Bang! The horrifying attacks struck the half-sage puppet with immense force, shattering its already cracked head in an instant. Fragments of pale flesh and bone erupted outward.
Crack. As the head exploded, the hand that the half-sage puppet had just raised suddenly stiffened. A strange undulation emanated from where the neck was severed, dissipating into nothingness. Accompanied by this vanishing fluctuation, the half-sage puppet’s body began to rapidly age, visible to the naked eye, until it finally turned to dust, sprinkling down.
Phew. A golden light surged, and Xiao Yan’s body swiftly shrank back to its original size. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he glanced at the situation on his side. Apart from him and Xun’er, all the others bore injuries. Even the strong Gu Qingyang had been internally injured during a clash with the half-sage puppet. Fortunately, his abundant Dou Qi within prevented any serious wound from forming.
“This thing is too troublesome…” Xiao Yan flicked his fingers, and a series of pills shot out from his storage ring, floating in front of everyone before entering their mouths.
“Rest for a moment; I will guard us.” Xiao Yan said in a deep voice.
None opposed Xiao Yan’s command. They each swallowed a pill and quickly sat down in a meditative posture, seizing the opportunity to enter cultivation mode. In such a place filled with peril, they must keep their Dou Qi replenished at all times to ensure their safety.
“Brother Xiao Yan, should we intervene?” Xun’er walked beside Xiao Yan, her eyes gazing at the other battle sites, whispering softly.
The battles in those areas did not seem promising. Even among the Soul Jade group, a powerful member of the Soul Palace had been killed, his heart shattered by the impact of a half-sage puppet. However, their strength was formidable, and they managed to suppress the half-sage puppet through joint efforts. It seemed victory was only a matter of time. Elsewhere, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan also suffered casualties, but they too restrained the half-sage puppet within an acceptable range.
Yet, compared to them, the two final battlefields were far too gruesome. Four teams, hastily assembled at the brink of death, were each mighty but lacked coordination. Several experts at the level of Dou Zun had already perished at the hands of the half-sage puppet, making it the deadliest place thus far.
“No need, we should take care of ourselves first,” Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered slightly, then he shook his head. This was not a time for kindness. These people were competitors. After dealing with the half-sage puppets, who knew if they would turn on their erstwhile allies. Therefore, it was best not to meddle. If anything went awry and the half-sage puppets ran amok, it wouldn’t be overly troubling. After engaging them, Xiao Yan had some understanding. Though called half-sages, their true combat power was far below that of actual half-sage powerhouses. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been defeated without casualties.
Xun’er nodded, understanding the implications. Helping now might lead to them secretly attacking later. Now was not a time for mercy.
“Is that the legendary Bodhi Heart over there?” Xiao Yan glanced at the ongoing battles, then directed his gaze toward the ancient Bodhi tree. At a point a hundred feet above the ground, circles of radiance spread out, imbued with an astonishing vitality.
“This ancient Bodhi tree is more bizarre than I expected. These half-sage puppets must have been true half-sage powerhouses in life, yet they too became puppets. This suggests even they could not resist the tree.” Xiao Yan’s eyes locked onto the glowing radiance, his thoughts racing. The real trouble lay with the tree itself, given no one knew what kind of strange means it possessed.
“It seems we need to be more cautious, or else we may lose our lives trying to obtain the treasure…”
Bang! While Xiao Yan was thinking, a heavy thud echoed nearby. Turning, he saw Soul Jade, his face devoid of expression, delivering a punch that turned his ancestor’s head into a mass of white fragments.
Shattering the half-sage puppet’s head, Soul Jade let out a long breath. Raising his head to look at Xiao Yan, his expressionless face quickly softened into a warm smile. Xiao Yan inwardly sneered, seeing Soul Jade putting on a performance.
After Soul Jade and his companions finished off the puppets, the rest immediately began meditating to recover their Dou Qi, clearly exhausted from the previous fight. Approximately ten minutes after, the battle circle of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan also came to a close. Having killed around three strong members of the clan, the half-sage puppet was finally blasted apart by the combined efforts of the remaining.
