"Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, half a month ago, some strange occurrences were detected in Jixi Dao."
In the Corpse Puppet Sect, atop Ziluo Peak, a white-bearded elder clad in a purple robe slowly opened his eyes.
"Jixi Dao?" Ziluo Heavenly Venerable furrowed his brows, the name unfamiliar to him at first. After all, Jixi Dao was not considered a significant location. The Corpse Puppet Sect and Four Extremes Sect jointly managed it purely because Hulu Heaven served as a passage leading to the Great Zhou Dynasty.
"What could be so strange about Jixi Dao?" Ziluo Heavenly Venerable asked. That place merely grew some Dao Xuan Dan herbs—valuable, but not exceptionally so.
"Heavenly Venerable, during my time guarding Jixi Dao these past fifteen days, I kept hearing some peculiar sounds," the skeletal guardian reported, recalling the events carefully. "Occasionally, I even saw some illusions."
"Mirages?" Ziluo Heavenly Venerable glanced at the map, his gaze sharpening.
"Yes," the guardian nodded but then hesitated and shook his head. "Myself and others stationed there have seen figures of ancient people as if they were living, cultivating, and meditating there."
"At first, I also thought it was a mirage, but over time, we began to hear sounds. These sounds seemed to carry traces of the Dao, and many who heard them reacted differently."
"Some saw their techniques improve significantly, others suddenly experienced deviation, and some went mad, worshiping a specific direction daily."
"I questioned those affected, and they claimed someone was lecturing them on the Dao…"
"Oh?" Ziluo Heavenly Venerable's expression turned grave. Such phenomena matched descriptions of certain ancient Dao Fields. Could it be that Jixi Dao had once been a sacred cultivation site?
After listening carefully, Ziluo Heavenly Venerable nodded. "Very well. You are dismissed."
After dismissing the guardian, Ziluo Heavenly Venerable summoned two disciples, You Sha True Lord and Yunshui Fairy.
"Master," the male and female cultivators swiftly arrived and greeted him.
Ziluo Heavenly Venerable recounted the events at Jixi Dao to them.
"An ancient Dao Field?" Both disciples' eyes lit up instantly, their minds leaping to thoughts of inheritance and treasures.
Ziluo Heavenly Venerable spoke decisively:
"Since the journey to the Dragon Court two hundred years ago, our Corpse Puppet Sect suffered severe losses at Guting Royal City. This lineage of ours has faced significant suppression since then."
"Now, Jixi Dao presents an opportunity. I've decided to take both of you to explore it together."
If Zhao Xing were here, he would have immediately recognized them. These were none other than Ziluo Heavenly Venerable, You Sha, and Yun Ji of yesteryears.
The three had ventured into the Dragon Court and painstakingly reached Guting Royal City, only to find their sect's treasury looted entirely by Zhao Xing.
This resulted in paltry gains during their Dragon Court expedition, nowhere near compensating for their losses. For two centuries, Ziluo Peak's resources had been drastically reduced.
However, Ziluo Heavenly Venerable had since ascended to Ziluo Heavenly Venerable, and his disciples, You Sha and Yun Ji, had advanced to the First Rank as well. Yun Ji had even adopted a new Dao title after an unfortunate incident where she caused a corpse explosion, considered an ominous sign.
"Master, if I recall, Jixi Dao is partially under the control of the Four Extremes Sect. Should we…" You Sha made a neck-slashing gesture.
If valuable treasures were indeed emerging, it would be prudent to eliminate the Four Extremes Sect disciples first and claim the area.
Jixi Dao wasn't a vital location, and the sect merely stationed insignificant personnel there. Killing them would be inconsequential, and at most, some compensation might be necessary. If needed, they could even find someone to take the blame.
"No need," Ziluo Heavenly Venerable replied. "The strange phenomena at Jixi Dao have not gone unnoticed. If our guardian has reported back, the Four Extremes Sect must have similarly informed their strongholds."
"Unless there's a clear benefit, it's best not to invite unnecessary trouble."
In the Four Extremes Sect, within the Heavenly Gate Divine Hall, the Four Extremes Divine Sovereign addressed two elders below him.
