Blood Stains the Yellow Sand, Soul Hall's Traces

Deep within the vast, boundless Tagor Desert where yellow sands fill the sky, the Snake Abyss Oasis sits like a brilliant piece of jade, quietly embedded in this expanse of death and desolation, exuding a unique and precious aura. Yet at this moment, this hard-won tranquility and peace have been silently torn asunder by a cold, bone-chilling malice that seems to originate from the Nine Nether Hell, rippling through the air like a boulder cast into a calm lake.

Xiao Zhan stands suspended above the oasis, looking like an immovable deity. His green robes remain perfectly still amidst the scorching, raging sandstorms, as if he were isolated from this violent environment. The Seven-Colored Little Snake on his wrist, usually as still as a quiet lake, suddenly recoils as if scorched by a white-hot iron, its slender body snapping taut like a drawn bowstring! Its pale purple pupils instantly contract into dangerous vertical slits, like two sharp daggers, locking onto the distant horizon to the northwest. Sharp, urgent hissing spills from its mouth, acting like an invisible siren that pierces the soul, stabbing deep into Xiao Zhan's consciousness and putting him on instant alert.

An extremely faint yet persistent, bone-gnawing, and cold aura transmits through the invisible tether of the blood contract. This aura, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue in the dark, carries greedy desire, intense resentment, and a touch of desperate, suicidal madness that makes one's blood run cold.

Protector Wu! It is that very Soul Hall protector, as wretched as a rat scurrying through a sewer!

Far from fleeing like a stray dog, he has instead acted like a venomous scorpion lurking in the shadows—insidious and cunning—daring to cast his greedy gaze upon this oasis once more, like a starving wolf eyeing a plump lamb! His target is self-evident: either the Queen Medusa's origin essence, which contains infinite power while in slumber, or the scorching and mysterious Green Lotus Core Flame that has just been subdued!

"Seeking death!" Cold light erupts from Xiao Zhan's eyes like lightning, his killing intent manifesting as icy spikes that freeze the surrounding air, causing the temperature to plummet. He pulls his aura inward, like a long-dormant beast waiting for the moment to strike a fatal blow. With a flicker of his figure, he merges into the subtle fluctuations of space, moving like a ghost, silently yet swiftly darting toward the source of that cold aura! His speed is such that he leaves only a faint, distorted afterimage behind, as if it were a scar left by the tearing of space itself.

Inside the oasis, Xiao Yan is calming his agitated mind near the ruins of the ancient altar. Suddenly, he looks up, his gaze crossing the dunes toward the direction his father disappeared. At the same time, the black ring on his left hand emits an imperceptible yet bone-chilling throb, as if stimulated by some malevolent object of the same origin, stabbing into his soul like a cold dagger. In an instant, a chill races up his spine like lightning, making him shudder.

"Soul Hall... it's that nauseating aura of the Soul Hall! Father, he..." Xiao Yan's expression changes instantly, as if struck by lightning. Without a second thought, he bolts toward the perimeter guard tower like an arrow released from a bow! Only one thought occupies his mind: he must confirm his father's safety with his own eyes, even if it means facing a mountain of blades or a sea of fire!

At this moment, Protector Wu is in a wretched state. He hides in the shadow of a massive weathered rock pillar, like a rat that cannot bear the light. His wide black robes are tattered, resembling rags chewed by wild dogs, flapping in the gale and barely concealing the illusory soul body that seems ready to shatter into countless fragments at any moment. The black mist, once as thick as ink, is now as thin as the morning haze, likely to dissipate with a single breath.

At the core of his soul body, a seven-colored poison mark that nearly severed him in two is intertwined with a soul-searing golden brand, like two hideous snakes exuding a destructive aura. These are the marks left by Queen Medusa's terrifying Poison Evil Seal and the lingering Dragon-Phoenix Power of Xiao Zhan, acting like two blades driven deep into his soul.

Every faint fluctuation of his soul power is accompanied by tearing pain, as if countless steel needles were piercing him simultaneously, making his existence a torment. Meanwhile, uncontrollable, illusory black mist leaks away, like the ebbing of his life force. He is like a soul lamp running out of oil, gasping for breath and teetering on the edge of collapse under the dual torture of the desert's scorching heat and his own grievous wounds.

