Chapter 523: Departure (Part 1)
Chapter 523: Departure (Part 1)
Deep within the dungeon, Luo Chen held a black wooden puppet with a single arm and a single leg, resembling a small mallet, and muttered to himself.
Unexpectedly, the black puppet suddenly opened its eyes, its gaze incredibly lively.
Although its eyes showed signs of age, they also held the ambition and confidence of a middle-aged man.
It was none other than Han Zhan, who had perished earlier!
The black wooden puppet's lips moved, and it spoke, "Is this some kind of fake death technique? Under the powerful attack of the Thunder Prison Phoenix in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, I did indeed pass through the gates of death. If it weren't for this dual-cultivation Nascent Soul stage puppet, I would have perished on the spot."
A substitute puppet?
Luo Chen had always heard about the Han family of the Falling Cloud Sect, possessing a hereditary secret technique for substitute puppets.
Back when he was still in the Grand River Market, he had witnessed Gao Tingyuan using one on the Dao Discussion Platform and even 'killing' Duan Dao Xu Renke with it.
Later, in the Great Power Ruins within the White Night Cave Mansion, Han Zhan's grandson, Han Zheng, also utilized a substitute puppet.
However, this time was completely different from before!
Previously, the ones who died were always the puppets.
But this time, if he hadn't mistaken, under the attack of the Thunder Prison Phoenix, Han Zhan's Nascent Soul had indeed been completely destroyed!
Perhaps sensing Luo Chen's confusion, Han Zhan personally explained, "It's not a fake death technique, but a second incarnation technique. The puppet incarnation and the second incarnation are two different concepts. The former is an inanimate object, while the latter possesses my Nascent Soul's will and can be considered another me."
"Another you?" Luo Chen's eyebrows furrowed, "If that's the case, you still possess Nascent Soul stage strength. Since that's the case, the Thunder Prison Phoenix isn't here, and you can quietly escape."
However, to his surprise, Han Zhan responded to his words with a bitter smile.
"Young friend, can't you see my miserable state?"
Well, Luo Chen wasn't blind, and he could see everything clearly.
This Nascent Soul stage puppet of Han Zhan had suffered a devastating blow from the Roaring Wolf King during the battle at Heaven Drum Plain. At that time, it was almost completely destroyed.
The missing hand and foot were injuries sustained during that battle.
Later, Qing Shuang suppressed and captured him, keeping him under guard, and there was never an opportunity to repair the puppet.
Especially when the Thunder Prison Phoenix unleashed its might, Han Zhan's main body's Nascent Soul was destroyed, and the divine soul that had been separated to protect Luo Chen suffered severe injuries.
This was the main reason why Luo Chen was able to survive the aftermath of that battle.
The reason for Luo Chen's question was that he had been tricked once again!
Tian Yazi had previously displayed impeccable integrity.
He repeatedly claimed that before his death, he would leave behind a perfect masterpiece.
In reality, he had secretly left a means of control within his lifebound treasure, allowing it to change ownership during battle.
For a cultivator, what could be more terrifying than having their lifebound treasure suddenly controlled by someone else during combat?
These Nascent Soul stage old monsters were not to be trusted!
If Han Zhan still retained his Nascent Soul stage combat power, Luo Chen wanted nothing to do with him.
The other party was currently in an extremely weak state, and although he had saved Luo Chen's life and often showed him kindness, this was the main reason Luo Chen concealed Han Zhan's survival from the Thunder Prison Phoenix.
And another reason was escape!
Regardless of his current strength, Han Zhan had the experience of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. In the midst of this chaos, Luo Chen wondered if it was possible to escape and take him along.
However!
Han Zhan's words dispelled his thoughts.
"Don't even think about escaping. In my current state, not only can I easily kill a Nascent Soul stage demon cultivator, but even a Golden Core cultivator like you can easily eliminate me. The battle outside is fierce, and if we go out now, it's as good as asking for death!"
Luo Chen's heart sank.
At the same time, the rumbling sounds in the Cross-Reality Hall became louder, occasionally interspersed with the roars of the Thunder Prison Phoenix and the low shouts of an elder.
Upon hearing the elder's voice, Luo Chen's body trembled.
"It's him!"
Han Zhan glanced at Luo Chen as if sensing something, "God-Yuan True Person disregards danger and personally kills his way into the Cross-Reality Hall, it seems he is determined to get you!"
Luo Chen's expression turned grim.
Although he had only met the God-Yuan True Person from the Quintessence Sect once, the memory was deeply etched in his mind.
