Tagor Desert

"Going deep into the Tagor Desert? Master, whatever you do, don't head west. That's Queen Medusa and the Snake-People Tribe's territory. Queen Medusa in particular is extremely troublesome. Even I was once defeated by her," Hai Bo Dong said.

"Queen Medusa?" A bewitchingly beautiful figure instantly appeared in Xiao Yan's mind.

"I'll go find her, but not now." Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow.

Hai Bo Dong was nearly driven mad. "You're actually planning to provoke that terrifying madwoman on your own?"

In the Tagor Desert, a figure flickered in and out of sight amid the windblown sand.

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged atop a sandy rise, bare-chested and with his eyes closed. Beneath him was a green Lotus Pedestal. Facing the blazing sun, his hands formed a mysterious seal, his chest rising and falling gently in a measured rhythm.

Yao Lao suddenly appeared beside him with a sly grin. Holding a Rouge Jade Bottle, he poured threads of crimson liquid over Xiao Yan's chest and back.

"Hehe, it's time to add a little something extra."

Xiao Yan let out a muffled groan of pain. The cool liquid had increased his absorption of the fire-attributed energy drifting through the air severalfold. The fire-attributed energy near the desert surface was already unusually active, and he was sitting atop the Green Lotus Core Flame's Lotus Pedestal. It was becoming more than he could bear.

Knowing that Yao Lao was fooling around, Xiao Yan did not awaken. Instead, he focused even more intently and worked hard to circulate his cultivation technique. He knew that absorbing all this energy would bring tremendous benefits to his cultivation.

As evening approached and the sun gradually set, the Tagor Desert slowly fell silent. Feeling the effects of his cultivation weakening, Xiao Yan ended his training for the day.

"How was it?" Yao Lao asked with a smile, lowering the scroll in his hand as he floated nearby.

"These past two weeks of harsh cultivation in the desert have truly benefited me greatly. The instability caused by my rapid breakthrough after absorbing the Green Lotus Core Flame has completely disappeared. I can break through to the Seven-Star Dou Shi realm at any time now." Xiao Yan clenched his fist with satisfaction.

"Don't rush to break through yet. Consolidate your foundation a little longer," Yao Lao said.

"Yes, Teacher."

"Hm? Teacher, what are these?" Xiao Yan finally noticed a circle of desert magical beasts lying around him. There were even two third-tier Leopard Gecko Lizards among them.

"Did you think you were safe while cultivating? Without me guarding you, you'd have been swallowed by these magical beasts long ago. Desert magical beasts are far craftier than those in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. One careless mistake, and you'll be eaten without even bones left behind." Yao Lao laughed.

"Hehe." Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll personally spar with the magical beasts in this desert. Hone your Dou Techniques," Yao Lao suggested.

"Yes, Teacher."

Swift Wind Violent Rain.

Under the blazing sun, Xiao Yan leaped forward and swung upward, cleaving the head off a second-tier Desert Rattlesnake with a single strike. Its bare, headless body twitched in the yellow sand.

Just as Xiao Yan was feeling pleased with himself, Yao Lao suddenly shot out and said, "Yan boy, something's wrong. The wind-attributed energy in the air is gathering abnormally. It seems you're in trouble."

The moment Yao Lao finished speaking, a towering black column of wind appeared on the distant horizon and rapidly swept toward them.

Xiao Yan stared dumbfoundedly at the colossal thing in the distance and muttered, "Damn it, a tornado and a sandstorm."

Xiao Yan turned and was about to unfurl his Purple Cloud Wings when a burst of force from Yao Lao struck his arm.

"You still want to fly into the sky at a time like this? Are you tired of living?" Yao Lao was nearly reduced to tears by his foolish disciple.

"Run! Head west!" Yao Lao said before darting into the Storage Ring.

"Uh..." Xiao Yan awkwardly rubbed his nose, then channelled Dou Qi into his feet and shot westward.

Who knew how much time passed before the sandstorm finally began to fade. Xiao Yan wrapped himself completely in his black robe, lowered his head, and trudged toward the distance with uneven steps.

"Whew, the sandstorm is finally over. Damn it, I've drunk all the water I brought in the Storage Ring. I need to find a water source." Xiao Yan shook the yellow sand from his robe, lowered his hood, and revealed a weathered, grimy face.

"A thousand meters to the northwest. There should be a water source there," Yao Lao's voice suddenly came from the Storage Ring.

Xiao Yan continued toward the northwest without slowing, but he did not spare Yao Lao his complaints. "Hey, Teacher, you seem pretty comfortable staying in the Storage Ring."

"Hehe, Yan boy, how about we switch places?" Yao Lao teased.

"Uh..."

"Haha, the water source is almost here. If my senses are correct, it should be a small lake," Yao Lao said.

Xiao Yan crossed a patch of bushes and sparse woodland, and sure enough, he found a small lake lying quietly ahead.

"Haha!" Xiao Yan, who had not seen water in nearly two days, was overjoyed. He rushed over, scooped up a handful, and poured it into his mouth.

Just as Xiao Yan was drinking his fill, Yao Lao suddenly warned, "Careful. It seems someone is coming."

At that moment, seven or eight figures emerged on the opposite side of the lake. Their clothes were tattered as well, clearly showing that they had also encountered the recent sandstorm. Xiao Yan looked up and saw that they were Snake-People Tribe members. Large patches of snake scales covered their faces, making them easy to identify. The Snake-People burst into cheers at the sight of water, swarming over to wash their faces and drink greedily.

The approaching Snake-People had clearly noticed Xiao Yan on the far side of the lake. The triangular pupils of the seven or eight male Snake-People stared fixedly at him.

"Captain, should we capture him and bring him back to the tribe?" a Snake-People Dou Master asked, his cold gaze locked on Xiao Yan.

"Hisss..."

"Forget it. This kid doesn't look weak either. Let's finish drinking and return to the tribe as quickly as possible." The leading Snake-People Da Dou Shi flicked his tongue, considered it, and ultimately abandoned the idea.

Xiao Yan saw the Snake-People across from him glare at him with unfriendly looks for a while before lowering their heads to drink again, so he paid them no mind. Of those Snake-People, only the leading Da Dou Shi could cause him a little trouble—and only a little at that.

Although he had entered deep into the Tagor Desert this time solely to cultivate and had no intention of provoking the Snake-People Tribe's experts, if these fools truly dared to provoke him, he would deal with them all at once.

With that in mind, Xiao Yan took out a waterskin from his Storage Ring, intending to fill it before leaving. At that moment, the Snake-People Da Dou Shi across the lake, who had still been secretly observing him, saw Xiao Yan suddenly produce a waterskin out of thin air, and his eyes immediately lit up.