294: Chapter 293 Poisonous Sand Abyss

That strike just now had exhausted most of the Qi, blood, and Divine Soul power in his body. Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the lake of divine soul had shrunk by nine-tenths, leaving only a small puddle of turbid water. The Divine Soul Armor on the surface of the lake had become as thin as a cicada's wing, almost transparent. The Heart Blade hung above the Sea of Consciousness, the dark gold patterns on its body dim and lusterless, and the dark gold halo at the blade's edge had completely vanished.

Within his Dantian, the Dragon Fetus sat cross-legged, the seven-colored radiance surrounding it so weak it was nearly invisible. The Fusion of the seven True Intents had been completely consumed in that single strike, with each True Intent dropping to its lowest point. Within his Meridians, the flow of spiritual energy was slow and stagnant, like the last trickle of water in a dried-up riverbed.

His entire body lost its strength, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. His chest felt as if it were being pressed down by something, and every breath was accompanied by a faint pain. These were signs of internal organ damage, the backlash from the forced Fusion of the seven True Intents.

Princess Yueli quickly stepped forward, took out a jade bottle from her robes, and poured out a pale gold Medicinal Pill. The pill emitted a faint medicinal fragrance, which contained a gentle force of vitality. She crouched down and held the pill to Jiang Hanzhou's lips.

“This is the Life-Sustaining Pill of the Ancient Kingdom of Yellow Sands, refined from thousand-year-old sea buckthorn fruit and Ice Soul Spiritual Liquid. It can quickly restore Qi, blood, and the Divine Soul.” Her voice carried a hint of anxiety.

Jiang Hanzhou opened his mouth and swallowed the pill. The moment the pill entered his stomach, a warm surge of power gushed out, flowing through his Meridians to his limbs and bones, and toward his Dantian and Sea of Consciousness. That power was gentle and enduring, like spring rain nourishing the earth, gradually moistening his parched Meridians and nourishing his depleted Dantian.

He closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the lake of divine soul slowly recovered under the nourishment of the Life-Sustaining Pill, growing from one-tenth to one-fifth, and then from one-fifth to one-third of its original size. A thin layer of Divine Soul Armor condensed on the lake's surface once more; though far from as thick as before, it could at least protect his mind. The dark gold patterns on the Heart Blade began to flow again; though dim, they were no longer lifeless.

In the Dantian, the seven-colored radiance around the Dragon Fetus began to brighten again. The Tidal True Intent was the first to recover because, although the Western Desert was dry, the Buddha light contained a trace of the vitality of the Water element. The Pure Yang True Intent was next, as the sea buckthorn fruit in the Life-Sustaining Pill contained a trace of Fire element power. The five True Intents of Metal Sharpness, Heavenly Fire, Ice Cold, Yellow Sand, and Buddha Power were the slowest to recover, but they were also slowly reviving, bit by bit.

Half an hour later, he slowly opened his eyes.

The light in his eyes was no longer dim but had regained its previous clarity and sharpness. He stood up and stretched his limbs, his bones making a creaking sound. Although the Qi, blood, and Divine Soul power in his body had not returned to their Peak, they had recovered by sixty to seventy percent.

More importantly, his cultivation had achieved a Breakthrough.

From the Late Stage of the Dragon Fetus Realm to the Peak of the Dragon Fetus Realm, the Bottleneck that had been stuck for so long was forcibly broken open during the fierce battle just now, under the dual impact of the Buddha light and the Dao-Slaying Blade Intent. The Dragon Fetus in his Dantian had grown a size larger, going from an inch to two inches in size, and the seven-colored radiance around it was purer and more harmonious. The connection between the Dragon Fetus and his Divine Soul had become closer; he could even sense every breath and heartbeat of the Dragon Fetus.

He was now only one step away from the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm.

Furthermore, he sensed a change in his fate.

Late Bloomer, Rank Six. This fate had been dormant in his body for a while, and under the nourishment of the Buddha light, it showed signs of promotion. The pale gold Buddha Power seeped into the depths of the fate, merging with the power of his Foundation, making the Origin of the fate thicker and more stable. The progress bar for promotion to Rank Seven was more than halfway full, lacking only the final push.

He took a deep breath and withdrew his senses.

Princess Yueli stood by his side, still holding the jade box. The burn marks on her arms had mostly faded, as the effects of the Life-Sustaining Pill had also worked on her. Her face was not as pale as before, and her pale gold eyes held a bit more spirit.

“Thank you for your help, Princess,” Jiang Hanzhou said solemnly, cupping his fists in a salute. “If not for you, I’m afraid it would have been difficult to defeat Yi Qianfan, let alone obtain the Formation core. That buddha bone jade pendant and the Buddha Power in the jade box were the keys to turning the tide of the battle.”

Princess Yueli smiled and shook her head. That smile was not as cold as it had been in the marketplace, but held a touch of warmth, like the first ray of sunlight in the Western Desert morning.

“Our goals are the same—to stop the Dragon Slaying True Person's conspiracy—so there is no need for thanks.” She handed the jade box to Jiang Hanzhou. “Open it and take a look. Didn't you chase it all the way from the Northern Border to the Western Desert just for this?”

