In the Death Sand Sea, howling winds whipped up grains of sand, roaring like furious beasts. The wind and sand raged, sweeping across the heavens and earth until the entire world was stained a chaotic yellow.
Pale gray poisonous fog, like a boiling sea of death, stubbornly carved out a realm of its own amid the raging sandstorm. The fog churned and surged, as if countless wronged souls were wailing within it, exuding a chilling aura. Xiao Yi Xian darted and danced through the poisonous fog. Her movements were light, yet carried an air of resolve. She seemed like an elf who commanded death, clinging fiercely to life while fearing nothing in death; like a martyr dancing on the edge of a blade, wagering her own body in a breathtaking gamble against fate.
Under Xiao Yi Xian's precise control, gray-white venomous snakes condensed from poisonous mist attacked the oncoming Sand Poison Demon Scorpions like well-trained soldiers, fearless of death. Their bodies twisted as they bared their fangs and claws, carrying deadly venom. When they sank their teeth into the scorpions' hard carapaces, they made a sizzling, corrosive sound, like the prelude to death. The terrifying poison contained within them, drawn from the Woe Poison Body's very essence, surged like a raging tide. Even the Sand Poison Demon Scorpions, renowned for their venom, could not fully resist it.
The scorpions bitten by the venomous snakes instantly slowed, as if bound by invisible chains. Gray-white corrosive spots appeared across their carapaces, like ancient stone tablets weathered by time, mottled and desolate. The scorpions let out pained shrieks that echoed through the wind and sand, filled with despair and unwillingness. Yet there were simply too many of them. They surged forward like a tide, fearless of death. Their massive pincers sliced through the air with a rush of wind, snapping viciously at Xiao Yi Xian as if to tear her to pieces, while the azure stingers on their tails shot out like lightning, carrying a deadly threat.
Xiao Yi Xian moved with agility, like a swallow flying through a storm. Shielded by the poisonous fog, she barely dodged the lethal attacks. Tiny poisoned needles kept flicking from her fingertips, streaking through the air like shooting stars and striking precisely at the weak points of the scorpions' compound eyes. Each time a needle hit, a scorpion shrieked and toppled over, its body quickly turning gray and rigid, like a puppet drained of life.
But controlling such immense poisonous power was an enormous challenge for Xiao Yi Xian, who had only just begun to master the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. The burden was far too great. Her face grew paler and paler, as white as a sheet, without a trace of color. Blood vessels spread across her gray-white pupils like a red web, revealing the exhaustion and pain in her heart. Her body trembled slightly, and each dodge became more strenuous, as if her strength were being drained away bit by bit. The warm vitality emanating from the Detoxification Spirit Bead was like a faint glimmer of dawn in the darkness, barely keeping her mind clear. But the violent backlash of the poison within her gnawed at her like a maggot in the bone, relentlessly assaulting her meridians and consciousness and pushing her to the brink of collapse.
"Pfft!"
A sharp sound split the clamor of the Death Sand Sea. A scorpion's stinger grazed Xiao Yi Xian's arm like lightning, drawing a string of bright-red beads of blood. A pain that mingled numbness and burning flared from the wound, as if countless tiny flames were raging across her skin. Xiao Yi Xian let out a muffled groan, and her figure faltered for an instant, leaving an opening at this critical moment.
"Ts-s-s!" Several scorpions keenly seized their chance. Like trained assassins, they attacked at once with their savage pincers and stingers, instantly covering every possible avenue of escape. The pincers gaped like monstrous jaws, ready to tear her to pieces; the stingers gleamed with a ghostly light, bearing a deadly threat.
Once again, despair descended without mercy!
A trace of hopelessness flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, like a shooting star crossing the night sky—gone in an instant. But the stubbornness in her bones burned like an undying flame, keeping her from taking a single step back. Instead, she forced the last of the poison within her toward her fingertips. It surged like a raging tide, gathering there as she prepared to launch one final attack that would take them all down with her. She had only one thought: Even if I die, I'll drag these beasts down with me! I'll buy Xiao Yan that one chance to survive!
