After passing through the light gate, the injuries within his body had already exceeded the limit the Data Body could bear. Heart-rending pain surged over him all at once, leaving his mind in a daze.
Zhao Xuan forcibly gathered his spirits. Beyond the light gate lay an oasis. He instinctively activated the Life Domain to capture life energy and repair his body, while staring fixedly at the exit of the Secret Realm of the Slaughter God.
Vaguely, he heard a furious roar brimming with resentment. The mirror-like exit of the Secret Realm of the Slaughter God rippled slightly for a moment before returning to stillness.
Relief appeared on Zhao Xuan's pale face, but then wave after wave of pain and exhaustion washed over him. His vision went black, and Zhao Xuan fell unconscious.
Unlike the cold of night, the desert's days and nights were two utter extremes. The blazing sun hung high in the sky, and the extreme heat scorched the earth. The entire desert was like a grill; anything exposed beneath it would be cooked through in moments.
Amid the vast yellow Gobi Desert, a small oasis was set within it, dazzling like an emerald.
A wet sensation on his face jolted Zhao Xuan awake from his unconsciousness.
He groggily opened his eyes and instinctively touched his face. His fingers met something wet, slick, and sticky, carrying a faintly indescribable scent.
"Wha... what... is this?"
Zhao Xuan muttered groggily as his consciousness gradually cleared.
Looking upward, he saw a luxuriant tree whose roots twisted like horned dragons.
On one of its branches, a valiant eagle bobbed its head as it looked down at him, its bright, sharp eyes carrying an air of looking down upon the world.
Zhao Xuan jolted awake. With a swish, he pushed himself upright,