Demonic Beast Lizard Camel

[Demon Peak of Bones: Standing on the opposite bank of the Ancient River of Buried Gods, it resembles a monument to death, piled layer upon layer with the remains of countless ancient gods, demons, and giant beasts. At the peak, chaotic demonic flames burn day and night, raging like violent, savage beasts. It harbors great peril, yet simultaneously, it may conceal great opportunity. According to system detection, the target fragment is located at the summit of the Demon Peak, currently suffering the cruel erosion of the demonic flames. Its aura has become extremely weak, like a candle in the wind, liable to extinguish at any moment.]

The system's information struck Xiao Zhan's heart like a heavy hammer, confirming Xiao Yan's intuition and causing his heart to sink to the bottom of the abyss. For anyone below the Dou Zun realm to enter that region was a nine-in-ten chance of death! The Corrosive God Poison Miasma permeating the air above the Ancient River of Buried Gods was difficult even for a Dou Zong powerhouse to resist! As for the Demon Peak of Bones, it was even more unfathomably dangerous, a chasm of death waiting for the ignorant to step inside.

"Father! I must go!" Xiao Yan's gaze was incredibly firm, like brilliant stars, flashing with an unquestionable, resolute light. "That fragment is vital to Teacher! I can clearly feel that the energy it contains is greater than the two fragments we currently possess combined! And... the system has also issued a quest to 'Explore the Desert of Buried Immortals'!" As he spoke, he briefly explained the system-prompted quest to his father.

"Nonsense!" Xiao Zhan's voice turned sharp, exploding in the air like thunder, carrying unprecedented majesty. "What kind of place is the Desert of Buried Immortals? It is a forbidden zone where even a Dou Zong might not escape unscathed! You are merely a Dou Grandmaster; wouldn't going there be seeking your own death?!" It was not that he did not wish to see Xiao Yan grow, but the danger level of that forbidden region far exceeded the limits Xiao Yan could currently bear, much like a fledgling facing a beast with no power to resist.

"I know it's dangerous!" Xiao Yan did not flinch, meeting his father's sword-sharp gaze head-on. He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "But Teacher needs it! The secret of the Bronze Immortal Palace also requires it to be unveiled! I do not want to hide under your wings forever, acting like a flower in a greenhouse! Father, you once taught me that the path of cultivation is one of defying the heavens to seize destiny—fighting the heavens, the earth, and men! Some risks must be taken; some paths must be walked alone! Even if there are mountains of blades and seas of fire ahead, I have no regrets!"

The youth's voice was resolute, clashing like metal and stone, ringing with power. His eyes burned with a fiery desire to become stronger and the firm light of protecting his inner convictions. Inside the stone hall, silence reigned, as if time had frozen. Yue Mei and Xiao Yi Xian both held their breath, fearing to disturb this important dialogue between father and son, their gazes shifting between the two.

Xiao Zhan stared at the tenacity in his son's eyes, which was far beyond his years. That gaze was like a deep, cold pool, hiding endless determination. He remained silent for a long time, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts. He knew Xiao Yan's character too well; once this child set his mind on a path, he was like an arrow released from a bow—not even nine oxen could pull him back. To forcibly stop him would only breed rebellion and produce the opposite effect.

"How do you intend to cross the Corrosive God Poison Miasma of the Ancient River of Buried Gods?" Xiao Zhan's voice finally softened, like a spring breeze brushing over a lake, yet he posed the most realistic question. This Corrosive God Poison Miasma was the first insurmountable chasm standing before Xiao Yan, a shadow of death shrouding the road ahead.

Xiao Yan was slightly stunned, his brows knitting together instantly, forming a small mound on his forehead. He had been so preoccupied with the precious fragment and the arduous quest that he had overlooked this lethal miasma. A miasma that even a Dou Zong found difficult to resist—as a Dou Grandmaster, he would likely perish the moment he touched it, like an ant facing a hurricane.

Just then, a cold, calm voice, like a clear spring, broke the suffocating silence.

"I can cross it."

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Xiao Yi Xian, as if she were a beacon in the darkness.

She met Xiao Zhan's deep, abyssal gaze, her purple eyes calm and waveless, like a tranquil lake. Above her palm, the Woe Poison Pill, looking like a perfect purple crystal, appeared silently. A point of dark gold light swirled at its core, as if hiding endless mysteries. "The Corrosive God Poison Miasma is, in essence, a type of 'poison,' and a highly advanced mixed toxin at that. My Woe Poison Pill can turn all poisons into its source, converting the toxins of the world into my own power. The miasma of the Ancient River of Buried Gods might, for me... be a supplement." Her voice carried the confidence of one in control of power—a confidence not born of arrogance, but of a profound understanding of her own abilities. The dark gold mark at the core of the poison pill, derived from the immortal light of the Bronze Immortal Palace, was like a brilliant star, giving her the confidence to face all poisons and allowing her to remain composed in this dangerous situation.

Xiao Zhan's gaze swept back and forth like a nimble dragon between the mysterious, glowing poison pill in Xiao Yi Xian's palm and Xiao Yan's resolute face. One possessed the Woe Poison Body, with world-shaking talent in the way of poison, like a poisonous lotus blooming in the dark night, mysterious and lethal; the other was favored by destiny, blessed with great fortune, like the rising sun in the morning, full of infinite possibilities. If the two joined forces, perhaps they could truly find that sliver of survival in this forbidden zone of death and carve out a path?