At this moment, with life and death hanging in the balance!
"Bzzzz—!!!"
An indescribably terrifying pressure descended upon the Death Sand Sea, like a divine being arriving from the highest heavens, bringing supreme authority and power. The raging wind and sand seemed to be smoothed and halted by an invisible hand. The entire world fell silent, and time itself seemed to freeze for an instant.
The Sand Poison Demon Scorpions lunging at Xiao Yi Xian abruptly stiffened, as if an invisible giant hand had clamped down on their throats. Their compound eyes filled with boundless terror, born of the instinct to survive, a terror like an abyss of darkness that swallowed them whole. Their enormous bodies shook violently as they let out desperate shrieks, as if wailing at the approach of death. Then they tumbled from the air like dumplings falling into a pot, thumping onto the scorching sand and cowering there, shivering. They did not even dare raise their heads, as if doing so would get them crushed to dust by that terrifying pressure.
The poisonous power gathered by Xiao Yi Xian was forcibly suppressed by that boundless pressure and scattered. Like the sea retreating with the tide, it quickly vanished within her. She looked up in shock, her eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.
In the sky, where the wind and sand had parted, a figure in a blue robe floated silently. His features were firm, his face sharply defined as if carved by knife and axe, radiating an inviolable dignity. His eyes were deep as the starry sky, as if concealing endless mysteries and power. He merely stood there, yet seemed to be the master of heaven and earth. That pressure that made all things submit came from him!
What made Xiao Yi Xian's pupils contract even more sharply was the little snake, barely a foot long, nestled in the blue-robed man's arms, its small head poking out nimbly. Its entire body was covered in fantastically brilliant seven-colored scales that shimmered beneath the sun with a mysterious, enchanting luster. Curiosity and scrutiny mingled in its pale-purple eyes as it slowly looked at Xiao Yi Xian, then at the unconscious Xiao Yan behind her.
"F-Father?!" Behind Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yan, who had been unconscious on the sand, seemed to have been gently roused by a mysterious pressure that resonated with his bloodline. Miraculously, he regained a sliver of consciousness. He struggled to open his eyes and, through his blurred vision, gazed at the familiar yet imposing figure in the sky. His voice was faint and disbelieving, carrying both delight and a tremor of uncertainty.
Xiao Zhan's gaze flashed like a sharp bolt of lightning, locking at once onto the young woman who stood bloodied and battered before his son, still stubbornly shielding him, and then onto his unconscious boy behind her. In that moment, an indescribable ache surged through his heart like a tide, while fury burned in his chest like a volcano about to erupt.
"Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan said in a low voice. He took a light step, and space seemed to fold up beneath an invisible pair of hands. In an instant, he appeared beside Xiao Yan. Bending down, he sent his powerful soul force into Xiao Yan's body like a warm stream. His Dou Qi followed, sensing his son's condition with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel. His brows drew tightly together in an instant.
Xiao Yan's injuries were severe! Several of his meridians were broken, like branches ravaged by a fierce gale, tangled and disorderly. His internal organs had shifted, like pieces on a board carelessly scattered by an invisible hand, thrown into disarray. Worse, a frigid poison and a violent fire poison raged and clashed inside him like two enemy armies battling on a field. Had the warm vitality from the Detoxification Spirit Bead not formed a sturdy barrier around his heart, and had Xiao Yan's own will not been as iron, he would surely have perished in that fight for survival. Yao Lao's soul aura was weaker still, almost impossible to detect, as if he had fallen into an endless abyss of darkness and sunk into the deepest slumber.
"Father... I..." Seeing his familiar, towering father, Xiao Yan's taut nerves finally relaxed, like a small boat adrift in a storm at last finding shelter in a harbor. Then he fell unconscious again.
