Meng Lin stepped through the gate and felt another familiar environment envelop her.

This time, she was in a desert, with the scorching sun beating down on her.

She could feel the heat radiating off the sand, making it difficult for her to move.

Meng Lin took a deep breath and began to move forward, knowing that she had to keep her guard up as there could be danger lurking in the sand.

As she walked deeper into the desert, she felt her throat becoming dry, and her skin losing its moisture.

Meng Lin knew that she had to find water soon, or she may not make it to the end of the floor.

As she walked deeper into the desert, she saw a figure in the distance.

Meng Lin squinted her eyes, trying to make out who it was.

As the figure got closer, she saw that it was a man, dressed in sandy robes, with a blank expression on his face.

Meng Lin looked at the man, wondering if he was a disciple of the Pagoda or if he was a sect elder.

She approached him cautiously, her hand brandishing her low grade sword, ready to defend herself.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice hoarse from the hot air.

The man looked at her with empty eyes, before suddenly opening his mouth to reveal jagged teeth causing Meng Lin to suddenly remember something.

Boom!

A large spike suddenly erupted from the sand, directly hitting Meng Lin’s body.

“Ah…”

she grunted in pain, but was relieved to see that the attack had not gone through her skin, it was worth learning the Black Tortoise Essence Art.

She quickly jumped back, her heart racing with fear.

Meng Lin realized that the man in the sandy robes was not a disciple of the Pagoda, nor was he a sect elder.

She looked as the man suddenly released threatening aura before engulfing himself with sand.

Shrill!!

From within the sand emerged a giant gold scorpion with a reddish brown stinger at the back.

Meng Lin knew that she had to be careful as the scorpion was a beast well past the stage of rank 2, it was a half-step Rank 3 spirit beast, a Golden Desert Scorpion.

It’s know for its sand manipulation and stinger which kills with a single blow.

Meng Lin took a deep breath and prepared herself for battle. She released all her aura before coating her sword with crossive qi.

The Golden Desert Scorpion charged at her, its pincers opening and closing, ready to strike.

Meng Lin quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the pincers as she swung down with her sword.

Peng!

Sparks flew in the air as Meng Lin astonishingly discovered that her corrosive qi was unable to penetrate the scorpion's thick exoskeleton.

The scorpion retaliated by swinging its stinger at her, which she brought her sword up to defend against.

Crack!

Meng Lin's eyes widened as her sword shattered under the force of the scorpion's stinger.

She quickly activated her brute qi before being met with the scorpion’s stinger.

Peng!

Meng Lin was pushed back by the force of the attack, but managed to maintain her footing.

She gritted her teeth, realizing that low grade weapons were not going to work against this powerful spirit beast, she needed to come up with something else.

Shrill!!

As the scorpion prepared to strike again, Meng Lin deactivated her brute qi and traced her fingers over her storage bag.

However three large spikes appeared from the sand around the scorpion, launching at Meng Lin with great speed.

Meng Lin jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the spikes as she continued to focus her energy.

She traced her fingers over her storage bag once more, pulling out two dark
bracelets that gave off incredible aura.

It was the top grade items, Nether Braclets, Meng Lin quickly put on the bracelets and felt a power surge through her being.

Instantly understanding its use, she charged towards the scorpion, which’s stinger started to grow red, signaling an upcoming attack.

Jumping in the air, Meng Lin suddenly saw the stinger stretch out to appear before her and her eyes glowed with a purple hue.

Peng!

While in midair Meng Lin grabbed the incoming stinger with her bare hands, causing her to fly back before landing on the sand.

Shrill!!

The scorpion screamed as it struggled to free its stinger, but Meng Lin held on tight, a very large corrosive qi surrounded her hands and seeped into the stinger of the scorpion, preventing it from breaking free.

“Haaa”

With all her strength, Meng Lin pulled on the stinger, causing the giant scorpion to fly towards her.

As it got closer, Meng Lin released her grip, and ran with her fastest speed towards the scorpion as she intends to
Intercept it.

Boom!

Crack! With a powerful punch, Meng Lin sent the scorpion flying back, its body crashing into the sand with a loud thud.

Meng Lin panted a bit, feeling the strain of the battle on her body.

She looked at the scorpion, seeing that it was still alive but heavily injured.

She knew that it would be dangerous to leave it alive, as it still poses a threat.

Taking a deep breath, she charged towards the scorpion, her hands glowing with corrosive energy.

With a swift strike, she plunged her hand into the scorpion’s exoskeleton, ending the life of the Golden Desert Scorpion.

She stood there for a few moments, catching her breath and feeling the power of the Nether Bracelets coursing through her spiritual veins.

It’s ability is to increase the density of her qi, It wasn’t limited to her corrosive qi as it seems to increase the density of any qi that she releases, however it takes up a lot of qi.

Meng Lin knew that she had to be careful with its usage, but she was grateful for the power it gave her.

She looked at the disappearing body of the Golden Desert Scorpion and wondered how powerful an ancient half-step rank 3 spirit beast would be.

She looked around the desert and finally found the door to the next floor.

She approached the door, her heart racing with anticipation and excitement.

She knew that the next floor of the Pagoda was more dangerous than the current one, and she wondered what the challenge would lay ahead.