Poison Vein Shock and the First Spark

Snake Abyss Oasis, Poison Barrier Valley in the northwest.

This valley is situated on the edge of the oasis, a naturally carved, sunken depression. All year round, the valley is shrouded in a thick, gray-green miasma that hangs like a heavy, ominous haze. Beneath one's feet lies a viscous, ink-black swamp that bubbles incessantly, releasing a pungent, nauseating stench. Ordinary vegetation cannot survive here; only those colorful, grotesque, and highly toxic plants take root in the poisonous mud like stubborn warriors. Their leaves shimmer with an ominous luster, as if whispering of the dangers lurking within this place.

This is the most perilous forbidden zone within the oasis, a place that inspires awe and dread, much like a dormant beast. Yet, it is also the training ground Xiao Zhan carefully selected for Xiao Yi Xian—the Poison Barrier Valley.

At this moment, deep within the valley, atop a relatively dry patch of black rock, Xiao Yi Xian sits cross-legged with her eyes closed, as still as a silent statue. She wears the Detoxification Spirit Bead close to her chest, which emits a soft, mysterious emerald glow, forming a thin light barrier that tightly protects her vital points. Her hands are locked in an arcane, complex seal that pulses with an eerie aura, as if she is communicating with some mysterious power between heaven and earth.

The Seven-Colored Poison Scripture circulates within her at full capacity, surging like a torrential river! The gray-green miasma, visible to the naked eye, seems drawn by an invisible force, transforming into wisps of poison mist that flow endlessly into her body like fine threads. Faint, seven-colored patterns emerge on her skin like a mysterious painting, radiating a cold and restrained aura. Her gray-white pupils shift slightly beneath her eyelids, as if peering into the changes occurring within her.

She is actively absorbing and refining the pure poison power of the valley! Every breath is accompanied by the influx of miasma and the strengthening of the poison cycle within her, operating with the methodical precision of a complex machine. With the protection of the Detoxification Spirit Bead, she can finally attempt to control this destructive power with relative safety, rather than passively suffering its backlash—transforming from a prisoner bound by fate into a master capable of dictating her own destiny.

Xiao Zhan's figure appears silently like a ghost atop a towering rock at the valley entrance. His gaze, sharp as a torch, pierces through the thick, ink-like miasma and settles steadily on Xiao Yi Xian. With his keen perception, he can clearly sense that the poison power within the girl is growing at an astonishing, frantic rate, constantly condensing. Simultaneously, her comprehension of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture is deepening as rapidly as bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

The Woe Poison Body and the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture complement each other perfectly, and with this unique poison-barrier environment... her progress is simply terrifying, Xiao Zhan thinks to himself, though his brows furrow slightly. However... haste makes waste; one must not overreach. I must keep a close watch at all times to prevent the spirit bead from failing to suppress a poison outburst, which would lead to disaster.

Just then!

The anomaly descends like a thunderclap!

The massive black rock beneath Xiao Yi Xian suddenly shakes violently without warning, as if rocked by an invisible giant hand! Countless spiderweb-like cracks instantly appear on the rock's surface, emitting a heart-stopping, ghostly green light from within, as if from the depths of hell! A terrifying poison gas, a hundred times purer and a thousand times more violent than the valley's miasma, erupts from the ground like a volcano that has been suppressed for ten thousand years!

BOOM—!!!

The thunderous roar shakes the entire Poison Barrier Valley, as if the apocalypse has arrived! The viscous black poison mud churns and rolls like boiling water! The dense gray-green miasma is instantly scattered and devoured by this newly emerged ghostly green poison gas, like leaves swept away by a gale! Wherever the ghostly green gas passes, even the hardy, toxic plants wither instantly, as if their life force has been drained, turning to ash and dissipating into the air!

"Ah—!" Xiao Yi Xian becomes the direct target of this sudden anomaly! The seven-colored patterns on her skin flare with intense light, like brilliant fireworks blooming in the night sky. The emerald light barrier formed by the Detoxification Spirit Bead flickers violently like a candle in the wind, emitting a low, strained hum!