"It's all right now. I'm here." Xiao Zhan's voice carried a faint rasp, like a rough texture worn into it by the years and worry. He swiftly took a supreme healing medicine from Queen Medusa's treasury, stored in his system space: a Green Spirit Recovery Pill. The pill gave off a gentle luster, with spiritual energy faintly swirling around it, as if it held boundless vitality. He carefully placed it in Xiao Yan's mouth, then channeled his pure Dou Qi into him like a flowing stream, helping the medicine take effect and stabilizing his precarious injuries.
Only after finishing all this did Xiao Zhan slowly rise to his feet. His gaze settled on Xiao Yi Xian like a shaft of warm sunlight. At that moment, she was like a startled fawn, her eyes revealing her uncertainty. Sand and blood streaked her delicate face, like a painting wantonly smeared by fate. Blood still seeped from the wound on her arm, like a flower wilting in the storm. Her gray-white pupils still held fear and shock, but more than anything, they reflected her deep concern for Xiao Yan, bright and steadfast as stars in the night sky.
"Are you... Xiao Yi Xian?" Xiao Zhan made his voice as gentle as possible, like a spring breeze brushing over her heart. He could clearly sense the terrifying poisonous power within her, barely suppressed by the Detoxification Spirit Bead, like a volcano on the verge of erupting and brimming with destructive force. At the same time, he could read the pure, unwavering intent to protect Xiao Yan in her eyes.
"I... yes. Uncle Xiao..." Xiao Yi Xian's voice was as faint as a mosquito's. Without thinking, she hid her injured arm behind her, like a child who had done something wrong and feared her poison might contaminate him. She recognized the man before her as Xiao Yan's father, the Dou Zong who wielded great influence in Wutan City and enjoyed a far-reaching reputation. She could not help feeling tense and inferior.
"Don't be afraid." Xiao Zhan saw her nervousness and inferiority, and his eyes filled with affection and concern. He flicked a finger, sending a strand of gentle Dou Qi—nimble as an elf—carrying a fragrant healing pill to hover before Xiao Yi Xian. "Take the medicine and treat your wound. You did well. Thank you for protecting Yan'er." His words were like the warm winter sun, comforting and steadfast.
Xiao Yi Xian stared blankly at the pill floating before her. It gave off a faint fragrance, as if it had the power to heal everything. Then she slowly raised her head to look at Xiao Zhan. The gentle concern in his eyes admitted no refusal, like the spring sun, driving away the gloom that had long lingered in her heart. In an instant, her nose stung and tears welled in her eyes, nearly spilling over. She had endured countless hardships on this journey, with fear following her like a shadow and despair hanging over her at every turn. The loneliness she felt while fighting to protect Xiao Yan had nearly swallowed her like a tide. Now, it was as if all of it had finally been acknowledged, and the stone that had long pressed on her heart had at last lifted a little.
She silently took the pill and put it in her mouth. Cool medicinal energy spread through her body at once, like a flowing stream, gradually easing the numbness and burning in her arm. She could not help letting out a long breath.
"This is no place to linger." Xiao Zhan's gaze swept over the surroundings like an eagle's, taking in the Sand Poison Demon Scorpions still cowering on the ground and shivering in fear, witnesses to death itself. He then warily looked into the distance, as if he could see the shadows of pursuers waiting there. "Come with me."
With that, he securely lifted the unconscious Xiao Yan in one arm, his movements gentle yet firm, as if he were holding the most precious treasure in the world. He held out his other hand to Xiao Yi Xian, his voice warm yet full of strength. "Hold on to me."
Xiao Yi Xian hesitated slightly, her gaze moving between Xiao Zhan's outstretched hand and the unconscious Xiao Yan. At last, she gathered her courage and gently placed her cold, sand-covered hand into his warm, strong one. In that instant, she felt as if she had grabbed a lifeline, and an inexplicable sense of security welled up inside her.
Buzz!
Space rippled with power, and the three of them vanished in an instant, leaving behind only the Sand Poison Demon Scorpions, still trembling with fear, and the traces of battle gradually buried anew by the wind and sand—as if nothing had ever happened.
Snake Abyss Oasis, central stone hall.