Jiang Hanzhou took the jade box. When his fingers touched the Sanskrit characters on the lid, a slight warmth came from his fingertips. The Buddha Power was still flowing; though much dimmer than before, it was still guarding the contents of the box. He gently lifted the lid, revealing what was inside.

A translucent white jade talisman lay quietly in the jade box. The jade talisman was hexagonal, about two inches long on each side and half an inch thick, with its surface densely engraved with runes. Those runes were from the same source as the runes on the core of the Northern Border teleportation Formation, but they were more complex and profound. The arrangement of the runes was not the ice-blue of the Northern Border, but the earthy yellow unique to the Western Desert, with every stroke looking as if it were cast from yellow sand, heavy and steady.

In the center of the jade talisman, a golden light could be vaguely seen slowly flowing. It was the trace of the Buddha Power Seal, the final insurance left by the Innate One Qi Sect in the Formation core.

The core of the Western Desert teleportation Formation.

Jiang Hanzhou took the jade talisman out of the box and held it in his palm. It felt warm to the touch, unlike the bone-chilling cold of the Northern Border core. He extended his Divine Sense into the jade talisman, and the power fluctuations from the same source as the Northern Border core immediately responded to him. A weak resonance was produced between the two Formation cores, as if they were calling out to each other or confirming each other's presence.

He put the jade talisman into the storage space of the heavenly secret mirror, placing it together with the Northern Border core. The two Formation cores lay side by side in the depths of the space, one ice-blue and one translucent white, their lights intertwining and illuminating the entire storage space.

“Even though Yi Qianfan is dead, the Poison Sand Cult still exists.” Princess Yueli walked to his side, her gaze falling on the dark silver Storage Ring on the ground. “And Wei Wuya will certainly send people to the Western Desert to look for the Formation core. He has been planning for a thousand years; he won't easily give up on this pawn that is the Western Desert.”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded. He walked to the place where Yi Qianfan had dissipated, crouched down, and picked up the Storage Ring. The ring felt cold, its surface flowing with a dark silver luster, and fine runes were vaguely visible on the band. The owner of the Storage Ring was dead, and the Divine Soul imprint on it had also vanished; it was now just a masterless Magical Artifact.

He extended his Divine Sense into the interior of the ring.

The space inside the ring was several times larger than his sumeru pouch, measuring about ten feet square. The space was filled with various items: jade bottles of Medicinal Pills, poison herbs wrapped in oil paper, Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals bound in beast skin, and several Magical Artifacts flowing with spiritual energy fluctuations. In a corner of the space lay a small pile of Spirit Stones; a rough count revealed there were over a hundred of them.

Among the miscellaneous items, he found a dark yellow envelope. The envelope was sealed with wax, and the Seal was stamped with an ancient character for 'Wei'. He took out the envelope, tore open the Seal, and pulled out the letter inside.

The letter was made of sand-vine paper, a specialty of the Western Desert, with a coarse texture and a pale yellow color. The handwriting on the paper was vigorous and powerful, every stroke looking as if it had been carved with a knife. The content was brief, with only a few lines:

“Brother Qianfan, the remnant soul of the Dragon Slaying True Person is about to fully awaken. We must quickly gather the cores of the five teleportation Formations and activate the ultimate teleportation Formation to assist the Cult Leader in completing his Rebirth. Once the Western Desert core is in hand, proceed immediately to the Yanhuo Valley in the Southern Border. The third Formation core is hidden deep within the Yanhuo Valley. The Valley Master, Li Tianxing, is a hidden agent of our cult and can be trusted. Remember, time is pressing; there must be no delay. Wei Wuya.”

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils contracted slightly.

The Southern Border. Yanhuo Valley. The core of the third teleportation Formation. Valley Master Li Tianxing, a pawn of the Dragon Slaying True Person.

He folded the letter and put it into his sumeru pouch, then transferred all the items from Yi Qianfan's Storage Ring into his own sumeru pouch and the heavenly secret mirror's storage space. Medicinal Pills, poison herbs, Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Stones—he checked every item carefully to ensure there were no traps or tracking marks.

Princess Yueli watched him finish all this and asked, “What do you plan to do next? Go to the Southern Border?”

Jiang Hanzhou stood up and sheathed the tiger soul saber at his waist. The dark gold patterns on the blade flickered slightly under the reflection of the Buddha light, and a firm emotion came from the blade's sentience, as if saying, 'Master, I am ready.'

“First, I'll go to Yellow Sand City to rest for a day and replenish supplies.” His voice was calm, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. “Then I'll head to the Southern Border, to Yanhuo Valley, to find the core of the third teleportation Formation.”

He paused, his gaze falling on Princess Yueli. “Princess, the Poison Sand Cult will definitely continue to track your whereabouts. What are your plans?”

Princess Yueli was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: “I will stay in the Western Desert. The Poison Sand Cult's hidden agents in the Ancient Kingdom of Yellow Sands have not yet been purged. I must go back, expose their conspiracy, and rescue my father from their bewitchment.”

