Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

After a short rest, the team continued forward.

At the edge of the wasteland lies a barren sandy area where the wind blows, creating fine ripples on the surface of the sand like water.

The Golden Core cultivator at the very front suddenly lost his footing.

The sand beneath his feet suddenly collapsed, revealing a funnel-shaped pit with smooth, mirror-like walls.

Immediately afterwards, something arched at the bottom of the sandpit.

The sand grains slid down, and a thick stone joint emerged from the bottom of the pit, pushing upwards from the sand surface section by section.

The object was composed of countless gray stone rings, with a pale blue aura flowing between each ring.

The surface of the stone ring is covered with a dense array of tiny tentacles, which sway gently in the air.

One section, two sections, three sections.

The sandworms kept emerging from the sand, and in the blink of an eye they had grown to several meters tall and were still climbing upwards.

The top of the skull is a ring of inward-curving stone petals, with a ring of sharp teeth in the middle, and viscous spiritual liquid flowing between the teeth.

It exuded the aura of an eighth-tier exotic beast.

"This thing can grow to the eighth rank?" The Golden Core cultivator who almost fell into the pit turned pale and quickly retreated.

As the sandworm's body continued to grow taller, the deep pit in the sand also expanded.

boom!

The sandworm finally emerged completely from the ground, its body over twenty feet long, and perched on the sand like a moving stone tower.

Its top petals suddenly opened, spewing out a cloud of grayish-white sand.

Sand and mist filled the air, covering an area of ​​several tens of feet in radius.

Several cultivators who had no time to dodge were enveloped by the sand and mist, and immediately felt their spiritual energy being frantically sucked away, and fine cracks appeared on the surface of their skin.

"This mist can devour spiritual energy! Retreat quickly!"

Everyone retreated, creating distance between them.

Lin Ran stood on the outside, observing the enormous creature.

The body of the stone-jointed sandworm is made up of countless stone rings, each as hard as iron.

He activated his flying sword, and the sword light slashed at one of the stone rings.

Ding!

Sparks flew everywhere, leaving only a faint white mark on the surface of the stone ring.

"The shells of the strange beasts in this world seem to be extremely sturdy."

Lin Ran floated up and circled around to the side of the sandworm, his gaze fixed on the gap between the stone rings.

Blue light flowed through the cracks, where the stone shell was the thinnest.

He activated the Jinghong Sword, aiming the tip at one of the gaps, and poured all his spiritual power into it.

laugh!

The sword's edge pierced the crevice, and dark golden sword light sliced ​​through it.

A section of the stone ring was forcibly ripped from the body, and a large amount of spiritual liquid gushed out from the broken end.

The sandworm's massive body convulsed suddenly, and the stone petals at its tip trembled violently, emitting a muffled groan.

"It works!" Upon seeing this, someone immediately shouted, "The sand worm's weakness lies in the gaps between its segments!"

The group adjusted their attacks, turning their swords and blades towards the gaps between the segments of the sand worm's body.

Lin Ran continued moving, his Jinghong Sword slashing repeatedly at the sand worm's body.

Each sword strike precisely cut into the gaps between the segments, severing one stone ring after another.

The sandworm's body fell from the sky segment by segment, crashing onto the sand with a dull thud.

Finally, its ring of stone petals suddenly opened, spewing out a thick, grayish-white mist.

In the mist, the sandworm's body cracked open from the inside, sending countless fragments of stone rings flying in all directions.

boom!

The massive body exploded completely, scattering into a pile of gray fragments.

Lin Ran retrieved his flying sword and took a fist-sized inner core from the sandworm's core.

The inner elixir is entirely grayish-white, with a blue aura flowing across its surface.

Along the way, he killed the most strange beasts.

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, blocking Lin Ran's path.

"Fellow Daoist, you've killed quite a few strange beasts, haven't you?"

"It's alright," Lin Ran said calmly.

"Isn't it a bit inappropriate for an outsider like you to take so many inner cores?"

"What's inappropriate?"

"This secret realm was discovered by my Qingxuan Sect, and the resources within it naturally belong to my Qingxuan Sect."

The man's tone gradually became arrogant: "You're just an outer sect disciple. I can help, but you have to leave your inner core behind."

Lin Ran raised an eyebrow: "I did the work of killing the beast, so the inner core is mine. It's only right and proper."

"What did you do? You were just picking up the scraps from behind."

Lin Ran narrowed his eyes slightly: "Finding a bargain?"