"Damn it... damn Medusa... damn Xiao Zhan!" Protector Wu's illusory face is twisted by extreme pain and resentment, like a crumpled piece of paper. Soul fire dances frantically in his hollow eye sockets like an angry flame, emitting a silent yet deafening roar. He extends an illusory, trembling claw to press firmly against an inconspicuous black leather bag at his waist, inscribed with countless twisted, suffering ghost faces—the infamous Ten Thousand Soul Banner!

This is his final trump card, a life-saving, mutually destructive weapon bestowed upon him by the Soul Hall! Like a lethal stinger hidden in the dark, it can unleash destructive power at the critical moment.

"Heh heh... even if this protector ends up with his soul scattered... I will drag you all down with me! The pure essence of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python... the scorching origin of the Green Lotus Core Flame... all are destined to be mine!" Madness and greed flicker in Protector Wu's eyes like burning poison, filled with endless desire. His soul body burns its remaining power recklessly, strands of black mist injecting into the black leather bag like venomous snakes. The mouth of the bag twitches slightly, as if a gate to hell is slowly opening, with billions of vengeful souls wailing and struggling within. The sound, a mix of weeping and laughter, carries a despair and resentment that freezes the soul, beginning to permeate the area like a thick fog and shrouding everything in gloom.

Just as he is about to detonate the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, turning this region into a zone of death and plunging all living things into an endless abyss—

"Protector Wu, you've found quite a decent rat hole."

A cold, emotionless voice, as biting as the winds of the Nine Nether, explodes deep within Protector Wu's soul without warning! The voice sounds like a judgment from hell, carrying unquestionable majesty and coldness.

Protector Wu's soul body shakes violently, as if struck by a thunderbolt, and he looks up in horror!

There, atop the massive rock pillar where he hides, a figure in green robes stands silently, like an immovable sacred mountain. Xiao Zhan! He has appeared like a ghost, his gaze like a cold searchlight piercing the thick shadows of the pillar and locking onto Protector Wu's terrified soul body. That gaze seems to penetrate the soul, leaving Protector Wu with nowhere to hide.

"You... how is this possible?!" Protector Wu gasps in shock, his soul fire flickering wildly like a candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment. He believed his concealment methods were supreme, aided by the secret arts of the Soul Hall like a thick cloak of invisibility, yet he was found so quickly and accurately?! Fear and confusion fill his heart, like prey trapped by a hunter.

"Space power... he is actually a Dou Zong... truly a Dou Zong!" Protector Wu awakens as if from a dream, his vague suspicions now cruelly confirmed. A bone-chilling cold washes over him like a surging tide, filling him with endless terror from the depths of his soul.

He dares not hesitate, his soul body erupting with its final strength. Like a meteor burning through its last energy, he transforms into a thin, wispy, yet lightning-fast streak of black light, fleeing desperately in the opposite direction of the oasis! His speed seems capable of tearing space itself. At the same time, his illusory claw reaches toward the Ten Thousand Soul Banner at his waist with desperate madness! Even if he is doomed to die today, he will drag this region down with him and turn this land into a living hell!

"Still trying to escape?"

Xiao Zhan's voice carries a trace of cold mockery, like the biting north wind of winter, stabbing straight into Protector Wu's heart. He stands still, not giving chase, merely raising his right hand slowly with elegant composure, as if everything is under his control. He spreads his five fingers toward the direction of the fleeing Protector Wu, like a deity commanding the laws of heaven and earth, and then clenches his fist!

"Space... Lock!"

Hum—!!!

Centered on Protector Wu, the space within a radius of hundreds of feet ripples like the surface of water struck by a boulder, creating visible, solid, and distorted waves. These ripples expand in circles, carrying a mysterious and powerful force. Where the ripples pass, the air seems to freeze into solid ice, sand stops rolling, and even light is bound by invisible threads, unable to travel freely. Everything seems solidified in this moment by an invisible force!

Protector Wu's streak of black light, moving at extreme speed, slams into an invisible, incredibly tough spatial barrier. The barrier is indestructible, like the sturdiest cage in the world.

Bang!