Xiao Yi Xian spits out a mouthful of blood flecked with seven-colored light, the blood tracing a tragic arc in the air. Her body is struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, and she is sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. The forcibly absorbed poison power runs wild within her like a runaway horse, and a tearing pain surges through her meridians, as if thousands of steel needles are piercing her at once. The suppression effect of the Detoxification Spirit Bead proves woefully inadequate against this sudden, surging Earth Vein Poison Qi, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

An underground poison vein eruption?! Xiao Zhan's pupils contract sharply, his gaze filled with shock and vigilance! He realizes in an instant that hidden beneath this Poison Barrier Valley lies an ancient, extremely pure poison vein, like a sleeping dragon! The unique fluctuations generated by Xiao Yi Xian while practicing the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture acted like an invisible hand, accidentally triggering this long-dormant vein and waking it from its slumber!

Not good! Xiao Zhan's thoughts race, and his figure vanishes instantly, as if merging into the void. When he reappears, he is already in the path of the flying Xiao Yi Xian, catching her in his arms like a sturdy mountain. Pure Dou Zong Dou Qi surges into her body like a rushing river, forcibly suppressing the rampaging poison power and building a solid defense for her fragile heart meridians.

Simultaneously, he forms a seal with one hand, his movements as fluid as flowing water, and presses it into the air toward the fissure spewing the ghostly green poison gas!

"Space Lockdown!"

Hum! With his low shout, that patch of space instantly turns into solid crystal; the violently erupting ghostly green poison gas is frozen in mid-air, as if time itself has ceased to flow.

"Dragon Phoenix Flame!" Xiao Zhan says in a low voice, which, though quiet, carries infinite majesty. He flicks a finger with his other hand, and a wisp of crimson-gold flame infused with the aura of a Dragon Phoenix shoots out like lightning. It does not attack the poison gas but instead lands lightly within the imprisoned energy, like a spark falling into a pile of dry wood, ready to exert its unique effect.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!

The moment the crimson-gold flame touches the ghostly green poison gas, a violent, ear-piercing sound of dissolution erupts, like thousands of blades scraping against each other. The supreme Yang power contained within the Dragon Phoenix origin is like the midday sun, the natural nemesis of this Yin-heavy, toxic energy. Under the burning of the raging flames, the violent, rampaging poison gas is tamed like an unruly beast, quickly becoming docile and restrained. Its color shifts from the chilling ghostly green to a deep, mysterious dark purple, resembling the most distant starlight in the night sky.

"Condense!" Xiao Zhan shouts like a tolling bell, his palm grasping the air, fully displaying the power to command the heavens and earth. The power of space and the Dragon Phoenix Flame work in perfect harmony, like two master craftsmen, forcibly compressing and condensing this "tamed" dark purple pure poison source. Finally, three crystals the size of dragon eyes, flowing with deep purple light and containing what appear to be slowly rotating nebulae, hover quietly in his palm like mysterious stars from the depths of the universe.

Poison Source Crystal Cores! These are treasures containing pure, controllable, and highly toxic energy!

Only after finishing this does Xiao Zhan slowly lower his head, his gaze falling upon Xiao Yi Xian, who lies in his arms with a face as pale as paper and breath as faint as a candle in the wind. He furrows his brows slightly and asks with concern, "How do you feel?"

"M-much better... thank you, Uncle Xiao..." Xiao Yi Xian says, her voice as weak as a mosquito's hum, still shaken by the ordeal. That violent Earth Vein Poison Qi was like a demon charging out of hell, nearly plunging her into an abyss from which there is no return. Had Xiao Zhan not intervened in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

"Misfortune and fortune are intertwined." Xiao Zhan's expression is calm and resolute as he hands one of the dark purple Poison Source Crystal Cores to her. "This object contains pure poison power; I have refined away its violent nature, leaving only its original essence. If you absorb it slowly using the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, you will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort and stabilize your foundation. I will keep the other two for you; I shall give them to you once your cultivation realm is stable."

Feeling the pure, docile, yet vast-as-the-ocean poison power within the crystal, Xiao Yi Xian's eyes instantly erupt with a light of unbelievable joy, as if she has glimpsed a grand path leading to the pinnacle of poison cultivation. This is truly a treasure that any poison practitioner would dream of!

