The water of the Living Spring was warm and pure, like the finest healing panacea, constantly mending Xiao Yan's damaged meridians and bones.
He calmed his mind and focused, guiding the life energy contained in the spring water through his body. His depleted Origin Qi dantian was like a dried-up lake. Nourished by that energy, it gradually filled, and the once-dim light of his Origin Qi grew bright again.
The two Heavenly Flames danced joyfully within him, greedily absorbing the pure energy in the Living Spring. Their colors grew deeper, and their power increased almost imperceptibly. The green lotus core flame in particular resonated mysteriously with the barely perceptible trace of life in the Living Spring. A faint hint of green even began to appear within the flame.
The Living Spring's energy can actually resonate with Heavenly Flames... Xiao Yan was surprised, but he focused even more intently on refining the energy.
Time slipped quietly by in the stillness. Xiao Yan did not know how long had passed before he opened his eyes again, a sharp gleam flashing across them.
He could clearly feel that his injured body had fully recovered. His Origin Qi had not only returned to its peak, but had also become more condensed than before, leaving him only a hair's breadth from peak Origin King. The Heavenly Flames within him had also grown more domineering, as though they could burst forth at any moment and burn heaven and earth to ashes.
"What a powerful Living Spring!" Xiao Yan leaped out of the water, feeling strength fill his entire body. He could not help clenching his fists, a smile appearing on his face as he felt the Origin Qi surging within him.
At some point, the Sand Keeper had sat down on a rock by the spring, holding a crimson-gold plant stalk in his hand. He seemed to be studying something.
"Senior, words cannot express my gratitude for your great kindness." Xiao Yan walked over to the Sand Keeper and bowed solemnly. If the Sand Keeper had not saved him and given him the Living Spring to heal his injuries, he would probably have long since become food for the desert's vicious beasts.
The Sand Keeper raised his head and looked Xiao Yan over with cloudy eyes. He nodded. "You've recovered well. Your constitution is quite unusual. You can absorb the Living Spring's energy so quickly, and you can also merge perfectly with Heavenly Flames."
"I was fortunate enough to gain the recognition of two Heavenly Flames, which is how I came to have this constitution," Xiao Yan said, making no attempt to hide it. Before an old monster like the Sand Keeper, who had lived for ten thousand years, there was no point concealing the existence of his Heavenly Flames.
"Two Heavenly Flames?" Surprise flashed through the Sand Keeper's eyes, followed by understanding. "No wonder you were able to escape the Blood Shadow Cult leader at Soul-Severing Cliff. The power of Heavenly Flames truly lives up to its reputation."
He paused, then continued, "Do you know why the Crimson Sand Lizards are so wary of the Space Fragment?"
Xiao Yan shook his head. "I don't know, senior. Please enlighten me."
The Sand Keeper put down the plant stalk in his hand and said slowly, "The Crimson Sand Desert was not formed naturally. It is the remains of a great battle fought in ancient times."
"The remains of a great battle?" Xiao Yan's heart stirred.
"That's right." A trace of remembrance flashed through the Sand Keeper's eyes. "In ancient times, the Great Thousand World suffered a 'Calamity of Darkness.' Countless Outer Realm Demons invaded through spatial rifts, plunging all living beings into misery. The experts of the Great Thousand World joined forces to resist them, eventually driving the demons back and sealing the spatial rifts. This was one of the main battlefields."
"The Space Fragment is a fragment left behind when a spatial rift collapsed during that great battle. It contains the spatial fluctuations and demonic presence of that time, and naturally deters the creatures of the desert."
Realization dawned on Xiao Yan. "So that's why the Crimson Sand Lizard became so agitated when it sensed the Space Fragment's presence."
"There's more." The Sand Keeper's voice grew grave. "The Domain of Darkness that the Blood Shadow Cult wants to contact using the Space Fragment is the home of those Outer Realm Demons. What they're doing is no different from inviting wolves into the house. If they succeed, the entire Great Thousand World will repeat the disaster of ancient times."
