Imperial Scepter

Gao Chun's face was deathly pale, like a sheet of paper soaked in ice. Large beads of sweat rolled down his taut jawline, pelting the dry, cracked earth like a downpour, creating tiny wisps of dust.

His physical strength had been pushed to the limit, and he felt waves of tearing pain in his meridians. Every breath felt like swallowing a scalding blade, and his breath was so weak that it seemed he would die completely at any moment.

He knelt heavily on one knee on the hard ground, his arms bracing themselves on his knee to barely keep from collapsing completely.

At this moment, he had lost even the most basic strength to stand, and was only able to maintain his last bit of consciousness by an indomitable fighting spirit and the belief in protecting his brothers.

Wang Hu, Li Daoqiu, Huang Xiaoming, and Gao Chengzhi formed the strongest fan shape, tightly surrounding Gao Chun and protecting him in the safest core position.

The four were soaked in blood, their clothes were torn and tattered, and wounds of varying depths covered their limbs and torsos. Their internal energy was also extremely depleted.

Even so, not one of them retreated a single step. Their backs stood straight as spears, their eyes burning with a fearless rage. They used their broken bodies to build the last line of defense for Gao Chun.

"Captain, you must hold on! I'll get you out of here right now. Even if it costs me my last drop of blood, I won't let anything happen to you!"

Wang Hu's voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded, filled with barely concealed anxiety and trembling. He reached out his blood-stained hand, trying to help the exhausted Gao Chun up from the ground.

Li Daoqiu's entire body was taut to the extreme, every hair on his body stood on end, and his gaze was like that of a hawk, fixed on the figure of the black-robed youth in the distance.

He dared not relax for a moment, nor could he afford to be distracted. He knew that the enemy before him was the most terrifying threat in the entire battle, and any carelessness could lead to the deaths of all five of them.

Huang Xiaoming's face was also deathly pale, and he slumped helplessly in the mud, his chest heaving violently in an exaggerated manner, panting heavily with a bloody smell.

He was only at the second level of the Bronze Realm, the lowest in cultivation and the weakest among the five. The fact that he had lasted this long was already a miracle that exceeded the limit.

Gao Chengzhi was still young, his tender face covered with tear stains and bloodstains, his big eyes were frighteningly red, and he bit his lips tightly until blood seeped from them, stubbornly refusing to let a single tear fall.

He didn't want to show any weakness in front of his uncle, Gao Chun.

Gao Chun shook his head slightly, the movement so light it was almost imperceptible, and bright red blood kept seeping from the corners of his chapped mouth.

But his sharp, razor-sharp eyes remained fixed on the black-robed youth in the distance, never looking away for a moment.

It was a fighting spirit that never waned even on the verge of death, a sharp edge that never faded even in dire straits. Even when he was completely exhausted, he would not show the slightest weakness in front of the enemy.

The black-robed youth seemed to have accurately caught Gao Chun's indomitable gaze, and immediately threw his head back and let out an extremely arrogant laugh.

The laughter was sharp and shrill, echoing through the empty, dense forest, full of mockery and condescending contempt.

"Not bad, not bad, this has truly broadened my horizons."

"The five of you brothers are united, sharing life and death. This foolish and laughable bond has actually moved me."

He slowly stood up, hands behind his back, his posture arrogant, his eyes filled with a condescending pity, and his tone regained its arrogant and domineering air.

"I'm taking pity on you all today and plan to take all five of you back to the Puppet Sect for some proper 'training'."

Whether you will be able to gain fortune in my Puppet Sect in the future, and what position you can climb, depends entirely on your own destiny.

"Even if all five of you are eventually turned into human puppets and emotionless fighting tools, you will still be five brothers together. Although you weren't born on the same day, month, and year, you became puppets on the same day, month, and year. That's quite a story!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a playful smile appeared on his lips, and he strolled toward Gao Chun and his group of five.

After a brief period of refining the Xuan Dan, some weak but pure Xuan power slowly flowed out of his originally depleted and dried-up dantian.

Facing five opponents who were already exhausted and completely incapacitated, this meager amount of profound energy was enough for him to easily crush and manipulate them at will.