"The Corpse Puppet Sect isn't to be trifled with either," he remarked.
"Their disciples often have second bodies. Even if one dies, the information will still leak out."
"Si Xiang and Wu Feng, I want you both to investigate this matter," he commanded.
"Understood," replied Si Xiang Heavenly Venerable and Wu Feng Heavenly Venerable before vanishing.
Both sects, spurred by Jixi Dao's abnormality, immediately dispatched powerful experts to investigate. However, Zhao Xing, Ye Yukong, King Shenluo, Ji Yun, and Cui Chengzhi were the first to arrive.
The stationed personnel at Jixi Dao typically did not exceed the Third Rank.
The five entered Jixi Dao under the cover of an invisibility spell cast by Zhao Xing. Even as they passed by the disciples of the Corpse Puppet Sect and the Four Extremes Sect, they went unnoticed.
"Stay vigilant. If you notice anything unusual, don't speak, not even via transmission. We're almost there," Zhao Xing wrote in the air with a flick of his hand, the characters glowing faintly as a silent reminder to the group.
The four nodded, their expressions tense.
All were First Rank Destiny Palace cultivators and could sense the abnormalities in the area.
Half an hour earlier, they had entered a zone where speaking or transmitting messages was impossible.
How did they discover this? Ye Yukong's head was currently wrapped in emergency bandages.
When he had tried to speak, a bolt of lightning had struck him immediately, leaving him singed.
The lightning appeared without warning, and even Zhao Xing's acute perception failed to detect it in time.
Fortunately, the punishment lightning wasn't too strong and merely enforced the rule of "No Loud Noise." Ye Yukong had been softly muttering, which spared him from death but left him with a scorched scalp and singed hair.
King Shenluo hadn't fared much better. A simple "Hmm" in response had earned him a shock. Being bald by nature, at least he didn't have to worry about hair loss.
Now, both of them were thoroughly chastened, not daring to utter a sound, their attention fixed entirely on Zhao Xing, awaiting his guidance.
Where Zhao Xing stepped, they followed precisely, mirroring his movements like cautious cats treading in the snow.
"It should be just ahead," Zhao Xing said as he peered forward.
Ahead, a high slope appeared, with a stone gate embedded in the mountainside.
The stone gate was crumbling with numerous cracks, and faint traces of rooftops and palace walls could be seen peeking through the surrounding terrain.
The once exquisite carvings on the gate and palace walls were now blurred and indistinct, with only vague outlines of grotesque, humanoid shapes faintly discernible.
The eye sockets of these shapes seemed to hold a deep, penetrating gaze, silently observing any living beings that approached.
The gateframe was constructed of massive black stones, overgrown with glowing vines. These vines moved occasionally, as if alive, producing a faint rustling sound.
"This is it—Jixi Dao Field." Zhao Xing raised a hand, signaling the five companions behind him to stop. He slowly descended to the ground, his steps steady and deliberate.
[Wait here. I'll send out my avatar to investigate.]
[Ji Yun, notify me immediately if there's any change on the Fortune Gold Ranking, especially if ancient characters suddenly appear. Withdraw as fast as possible if that happens.]
Ji Yun, her expression tense, scribbled a response in midair: [Ancient characters suddenly appearing? What does that mean? The names on the Fortune Gold Ranking usually represent people. Are you implying there could be a resurrection of some kind here?]
Zhao Xing did not respond immediately. Instead, he manipulated the surrounding vegetation, conjuring several dozen high-grade flying straw puppets.
His current puppet avatars could cast spells and, utilizing the [Mobilizing All Plants as Soldiers] technique, he could create non-elite straw puppets on the spot.
A faint rustling sound followed.
Nearby black vines and branches wove together, forming grotesque, menacing straw puppets. These figures floated silently toward the stone gate ahead.
It was unsettling. The puppets' grim, black tones and the eerie surroundings created an oppressive atmosphere. Zhao Xing's silence only heightened the unease among the companions, even those accustomed to life-and-death experiences.
After sending the straw puppets into the ruins of the fragmented Dao Field, Zhao Xing turned and wrote a response for Ji Yun.
