Unlike a human, a Puppet couldn’t withstand many hits once its nodes were identified and attacked. If a single node was damaged, it would immediately lose all combat capability.
This was perhaps one of the Puppet’s few weaknesses.
Li Chang’an stood with his hands behind his back, moving closer to observe it again.
He had learned how to control Puppets, but not how to create them. He wanted to get closer to see if he could identify the materials used in its construction. If he could, this would be a massive windfall!
Meanwhile, below the stage, the Clan Relatives witnessed this scene.
Their eyes were all filled with utter bewilderment.
Clearly, the scene before them was beyond their comprehension.
Never mind how Li Chang’an had gotten onto the Martial Arts Arena without them sensing him. And never mind how he had dodged the Iron Guard’s lightning-fast strike with the ease of a leisurely stroll.
Just look at what was happening now—why had the Iron Guard suddenly frozen in place?
With their limited insight, it was impossible for them to realize the Iron Guards were Puppets. They still thought they were all human!
However, before their questions could be answered, they were plunged into an even deeper state of shock.
As Li Chang’an approached the fallen Iron Guard...
...the gray-robed old man, who had been sitting cross-legged at the very top of the Martial Arts Arena, suddenly opened his eyes. A fiery light burst from them as he looked at Li Chang’an, his expression solemn. "Impressive. In all these years, you are the first to see through the Iron Guard’s weakness and defeat it!"
Hearing this, Li Chang’an himself didn’t feel much of anything.
But the surrounding members of the Royal Family were already dumbfounded, unable to believe their ears. ’The first in all these years to see through the Iron Guard’s weakness and defeat it!?’
’For real!?’
’The Twelfth Prince is only three years old, isn’t he!?’
’To be able to fight a First-class Master at the age of three, and even see through its weakness to defeat it...’
’What kind of joke is this?!’
’No... that’s not right. Even a joke isn’t this absurd.’
’This is just treating us like complete fools!’
But the truth was right before their eyes. No matter how unwilling they were to believe it, they could only force themselves to accept this unbelievable conclusion.
Among the crowd, the very small number of core members who understood the gray-robed elder’s character—like Emperor Yan and the clan elders who held great power in the Imperial Family—were even more shocked.
In their several decades of life, they had never seen the first-generation Ancestor speak so many words at once!
In the past, no matter the issue, this revered figure was always sparing with his words. A single sentence from him would never exceed a few words; he was the epitome of cold and serious.
But now, to praise Li Chang’an, this Ancestor had spoken a whole string of words in one breath.
It made them feel as if they were in a dream.
’It’s the end of an era!’
The gray-robed old man paid no mind to the members of the Royal Family around him. He stood up on his own and, with his ancient eyes, carefully scanned Li Chang’an from head to toe, his gaze like that of someone admiring an exquisite treasure.
He couldn’t help but nod in praise. "Liu told me before that you possessed the Martial Dao talent of ancient legends, that you were sent by the heavens to save the eternal foundation of our Great Derivation. I didn’t believe it..."
His voice paused for a moment before he continued with a hint of relief, "It seems I was too shortsighted. Impressive. Very impressive. You are truly remarkable!"
Yet, while his words were full of praise...
...the gray-robed old man’s actions didn’t stop. Under his control, the Iron Guard on the Martial Arts Arena that emanated the aura of a Grandmaster suddenly leaped down, charging straight for Li Chang’an!
Seeing this, Li Chang’an narrowed his eyes.
He had only just stepped into the Grandmaster Realm a month ago. Because he had broken through so recently, his Realm was not yet stable.
This was also the first time he had taken action in many years.
Even though he was only facing a Puppet, not a true Grandmaster, a Grandmaster Puppet personally controlled by a higher-level Grandmaster was by no means something an ordinary Grandmaster could contend with.
But he wasn’t the least bit flustered.
On the contrary, the blood in his heart, long dormant, began to boil with a fervor he hadn’t felt in a long time.
The Star Forging Body Technique circulated rapidly. Li Chang’an seemed to transform into a twinkling star, surging forward with a vast, ocean-like Power of Heaven and Earth.
"Ten Directions Annihilation Fist!"
Li Chang’an unleashed the Slaughter Skill he had comprehended in the Library over the past two years.
His arm, wreathed in the Power of the Stars, shot out like a cannonball, meeting the Grandmaster Realm Iron Guard’s attack head-on without any attempt to evade.
BOOM!
A tangible shockwave erupted outward.
Because the level of their battle was too high, this time not even the Martial Arts Arena could completely contain the leaking aura. The surrounding Clan Relatives were sent flying for dozens of meters like rag dolls.
Fortunately, what had leaked out was only a wisp of aura, not the true aftershock of the clash, so while the Clan Relatives were in a sorry state, they weren’t seriously injured.
In the distance, dust filled the Martial Arts Arena, briefly obscuring everyone’s vision.
After a long moment, an iron tower-like figure was sent flying backward out of the dust.