A triumphant look of certainty spread across his lips, and his eyes were filled with the composure of a victor.

Although the battle was full of unexpected events and setbacks, even putting him in danger.

In the end, he was still able to capture all five people in front of him, perfectly achieving his goal for this trip.

"My original target was only Gao Chun and Gao Chengzhi."

Both of these individuals possess three-colored Dao Seeds, a rare find among ten thousand, endowed with extraordinary talent and boundless potential, making them highly sought-after materials for puppet refining by the Puppet Sect.

"As for Wang Hu, Li Daoqiu, and Huang Xiaoming, even if they are all second-class Dao Seeds, they are nothing more than mediocre talents in my Human Puppet Sect."

"But the three of them's unwavering loyalty and determination to protect each other in dire straits did indeed move me a little."

"I've decided to change my mind and take these three back to the Puppet Sect."

If these three manage to pass the extremely cruel trials of the Human Puppet Sect, they can become fresh combat power within the sect.

Even if the three fail the trial and are forcibly turned into human puppets, they will still add a group of obedient puppet warriors to our Puppet Sect.

"Whether they live or die, these three people are of use to me."

Thinking of this, a faint and sinister smile appeared on the black-robed youth's face. He walked slowly and steadily toward Gao Chun and his group of five.

In his eyes, the five people in front of him were like tigers with their teeth pulled out and eagles with their claws broken, having long since lost all power to resist, at his mercy, their lives and deaths entirely in his hands.

He had even begun to imagine the generous rewards he would receive after bringing these five people back to the sect.

But in the very next instant...

All the smiles, smugness, and contempt on his face seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Instead, there was extreme terror, astonishment, and disbelief!

Just moments ago, Gao Chun was deathly pale, his breath was weak, and he seemed on the verge of dying. Suddenly, a dazzling pale purple lightning burst forth from his body!

The violent power of lightning coiled around his body, crackling and exploding, and a surge of profound energy, several times stronger than before, suddenly erupted!

"Assassination Technique: Level 3 Thunder Shadow!"

Gao Chun's figure transformed into a purple lightning bolt that tore through the sky, so fast that it broke the sound barrier, forcibly blasting the air apart and producing a deafening explosion!

In a mere flash.

He traversed several meters, appearing like a ghost in an instant in front of the black-robed youth!

The black iron dagger he gripped tightly in his right hand gleamed with a cold light, and he stabbed towards the black-robed youth's throat with lightning speed and without any mercy!

This strike.

Fast, accurate, and ruthless, without the slightest hesitation, it is the most lethal counterattack in a desperate situation!

"Oh no! I was careless! I got so carried away that I completely lost my vigilance!"

The black-robed youth was so frightened that his heart pounded wildly. In the instant that death was imminent, only this one crazy thought remained in his mind.

At the critical moment.

His decades-long fighting instincts were fully unleashed, his body reacting before his mind could process it. He suddenly tilted his head back, flipped backward, and twisted his waist into a bizarre arc.

The black iron dagger grazed his neck, leaving a shallow bloodstain. He narrowly avoided this fatal blow!

However, his pure combat experience is also extremely rich!

When his attack missed, he flipped his wrist, veins bulging on his arm, and power surged through his body. The dagger changed from a stab to a thrust, and with the force of a thunderbolt, it plunged fiercely into the black-robed youth's heart!

You can avoid the throat, but can you avoid the chest?

*Pfft!*

The incredibly sharp black iron dagger pierced the black-robed youth's chest without any resistance, its cold blade penetrating flesh and sinking deep into his internal organs.

Hot, bright red blood gushed out wildly from the blade of the dagger, splattering all over Gao Chun, and the pungent smell of blood instantly filled the air.

Gao Chun was relentless in his pursuit of justice, his every move deadly, giving his opponent no chance to breathe!

With a sudden twist of his wrist, he pulled the dagger from the black-robed youth's chest, and blood spurted out once again.

He swung his arm horizontally, the dagger flashing with a sharp arc, and once again slashed at the opponent's throat!

With this strike, the black-robed youth is certain to die!

With victory in sight, Gao Chun's lips curled into a smug smile.

"My pale face, weak breathing, and collapse to my knees just now were partly due to genuine exhaustion, but the other half was a carefully planned act!"

