The golden glow of the setting sun spilled across the wasteland at the edge of the Black-Corner Region, stretching the figures of Xiao Yan and his companions into long silhouettes. Having endured a succession of fierce battles, everyone's clothes were long since soaked with demonic qi and bloodstains, and fatigue beat against every inch of sinew and bone like a tide. Lin Xiu walked at the very front leaning on his staff, blue soul power beating faintly at his fingertips. "Crossing this wasteland and then climbing over Black Wind Ridge, we will be able to enter the territory of the Jia Ma Empire."
Xiao Yan carried the Black Iron Heavy Sword on his back, the energy of his Azure Luan Wings not yet fully restored, and could only rely on his feet to move forward. From time to time, he looked back in the direction of the Otherworldly Demon Lair; although the demonic qi there had already subsided, fluctuations that left one's heart palpitating still lingered in the air. "Those residual Otherworldly Demons will not let the matter rest easily. We must quicken our pace." The Mysterious Yellow Flame flickered in the palm of his hand, purifying the last wisps of demonic qi that drilled into his nasal cavity.
Yun Yun sheathed her Azure Longsword, retrieved a water skin from her Storage Ring, and handed it to Xiao Yan. "Your Dou Qi consumption is too great; this bottle of Spirit Liquid can replenish some vitality." Her hair strands were stained with sand and dust, and her pure white dress was also torn with several splits, but those clear eyes remained bright nonetheless. Xiao Yan took the water skin and drank it dry in one gulp; the Spirit Liquid turned into a warm current upon entering his throat, nourishing his parched Dou Qi vortex.
The four Spirit Gatherers supported one another as they moved forward. The youngest among them, named Shi Lei, was clutching his bleeding left arm at this moment and coughing lowly. "President, my Dou Qi is about to run out..." Lin Xiu stopped in his tracks, retrieved some healing medicine, and tossed it to him. "Hold on. Once we reach Black Wind Ridge, we can rest." He swept his gaze around, his brow suddenly locking tightly. "Something is wrong. This wasteland is too quiet."
Before his words finished falling, rustling sounds suddenly came from the sand dunes on both sides. Dozens of Sand Demons with body shapes like wolves drilled out from the sand; their entire bodies were covered in earthy-yellow scales, and corrosive saliva dripped from their mouths, precisely wasteland magical beasts corrupted by demonic qi. What was even more alarming was that three Shadow Demons stood behind the pack of Sand Demons; their physical bodies were even more solid than those seen in the lair, clearly surviving elites.
"They're residual Otherworldly Demons!" Xiao Yan drew his heavy sword, golden flames instantly wrapping around the blade. "They are tracking our Dou Qi traces!" Yun Yun drew her long sword once more, her cyan Dou Qi transforming into a wind wall that blocked the front of the group. "The scales of the Sand Demons can rebound Dou Techniques. Attack their eyes!"
Lin Xiu struck the ground with his staff, his blue soul power transforming into chains that entangled the two Sand Demons at the very front. "Xiao Yan, you handle the Shadow Demons! Leave these Sand Demons to us!" Shi Lei and the other four Spirit Gatherers immediately formed a defensive array, their multicolored Dou Qi intertwining into a net to temporarily block the charge of the Sand Demons.
The Azure Luan Wings behind Xiao Yan unfolded, stirring up a current of air as he charged toward the Shadow Demons. The surviving Shadow Demons clearly learned the lesson from before, and without waiting for Xiao Yan to approach, they transformed into three black shadows that roamed about in all directions, attempting to circle behind and attack the Spirit Gatherers. "Want to run?" Xiao Yan let out a cold snort. The flapping frequency of his Azure Luan Wings abruptly accelerated, his figure carving continuous afterimages in midair. "Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record First Form, Flame Net!"
