Harvesting the [Crimson Corruption] Godscale! (Please Follow)

That rotten scale stood out conspicuously amid the yellow sand.

The crimson aura it gave off seemed deeply ominous.

Feeling that throb of unease in his heart, Gu Qingfeng knew this was probably another anomalous item.

He carefully picked it up.

The instant it touched his hand, his fingers rapidly turned bluish-purple, stabbing pain shooting through them as though they were about to rot away.

He hurriedly circulated his Geng-Metal Power to resist it, turning his fingers golden and gleaming before barely blocking that terrifying force of decay.

"Such a powerful aura!"

Gu Qingfeng could not help but exclaim.

Almost at the same time, a stream of information surfaced in his mind.

[Will Name: Crimson Corruption Godscale (Temporary)]

[Will Type: Anomalous Item]

[Will Description: Strange immortal qi, aberrant gods and Buddhas? The scale contains Immortal-Divine Power. Absorbing it offers enormous benefits to refining qi and condensing a core, yet the crimson power of corruption follows like a shadow. Its origin cannot yet be analyzed.]

[Cost: The Immortal-Divine Power contained within this scale has undergone a mutation, granting it a bizarre power of corruption. Should flesh and blood touch it, they will rapidly decay and slough away, turning into wriggling crimson chunks of flesh.]

[Status: Cost can be reversed.]

[Note 1: Reverse the cost, and you will bid farewell to decay. When absorbing the Immortal-Divine Power within the scale, it will not only aid in refining qi and condensing a core, but also allow old, decayed flesh to be swiftly replaced and reborn.]

[Note 2: The effect of reversing the cost is only effective on your own body.]

As Gu Qingfeng read those annotations, another burst of pain shot through his fingers.

He lowered his head and could not help but jump in fright.

Though his fingers had originally been completely covered by Geng-Metal Power, they had somehow failed to resist the scale's crimson corrosion, allowing it to spread into his flesh.

His Geng-Metal Power was no less tough than real refined iron, yet this power of decay was actually so formidable!

Watching the flesh on his fingers rapidly turn crimson and ruined, Gu Qingfeng hurriedly muttered, "Reverse the cost!"

The scale in his hand trembled, and that terrifying power of corruption vanished.

Yet at that moment, Gu Qingfeng discovered that three fingers on his right hand had already changed color, with three rotten, bloody holes appearing at their tips.

In the blink of an eye, the decay had reached such a degree.

Enduring the unceasing pain in his fingers, Gu Qingfeng stared at the words in his sea of consciousness, his gaze sharpening.

According to the description, once the cost was reversed, absorbing the immortal-divine qi contained within the scale would not only aid in refining qi and condensing a core, but also accelerate the replacement and rebirth of old, decayed flesh.

So he circulated the qi force within his body and attempted to absorb the aura contained in the scale through regulated breathing.

Very quickly, a stream of aura entered his body through his fingers.

To Gu Qingfeng's senses, this aura was extraordinarily wondrous. One moment, it was as cold as snow piled upon an iceberg; the next, it was as gentle as a spring breeze, while also containing immense energy.

In the blink of an eye, it fused with his Geng-Metal qi force. His Geng-Metal qi force rapidly grew stronger through it, with better results than several days of Gu Qingfeng's usual cultivation.

So this was the Immortal-Divine Power within it?

Immortal-Divine Power that aided in condensing a core and refining qi!

At the same time, the signs of decay on his fingers began to fade, and the rotten bloody holes shrank as well.

Clearly, his old, decayed flesh was being rapidly replaced and reborn.

This thing truly was extraordinary!

Especially when that Immortal-Divine Power fused with the qi force in his body, it brought a sensation of total clarity and bliss, as though he were floating toward immortality.

"Not absorbing any more. Not absorbing any more."

"If I keep going, I'll get addicted."

Gu Qingfeng shook his head and stopped absorbing it.

He could sense that the power contained within was limited. Absorbing too much at once would simply waste its flesh-regenerating effect.

It could be said that after reversing the cost, this originally bizarre object of decay had become a miraculous panacea capable of healing wounds.

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng also caught a crucial detail.

That was, the effect of reversing the cost only worked on himself.

In other words, this thing still had a corrupting effect on everyone else?

Looking at the palm-sized, broken scale, he felt it could be used as a hidden weapon.

It could defend and attack alike. What a fine treasure!

The scales on the human-bodied ship he had seen last night had been packed densely together. The more intact ones had probably been as large as washbasins, yet only this tiny fragment had ended up with him.

All he could say was that things connected to immortals and gods were things one could encounter only by chance, never seek by choice!

After all, even the description in his sea of consciousness could not analyze this object's exact origin.

This world was still far too mysterious and unfathomable. Even his cheat-like advantage was not omnipotent.

This should have been the third anomalous item Gu Qingfeng had obtained since transmigrating here. The first had been used for sending messages, the second for contraception, defense, and cooling off heat, while this third one could heal injuries, enhance his cultivation, and even serve as a weapon.

Yet the joy of obtaining a treasure could not completely wash away Gu Qingfeng's current predicament and confusion.

He was alone in this seemingly boundless desert, with no idea whether he could even make it out.

The blazing sun hung overhead, and even the air ahead had twisted and warped.

Gu Qingfeng knew very well that although the Precious Moon Garment shielded him from the heat, if he did not find water soon, he was still more likely to die than survive.

He had no other choice. He could only grit his teeth and head in one direction, hoping to leave this wasteland as soon as possible.

But the result disappointed him.

Relying on the Precious Moon Garment's cooling ability and his relatively sturdy physique, he walked for two days and two nights straight without seeing a single trace of human life.

Forget people—he did not even see a blade of grass.

The desert changed in a thousand ways. Once the wind blew, the view from a few breaths earlier to a few breaths later became utterly different.

But by now, in Gu Qingfeng's eyes, it had nearly become all the same.

Nothing but sand, with no water.

Not even a tiny drop.

He had finally escaped, only to be trapped to death in this desert in the blink of an eye?

His last meal had been that wild rabbit three days ago.

Gu Qingfeng licked his cracked lips, gripped the Crimson Corruption Godscale, and took several deep breaths of the immortal qi within it to lift his spirits.

This thing was truly effective at refreshing the mind. Gu Qingfeng had been in rather low spirits, but after that breath, he became alert again.

He continued onward. As he walked, his eyes suddenly lit up.

He saw trees!

After walking for so long without even seeing a single blade of grass, he had actually seen trees.

Beyond those few trees, he even saw shimmering water.

A desert oasis!

"There's hope!"

Overjoyed, Gu Qingfeng rushed toward the oasis.

That patch of emerald amid the yellow was especially pleasing to his eyes.

But just as Gu Qingfeng neared the oasis, he suddenly slowed his steps.

Because at that moment, the clear spring water in his eyes had turned red, like blood.

"What's going on?"

"Don't tell me clear water turned into wine?"

Gu Qingfeng walked over, and the next moment, a cry of "Fuck!" rang out.

He had considered clear water turning into wine, and had even considered it turning into fresh blood. After all, in this damned place, any strange occurrence was possible.

But he had not expected something he could actually explain.

A mirage!

The oasis vanished before his eyes.

In other words, there was not a damn thing there!

Could this desert just die already?!

Gu Qingfeng had the urge to stab straight through this damned desert.

Across both his lives, this was his first time coming to a place like a desert. Was his first time really going to take his life?