"After dealing with the three terrifying giant puppets, I knew better than anyone that the black-robed youth was the biggest threat in the entire battle, a deadly blade hanging over the heads of the five of us."

"I remained absolutely clear-headed from beginning to end, and never panicked for a moment."

If he didn't pretend to be completely incapacitated, how could the arrogant young man in black robes possibly lower his guard and approach from a distance?

"If the black-robed youth doesn't approach, my aggressive attack will only deplete my remaining profound energy and stamina. Given his speed and experience, he could easily choose to kite and wear me down."

"In the end, the only ones who will suffer a crushing defeat and die tragically are myself and my four brothers behind me."

Only by feigning weakness, by feigning defeat, and by luring the enemy deep into our territory can we seize this unique and final opportunity to turn the tide!

"Now, I've won my bet!"

"All my scheming, all my forbearance, all my pretense—it all worked!"

A cold yet triumphant smile slowly bloomed on Gao Chun's bleeding lips; he had finally become the victor in this deadly battle!

He gripped the dagger tightly, his eyes cold and resolute. With just one more strike, severing the throat of the enemy before him, he could end this nightmare and escape safely with his brothers!

But just as the dagger was about to touch the black-robed youth's throat...

boom--!!!

An immense, terrifying pressure, surpassing all things in heaven and earth, crashed down from the heavens like an ancient divine mountain falling with a deafening roar!

This aura was chillingly cold, vast and boundless, and so domineering that it was impossible to resist. It carried a devastating stillness and icy chill, instantly enveloping the entire dense forest!

The moment the oppressive aura descended, Gao Chun's entire body suddenly stiffened, his limbs and bones feeling as if they were cast in steel, completely unable to move an inch!

It was as if an invisible, ancient mountain weighing millions of pounds had crashed down on him, causing his bones to crack and creak under the immense pressure.

His knees buckled uncontrollably, his legs trembled violently, and blood gushed from the corner of his mouth.

The other four members of the Gao Chun team were in an even more dire situation.

They were already severely injured, and under the crushing force of this terrifying aura, they were slammed to the ground, their bodies pressed against the soil, unable to move even a finger.

Their internal organs felt as if they were being gripped, twisted, and torn apart by an invisible demonic claw. The excruciating pain surged into their minds like a tidal wave, causing them to almost faint instantly.

An excruciating pain, almost suffocating, swept through everyone's limbs and bones, invading their meridians and penetrating their bone marrow.

puff--!

puff--!

puff--!

puff--!

puff--!

Five jets of bright red blood gushed from the mouths of the five men simultaneously, staining the cold earth in front of them and spreading out patches of dazzling crimson on the ground.

The five men's faces were as pale as paper, devoid of any color, and their eyes were filled with a despair that went deep into their bones.

They lay face down on the ground, their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold, icy earth, completely devoid of the strength to even look up.

His fingers tried desperately to bend, and his arms tried desperately to support his body, but under the terrifying pressure, he couldn't make any movement to resist.

Gao Chun's pupils shrank to the extreme, his heart pounded wildly, and his mind was filled with a monstrous wave of despair!

"Who exactly is this person?"

Why did they appear at this crucial moment?

In a flash, Gao Chun's thoughts raced.

"At the crucial moment when he was about to kill the black-robed youth, this person released his imposing aura. He must be related to the Human Puppet Sect, or even the black-robed youth's protector!"

"I clearly read in ancient texts that within major sects, those exceptionally talented core geniuses who receive focused training are all equipped with a protector whose strength is terrifying to the extreme!"

"The protectors do not concern themselves with the private affairs of prodigies, nor do they participate in disputes between prodigies and their peers. Their sole mission is to intervene when a prodigy faces a life-or-death crisis, protecting them completely and never allowing anyone to harm the future of the sect!"

"I was so focused on killing the black-robed youth as quickly as possible and ending this deadly battle that I completely overlooked this most fatal and crucial point!"

"I'm so young and inexperienced..."

"Inexperienced and lacking in foresight, they only saw the enemy before them, forgetting the terrifying presence lurking behind..."

Gao Chun laughed bitterly to himself, filled with endless regret and resentment.