"Yes! Uncle Xiao!" She accepts the crystal with the utmost care, her hands trembling slightly, her eyes filled with endless gratitude and unwavering determination.

In the center of the oasis, within the simple yet mysterious stone palace beside the Spirit Gathering Pavilion.

Xiao Zhan has just carefully settled Xiao Yi Xian into a quiet chamber and arranged for an experienced apothecary from the Snake-People Tribe to look after her. Just as he turns to leave, the Seven-Colored Little Snake, usually so docile in his arms, suddenly becomes extremely agitated and restless!

Hiss! Hiss!

It twists its small yet agile body uneasily, its pale purple snake eyes flashing with urgency as it stares fixedly at an unknown direction deep within the desert. It repeatedly slams its little head against Xiao Zhan's chest, emitting sharp, rapid hisses, as if trying to convey some vital secret. A strong sense of longing and guidance, like an invisible thread, is transmitted clearly into Xiao Zhan's mind through the contract mark!

That direction... the Green Lotus Core Flame? Xiao Zhan realizes in an instant, a flash of pleasant surprise crossing his eyes! The Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's ability to sense Heavenly Flames is far beyond that of ordinary people! Although Queen Medusa is still in a deep slumber, this instinct rooted in her bloodline remains sharp! It has clearly sensed the exact location of the Green Lotus Core Flame!

Just then!

Ding! A crisp, pleasant system notification sounds at the perfect moment, as if a call from destiny.

[Special Task Triggered: Subdue the Green Lotus Core Flame!]

[Task Content: Immediately travel to the location indicated by the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python and subdue the 'Green Lotus Core Flame', ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking! This flame contains infinite mysteries and power; it is a rare treasure of heaven and earth!]

[Task Reward: Heaven-tier low-grade fire control secret technique Flame Emperor Art (Fragment I). This technique will help you control flames as if they were an extension of your own arms; fire-attribute origin affinity will be greatly increased, making you more compatible with flames and smoothing your path of cultivation!]

[Failure Penalty: None (However, be warned: the Heavenly Flame may be snatched by others. Missing such an opportunity would be a great pity!)]

[Hint: Heavenly Flames possess spirits and are like living things. The process of subduing them is extremely dangerous; the slightest carelessness could lead to total destruction. Host, please ensure you are fully prepared to face the upcoming challenge!]

A sharp light erupts in Xiao Zhan's eyes, like two piercing bolts of lightning cutting through the sky! The Green Lotus Core Flame! After many twists and turns, he has finally found its trail! This Heavenly Flame is no simple matter; it is not only related to Queen Medusa's future recovery (the vast energy contained within the flame is like life-saving nectar), but it is also closely tied to the improvement of his own strength and the system's generous rewards. A Heaven-tier fire control technique—once learned, it will play a crucial role in his control of the Dragon Phoenix Flame and his future dealings with other mysterious Heavenly Flames, acting like a beacon lighting up his path of cultivation!

"Yue Mei!" Xiao Zhan shouts in a deep voice, his tone echoing through the palace like a tolling bell.

"Elder Xiao!" Yue Mei reacts instantly, her figure appearing outside the hall like a ghost, kneeling on one knee to respectfully await his orders.

"Immediately mobilize three elders who are most familiar with the terrain deep in the desert! Also, prepare the fastest Desert Lizard Camels—they must have both speed and endurance! I am going to this location!" Xiao Zhan's expression is grave as he uses his soul power to transmit the coordinates sensed by the Seven-Colored Little Snake to Yue Mei with pinpoint accuracy, as if conveying a mission of life-and-death importance. "Additionally, raise the oasis's defense to the highest level! During my absence, you are fully responsible for all affairs in the oasis! If you encounter a powerful enemy, remember that protecting the clansmen is the top priority; hold your ground and wait for reinforcements, do not attack rashly!"

"Yes! This subordinate obeys!" Sensing the undeniable urgency in Xiao Zhan's words, Yue Mei dares not show the slightest hesitation and immediately accepts the order, her figure flashing and disappearing from outside the hall.

Xiao Zhan looks at the Seven-Colored Little Snake in his arms, which remains agitated and is gently rubbing its little head against his finger. A touch of tenderness appears in his eyes as he gently strokes its cold scales and whispers, "Don't worry, that Heavenly Flame won't run away. It is destined to become a sharp weapon in our hands."

