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"Finally, a mount for the Great Ascension Stage demon!" Zhao Yang's face lit up with excitement as he gazed at the enormous Black Beetle, as if he had just encountered a refreshing rain.
"Hmm?" The Black Beetle Demon looked curiously at the small human before him. He was the ruler of this desert, and yet a mere Nascent Soul Stage cultivator displayed such an expression, as if he had seen a piece of meat!
The Black Beetle let out a chuckle, its six powerful legs suddenly plunging into the yellow sand. Then it soared into the air, creating a massive whirlwind that swept toward everyone. Zhao Yang calmly walked forward to meet the oncoming storm.
As the wind subsided, when everyone looked again at Zhao Yang, he was already atop the Black Beetle, waving to them from its head.
A few people climbed onto the Black Beetle, which bounded forward in a series of leaps, covering more than ten miles in no time—far faster than their previous pace. Traveling through the Boundless Desert consumed True Qi rapidly, and they had refrained from flying to conserve energy. Now, with the Black Beetle as their steed, they were spared from exhaustion.
They had never imagined they would find themselves in such dire straits one day, possessing great cultivation yet reduced to the state of mere mortals, nearly dying of thirst in the desert.
Days passed, and one day a colossal city suddenly appeared in the sky, surrounded by clouds and mist, looking incredibly magnificent.
The group was stunned. "Could it be a mysterious creature living deep within the Boundless Desert? Should we seek their help?" Song Baliang said weakly.
Nangong Wuxin opened her eyes and replied, "I once heard my adoptive father mention a phenomenon called Mirage in the desert; what we see might just be a Phantom."
Zhao Yang countered, "No, what we see is indeed a Phantom. However, Mirage is an atmospheric refraction phenomenon that projects distant objects into the air for us to see. Therefore, there truly is such a city in this desert. If we can find it, we might have a chance at salvation."
Zhao Yang's words gave everyone a glimmer of hope. Yet as far as their eyes could see remained an endless expanse of desolation. For ordinary people to see something several kilometers away was remarkable; they could easily spot things tens of thousands of meters away. As time trickled by, the distant view was still an unbroken stretch of sand. Liu Rou had already fallen asleep in Zhao Yang's arms while Yu Qingsnow conjured a few drops of water that fell into Zhao Yang's mouth. He shook his head to signal her to conserve her strength.
"Zhao Yang, I can't go on any longer; let's be brothers in our next life," Nangong Wuxin said before closing her eyes.
Song Baliang was also on the brink of death; he hung his head low without any strength left to feel sorrow. Not long after, Yu Qingsnow leaned against Zhao Yang and fell silent. The Black Beetle's strange voice remarked, "In the Boundless Desert, even Tribulation Period cultivators will eventually die of thirst; this place is a forbidden ground for cultivators!"
Zhao Yang said nothing but gently tapped on the Black Beetle Demon's head with his fingers. The sound of cracking limbs echoed as the Black Beetle fell lifelessly.
An inner core slowly emerged from the Black Beetle's brain. Zhao Yang crushed it with a bang and dispersed its True Qi into each person's body; however, their faces showed no signs of improvement.
At that moment, the usually taciturn Yuan Shu stood up and burst into laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhao Yang did not turn around or look at Yuan Shu.
"I laugh at your misfortune. I never expected that the once-in-a-millennium prodigy of the Cultivation world, the exceptionally clever Zhao Yang, would end up like this. Your companions are all dead; how do you plan to fight me now?" A cruel expression appeared on Yuan Shu's face.
"Have you finally revealed your true colors?" Zhao Yang was not surprised by Yuan Shu's change.
"Did you know all along?" Yuan Shu was somewhat taken aback by Zhao Yang's reaction.
Zhao Yang nodded and said, "From the moment I first saw you, I began to suspect your identity."
"Oh?" Yuan Shu was intrigued but skeptical. "Do tell."
Zhao Yang continued, "When the Zhao Clan Imperial Family rescued you, I noticed something was off. It was too easy to save you. In other areas of the Zhao Clan Imperial Family's dungeon, my Divine Sense couldn't penetrate, yet I could only observe you, who was imprisoned at the very bottom. It’s clear they intentionally allowed me to rescue you."
