Amidst the vast desert, wind and sand raged fiercely. A young man dressed in the robes of a Transmutation Master slowly advanced, bearing the wind and sand before him. The rows of footprints he left deep in the yellow sand were soon obscured by the wind and sand, their traces gradually swallowed beneath the desert floor. The environment of the Tagoer Desert proved more severe than Xuanyin had anticipated. Under the scorching sun, the yellow sand felt almost like hot iron grains, causing his feet to draw involuntary tremors each time they struck the ground. As he walked steadily, the strong wind laden with fine sand struck his face with a sharp, painful force. To prevent being blighted by the wind and sand, Xuanyin had to constantly circulate his Qi, forming a delicate Qi membrane over his face. Yet though the environment of the great desert was extremely harsh, the fire-energy it contained brought great satisfaction to Xiao Yan. Perhaps due to the intense sun exposure, the fire-energy here was nearly as abundant—perhaps even more so—than that found in the smaller valleys within the beast mountain range. Moreover, the fire-energy here was particularly refined and powerful, making it exceptionally well-suited for Xiao Yan's cultivation of Purple Fire Qi. Within just half a day of entering the desert, Xiao Yan clearly sensed that his flowing Purple Fire Qi was noticeably more vibrant and lively than ever before. After walking steadily for nearly a hundred meters once more, Xiao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead, licked the slightly dry lips, retrieved a water bottle from his storage ring, and drank deeply before finally exhaling in relief. He then unfolded the sheepskin map, sighed, and said, "Master, throughout this entire period, we haven't followed the route indicated on the map. Now that we've managed to bypass the main path, where should we head next?" "Ah... then let's head east to the Flame Mark location first," the Elder of Medicine said casually. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan studied the map carefully, then furrowed his brows and sighed, "According to the distance markers here, it will take us at least ten days to reach the eastern Flame Mark." "Ha! Well, then let's go—within this desert, even walking is a form of cultivation!" Seeing Xiao Yan's weary expression, the Elder smiled slightly with a touch of amusement. Exhaling a sigh, Xiao Yan raised his head and gazed at the massive sun high above the desert. He cracked his lips, slipped the map into his storage amulet, and gently ran his palm along the back of the Xuanchong Scale. A smile of relief spread across his face—he found it strange indeed that, though the scale was quite large, it remained cool to the touch under the scorching rays of the sun, as if unaffected by the blazing sky. This saved him considerable effort; after all, he would never have endured the burden of carrying a red-hot iron ingot around. Wiping away another streak of sweat, Xiao Yan was about to turn and head eastward across the desert when his expression suddenly tightened. He suddenly gripped the scale firmly and then swiftly pulled it out, driving it straight into the yellow sand before him. "Hiss!" The heavy staff was plunged into the yellow sand, instantly emitting a piercing cry. Xiao Yan calmly withdrew it, and a cluster of crimson blood seeped out across the sand's surface. With a gentle sweep of his sleeve, a surge of power sent a small, nearby beast flying off the ground. He glanced indifferently at the now lifeless creature. This creature, known as the Yellow Sand Scorpion, was only found in desert regions. Often concealed within the sand, it waited patiently for humans to step upon it, releasing its venom at will. The scorpions were exceptionally adept at hiding, and even seasoned desert travelers occasionally fell victim to their ambushes. Thus, though this was a creature of only minor strength, it was frequently regarded by humans as a persistent and troublesome presence in the desert. Yet even though the Scorpion was exceptionally skilled at concealing itself, to Xiang Yan's eyes—whose soul perception was exceptional—it appeared no more than a flickering firefly in the night, bright and conspicuous, striving to launch a stealthy attack. Hah, basically impossible. He glanced at the Scorpion, took a few steps forward, severed its stinger, and stored it in his storage amulet before rising and beginning to walk steadily eastward across the desert. And on the very next day after Xiao Yan entered the Tagoor Desert, his formal cultivation journey truly began. Under the insistence of Yao Lao, Xiao Yan wore only a short pants reaching just below his knees, and his upper body was completely bare. Though Xiao Yan had intended to protest, he was firmly rejected by Yao Lao, who explained that only by exposing his skin to direct sunlight could he absorb the fire-energy present in the air more efficiently. "Shh..." As the crimson