Chapter 90: Underground Palace

"Not necessarily..."

When Yaoyao uttered these words, all eyes—Zhou Yuan's, Su Youwei's, and Wei Canglan's—turned to her. Their expressions were full of surprise and doubt. Could Yaoyao really decipher even this type of genesis pattern barrier?

"This genesis pattern barrier would likely require at least a fifth-grade mastery of genesis patterns to even attempt to crack. I can't do that right now," Yaoyao said, shaking her head slightly, as if she knew what they were thinking.

Hearing this, everyone became even more puzzled. If she couldn't break it, what other method could there be?

"If we have that specific genesis pattern, wouldn't we be able to open it?" Yaoyao remarked casually.

The others smiled wryly and shook their heads. If they had known the specific genesis pattern, why would they be standing around staring blankly?

Su Youwei's bright eyes, however, lit up. "Does Sister Yaoyao know that specific genesis pattern?" she asked.

Yaoyao meticulously scrutinized the patterns on the genesis pattern barrier. After a moment, she slowly nodded. "It seems my guess wasn't wrong," she said.

As she spoke, she gently patted the Qiankun pouch at her waist, and a black jade plaque appeared in her hand.

Zhou Yuan stared at the black jade plaque, instantly surprised. This was the exact "useless item" he had bought for 20,000 Genesis Crystals in Demon Prison City.

He looked at Yaoyao incredulously. "Are the genesis patterns on this the key to opening this genesis pattern barrier?"

If so, his 20,000 Genesis Crystals would be incredibly well-spent.

"Likely," Yaoyao replied, examining the somewhat blurry genesis patterns on the jade plaque. "Let's try it."

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the others. "You all should exit the ruins first, just in case something goes wrong. I'm not entirely sure how this genesis pattern barrier has changed over the years, so I can't guarantee there won't be any unexpected incidents."

Upon hearing her words, even Wei Canglan seemed hesitant to stay, as the genesis pattern barrier felt incredibly dangerous.

"You all wait outside the ruins. I'll wait here," Zhou Yuan said with a smile.

"Your Highness," Lu Tieshan quickly interjected upon hearing this.

Zhou Yuan waved his hand. Looking at Yaoyao, he smiled and said, "I trust Sister Yaoyao's abilities."

Yaoyao, however, glanced at him, her delicate brows curving mischievously. "You're afraid I'll secretly take all the treasures, aren't you?"

Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes in response.

"I'll stay too," Su Youwei chimed in from the side, raising her fair, delicate hand. There was no trace of fear on her beautiful face.

Zhou Yuan didn't object. He looked at the others and urged them again, so Wei Canglan and the rest stopped insisting and gradually withdrew.

Once everyone had left, Yaoyao took hold of a jade-green genesis brush, her pretty face becoming much more serious. She gazed intently at the glowing genesis pattern barrier before her, and after a moment, the brush tip descended sharply.

As the brush tip moved, genesis marks appeared out of thin air, radiating a peculiar charm.

Zhou Yuan and Su Youwei stood behind her. As they watched the complex genesis patterns gradually take shape, their expressions grew solemn, and their heartbeats subtly quickened. After all, if Yaoyao made a mistake and triggered an eruption from the genesis pattern barrier, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for them.

In the deep pit, the air seemed to grow still and congealed, with only the faint, hissing sound of Yaoyao's genesis brush as it moved.

The silence lasted for a while until the genesis patterns under Yaoyao's brush finally took shape. They then transformed into an extremely complex and obscure genesis pattern, slowly descending to make contact with the barrier before them.

Zhou Yuan, Yaoyao, and Su Youwei all watched the genesis pattern barrier intently, not daring to blink.

Buzz!

Under their watchful eyes, the genesis pattern barrier quickly began to ripple violently, and bursts of chaotic fluctuations erupted. This caused Zhou Yuan's expression to change slightly, as he thought the barrier was about to explode.

Fortunately, after several dozen breaths, the rippling fluctuations gradually subsided.

Then, to their surprise, Zhou Yuan and the other two saw the genesis pattern barrier before them slowly tear open, revealing a passage.

"It worked!" Su Youwei exclaimed, overjoyed.