Just then.

The guardian, who had been hidden deep in the void and had never shown himself, finally slowly revealed his form.

An aged figure, clad in a dark robe and shrouded in dense, impenetrable black mist, slowly emerged from the clouds, stepping through the void.

His face was gaunt and emaciated, covered with wrinkles like the bark of an old tree, and his eyes were as cold as ice that had never melted, devoid of any human emotion, only deathly stillness and indifference.

He just stood there quietly in mid-air, without making any movement or releasing any profound power, but simply standing there made the world change color and the wind and clouds reverse!

The towering ancient trees around were broken and collapsed in large swaths, the hard rocks were cracked layer by layer, and even the space itself was rippling with tiny waves, as if it could not withstand this terrifying aura.

"At such a young age, his methods are quite ruthless."

The guardian looked down at the five people on the ground, who were like ants. His voice was icy cold, like a shrill howl from the deepest hell, and every word carried a chill that could freeze the soul.

"You dare to harbor murderous intent towards even the core prodigy of my Human Puppet Sect?"

"You lowly ants, are you tired of living, or do you simply not know how to spell death?"

His eyes were cold, his tone icy, and as he looked at the five people lying on the ground barely alive, there wasn't a ripple in his eyes, and he showed absolutely no interest.

He would never have shown himself if the sect's prodigy he was protecting hadn't been on the verge of death, and he would never have bothered to attack a few juniors in the Bronze Realm.

He remained hidden in the deepest part of the void, silently observing the entire battle.

He originally thought that with his disciple's strength, he could easily crush these five nobodies and successfully complete the training. However, he never expected that he would end up almost dying.

What enraged him even more was that these few insignificant ants in the Bronze Realm dared to kill the sect's prodigy whom he was protecting!

In his view, this was not resistance, but a blatant provocation and a ruthless trampling on the supreme authority of the Puppet Sect!

"It seems the creatures of this Yunzhou land have long forgotten the terror of the Human Puppet Sect, and forgotten that our sect is the true overlord of Yunzhou!"

"Since they dared to slaughter the core disciples of my Human Puppet Sect on the land of Yunzhou, then these people have no reason to continue living!"

"Even if two of them are geniuses with three-colored Dao Seeds, so what? In my eyes, they are still ants that I can crush with a flick of my wrist!"

The guardian's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he was ready to make his move and completely annihilate the five people in front of him.

At this critical moment.

Gao Chun lay prone on the cold ground, using the last bit of strength in his body to squeeze out a weak sound from his throat.

"Yes...he struck first...he was ruthless, trying to kill us...we...we were just defending ourselves..."

His voice was so weak it was almost inaudible; every word he uttered strained against the already broken meridians in his body, causing him to convulse in excruciating pain.

But he couldn't give up. He had to fight for that one in ten thousand chance of survival for himself and for his four brothers behind him.

"Self-preservation?"

Upon hearing this, the protector let out a sneer, his voice filled with undisguised disdain and mockery.

"In my presence, even ants don't have the right to protect themselves."

"What you call self-preservation is nothing but a farce of a dying struggle in my eyes."

"Today, you dared to seriously injure my sect's prodigy, and even tried to kill him, thus violating the supreme dignity of my Human Puppet Sect."

"No matter what your reasons are, you are doomed to die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the protector slowly raised his withered right hand.

A wisp of pale red Xuan power slowly condensed, compressed, and took shape at his fingertips, eventually transforming into a crystal-clear, yet terrifyingly powerful drop of Xuan power!

"This is... an ability that only those at the King Realm can possess: Xuan Power Liquidification!"

He... he's actually a King-level expert!

Gao Chun's pupils suddenly contracted sharply, his heart felt as if it had been hit hard by a heavy hammer, and his mind went completely blank!

He clearly remembered that the ancient texts stated that only by breaking through to the King Realm could one compress Xuan Power from a gaseous state into a liquid state, increasing its power by a hundred or a thousand times!

This seemingly insignificant drop of profound energy liquid possesses terrifying power comparable to a king-level spell!

Let alone these severely injured and dying Bronze Realm cultivators, even a perfectly healthy Gold Realm expert would be instantly reduced to ashes and leave no trace if struck by this drop of Xuan Qi!

