Mysterious Sand Spirit

The gigantic hand of sand and stone was immense, blotting out the sky and sun. Carrying vast, majestic earth power and an ancient, desolate will, it suddenly seized at Li Su and the other three!

Its might far surpassed those demonic cultivators from before, and Li Su even felt pressure comparable to that of a True Immortal!

A giant hand blocked the way ahead, while demonic cultivators pursued from behind! They were instantly trapped in a desperate situation!

Li Su's expression changed drastically. He abruptly halted his escape light and shoved Ming Xin and the other two back. His eight-zhang bamboo body blazed with brilliance to its utmost limit as Profound Star Swirl Body Protection, Bedrock Dao Rhythm, the power of the stars, and even that faint trace of Holy Light Protection activated at once. Holding nothing back, he charged toward the grasping hand!

He did not dare slacken in the slightest. He secretly activated the willow leaf bestowed by Cihang Daoren as well, prepared to fight to the death!

However, just as the giant hand was about to seize Li Su, it suddenly stopped in midair.

Sand and stone flowed across the hand, gathering into a blurry face made of earth and sand. Its hollow eyes seemed capable of seeing through one's heart as they stared at Li Su, especially at the circulating "Bedrock" Dao Rhythm and earth-element aura on his bamboo body.

That muffled, thunderous voice rang out again, now carrying a hint of doubt and inquiry. "Hmm?... The aura of Buzhou Mountain?

And... the blessing of the Houtu Tribe? Little Bamboo, you are not of the demonic path. Why are you mingling with those Blood Sea vermin and disturbing the peace here?"

Li Su froze. The other party did not seem intent on killing him immediately? He steadied himself and watched the sand-and-stone face warily. "Senior, please judge clearly. This junior is Mo Xing, a Nominal Disciple of the Jade Void Palace in Kunlun.

Those pursuing us are demonic cultivators from the Nether Blood Sea. They laid an ambush and besieged my fellow disciples. This junior had no choice but to fight back, and had absolutely no intention of disturbing the peace here.

My actions just now were solely for self-defense and to break through the encirclement."

"A disciple of Jade Void?" The sand-and-stone face grew even more doubtful. "Why has one of Yuanshi Tianzun's people come to this remote Quicksand Marsh? And why do you carry the stony scent of Buzhou Mountain and the mud mark of the Houtu Tribe?"

By then, Sha Tongtian and the other demonic cultivators had already drawn near. The moment they saw the enormous hand of sand and stone, their expressions changed. They stopped in their tracks and did not dare advance, clearly deeply wary of this place's master.

Sha Tongtian hurriedly bowed respectfully. "Quicksand Spirit Venerable, please see clearly! Do not listen to this bamboo demon's nonsense!

He is a spy sent by the Jade Void Palace, intending to disrupt your slumber and seize this place's origin! We came under the orders of the Blood Sea Old Ancestor to protect your peace!"

"Bullshit!" Ming Xin cursed furiously. "It was clearly you demons who laid an ambush to harm others!

Senior Sand Spirit, we truly are Jade Void disciples. We were traveling to Black Wind Mountain to rescue our trapped senior brothers and sisters when they ambushed us here! These are our identity jade badges!" She hurriedly displayed the Jade Void Palace token again.

The giant hand's face, called the Quicksand Spirit Venerable, swept its gaze over the token, then at the Dao Rhythm on Li Su's body, before looking toward the pure, repulsive Blood Sea demonic aura on Sha Tongtian and the others. It immediately understood.

"Hmph! This old ancestor has slept for ten thousand years, but that does not mean my eyes have gone dim!" The Quicksand Spirit Venerable's voice turned cold. "You little brats from the Blood Sea dare scheme on this old ancestor's territory and even try to use me? Get lost!"

The final words exploded like thunder. An invisible, overwhelming force suddenly erupted, and Sha Tongtian and the other demonic cultivators were struck as though by a massive blow. They coughed blood and flew backward, their faces filled with terror. They did not dare utter another word and fled in miserable haste, not even daring to leave behind a threat.

Having effortlessly driven away the demonic cultivators, the Quicksand Spirit Venerable's giant hand slowly withdrew. The sand and stone flowed, transforming into a three-zhang-tall giant formed entirely from quicksand. It stood before Li Su and the others, its aura as deep as an abyss.