Hidden inside an enormous natural cavern at the heart of the oasis, the hall had been simply adapted by the Snake-People Tribe into a temporary command center. Light filtered through irregular cracks in the cavern ceiling and fell like scattered starlight, adding a touch of mystery to the deep cave. The air was filled with the fresh fragrance of grass and trees, nature's own perfume, mingled with a faint medicinal scent, as if telling of the injuries and healing that had taken place here.
Xiao Yan was carefully laid on a stone bed covered with soft animal hide. The hide radiated a faint warmth, as if offering him silent comfort. His face was still as pale as paper, but under the marvelous effects of the Green Spirit Recovery Pill, his breathing had steadied considerably, like the sea gradually settling after a storm.
The wound on Xiao Yi Xian's arm had also been carefully bandaged, the clean white bandage wrapped around her slender arm like a pure ribbon. She had changed into clean clothes worn by Snake-People women, their exquisite, distinctive patterns seeming to tell the ancient stories of their tribe. She sat quietly in a corner beside the bed, clutching the Detoxification Spirit Bead in her hand. It gave off a soft glow, as if guarding her hopes. She kept watch in silence, her eyes full of concern and resolve, as though she would use her own strength to hold up a safe sky for Xiao Yan.
Yue Mei and several Snake-People elders stood respectfully below. Their eyes held a trace of curiosity, and from time to time they stole a glance at Xiao Yi Xian and the unconscious Xiao Yan on the stone bed. But whenever their gazes turned to Xiao Zhan, standing with his hands behind his back in the center of the hall, reverence surged in their eyes like a tide.
In Xiao Zhan's arms, the Seven-Colored Little Snake seemed especially pleased with the oasis. It lounged along the edge of the inner pocket of his robe, showing only half its head. Its pale-purple eyes were like two mysterious jewels as it curiously surveyed everything around it. From time to time, it would even flick its forked tongue—like a nimble thread—to gently lick Xiao Zhan's finger, as if affectionately interacting with its master.
"Elder Xiao, who are this young man and young woman...?" Yue Mei finally could not hold back her curiosity and asked softly.
"My son, Xiao Yan, and his friend, Xiao Yi Xian." Xiao Zhan was brief and to the point, his voice steady and forceful. "The Misty Cloud Sect was hunting them. They unfortunately strayed into this vast desert, but luckily, they made it out alive."
"The Misty Cloud Sect!" Fury flashed in Yue Mei's and the elders' eyes at the name, burning like flames. Relations between the Snake-People Tribe and the human empire were already taut as a drawn bowstring, and the Misty Cloud Sect was openly hostile toward their tribe.
"Yan'er's injuries are stable for now, but the fire poison in his body is clashing with the residual foreign energy. His meridians are severely damaged. He must rest and receive careful treatment with special medicinal ingredients." Xiao Zhan's gaze settled on Yue Mei, carrying a trace of expectation. "Does this oasis have an Ice Spirit Cold Spring or any gentle healing medicine?"
"Ice Spirit Cold Spring?" Yue Mei's face clouded over with difficulty. "That's an extremely precious item. We once had some in reserve in Holy City, but unfortunately, it was destroyed in the war long ago. Here in the oasis... we only have a vein of Cold Jade Marrow. Its effects are somewhat inferior, but its properties are gentle, so it may be useful. I'll send someone to fetch some at once!"
"Mm." Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, then turned to Xiao Yi Xian with a warm gaze, his voice full of concern. "Miss Xiao Yi Xian, you have a special constitution, and the power within you is like a wild horse that has broken free. It needs to be carefully stabilized and controlled. The oasis is relatively safe, like a peaceful harbor, so you can rest here without worry. If you need anything, just say so. Don't stand on ceremony."
Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly rose, her movements somewhat awkward and nervous. She bowed respectfully, her voice as faint as a mosquito's. "Th-thank you, Uncle Xiao." Her words were full of gratitude and respect for Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan waved a hand, his expression turning grave as if he were carrying a weight of a thousand catties. "The most urgent task is to rebuild the Snake-People Tribe and prepare for possible retaliation by Soul Hall, as well as...the threat of the Misty Cloud Sect." He then briefly recounted how Xiao Yan had been ambushed by the Misty Cloud Sect in the Magical Beast Mountain Range and had successfully killed Elder Yun Sheng.