"Go on," Yuan Shu did not refute him and gestured for Zhao Yang to continue.
Zhao Yang proceeded, "Then you claimed to be a disciple of the Feng Shui Three Schools, with your master being the Mover of Mountains. I couldn't verify that, but when we were with the Dragon Clan and Scholar Xiu's grandfather appeared, you remained silent. I noticed that Huang Long Zhenren scanned you but seemed not to recognize you at all. Clearly, he wasn't familiar with his own disciple. Yet you claimed that years ago, you explored the underground spiritual veins of the Zhao Clan Imperial Family with your master—both logically and emotionally, that seems very strange."
Seeing that Yuan Shu remained silent, Zhao Yang continued, "Next, when we entered the Dragon Domain together, I felt movement behind me twice. The first time it was clearly a person; the second time it was a magical artifact. If I'm correct, it must be the Divine Pearl of the Zhongzhou Royal Family, which can transmit sound over great distances and track locations. That person must be your second Primordial Spirit."
"Impressive! You managed to deduce all that!" A hint of interest appeared on Yuan Shu's face as he regarded Zhao Yang with newfound respect.
However, at that moment, Zhao Yang snorted. "Not only can I guess your every move, but I can also deduce your true identity."
"My true identity? Besides me, only one other person knows who I really am. How could you possibly guess?" Yuan Shu's face showed a hint of pride, but suddenly his brows furrowed tightly as if Zhao Yang had touched upon a forbidden topic.
"You must be the son of the Central Sovereign," Zhao Yang asserted confidently.
"What evidence do you have?" Yuan Shu asked.
"It's simple. When we entered, Central Sovereign ordered you to kill us all. At first, I was puzzled; if it were just you, where would he get the confidence? Later, when Brother Void died, the cut on his neck was very clean, showing no signs of resistance. It didn't seem like the work of a desert monster; he was killed suddenly from behind. At that time, you were just nearby when we discovered you. But that alone doesn't prove you were the one trying to kill us. When I saw Brother Konghui suddenly attack Wuxin, and his Divine Sense was completely uncontrolled, I was also confused. Who could use Divine Sense right under my nose? Then I thought back to our battle with Central Sovereign before entering Boundless Desert. If he could take my physical body, then Konghui must have been taken by the second Primordial Spirit technique, meaning he had already died long ago. Honestly, all your theatrics seemed unnecessary because you realized you couldn't kill us and couldn't sow discord among us either. So you waited until we were on the brink of death to reveal your true self."
Yuan Shu replied, "That's right. Although my cultivation has been suppressed significantly, I'm still only at the Great Ascension stage. With Song Baliang around, I can't kill you. However, before my father allowed me to enter Boundless Desert, he gifted me the Jade Purity Bottle. With it, my True Qi can be supplied endlessly. If I can't kill you outright, I'll wear you down!"
Zhao Yang scoffed, "What good will it do to wear us down? You're merely a discarded pawn of Central Sovereign, hiding in a dangerous place like Zhao Clan Imperial Family. Otherwise, why would he let you enter a place like Boundless Desert? Even I can't get out of here; no one can escape this place. Even if someone could, it wouldn't be you."
Yuan Shu's expression suddenly turned serious as he shouted, "You're talking nonsense! I admit you've guessed my identity correctly; I am indeed a prince of Zhongzhou Royal Family. But I'm the legitimate heir, not some discarded pawn! My entry into Boundless Desert is for training purposes. If I kill you, I can become the rightful ruler of Five Elements Continent! Since my father could send me in here, he naturally has the means to bring me out!"
Zhao Yang laughed while shaking his head.
Yuan Shu angrily demanded, "What are you laughing at?!"
Zhao Yang replied, "I'm laughing at your low intelligence and naive thoughts. It's not just ridiculous; it's also tragic. Let's not even mention that Central Sovereign won't pass the throne to you; even if he did, what then? Have you studied imperial techniques or how to manage people? The Five Elements Continent is in chaos; do you really think Central Sovereign alone can turn the tide?"
Yuan Shu hesitated and said, "If I can't learn naturally, then I'll find a way. Besides, my father's methods are beyond your comprehension; he certainly has contingencies to restore order!"