The other party's appearance and demeanor were firmly imprinted in his bones.
There was no way he could forget someone with such sinister intentions, who had even tried to use him as a refining ingredient to cultivate a Primordial Body.
"It seems both of us won't be able to escape from outside." Han Zhan spoke softly.
Luo Chen's expression shifted between hope and despair. Missing this opportunity meant that he might never have another chance to escape in this lifetime.
But if he couldn't get out, how could he even think of escaping...
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Luo Chen's mind, and his gaze fell on the black wooden puppet in his hand.
"Senior, you previously crafted my lifebound treasure, showcasing your exceptional array formation skills. May I ask if you know how to operate a teleportation array?"
Han Zhan was startled, then suddenly realized what Luo Chen was implying.
Although Qing Shuang's Sleeve Cosmos was mysterious, it hadn't been cultivated to perfection, so it could only exert overwhelming power against cultivators one realm lower than her.
For cultivators like them, they must first defeat and neutralize their opponents' power before absorbing them.
Even when inside, as long as they remained conscious, Nascent Soul stage cultivators to have a faint perception of the outside world.
Initially, Qing Shuang was able to bring them from the Snow Mountain, crossing thousands of miles into this wild frontier, relying on the spatial teleportation array!
Luo Chen spoke with a hint of excitement, "I understand, I understand. But I don't know where the teleportation array is located and if it's heavily guarded."
Luo Chen chuckled, "In this situation, even if there were heavy guards, they would have joined the battle. Moreover, I've always had free access to that place."
Without waiting for further discussion, Luo Chen strode towards the dungeon exit.
When he reached the door, he hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he summoned an object back to his hand.
"After expending so much effort, how could I just abandon it?"
With Tian Yazi's demise, Luo Chen reestablished his mental connection with the Primordial Cauldron.
However, this time, he didn't dare to swallow it into his Qi Sea but carefully placed it into his storage bag.
Luo Chen left the black wooden puppet at his waist and proceeded alone.
When he reached the third floor, he hesitated for a moment, but it was only fleeting, and he continued on his way.
Currently, he was preoccupied with his own survival, leaving no spare energy to rescue others.
Now, it was a race against time, and reaching the Cangwu Treasury to activate the teleportation array was the top priority.
As Luo Chen reached the second floor, Han Zhan suddenly spoke up.
"Hold on, I'll cast a soul technique for you."
"A soul technique?"
"Don't think that the Five Elements Divine Sect has been eyeing you without doing anything!"
Luo Chen's face changed slightly, and he held Han Zhan in front of him.
The black puppet's single arm began to intricately form hand seals.
After a moment, a black light enveloped Luo Chen.
After casting the technique, Han Zhan's aura suddenly weakened.
He said with a hint of fatigue, "With this soul technique, your divine soul's fluctuations will be concealed. As long as you don't actively release your divine sense, others won't notice you. However, your magical power fluctuations and aura..."
Luo Chen's heart trembled. "No problem, I have my own methods!"
As he spoke, he formed a hand seal, as if unlocking some restriction.
The next moment, countless black silk threads appeared all over his body, even covering his eyes, lips, and teeth, giving him a ferocious appearance.
The array is hidden, fully activated!
With this, he completely concealed his aura without any leakage.
Continue forward!
As he reached the first floor, he saw Thunder Prison Phoenix holding a whip covered in black lightning, frantically attacking an elder.
"You guys go help Senior Dark Spring. Leave this old man to me!"
The Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators around obeyed the command and rushed out of the Cross-Reality Hall.
After everyone left, the elder's aura suddenly surged.
"A mere mid-stage Nascent Soul, do you think I'm easy to deal with?"
As he spoke, a five-colored small pagoda on his head unleashed streams of light, enveloping both himself and Thunder Prison Phoenix.
With the five-colored light, the elder faced the attacks from Thunder Prison Phoenix without fear and even grabbed the thunder whip.
Then, with a pull and a swing!
Boom!
He directly threw Thunder Prison Phoenix into a corner of the hall.
The elder glanced at the severely injured Thunder Prison Phoenix, coldly snorted, and strode towards the dungeon direction.
In the shadowy corner, Luo Chen watched this scene, his pupils shrinking.
"Divine Yuan True Person, you're so powerful!"
Previously, in front of Heaven Refiner and Han Zhan, Thunder Prison Phoenix was arrogant, but in front of Divine Yuan True Person, he had no resistance.