“Damn thing!” Nine Phoenix, with a dark face, kicked the puppet’s corpse away with a furious kick. They had lost some formidable elders in dealing with the puppet, a cost that was undoubtedly steep.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his anger and calmed down. He waved his hand, leading the others to sit and swallow pills, quickly restoring their Dou Qi.
Three groups had dealt with the half-sage puppets, but none moved to help the remaining two battlegrounds. Instead, they observed coldly, treating no one as a true ally.
Ah! Amidst the cold stares, a Dou Zun was torn in half by a half-sage puppet, splattering blood everywhere. Simultaneously, about fifteen red-eyed fighters launched a fierce, unified attack, striking the half-sage puppet’s head.
Bang! Faced with such an overwhelming attack, the half-sage puppet’s body trembled, and its head exploded, the shockwave causing nearly ten others to cough up blood as their internal Qi surged.
To finish off this half-sage puppet, their sacrifice was truly ghastly. As the battle in this area concluded, the final arena continued for several more minutes, eventually claiming five lives in a desperate exchange, ultimately killing the last half-sage puppet.
When the half-sage puppet’s head exploded, the group fell to the ground, utterly exhausted, not even wanting to move a finger.
As the last half-sage puppet turned to ashes, Xiao Yan and his companions, having rested, slowly opened their eyes. With the aid of the pills, their energy had mostly recovered.
Seeing everyone revived, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the ancient Bodhi tree. “What lies ahead will be far more perilous. I suggest those who haven’t reached the level of six-star Dou Zun stay here and do not advance.”
Hearing this, the crowd hesitated for a moment, then agreed. With the appearance of the half-sage puppets, none could guarantee what dangers might await below. Going without sufficient strength would be a death sentence.
“Elder, we will stay here with Nalan Yanran. You go with the young master,” several Hua Sect elders spoke, knowing the benefits of the ancient Bodhi tree. Although they knew they didn’t have the blessing to enjoy it, they hoped the Hua Sect could still gain some fortune. Yun Yun, with her respectable strength and connection to Xiao Yan, might bring significant benefits if fortunate.
Yun Yun hesitated, then nodded. She wasn’t eager to grab any treasure but felt the ancient Bodhi tree was not simple. Sending Xiao Yan’s group, despite his strength, made her worry slightly.
Xiao Yan nodded, turning his gaze to the massive Bodhi tree. The true Bodhi Heart must be hidden within!
“Let’s go.” Xiao Yan exhaled, every pore on his skin tensing. He waved a hand, then took the lead, slowly approaching the tree. Behind him, Xun’er and the others, full of alertness and gravity, followed closely.
“We’ll go as well…” Seeing Xiao Yan take the lead, Soul Jade and Nine Phoenix could no longer hold back. Despite their need for rest, they rushed forward, leading their respective groups to the ancient Bodhi tree.
Further behind, the other battered groups, seeing this, gritted their teeth and struggled to their feet. The effort and cost to reach here made an empty return intolerable.
Drivated by the allure of the Bodhi Heart, everyone hastened their steps. However, as they drew closer to the ancient Bodhi tree, tension grew within each of them. The unknown dangers of the tree filled them with dread.
The sound of soft footsteps echoed gradually, and the group neared the base of the ancient Bodhi tree. Gazing upward, they could truly grasp the immense scale of this ancient tree, which had survived countless years.
Whoosh! Upon reaching the tree, a brilliant beam of light burst from the hundred-foot-high trunk, enveloping Xiao Yan and his group.
The sudden occurrence startled everyone, but as they prepared to draw upon their Dou Qi, they discovered it had vanished entirely…
Whoosh! Before they could react, the light beam rapidly shrank, swiftly retreating into the tree, taking with it the group—including Xiao Yan—who had reached the base of the tree.
In the distance, Nalan Yanran watched the vanishing group, her face draining of color.
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