Yaoyao gently wiped her jade-like cheek and offered a faint smile.

"Amazing!" Zhou Yuan said, giving Yaoyao a thumbs-up.

"Go open the door," Yaoyao said, tilting her delicate chin.

Zhou Yuan stepped forward, placed his hand on the cold bronze door, and pushed gently. With a creaking sound, the bronze door, which had been tightly shut for many years, slowly swung open.

As the bronze door opened, dim yellow light streamed out from within.

Zhou Yuan and the other two cautiously stepped inside.

Beyond the bronze door lay what appeared to be an underground palace. Although it had been sealed for years, air still circulated within. In the spacious hall, Zhou Yuan and his companions saw countless silent shadows standing motionless.

"These... are all battle puppets?!" Zhou Yuan's expression changed instantly as he looked at the dark figures. He realized these were battle puppets, similar to those they had encountered before, but clearly, the ones stored here were far more intricate.

"The cores of these battle puppets are in a dormant state, so there's no need to worry. Furthermore, they haven't been given any commands, meaning they are ownerless," Yaoyao explained, her beautiful eyes quickly discerning the puppets' condition.

Zhou Yuan gasped upon hearing this. All ownerless? Did that mean their royal family had a chance to gain control of them?

"The number of battle puppets here must be at least ten thousand!" Zhou Yuan's eyes widened in shock. If the royal family acquired this army of ten thousand battle puppets, their power would undoubtedly skyrocket.

"However, don't expect to control them in a short period," Yaoyao stated. "It would require many individuals skilled in genesis patterns to implant commands and activate them one by one, which would take a considerable amount of time."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan shook his head with a hint of regret. If they could quickly gain control of this battle puppet army, eliminating Prince Qi's mansion would be effortless. Still, he could inform Zhou Qing later and have him secretly dispatch people to take over this place and fully master these battle puppets.

As the three conversed, they passed through the underground palace and arrived at the very front of the battle puppet army. There, a stone platform stood, holding three jade boxes.

Zhou Yuan cautiously approached and gently pried open one of the jade boxes.

The moment the jade box opened, light suddenly shot out from within. A crystal emitted a dazzling glow, which then converged before Zhou Yuan and the others, forming a light screen.

On the light screen, a vast mountain range stretched for thousands of miles, filled with countless continuous palaces and temples. Countless battle puppets and figures could be seen soaring through the air. This was clearly a depiction of the Puppet Sect during its prime, its grandeur serving as testament to its formidable power.

Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, the scene shifted, as if the world had lost its color. In the high skies, space seemed to shatter, and a glowing figure slowly emerged from within.

The figure was entirely enveloped in holy light, its eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation. A blood-red vertical mark adorned its brow.

As this figure appeared, a terrifying pressure seemed to descend from the heavens. Mountains crumbled continuously at that moment, drawing countless gazes of terror.

From high above, the figure looked down indifferently, and a detached voice echoed throughout the world.

"A Saint Race prodigy has perished here. This is declared a land of sin and shall receive divine punishment. All life within eighty thousand *li* shall be extinguished."

The voice carried destruction. As it resonated, it was as if endless heavenly thunder descended, and the entire world began to rapidly collapse. Under such a nearly divine punitive assault, even the Puppet Sect was reduced to ashes.

Beneath the heavenly thunder, no life remained within eighty thousand *li*.

Zhou Yuan watched the scene within the light image, his mind trembling in shock. The events depicted here were likely what the Black Abyss experienced many years ago. Could it be that the numerous ancient powers that existed in the Black Abyss during that era were destroyed in this very manner?

Why was that figure, radiating holy light, so terrifying? With a single declaration, it annihilated all life within eighty thousand *li*. Was it merely because a so-called Saint Race prodigy had died here that the destruction of all life was decreed as punishment?

While Zhou Yuan and Su Youwei were both stunned by the scene, they failed to notice Yaoyao beside them. Her ethereal eyes, at that moment, stared at the holy figure in the image with an icy chill she herself couldn't perceive.

She suddenly extended her hand, and in it appeared a nine-colored lotus jade pendant.

At that moment, the nine-colored jade pendant, which had always been inert, seemed to flash with a faint glow.