"The Misty Cloud Sect lost a Dou Wang elder. They'll never swallow that grievance quietly, and they certainly won't let it go! They'll likely follow the clues right here!" Yue Mei's face changed dramatically, like a sky swallowed by dark clouds, her expression full of worry.
"Then the oasis's defenses must be strengthened at once. There's no time to lose!" Xiao Zhan gave his orders decisively, his voice ringing like a bell. "Activate every surviving defensive formation and let them guard the oasis like sturdy shields. Send out our finest scouts to monitor every movement along the desert's perimeter like keen hunters. If anything stirs, report it immediately!"
"At the same time, use the oasis's abundant resources to restore the tribe's strength to the fullest. Refine pills and let the clansmen recover their vitality like dead wood budding anew; repair weapons and make them gleam with a keen edge once more!"
"Yes, Elder Xiao!" Yue Mei and the elders responded in unison, hope flaring anew in their eyes. With this guest elder, a Dou Zong capable of killing a Soul Hall Venerable Elder, stationed among them, the Snake-People Tribe had a pillar to steady the seas, and they felt much more secure.
"Also," Xiao Zhan said, slowly taking out a blueprint for the Spirit Gathering Pavilion from his arms—or rather, his system space—and handing it to Yue Mei. "Build this pavilion according to the blueprint, in the place with the densest spiritual energy in the oasis. It will be like a giant vortex of spiritual energy, gathering the essence of heaven and earth and letting cultivators swim as easily as fish in water, accelerating their cultivation."
Yue Mei took the blueprint and only needed a glance at the complex, mysterious formation patterns and detailed description of its effects for an expression of incredulous delight to burst into her emerald vertical pupils, as if she could see the Snake-People Tribe rising again. "A Spirit Gathering... formation?! Elder Xiao, this... this is too precious! Such a treasure is truly a blessing for the Snake-People Tribe!"
"If the Snake-People Tribe can grow strong, the day will come when it can avenge the Holy Temple and the day of Her Majesty's awakening will be near." Xiao Zhan's tone was as calm as water, yet seemed to hold the weight of a thousand catties. "Resources should be used where they matter most, like a blade's keen edge, so they can serve their greatest purpose."
Hearing this, Yue Mei and the elders were swept by a tide of emotion. Their gazes upon Xiao Zhan brimmed with deep gratitude and sincere loyalty, as if they wished to convey all their respect and trust to him.
"All right. Split up and get to it." Xiao Zhan waved his hand lightly, the gesture carrying an unquestionable authority.
Everyone took their orders and withdrew like the ebbing tide. The stone hall fell silent in an instant. Only Xiao Zhan, the unconscious Xiao Yan, the quietly seated Xiao Yi Xian, and the Seven-Colored Little Snake in Xiao Zhan's arms remained. The little snake's lively habit of looking around added a touch of life to the still hall.
Xiao Zhan walked steadily to the stone bed and once again reached out with his warm, powerful hand to examine Xiao Yan's injuries. Only after confirming that his son was in no danger of dying did the taut string in his heart relax slightly, like a massive stone falling to the ground. Then his gaze slowly settled on Xiao Yi Xian.
"Xiao Yi Xian," Xiao Zhan called softly.
"Uncle Xiao." Xiao Yi Xian responded at once, her voice tinged with nervousness and awe.
"Your constitution is called the Woe Poison Body." Xiao Zhan's voice remained calm, yet his words exploded beside Xiao Yi Xian's ears like a bolt of thunder. Her body jerked, her face instantly turning as pale as paper, and she clenched her fists without thinking, as if that might give her strength.
