloodline, controlling a Dark Demon Tiger at Novice Level 3 isn't simple," he said.
"You're welcome to join."
He gestured toward the town.
"Go inside and take a room. We'll have a full briefing later."
"Okay," Mu Feng replied.
He recalled the Dark Demon Tiger back into the summoning space and headed toward the lodging area, fully aware that this expedition—
—would not be a simple treasure hunt.
Mu Feng didn't head straight to the lounge.
Instead, he took his time circling the area, memorizing the layout—escape routes, gathering points, the spacing between buildings, and where people naturally clustered. Old habits from hunting demons kicked in; unfamiliar territory was never to be trusted blindly.
Only after that did he enter the lounge.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively. Groups of hunters sat scattered around—some discussing formations, others comparing equipment or quietly meditating. The mix of novice and mid-tier mages was obvious just from the fluctuations of mana in the air.
Mu Feng didn't linger.
He registered for a room, collected the key, and went inside. The room was simple but clean—bed, desk, and a small window facing the desert. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature dropped quickly.
Soon, the day came to an end.
After dinner, everyone was summoned for the final briefing.
The leader was already standing at the front when Mu Feng arrived. The chatter slowly died down as all eyes turned toward him.
"So," the leader began, his voice firm,"we currently have sixty-three members in this expedition—ranging from Novice Mages to Mid-Tier Mages."
He paused, letting the number sink in.
"Tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., after breakfast, we depart."
A map of the desert flickered to life behind him.
"Our objective is a treasure located in the outer-inner zone of the Thar Desert. Along the way, we may encounter General-level demon beasts, and if luck turns against us—possibly even a Commander-level monster."
His gaze swept across the room.
"If anyone feels afraid or unprepared, now is the time to leave."
Silence.
Not a single person moved.
The leader nodded, satisfied.
"Good. We meet here again in the morning. Dismissed."
The group slowly dispersed.
Mu Feng was heading back to his room when a voice stopped him.
"You're not from here, right?"
Mu Feng turned to see a young man about his age, sun-tanned skin, sharp features, and an easy confidence in his posture.
"Yes," Mu Feng replied calmly."I'm from China. And you?"
"Oh, I'm from Rajasthan," the man said with a grin."Born and raised."
"Nice to meet you."
"Tej," the man said, extending his hand."Tej Pratap Singh."
Mu Feng shook it.
"Mu Feng."
Tej tilted his head slightly, studying him.
"So, what brings you to India?" he asked casually.
Mu Feng smiled faintly.
"Nothing, just tourism."
Tej laughed softly.
"Fair enough."
He waved lightly.
"Well then, Mu Feng—see you tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night."
Mu Feng continued back to his room, his expression calm—but his mind already preparing.
The Next Morning
Mu Feng woke early, washed up, packed his essentials, and headed straight to the gathering area.
By the time he arrived, most of the expedition members were already assembled—armors adjusted, weapons checked. The desert air was cool in the early morning, but the horizon already shimmered with heat.
Once everyone had gathered, the leader stepped forward.
"Since everyone is here," he said loudly,
"let's move out."
With that, the expedition finally began.
The team was divided into eight groups, each consisting of eight mages, arranged in a staggered formation. Scouts moved ahead, heavy hitters guarded the flanks, and support mages stayed toward the center.
Mu Feng found himself placed in the middle group, alongside Tej.
As they walked deeper toward the desert edge, sand crunching beneath their boots, Mu Feng turned slightly toward him.
"Since you're from around here," Mu Feng asked quietly,
"what kind of monsters should we expect?"
Tej adjusted the strap on his equipment and replied,
"Well, I'm not from the deep desert zones," he admitted,
"but around here, the most common ones are Sandworms and Desert Foxes. They're considered low to mid-level threats."
He glanced toward the dunes in the distance.
"There are other species too—like venomous scorpions and burrowing lizards—but they don't show up as often. The real trouble starts once we get closer to the inner zones."
Mu Feng nodded.
For the rest of the day, the expedition continued steadily, pushing nearly twenty kilometers into the desert.
The terrain grew harsher with every step. The sand became finer, the wind sharper, and the heat lingered even as the sun began to sink. By the time night finally fell, the group had set up a temporary camp among low dunes and scattered rocks that offered minimal cover.
After dinner, the leader assigned patrol duties.
This time, it was Mu Feng's team's turn.
Since they were positioned in the middle formation and had faced very little combat during the day, the responsibility naturally fell on them to guard the camp through the night.
Mu Feng stood atop a small dune, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight. The desert at night was eerily quiet—too quiet. Only the faint whisper of wind moving over sand broke the silence.
Earlier that day, they had encountered only a few Servant-level demon beasts, but those had been intercepted and eliminated by the teams positioned at the front. Mu Feng's group hadn't needed to intervene at all.
That, however, didn't make him relax.
The desert was the kind of place where danger didn't announce itself.
He rested one hand lightly on his summoning mark, senses extended, mental strength spread thin like an invisible net. Tej and the others rotated positions quietly, maintaining discipline as they patrolled the perimeter.
So far—
Nothing.
No tremors beneath the sand.No sudden shifts in mana.No glowing eyes in the distance.
But Mu Feng knew better than to trust a peaceful night in the desert.
Sometimes, the most dangerous things came when you least expected them.
After finishing their patrol rotation, Tej walked over to Mu Feng. The two stood side by side on a low dune, watching the dim silhouettes of tents and flickering firelight behind them.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Mu Feng broke the silence.
"What do you think they're really searching for?" he asked quietly.
Tej let out a slow breath, eyes still fixed on the dark desert ahead.
"I'm not completely sure," he admitted. "But I've heard some rumors."
Mu Feng glanced at him."And?"
"If those rumors are true," Tej continued, lowering his voice, "then this expedition will most likely return empty-handed."
Mu Feng raised an eyebrow."Why is that?"
Tej hesitated for a moment, then said,
"They're probably searching for Karna's armor."
Mu Feng turned to him sharply."Karna's… what?"
"Armor," Tej repeated. "An armor said to be completely impenetrable—by any weapon or magic. Legend says that as long as Karna wore it, no blade could cut him, and no spell could harm him."
Mu Feng frowned slightly.
"Something that powerful actually exists?" he asked.
Tej nodded slowly.
"It's said to be a gift from a god," he replied."Karna himself is believed to be the son of the Sun God. That armor was his divine blessing."
Mu Feng was silent for a few seconds.
"Well," he said finally, "that explains why so many people are here."
He then asked calmly,
"So… do you believe in gods?"
Tej didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked up at the star-filled sky above the desert.
"Yes," he said at last. "I do."
Mu Feng glanced at him."Why?"
"I've seen things," Tej replied quietly. "Things that shouldn't be possible. Things that can't be explained by ordinary magic."
He paused.
"What about you?" Tej asked. "What do you think?"
Mu Feng's gaze remained steady, his voice calm.
"I think gods are just beings with power beyond our imagination," he said."So far beyond us that we label them as divine."
Tej chuckled softly.
"That's… a very mage-like answer."
Mu Feng smiled faintly but said nothing more.
The desert wind swept past them again, carrying grains of sand into the darkness—while somewhere far away, beneath that endless stretch of dunes, secrets older than nations lay buried, waiting for those foolish or brave enough to seek them.