[Indeed, the combination of the Yuan Qi Tide and the fragmented Dao Field can cause certain illusions from the past to manifest into reality.]
[We call these manifestations 'Heaven Puppets.']
[Heaven Puppets are a product of the fragmented Dao Field, imbued with lingering Daoist essence and the will of its original owner. These puppets may contain traces of Jixi Daoist's will or even that of his powerful Rule Domain disciples. Those would be termed Earth Puppets.]
[If you see any unfamiliar names appear on the Fortune Gold Ranking, it means Heaven Puppets and Earth Puppets have emerged. Do not overthink—just retreat immediately. Otherwise, getting targeted by them would be disastrous.]
Upon hearing this, King Shenluo appeared oddly excited. Heaven Puppets? They sounded like an extraordinary marvel.
He couldn't help but fantasize—if he could study Heaven and Earth Puppets, perhaps he might even break through the Rule Domain stage here!
Zhao Xing, whose soul sensitivity was unparalleled, instantly sensed King Shenluo's excitement. [Shenluo, don't get any wild ideas. You cannot capture Heaven Puppets, so don't even think about researching them.]
What a joke! Heaven Puppets possessed partial powers of the Dao Establishment stage, and Earth Puppets similarly wielded partial powers of the Rule Domain stage.
How could such beings be studied by someone at the Destiny Palace stage? Zhao Xing feared that King Shenluo's enthusiasm would lead to recklessness.
Ye Yukong gestured mockingly at King Shenluo. [We're talking to you! Don't act impulsively. You mechanists lose control whenever you see puppets.]
King Shenluo shot him a glare. [I heard you! Mind your own business!] Zhao Xing continued directing his avatars forward.
As they entered the Dao Field, a desolate square unfolded before them.
The ground was paved with massive green stone slabs, most of which were now shattered. From the cracks grew a blood-red moss that glimmered ominously in the dark, resembling fresh blood seeping from the earth.
At the center of the square stood a colossal stone platform. Deep gouges and dried blood stains marked its surface. Broken stone statues littered the area around the platform.
These statues were headless, leaving behind only twisted, incomplete bodies, as if frozen in moments of immense agony.
Several halls remained within the Dao Field, though most had partially collapsed.
The walls of these halls bore large gaping holes, revealing pitch-black interiors. Occasionally, pairs of green eyes flashed within the darkness.
Strange symbols flickered weakly atop the rooftops of the halls, seemingly narrating an ancient, sinister curse.
Suddenly, one of Zhao Xing's avatars shattered, its soul energy completely obliterated.
Simultaneously, the external Zhao Xing let out a cold snort, dispersing an illusion from his soul. He quickly wrote a message:
[Rule One: Do not look directly into the eyes in the darkness.]
[Within the shadows of the Dao Field, green or blue eyes will often be watching. Do not make eye contact with them. Once you do, you'll find yourself unable to look away. These eyes will gradually invade your consciousness, forcing you to witness your deepest fears. Your soul will be consumed by terror, leaving your body immobilized.]
Ji Yun, Ye Yukong, Cui Chengzhi, and King Shenluo carefully memorized Zhao Xing's words.
[Rule Two: Stay away from the flickering symbols.]
[The mysterious symbols on the roofs and walls may seem like harmless light patterns, but they are ancient seals. Approaching within a certain distance will disturb the seal's power, potentially releasing dangerous forces. These forces might take the form of a whirlwind dragging you into endless darkness or distort the space around you, displacing parts of your body.]
[Rule Three: Avoid touching the blood-red moss.]
[The crimson moss growing in the cracks of the square's stones is highly perilous. A mere touch will cause it to climb onto your body. Its red hue will spread across your skin like burning fire, gradually eroding your life force. Meanwhile, countless cries will echo in your mind, disrupting your sanity and driving you mad.]
[Rule Four: The central stone platform is a safe zone, but do not stay there for more than two hours.]
[The platform is a place of worship within the Dao Field, but also one of the most dangerous locations. Staying beyond the time limit will result in a powerful suction force emanating from the platform, pulling your soul out of your body. If you exceed two hours, you will be trapped there forever.]