"What merit do we possess to deserve being personally killed by a King-level expert..."

Gao Chun felt a chill in his heart, his eyes filled with utter despair, and he could no longer muster the slightest thought of resistance.

Before the liquid of profound energy even fell, the ground below had already begun to crack, collapse, and shatter!

Coarse cracks spread wildly in all directions, dust flew, sand and gravel rolled, and the world instantly turned dark.

The five of them, including Gao Chun, didn't even have the right to struggle; they could only lie quietly on the ground, waiting for death to come.

They could clearly sense that the drop of profound energy contained a terrifying aura capable of destroying everything.

Wang Hu's eyes were bloodshot and bloodshot, and he wanted to roar, to scream, to rush forward and protect his captain, but no sound came out of his throat.

He hated his own weakness, his own incompetence, and his inability to protect his elder brother and the brothers around him.

Li Daoqiu slowly closed his eyes, his face revealing deep resentment and despair.

He still had a great grudge to avenge and wishes to fulfill; he didn't want to die here without knowing why.

Huang Xiaoming's face had lost its usual fawning expression, replaced by extreme fear. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his teeth chattered incessantly.

His mind was blank; all his thoughts were consumed by fear, leaving only the bewilderment of waiting for death.

Gao Chengzhi's face was ashen, tears mixed with blood streaming down his face and dripping onto the soil.

But he still stubbornly raised his head, staring intently in Gao Chun's direction, his eyes filled with reluctance and fear.

He didn't want to die, and he especially didn't want his uncle to die.

My uncle is dead. Who will buy him new picture books? My uncle is dead. When he gets home, my mother will definitely beat him to death!

Gao Chun felt a chill in his heart; despair, like an endless tide, completely overwhelmed him.

He exhausted all the energy within the Xuanmai Crystal, forcibly breaking his own seal, revealing all his hidden trump cards, and fought a bloody battle, dominating the battlefield with his Level 3 Thunder Shadow, protecting every brother around him with his life.

In the end, however, he still couldn't protect them.

Or should they follow me, heading towards the abyss of death together?

He is not willing!

He was truly unwilling to accept it!

But faced with an absolute gap in realms, with the insurmountable chasm of strength between the King Realm and the King Realm, all resistance, all will, and all brotherhood seemed so pale and powerless, so vulnerable.

The pale red liquid of profound energy slowly fell from mid-air, its speed not fast, but carrying an unstoppable and irreversible momentum.

Death is just around the corner!

Everyone wore expressions of despair, helpless and resigned to their fate, quietly awaiting the end of their lives.

At that critical moment, when death seemed certain.

Om-! ! !

A terrifying aura, vast, pure, and extremely sharp, suddenly erupted from the horizon, tearing apart the thick sky!

An invisible sword intent swept across the heavens and earth, like a spring breeze melting snow, instantly shattering the terrifyingly powerful drop of profound energy liquid.

The terrifying force that had overwhelmed the five people, making it impossible for them to breathe or move, melted away instantly and vanished without a trace before this sword intent, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun!

A figure dressed in a blue robe, with a tall and straight posture like an ancient pine tree, descended from the sky with boundless sword intent, landing steadily in front of Gao Chun and his group of five!

A tiny sword pellet, no longer than a middle finger, hovered above his head, radiating a sharp sword intent that could tear the heavens and earth apart, completely dispelling the aura of death brought by the protector.

He stood quietly in front of the five people. His back was not tall or burly, but it was like an ancient sacred mountain, firmly blocking all the dangers of death and the terrifying pressure!

The person who came was Gao Chun's brother-in-law, Gao Chengzhi's biological father—Gao Qingfeng!

Gao Qingfeng's face was calm as water, his eyes indifferent and waveless. He slowly raised his head and looked at the Puppet Sect's protector in mid-air.

A single, calm glance was enough to make the battle-hardened protector narrow his eyes and furrow his brows slightly.

"Who are you? How dare you interfere in the affairs of my Human Puppet Sect?!"

The guardian shouted sternly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible gravity.

Immediately, his gaze shifted sharply to the small sword about the length of a middle finger above Gao Qingfeng's head, and his expression changed drastically.