Tagor Desert, deep within the Death Sand Sea, in the "Quicksand Burial Pit" region.

The terrain here is bizarre to the extreme. Beneath the seemingly mirror-flat sand lie countless bottomless quicksand vortices, like demons with their maws wide open, quietly waiting for their prey. The sand grains seem to have been imbued with life, flowing slowly like living things and emitting a rustling sound, as if whispering of an endless threat of death. The slightest carelessness, whether for a traveler or a lizard camel, results in being instantly swallowed by this merciless quicksand without a trace. It is a forbidden zone in the desert that makes everyone turn pale at the mere mention of its name.

Yun Du led over a dozen elite disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect, treading through this death-shrouded region with the caution of one walking on the edge of an abyss. Their bodies were wreathed in Dou Qi, forming layers of sturdy protective shields, and every man's expression was taut to the breaking point, their gazes scanning their surroundings with vigilance. Even Yun Du, a six-star Dou King, dared not show the slightest slack or carelessness when faced with such terrifying, overwhelming natural power; every step he took was executed with extreme prudence.

"Elder, according to the final direction sensed by the Tracking Compass, that little beast Xiao Yan and the Woe Poison Body must have fled into this area." One disciple held a compass flickering with a faint, eerie light, his voice heavy with gravity and tension.

"Hmph! This is nothing but seeking their own deaths!" Yun Du's face was so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it, his eyes flashing with a ruthless light. "Search carefully! I want to see them alive, and if they are dead... dig their corpses out for me!" The death of Elder Yun Sheng had placed immense pressure upon him within the sect, weighing on his shoulders like a heavy mountain. At this moment, only the heads of Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian could wash away this humiliation and re-establish his prestige within the sect.

Suddenly!

Rumble—!!!

The entire desert began to shake violently without warning, a tremor ten times more intense than the one at Poison Barrier Valley! It was as if a slumbering primordial beast beneath the earth were turning over, intent on shattering the layers of sand and soil to reappear in the world.

"Not good! It's a sandstorm! A super sandstorm!" A disciple pointed toward the horizon, screaming in terror, his voice filled with despair and helplessness.

On the distant horizon, a terrifying wall of yellow sand, connecting heaven and earth and reaching hundreds of feet high, was crushing toward their location with an unstoppable, overwhelming momentum! Within the sand wall, lightning and thunder intertwined, and gale-force winds howled incessantly, as if the apocalypse had arrived, filling hearts with endless fear and despair.

The scale of this sandstorm was far beyond anything commonly seen, resembling a primordial beast awakened from antiquity, rampaging through this world with bared fangs and claws. Even more chilling was the violent earthquake, which acted like an invisible hand, triggering a chain reaction in the underground quicksand that cascaded like falling dominoes, impossible to stop.

"Thump!" "Thump!"

The sandy ground beneath the feet of the Misty Cloud Sect members seemed to be instantly hollowed out by a giant hand, collapsing without warning! Several massive quicksand vortices emerged like abysses from the netherworld, their terrifying suction—like a summons from hell—instantly swallowing the few Dou Ling disciples on the periphery who were slower to react! They didn't even have time to let out a scream before they vanished into the endless darkness.

"Steady!" Yun Du was filled with shock and rage, his eyes bloodshot. His Dou King aura erupted like a volcano, his Dou Qi surging wildly as he forcibly stabilized the sand beneath his feet, attempting to hold his ground against this violent natural force. However, the terrifying sandstorm was already like a berserk beast, mere inches away! The sky-obscuring grit swept in with destructive power, acting like millions of sharp blades that instantly swallowed everyone into the yellow storm!

"Form up! Defend!" Yun Du's roar sounded so weak amidst the gale, like a fallen leaf drifting in a storm. Yet, this was all he could do at this moment, attempting to gather the last of everyone's strength to resist the might of heaven and earth.

The violent grit acted like billions of sharp knives, crazily slicing at their Dou Qi shields and emitting ear-piercing friction. The quicksand vortices were like greedy, gaping maws, constantly pulling and devouring everything around them, as if to drag the entire world into an endless abyss. Thick bolts of purple lightning struck down from the sandstorm like the angry whips of a god, slamming into their defensive formation and erupting with deafening roars!