The golden flame wove into a giant net in midair, completely sealing off the retreat paths of the three Shadow Demons. The Purification Power of the Mysterious Yellow Flame caused the Shadow Demons to emit painful howls; they were forced to manifest their forms, and the black shadows on the surfaces of their bodies fluctuated violently. Xiao Yan seized the opportunity, his heavy sword sweeping horizontally. "Burning Heaven Art Second Form, Flame Wave Slash!" The wave of fire descended like a waterfall, and two Shadow Demons were instantly burned into ashes. The final Shadow Demon desperately rushed out of the fire net, but was precisely pierced through the skull by Yun Yun's wind blade.
In the brief interval of resolving the Shadow Demons, the Sand Demons had already broken through the defensive array. Shi Lei was struck in the chest by a Sand Demon and flew backward while spitting out fresh blood. Xiao Yan hurriedly rushed back to reinforce them, his Azure Luan Wings carrying him in a downward dive as his heavy sword pierced into the eye socket of a Sand Demon. "Flame Spirit Thrust!" Golden flames surged in along the blade edge, the massive body of the Sand Demon instantly stiffening and turning into a pile of scorched earth.
"We cannot linger in battle!" Lin Xiu pulled up Shi Lei, his blue soul power condensing into a barrier at the wound of the latter. "The sandstorm is coming. Break out in the direction of Black Wind Ridge!" Yellow mist had already appeared on the distant horizon, the howling sound of the wind drawing closer and closer, and a sandstorm was approaching.
Xiao Yan understood, the Mysterious Yellow Flame condensing into a wall of fire in front of him to force back the charging Sand Demons. "Sect Master Yun, clear the path!" Yun Yun danced her long sword, her cyan Dou Qi transforming into a spiraling wind pillar that forcefully ripped open a passage amidst the pack of Sand Demons. The group followed closely behind, rushing out of the encirclement of the Sand Demons before the sandstorm arrived.
The howling gale swept along with sand and gravel, the world instantly turning into a blur of dim yellow. Xiao Yan unfolded his Azure Luan Wings to protect the heads of the group, the golden flame forming a protective barrier to withstand the wind and sand. The sand grains battered against the protective barrier with crackling sounds, and visibility was less than three feet. Lin Xiu retrieved a Jade Slip, attempting to pinpoint their direction, only to discover that the sandstorm interfered with the rune sensing. "Dammit, we are deviating from the route!"
Having no idea how long they had been engulfed by the sand and dust, when the storm gradually subsided, the group was already in an unfamiliar Gobi desert. The ground was covered with cracked rocks, several lonely sand dunes stood in the distance, and dry heat permeated the air. Shi Lei sat limply on the ground, his lips chapped and cracked. "Water... Our water skins broke in the battle just now..."
Xiao Yan probed his surroundings, the Mysterious Yellow Flame suddenly beating violently in the palm of his hand as it pointed toward a sand dune on the left. "There are energy fluctuations over there." The group laboriously crawled over, discovering that an ice cave was hidden beneath the sand dune, bone-chilling cold spilling out from the cave mouth, utterly out of tune with the surrounding scorching heat. Crystal-clear ice crystals condensed at the edge of the cave mouth, unexpectedly failing to melt beneath the scorching sun.
"This is... the sealing aura of Ice Emperor Hai Bodong!" Lin Xiu suddenly cried out in involuntary alarm, his eyes filled with shock. "Ancient records state that he mysteriously disappeared in the desert ten years ago, and I never expected him to be sealed here!" Xiao Yan approached the ice cave closely, seeing a blue figure frozen within the ice layer inside the cave. That person sat cross-legged with frost-like white hair, still emanating a faint majesty even though frozen in ice.
Yun Yun's fingertips touched the ice layer, and the cyan Dou Qi was instantly frozen solid. "Such strong ice-cold power, but his aura is very weak. His cultivation level seems to have been sealed by some kind of evil art." The figure within the ice layer suddenly moved, his tightly closed eyes slowly opening to reveal a pair of icy-blue pupils that were sharp as knives despite being filled with vicissitudes.
"Who are you people?" A cold voice transmitted out from within the ice layer, carrying a trace of weakness yet unarguable majesty. "Why have you broken into my ice-sealed territory?" Xiao Yan put away his heavy sword, the Mysterious Yellow Flame condensing into a small flame in his palm. "Is senior the Dou Emperor Hai Bodong? We are people from the Spirit Gatherer Association, having broken out of the Otherworldly Demon Lair to arrive here."
