Desert Illusion

The desert night was bone-chilling, a stark contrast to the scorching heat of the day. Ning Xiaochuan huddled in the lee of a makeshift sand dune, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Su Linger sat beside him, her hands forming a seal, a thin, ice-blue barrier of light enveloping them both, barely fending off the cold wind.

"Your Origin Energy..." Ning Xiaochuan looked worriedly at Su Linger's pale face. "Don't use too much."

"It's fine," Su Linger replied calmly, though her breathing was noticeably more rapid than usual. "The Ice Heart Art can regulate body temperature; the consumption isn't that high."

The little dragon's Source Soul emerged from Ning Xiaochuan's collar, shook the sand off its scales, and flew between them, puffing out a cloud of milky mist. The mist spread within the light barrier, bringing a hint of warmth.

"Thank you, little one," Su Linger offered the little dragon's Source Soul a rare smile.

Ning Xiaochuan took out the Dragon Soul Jade. The jade emitted a soft, milky white glow under the moonlight, its surface dragon patterns pointing northwest. Ever since entering the desert, the Dragon Soul Jade's reaction had grown increasingly intense, as if responding to some call.

"At this pace, we should reach the center of the desert by noon tomorrow," Ning Xiaochuan estimated the distance. "Mu Qing said there's an oasis there, which might be the entrance to the Land of Origin."

Su Linger nodded, then suddenly looked up alertly. "Something's approaching."

Ning Xiaochuan immediately put away the Dragon Soul Jade, and both held their breath, concentrating. A rustling sound came from the other side of the sand dune, growing closer...

A scorpion-like creature crawled over the dune, but it was the size of a wild boar. Its entire body was black, and its tail stinger gleamed with a faint green light.

"Sand Demon Scorpion!" Su Linger whispered. "Highly venomous. Don't startle it."

They remained motionless, hoping the fierce desert beast would leave on its own. However, the Sand Demon Scorpion stopped before the light barrier, as if sensing something, and began to dig at the sand with its forelegs.

The little dragon's Source Soul nervously retreated into Ning Xiaochuan's collar, only its two eyes peeking out. Ning Xiaochuan could feel the little one trembling—not from fear, but from some kind of premonition.

"It's summoning its kind..." Su Linger's expression changed. "Prepare for battle!"

As soon as she spoke, the desert floor around them suddenly bulged, and five or six Sand Demon Scorpions burst from the sand, surrounding them!

"Ice Crystal Barrier!" Su Linger clapped her hands together, and the ice-blue light barrier instantly thickened, blocking the first two Sand Demon Scorpions that lunged at them. But a third attacked from the side, its stinger aiming for a weak point in the barrier.

Ning Xiaochuan reacted swiftly, drawing the short sword from his waist and slashing horizontally, accurately striking the base of the stinger. With a "clang" of metal on metal, the stinger was cut in half, and the Sand Demon Scorpion let out a piercing shriek.

"Careful of the venom!" Su Linger warned.

The injured Sand Demon Scorpion angrily opened its maw and spat out a stream of dark green venom. Ning Xiaochuan rolled on the ground to dodge it; the spot where he had been was corroded into a large pit, the sand turned black.

"These guys are more troublesome than the rumors say!" Ning Xiaochuan gritted his teeth, trying to mobilize his Origin Energy. But the Origin Energy was sparse in the desert environment, and its recovery speed was extremely slow.

Su Linger faced the same predicament. Her Ice Crystal Barrier began to flicker, clearly unable to hold on much longer. Worst of all, the sounds of fighting had attracted more Sand Demon Scorpions, and more and more eerie green eyes appeared in the darkness.

"We have to break through!" Su Linger withdrew her barrier, conjuring two ice swords in her hands. "I'll lead, you cover the rear!"

Ning Xiaochuan nodded, simultaneously communicating with the little dragon's Source Soul: "Little one, prepare the Sacred Spirit Breath!"