Li Su and the other three let out sighs of relief and quickly bowed. "Thank you, Senior Quicksand Spirit, for your aid!"

The Quicksand Spirit Venerable waved a hand. Its face of flowing sand looked at Li Su with interest. "Little Bamboo, where did the intent of Buzhou Mountain on your body come from?

Though it is exceedingly faint, its essence is remarkably high and far from ordinary. And that blessing bone tablet of the Houtu Tribe—your relationship with them must be quite close?"

Seeing that the other party seemed to bear no ill intent, Li Su briefly recounted how he had chanced upon the Bedrock Rune, traveled through the City of Ten Thousand Shamans, and received aid from the Houtu Tribe. He omitted the system and the specific details.

After hearing him out, the Quicksand Spirit Venerable fell silent for a moment. A look of reminiscence seemed to pass through its eyes of flowing sand. "Buzhou Mountain... Father God Pangu's spine... alas, it fell.

That fool Gonggong... and Zhurong..." It murmured to itself, its voice carrying endless vicissitudes.

After a long while, it looked at Li Su again. "Obtaining such a fateful opportunity is your good fortune. That fragment of Buzhou Mountain did indeed fall deep within this place, buried beneath quicksand and earthfire.

But the laws around it are chaotic and extremely dangerous. Even I do not dare enter the core lightly. If you wish to find it, it will be as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Li Su's heart stirred. So it really was here! He respectfully said, "Thank you for informing me, Senior. This junior knows his strength is lacking. I merely yearn for it and wish to give it a try. Even if I fail, it will still be a form of training."

"Interesting." The Quicksand Spirit Venerable seemed to smile. "For the sake of the Buzhou intent you bear, and because you helped this old ancestor drive away those annoying Blood Sea vermin, I shall lend you a hand."

Its enormous finger of quicksand pointed, and a thread of pure yellow spiritual light entered Li Su's brow.

"This is a trace of the Heart of Quicksand's mark. Within a thousand li of this place, it will protect you from quicksand and earthfire, and allow you to faintly sense the location of the Buzhou Mountain fragment.

But whether you can find it and approach it will depend on yourself."

A warm, heavy force merged into Li Su's Immortal Sense. At once, his perception of the desert beneath his feet became incomparably clear and intimate, as though he had become part of the earth itself.

"Furthermore," the Quicksand Spirit Venerable looked toward Ming Xin and the other two, "behind the Nether rift at Black Wind Mountain, where your senior brothers and sisters are trapped, there is likely more than just low-level demonic creatures.

This old ancestor senses the aura of an old enemy, familiar yet hateful... It seems that bastard Nightmare Demon, who loves playing with dreams, has awakened... When you go to rescue them, take extra care against illusions and dream attacks."

Nightmare Demon? Li Su remembered the name.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior!" The four of them thanked it again.

"Go." The Quicksand Spirit Venerable slowly sank into the quicksand, its voice gradually fading. "The great tribulation has begun. There is no longer any pure land in the Primordial World.

Little Bamboo, I hope you can truly comprehend the weight of Buzhou and not disappoint this fateful opportunity..."

As the Quicksand Spirit Venerable vanished, the surrounding desert returned to calm, as though nothing had happened.

Li Su sensed the trace of the Heart of Quicksand's mark in his mind, as well as the faint direction in which it pointed toward the Buzhou Mountain fragment, and made his decision.

He looked at Ming Xin and the other two. "Junior brothers and sister, Black Wind Mountain is in critical danger, and a Demon Venerable-level being, Nightmare Demon, has awakened. The danger far exceeds our expectations.

Go at once to the nearest Jade Void Palace outpost and seek reinforcements. I will share the mark with you. I need to search for the Buzhou Mountain fragment first. It may help increase my strength. Then I will hurry to Black Wind Mountain and meet you there, giving us a better chance of saving them."

Though Ming Xin and the other two worried about Yang Jian and Long Ji, they knew Li Su was right. That Nightmare Demon was clearly not something they could handle.

After receiving the quicksand mark Li Su shared with them, which would keep them safe crossing the desert, the three said solemnly, "Take care, Senior Brother! We will bring reinforcements as quickly as possible!"

The two groups split up. Ming Xin and the other two sped toward the edge of the desert.

Li Su took a deep breath and followed the faint sensation in his mind, flying deeper into Quicksand Marsh, toward the place of earthfire and chaotic laws.