Despite the intense fluctuations in his soul, Zhao Xing persevered in recording these warnings. Soon, most of the straw puppets within the Dao Field disintegrated.
"Whoosh, whoosh—"
Zhao Xing's soul fluctuations grew increasingly intense. Soon, even the soul within his Lihuo Avatar was severely affected.
[I will send another av—]
Before he could finish writing, the Lihuo Avatar collapsed entirely.
The four companions' pupils contracted violently. They hadn't expected that even using straw puppets to scout the area would cause such devastating repercussions.
Meanwhile, in the southern region of Hulu Heaven, at the northern delta base.
Zhao Xing's true body opened his eyes, the illusions in his mind crushed by the power of his Three-Divinity Destiny Palace.
"Grand Shennong, are you alright?" Qin Feng appeared suddenly at the door, sensing something unusual.
"I'm fine," Zhao Xing replied, shaking his head. He raised a hand, summoning several Dragon Spirit Avatars and Lihuo Avatars into existence. "General Qin, please arrange for my avatars to be transported immediately."
"Understood." Qin Feng was slightly taken aback but refrained from commenting further. He was unaware of the fragmented Dao Field that had appeared in northern Hulu Heaven, within Jixi Dao.
Two days later, at noon, Zhao Xing's avatars arrived once again at Jixi Dao. By this time, the Dao Field had become noticeably more crowded.
"Heavenly Sight of Soul!"
Zhao Xing's soul detached from his body, merging seamlessly with the heavens and earth as his consciousness rapidly expanded outward.
However, after spreading just ten kilometers, he encountered fierce resistance.
"It's accelerating. Withdraw!"
Zhao Xing immediately retracted his consciousness into the avatar.
At that moment, whirlwinds appeared at all four corners of Jixi Dao. They arose without warning, their initial strength modest. Yet Zhao Xing knew these whirlwinds were omens heralding the arrival of fortune—or calamity.
"Eight whirlwinds. They will grow stronger and converge at the center of the Dao Field. This will obliterate the Dao Field's lingering Dao essence."
Zhao Xing's insistence on thoroughly investigating the area, even at the cost of his precious avatar materials, was rooted in his fear that the events here might deviate from what he had known in his past life.
Any discrepancy, however minor, could spell death for Ye Yukong and the others. Zhao Xing preferred to err on the side of caution.
"Breaking avatars is just a matter of spending more money. Problems that money can solve aren't true problems. Wait… I actually said something like that. Unbelievable."
Shaking his head in self-deprecation, Zhao Xing swiftly made his way toward Ye Yukong and the others' coordinates.
At that time, Ji Yun, who had been monitoring the Fortune Gold List, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Zhao Xing's name appear. She grabbed a piece of meat, chewing vigorously as she scribbled on the ground:
[The Grand Shennong is on his way. Do we have enough food above Rank Seven?]
King Shenluo: [My Rank Seven food supplies will last half a month.]
Cui Chengzhi: [About the same for me.]
Ye Yukong: [I'm already starting on Rank Eight rations.]
Ji Yun beckoned and sent a Wenzhu Box sliding to Ye Yukong. However, as the fragmented Dao Field's boundaries expanded, they soon fell under its influence.
The first indication came on the morning of Zhao Xing's avatar's destruction. They encountered the first rule: Essential Eating.
A disembodied voice incessantly reminded them to eat.
The first day wasn't too bad—they needed to eat only at dawn, noon, and afternoon to pass. But by the second day, the "Essential Eating" rule escalated drastically, demanding three hundred meals! Failure to comply would trigger the rule's punishment.
Moreover, the food had to meet specific quality standards—subpar rations weren't acceptable.
Earlier, Ji Yun had witnessed a group of sect disciples struck dead by lightning simply because their food didn't meet the requirement.
Cui Chengzhi: [This is absurd. The "Essential Eating" rule was manageable on the first day. How did Jixi Daoist's dietary regulations mutate into this nonsense?]
Three hundred meals—there was no time for anything else but eating all day.
And it wasn't just about going through the motions; chewing without swallowing didn't count. They had to consume the food completely, with no waste.