Xiao Yan's heart tightened. He had known only that the Domain of Darkness was dangerous; he had not expected it to be connected to the ancient Calamity of Darkness. It seemed the Blood Shadow Cult's plot was even more terrifying than he had imagined.
"Then why don't you intervene and stop them, senior?" Xiao Yan could not help asking. With the Sand Keeper's strength, the Blood Shadow Cult's plot would probably have little chance of succeeding if he intervened.
The Sand Keeper gave a bitter laugh. "I have long been bound to this place to guard these ruins. I cannot take even half a step outside the Crimson Sand Desert. Otherwise, how could I stand by and watch the Blood Shadow Cult run amok?"
He pointed to the pale golden screen of light around the oasis. "This Demon-Sealing Light Screen was formed from the power that sealed the spatial rift back then, and it is also the shackle that binds me. I must constantly maintain it with Origin Qi to prevent the demonic presence remaining deep within the ruins from leaking out."
Only then did Xiao Yan understand the Sand Keeper's predicament. He could not help feeling a measure of respect for the old man, who had guarded this place in silence for ten thousand years.
"Then do you know how to stop the Blood Shadow Cult for good, senior?" Xiao Yan asked.
The Sand Keeper pondered for a moment. "Since the Blood Shadow Cult was able to repair the spatial passage, they must have some special method, and it is very likely connected to their leader. The Blood Shadow Divine Art that old ghost cultivates originated from a dark art of the Domain of Darkness and can draw upon demonic power."
"To stop them, you must either destroy the Space Fragment or kill the Blood Shadow Cult leader and interrupt the ritual."
Xiao Yan frowned slightly. "The Space Fragment is incredibly hard. I tried burning it with Heavenly Flames, but I could only leave shallow marks. Destroying it probably won't be easy. As for killing the Blood Shadow Cult leader... he's already an intermediate Origin Emperor, and he has many followers to help him. It would be extremely difficult."
"The Space Fragment contains the origin of space. Ordinary methods naturally cannot destroy it," the Sand Keeper said. "But that doesn't mean there's no way. Deep in the Crimson Sand Desert, there is an Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone. It contains the power to stabilize space and might be able to counter the Space Fragment."
"The Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone?"
"That's right." The Sand Keeper nodded. "It was the core item used to seal the spatial rift back then. After the great battle, it was lost deep in the desert, where a Sand Prison Emperor guards it. The Sand Prison Emperor's strength is comparable to that of a high-grade Origin Emperor, making it somewhat stronger than the Blood Shadow Cult leader. If you want the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone, you must make every possible preparation."
Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment, then determination flashed in his eyes. "To stop the Blood Shadow Cult, I must obtain the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone."
No matter how dangerous the road ahead was, he could not stand by and watch the Blood Shadow Cult open the spatial passage and allow the demons of the Domain of Darkness to invade the Great Thousand World once more.
The Sand Keeper looked at the resolve in Xiao Yan's eyes and nodded. "Good. You have a sense of responsibility. You've only just recovered, so rest in the oasis for a few days and familiarize yourself with the desert's environment and the properties of its energy. Though the energy of the Crimson Sand Desert is violent, it complements your Heavenly Flames. It may help you break through peak Origin King and reach the Origin Emperor realm."
Break through to Origin Emperor? Xiao Yan's heart stirred. He had originally planned to use the Sect Breaking Pill to break through to Origin Ancestor-the Origin Emperor realm of the Great Thousand World corresponded to the Origin Ancestor level. But good as the Sect Breaking Pill was, breaking through on his own with the help of the environment would give him a more stable foundation.
"That's right," the Sand Keeper said. "Come with me."
He led Xiao Yan to the edge of the oasis and pointed to a crimson-gold plant. "This is red flame grass. It contains pure fire-attribute energy that is highly compatible with your Heavenly Flames. You can absorb its energy to temper your Origin Qi and attempt to break through your bottleneck."