She took out a pale gold jade talisman from her robes and handed it to Jiang Hanzhou. “This is a communication talisman of the Ancient Kingdom of Yellow Sands. If you encounter trouble in the Southern Border or need help from the Western Desert, contact me at any time. Although the Ancient Kingdom of Yellow Sands is not large, it has operated in the Western Desert for a thousand years; it is not something the Poison Sand Cult can easily shake.”

Jiang Hanzhou took the communication talisman, put it into his sumeru pouch, and cupped his fists. “Thank you, Princess. Until we meet again.”

Princess Yueli smiled and returned the salute. “Until we meet again.”

The two of them walked out of the main hall of the Ancient Buddha Temple.

Outside the hall, dusk had deepened. The Western Desert sky was a deep blue, with a few stars twinkling on the horizon. The distant dunes shimmered with a silvery-white luster under the moonlight, and the wind blowing from the depths of the sea of sand carried a hint of chill.

Jiang Hanzhou stood on the steps at the entrance of the main hall, gazing at the southern horizon. There, across the boundless sea of sand and mountain ranges, lay the direction of the Southern Border, the direction of Yanhuo Valley, and the direction of the third teleportation Formation core.

...

The Buddha light of the Ancient Buddha Temple gradually dimmed behind them as Jiang Hanzhou and Princess Yueli stepped onto the yellow sand, heading toward the southern part of the Western Desert. The night wind blew from the depths of the sand sea, kicking up fine grains of sand that hit their faces like tiny blades cutting skin. Princess Yueli walked in front, holding the map she had scavenged from a Poison Sand Cult Disciple, using the moonlight to identify their direction.

“The headquarters of the Poison Sand Cult is in the Poison Sand Abyss, at the southernmost tip of the Western Desert, adjacent to the Flame Mountains.” Her voice was somewhat muffled in the wind and sand. “That place is shrouded in poisonous miasma year-round and is one of the most dangerous places in the Western Desert. The State Preceptor warned me during his lifetime that the poisonous gas in the Poison Sand Abyss is enough to kill a Soul Condensation Realm Cultivator within ten breaths.”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded and took the ice soul jade talisman from his robes, holding it in his palm. The silver patterns on the jade talisman flickered slightly, emitting traces of chill that dissipated most of the surrounding heat. His gaze fell on the map, memorizing the location and terrain of the Poison Sand Abyss.

“What is the cultivation level of the Poison Sand Cult Leader?”

Princess Yueli tapped her finger on the map. “Early Stage of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm. He has operated in the Western Desert for hundreds of years, with hundreds of Disciples under him, as well as countless Gu insects and poison Formations. After Yi Qianfan's death, he must have already received the news and will have made full preparations at the headquarters.”

Jiang Hanzhou was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: “Then we'll strike them head-on. The Poison Sand Cult is the Dragon Slaying True Person's claws in the Western Desert. If we don't pull out this nail, even if we take the Western Desert's teleportation Formation core, they will continue to cultivate dao seeds and harm more people.”

Princess Yueli looked up, her pale gold eyes watching him. She was silent for a breath before nodding. “Fine. I will use the Ancient Kingdom of Yellow Sands' hidden agents to gather detailed intelligence on the Poison Sand Abyss and find the weak point of the Ten Thousand Poisons Great Array.”

The two of them quickened their pace, heading south through the night.

Three days later, Princess Yueli received intelligence from the hidden agents. The Poison Sand Abyss was located at the southernmost tip of the Western Desert, a basin spanning dozens of miles, surrounded by steep sand walls. The basin was perpetually shrouded in a dark yellow poisonous miasma, mixed with countless tiny poisonous Gu insect eggs that would hatch inside the body upon inhalation, devouring Qi and blood and corroding Meridians. The Poison Sand Cult's headquarters was built in the center of the basin, a castle constructed from massive black stones. The castle was surrounded by the Ten Thousand Poisons Great Array, with the Formation eye located in a Gu pit beneath the castle, personally guarded by the Poison Sand Cult Leader.

“The core of the Ten Thousand Poisons Great Array is the Gu pit,” Princess Yueli said, pointing to a red mark on the map. “The pit contains tens of thousands of poisonous Gu, which feed on the Qi and blood of Cultivators. The source of the Formation's power is those poisonous Gu; as long as the Gu pit is destroyed, the grand Formation will collapse on its own.”

Jiang Hanzhou memorized every route and every mark on the map, then put the map into his sumeru pouch. He took out the ice soul jade talisman and several detoxification pills from his robes and handed them to Princess Yueli.

“After entering the Poison Sand Abyss, the ice soul jade talisman will disperse the poisonous miasma around us, but the poisonous Gu are pervasive. Keep a detoxification pill in your mouth; do not swallow it.”

Princess Yueli took the detoxification pills, placed one under her tongue, and then held the buddha bone jade pendant in her left hand. The jade pendant emitted a faint Buddha light, which intertwined with the chill of the ice soul jade talisman, forming a pale gold light shield around her.

The two of them stepped into the Poison Sand Abyss.