Chapter 779: Sword Intent

The Human Realm

Inside the Sky Tower, every level contains a teleportation hall. Each teleportation hall houses a teleportation array, allowing passage to the next level. The scenery differs significantly from one level to the next.

“'Aside from the teleportation halls, puppets could emerge from these ruined structures at any moment,' said the man surnamed Di, looking around at the others. 'Fellow Daoists, perhaps we should first share our most adept skills to better counter any surprise puppet attacks.'”

All five individuals were at the Mid-Core Formation stage, varying in strength. The man surnamed Di and the old woman possessed the highest cultivation, standing merely a step away from the Late-Core Formation stage. The old woman rarely initiated conversation, so the others naturally gravitated around the man surnamed Di.

“'This old woman possesses a Bagua Mirror with decent defensive capabilities,' the old woman stated without hesitation. 'If used correctly, it can just about withstand attacks from late-stage masters.'”

The others looked on in surprise as the old woman produced a Bagua bronze mirror unlike any they had seen. They showered her with praise: “'Fellow Daoist Su, you are far too modest! How can something capable of blocking attacks from late-stage masters be described as merely "decent"?'”

Qin Sang stated, “'With Fellow Daoist Su's Bagua Mirror, I believe we no longer need to worry about our safety. Although my cultivation is humble, I have attained some proficiency in the way of the sword. I have comprehended the Sword Qi Thunder Sound and Sword Light Division techniques, though regrettably, I can only manifest a single sword light.'”

The man surnamed Di clapped his hands in delight. “'I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Qin to be a master swordsman!' he exclaimed. 'To have comprehended Sword Qi Thunder Sound, your swordsmanship must be truly exceptional, especially adept at seizing opportune moments. You would be perfectly suited to deliver the decisive blow to the puppets! These puppets are formidable opponents; they can even regenerate, and their weaknesses are extremely well-hidden, making opportunities fleeting. However, I'm confident this won't be a challenge for Fellow Daoist Qin.'”

Qin Sang nodded. “'Since Fellow Daoist Di puts it that way, I cannot shirk this responsibility,' he replied. 'It's just that I know very little about the path of puppets and have had minimal exposure to them previously. I'm concerned about missing opportunities if I encounter unfamiliar types...'”

The female cultivator surnamed Yin suddenly interjected, “'Fellow Daoist Qin, you needn't worry. After gaining an understanding of the Sky Tower's conditions, I spent several years studying puppet secret arts, so I can offer guidance when the time comes. Furthermore, I possess a secret art that allows me to sense puppet fluctuations. Even the most adept at concealment can be detected if they come close. However, to maintain this secret art, I will require protection from all of you so I can concentrate fully.'”

Her words were met with even greater delight from the group.

In the lower levels of the Sky Tower, aside from ancient restrictions, the most significant obstacle lay in the diverse array of mechanical puppet beasts. It was unknown how these puppets were crafted; they had been inexhaustible for countless years. Despite cultivators repeatedly breaching the Sky Tower, their numbers never seemed to dwindle. The female cultivator surnamed Yin's abilities were a perfect counter to the puppet beasts, offering them a significant advantage.

Following this, the other two individuals also disclosed their respective skills.

The five immediately adjusted their formation, with the other four cultivators safeguarding the female cultivator surnamed Yin in the center. The puppets on the first three levels of the Sky Tower were not particularly strong, roughly equivalent to cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage. Their current formation served as a pre-emptive drill to prepare for the higher levels.

No sooner had the formation been completed than several unsuspecting puppets charged towards them. As they passed a dilapidated wall, a faint ripple of green light appeared on its surface, followed by three dark figures lunging out at them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The man surnamed Di casually struck with a palm, sending all three puppets flying, their chests deeply caved in. These three puppets resembled fierce tigers, yet their exteriors were not covered in fur but appeared to be assembled from blocks of bluestone. After being struck by the man surnamed Di, two of the puppets began to crackle internally before shattering explosively. The puppet fragments scattered everywhere, and then, eerily, weathered into sand right before their eyes, ultimately vanishing into the darkness without a trace.

Remarkably, the remaining puppet still possessed combat capability. With a flick of its long tail, it transformed into a streak of black light, darting towards the man surnamed Di's face. Sharp, gleaming claws emerged from the darkness, coming dangerously close to his brow. The others showed no intention of intervening. Unperturbed, the man surnamed Di shifted his palm, effortlessly blocking the tiger's claw with one hand. A thoughtful expression crossed his face as he swung his other hand once more at the puppet's body, shattering it completely.

“'They're roughly equivalent to the early Foundation Establishment stage,' the man surnamed Di said, turning to the others and recounting his observations. 'It's said that the puppets' strength increases systematically with each level, nearly mirroring the cultivation realms of cultivators. What do you all think? Doesn't it seem like a trial ground prepared by ancient cultivators for their descendants?'”

“'Not entirely,' the old woman countered.” The old woman shook her head. “'Didn't we hear there are special levels within the Sky Tower?' she countered. 'The scenery there is vastly different from other levels, and it's also where various strange artifacts are located. The Sky Tower holds far too many secrets; only the ancient cultivators who resided here would truly know its original purpose.'”

The group continued deeper into the darkness as they spoke. Along the way, they frequently encountered sneak attacks from puppet beasts. Their strength was comparable to the previous ones, allowing the group to handle them with ease.

After an unknown distance, they finally halted, gazing into the vast expanse before them.

“'You all know what the teleportation halls look like, right?' the man surnamed Di asked. 'They're wandering somewhere in this area. Let's split up to search for it.'”

With that, the man surnamed Di chose a direction and flew off. The others dispersed, beginning their search in the darkness. Qin Sang flew alone towards the right. Spotting a dilapidated hall ahead, he deliberately moved closer.

He was, in fact, quite interested in the path of puppetry. From the Foundation Establishment to the Core Formation stage, he consistently overpowered cultivators of the same realm. This was largely due to external aids like his refined corpses and spirit beasts, which had repeatedly helped him overcome formidable foes and escape perilous situations. The Sky Tower's puppets seemed capable of resurrection. If he could uncover their secrets and refine powerful mechanical puppet beasts, his strength would be greatly augmented.

As Qin Sang neared the ruined hall, a swarm of tiger-shaped puppets lunged at him; some spewed mystical light, while others attacked with their claws. With a gentle sweep of his Ebony Sword, he effortlessly dispatched more than half of the puppet beasts. Qin Sang kept two of them, seizing them to study while continuing his search for the teleportation hall. Ultimately, he was disappointed to discover that these puppet beasts' existence was likely linked to the Sky Tower's ancient restrictions. Their ability to resurrect was unreproducible, and even the materials from their bodies could not be preserved after death; they would inexplicably vanish even if placed into a Qianjun Ring.

With five people searching for the teleportation hall together, their efficiency was significantly higher. Qin Sang's search yielded no results, but he soon received a signal and immediately turned back. Before long, the five individuals stood before a grand hall.

The hall floated in the darkness, not fixed in one spot, but slowly drifting. This was the best-preserved hall on the first level; not even a single tile on its roof was damaged. The ancient teleportation array was located within the hall itself. The hall was ancient and imposing, with a peculiar design. Its towering spire resembled a sharp sword, exuding a powerful sword intent.

The moment he laid eyes on the hall, Qin Sang's mind instantly tensed! This sensation was indescribable to anyone else. Only those who had cultivated the “Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation Chapter” could truly grasp the unique nature of this sword intent!