Chek Fulit re-examined the opponent he had just slain. His fighting habit was always to strike once at the vital point and never deliver a second blow, but now, entering the Ancient Barren Sand Sea, it seemed necessary to make some modifications.

Qian Jin said no more, instead granting everyone ample time for contemplation to assimilate this revelation.

The Undead were real! This was not an easy truth for anyone to accept. If not for his exposure to the inscriptions and the Endless World, even Qian Jin himself would have found it hard to believe that the Undead were actual entities.

“Let’s go,” Qian Jin slowly rose once more and strode toward the depths of the sand sea, his mind racing through various conjectures. Was encountering an Undead here a coincidence? Or was it something more? Where was Hai Qing'er? How had she ventured so deep without their once glimpsing her shadow?

Another night passed in relentless travel. This single thought had taken root not just in Qian Jin’s mind, but in everyone’s. They had encountered demonic beasts numerous times, many of whom existed in an undead state. Some of these were no longer easy to dispatch. While they could still eliminate them through teamwork, it was no longer a matter of a single person finishing the fight instantly.

“A mountain peak! What a great spot!” Duan Feng Buer exclaimed, spotting a mountain that wasn't excessively large. “I can’t believe we’d find a mountain peak here.”

“Let’s check it out,” Qian Jin advanced cautiously. “If it’s safe, we’ll rest there for a while.”

A collective wave of relief washed over the group. Encountering a mountain peak in this desolate place seemed to soothe the pervasive unease in their hearts.

Many mountains harbor caves, and this one was no exception, offering a hollow for respite. Duan Feng Buer and Qian Jin meticulously inspected the interior and exterior for half a day. They confirmed there were no hidden dangers lurking within the reasonable confines of the structure, nor were there any secret tunnels leading to more mysterious depths.

“Someone used to live here.”

Tie Nan, who spoke rarely, voiced a truth that was evident to all.

Even before entering, the traces of carving and excavation were visible on the mountain exterior. Inside the cave structure, there were ten stone chambers, all clearly shaped by artificial hands.

“I need to enter the Saint Realm; I require time,” Chek Fulit said, placing a hand lightly over his chest, his expression strained as he moved toward one of the stone chambers. “I need time to fully digest the essence of the Heart of Lucifer. Only then can I enter the Saint Realm! I sense that without fully assimilating it, I will never achieve sainthood. It benefits me, yet it is also an impediment. If I don't absorb it, I cannot ascend.”

A flicker of recognition crossed Duan Feng Buer’s eyes. His Battle Soul had clearly reached its zenith in recent days, and he constantly felt the sensation of his bloodline power on the verge of awakening.

In the past, merely activating the Bloodline Battle Body in this world and forcibly stimulating the bloodline’s energy would have yielded an eighty or even ninety percent chance of awakening the bloodline power, thus accomplishing the feat of entering the Battle Soul stage.

But now...

Duan Feng Buer had assaulted this barrier multiple times, always feeling an invisible resistance. Now, hearing Chek Fulit articulate it, he finally understood what was holding him back.

“It seems we must assimilate these things before we can enter the Saint Realm,” Duan Feng Buer sighed. “Is this good or bad? Before ascension, our reserves grow stronger, and upon entering the Saint Realm, we would become even more potent. But now, we are stuck…”

Chek Fulit walked into a stone chamber in silence. The Ancient Barren Sand Sea was growing increasingly bizarre. Who knew what powerful demonic beasts, or even powerful Undead, they might encounter if they continued onward?

In the battle not long ago, Qian Jin’s Violent Soul Domain, combined with Duan Feng Buer’s Instantaneous Movement Soul Domain, had only just managed to dispatch an Undead with relative ease. Without the assistance of even one of them, the fight would certainly have been troublesome, even if not a desperate struggle.

Saint Realm! Chek Fulit felt the necessity of ascension growing ever more urgent. He now possessed a Sacred Artifact; if he truly could ascend, their chances of survival in the sand sea would increase by several tens of percent.

Qian Jin emerged from the mountain, buried himself in the sand, and practiced his battle aura, striving to make his Battle Soul as robust as possible while observing the surroundings.

Battle Soul… Insufficient Battle Soul power! Although Qian Jin had reached the Battle Soul realm and could even utilize his Super-Void Soul Skills twice, leveraging his comprehension to contend with half-saint level warriors, this did not mask the fact that his Battle Soul had not reached its peak.

Perhaps the quality of his Battle Soul was high, but the actual quantity of battle aura it should possess was far from sufficient! Failing to reach the peak of the Battle Soul realm theoretically barred entry to the Saint Realm. Even if he forced his way in based on quality alone, his power after ascension might even lag behind that of his companions.

Battle Aura quantity! Qian Jin had always relied on the quality of his battle aura to advance to this point, but now, for the first time, he felt an intense need for the sheer volume of battle aura.