A dull, thunderous boom echoes like a clap of thunder! Protector Wu's illusory soul body is violently repelled, crashing hard against the solidified spatial barrier. He feels as if he has been sealed inside a massive, invisible piece of amber; the surrounding space becomes viscous and heavy as a mountain, making every movement consume all his strength. Forget fleeing; even the slightest tremor of his soul body becomes an arduous task. His claw, reaching for the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, is frozen in mid-air, mere inches from the black bag—yet that inch feels like a world away, no matter how hard he struggles.

"No—!!!" Protector Wu lets out a desperate, soul-piercing shriek from the depths of his being, a cry of agony as his soul is torn, filled with endless unwillingness and fear. Spatial Lock! This is the hallmark of a Dou Zong's mastery over the laws of space! Before this absolute spatial blockade, his once-proud soul-escape technique, which he believed could traverse the void, has become a colossal joke, like a fly trapped in a glass jar, buzzing about in vain.

Xiao Zhan's figure shifts like a ghost, appearing instantly outside the locked spatial barrier. He looks down at the struggling Protector Wu like a cold, grim mountain, his eyes devoid of pity. With a flick of his finger, a wisp of deep cyan flame leaps out—the mysterious and powerful Green Lotus Core Flame, dancing like a nimble sprite and exuding a terrifying heat capable of incinerating all things!

"It is over." Xiao Zhan's voice is calm and cold, like the final judgment of the Grim Reaper, carrying unquestionable majesty. As he speaks, the cyan flame on his fingertip flares, transforming into a condensed, deep cyan beam of light. Like a roaring fire dragon, it pierces the void with a shrill whistle, striking the core of Protector Wu's soul body with lightning speed!

The shadow of death looms over Protector Wu like an invisible mountain, leaving him unable to breathe. The madness in his soul fire burns to its absolute limit, like a raging inferno ready to reduce everything to ash.

"You want to kill me?! Let's die together! Ten Thousand Soul Banner—Detonate!!!"

He lets out one final, hysterical soul-roar, a curse from hell filled with endless resentment and resolve. The black leather bag—the Ten Thousand Soul Banner—barely suppressed by the spatial power and mere inches from his claw, suddenly erupts with a blinding, black light that swallows everything like a black hole, threatening to drag the entire world into an endless abyss.

Boom—!!!

It is a terrifying explosion beyond words; not a physical shockwave, but a destructive storm on the level of the soul. Like a beast awakened from an ancient abyss, it opens its maw to devour every soul in existence.

The small bag acts as a forbidden gate to the Nine Nether Hell, releasing endless terror and despair. Countless painful, twisted figures pour out—black, vengeful souls filled with resentment, rushing forth like a broken dam of black floodwater. With earth-shattering momentum, they instantly shatter the weakest point of the spatial lock near the site of the detonation. They surge out frantically, as if to break free from their long-held cage and turn the world into a purgatory.

Woooo—!

The wailing of billions of vengeful souls intertwines into a sound wave capable of tearing the soul apart, stabbing into every living creature like sharp daggers. The sound sweeps across the heavens, and wherever it passes, the sky darkens as if splashed with ink by an invisible hand, plunging the world into chaos and darkness.

The viscous, black mist of vengeful souls rolls and boils like a surging black sea, blotting out the sun and shrouding the entire sky. A cold, bone-chilling soul-wind rises, carrying a frost that freezes blood and threatens to extinguish all life. Sunlight is completely swallowed by the darkness, and the desert falls from day into an endless, ghostly night—a cursed world.

Wherever the black mist passes, the scorching sand instantly freezes with black frost, cold and cruel like the touch of death. A few tenacious desert thorns wither, weather, and turn to ash before this terrifying power, dissipating into the air. Even the air seems polluted by the mist, filled with a nauseating scent of decay and death.

Under the impact of this terrifying power, the spatial lock is forcibly blown open. Protector Wu's tattered soul body, now like a candle in the wind, teeters on the brink of collapse. Carried by the torrent of vengeful souls, it transforms into a dim streak of black light, fleeing like a stray dog through the only gap in the explosion, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation and horror.