"Sword Pill? You're... from the Eastern Sword Sect?!"

Upon hearing the words "Eastern Sword Sect," his face instantly contorted with an unprecedented ferocity, and his eyes blazed with boundless hatred and fury.

"Back then, your Eastern Sword Sect sided with the Netherworld Sect and, under the leadership of Emperor Dongchen, annihilated countless sects, staining the Nine Provinces with blood. You are all executioners with your hands stained with blood!"

"You've come at the perfect time! Let's settle both old and new scores together. I'll show you the true power of the Human Puppet Sect!"

The guardian roared, clearly sensing that the seemingly ordinary man in the green robe possessed a terrifying swordsmanship power that made even him tremble!

He instantly judged in his mind: This person must be a core successor of the Dongyi Sword Sect, able to unleash the full power of the sword pellet, and his strength should not be underestimated!

Although the opponent is only at the peak of the Golden Realm, the Sword Pellet is an extremely powerful acquired supernatural ability, so we must not be careless at all and must go all out from the start!

The thought had been conceived, and the protector held nothing back, directly activating a king-level technique and launching a fierce attack!

Offensive Technique: Five Fingers Covering the Sky!

In an instant, an enormous pale red hand appeared out of thin air in the sky, its five fingers spread wide, covering the sky and the sun, exuding a terrifying aura that suppressed everything, as if it could directly shatter the sky and crack the earth!

The edges of his five fingers gleamed with a faint, sharp light. Wherever the light went, space distorted and air surged, enough to pierce through the netherworld and tear apart heaven and earth!

Gao Qingfeng's face also showed a solemn expression.

He never expected that while he was secretly protecting Gao Chun and the other four during their training, he would actually encounter a genuine King Realm expert!

He had been stuck at the peak of the Golden Realm for many years, unable to break through to the King Realm, and knew better than anyone the terror and power of the King Realm.

Back in the Southern Wilderness Forest, he had fought against a King Realm expert from the sect and knew that the difference in realm was like an insurmountable chasm.

So right from the start, he didn't hold back at all and directly revealed his trump card—hidden supernatural power: Sword Ball!

Only by relying on the supreme power of the sword pellet could he fight against this protector of the Puppet Sect.

Otherwise, with his peak Golden Realm cultivation, he would not only be unable to save Gao Chun and the other five, but he himself would also perish here!

Gao Qingfeng slowly raised his head, his voice calm, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority and determination.

"Today, I will experience firsthand the true power of the King Realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Qingfeng's aura trembled slightly. With a thought, the sword pellet about the length of a middle finger above his head instantly burst forth with boundless golden light!

Om-! ! !

The sword pellet emitted a deafening sword cry, its golden light dazzling and so bright that it was impossible to look directly at it. The sword blade grew longer, larger, and took on a different shape at an alarming speed!

This tiny sword pellet, seemingly insignificant, contains boundless sword essence, sharp and unparalleled, with overwhelming killing power!

The Sword Pellet technique is unpredictable and ever-changing, wielding immense power of killing and unparalleled sharpness. Cultivators throughout the world tremble at its mere mention!

"Sword pellet, take form!"

Gao Qingfeng gave a soft shout, which was not loud, but it was as loud as a thunderclap.

The sword pellet's light surged to its peak in an instant, and the next moment, a giant sword, golden in color, unparalleled in its sharpness, and several meters long, floated in front of him out of thin air!

Without any hesitation, Gao Qingfeng gently pointed with his fingertips.

The golden giant sword roared out, transforming into a golden lightning bolt that pierced through the heavens and earth, moving at extreme speed, constantly piercing through the five fingers that blotted out the sky in the void!

*Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!!!*

Wherever the sword light passed, the majestic and imposing five-fingered sword was easily torn apart, shattered, and disintegrated as if it were made of paper!

In the blink of an eye, the five fingers that covered the sky transformed into the purest and most concentrated profound energy, dissipating into the world and disappearing without a trace!

One move to break the pattern! Decisive and swift! An overwhelming force!

There were no earth-shattering phenomena, no violent and rampant bursts of profound energy.