The two charged back-to-back towards the weakest point of the scorpion swarm. Su Linger's swordsmanship was fierce; wherever her ice swords passed, Sand Demon Scorpions were either dismembered or frozen by the chilling energy. Ning Xiaochuan was responsible for finishing blows and defense, his short sword combined with the little dragon's Source Soul's milky mist support, barely holding off the attacks from the sides.

"There's a rock mound ahead!" Su Linger pointed to a protruding black rock not far away. "It'll be safe once we get up there!"

Just as they were about to break through, an unusually large Sand Demon Scorpion burrowed out from underground, blocking the path. Its carapace was dark red, clearly indicating it was a leader.

"Jump over it!" Ning Xiaochuan shouted.

Su Linger leaped into the air, but mid-flight, she was struck by the leader's tail stinger! Although she managed to block with her ice sword in time, the residual force still sent her flying, and she landed heavily on the sand.

"Su Linger!" Ning Xiaochuan's eyes blazed with fury, and an unprecedented power surged within him. The Dragon Soul Jade flew out on its own, hovering in front of his chest, emitting a blinding white light.

Sensing its master's rage, the little dragon's Source Soul instantly expanded to the size of a hound, its ice-blue patterns glowing brightly. It opened its dragon maw, and a milky white beam several times thicker than usual erupted, blasting the Sand Demon Scorpion leader into pieces!

The remaining Sand Demon Scorpions, stunned by this sudden outburst, burrowed into the sand and fled.

Ning Xiaochuan ignored the pursuit and rushed to Su Linger's side. Her face was deathly pale, and there was a small wound on her right shoulder, already turning black—though she had avoided the direct strike of the stinger, she had still been splashed by venom.

"Hold on!" Ning Xiaochuan fumbled to take out the antidote given by Zhou Buhui, only to find the bottle had shattered during the fight.

Su Linger's breathing grew weaker, her eyelids heavy as they drooped. "Ning Xiaochuan... Keep going... Find the Land of Origin..."

"No! I won't leave you!" Ning Xiaochuan gritted his teeth, then suddenly thought of something. He took out the Dragon Soul Jade and pressed it against Su Linger's wound. "Please, help her..."

A miracle happened. The Dragon Soul Jade seemed to understand his plea, its dragon patterns on the surface moving faster, emitting a warm white light. Within the light, wisps of black venom were drawn out from the wound, and Su Linger's complexion gradually regained its color.

"It's working!" Ning Xiaochuan was overjoyed and continued to inject his remaining Origin Energy into the Dragon Soul Jade. The jade's light intensified, and the little dragon's Source Soul also flew over to help, continuously puffing out milky mist to aid in healing.

Fifteen minutes later, Su Linger finally opened her eyes. "I... what happened?"

"You were splashed by the Sand Demon Scorpion's venom... Ning Xiaochuan let out a long sigh. "Fortunately, the Dragon Soul Jade can detoxify."

Su Linger tried to sit up, wincing as she moved her injured shoulder. "Thank you... We need to leave here quickly."

Ning Xiaochuan helped her up, and they supported each other as they walked towards the rock mound. Although the Sand Demon Scorpions had retreated, there was no guarantee they wouldn't return.

The rock mound was taller than expected, with a flat top, making it an ideal temporary campsite. Ning Xiaochuan gathered some dead desert plants to start a small fire, while Su Linger used her remaining Origin Energy to set up a simple warning formation around them.

"You rest, I'll keep watch," Ning Xiaochuan handed her a waterskin.

Su Linger didn't refuse, leaning against the rock wall and closing her eyes to rest. Soon, her breathing became even, but her brow remained furrowed, as if she was uneasy even in her sleep.

"Xue'er... Run..." she suddenly murmured, her voice filled with pain.

Ning Xiaochuan's heart tightened. He gently took her hand. "It's okay, I'm here..."

As if sensing the warmth, Su Linger gradually calmed down. In the moonlight, her long eyelashes cast small shadows on her face, her lips no longer tense, revealing a rare vulnerability.

