Chapter 482 - 211: Mountain Thunder (Part 2)
"Fifteen hundred Contribution Points secured."
Chen Qing calculated silently as he stepped onto the stairs leading to the twentieth layer.
The rewards for clearing layers twelve through nineteen for the first time were now safely in his account.
Starting from the twentieth layer, the Gatekeepers were Puppets at the Early-stage Astral Force Realm.
Although their strength was still weaker than a Martial Artist of the same Realm, their power, speed, and defense had all been elevated to a new level.
Chen Qing still didn’t feel much pressure. He infused his Cyan Wood True Gang into the Cloud-Coiling Spear and executed the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear technique. Its movements were steady and heavy; whether smashing or sweeping, he could usually find an opening within three to five moves and defeat the enemy in a single strike.
He passed through the twenty-first and twenty-second layers in the same manner.
But when he set foot on the twenty-third layer, the atmosphere changed abruptly.
In the center of the stone chamber stood an Early-stage Astral Force Puppet, wielding a long saber.
Unlike its more rigid counterparts below, the aura radiating from this Puppet was more condensed. Its eyes, glinting with a dark light, seemed to possess an indescribable trace of spirituality as it stared coldly at the intruder.
A chill ran down Chen Qing’s spine as he recalled Shen Xiuyong’s warning: "The twenty-third layer and beyond are completely different! Those Puppets are terrifyingly agile, their moves change in a flash, they’re highly experienced, and they can even use exquisite Martial Arts. They’re just like real masters! Everyone guesses that a sliver of Intention from a master Within the Sect might be attached to them, personally controlling them for the assessment!"
It seemed he was right.
The thought had barely formed when the Saber Puppet attacked!
With a quick shift of its feet, its figure closed in like a phantom. The long saber in its hand drew a chilling arc, chopping straight for Chen Qing’s neck. The angle was vicious, the speed astonishing, and it was imbued with a sharp, fierce intent!
This was a killing blow born from rich combat experience!
Chen Qing didn’t dare to be careless. He thrust out the Cloud-Coiling Spear, its tip vibrating and letting out a muffled sound as it tore through the air. This was the defensive stance of the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear.
CLANG!
The saber and spear collided, and Strong Qi erupted outwards! Chen Qing felt his arm sink slightly. The force transmitted from the opponent’s saber was exceptionally solid, and its follow-up move was incredibly fast. After its strike was blocked, its Saber Momentum carried it downward in an upward slash toward his wrist—a vicious move.
’What a beast!’ Chen Qing praised inwardly. ’The Intention controlling this Puppet must belong to a master of the saber!’
Its combat experience and timing far surpassed the ordinary.
He focused his mind, pushing the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear to its limits. Layers of spear shadows appeared, standing as firm as a boulder, creating an impenetrable defense.
At the same time, he carefully observed the Puppet’s saber path, searching for its patterns and any potential flaws.
This Puppet’s Saber Technique was exquisite, at times as swift as thunder, at others, cunning and unpredictable.
If his Spear Technique hadn’t already reached the "Momentum" Realm, giving him microscopic control over his power, he would have had a much harder time.
After they had been locked in combat for a dozen or so moves, Chen Qing spotted an opening. His Spear Momentum abruptly shifted from defense to offense!
The Mountain-Splitting Thunder Shock Spear, which he had been holding back, suddenly erupted!
Thunder Shock!
The spear shot out like a dragon, as fast as a bolt of lightning!
His Cyan Wood True Gang surged as the spear tip tore through the air, producing a piercing, thunderous roar!
The Saber Puppet seemed not to have anticipated that Chen Qing’s Spear Momentum could switch so quickly and ferociously. It was a fraction of a second too slow to bring its saber back to block!
SHINK!
The Cloud-Coiling Spear accurately passed through a gap in the saber’s afterimages and mercilessly shattered the core inside the Puppet’s chest!
The Puppet’s movements froze abruptly. The dark light in its eyes extinguished, and it collapsed into a pile of parts on the floor.
Chen Qing tightened his grip on the Cloud-Coiling Spear.
Though he had won, this battle made him truly feel the difficulty of the upper layers.
This was no longer just a test of Cultivation, but also of practical combat skills, adaptability, and one’s understanding of Martial Arts.
Just as he stepped onto the stairs leading to the twenty-fourth layer, something unexpected happened!
Deep between his eyebrows, the Purple Light that had long been dormant suddenly throbbed faintly without any warning!
It was as if something had awakened it.
Chen Qing paused his steps and snapped his head up, his gaze seeming to pierce through the layers of the tower toward the mysterious, unfathomable peak!
’This Purple Light... is reacting to the Celestial Treasure Tower?’
He pondered inwardly, ’Could it be that its source is truly at the top of this tower? That the Intention that invaded my sea of consciousness is deeply connected to this Celestial Treasure Tower, or rather, to one of the ancestors of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect?’
This speculation made his heart race.
He suppressed the shock and suspicion in his heart and continued upward.
Whatever the truth may be, only by constantly ascending could he possibly reach the core secret.
The twenty-fourth layer.
Two Puppets, one on the left and one on the right, stood solemnly.
One wielded a Thick-Backed Long Saber, the other a Heavy Iron Hammer. Both emanated the aura of the Early-stage Astral Force and radiated the same "spirituality" as the Saber Puppet on the twenty-third layer.
The battle erupted in an instant!
The two Puppets coordinated with extreme tacit understanding. The light of the saber was fierce and domineering, its wide, sweeping arcs blocking Chen Qing’s escape routes. The wind from the hammer was heavy as a mountain, whistling as it crashed down, specialized in breaking through Hard Gang!
They advanced and retreated with perfect coordination, as if they had gone through countless battles together, compressing the space around Chen Qing extremely tightly.
The pressure increased dramatically!
Chen Qing’s expression grew solemn. He brandished the Cloud-Coiling Spear like a spinning wheel, pushing the defensive capabilities of the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear to their limit. He would occasionally counterattack with the swift thrusts of the Mountain-Splitting Thunder Shock Spear, but he was forced back each time by their exquisite coordination and fearless Fighting Method.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of clashing metal was incessant, and ripples from the collision of Qi Force continuously vibrated throughout the stone chamber.
Chen Qing pushed the Startled Swan Escape Shadow Technique to its limit, his figure weaving and dodging between the flashes of the saber and the shadow of the hammer, searching for an opportunity to strike.
The individual strength of these two Puppets might have been only slightly greater than the one on the twenty-third layer, but when they joined forces, their power more than doubled!
They were like two seasoned masters, constantly compressing his space and draining his stamina.