But in the entire world, it seemed that only that golden, gleaming longsword, exuding a chilling aura, remained.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed that only that pure and sharp sword will remained!

The guardian's face darkened completely, his expression no longer showing any contempt or arrogance, only seriousness and solemnity.

He could clearly sense that although the opponent was only at the peak of the Golden Realm, his use and control of the sword pellet had reached a level of perfection, making him capable of fighting against a King Realm expert!

However, as a powerful expert at the King Realm, he naturally wouldn't easily lose his momentum.

He shouted loudly, his voice echoing across the surrounding area, trying to intimidate Gao Qingfeng and disrupt his composure.

"Arrogant! I am a dignified King Realm cultivator, while you are merely a Gold Realm ant. How dare you challenge me?!"

"In this territory, I can kill whomever I want! Even if you possess a divine power like the Sword Pellet, how dare you spout such nonsense in front of me?"

"Today, I will kill you too, so you'll know the consequences of offending my Puppet Sect!"

The roar shook the mountains. Gao Chun and his group of five, along with the black-robed youth, had already fainted and collapsed to the ground. Even so, their souls still trembled from the shockwave.

As soon as he finished speaking, the protector attacked again, unleashing two techniques simultaneously with combined power!

"Control Technique: Adamantine Lockdown!"

In an instant, eight thick, pale blue chains of profound energy appeared out of thin air. Runes rolled across the chains, flashing with ancient and mysterious sealing runes, emanating a chilling aura that could freeze the soul.

Eight pale blue chains, like ferocious beasts with life, formed a deadly formation in the air, carrying the power to seal off the heavens and earth, and frantically wrapped around Gao Qingfeng!

At the same time, the protector unleashed the same King-level attack technique he had just used!

Offensive Technique: Five Fingers Covering the Sky!

With one controlling and the other attacking, two king-level spells were unleashed simultaneously, their power amplified and their momentum surged, aiming to suppress Gao Qingfeng in one fell swoop!

In his view, even if Gao Qingfeng had the Sword Pellet Divine Power, his cultivation was ultimately only at the peak of the Golden Realm. Facing a King Realm expert using two techniques simultaneously, he would undoubtedly be defeated!

Eight pale blue chains bared their fangs and claws, and wherever they passed, the sky seemed to be completely sealed, imprisoned, and frozen!

The five fingers that blotted out the sky once again swept across the sky. Wherever the giant claw passed, space twisted violently, air waves rolled wildly, and the force of shattering mountains and rivers was unmistakable!

This is the true terror of King-level spells!

Every move he makes has the power to shatter mountains and cut off rivers!

Gao Qingfeng's eyes grew more solemn, and his expression became even more grave. He sighed inwardly: The King Realm is indeed worthy of its reputation!

"Sword Pellet, Thirty-Six Sword Formation!"

Om-! ! !

The golden longsword floating in front of him suddenly burst into golden light, runes flew everywhere, and then split apart in an instant!

Thirty-six identical golden swords were neatly arranged in mid-air, spinning rapidly along a mysterious and profound trajectory, forming an unbreakable sword formation that firmly protected Gao Qingfeng and the other four!

Pale blue chains tightly wrapped around the sword formation, instantly freezing a large area of ​​the surrounding void, with a bone-chilling cold!

The five fingers that covered the sky carried boundless power and slammed into the center of the sword formation. The sword formation trembled violently, its light dimmed, and it showed signs of collapse in an instant!

Gao Qingfeng dared not hold back in the slightest and roared again!

"Sword Pellet, Seventy-Two Sword Formation!"

The sword intent surged once more, soaring straight into the sky!

The thirty-six small swords split apart again, transforming directly into seventy-two golden longswords!

Seventy-two longswords hovered in the air, constantly changing their offensive and defensive forms according to the profound principles of heaven and earth. Sometimes they transformed into an indestructible wall of swords, sometimes into a sword net that covered all directions, and sometimes into a fierce and unparalleled rain of swords!

Gao Qingfeng tapped his fingertips lightly, as if commanding a vast army.

The seventy-two longswords seemed to possess independent life, frantically attacking the eight pale blue chains and the five fingers that blotted out the sky in the void!

Sword light flashed, sword cries shook the heavens, chains rolled, and giant claws slammed down!