Ning Xiaochuan kept watch all night until the eastern sky turned pale. The little dragon's Source Soul curled up on his lap, occasionally puffing out a small cloud of milky mist to maintain the fire.

At dawn, Su Linger woke up to find Ning Xiaochuan still in his watch posture, his eyes bloodshot.

"You didn't sleep all night?" she asked, frowning.

Ning Xiaochuan stretched his stiff neck. "I'm fine, I'm full of energy. How do you feel?"

"Much better." Su Linger examined her wound and was surprised to find it had already scabbed over. "The Dragon Soul Jade's healing effect is stronger than I imagined."

The two ate some dry rations and continued heading northwest. As the sun rose higher, the temperature surged, and heat waves distorted the distant landscape. Ning Xiaochuan's lips began to crack, and Su Linger wasn't faring any better.

"Look over there!" Su Linger suddenly pointed at the horizon at noon. "A mirage?"

Ning Xiaochuan squinted. In the distance, there was indeed a blurry patch of green, resembling an oasis. He took out the Dragon Soul Jade and found it was burning hot, its dragon patterns pointing towards the green area.

"It's not an illusion! The Dragon Soul Jade is reacting!"

Their spirits lifted, and they quickened their pace. However, the closer they got, the stranger the surroundings became—they were walking towards the oasis, yet it felt like the distance wasn't shrinking. When they looked back, their footprints had vanished.

"We're trapped," Su Linger stopped. "It might be some kind of formation."

Ning Xiaochuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and suddenly noticed the young Source Soul acting strangely: it kept circling a particular spot, as if chasing something invisible.

"Did the little guy find something?"

He walked to where the young Source Soul was circling. The ground looked no different from anywhere else. But as he took a step, the scene before him suddenly twisted and changed!

"Su Linger!" Ning Xiaochuan shouted back, only to find himself alone, with an endless sea of sand behind him.

"Illusion array..." Ning Xiaochuan immediately understood. "Everyone sees something different."

He tried to retreat to his original position, but no matter which way he walked, he was surrounded by the same desert. Worse still, the temperature began to plummet, changing from scorching heat to biting cold in the blink of an eye. Large snowflakes began to fall from the sky, quickly covering the sand dunes.

"Ice and Snow Illusion?" Ning Xiaochuan was bewildered. The young Source Soul flew to his shoulder, warily observing their surroundings.

Through the wind and snow, a blurry figure gradually approached. When the figure reached about ten paces away, Ning Xiaochuan gasped—the approaching person was himself! Or rather, the original owner of this body, the real Ning Xiaochuan!

"Imposter," the other Ning Xiaochuan sneered. "It must feel good occupying my body, right?"

"I..." Ning Xiaochuan was speechless. This was his deepest fear—he was just a transmigrator, a soul from another world occupying someone else's body.

"You don't even dare tell Su Linger the truth," the other Ning Xiaochuan pressed closer. "What would she think if she knew you were a liar?"

The young Source Soul angrily spat out a puff of milky mist, but it passed through the illusion, having no effect.

"See, even your Source Soul is stolen," the illusion mocked. "The Sacred Spirit Young Dragon chose the third young master of the Ning family, not you!"

Ning Xiaochuan clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms. The illusion was right; he was indeed an imposter. But...

"Maybe I'm not the original Ning Xiaochuan," he raised his head, looking directly at the illusion. "But my feelings here are real. I cherish the bond with my father, I value my connection with Su Linger, these are all my genuine feelings!"

The illusion's smile turned ferocious. "Self-deception!"

"No," Ning Xiaochuan calmed down instead. "The Sacred Spirit Young Dragon chose the soul within this body, and the Dragon Soul Jade recognizes me as I am now. No matter where I came from, the one standing here right now is the true Ning Xiaochuan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the illusion let out a piercing scream, its form twisting and dissipating. The wind and snow stopped abruptly, and the surrounding desert scene shattered like glass, revealing the true scene—they had actually been standing at the edge of the oasis all along, less than a hundred paces from the water!