Xiao Yan looked at the red flame grass. Golden sap flowed through its leaves like flames, giving off scorching, pure energy that resonated strongly with the Heavenly Flames inside him.
"Thank you, senior!"
For the next several days, Xiao Yan devoted himself to cultivation in the oasis.
Each day, he absorbed the energy of the red flame grass while circulating his cultivation method, merging it with his own Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames. The red flame grass's energy was indeed domineering. Each time he absorbed it, he felt as though fierce flames were burning his body, leaving him in agony, but the results were also remarkable.
Tempered by this violent energy, his Origin Qi grew increasingly pure and condensed, drawing closer and closer to the peak Origin King bottleneck. Nourished by the red flame grass's energy, both Heavenly Flames also grew steadily more powerful. The green in the green lotus core flame became more pronounced, while the fallen heart flame grew more violent.
During this time, the Sand Keeper occasionally offered him a few pointers. Though he did not say much, he could always clear up Xiao Yan's confusion about his cultivation, deepening his understanding of Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames.
From the Sand Keeper, Xiao Yan also learned more secrets about the Great Thousand World.
The Great Thousand World was far vaster than he had imagined. Besides known territories such as the Northern Region and Western Region, there were many mysterious secret realms and forbidden zones, concealing countless opportunities and dangers. The Domain of Darkness was only one of the many otherworldly spaces threatening the Great Thousand World.
"The true experts of the Great Thousand World can shatter stars with a thought and tread upon heaven and earth with a single step. The Origin Emperor realm is merely the beginning," the Sand Keeper said slowly, gazing at the dark red sky. "You bear Heavenly Flames and the origin of space. Your future is boundless, but you are also destined to face more challenges."
Xiao Yan was shaken, yet filled with longing. To shatter stars with a thought and tread upon heaven and earth with a single step-what kind of realm was that?
His determination to grow stronger became even firmer. Only by becoming strong enough could he gain a foothold in this vast Great Thousand World and find Xun'er and Cai Lin.
On his tenth day of cultivation in the oasis, the Origin Qi within Xiao Yan finally reached a critical point.
He sat cross-legged beside the Living Spring and absorbed all the energy from the last stalk of red flame grass. Violent fire-attribute energy surged through his body, intertwining with his Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames as it battered the peak Origin King bottleneck.
"Break for me!"
Xiao Yan let out a low roar and circulated his cultivation method with all his strength.
Boom!
It was as though something inside him had shattered. A surge of Origin Qi far more immense than before swept through him in an instant, rushing into his limbs and bones. The surrounding Origin Qi of heaven and earth gathered madly and poured into his body, while the Origin Qi in his dantian became even more condensed and domineering.
Peak Origin King!
No, with the boost from the red flame grass and Heavenly Flames, the strength of his Origin Qi was already infinitely close to that of an initial Origin Emperor!
Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes. Brilliant light burst from them as a powerful presence spread outward, causing even the light screen around the oasis to ripple slightly.
"I broke through!" Xiao Yan smiled as he felt the Origin Qi surging within him. This breakthrough was far more stable than he had imagined, and his strength had risen by more than one level.
The Sand Keeper walked over to him, a hint of gratification on his face. "Good. The strength of your Origin Qi is already comparable to that of an initial Origin Emperor. Add the power of your Heavenly Flames, and an ordinary initial Origin Emperor is no longer your match."
"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Xiao Yan rose and bowed.
"Make your preparations. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Sand Prison Emperor's lair," the Sand Keeper said. "The Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone is crucial to stopping the Blood Shadow Cult. You must obtain it."
"Yes, senior."
Xiao Yan nodded, his heart full of anticipation and fighting spirit.
The high-grade Origin Emperor Sand Prison Emperor, the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone, and the distant Blood Shadow Cult... new challenges were already waiting for him.
And he was ready.
The starry sky was especially bright over the Crimson Sand Desert that night. Beneath the dark red canopy, countless stars glittered, as though witnessing the growth and rise of this expert from another world in the Great Thousand World.