"Hmph! Nothing but a death struggle!" Xiao Zhan's eyes are as cold as eternal ice, filled with biting chill and unquestionable majesty. Although the spatial lock was breached by the terrifying impact of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner's detonation, the invisible power of the lock still hangs over most of the area like a massive net.

Xiao Zhan's mind shifts, as if a deity commanding the powers of heaven and earth, and the origin power of the Green Lotus Core Flame in his dantian erupts, like a sleeping dragon awakening to release infinite might.

"Green Lotus Fire Prison!"

With a low shout from Xiao Zhan, a thunderous boom echoes, as if the heavens themselves are roaring. Centered on Xiao Zhan, endless deep cyan flames erupt like a volcanic eruption, scorching and violent, carrying the resolve to incinerate all. The flames do not scatter; instead, they instantly condense and intertwine, forming a purgatory of fire covering a thousand feet, composed of countless burning cyan fire lotuses.

Each fire lotus acts like an envoy from hell, spinning and burning. The edges of the lotus leaves are as sharp as blades, flashing with cold light as if they could slice through space; the hearts of the lotuses spray cyan flames that incinerate all things—pure, scorching, and possessing an aura of supreme yang, the absolute bane of these evil, vengeful souls.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!!!

Dense, ear-piercing sounds of dissolution rang out in succession, like a scorching iron rod plunged into deep snow. The moment the vengeful soul black mist made contact with the sea of Green Lotus Core Flame, a violent reaction erupted. Countless vengeful souls charging at the forefront did not even have time to scream before they were reduced to wisps of green smoke within the pure, scorching green flames, vanishing between heaven and earth like dust scattered by the wind.

"Roar!" Deep within the fire prison, a massive fire python condensed from pure green flames emerged. Its form was colossal, its body churning with flames as if it were the overlord of a world of fire. Carrying the might to incinerate the heavens, it roared and charged toward the fleeing remnant soul of Protector Wu, its momentum seemingly capable of setting the entire world ablaze.

"Ah--!!" The remnant soul of Protector Wu let out a shriek so shrill and miserable it seemed to pierce the very soul; the sound was like a wail from the Nine Nether Hells, chilling one to the bone. The fire python, like a ferocious beast, viciously bit into his already shattered soul body. In an instant, his soul body was like a candle tossed into a roaring furnace, dissolving rapidly as the flames spread wantonly across him, devouring him bit by bit.

His eyes were filled with boundless resentment and unwillingness, a gaze that seemed to want to carve Xiao Zhan into the depths of his soul, waiting for a day of vengeance. The remnant soul struggled and twisted violently within the green flames, like an insect trapped in a spider's web, making its final death throes. He let out a final, curse-like soul screech:

"Jie jie jie... Xiao Zhan! You have destroyed my soul body... the Soul Hall will not let you off! The Blood Soul Guide has already been planted... just wait... the Soul Extinction Penalty... shall surely descend! You... none of you can escape!!!"

This screeching sound stopped abruptly, as if pinched off by an invisible hand. The final wisp of Protector Wu's remnant soul was completely reduced to nothingness under the fierce burning of the Green Lotus Core Flame, disappearing between heaven and earth, leaving behind only a few wisps of unwilling, resentful black smoke drifting in the air like gossamer threads. However, these black wisps were also quickly purified by the surrounding flames, as if they had never existed at all.

That terrifying screech of the vengeful soul, like billions of cold steel needles, carried endless chill and malice as it pierced deep into the soul of Xiao Yi Xian. Sitting cross-legged on the black rock within the valley, her originally tranquil posture shuddered violently, like a leaf caught in a gale.

Pfft--!

A mouthful of blood containing seven-colored specks sprayed out, like a blooming blood-red flower, tracing a tragic and beautiful arc in the air. The dark purple Poison Source Crystal Core within her body, which had been refined by Xiao Zhan and was originally temporarily docile, was stimulated by this overwhelming soul power filled with despair and resentment, acting like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly running wild. It was as if a ferocious beast had been awakened, rampaging wantonly within Xiao Yi Xian's body and releasing endless poisonous power.

Hum--!!!