He casually held the Jinghong Sword horizontally in front of him, its blade shimmering with spiritual light and exuding a chilling killing intent.

"Come on, you can go pick up the scraps now. I'll cripple the monsters ahead for you, and the rest is up to you."

The man's face stiffened, his lips moved, but he didn't reply for a long time.

The Golden Core cultivators watching the commotion tactfully refrained from offering any support.

"What's wrong?" Lin Ran asked casually. "Isn't finding a bargain easy?"

The burly cultivator's face turned pale and then green. He snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Lin Ran sheathed his Jinghong Sword and didn't pursue the matter.

In the distance, Wan Chongqiu stood with his hands behind his back, taking in the entire scene.

He narrowed his triangular eyes slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The team continued to advance, and the wasteland gradually became rugged.

The others watched as Lin Ran's gains continued to increase, whispering amongst themselves, but no one stepped forward to provoke him.

The team continued to advance, and the wasteland gradually became rugged.

The ground transformed from flat sand into layers of rock, with the occasional skeleton of a giant beast protruding from the rock strata, worn white by the wind and sand.

"We're almost at the core of the ore vein," Lu Wangchuan's voice came from ahead.

Everyone's expression turned solemn.

The core of the ore vein, the territory of a ninth-tier skeletal dragon lizard.

On a distant hill, a huge white skeleton is half-buried in rubble, with a faint dark red light pulsating slowly deep within it, like a heartbeat.

Wan Chongqiu had somehow appeared near Lin Ran, turned his head, and spoke in a kind tone.

"I am Wan Chongqiu, and I am Wan Tianlin's grandfather."

Lin Ran paused in his steps.

"I heard that my good-for-nothing grandson offended you the other day. I apologize to you on behalf of my grandson."

Lin Ran's heart skipped a beat.

Are there really people like this?

Just two days ago, his grandson was arrogant and domineering, but today the grandfather came to apologize in person.

Why does it make people a little skeptical?

Lin Ran remained calm and composed: "Senior, you flatter me. It was just a minor friction, nothing to mention."

"Good." Wan Chongqiu nodded, his tone cheerful: "I admire someone as broad-minded as you, young friend."

"You flatter me, senior."

"Hahahaha..." Wan Chongqiu chuckled, "Once we enter the core area, you can stay by my side, young friend. If you encounter any danger, I can also help you out."

"Thank you very much, senior."

Lin Ran thanked him verbally, but in his heart he was already making plans.

This old man is so enthusiastic; he must have ulterior motives.

But there's no rush right now; the skeletal dragon lizard at the heart of the mine is the real focus.

When the group reached the foot of the hill, the enormous white skeleton was right in front of them.

Inside the skeleton, a colossal beast covered in thick bone armor slowly opened its eyes.

Those eyes were as deep as an abyss, with a chilling, fierce light emanating from their dark red vertical pupils.

Lu Wangchuan stood in mid-air, releasing all the pressure of his Nascent Soul Realm cultivation.

"Form ranks."

The Golden Core cultivators of the Qingxuan Sect immediately accepted the order.

Dozens of people scattered and stood in place, each occupying a side, and sword light soared into the air, intertwining to form a huge sword formation in mid-air.

The sword formation is octagonal, with a Nascent Soul cultivator stationed at each of the formation's key points.

Once the formation was complete, only Lu Wangchuan and Lin Ran remained outside of it.

Eight Nascent Soul cultivators simultaneously unleashed their spiritual power, causing the sword formation to blaze with light. Thousands of sword shadows rained down like a storm, slashing towards the skeletal dragon lizard.

Ding Ding Ding!

The sword flashed and struck the dragon lizard's bone armor, sparks flew and fragments scattered, but only left dense white marks on the surface.

The defenses of a ninth-tier ferocious beast are far beyond what ordinary attacks can break through.

"Go all out!" a Nascent Soul elder shouted.

The eight Nascent Soul cultivators once again activated their spiritual power, making the sword formation even brighter. Thousands of sword shadows condensed into eight giant sword lights as thick as palace pillars, slashing down simultaneously from eight directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The skeletal dragon lizard roared to the sky, its bone armor suddenly standing up, like bone shields blocking its way.

Eight sword beams struck the bone shield, shattering it and sending shockwaves surging through the air, causing the entire hill to tremble.

The bone shield shattered inch by inch, revealing the dark red flesh beneath.

"roar!"