If not for their ability to rapidly digest food, eating such a massive quantity, matched to their cultivation levels, would have been fatal.
Ye Yukong: [At least it's just eating. If we had to eat while sleeping, we'd be doomed.]
As soon as he said this, a strange voice echoed in their ears. Its hypnotic quality tugged at their consciousness, making them drowsy.
Cui Chengzhi, speechless, grabbed his food and started running. [Damn it!]
[What kind of jinxed mouth is that?]
Even King Shenluo and Ji Yun grabbed their supply boxes in panic, intent on fleeing the Dao Field's range.
But rules were immutable, and humans could not outrun them. Soon, the group was punished for staying awake against the rule.
[I'll block it!]
Ye Yukong swung his long sword, falling to the rear. His Sword Domain rippled outward, shielding his companions.
"Crack!"
The pinnacle of Rank Six Swordsmanship, his domain deflected four bolts of heavenly lightning.
Since this wasn't a death sentence, Ye Yukong, now experienced, successfully protected his companions from harm.
The group retreated swiftly.
A quarter-hour later, Ji Yun's expression changed dramatically as she blurted out instinctively: "Oh no! The Fortune Gold List has names in ancient script that I can't read!"
King Shenluo immediately glanced back and froze in horror. Behind them, a shadow had appeared.
The shadow pursued them, its stride shrinking the distance by three kilometers in an instant.
A terrifying pressure engulfed them, and a black gale enveloped Ye Yukong.
As the being, its power akin to the Rule Stage, was about to overtake them—
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"
Five fiery red figures appeared around them. One of the red figures collided with the shadow and exploded instantly.
The remaining four figures carried the group away, leaving only faint mist in their wake.
Outside the Dao Field, on a nearby hill, Zhao Xing and the four companions reappeared.
Once on solid ground, Zhao Xing asked, "What happened? How did you encounter an Earth Puppet?"
Ye Yukong grumbled in frustration, "Damn! What kind of lousy place is this? We can't sleep, and on top of that, we get attacked by Earth Puppets. What's wrong with Daoist Jixi? Disciples can't even skip sleep without him sending people to inspect the dorms!"
Cui Chengzhi chuckled. "I think it's because you're too bold. You've repeatedly resisted the penalties of the rules, and that's probably what attracted the Earth Puppets."
Ji Yun shook her head. "It's also just our bad luck. The areas affected by these rules aren't fixed." She could sense a group of sect disciples a few kilometers away, likely only at the fourth or fifth rank. However, they were unharmed despite not sleeping, which meant their area wasn't under the same influence.
Meanwhile, the King Shenluo was lost in thought, staring in the direction of the Earth Puppets.
"King Shenluo," Zhao Xing noticed his unusual behavior, "are you sensing something?"
"Yes." The King Shenluo took a deep breath. "Just now, I felt a strange tug in my heart. It seems the place where the Earth Puppets were born might hold the opportunity for my breakthrough."
"Why don't I feel anything?" Ye Yukong asked, perplexed.
"I don't either," Cui Chengzhi and Ji Yun both shook their heads.
Zhao Xing contemplated. "That's normal. When the Yuan Qi tide erases the Dao of a Dao Field, it can generate all sorts of unique creations."
"You can think of it as a kind of earthly blessing—something like a limited-edition opportunity. The area where the Earth Puppets appear might hold the chance for a Mechanist to advance." A spark of longing appeared in the King Shenluo's eyes. "Grand Shennong, can we go there?"
Zhao Xing closed his eyes, a map appearing in his mind. After a moment, he pulled out a Huangli almanac and cross-referenced the time.
"We can go, but we'll need to wait."
"For how long?"
"Eight hours after the Earth Puppets first appeared. By then, the overlapping rules should dissipate, leaving a relatively low-risk window."
At that moment, Ji Yun's expression shifted. She glanced at the Fortune Golden Ranking. "Grand Shennong, sect elites are approaching."
"Who are they?"
"Ziluo Heavenly Venerable from the Corpse Puppet Sect, along with Yousha True Lord and Shuiyun Fairy. Ziluo Heavenly Venerable is at First Rank Perfection, while the other two are in the later stages of the First Rank."