In an instant, dark purple light surged out from Xiao Yi Xian's chest like a raging tide, staining everything around her with an eerie hue. A destructive poisonous power, a hundred times purer and a thousand times more violent than the poison miasma in the valley, erupted suddenly from its silence like a volcano that had been suppressed for ten thousand years! That power, carrying the momentum to destroy the heavens and earth, seemed intent on devouring everything in this world. The green halo emitted by the Detoxification Spirit Bead flickered violently like a candle in the wind in the face of this terrifying power, emitting a groan of being overwhelmed, instantly suppressed to its limit as if it could be extinguished at any moment.

"Urgh, ah--!" Xiao Yi Xian let out a shriek of extreme agony, a sound that seemed squeezed from the depths of her soul, filled with endless despair and struggle. Her originally clear and beautiful face was twisted beyond recognition by the intense pain, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down her forehead, instantly soaking her clothes. The seven-colored patterns on her skin lit up with blinding intensity, like lightning streaking across the night sky, while her gray-white pupils were now completely filled with violent dark purple poisonous light, losing all luster, resembling two bottomless black holes.

The out-of-control poisonous power gathered, compressed, and twisted crazily around her, as if kneaded by an invisible hand. The gray-white poison mist and the dark purple crystal core poison source merged together, transforming into a terrifying energy python dozens of feet long. The giant python was covered in dark purple scales that shimmered with a cold luster under the dark purple light, its eyes burning with gray-white poison flames, as if they were flames from hell, filled with a violent aura of destruction. The giant python raised its head and let out a silent roar; though silent, it seemed to carry endless pressure, causing the entire Poison Barrier Valley to tremble. However, the target of this destructive power was not the outside world, but Xiao Yi Xian herself, who had lost consciousness and was bearing the brunt of it! The backlash of the poisonous power was like a double-edged sword; while releasing terrifying might, it was also pushing her into an abyss of no return.

The terrifying poison python opened its maw, formed from pure poisonous power; that maw was like a bottomless black hole, carrying an aura of death that extinguished all life, and bit down viciously toward the weak and defenseless Xiao Yi Xian below! It seemed intent on swallowing her whole and turning her into a part of its power.

"Xiao Yi Xian--!!!"

A heart-wrenching roar came from the direction of the valley entrance, a voice filled with fear and despair, as if the speaker had lost the most precious thing in the world. Xiao Yan's figure rushed into the Poison Barrier Valley like a madman, his speed reaching its absolute limit, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the darkness. He had just arrived at the guard tower when he saw the earth-shattering eruption of the vengeful soul black mist, followed by the dark purple poison python rising within the Poison Barrier Valley, causing his soul to tremble. He saw the python's lethal strike toward Xiao Yi Xian, and in that moment, his heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, the pain so intense he could not breathe.

Without the slightest hesitation or retreat! Xiao Yan pushed his speed to the absolute limit, as if breaking through the shackles of space. The Dou Qi within his body burned crazily like a bursting flood, the scorching energy surging through his meridians as if it would burst his body apart. Like a moth to a flame, he acted with determination and fearlessness, and at this critical, life-or-death moment, he slammed himself between Xiao Yi Xian and the poison python capable of destroying everything.

He resolutely spread his arms, his back—not broad but incredibly sturdy—facing the terrifying poisonous power that could reduce a Dou Ling expert to dry bones in an instant. His posture was as straight as a pine, like an unshakeable mountain; even if a bottomless abyss lay ahead, he would not retreat.

"No--!!" The Snake-People Tribe warriors on the distant guard tower let out a shriek of extreme terror, the sound piercing the sky, filled with despair and helplessness, as if they had seen the most tragic scene in the world about to unfold.

The giant maw of the poison python, carrying the shadow of death that extinguished all things, was like a dark mountain, instantly swallowing Xiao Yan's seemingly tiny figure. The destructive poisonous power, a mix of dark purple and gray-white, was like boiling acid, carrying a pungent odor and terrifying corrosive force as it slammed into Xiao Yan's back. Wherever the poisonous power passed, the air hissed with corrosion, as if the entire world were about to be destroyed by this force.

Just at this moment, which seemed certain to lead to death and total destruction!

Hum--!!!