As the group confirmed their decision to rest and began practicing their battle aura, the Ancient Barren Sand Sea transitioned back into daytime, the scorching, dry air once again enveloping the entire expanse.

Qian Jin climbed out of the sand, swiftly ascending to the mountain's summit to gaze at the distant horizon. Mu Ne Zhence also suddenly dashed out of the cave, looking toward the endless distance.

An army!

In the far reaches of the Ancient Barren Sand Sea, the silhouette of an array of troops vaguely appeared. This was definitely no mere mirage or illusion; it was a tangible reality.

Streams of gray Battle Souls, though incredibly distant and masked by the boundless aura of the Ancient Barren Sand Sea, were nearly impossible to detect.

“This is…”

Qian Jin exchanged a look with Mu Ne Zhence, seeing the shock mirrored in the other’s eyes. Undead! And not just one, but an immensely vast army of the Undead!

The army was not concentrated on one side; it formed a vast, encircling ring, completely enveloping the entire mountain from a distance, leaving no gaps for escape.

They were surrounded!

In an instant, Qian Jin understood much. These Undead were certainly not out for a casual stroll; their objective was singular! To corner this small group of people!

“Hello there, my dear younger brother…”

An unnatural voice suddenly resonated within Tie Nan’s body, immediately drawing the attention of Qian Jin and Mu Ne Zhence. Tie Nan looked down at his own body in confusion; he hadn't been the one speaking.

“Third Brother?” Mu Ne Zhence recognized the source of the voice, his long eyebrows furrowing deeply with hostility. Hearing that voice at this moment was certainly not an auspicious sign.

“It is I, my dear Sixth Brother. Are the Undead interesting? How does it feel to be surrounded by them?” The Third Prince’s voice dripped with smug satisfaction. “Let me tell you something else—the one who awakened the Burning Road Roar was also me…”

“And the one who provided the shield?” Mu Ne Zhence, surprisingly, calmed down at this moment. “Does that mean this trap was set by you? And the so-called Sacred Artifact is also fake?”

“I gave the shield, and I set the trap, but perhaps the Sacred Artifact does exist? At least, when I obtained the shield, there was a small metal plaque next to it with an explanation, stating that comprehending the profound mysteries could yield the treasure: the Sacred Artifact Set.”

“Insidious!” Mu Ne Zhence shot back a cold condemnation.

“Insidious? I merely used the bait you needed most, leading you into this trap willingly. I did not force you. You chose to participate in the Newcomer King Tournament; you lacked the Sacred Artifacts necessary to contend with the other families, forcing you to step into this. My dear brother…”

The Third Prince’s cadence quickened for the first time, though threaded with smugness and pride. “Aren’t you always pursuing art? How do you rate my artistic portrayal of human weakness this time?”

“A precise portrayal, but utterly repulsive!” Mu Ne Zhence stared coldly at the belt buckle on Tie Nan’s waist. “Third Brother, we are brothers! Fratricide is never art!”

“My dear brother, you still don’t understand what art is! We are brothers, but there is only one throne. Do you understand?”

“I understand!” Infinite sorrow flashed in Mu Ne Zhence’s calm pupils. “But we are brothers! If you desired the throne, you could have simply told us brothers; if you said you wanted to be Emperor, none of us would have contested you for it. You know this!”

“My dear, foolish brother! It is you who doesn’t understand. You are young now, so you do not grasp the craving for power. When you finally understand that craving, you will inevitably compete with me. You are the most outstanding prince besides myself, but alas, you are too young! And it is precisely because you are too young that I have this opportunity.”

The Third Prince’s triumphant tone carried a hint of lecture. “There is no chance of you surviving this time. But before you die, I will tell you why you lost to me. I know that ever since you entered the frontier and were schemed against by me, you’ve desired the throne. You believed that if I became Emperor, the other brothers would all suffer, correct? You guessed right!”

The Third Prince’s tone suddenly turned icy, laced with endless, savage killing intent. “If I become Emperor, all my brothers must die! Only then can my throne be secured! But before I kill them, I must eliminate you first! Because you are calculating, because you think further ahead than others, because your methods are more decisive! Most importantly! You once possessed the heart of an emperor!”

“Ruthless! Confident! Wise! Never clouded by emotion!” The Third Prince’s speech accelerated again. “I always thought eliminating you would be a difficult task. But I never imagined that the Stars would grant me such a perfect opportunity—that you would encounter Qian Jin.”

“Heh heh. On the surface, encountering Qian Jin made your luck better; you gained rapid advancements you couldn’t have achieved before. But you don’t realize how much you lost!” The Third Prince’s tone grew increasingly dismissive. “You lost your ruthlessness and gained sentimentality! The old you would never, under any circumstances, step right into a trap like this, knowing the extreme danger, as you have today!”