"Do you think a late-stage Nascent Soul Great Transcender is just a piece of cabbage?" Han Zhan, attached to Luo Chen's body, communicated with him using the previous soul technique, "The three of them couldn't defeat Qingfeng, not because they were weak, but because Qingfeng had already grasped the power of principles at the Nascent Soul stage. It wasn't even the most terrifying and bizarre spatial law. In fact, figures like Divine Yuan True Person and Huan Huan Ancestor are the top existences below the Venerable Transcenders in the Mountain Sea Realm. They never put enemies below the late-stage Nascent Soul stage in their eyes."
Luo Chen silently nodded in agreement.
He had indeed underestimated these late-stage Nascent Soul Great Transcenders.
"However, this Thunder Prison Phoenix is indeed worthy of inheriting the bloodline of the Thunder Peng, a beast of the wilderness!" Han Zhan suddenly said.
The next moment, from the depths of the hall, a violent aura emerged.
Immediately, a giant beast over a hundred zhang long stretched its wings, completely flattening the hall.
"Old man, where do you think you're going?"
With a roar, its body suddenly shrank to about three zhang tall, its entire body flashing with electricity, transforming into a bolt of lightning chasing after the direction Divine Yuan True Person had left.
Luo Chen's eyes widened in surprise. Each of these individuals was not an easy opponent!
However, he couldn't afford to be distracted right now.
"This way!"
He found a familiar direction and, using Freedom Soar, quickly moved forward.
Inside Cangwu Mountain, in the sky above.
Senior Dark Spring, who had just arrived, glanced at the collapsed Cross-Reality Hall, his face growing more stern.
...
"This is the place!"
Creak...
A piercing sound rang out as Luo Chen pushed open a large door.
Before him, mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts, white clouds, and celestial stars appeared as microscopic landscapes, shrinking in size.
This sight caused Luo Chen, who had entered this place for the first time, to feel a tremor in his heart.
In the center of these wonders stood a platform engraved with countless array patterns, making one dizzy just by looking at it.
Pat!
The black wooden puppet jumped down from Luo Chen's hand, standing on one leg on the ground, its eyes shining as it gazed at this place.
"This! This! This!"
Three consecutive "This!" exclaimed Han Zhan, filled with excitement.
Luo Chen worriedly asked, "What is it? Is the array too complex? Can you activate it, Senior Han?"
Han Zhan laughed, pointing at the array's edge.
"Activate?"
"Don't you see those embedded top-grade spirit stones?"
Luo Chen was taken aback, his gaze unconsciously falling on the colorful rhombic crystals.
He had only considered these as array materials and never thought they were spirit stones.
After all, the spirit stones he had handled before were only lower to upper-grade, and none of them had any color.
Who would have thought that top-grade spirit stones would have colors.
Han Zhan hopped around the massive array, jumping on one leg, looking rather comical.
But the excitement in his voice was genuine.
"The owner of this place is truly generous!"
"They actually have so many materials and top-grade spirit stones prepared at all times, ready to be activated."
"This setup doesn't look like a precious teleportation array but rather a casual means of transportation."
Luo Chen swallowed.
To treat a valuable teleportation array that spans the entire Mountain Sea Realm as a common means of transportation?
Wow!
This is too extravagant!
"Since it's like this, it's not a problem. I just need to figure out the activation hand seals for the array. Fortunately, when I was in the dungeon with Heaven Refiner, I often contemplated the spatial restrictions left by Qingfeng on us. I'm no stranger to these spatial teleportation arrays."
Luo Chen was curious, "At that time, were you researching Qingfeng's spatial restrictions?"
Han Zhan, without turning his head, said, "Exactly. How could people like us willingly be controlled by others? Let me tell you, when I was refining the Primordial Cauldron for you, I specifically invited Qingfeng to help, also wanting to verify her spatial restriction abilities. Otherwise, do you really think Heaven Refiner was that kind-hearted?"
Luo Chen's mouth twitched. He realized that he had a rather one-sided understanding of these late-stage Nascent Soul old monsters.
Even when facing imprisonment, they still sought a way out.
Unlike the Golden Core Cultivators, who could only wait for their fate.
However, the immediate concern wasn't to delve into these matters.
Watching Han Zhan deep in thought, Luo Chen couldn't help but ask, "With your array mastery, approximately how long will it take to comprehend this array?"
Han Zhan paused, hesitating, "Three days at the shortest, and at the longest..."
Three days, and the flowers would have wilted!
Moreover, this wasn't a guaranteed timeframe.
Han Zhan awkwardly said, "My array is designed for puppetry and sword array cultivation.
(End of Chapter)
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