"Ning Xiaochuan!" Su Linger's voice called out. She stood not far away, her face anxious. "You suddenly stopped moving, and you wouldn't respond no matter how I called."

Ning Xiaochuan then realized that everything he had just experienced had happened in his mind; in reality, perhaps only a few minutes had passed.

"It was a test of the illusion array," he walked towards Su Linger, suddenly feeling a sense of relief. "I passed the test."

Su Linger mused, "It seems the Land of Origin only allows those with the true Sacred Source Bloodline to enter."

The two walked towards the center of the oasis. Unlike the scorching heat of the desert, it was cool and pleasant here, with a clear spring surrounded by exotic flowers and plants. Most striking was an ancient stone gate standing by the spring, its surface carved with dragon patterns identical to those on the Dragon Soul Jade.

"Is this the entrance?" Ning Xiaochuan approached the stone gate and found a slot in the center, perfectly matching the shape of the Dragon Soul Jade.

Su Linger examined the area around the stone gate. "There are no other mechanisms. It should be opened with the Dragon Soul Jade."

Ning Xiaochuan took out the jade pendant, took a deep breath, and placed it into the slot. It fit perfectly.

Instantly, the earth shook! The dragon patterns on the stone gate lit up with a dazzling white light, the spring water churned as if boiling, and a vortex formed on the water's surface, expanding continuously...

"It looks like the entrance is underwater," Su Linger frowned. "We'll have to dive."

Ning Xiaochuan nodded. Just as he was about to say something, he felt a burning sensation in his chest. Looking down, he saw strands of milky white energy seeping into his skin from the light emitted by the Dragon Soul Jade, flowing through his limbs.

"Ah!" He couldn't help but cry out in pain and collapsed to the ground. It felt like thousands of needles were piercing him from within, or as if something was awakening.

"Ning Xiaochuan!" Su Linger quickly supported him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know... the Dragon Soul Jade is... changing me..." Ning Xiaochuan gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain. He could feel a dormant power within him awakening, resonating with the Dragon Soul Jade.

The young Source Soul was also affected. Its size increased again, the ice-blue patterns on its scales spread across its entire body, and two small dragon horns even sprouted on its forehead!

The excruciating pain lasted for about fifteen minutes before gradually subsiding. Ning Xiaochuan was drenched in sweat, but his mind was exceptionally clear, and his senses were several times sharper than before.

"Is this... bloodline awakening?" Su Linger guessed.

Ning Xiaochuan stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling an incredible surge of Source Qi within him. "It should be. The Dragon Soul Jade has activated the Sacred Source Bloodline within me."

He looked at the vortex in the spring. "Now, we should go down."

Su Linger nodded. The two made simple preparations, wrapped their important belongings in oilcloth, took a deep breath, and jumped into the vortex...

The bone-chilling water current dragged them down rapidly. The vortex's power was too strong; they couldn't swim independently and could only go with the flow. Just as Ning Xiaochuan was about to run out of air, his vision suddenly brightened!

They were thrown out of an underground lake and landed heavily on the damp rock. Ning Xiaochuan coughed and got up, finding themselves in a massive underground cavern. The ceiling was impossibly high, and the surrounding stone walls were embedded with glowing crystals, providing dim illumination.

"What is this...?" Ning Xiaochuan looked around.

Su Linger wrung the water from her clothes. "The entrance hall of the Land of Origin. Look over there—"

She pointed deeper into the cave, where a narrow passage wound downwards. Statues similar to the stone gate outside stood on either side of the passage, only they were more ancient and damaged.

Most striking was the scene at the end of the passage—a massive bronze gate, carved with patterns identical to those in the portrait of Ning Xiaochuan's mother!

"We found it," Ning Xiaochuan's voice trembled slightly. "The Land of Origin..."