The black, ancient ring on the index finger of Xiao Yan's left hand, which had always been silent and appeared like an ordinary accessory, erupted without warning with an unprecedentedly intense light. The light was not scorching crimson gold, nor leaping green flame, but a color so profound, ancient, and mysterious that it seemed to encompass all things and transcend all things—a chaotic dark-gold luster like that of the universe at its inception, carrying endless mystery and majesty.

A dark-gold light screen, thin as a cicada's wing yet condensed to the extreme, unfolded instantly with the ring as its center, like a perfect spherical shield, emitting a soft and firm radiance. It firmly protected Xiao Yan and the Xiao Yi Xian behind him, as if building an indestructible wall for them, isolating them from all danger outside.

Sss--!!!

The destructive poison python's maw, carrying a fierce momentum that seemed intent on swallowing the heavens and earth, bit viciously into the dark-gold light screen. The terrifying poisonous power, capable of corroding space, surged like a raging tide, crazily impacting and dissolving the light screen. The screen vibrated violently, countless fine ripples appearing on its surface like the surface of a lake struck by a giant boulder, rippling outward as if it might be shattered by this violent force at any moment.

However, no matter how violently the dark purple and gray-white poisonous power raged, biting and gnawing like a ferocious beast, the seemingly fragile dark-gold light screen stood as firm as an eternal rock, unmoving and steady. All the poisonous power that touched the light screen was like snow meeting the scorching sun, instantly purified and annihilated in silence, reduced to the most primitive nothingness and dissipating into the air, as if it had never existed.

The poison python let out an unwilling, silent roar; though silent, it seemed to carry endless resentment and fury. Its massive body twisted and impacted crazily against the obstruction of the light screen, each strike carrying earth-shattering power, yet it could not advance even an inch, struggling in vain outside the screen.

Inside the light screen, Xiao Yan held Xiao Yi Xian's body tightly, his hands gripping her like iron pincers, as if she would disappear the moment he let go. He felt the terrifying energy impact on his back, isolated by the light screen yet still making his hair stand on end, his heart pounding wildly, almost leaping out of his throat. The sound of his intense heartbeat echoed in his ears, like a countdown to death. He looked down, staring in disbelief at the flowing dark-gold light on the ring on his left hand, the light flowing like a mysterious stream across his fingertips. A thought flashed through his mind like lightning:

"The Bronze Fragments... is it its power?!"

At this time, the remnant soul of Protector Wu had been completely annihilated, like a candle in the wind blown out. The sky-filling vengeful soul black mist, under the burning and purification of the Green Lotus Fire Prison, dissolved and retreated rapidly like snow under the sun. The darkness that had covered the sky was pierced through once more, and the scorching sunlight fell again onto the scorched black sandy ground, as if bringing a trace of vitality to this dead land.

Xiao Zhan stood alone in the center of the thousand-foot sea of fire, the green flames around his body slowly receding like a retreating tide. His brows were tightly locked, a frown so deep it seemed it could trap a fly. The resentful curse Protector Wu left before dying—"The Blood Soul Guide has already been planted"—was like a cold venomous snake, tightly coiled around his heart, making him feel a chill. The methods of the Soul Hall were mysterious and unpredictable; this so-called "Blood Soul Guide" was certainly not baseless and must hide a massive conspiracy and danger.

His powerful soul strength, like an invisible, vast tide, swept over his own body with overwhelming force, especially deep within his profound soul origin. Sure enough! At the edge of the brilliant light of the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint, a tiny, extremely obscure dark-red mark, no larger than a speck of dust, was quietly attached to it like the most vicious and cunning parasite. It emitted no energy fluctuations, yet it radiated a sense of cold, bone-chilling locking that made one feel extreme disgust from the bottom of their heart, as if an invisible pair of eyes were peering at him from the shadows.

"Blood Soul Guide..." Xiao Zhan's eyes were ice-cold, like ten-thousand-year-old glaciers, revealing a bone-piercing chill. This was clearly a tracking mark planted by Protector Wu at the cost of his final soul power, combined with the mysterious secret techniques of the Soul Hall. It was like a lighthouse in the night that never extinguished; no matter where Xiao Zhan went, he would be accurately sensed and locked onto by higher-level Soul Hall experts, just like a hunter tracking prey. This was undoubtedly a massive trouble, like a Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.

