Lone Boat on the Sand Sea

The blood-red tribulation clouds churned like tides, an overwhelming aura of destruction blanketing the land. Even from a distance, Li Su could feel his spiritual sense subtly pricked by the oppressive pressure.

The deathly stillness of the Black Desert seemed to be stirred, becoming active and dangerous.

A heavenly tribulation? It didn't feel like it.

Heavenly tribulations had a purer, more radiant aura, whereas these blood-red clouds were filled with brutality, slaughter, and ill omen. It was more like... the birth of some demonic entity, or the manifestation of an unparalleled formidable weapon!

Moreover, the direction roughly coincided with the northwest direction his "Bedrock Rune" sensed, making it impossible for him to ignore.

Should he go, or not?

The risk was immense.

At the center of those blood-red clouds, the energy level far surpassed his imagination. True Immortals and Mystic Immortals could perish if caught in it. He, a mere Earth Immortal, would be utterly annihilated if even slightly affected.

But opportunity often came hand-in-hand with risk. Such a phenomenon could not be ordinary.

Perhaps there was a great treasure, perhaps an earth-shattering inheritance, or even... a chance to leave this desolate land?

The acquisition of "Minor Chiliad Array Analysis" had boosted his confidence considerably. With his mastery of array formations just beginning, he now possessed more means to deal with danger.

After pondering for a long time, Li Su finally made his decision—approach and observe, but never venture into danger recklessly!

He would conceal himself using arrays and observe from afar. If anything seemed amiss, he would retreat immediately.

With his mind made up, he took action.

Mo Xing Bamboo's radiance completely retracted, its roots withdrawn, and its size even slightly reduced, becoming more inconspicuous.

Simultaneously, following the chapter on concealment arrays in "Minor Chiliad Array Analysis", he used his own bamboo branches as a base, drawing upon the sparse Evil Qi and stellar energy in the surroundings to set up a simple "Obscure Traces Hidden Shadows Array" around himself.

As the array took shape, his aura instantly became even more blurred, as if he had merged with the surrounding black sand environment. Without careful inspection, he would be extremely difficult to detect.

With preparations complete, Li Su moved his bamboo roots again, cautiously advancing towards the direction of the tribulation clouds.

The closer he got, the heavier the oppressive aura of destruction became, and the more concentrated the deathly stillness grew. It even began to erode the operation of the "Obscure Traces Hidden Shadows Array," forcing him to continuously expend energy to maintain it.

After traveling for about several hundred miles, the scene before him made his spiritual sense jolt.

He saw black sand swirling in the air ahead, forming a massive vortex.

At the center of the vortex, the blood-red tribulation clouds were most dense. Streaks of dark red lightning, like blood dragons, struck down, bombarding something at the bottom of the vortex with deafening roars!

With every lightning strike, the earth trembled and space distorted!

And beneath that terrifying heavenly might, at the edges of the vortex, other figures could be vaguely seen!

Not ferocious beasts, but... cultivators!

Some rode streaks of light, some rode exotic beasts, and some, like him, struggled forward using their physical bodies.

Their forms varied; some maintained human shape, while others retained partial demonic features. But without exception, they all exuded a strong aura, at least at the peak of Earth Immortal, with even some Celestial Immortal level existences among them!

They had clearly been drawn by this phenomenon and were now nervously watching the center of the vortex, maintaining wary distances from each other. No one dared to easily step into the range of the lightning.

Li Su's heart grew solemn.

As expected, there were other cultivators! And their strength was not weak! It seemed this Primordial World was not just filled with fierce beasts and solitary spirits.

He concealed himself even more carefully, hiding behind a sand dune, observing intently.

Those cultivators seemed to belong to different factions, clearly demarcated from one another.

A group on the east, with relatively uniform attire, mostly in green or white Daoist robes, exuded a righteous and peaceful aura. They mostly protected themselves with magical treasures, appearing to be from the orthodox Xuanmen.

The west appeared more chaotic, with burly men radiating demonic energy, ghost cultivators shrouded in ghostly energy, and strange individuals wreathed in demonic flames, clearly belonging to unorthodox sects or even the Demonic Dao.

Scattered individuals or small groups were also distributed on the north and south sides, with diverse auras.

Their gazes were fixed ardently on the center of the lightning, yet filled with apprehension.

