Chapter Seven: The Endless Sea of Sand

“Then I must thank you in advance, junior brother.” Although He Ming found Yang Xiao’s words rather unrealistic, he still expressed his gratitude. He certainly didn’t believe Yang Xiao could truly surpass Wuli in cultivation; after all, Yang Xiao had trained for several years yet remained only at the second level of Spiritual Awareness, while Wuli, who hadn’t entered the sect much earlier, had already reached the fifth level. The disparity in their cultivation speed was obvious. If things continued as they were, Yang Xiao would only fall further behind Wuli, with no hope of catching up.

However, Yang Xiao’s actions today in facing Wuli were clearly unusual. Though He Ming hadn’t figured out exactly what had happened, he felt that Yang Xiao, after recovering from a severe illness, seemed like a different person—deeper and more unfathomable. If that was the case, perhaps Yang Xiao’s claim to catch up with Wuli was not mere empty boasting. Thus, He Ming did not argue and instead offered many words of praise.

“So, what are your plans next, junior brother?” He Ming asked.

“I intend to go to the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sand Sea to cultivate. In a few months, it will be the annual competition of the Giant Spirit Sect. If my cultivation improves by then, I’ll return to participate,” Yang Xiao replied.

“You have much more freedom now, so naturally you can wander as you please. But I cannot accompany you. Many tasks in the sect fall to us lower-ranking disciples; if I leave and Senior Brother Wuli finds out, I’ll surely be harshly punished when I return,” He Ming said, somewhat dejected.

“No need to be disheartened, senior brother. When I return, it will mark the rise of our brotherhood,” Yang Xiao said, brimming with confidence.

“Let’s hope so. I’ll await good news from you. But I’ve heard that inside the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sand Sea, sandstorms rage constantly, and even high-ranking cultivators find it dangerous. You must be careful,” He Ming said with concern.

“I will take care. Time waits for no one. I plan to leave today. Please take care, senior brother! By the way, I have two Sound Transmission Talismans here—I’ll give you one. If anything major happens in the sect, just inform me through it,” Yang Xiao said before leaving. He had recalled the Sound Transmission Talismans he had bought recently at the local market. Though they were only basic blue talismans—only capable of one-way transmission, limited range, and a few uses before they failed—they had still cost Yang Xiao several low-grade spirit stones. At that time, he had little to spare, and spending it all on the talismans had pained him greatly. After all, the sect only distributed one or two spirit stones per year, and after years of saving, he could only buy two low-grade talismans, showing just how poor Yang Xiao truly was.

Of course, with Yang Xiao’s low cultivation and lack of status in the Giant Spirit Sect, it was natural for him to receive fewer spirit stones. Higher-ranking disciples received more each year.

“Junior brother, you have Sound Transmission Talismans? That’s wonderful! If anything comes up, I’ll notify you,” He Ming said, pleasantly surprised. He took the talisman Yang Xiao handed over and examined it closely.

“This is just a low-grade talisman, good for only a few uses. Use it wisely. I’ll be off now—until we meet again.” After explaining how to use the talisman, Yang Xiao returned to his room, packed briefly, and left the Giant Spirit Sect, heading west toward the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sand Sea.

The Ten-Thousand-Mile Sand Sea lay west of the Giant Spirit Sect, beyond the Ten-Thousand-Fathom Mountain Range. Because sandstorms covered the area year-round, it earned its name. They said the Sand Sea stretched tens of thousands of miles, several times larger than the mountain range, though few knew its true size—ordinary cultivators could never traverse its entirety. The vastness was daunting enough, not to mention the harsh environment.

Yet, the Ninefold Golden Body Technique Yang Xiao practiced required harsh environments for effective cultivation, especially in its early stages, where strengthening the body was essential to achieve a powerful physique.

The Sand Sea’s perilous conditions made it the perfect place to cultivate such an extraordinary technique.

After leaving the Giant Spirit Sect and crossing several mountain peaks, Yang Xiao arrived within the bounds of the Sand Sea a few days later. Before him stretched an endless desert, reaching the horizon. Deep within, fierce winds whipped the sand, painting the distant sky a dusky yellow.

Walking deeper into the desert, the sandstorms grew stronger, buffeting Yang Xiao so hard he could barely stand. At this point, he began cultivating the Ninefold Golden Body Technique.

This technique was entirely for forging the body, and cultivating it amid such sandstorms greatly aided Yang Xiao’s physical transformation.

Each time he trained, he moved deeper into the Sand Sea, advancing a bit farther. When exhausted, he would retreat to rest slightly, then resume amid the relentless sand and wind. All the while, the Ninefold Golden Body Technique advanced rapidly.

After a month, Yang Xiao’s skin had become as tough as iron and stone, and his cultivation had jumped more than a whole realm, reaching the peak of the third level of Spiritual Awareness.

For the past two years, his cultivation had barely progressed because he lacked a suitable technique. Now, with the Ninefold Golden Body, his growth was astonishingly swift. Of course, the physical training he had endured in those years also helped immensely; his diligence paved the way for his rapid progress.

“If I keep cultivating at this pace, it won’t be long before I reach the first stage of the Ninefold Golden Body. That would give me a way to protect myself, avoiding accidents in the upcoming trials,” Yang Xiao calculated his progress.

One day, as he was training as usual, a small beast suddenly darted toward him through the storm. With a shrill cry, it shot at him like an arrow.

As it approached, Yang Xiao saw it clearly—a flying beast resembling a bat, though it was quite large, nearly three feet long. Its black wings stretched wide and moved effortlessly through the sandstorm, seemingly unaffected.

“It’s a Sand Bat,” Yang Xiao finally recognized it. He had read about Sand Bats in a sect manual; though only low-grade spirit beasts, they were fiercely aggressive, especially in sandstorms, where they could hunt at will. Clearly, this Sand Bat considered Yang Xiao its prey.