"Father!" A strong light of hope erupted in Xiao Yan's eyes, burning like a flame, hot and firm, as if it could dispel all the gloom before him.

Xiao Zhan was silent for a moment, as if weighing a thousand things in his heart, before finally speaking slowly. His voice carried an unquestionable gravity, like a towering mountain, steady and reliable: "Yan'er, if you insist on going, I will not stop you. But remember, the Desert of Buried Immortals is no ordinary place; it is fraught with hidden crises and danger at every step. All actions must prioritize your survival! Even if that fragment is precious beyond measure, it is not worth a fraction of your life! Miss Xiao Yi Xian," he said, turning to the purple-eyed girl, his gaze filled with trust and entrustment, "Yan'er... I leave him to you."

"Do not worry, Uncle Xiao." Xiao Yi Xian nodded heavily. A faint ripple passed through the depths of her purple eyes, like a breeze over a lake, vanishing in an instant, yet revealing her inner determination.

"Yue Mei!" Xiao Zhan said in a deep voice, resonant as a bell.

"Subordinate is here!" Yue Mei replied, standing tall like a proud pine tree.

"Immediately prepare the fastest Desert Lizard Camels; ensure they are robust and can gallop like the wind in this scorching desert. Prepare enough fresh water and dry rations—they are the foundation of survival. High-grade detoxification pills are also indispensable; the Desert of Buried Immortals is crawling with poisonous creatures, and these are life-saving items. Also... the 'Starfall Compass' for navigation! In this place of spatial turbulence, it will guide our way!" Xiao Zhan spoke rapidly, like a volley of cannon fire, arranging everything in an orderly fashion. "Additionally, take two of the toughest 'Earth Core Silk Armor' from the oasis treasury for their protection! This armor is impervious to blades, spears, water, and fire, and can keep them safe at critical moments!"

"Yes! Subordinate will handle it immediately!" Yue Mei received the order, her figure flashing and disappearing instantly like a ghost.

Xiao Zhan flipped his hand, taking two jade talismans from the system space that emitted a warm soul fluctuation, as if containing endless vitality and hope. He handed them to Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian respectively, saying solemnly: "These are 'Mother-Child Heart-Linked Soul Jade'; keep the child jade close to you. If you encounter an unavoidable life-or-death crisis, crush the child jade immediately! As long as you are still on the Dou Qi Continent, I can sense your approximate location and will rush to rescue you at top speed! But remember, the space in the Desert of Buried Immortals is turbulent, and the soul jade's sensing might fail. This is only a final safeguard; do not rely on it!"

"Yes! Father (Uncle Xiao)!" The two looked solemn as they carefully received the warm jade talismans and tucked them away, as if they were storing a heavy responsibility and concern.

"Yan'er," Xiao Zhan finally fixed his gaze deeply on his son, a gaze filled with a thousand words—expectation, worry, and endless love. He placed his large hand heavily on Xiao Yan's shoulder, as if to transmit all his strength and blessings. "Come back alive!"

"Yes!" Xiao Yan felt the solid strength from his father's palm and the deep, ocean-like worry behind it, his eyes turning slightly red. He nodded vigorously, his firm expression as if making a solemn vow to his father.

A moment later, at the edge of the oasis, two sturdy Sand Lizard Camels were already prepared. They were massive, with knotted muscles, like two moving hills, exuding wildness and power. Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian had changed into light, durable desert attire; the fabric shimmered faintly in the sunlight, as if capable of resisting the desert's heat and sand. The Earth Core Silk Armor Yue Mei had brought, worn underneath, shimmered with a dull metallic luster, like an invisible shield, providing a solid sense of security. Xiao Yan carried the Heavy Xuan Ruler firmly on his back, the heavy ruler a symbol of his courage; Xiao Yi Xian simply tied back her long hair, her purple eyes calm as water, quietly gazing at the dim, deep sea of sand to the northwest—the direction of the Desert of Buried Immortals, a mysterious land that seemed to connect heaven and earth, shrouded in the shadow of death.

"Young Master Xiao, Miss Xiao Yi Xian, take care!" Yue Mei and several elders cupped their fists in farewell, their eyes filled with blessings and worry, their gazes like warm sunlight trying to dispel the gloom ahead for the two.

"Let's go!" Xiao Yan leaped, nimbly mounting the camel. His gaze was sharp as a knife, as if he could pierce through the vast sea of sand to see the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Xiao Yi Xian also landed lightly on the back of the other lizard camel, her figure graceful as a fairy descending to earth. She nodded slightly to Xiao Zhan and Yue Mei, her elegant movements revealing a sense of composure and calm.

The lizard camels let out a low, powerful roar, as if challenging this unknown journey. They stepped out with their thick limbs, kicking up a sky full of dust, like two yellow lightning bolts, carrying the two young figures as they resolutely charged into the vast sea of sand. Their determined backs seemed to declare to the world: they feared neither life nor death and would surely conquer that forbidden zone of death known as the forbidden area of life!