"Fellow Daoists," at this moment, an elder Celestial Immortal leading the orthodox cultivators on the east spoke, his voice carrying over the sounds of wind and thunder, "This wondrous treasure emanates intense Evil Qi and has attracted such a blood tribulation. It is likely no good thing. It should be collected by our Xuanmen and purified with our great power, lest it poison the Primordial World and lead to great disaster."

"Bah! Qing Xuan Old Daoist, what a noble-sounding excuse!"

A Demon King covered in scales on the west sneered, "Heavenly materials and earthly treasures belong to those who are virtuous! This treasure clearly has a connection with me and should belong to me! Your Xuanmen are always feigning benevolence!"

"Heh heh heh... well said! The capable shall obtain the treasure! Let everyone rely on their own means!" a ghost cultivator shrouded in black mist echoed sinisterly.

Seeing the two sides on the verge of conflict, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Li Su watched coldly, thinking to himself: So it's a fight over a treasure. But I wonder what exactly it is that has caused such a commotion.

He cautiously tried to probe the center of the vortex with his spiritual sense, but as soon as it approached, it was torn to shreds by the violent lightning and destructive will. He couldn't investigate at all.

Just as the various forces confronted each other, arguing incessantly.

An anomaly occurred again!

The blood-red lightning at the center of the vortex suddenly paused. Immediately after, all the tribulation clouds frantically contracted inward, as if being swallowed by something!

In the blink of an eye, the blood-red clouds covering the sky vanished without a trace. Only a bottomless giant sand pit remained, and at the bottom of the pit, a faint but incredibly pure blood-red light hovered quietly, emitting energy fluctuations that sent chills down one's spine!

The tribulation clouds dispersed! The wondrous treasure had appeared!

"Attack!" someone shouted. The cultivators, who had long been unable to restrain themselves, moved instantly!

Streaks of escaping light, demonic winds, and shadowy clouds shot out like arrows from a bow, charging madly towards the bloody light at the bottom of the sand pit!

The great battle erupted in an instant!

The clashing of magical treasures, the explosions of spiritual power, roars, and screams instantly echoed throughout the dead silent Black Desert!

The Xuanmen cultivators advanced in formation, their Buddhist light and Daoist magic shining; the demonic and heretical paths each displayed their unique abilities, their methods ruthless and cunning.

To vie for the exotic treasure, everyone's eyes instantly turned bloodshot!

Li Su held his breath and concentrated, hiding tightly behind a sand dune, not daring to make the slightest move. In a chaotic battle of this scale, he would be cannon fodder.

However, just as he was intently watching the chaotic battle ahead, far behind him, a faint escaping light, almost blended into the Black Desert environment, was flying crookedly in this direction. It wasn't fast, and seemed... somewhat flustered?

Li Su's spiritual senses keenly captured this escaping light.

Its aura was not strong, likely also at the Earth Immortal level, and its escaping light was scattered, clearly indicating it was injured or had been greatly depleted.

Another one attracted by the strange phenomenon? Or... fleeing here?

The escaping light seemed to have also discovered the earth-shattering battle and terrifying energy fluctuations ahead. It suddenly paused, hovering in mid-air, appearing hesitant.

Immediately after, the escaping light turned and descended towards the sand dune area where Li Su was hiding, seemingly also wanting to find a place to temporarily avoid the storm.

As the light faded, it revealed a young girl wearing a tattered cyan dress, her face pale, with a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.

She didn't look old and was petite, but had a pair of fluffy white rabbit ears on her head, which were now nervously perked up as she warily surveyed her surroundings. Clearly, she was a spirit monster cultivated by a Rabbit Demon.

After landing, she quickly took out a small formation flag and planted it on the sand, setting up a simple concealment array. Then, she sat down cross-legged, attempting to regulate her breathing and heal her injuries.

As luck would have it, the hiding spot she chose was only a hundred zhang away from Li Su.

Li Su: "..." Rabbit Demon girl: "???"

Their spiritual senses (gazes) accidentally collided in the air.

The air instantly solidified.

The Rabbit Demon girl's eyes widened abruptly. She stared in terror at the "suddenly" appearing, entirely ink-black, star-speckled, strangely shaped bamboo not far away, almost letting out a scream!

She hadn't noticed at all that there was someone else (another plant) here!

Li Su's heart also tightened.

He'd been discovered!