"The Otherworldly Demon Lair?" Hai Bodong's pupils abruptly constricted, the surface of the ice layer instantly covered in cracks. "Have you been to the Black-Corner Region? Has the demonic qi there spread again?" His emotional fluctuation caused the surrounding temperature to plummet drastically, and Shi Lei could not help but shiver.
Lin Xiu hurriedly explained, "We destroyed the altar of the Source of the Otherworldly Demon, but we encountered the pursuit of the Otherworldly Demon Lord and blundered our way here. Senior, how came you to be sealed in this place?" Hai Bodong's gaze landed upon the flame in Xiao Yan's palm, a trace of surprise flashing within his icy-blue pupils. "This flame... is it the Spirit-Cleansing Flame?"
A thought stirred within Xiao Yan's heart. "Senior recognizes the Mysterious Yellow Flame?" Hai Bodong was silent for a moment, the cracks on the ice layer gradually calming down. "Ten years ago, I was ambushed by a traitor while tracking the traces of Otherworldly Demons. The other party used a Forbidden Curse Seal to seal my Dou Qi and struck me down into this ice cave. This seal absorbs my cultivation base, and nowadays I only retain Dou Ling strength."
He looked at Xiao Yan's flame, his tone softening a fraction. "Your flame can purify demonic qi and perhaps can also weaken this wicked curse seal. If you can assist me in breaking free, I am willing to bestow my lifelong learning upon you, and can also help you find a shortcut back to the Jia Ma Empire." Yun Yun and Lin Xiu exchanged a glance, both seeing a stirring of emotion in each other's eyes.
Xiao Yan walked up before the ice cave, the Mysterious Yellow Flame slowly drawing close to the ice layer. "I can give it a try, but I cannot guarantee absolute success." The instant the golden flame made contact with the ice layer, it emitted sizzling sounds. The black curse seal on the surface of the ice layer suddenly lit up, violently contending against the golden flame. Hai Bodong let out a muffled groan, his body within the ice layer beginning to tremble slightly.
"Concentrate your mind to guide the flame!" Hai Bodong's voice carried pain. "The curse seal is located at the position of the heart; use the flame to wrap around that place!" Xiao Yan obeyed and urged the Mysterious Yellow Flame, the golden flame condensing into fine threads that slowly seeped in along the cracks of the ice layer. When the flame touched that heart within the ice layer which was entwined by black qi, the black curse seal emitted a shrill scream.
"Right now!" Hai Bodong let out an angry roar, the final blue Dou Qi erupting from within his body to execute an internal and external pincer attack alongside Xiao Yan's flame. The ice layer suddenly exploded, and amidst scattered fragments of ice, the white-haired old man stumbled out of the ice cave. Although the blue robe on his body was already tattered and old, his straight and upright figure could vaguely reveal the demeanor of a Dou Emperor from back then.
Hai Bodong, having broken free, took a deep breath and waved his hand to set up an ice wall that isolated the outside world. "Many thanks for the little friend's assistance. Although this curse seal is not completely lifted, it no longer absorbs my cultivation base." He retrieved an ice-crystal bottle from his Storage Ring and handed it to Shi Lei. "This is Water-Condensing Pill; it can resolve your thirst."
Lin Xiu took the ice-crystal bottle, distributed it to everyone, and anxiously asked, "Senior, who was the traitor you spoke of? Is it related to the Otherworldly Demons?" Cold light flashed in Hai Bodong's eyes. "It is the Soul Hall emissaries of the Black-Corner Region. They have always been researching cultivation of wicked arts using Otherworldly Demon qi, and the Otherworldly Demon rebellion of ten years ago was secretly instigated by them!"