Zhao Xing blinked. "Why do those names sound familiar?"
Ye Yukong laughed. "You forgot? Back in Guting Royal City, we looted several of the Corpse Puppet Sect's hidden caches. One of the big ones we plundered was right in front of Ziluo Heavenly Venerable. He was only Second Rank back then."
The King Shenluo nodded. "I remember them too."
Of course he did. During that Guting Royal City expedition, the King Shenluo had even obtained an artifact, never imagining he could use someone else's treasure to barter with Yin Xiu.
"So, it's them." Zhao Xing suddenly recalled. "Forget about them."
"People showing up is normal. In fact, I'd welcome more of them."
Given the situation in Jixi Dao, figuring out these complex rules would cost countless lives in the sect world.
During the eight-hour wait, Zhao Xing wasn't idle. He pulled out a ring and handed it to the King Shenluo.
"What's this?"
"A Subsidiary Ring," Zhao Xing explained. It was the same old ring he had won during the trials of Fairy Su. "Two days ago, my straw puppet was destroyed, and without me around, you all are too vulnerable."
"This soul artifact contains a sliver of my soul. Even if all my straw puppets are destroyed, you can still use the Subsidiary Ring to communicate with me at any time."
Zhao Xing also had a stronger Void-Space Soul Ring, but there was no need to waste it here.
Eight hours later, Zhao Xing led the group forward once again, entering through the stone gate into the Dao Field's interior. As they turned a corner, Zhao Xing suddenly froze. Behind him, the other four dared not make a sound.
They had encountered the Earth Puppets.
The Earth Puppet moved slowly across a dilapidated plaza, seemingly incorporeal, phasing through debris scattered on the ground. Fifty meters ahead of it, five high-rank disciples dressed in Four Extremes Sect robes were trembling as they cultivated. Nearby, three corpses were still smoldering.
"Sit down and cultivate," Zhao Xing commanded, suddenly stopping to sit cross-legged. Ye Yukong, Cui Chengzhi, Ji Yun, and the King Shenluo followed suit, taking their positions immediately.
At that moment, one of the Four Extremes Sect disciples, who was in the Fortune Stage, suddenly burst apart, his body exploding.
"But…weren't they just cultivating? How…" The King Shenluo felt his scalp tingle.
Even cultivating could kill you here? Ridiculous!
"Focus on your cultivation," Zhao Xing transmitted telepathically. "Practice whatever you want, but stay focused!" With his warning, the group's breathing became more even.
Tap, tap, tap…
A sound approached, bringing an overwhelming aura with it. Yet the four remained steadfast, fully trusting Zhao Xing.
As a result, even when the Earth Puppet drifted past them, it didn't give them a second glance. They remained focused on their breathing and techniques.
While their resolve held, the remaining Four Extremes Sect members couldn't endure. One of the Second Rank Fortune Stage disciples bolted. "Whoosh!"
The Earth Puppet's gaze immediately locked onto him. "Boom!"
In the next instant, the fleeing disciple exploded, his bones, flesh, and blood scattering everywhere.
This was no exaggeration—it was literal death by being looked at.
The remaining three were even more terrified as time dragged on, second by agonizing second.
Finally, after an hour, the Earth Puppet moved away, no longer lingering in their vicinity. The three disciples of the Four Extremes Sect let out a collective sigh of relief.
One of the elders, seeing that Zhao Xing's group was unharmed, quickly clasped his hands in greeting. "Generals, are you from the Great Zhou? I am Chen Song, at Perfection in the Destiny Palace Stage. These two are my junior brothers, Zhang Liang and Peng Bo."
Zhao Xing glanced at them. Apart from Chen Song's Destiny Palace Stage cultivation, the other two were merely Second Rank Perfection.
Without responding, Zhao Xing led his group forward.
"Senior brother, what should we do?" Zhang Liang asked nervously.
"Follow them," Chen Song gritted his teeth. "We can't let those sacrifices be in vain. We must uncover the secrets of this place."
"I think they're unharmed because they know something. Whatever they do, we'll just follow suit."
