Chapter 651: Source Stones!
"However, the energy required to operate the sword immortal puppet is no small amount."
The white-robed sword-bearing middle-aged man smiled faintly and said, "To control the sword immortal puppet and unleash combat power at the 1st level of Heavenly Core Realm, one Source Stone is consumed every breath. For combat power at the 2nd level of Heavenly Core Realm, two Source Stones are needed per breath. For combat power at the 3rd level of Heavenly Core Realm, three Source Stones must be consumed every breath."
He paused slightly before continuing, "Going further, combat power at the 4th level of Heavenly Core Realm requires five Source Stones per breath, while combat power at the 5th level requires ten. If you want it to unleash strength at the 6th level of Heavenly Core Realm, maintaining it for just one breath will consume thirty Source Stones."
"..."
Hearing the white-robed sword-bearing middle-aged man’s words, Li Yun was speechless.
Source Stones were one level higher than top-grade spirit stones. Each Source Stone was equivalent to ten thousand top-grade spirit stones, or one million high-grade spirit stones.
When Li Yun obtained the Lost Treasury, he had gained nearly twenty million high-grade spirit stones. Combined with what he had acquired from defeating opponents afterward, his total wealth amounted to roughly thirty million high-grade spirit stones.
In other words, even if he exhausted all his assets, he could only make the sword immortal puppet unleash combat power at the 5th level of Heavenly Core Realm for ten breaths, or at the 6th level of Heavenly Core Realm for only one breath.
"Although this sword immortal puppet is good, it truly devours spirit stones."
Li Yun could not help shaking his head.
It was clearly impossible to use the sword immortal puppet as a regular combat force. It could only be kept as a trump card.
But this was also fine. Without such limitations, Li Yun might easily become dependent on the sword immortal puppet, which would instead hinder his own cultivation.
"Ten breaths of time. That is enough."
Li Yun’s eyes suddenly turned sharp. "Elder Chen Ming, your disciple Feng Wuyin has already been killed by me. Next, it is your turn."
Putting away the sword immortal puppet, Li Yun left the divine hall. He continued moving through the mysterious underground palace, and in the blink of an eye, another two hours passed.
Along the way, whenever he encountered cultivators from the Ironblood Sect, he showed no mercy. Over these two hours, he killed more than a dozen demonic path cultivators.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, the path ahead of Li Yun widened abruptly, and the light grew intensely bright, illuminating everything before him in full detail.
About a thousand meters ahead of Li Yun stood a massive altar.
The altar was shaped like a giant sword. At its center stood a precious sword, thirty-three zhang long, shimmering with divine light. At first glance, it appeared incredibly mystical, making people feel an irresistible urge to bow in worship.
At the base of the precious sword, roughly three meters above the ground, was a concave area about the size of a palm. That depression was also shaped like a sword.
In front of the altar, more than a dozen cultivators were gathered. Elder Chen Ming, Peak Lord Shen Ming, the sect master of Martial Ascension Gate, and several others were clearly among them.
’What scheme is Elder Chen Ming planning?’
Li Yun raised an eyebrow and forcibly suppressed the killing intent in his heart. This was not the best time to kill Elder Chen Ming.
With a wave of his hand, a set of black robes covered his body, and he put on a mask, making himself look no different from the demonic path cultivators.
Immediately, he darted toward the altar.
"Wait over there."
Elder Chen Ming clearly did not think much of it. Seeing Li Yun, he assumed he was just a lucky demonic path cultivator who had managed to reach this place, so he impatiently waved him toward a corner at the edge.
Far from being angry, Li Yun was actually pleased by this. He retreated to the edge of the crowd and began observing the altar.
From a distance, he had already sensed the extraordinary nature of the precious sword at the center of the altar. Now that he was closer, that mystical feeling became even more pronounced.
Standing beside this precious sword, he could feel the Profound Origin Sword trembling slightly, and even his own Sword Intent was on the verge of boiling over.
’It seems this altar must be where that so-called ancient sect left its legacy.’
Li Yun focused his mind and suppressed the restlessness of his sword. Now was not the time to reveal himself.
"Why has he not arrived yet?"
In the blink of an eye, another hour passed. Elder Chen Ming frowned and muttered to himself, "It has been so long, yet he still has not arrived. Could something have happened to the Holy Envoy on the way?"
At this thought, Elder Chen Ming’s gaze flickered.
Of course, he coveted the legacy within this altar and wanted to claim it for himself. But he did not dare do so. It was not because he feared the Crimson-Robed Holy Envoy, but because he feared Yan Wuhen, the Holy Son standing behind the Crimson-Robed Holy Envoy.
Offending Yan Wuhen over this legacy would be a true loss.
However, if the Crimson-Robed Holy Envoy was already dead, the situation would be different.
"Xuan Qingdao, you are the sect master of Martial Ascension Gate. Hand over your sect master token if you want your future to remain decent."
After a moment of hesitation, Elder Chen Ming finally made up his mind. He looked at Xuan Qingdao and spoke coldly.
"You wish."
Xuan Qingdao raised his head and sneered. "Even if I die, I will not give you the sect master token."
"Is that so?"
Elder Chen Ming was unfazed and said calmly, "If you do not hand over the sect master token, I will not kill you. Instead, I will slaughter everyone from Martial Ascension Gate. From the elders to the disciples, and down to the ordinary servants and laborers, I will leave none alive. Think carefully about whether you will hand it over."