Chapter 1733: Strange Pond Water

The oasis was small, only a few dozen mu in area. A crystal-clear pond was embedded within it, sparkling like a jewel in a crown. A large tree stood by the water's edge, its dense foliage providing cool shade.

"An oasis, finally!"

"Water! I need water..."

Unable to hold back any longer, the group rushed forward.

"Wait a moment..." Zhang Xuan frowned and quickly called out.

However, at that moment, no one paid attention to his words. With red eyes, they rushed straight to the pond, cupped the water in their hands, and drank.

"Senior, is something wrong?" asked the intuitive expert, looking over in confusion. Although this senior had withheld spirit liquid from them earlier to attract the sand giants, he had undeniably led them to this oasis. Combined with his formidable strength, he might have noticed something amiss, prompting him to try and stop them.

"Nothing specific. I just find it a bit strange," Zhang Xuan replied, shaking his head. "If we can find this place, others surely can too... There are clearly footprints leading here, yet no sign of people. Where did they go?" He himself had been delayed for several hours in the jungle, yet still found the oasis, so others would certainly have been able to as well. After all, anyone capable of entering the Temple of Confucius was a powerful figure and would have noticed the sand giants' unique behavior, thus finding their way here. But... where were these people?

"There really are footprints..." The intuitive expert paused, then quickly looked. Indeed, in the yellow sand in front of the oasis, he saw some faint footprints, though they were partially obscured by the windblown sand and already indistinct.

"Great! This water works! I'm not thirsty anymore after drinking it..." shouted the few people who had rushed into the oasis after tasting the pond water. The water they had been carrying only made them thirstier with each sip, proving utterly useless, and they had long been suffering from an unbearable, burning thirst.

"I'll try..." Seeing that the water quenched thirst, the remaining people were filled with excitement. They rushed forward as well, cupped the pond water, but just as they were about to drink, they saw the middle-aged man who had just finished drinking begin to bleed from his eyes, tremble uncontrollably, and emit white smoke from his body.

"Ah..." A pained cry escaped him, as if something was strangling his neck, and he writhed on the ground. Yet, the more he writhed, the more smoke emanated from him, as if he might burst into flames at any moment.

"I..." Not only did this man collapse, but the three others who had just rushed over and drunk the water also fell to the ground simultaneously. Like him, they continuously emitted smoke, as if enduring inhuman torment.

"Oh no..." Zhang Xuan's face darkened, and he quickly approached. With a flick of his finger, a stream of pure True Qi shot out, intending to halt the burning. However, before it could even touch the writhing figure, the person shattered with a "whoosh!" and turned into a puddle of yellow sand.

"This..." Everyone simultaneously recoiled several steps, their faces turning pale. If the man had turned into ashes or a skeleton after burning, it would have been acceptable. Those who came to explore the Temple of Confucius had long prepared themselves for death... but to directly turn into yellow sand? What was going on? People turning into sand after death... Could it be that this vast desert was formed from the remains of the deceased? The thought alone was horrifying, filling them with deep dread.

"Senior, save me, save me..." The first person had turned into sand, and the remaining three now showed intense fear. They had originally envisioned gaining benefits and breaking through their limitations by entering the Temple of Confucius ruins, never dreaming that death would be so close.

Zhang Xuan also looked shocked, but this was not the time for contemplation. He quickly moved to the three individuals, extending a finger, and his True Qi flowed along their meridians into their bodies.

*Whoosh!* As his True Qi entered, he immediately felt a scorching flame pulsating within them, seemingly intent on burning them to ashes.

"Hmph!" His eyebrows rose, and his True Qi surged towards the flames. *Sizzle!* Upon colliding with the flames, Zhang Xuan immediately felt a powerful force lash out, seemingly trying to ignite his True Qi as well.

"Break!" Power surged wildly from him; Zhang Xuan himself glowed with golden light, like a moving golden statue, as his Heaven's Path True Qi swept down. His True Qi, physical body, and soul could withstand even Supreme Heavenly Flame; thus, the peculiar flames within the individuals, though strange, could not harm him in the slightest. Under the furious surge of True Qi, the flames were extinguished. The three individuals, having narrowly escaped death, were pale-faced. They prostrated themselves on the ground, their eyes filled with gratitude. "Many thanks, Senior, for saving our lives!"

"You're welcome." Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan then surveyed the surroundings, looking at the crowd. "This place is strange. Don't linger by the pond. Retreat from the oasis first!" Even without him saying anything, the others were already terrified. Dying was one thing, but being burned into yellow sand, with not even bones remaining, would horrify anyone and leave them utterly bewildered.

Instead of retreating with the others, Zhang Xuan approached the spot where the man had been burned into sand. He casually picked up some grains of sand from the ground and examined them carefully. The man had been completely incinerated; not even his clothes remained. Had they not witnessed it firsthand, they would never have believed a person could vanish so utterly.

"Senior, what do we do now?" The intuitive expert came closer and also studied the scene for a while, but seeing nothing, he could only look to Zhang Xuan.

"Give this spirit liquid to everyone to drink!" Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, tossing out several water gourds. These contained the spirit liquid he had filled in the jungle; he had drunk it before, and it was effective in quenching thirst. He had withheld it from the group earlier to attract the sand giants and find this location. Now that they had arrived, there was no need to keep it hidden.

"Many thanks, Senior!" Taking the spirit liquid, the group drank it. Indeed, their mouths were no longer as parched, and they looked at him, filled with gratitude.

Ignoring the others, Zhang Xuan finished examining the sand and slowly walked around the pond. The pond before them carried a chill; standing by its edge, one felt no heat at all, and the water was exceptionally clear, appearing to have no connection whatsoever to the flames that had just incinerated the man. After circling it once and finding nothing unusual, nor any other animals, Zhang Xuan approached the water, extended his palm, and like the others, cupped the water in his hand.

"Senior, be careful..." Seeing him touch the water, everyone was startled.

"It's fine..." Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. His physical body was immune to even Supreme Heavenly Flame, so even if that peculiar flame reappeared, it should be ineffective.

With the water in his palm, he observed it for a moment. His Eye of Insight and divine consciousness scanned it thoroughly, but found no issues. Frowning, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and, just like the previous individuals, drank the water.

"Senior..." "Senior, be careful..." Their faces turned pale, and everyone simultaneously gasped in alarm. The previous person had died right after drinking the water... If something happened to this senior, what would they do?