Zhao Xing led the group forward. After rounding a street corner, they spotted another group of strangers. "It's people from the Corpse Puppet Sect, fifteen in total."
"They're pretty lucky," Ye Yukong said via voice transmission.
According to Zhao Xing, this period happened to be a weak cycle, where the dangers in the outer regions were greatly reduced. That's why they managed to reach the core area of the Dao Field successfully.
"It's not necessarily luck. The Corpse Puppet Sect and the Four Extremes Sect have stationed people in Jixi Dao for a long time. The abnormalities here didn't just start recently. They probably already had people figuring things out," Zhao Xing transmitted back.
"Even so, the Corpse Puppet Sect must have lost a lot of people," Ji Yun remarked, glancing at the Fortune Gold Ranking. "That one named Yousha has already disappeared from the list."
As they were conversing, Shuiyun True Lord, who was beside Ziluo Heavenly Venerable, noticed Zhao Xing's group.
"Master, isn't that Zhao Xing?"
"Hmph, it really is him," Ziluo Heavenly Venerable's eyes flashed with hatred. It was Zhao Xing who had stolen their Corpse Puppet Sect's accumulation from Guting Royal City years ago.
"So, the Great Zhou has people here too. It seems there really is a treasure in this place."
"However, our people have been stationed here long before them. Against these strange rules, the people of Great Zhou coming here are just seeking death." Ziluo Heavenly Venerable's eyes gleamed with malice. "What a pity that it's not Zhao Xing himself here."
If it were his real body, perhaps he could die here!
After a moment of contemplation, Ziluo Heavenly Venerable sent a voice transmission, "King Zhao, long time no see. I didn't expect to meet you here."
Zhao Xing immediately saw through the intent behind the greeting. It was obvious this old fox wanted to set them up.
"Oh, it's Treasure-Bearing Heavenly Venerable. What, does the Corpse Puppet Sect have storerooms here too?"
Ziluo Heavenly Venerable almost choked from anger but held it back. Considering the rules about to descend, he chose to keep engaging Zhao Xing.
"Indeed, this is our Corpse Puppet Sect's station. King Zhao, King Shenluo, Lord of Bright Moon Manor, if you wish to come, why sneak around? You only needed to say the word. How could the dignified Grand Shennong stoop to such shameful acts?"
Zhao Xing retorted bluntly, "Morality and righteousness? To people like you? You're not worthy."
"Fine, let's say we're unworthy. But doesn't Great Zhou have a peace treaty with the Sect Alliance? For you to trespass like this, aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?"
"Or is it that the Emperor of Great Zhou can no longer control his officials?" Ziluo Heavenly Venerable's words were calculated to provoke Zhao Xing's group.
At the same time, he silently counted the seconds.
Ten breaths remained before the prohibition on speech would descend!
He was determined to bait Zhao Xing into responding, then stop speaking himself a second before the rule took effect, ensuring his safety while watching his enemy violate the restriction.
Zhao Xing, however, simply snorted coldly and refused to play along. Before the rule descended, he stopped speaking altogether, instead writing two large characters in the air: "Idiot."
Realizing his scheme had been exposed and seeing Zhao Xing's mocking words, Ziluo Heavenly Venerable was seething. Yet, the prohibition had already taken effect. If he spoke, he would suffer the consequences.
At that moment, Zhao Xing abruptly cast a spell, aiming it at the palace walls and their inscribed runes. The commotion immediately drew Ziluo Heavenly Venerable's attention.
As expected, he instinctively glanced in the direction of Zhao Xing's attack. "Buzz—"
The runes on the palace walls flickered ominously, revealing faint green outlines resembling eyes in the dark, broken sections of the structure.
"Ah—!"
A Third-Rank elder behind Ziluo Heavenly Venerable was immediately struck by the illusion from the eyes and let out a cry.
Ziluo Heavenly Venerable and Shuiyun True Lord were both shocked, quickly trying to stop him, but it was too late.
"Boom!"
A heavenly thunderbolt streaked across the sky, striking down the elder, who died instantly and gruesomely. He was beyond salvation.
"Bastard!!"