"Ah!"

"Save me!"

Screams rose and fell within the sandstorm, like the mournful cries of an Owlman, heart-wrenching to hear. Disciples were constantly swallowed by the quicksand, struck by lightning and reduced to charcoal, or had their protective Dou Qi shredded by the violent grit, suffering grievous wounds and collapsing into pools of blood.

Yun Du's eyes were split with rage, filled with endless fury and despair. He desperately channeled his Dou Qi to maintain the defense, his energy burning like fire around him, but in the face of the power of heaven and earth, individual strength appeared so small, so powerless. He watched helplessly as the elite disciples he had brought were killed or went missing one by one, unable to do anything but struggle bitterly in the violent sandstorm.

Boom!

A bolt of purple lightning as thick as a water barrel, like a sword of punishment swung by a god, descended with endless majesty and destructive force, slamming into the hastily gathered Dou Qi shield of Yun Du. Under the violent impact of the lightning, the shield shattered like fragile glass, instantly filling with cracks.

Crack!

With a crisp and decisive shattering sound, the shield disintegrated, turning into specks of Dou Qi light that dissipated into the gale. Yun Du felt an overwhelming force strike him, as if hit by a Thousand Jun weight; a sharp pain pierced his chest, and he couldn't help but spit out a large mouthful of blood. The blood traced a tragic arc in the air before splashing onto the scorching sand. His body was swept away by the merciless sandstorm like a kite with a broken string, instantly vanishing into the boundless yellow sand, his fate unknown, leaving behind only a chilling silence.

In just a brief moment!

When that terrifying super sandstorm, carrying the roar of thunder and the devouring power of quicksand, had rampaged through this area like a destructive beast from hell and swept off toward the deeper reaches of the desert, the entire Quicksand Burial Pit seemed to have been drained of all vitality, returning to a deathly silence.

On the sand, only a few tattered fragments of Misty Cloud Sect robes remained, fluttering helplessly in the wind as if recounting past glories and present desolation; a few weapons, half-buried, lay quietly in the sand, their blades having lost their former luster, leaving only mottled rust; and... those patches of glaring, dark red blood not yet fully covered by the sand, like withered flowers of the other shore, appearing particularly shocking in this dead desert, chilling the heart.

The elite squad of the Misty Cloud Sect, led by a six-star Dou King, had stepped into this Death Sand Sea carrying mission and ambition, but before they could even find a trace of their target, they had sunk into the sand waves like a broken ship, nearly... the entire army annihilated! The high spirits of the past were now reduced to nothing but a silent sigh in the yellow sand.

At the edge of the Snake Abyss Oasis.

Three massive, formidable third-order magical beasts, the Sand Lizard Camels, stood quietly. Their thick scales shimmered with a cold luster under the sun, as if they were draped in indestructible armor. On their backs, besides the upright and imposing Xiao Zhan, were three Snake-People Tribe Dou King elders whose auras were as deep as an abyss and who were seasoned and experienced. Their expressions were cold and stern, their gazes filled with determination and courage, like champions about to charge into battle.

The Seven-Colored Little Snake nimbly coiled around Xiao Zhan's wrist, its small head held high. Its pale purple snake eyes flashed with excitement as it stared straight toward a certain direction deep in the desert, emitting urgent and joyful hissing sounds, as if leading everyone toward that unknown, mysterious place.

"Move out!" Xiao Zhan gave the order, his voice resonant and powerful, like a horn for a charge.

The Sand Lizard Camels seemed to understand the command, letting out a low, deep roar that echoed through the desert, carrying endless majesty and power. Immediately, they stepped out with their thick, powerful limbs, leaving deep footprints on the scorching sand, and like three yellow bolts of lightning, they carried the four people and one snake, galloping at lightning speed toward the location of the Green Lotus Core Flame pointed out by the Seven-Colored Little Snake!

Deep in the desert, that green lotus, which had been quietly gestating for countless years, waited like a sleeping fairy for the arrival of its master. Would it awaken at this moment and bloom with that breathtaking, peerless radiance?