Zhao Yang sneered, "The methods you're referring to are probably from Zhao Clan Imperial Family. Do you think Central Sovereign can control Yinshan Five Elders just because he absorbed the powers of past Old Emperors? There are countless experts in this world; one Central Sovereign can't change anything. If I'm not mistaken, princes from Zhongzhou likely have some hidden identities too—like those from Genius Academy's Tiandao. If he's also a prince, then you won't even have a one-in-ten-thousand chance."
"Unknown person! I've never even heard of Tiandao!" Yuan Shu said disdainfully.
"Tiandao's talent is no less than mine. A prince with Rebel Son's qualifications—do you think you're worthy to compete with him?" Zhao Yang closed his eyes and ignored Yuan Shu.
"What is a Rebel Son? I can kill him like slaughtering a dog!" Yuan Shu shouted as he charged at Zhao Yang with a punch.
But suddenly, Song Baliang—who had been sitting still—appeared in front of Zhao Yang and grabbed Yuan Shu by the neck. Song Baliang said fiercely, "I've been wanting to deal with you for a long time! I'm going to avenge my two junior brothers!" A tremendous force surged from Song Baliang as he crushed Yuan Shu's neck.
Yuan Shu's violent coughing echoed from a distance as he looked at Song Baliang in terror and confusion. "How are you still alive?"
"Not only is he not dead, but none of us are," Nangong Wuxin opened her eyes, and similarly, Yu Qingsnow and Liu Rou also opened theirs, looking at Yuan Shu.
"Junior brother secretly transmitted a simple breathing technique to us. I never expected it was you, you beast, who was scheming behind our backs!" Song Baliang glared angrily at Yuan Shu.
"So what if it was me? You are all exhausted, while I have the Jade Purity Vase in my hands. What can you do to me?!" Yuan Shu thought of the Jade Purity Vase in the Qi Sea and did not believe that a few exhausted individuals could still contend with him.
Zhao Yang shook his head and said, "How do you still not understand? Your Jade Purity Vase is nothing but a fake. If there were truly a treasure nearby, my Spirit Pearl would have informed me long ago. After all this time, you have not dared to draw True Qi from the vase. Why not open it and see how much True Qi is left inside?"
Yuan Shu's expression shifted slightly as he summoned the Jade Purity Vase from the Qi Sea. Zhao Yang's fingers moved slightly, and the vase immediately shattered, scattering the True Qi within. Although it wasn't much, it was enough for Zhao Yang to gather and sustain their strength.
Nangong Wuxin and Song Baliang's faces improved slightly under the nourishment of this not-so-strong True Qi.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shu stood frozen in place, trembling as he said, "Is this really the Jade Purity Vase?"
His voice carried a hint of weeping, half-laughing and half-mad, before he threw his head back and howled, "Old bastard, how could you be so cruel as to deceive me!"
After saying this, madness surged across Yuan Shu's face as he looked at Zhao Yang and exclaimed, "I have been trained since childhood to serve the Zhao Clan Imperial Family. All along I thought I bore a heavy responsibility; that’s why I endured humiliation and hardship. Why did you have to tell me all this!"
Zhao Yang replied, "I told you this because I didn't want you to continue pretending to be important beside me. Initially, I planned to use you to get out of here, but later I realized you know nothing—you're just a waste."
As Zhao Yang approached Yuan Shu, Song Baliang interjected, "Junior brother, let me handle this."
Zhao Yang shook his head and said, "Senior brother, there's something I haven't told you. Although Konghui lost his shelter, it was indeed my hand that killed his Divine Soul. Kong Yuan also died of thirst because I didn’t secretly transmit True Qi to him."
Song Baliang was stunned for a moment before murmuring, "But they were our companions."
Nangong Wuxin lowered her head and quietly said, "No wonder every time I was about to lose consciousness there would be a faint stream of True Qi circulating through my body; it turns out it was Zhao Yang."
In that moment, Nangong Wuxin did not blame Zhao Yang—even if she were next—because only in this way could they avoid total annihilation.