liquid dripped onto his back, Xiao Yan tightened his jaw, and a subtle chill escaped through his teeth. His hands clutched firmly at a handful of yellow sand, regardless of how scorching it had become. "This 'Burning Blood' applied externally in the desert proves far more effective than when used in the Beast Mountains. Though it's somewhat difficult to prepare, its effects are indeed quite impressive. In the desert, it makes the skin more sensitive to the fiery energy present in the surrounding air, thus greatly enhancing the efficiency of cultivation." Gently scraping the liquid with a jade plate, the elderly physician watched the young man's determined expression—his teeth clenched, his resolve unwavering—and a warm, satisfied smile flickered across his eyes. He spoke softly. Xiao Yan managed a smile, though it was somewhat strained. He murmured, "No matter. Go ahead—by now, I've already grown accustomed to it. Honestly, I don't have many strengths, but I'm quite adaptable. Heh, I'm tougher than a cockroach." "However, the progress from these days of cultivation has been quite impressive—I can already feel my ki steadily approaching the peak of a one-star warrior's level," said Xiao Yan, excitedly waving his hand over the yellow sand. "Heh," nodded the Yao Elder calmly, speaking softly, "Alright, enter your cultivation state now. This is the most suitable time—don't waste it..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan promptly nodded, said no more, and positioned himself with his back to the blazing sun overhead, his front pressed tightly against the hot yellow sand. His ki membrane covered his face, and then, like a ostrich, he buried his head deep into the warm sand pile. Xiao Yan's peculiar meditation posture was specifically instructed by Yao Lao. Although the desert throughout contains abundant fiery energy, after a day of intense sunlight, the fiery energy seeps deeper into the yellow sand, becoming more refined. Thus, Xiao Yan adopted this unusual posture—like a ostrich burying his head in the soil. Once his head was buried in the earth, his senses gradually quieted, the roaring winds and sandstorms fading away. As his mind stabilized within him, he could observe that the "Burning Blood" liquid applied to his back was rapidly penetrating his body under the scorching sunlight. Though the intense heat caused his skin to constantly twitch, the refined and powerful fiery energy flowing in brought him a sense of quiet satisfaction, even amid the discomfort. With the stimulation that the scorched blood exerted on his skin, the already intensely abundant fire-energy in the surrounding天地 was as if finding its source, continuously pouring into Xiao Yan’s body. After ascending to the status of a Battle Master, Xiao Yan could now effortlessly manage and channel these incoming energies without expending much effort. By guiding the flow of fire-energy through several meridians and refining it, the energy was then infused into the purple vortex located in his lower abdomen. The cultivation process unfolded steadily and quietly in this routine and solitary manner. When the scorched blood on Xiao Yan’s back was completely evaporated, a small droplet of purple liquid finally condensed within the vortex. This delicate purple droplet flowed joyfully within the vortex, as lively and agile as fish swimming in a lake. Focusing intently on the newest droplet of deep purple liquid, Xiao Yan smiled slightly. After this extended period of observation, he had gradually calculated that when there were approximately fifteen such droplets within the vortex, he would accumulate the energy required to advance to a two-star combatant. Currently, there were already thirteen droplets of purple liquid in the vortex. Thus, if he could coalesce two more droplets, Xiao Yan would be able to achieve the rank of two-star combatant! "Almost there..." he murmured softly in his heart. Then, he lifted his head sharply, vigorously shaking the yellow sand from his hair, and leapt up, shouting toward the sky: "Almost there! Two-star combatant!" Standing by, the Elder of the Medicine Sect watched Xiao Yan roaring with passion, venting his inner emotions. He smiled gently and murmured softly, "Little one, though you have a solid talent, it's your dedication and perseverance that truly make the difference. I'm truly looking forward to the three-year agreement in a few months' time. Back then, she dealt you a deep humiliation that you couldn't easily forget. Now, you've earned the right to reclaim your dignity on your own." He slowly raised his gaze to the vast, blazing sun, then turned his eyes to the slender yet resolute figure of the young man. Suddenly, a quiet smile spread across his face. "Though the path of cultivation has been arduous, you have never given up. All of this success has been earned through your own efforts and sweat. I believe that in the future, you will surely stand at the pinnacle of the Cultivation Continent."