The Great Wasteland Desert

Ten days later, the vegetation became increasingly sparse, the ground beneath our feet changed from a withered meadow to gravel and pebbles, and the air became increasingly dry.

The wind no longer carries the fragrance of earth, but instead carries fine sand that stings the face.

On the distant horizon, a range of undulating yellow sand dunes appeared.

We've arrived at the Great Wasteland Desert.

The five people stood on the edge of the desert, feeling a sense of insignificance and awe in the face of the power of nature.

Because of its extremely northern location, the desert here has not only very dry air, but also extremely low temperatures.

During the day, when the sun is high in the sky, the temperature can barely stay above freezing.

At night, the temperature plummeted to minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius.

Tang San and his companions found a secluded spot on the edge of the desert.

It was a small grove of trees near the edge of the desert, with a small pond in the middle.

The grove was small, with only a few dozen trees, but the branches and leaves were quite dense, enough to block the view from above.

The small pond is located in the very center of the woods. It is not large, only a few dozen square meters in area, but the water is clear and the bottom is made of fine sand.

The water reflects the blue sky, white clouds, and the shadows of the tree canopies, like an emerald inlaid in the desert.

Reeds and cattails grew along the edge of the pool, swaying gently in the breeze.

"This is it." Tang San's gaze swept over the surroundings, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"The Spirit Hall's attention is focused on the other three directions, so they won't expect us to be here anytime soon. Besides, this grove has a water source and shade, making it a natural place to hide."

Shui Bing'er walked to the edge of the pool, squatted down, and reached her hand into the water.

She scooped up a handful of water, brought it to her lips, took a sip, and smiled. "The water quality is good; it must be groundwater seeping out. It's safe to drink directly."

The group divided the work and cooperated.

They leveled out a piece of ground and set up a large tent.

After about half an hour of work, the five people had built a simple but fully functional temporary camp.

The tent is conical, like a small yurt, and has enough space inside for five people to lie down.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the entire desert a golden-red hue.

The five men sat around the campfire outside the camp, eating simple dry rations and roasted meat.

"Third Brother, how long are we going to stay here?" Xiao Wu asked, her words muffled as she took a bite of roasted meat.

"Six months, perhaps. Let's cultivate for six months first, then we'll figure out a way to go back," Tang San said after thinking for a moment. "And during these six months, we can focus on improving our cultivation and raising our Soul Power. If the Spirit Hall hasn't found this place after six months, we'll detour back to Heaven Dou City from the edge of the desert."

The four girls nodded in unison, their eyes filled with determination and anticipation.

Dugu Yan leaned on Tang San's shoulder, gazing at the starry sky, and said with a smile, "Come to think of it, we seem to have gotten used to this life of wandering around."

Her voice was soft, like the wind blowing across sand dunes, carrying a rare gentleness.

"Blue Silver Forest, Frozen Forest, the Far North, Northern Border, Death Canyon, and now the Great Wasteland Desert. Every day is different, fresh and full of excitement. Although it's tough, it's fulfilling. And," she turned her head to look at Tang San, her eyes full of tenderness, "With you by my side, I'm not afraid to go anywhere."

"I've been with my Third Brother since I was little. As long as I can be with Third Brother, I'll go anywhere."

Xiao Wu also came closer, nuzzling her head against Tang San's arm.

"And this kind of experience has rapidly improved our strength, hasn't it? Two years ago, we had just broken through to the Soul King level, and now we're almost at the Soul Emperor."

Shui Bing'er and Ye Lingling sat opposite Tang San, their lips curving into a slight smile.

Tang San embraced them and said emotionally, "Thank you for accompanying me all the way, for never abandoning me, and for never complaining."

Shui Bing'er reached out and covered Tang San's mouth with her hand, her fingertips gently pressing against his lips.

She looked into Tang San's eyes, her icy blue pupils filled with seriousness and determination. "Don't say that. As long as we're together, we're willing to go through fire and water. Besides, Soul Master's cultivation should involve enduring hardships to become a true powerhouse. When we reach the pinnacle of the continent together, this journey will surely become our most cherished shared memory."

A warm feeling welled up in Tang San's heart, and he tightened his grip, the five of them embracing each other tightly.

As night deepened, the campfire gradually died down.

The five people squeezed into the small but cozy tent, their bodies pressed together.

The tent was warm; the body heat of the five people made the small space cozy, a stark contrast to the cold outside.

Tang San's hands unconsciously became restless again, roaming freely among various alluring curves.

A rustling sound came from inside the tent, mixed with suppressed gasps and soft complaints.

Soon, the sounds of five people breathing heavily could be heard from inside, some light, some heavy, some fast, some slow.

Nothing more was said that night.

Spirit City, Pope's Palace.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the hall was as oppressive as the calm before a storm.

Zhang San and Hu Liena, who had already returned, stood in the main hall with their heads bowed.

Zhang San's face was calm, but there was a hint of gloom in his gloomy eyes.

It was a kind of self-doubt that welled up from the depths of one's heart.

Bibi Dong sat high on the Pope throne, her face expressionless, but there was a barely perceptible disappointment in her eyes.

Her gaze swept over the two princes she had placed high hopes on, but now they looked like two defeated roosters, dejected and without any spirit.

Bibi Dong frowned.

"Failure is not terrible," Bibi Dong's authoritative voice rang out. "Losing the will to become stronger is the most terrible thing. You are still young, you have plenty of time. One failure, two failures, are not terrible. What is terrible is that you give up on yourselves because of failure."

Zhang San and Hu Liena clenched their fists slightly.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

At this moment, Zhang San had already broken through to the Soul King.

According to the agreement, he should be made a Holy Son, a promise made by Bibi Dong when she accepted him as her disciple.

Now, he has done it.

However, when they faced Tang San, who was their peer, they suffered one defeat after another and fled in disarray. Even Zhang San was too embarrassed to mention it.

Bibi Dong also knew that now was not the best time.

No one would be convinced if a Holy Son was repeatedly defeated by his peers.

Hu Liena raised her head, her eyes resolute. "Teacher, I request to go to the Slaughter City for training."

Zhang San also raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Teacher, I am willing to go with my senior sister."

Bibi Dong's brows furrowed even more.

She glanced at the two of them, her expression complex. "Do you know the dangers of the Slaughter City?"

"Disciple understands."

Bibi Dong hesitated.

But in the end, she nodded.

She knew that only by experiencing life and death could one truly grow.

Bibi Dong raised her right hand, and two palm-sized Head Soul Bones floated out of her Storage Soul Tool, hovering in mid-air.

"These are two 30,000-year-old Head Soul Bones, from my personal collection. Although they're not as good as the two from the competition, they can still significantly enhance Spiritual Power." Bibi Dong's voice was calm and solemn. "The Slaughter City demands a high level of Spiritual Power. Without strong Spiritual Power, it's very difficult to break through."

"I'll give you half a month to prepare. First, Soul Bone. After half a month, I will personally send you to the Slaughter City."

Finally, she said again, "Once you have passed through the Hell Road of the Slaughter City, the time will come to establish the Holy Son Saintess."

Zhang San and Hu Liena simultaneously knelt on one knee, their right fists pressed against their chests. "Thank you, Teacher!"

The two accepted the Soul Bone and slowly withdrew from the main hall.