The crowd had just managed to compose themselves when they saw this. Their eyes widened as they stared at the figure that had been blasted away. Upon realizing it was the Grandmaster Iron Guard, their faces filled with nothing but horror!
This mere three-year-old child had, with his own flesh and blood, met the steel-like Grandmaster Iron Guard head-on and sent it flying!
Seeing this, the Eldest Prince’s soul nearly left his body, and he trembled all over.
He had never dreamed that the three-year-old bastard he so despised would possess the strength to contend with the Grandmaster Realm!
Recalling his earlier disdain and antagonism toward Li Chang’an...
...a scalp-numbing, bone-chilling sensation involuntarily enveloped the Eldest Prince’s entire body.
’He realized... he was actually afraid!’
The blasted Iron Guard was covered in a dense web of cracks. Although its core was undamaged and it could still fight, its Protective Gang Qi had been shattered to pieces by Li Chang’an’s punch.
At this point, unless it was a fight to the death, the victor was already decided.
The gray-robed old man on the stage clearly had no intention of continuing the fight. With a flick of his sleeve, he recalled all the Iron Guards. His gaze fell upon Li Chang’an as he said, "Come with me!"
Li Chang’an glanced at his sleeve and licked his lips.
Without hesitation, he followed the man deeper into the palace pavilion.
As they left, the gray-robed old man tossed out a light but heavy-handed warning, "What happened today ends with you. If word of this spreads, the one responsible will be expelled from the Royal Family, and their entire family will be executed!"
After saying this, he departed completely, leaving the disheveled Clan Relatives to stare at each other in dismay.
If not for how real everything felt, they would still be wondering if they were trapped in a dream.
A three-year-old who can fight a Grandmaster...
Even if they dared to spread such a story, no one would believe them!
They would most likely just become a laughingstock for the world to gossip about.
Recalling Li Chang’an’s calm and composed demeanor, the still-shaken Clan Relatives couldn’t help but feel a flicker of excitement in their hearts.
The Imperial Family had been in decline for so many years; it would be a lie to say they didn’t care at all.
It was just that they had grown accustomed to a life of luxury. When it came time to strive for greatness, they truly lacked the will.
Most could only muster the effort to struggle for a few days at a time.
Before falling back into their usual complacency.
But now, among the many Princes, a super Demon like Li Chang’an had appeared—a three-year-old who could fight a Grandmaster. Perhaps what the Six Ancestors had said before—about ’turning the raging tide and righting a collapsing building’—was not an empty boast after all!
Of course, that wasn’t the most crucial part.
The most crucial part was that Li Chang’an’s background was clean. Unlike the Eldest Prince, he didn’t have a powerful maternal clan backing him, which meant the actual ruling power of Great Derivation wouldn’t fall into others’ hands!
If they could help him ascend the throne, not only would their own generation’s wealth and glory be secured, but their descendants for dozens of generations could rest on their laurels and live without effort!
At this thought, the eyes of the many Clan Relatives became clear.
Their gazes swept across the arena, past the still-stunned Emperor Yan... and landed on Ye Xuan, who stood beside him!
...
Li Chang’an was, of course, unaware of what was happening behind him.
Of course, even if he did know, he wouldn’t have cared.
After all, just as he had told the old man before, if he wanted to be the Emperor, he would simply become the Emperor. He needed no one’s support, and no one’s permission.
With his personal strength alone, he could suppress everything.
He was now following the gray-robed old man through layer after layer of halls, finally arriving at the grand hall at the very top of the Imperial Palace.
This great hall was the core of the Sect Protection Array that covered the entire Imperial Palace. Its interior was inscribed with a dense web of Runes. Just staring at any one spot for a moment was enough to make one feel dizzy and disoriented.
Under normal circumstances...
...not even the Emperor was qualified to enter this hall casually.
Li Chang’an, however, didn’t stand on ceremony. After entering, he stared at the Inscriptions in the great hall, examining them over and over. He couldn’t help but gasp in awe and ask, "Ancestor, did you inscribe all of these yourself?"
"This was not my work alone," he said flatly, his tone devoid of much emotion, perhaps due to his immense age. "It is the collective effort of all the ancestors of Great Derivation for over thirteen hundred years!"
At this, his voice paused.
He gazed at the Array that filled the hall, remaining silent for a long time before continuing, "If not for the fear this great Array inspires, given Great Derivation’s current state, our nation would have likely fallen nearly a hundred years ago!"
’So that’s how it is!’
Li Chang’an calmed himself slightly.
Staring at the great Array for a while had been genuinely frightening. The sheer scale of the work was immense; it wasn’t something that could be done in a few decades or even a century. Even if one person worked tirelessly for several hundred years, they might not achieve such a result.
But if it was the collective effort of generations of ancestors, that would make sense.
Seeing Li Chang’an’s apparent interest in the Array, the gray-robed elder said quietly, "You need not be impatient. In another hundred years or so, this place should be yours!"
"That’s not what this junior meant..." Li Chang’an pulled his focus back and looked at the elder, his expression serious. "Ancestor, is there a reason you summoned me here?"