"Squeak squeak!" The little white fox proudly nodded its head. It extended its soft paw pads, gesturing earnestly.
"Are you saying... within the Unifying Domain, there are a total of nine Golden Core Tao Steles?" Chen Ye nodded,
The little white fox nodded vigorously, wearing a "that’s exactly it" expression.
Seeing the little white fox knew everything, Chen Ye instead became a bit puzzled.
It was just a little fox with budding intelligence, how could it know so thoroughly about the secrets from a thousand years ago?
Even if it was due to bloodline inheritance, it seemed overly detailed.
But seeing the little white fox’s innocent face, seemingly without concealment, he temporarily pressed this doubt deep in his heart.
According to what it said, the Unifying Domain is divided into Nine Layers Heaven, one Golden Core Tao Stele for each layer.
Which correspond to the Golden Core Early Period, Middle Period, Late Period, respectively.
No wonder the Songyang Sect was the overlord of the East Sea Prefecture a thousand years ago.
To take down, they toppled nine Golden Cores, including even three in the Late Period.
Currently, the Lingyin Sect only has four Golden Core Period cultivators, mostly in the Early Period.
"Let’s go, keep leading the way."
Chen Ye patted its head, continuing to follow the little white fox deeper.
In any case, heading toward the Ninth Layer Heaven, there should be no problem.
On their journey, they successively found two more damaged Golden Core Tao Steles.
Without exception, all were remnants of brutal battles with the inheritance deliberately erased.
"However... it seems it’s not merely to erase cultivation techniques. These nine Golden Core Tao Steles are logically the core of the arrays."
Chen Ye suspected that perhaps someone destroyed the core of the array for something in the Ninth Layer Heaven.
Upon reaching the Sixth Layer Heaven, as Chen Ye approached the stele, the little white fox suddenly bristled, emitting a sharp "squeak," its claws clinging tightly to Zhiwei’s lapels.
"An ambush?" Chen Ye’s heart tightened, spiritual power surged through his meridians, the Flying Light Sword hovered at his fingertips, poised to strike.
"Whoosh——"
A tearing sound erupted, three bone-piercing nails with a ghostly blue glow attacked in a triangular formation!
Chen Ye launched the Flying Light sword, transforming into a wave of swords sweeping across.
"Clink clink" three crisp sounds, the bone-piercing nails deflected, astonishingly curving mid-air, directly targeting his eyes and throat!
"Magical Treasure!"
Chen Ye recognized, these bone-piercing nails were full of spirituality, definitely a magical treasure.
In other words, the attacker was likely a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!
On further thought, those who can now enter the Unifying Domain are basically Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
His mind raced, sparing no reservations, spiritual power surged into the Flying Light Sword!
"Thunderbolt!"
Chen Ye shouted lowly, the Cyan Wave Sword Control Technique Fifth Layer!
The speed of the Flying Light soared, nearly disappearing in sword form, leaving only a shrill explosion.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
With just one flying sword, in an instant, the three bone-piercing nails were fiercely struck, rebounding back.
"What extraordinary swordsmanship!"
A playful voice resonated from atop the stele.
A tall, thin man in a gray-white cloak stood with his hands behind his back, with a bronze puppet head hanging at his waist, black mist emitting from its five orifices, eerily strange.
"Someone from the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect..."
Chen Ye’s heart sank, knowing the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect was full of puppeteers, best at crushing with realms.
Seeing the puppet head at his waist, it seemed to be another Second Tier puppet.
This person’s combat power far exceeded ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators like Wei Shu and Xu the Pharmacist!
His spiritual power churned within; the gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation was too vast.
Chen Ye gripped the Flying Light with no trace of fear:
"Fellow Daoist from the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, would you not announce yourself before launching a sneak attack?"
"No need to ask when you’re at death’s door."
The man coldly laughed, spreading his fingers abruptly.
The ground suddenly exploded, and four pitch-black ironwood puppets burst forth, resembling a tiger, a monkey, an eagle, and a snake.
Each exuded a momentum rivaling the Late Period of Qi Cultivation, only slightly inferior to Chen Ye’s Qingzhi.
He slightly moved his fingers, manipulating the puppets, speaking softly:
"Once in Grotto Heaven seeking fortune, it’s a fight for life and death, don’t blame me."
Before he finished speaking, he attacked again!
Three bone-piercing nails became three ghostly blue death lines attacking Chen Ye from three disparate and tricky angles.
Simultaneously, the four puppets moved as well. The tiger roared, the monkey screeched, the eagle soared, and the snake danced, coordinating with the bone-piercing nails attack, forming a heavenly net, enclosing Chen Ye instantly!
"Master!"
Zhiwei shouted sharply, knowing well the immense pressure her master faced now, the Canchen Sword obeyed her call, actively confronting the swiftest eagle-shaped puppet.
Chen Ye’s pressure decreased dramatically; although the eagle-shaped puppet was not strong, its high-speed flight made it hard to defend against.
For a moment, the interplay of sword light and puppet silhouettes crisscrossed rapidly among the broken steles, the clang of metal never ceasing.
"Damn it!"
What a coincidence to encounter a cultivator from the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect!
If it was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, Chen Ye might still hold some confidence.
Though his swordsmanship was outstanding, the Cyan Wave Sword consumed a lot of energy, and the man relied on puppets to exhaust his strength...
In merely a few dozen breaths of exchange, Chen Ye already felt his dantian’s spiritual power depleting rapidly, gradually falling into a disadvantage.
"A feeble struggle, asking for trouble." The cloaked man sat high atop the stele, watching coldly.
"Squeak squeak!"
The little white fox anxiously circled, eager to fly up and bite the cloaked man.
This wicked thing, too pretentious!
Unfortunately, it was too short and despite its efforts, couldn’t climb the stele.
"A little beast, with nice fur."
Noticing the little white fox on the ground, the cloaked man chuckled, amused at the little creature’s attempt to climb up and fight him?
"Now’s the time..."
Fierceness flashed in Chen Ye’s eyes; he no longer dodged, his form suddenly fixed.