Deep in the ancient well, the demonic energy's roar was forcefully suppressed, leaving only unwilling echoes lingering along the well walls. That dark gold Buddha head returned to silence, the relics in its eyes steadily circulating Buddhist light, forming a new, more solid balance with the temporarily sealed demonic cave below. Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu collapsed sitting on the icy golden sand well bottom, panting violently. That all-out combined strike just now had nearly drained all their strength, and their minds were even more exhausted.
Zhao Tiezhu looked at his own hands, still faintly emitting pale golden light as if containing infinite power, still somewhat in disbelief: "Brother Qi... just now... that relic..."
"It was the legacy of predecessors, recognizing you and my belief and power, temporarily lending divine power to help us through this tribulation." Xiao Qi explained with a somewhat hoarse voice. He looked inward at his sea of consciousness—that relic that had merged in had already flown out again, but a thread of pure Buddhist power and insight it left behind was still nourishing his soul, deepening his understanding of the "Indestructible Diamond Body" and even Buddhist power by several degrees. Within Zhao Tiezhu's body, similar benefits must also remain.
However, before they could carefully contemplate this fortune, the entire Golden Sand ancient city underwent another drastic change!
"Om—!"
A low, distant hum, as if originating from the city's very foundation, transmitted from beneath their feet, instantly spreading to every corner of the ancient city. Immediately after, all the golden sand particles forming the city began emitting soft and steady light—not the chaotic fluctuations of intermingled Buddha and demon from before, but returning to a pure, ancient rhythm carrying farewell and blessing meaning.
The city began trembling slightly but continuously. This trembling wasn't destruction, but more like a prelude to... awakening and movement.
"The ancient city... is about to sink again!" Xiao Qi instantly understood. This moving ancient city, after completing this trial and transmission for "those with destiny" (or rather, resolving this demonic energy backlash crisis), was about to hide once more into the Death Sand Sea, waiting for the next cycle of ten thousand years to open.
He struggled to stand, saying to Zhao Tiezhu: "Quick! We must leave immediately!"
Zhao Tiezhu also reacted. Supporting each other, the two climbed arduously up the well wall. When they finally returned to the well mouth, the scene before them shook their minds.
The entire ancient city was glowing! All buildings, all streets, were bathed in a warm and sacred golden radiance. Those time phantoms originally wandering in the city from different eras now became incredibly clear and solid. They were no longer unconscious imprints, but seemed to have gained brief spirituality. They stopped one after another, turned around, faced Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu's direction, pressed their palms together, and slightly bowed.
They were saluting! Expressing silent gratitude and blessing to the two who had resolved the city's crisis and inherited part of the Buddhist true meaning!
Even in the main hall direction, those solemn guardian monk phantoms nodded toward them. The air was permeated with a solemn, yet relieved and gratified grand intent.
This scene was deeply imprinted in Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu's hearts.
There was no time for more sentiment. The ancient city's trembling grew more intense. The golden sand ground beneath their feet began becoming illusory and transparent, as if to merge into the surrounding void. At the city's edge, that tall golden city wall had already begun gradually fading and disappearing, revealing the outside Death Desert's dim yellow sky and endless sand sea.
"Not enough time to leave through the city gate!" Xiao Qi's gaze swept around, seeing not far away—the huge plaza they had passed through before entering the main hall. In the plaza's center, that nine-story pagoda was now emitting the most brilliant light. Above the pagoda top, space slightly distorted, forming a rotating light door emitting gentle suction!
"Go there!" Xiao Qi made an instant decision, pulling Zhao Tiezhu, using their final strength to rush toward the pagoda top's light door. The rabbit spirit tightly grabbed Xiao Qi's shoulder.
Along the way, those time phantoms made way one after another, watching them leave.
Just as they were about to touch the light door, the entire Golden Sand ancient city's light reached its peak, then fiercely contracted inward!
Xiao Qi took one last backward glance, seeing the entire magnificent golden city, like a mirage, rapidly becoming transparent and illusory in endless golden light, finally completely dissipating as if it had never existed. Only that Buddha head and relics suppressing the ancient well depths, and the "Indestructible Diamond Body" transmission true meaning engraved in the city, had been brought out by them.
The next moment, a sensation of heaven and earth spinning came.
...
When the feeling of solid ground returned, and scorching dry air rushed into their lungs, Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu found themselves standing at the Death Desert's edge. Behind them was still the boundless, deathly silent rolling yellow sand. Ahead were sparse shrubs and the distant horizon. That mysterious Golden Sand ancient city had completely vanished, not knowing which corner of the sand sea it had hidden in again, or perhaps already moved to the world's other end.
The blazing sun hung high, casting the two's shadows long. They still maintained their supporting posture, in sorry states with tattered clothes, exhaustion on their faces, but their eyes were exceptionally bright.
Zhao Tiezhu felt the qi and blood within him that, though greatly consumed, had become more condensed and solid, even faintly carrying a trace of Buddhist fierce charm. He looked at Xiao Qi beside him whose aura was even more settled and profound, grinning with a brilliant yet tired smile: "Brother Qi, we... seem to have survived again, and gained heaven-sized benefits!"
Xiao Qi nodded, looking at the Death Desert that had swallowed countless adventurers yet gifted them opportunity, his heart filled with countless emotions. He touched his bosom—that divine consciousness imprint recording the "Indestructible Diamond Body" remnant chapters and deduced insights was intact; he felt the afterglow of that pure Buddhist power in his sea of consciousness; he saw Zhao Tiezhu's tangible progress.
This Western Desert trip, though failing to obtain the complete "Indestructible Diamond Body," the harvest already far exceeded expectations. More importantly, they had resolved a potential demonic energy eruption crisis and formed an indissoluble bond with an ancient Buddhist city.
"Let's go, Tiezhu." Xiao Qi took a deep breath, adjusting his state, "Matters here are concluded. It's time to return to the Central Plains, to prepare... for Core Formation."
The return journey was right before them. And Tang Xiao Qi, having experienced Northern Plains ice sealing and Western Desert ancient city's baptism, having settled countless insights and powers, was already like a drawn sharp sword, edge restrained, only awaiting that earth-shattering moment—the Golden Core Great Dao!