"D-don't be afraid." Xiao Zhan saw the fear in her heart at a glance. His gaze was full of gentleness and reassurance. "Though this constitution is as dangerous as a ferocious beast, it also holds boundless potential, like a treasure buried deep beneath the earth, waiting to be unearthed. What matters is control, not fear. This bead can help suppress the poisonous backlash, like putting a ferocious beast in chains. But to truly control it, you'll have to cultivate the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture yourself, understand your own nature, and subdue its power, making that force your own."
He paused, his gaze growing profound and resolute, then continued. "This place is temporarily safe, like a peaceful harbor sheltered from the wind. I'll have Yue Mei find a secluded place filled with poisonous miasma to help you cultivate. Remember, power is a double-edged sword, a blade that can harm others or protect them. Your desire to protect Yan'er is the best 'sheath' for wielding this blade. It can keep you from losing your way as you walk the path of power."
Xiao Yi Xian stared at Xiao Zhan, at the gaze in his eyes that seemed to see through everything, yet also held understanding and guidance. It was like a lamp in the darkness, lighting the road before her. The fear, inferiority, and despair that had always weighed on her heart seemed to be gently brushed aside by a warm, powerful hand, revealing a field of hope deep within. For the first time, she saw a path clearly: a bright path where she could control her power instead of being devoured by it!
"I... I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Xiao!" Xiao Yi Xian bowed deeply, the gesture full of sincerity and gratitude. In her clear eyes, the flames of hope and resolve burned anew, bright enough to illuminate the entire dark world.
Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, his expression composed, and said no more. He walked calmly to the window of the stone hall and gazed out at the boundless sea of sand beyond the oasis. Under the sunlight, the sand shimmered in golden ripples, like a golden ocean concealing endless danger.
In his arms, the Seven-Colored Little Snake seemed bored by the quiet atmosphere. It gently rubbed its little head against Xiao Zhan's chest and made a faint, lively hiss, as if voicing its own little complaint.
For now, the storm had subsided, but danger still lurked all around like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. Soul Hall's shadow, like a dark pall, still weighed on their hearts; the Misty Cloud Sect's pursuers, like jackals and tigers, watched from the shadows; Queen Medusa remained asleep, like an unknown bomb; Xiao Yan's injuries had yet to heal, leaving him like a candle flickering in the wind; and Xiao Yi Xian's poisoned constitution was an even more volatile hidden danger... Countless tangled threads left them troubled and uneasy.
"Snake Abyss Oasis..." Xiao Zhan murmured. His voice was quiet, yet seemed to hold boundless strength. A keen light flashed in his eyes, bright and resolute like a shooting star crossing the night sky. "I'll use this place as our foundation. Let's see how the shifting winds and clouds of this desert will surge and churn again!"
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Tagor Desert.
Several powerful auras streaked across the silent sky like blazing meteors, descending onto a sand dune with a fierce momentum. The leader wore the robe of a Misty Cloud Sect elder. It snapped in the wind as if proclaiming his authority. His face was cold, like a lifeless statue, and his aura had clearly reached the six-star Dou Wang level. This man was the Misty Cloud Sect's Enforcement Elder—Yun Du!
He stared intently at a shattered soul jade in his hand. It belonged to Yun Sheng, and now lay broken beyond repair, silently telling of his tragic fate. The last location sent by the soul jade was deep within this desert!
"Elder Yun Sheng... actually perished here!" Yun Du's voice was colder than ice, like a chill wind from the depths of the underworld, brimming with murderous intent. "And Ge Ye's Soul Imprint has disappeared too! Xiao Yan, you little bastard! And that Woe Poison Body! No matter where you flee, I, Yun Du, will take your lives to pay tribute to Elder Yun Sheng's spirit in heaven!"
"Pass down my order! Seal off every exit from the desert! Don't leave a single stretch of sand unchecked—search carefully! I want them alive if possible, dead if not!"
"Yes!" Several powerful Misty Cloud Sect elites behind him answered in unison, their voices like a raging tide, thick with murderous intent, as if they meant to turn the entire desert upside down!
The desert storm was far from over. A still fiercer storm was quietly gathering...
Before you continue