Just then, the wisp of soul imprint he had left in the oasis suddenly transmitted a strong warning fluctuation, the fluctuation echoing in the depths of his soul like a sharp alarm. The direction—Poison Barrier Valley!

Xiao Zhan's expression changed instantly, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread. He could not spare the time to carefully study this damned Blood Soul Guide; his figure flickered slightly, instantly merging into the fluctuations of space like a ghost, and he teleported at full speed toward the oasis, his speed so fast it was like a bolt of lightning tearing through the sky.

When he stepped out of the spatial ripples and appeared above the Poison Barrier Valley, what met his eyes was that heart-stopping scene: the terrifying dark purple poison python, like an evil dragon from hell, was crazily impacting the dark-gold light screen enveloping Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian. The screen vibrated violently, countless fine ripples appearing on its surface, yet it remained unbreakable, like an indestructible fortress. The poison miasma permeating the valley had been completely dispersed, revealing the ground below, which was riddled with holes from the corrosion of the poisonous power; the massive craters were shocking, like wounds torn into the earth.

"It's a poison source backlash!" Xiao Zhan's gaze was like a torch, instantly piercing through Xiao Yi Xian's critical state. Without the slightest hesitation, he pointed his fingers like a sword, and from his fingertips, a wisp of Green Lotus Core Flame, refined to the extreme, shot out. The flame was like a nimble spirit snake; it did not attack the dark-gold light screen but, like the most skillful and precise thread, instantly penetrated the dark-gold light screen (strangely, the screen seemed to have no repulsion toward Xiao Zhan's energy) and plunged with absolute precision into the center of Xiao Yi Xian's brow.

Sss!

The green flame, containing powerful purifying force, erupted within Xiao Yi Xian's body like a scorching rain, instantly suppressing and dispersing the violent will of the rampaging Poison Source Crystal Core. The Poison Source Crystal Core, which had been like a maddened beast, gradually quieted down under the purification of the green flame. At the same time, Xiao Zhan's powerful soul strength, like a gentle and continuous tide, slowly surged into the depths of Xiao Yi Xian's soul, forcibly smoothing out her chaotic and rampaging soul fluctuations, as if a master musician were gently plucking disordered strings to restore harmony.

"Urgh..." Xiao Yi Xian let out a painful muffled groan, the sound filled with endless exhaustion and struggle. The violent seven-colored patterns on her skin dimmed rapidly, like an extinguished lamp. The violent dark purple poisonous light in her eyes receded like a retreating tide, revealing once again those clear eyes, now filled with exhaustion and fear, as if she had just experienced a terrifying nightmare.

Having lost the drive of its origin, the terrifying giant python formed from poisonous power let out an unwilling hiss, the sound like an unyielding struggle against fate. Its massive body disintegrated and dissipated rapidly, turning into gray-purple poison gas that permeated the air. Seeing this, Xiao Zhan waved his hand, and the Green Lotus Core Flame surged out again like a burning dragon, completely purifying the poison gas without leaving a trace.

The dark-gold light screen also slowly receded, like a guardian who had completed its mission, sinking back into the black ring on Xiao Yan's left hand and disappearing, as if it had never appeared in this world at all.

"Xiao Yi Xian! Are you alright?" Xiao Yan rushed forward at the first moment to support the swaying girl, his voice trembling with the fear of having survived a disaster, as if afraid of losing the most precious treasure in the world.

Xiao Yi Xian's face was as pale as paper, like withered branches covered in a thin layer of winter snow, devoid of life. Her entire body was soaked through with cold sweat, her clothes clinging tightly to her skin, appearing utterly disheveled and weak. She leaned powerlessly in Xiao Yan's arms, her delicate body trembling with her weak breathing. Raising her eyes to look at the boy's face, filled with anxiety and worry, tears fell like broken beads, sliding silently down her cheeks, filled with endless guilt and self-reproach as she choked out, "I... I'm sorry... I... I lost control again..."