The Divine Sword Pellet of the Day After Tomorrow, along with two King-level spells, collided, clashed, and annihilated wildly in the void!

Each collision caused the earth to tremble violently, the mountains to roar, and the sky and earth to change color completely!

The wind howled, sand and gravel flew everywhere, and the entire dense forest was completely destroyed by the aftershocks of the battle, turning it into ruins!

The seventy-two golden swords seemed immortal and indestructible. They were scattered, but instantly reformed. They were shattered, but immediately restored to their original state. They were like immortal war gods, omnipresent and impossible to defend against!

They relentlessly cleaved the chains and bombarded the giant fingers, dismantling, tearing apart, and obliterating the enemy's magic layer by layer!

Amidst the fierce battle, the profound energy in the void grew increasingly dense, almost condensing into a liquid state!

In the end, the two king-level spells completely dissipated into the void.

The seventy-two golden swords still gleamed, carrying immense killing intent, pointing directly at the protector.

But just as tensions were about to rise...

The guardian's tense expression suddenly relaxed, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.

"Interesting, they actually refined the sword pellet to this extent."

"However, I can tell that this sword pellet wasn't created through your own cultivation, but rather you forcibly seized it after killing a core disciple of the Eastern Sword Sect, right?"

"This is outrageous! You actually dared to kill a key figure of the Eastern Sword Sect!?"

The person capable of creating the sword pellet holds an extremely high position within the Eastern Sword Sect. Killing him is tantamount to making a blood feud with the entire Eastern Chen Empire!

"The three major families of the Dongyi Sword Sect are now powerful clans in the Dongchen Empire, wielding immense influence. If you dare to be their enemy, you must also be a cultivator from a sect."

"Interesting, truly interesting! You and the Eastern Chen Empire are mortal enemies, while my Human Puppet Sect's lifelong goal is to destroy the Eastern Chen Empire!"

"In that case, we might actually be potential allies!"

The guardian laughed heartily, his tone instantly softening.

"Since you're an ally, I'll let you off the hook today and won't hold it against you!"

He turned and glanced at the five Gao Chun members who had already been knocked unconscious by the oppressive force, and said indifferently, "These five lads are my disciples' training mission. I'll make a note of them for today and deal with them later."

Before Gao Qingfeng could even respond, he grabbed the heavily injured and unconscious black-robed youth, and with a flash of light beneath his feet, he vanished into the depths of the dense forest without a trace.

Only when the aura of the Puppet Sect's protector completely disappeared did Gao Qingfeng finally let out a long sigh of relief, as if all his strength had been instantly drained.

His face was ashen, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his breathing was rapid and violent, like a broken bellows.

"The King Realm... is truly too powerful..."

"Even if I used my acquired supernatural power: Sword Pellet, I could only barely hold my own; I was no match for him at all."

Moreover, this protector of the Puppet Sect must also possess acquired supernatural powers.

Gao Qingfeng sighed inwardly, his determination to break through becoming even stronger.

"It seems that once I return, I must comprehend the King-level intent as soon as possible and break through to the King Realm. Only by truly entering the King Realm will I have the ability to fight head-on against experts of the same level!"

He dared not linger here.

The battle just now was so loud that it shook the surrounding area for miles and would surely attract the attention of powerful figures from the Eastern Chen Empire.

He wanted to continue living in seclusion in Gaojia Village, not wanting to reveal his identity or attract the attention of the Dongchen Empire.

Thinking of this, Gao Qingfeng no longer hesitated and released light blue profound energy to entwine the five people who had already fainted.

A flash of pale purple light appeared beneath his feet, and his figure transformed into a sharp azure rainbow, piercing the twilight in the forest and disappearing into the depths of the dense woods in an instant.

Behind them lay a devastated battlefield, with broken branches lying across the ground and rocks crumbling. The lingering chill of battle still echoed in the air, silently bearing witness to the earth-shattering battle that had just taken place.

(A long chapter of 10,000 words, wishing everyone a Happy New Year:)

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, welcome the God of Wealth and let gold and silver treasures enter your home! May this year bring you: a bulging wallet, overflowing wealth, and so much money you'll count it until your hands cramp!