Xiao Yan felt a shock in his heart. "Soul Hall? Why would they do such a thing?" Hai Bodong walked onto the sand dune to gaze into the distance, his white hair fluttering in the wind. "They want to utilize the Source of the Otherworldly Demon to refine Soul Pills. Once successful, the entire Dou Qi Continent will be reduced to the territory of the Otherworldly Demons. The altar you destroyed was merely one of the locations; the Soul Hall possesses even more covert strongholds in the Black-Corner Region."
Yun Yun gripped her long sword tightly. "No wonder the Amethyst Winged Lion King was contaminated by demonic qi; I'm afraid the Soul Hall is also making trouble behind the scenes." Hai Bodong turned to look at Xiao Yan, his gaze solemn. "Little friend's Spirit-Cleansing Flame is the key to countering the Otherworldly Demons, and the Soul Hall will definitely not let you go. The upcoming return journey will probably not be peaceful."
Xiao Yan planted his heavy sword on the ground, golden flames dancing on the blade edge. "When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, earth covers it. Senior, where is the shortcut you spoke of?" Hai Bodong pointed toward the depths of the Gobi desert to the west. "Cross Soulbreak Cliff, and after another three nights we can reach the Jia Ma border. But Soulbreak Cliff frequently has Soul Hall patrols, so we must act with caution."
Lin Xiu finished inspecting everyone's injuries and spoke. "Let us rest here for half a day first, and set off once our Dou Qi recovers." Hai Bodong agreed with a nod, waving his hand to condense ice stools. "Sandstorm Wolves appear in this Gobi desert at night; I will keep watch. Little friend, your flame is very special; can we step aside to speak?"
Xiao Yan walked with Hai Bodong to a distant sand dune, and the old man retrieved a yellowed animal-skin scroll. "This is the "Ice Dou Qi Art" I practiced when I was young. Although it conflicts with your flame attribute, the qi-control methods within it might be useful to you." He pointed at the diagrams on the animal-skin scroll. "Look here; compressing Dou Qi into threads can massively elevate the precision of Dou Techniques."
Xiao Yan looked at the diagram, suddenly recalling the scene when he fought the Shadow Demons, and a sudden realization dawned upon him. "No wonder I always felt the power of Flame Spirit Thrust wasn't concentrated enough; it turns out it was a matter of compression!" Hai Bodong nodded with gratification. "Your comprehension is not bad. I'll gift this cultivation method scroll to you, which can also be considered repayment for the favor of freeing me."
When night fell, the group had already recovered the greater part of their Dou Qi. Hai Bodong guided everyone to set off toward Soulbreak Cliff, his ice-attribute Dou Techniques like a fish in water within the Gobi desert, capable of freezing flowing sand with a wave of his hand to form passages. Xiao Yan walked alongside him, from time to time seeking instruction on qi-control methods, the Mysterious Yellow Flame circulating at his fingertips with ever-greater refinement.
When the first ray of morning light spilled toward Soulbreak Cliff, the group finally arrived at the edge of the cliff. Below was a bottomless canyon, and a dilapidated suspension bridge spanned across the two banks, its bridge body covered in spiderweb-like cracks. Hai Bodong pointed toward the suspension bridge. "Crossing this bridge is the Jia Ma border, but on the opposite side of the bridge is a Soul Hall sentry post."
Xiao Yan gazed at the vague black shadows on the opposite bank, the Mysterious Yellow Flame quietly condensing in his palm. "It seems we have to fight again." Yun Yun drew her long sword, cyan Dou Qi casting a cold light beneath the morning light. "This time, we will resolve it swiftly and decisively." Lin Xiu gripped his staff tightly, blue soul power beginning to surge. "Let the Soul Hall know that the debt of the Otherworldly Demon Lair has not been settled yet."
Hai Bodong pulled out the ice blade at his waist, his white hair whipping about in the morning wind. "Ten years have passed; it's also time to let the people of the Soul Hall remember the taste of a Dou Emperor." The five of them exchanged a glance, their figures simultaneously rushing toward the dilapidated suspension bridge. Soulbreak Cliff beneath the morning light was about to be stained with the color of blood once more. And what Xiao Yan did not know was that this encounter with Hai Bodong would thoroughly alter his cultivation path.
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