"Are we really not getting out?" Song Baliang knew that Zhao Yang was not someone who would easily give up on any companion, even if he wasn't very familiar with Konghui and Kong Yuan. He didn't know how he would choose or sacrifice if he were in Zhao Yang's position.
After seeing the look in Zhao Yang's eyes, Yuan Shu stumbled back, for he saw something in Zhao Yang's gaze—a Golden Figurine. The little figure opened its eyes, glowing red as if it were a primordial deity awakening from slumber, sending shivers down his spine.
He couldn't understand why a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage could instill such fear in him; he found himself unable to move!
"I'll kill you!" Song Baliang suddenly roared as he charged at Yuan Shu, tearing him apart into pieces under Yuan Shu's terrified gaze.
Zhao Yang's ears twitched; it seemed he heard a voice coming from the desert nearby. He took a step forward, covering a hundred feet in an instant, and punched towards the source of the sound. A massive Desert Black Scorpion was shaken loose. Zhao Yang glanced at the Desert Black Scorpion and said, "This must be your second Primordial Spirit, Yuan Shu."
The Desert Black Scorpion showed signs of fear in its eyes, and its venomous tail suddenly lunged at Zhao Yang. In a critical moment, Zhao Yang dodged and moved to the scorpion's tail, using a Void Blade to sever its stinger.
The Desert Black Scorpion let out a wail, but in the next moment, it fell silent as red light flickered in Zhao Yang's eyes.
Zhao Yang rode the Desert Black Scorpion to where Yu Qingsnow and the others were located, helping them onto the back of the black scorpion as they continued onward. No one spoke along the way; everyone felt that Nangong Wuxin and Song Baliang's life force was dwindling.
"Junior Brother, not being able to drink your wedding wine with Qingxue and Liu Rou is my greatest regret in this life," Song Baliang whispered as he lay on the brink of death.
Nangong Wuxin also seemed unable to open his eyelids; he too was reaching his limit.
But after some time, when they awoke again, they only heard Liu Rou softly crying.
Zhao Yang's face had begun to look gaunt and emaciated. Nangong Wuxin felt a pang of sadness and said, "Zhao Yang, why do you have to do this?"
He knew that Zhao Yang must have expended a significant amount of his life force to keep them alive.
Song Baliang looked at his once-handsome junior brother now reduced to such a pitiful state, resembling a mortal who hadn't eaten for years. He sighed deeply and said, "In ten days, if we still can't get out or find that City in the Clouds, I will end my own life."
Zhao Yang remained silent throughout.
Later, the Desert Black Scorpion was run to death.
The five of them supported each other and walked for an unknown amount of time. First, Nangong Wuxin fainted, followed closely by Yu Qingsnow and Liu Rou. Then it was Song Baliang's turn. Zhao Yang looked up at the blazing sun above him; there was no sweat left on his face, and all the moisture in his body had been completely consumed. They had managed to survive this far solely because of his powerful life force sustaining them.
"Forget it, I can't go on," Zhao Yang said as he sat down, the endless expanse before him still stretching out.
"You are the Rebel Son; you can definitely make it out." At that moment, a voice came from him. The Ginseng Doll crawled out, a root from its ginseng body inserting into Zhao Yang's withered arm, continuously supplying Spirit Energy.
Then the Ginseng Doll's roots spread to Yu Qingsnow, Liu Rou, Song Baliang, and Nangong Wuxin, slowly delivering powerful life energy to them.
This process didn't last long before the Ginseng Doll began to wither. It looked like a drooping radish as it said to Zhao Yang, "The Boundless Desert suppresses all extraordinary things, including me. My Ginseng King powers have been greatly diminished, reduced to less than one-thousandth of what they were outside. If you can find a way out, your abilities will surely soar and bring unexpected benefits. If you still can't find a way out, then you might as well consume me; perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope."
After saying this, the Ginseng Doll yawned and fell into a deep sleep.
Zhao Yang placed the Ginseng King into his Cosmic Bag and then used the shell of a giant Insect Demon that had died long ago to carry the four of them inside as he dragged it along.
He didn't know how many days or months had passed, or if even more time had gone by; eventually, he lost consciousness but continued to walk.
Until one day, in Zhao Yang's lifeless eyes, a city appeared—a grand and magnificent sky city.
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