"It's okay! It's okay!" Xiao Yan held her tightly in his arms, as if to merge her into his own body, giving her all his sense of security. He felt the coldness and trembling of the delicate body in his arms, that fear surging in his heart like a tide, a lingering sense of terror remaining. He slowly raised his head to look at his father, who was slowly descending in the air, his eyes filled with gratitude, as if seeing a beacon in the darkness, along with a trace of undisguised lingering fear, his voice trembling slightly: "Father! That light just now..."

Xiao Zhan landed lightly beside the two, his footsteps steady and powerful, each step seeming to tread on everyone's heartstrings. His gaze was as deep as an abyss, like a cold pool with no visible bottom, slowly sweeping over the ring on Xiao Yan's left hand that had returned to its ancient state; the ring shimmered with a mysterious luster in the sunlight, as if hiding endless secrets. Then, he cast his gaze upon the weak Xiao Yi Xian, his eyes carrying a trace of concern and scrutiny, before saying in a deep voice: "The power of the Poison Source Crystal Core is too strong, like a ferocious beast, difficult to tame. You have just obtained the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, and your foundation is not yet stable, like a building whose foundation has not been firmly laid; to forcibly absorb the Poison Source Crystal Core is to overreach. This loss of control and the triggering of the vengeful soul's resentment was merely the fuse, an external trigger, while an unstable foundation is the root of the problem."

After speaking, he flipped his hand and took out the remaining two Poison Source Crystal Cores. The crystal cores emitted a violent and dangerous aura, as if containing endless destructive power. He closed his eyes slightly, concentrating his spirit, and his powerful soul strength surged out like a raging tide, mixed with a trace of mysterious and powerful Dragon-Phoenix Origin, instantly laying down layers of sealing runes on the surface of the crystal cores. Those runes shimmered with five-colored light, like stars in the night sky, intertwining to form sturdy barriers. As the light flowed, it completely locked the violent aura of the crystal cores, as if putting shackles on a ferocious beast, leaving only the pure origin poisonous power, lying dormant within, quiet and docile.

"I have carefully placed seals on these two crystal cores. Wait until your realm is stable and your foundation is solid before gradually refining them." Xiao Zhan's expression was solemn as he handed the sealed crystal cores to Xiao Yi Xian, his tone firm and unquestionable. "The path of cultivation is like sailing against the current; one must progress step by step and must not be greedy for success, for haste makes waste. If there were another backlash, even with the Spirit Bead protecting you, it would be difficult to ensure your safety."

Xiao Yi Xian solemnly took the warm yet no longer violent crystal cores with both hands, her fingertips gently touching them, feeling the vast power tamed within, as if touching the pulse of life. She nodded heavily, her eyes filled with both the lingering fear of the disaster and firm determination: "Yes, Uncle Xiao! I will take your teachings to heart!"

Xiao Zhan's gaze slowly shifted toward Xiao Yan, focusing intently on the ring upon his left hand. His expression was grave, as if he were bearing a weight of a Thousand Jun: "Yan'er, you must never speak of today's events to anyone, especially the strange activity of this ring! Even after Yao Lao awakens, you must keep your lips sealed! The interests and dangers lurking behind this object far exceed anything you or I could imagine! Until you possess sufficient strength, you must keep it hidden, as if concealing a treasure within a dark chest!"

Xiao Yan looked into his father's eyes, seeing a solemnity he had never witnessed before; that gaze felt like two sharp swords piercing his very heart. He recalled the terrifying influx of information brought on by the ring's two disturbances, as well as the incredible protective light barrier from moments ago, which felt like a heart-stopping dream. His heart felt heavy, as if pressed by a giant boulder. He nodded forcefully, his voice firm: "Yes, Father! This son understands the stakes!"

Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, his gaze drifting leisurely toward the horizon beyond the oasis, in the direction where Protector Wu had finally been annihilated. His eyes were as deep as a cold pool, seemingly concealing endless secrets and dangers.

The Blood Soul Guide clung to them like marrow-deep gangrene, and the retaliation of the Soul Hall hung over their heads like a sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment. The secret of the Bronze Fragments was like a mist in an abyss—hazy and mysterious, impossible to grasp. Though the surface of the desert enjoyed a brief moment of calm, beneath this tranquility, even more turbulent undercurrents were surging.

The true storm had perhaps only just pulled back its curtain, and a heart-stopping contest was about to unfold across this vast desert.