Ziluo Heavenly Venerable was fuming, but he dared not speak a word. Instead, he furiously scribbled curses in the air, knowing he had narrowly escaped being affected by the strange eyes himself. Unfortunately for him, Zhao Xing didn't even spare him a glance.
Meanwhile, the trio from the Four Extremes Sect—Chen Song, Zhang Liang, and Peng Bo—were cursing inwardly.
They desperately wanted to beat Ziluo Heavenly Venerable for provoking others needlessly, nearly dragging them into disaster. Yet, they could only tread carefully and silently, continuing forward. Soon, the surroundings quieted down again.
The three groups advanced noiselessly through the Dao Field until they arrived at another plaza. This one was littered with bloodstains and patches of blood moss, clearly a dangerous sight.
Everyone was careful not to touch anything.
On the four sides of the plaza stood stone platforms, while the Earth Puppet stood before a relatively intact palace in the eastern section.
King Shenluo clutched his chest, his expression filled with excitement. He scribbled hurriedly, informing everyone: "This is it!"
Following King Shenluo's indication, Zhao Xing looked in the direction he pointed. On the roof of the palace behind the Earth Puppet, a faint golden glow hovered in the air.
"Heavenly Luck, it doesn't seem to be very strong yet," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Or perhaps my perception isn't strong enough, as this type of Heavenly Luck is exclusive to specific occupations."
Zhao Xing turned to King Shenluo and asked: "Do you think this is the right time to harvest it?"
Although King Shenluo was clearly thrilled, he carefully sensed the energy and shook his head. "It's close, but not quite there yet."
Zhao Xing nodded in agreement. The arrival of the Eight Hurricanes was still a while away, which meant this Heavenly Luck required more time to mature.
Surviving in this place wasn't easy, but no one chose to retreat. Zhao Xing and his group quickly secured the area near the eastern stone platform.
On the southern side, the Four Extremes Sect members—Chen Song, Zhang Liang, and Peng Bo—followed suit, claiming another stone platform.
Zi Luo Heavenly Venerable, who had not been here previously, was unsure of the situation. However, seeing Zhao Xing and the Four Extremes Sect members acting this way, he moved toward the western stone platform to imitate their actions.
"Hmm? We can speak here? Is this place a rule-isolated safe zone?" Zi Luo Heavenly Venerable muttered in surprise. It seemed Zhao Xing understood much more about this place than they did.
"How is this person able to do all this?"
Zi Luo Heavenly Venerable stared intently in Zhao Xing's direction, determined to copy whatever actions Zhao Xing took, just as Chen Song and the others had done.
The wait for the Heavenly Luck to mature was long. Every two hours, Zhao Xing would have someone rotate out of the safe zone, resetting their time within it before letting them rest.
Zi Luo Heavenly Venerable's group, in an attempt to figure this out, paid the price of one life.
Zhao Xing, on the other hand, casually had his team scout the surroundings, unaware of how limited the time around the stone platforms could be.
Half a month passed before King Shenluo suddenly announced, "It's ready. I can feel it—the time has come."
Zhao Xing's avatar in the plaza immediately returned. "Wait for me here," he instructed.
Ye Yukong asked curiously, "The Earth Puppet can speak?"
Zhao Xing's avatar walked past the stone platform's perimeter and approached the Earth Puppet. Despite their past encounters and the fear it invoked, Zhao Xing brazenly stood before the Earth Puppet.
Ji Yun and Cui Chengzhi perked their ears, straining to listen.
However, Zhao Xing wasn't speaking. He was writing, using the characters found all over Jixi Dao Field.
When the rules first descended, they couldn't understand the sounds. But as Domain Masters at the Fate Palace Realm, they could comprehend the meanings conveyed through the Dao.
Yet now, Zhao Xing was using the local script to seemingly communicate.
"The Grand Shennong has already mastered the writing here in such a short time?" Ji Yun marveled. "He's a natural genius."
"I suspect he can even speak the local language. Didn't Qing Yuzi visit this place before?" Cui Chengzhi laughed.
"Impressive!" Ye Yukong gave a thumbs up.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing successfully communicated with the Earth Puppet.
"Senior Brother, I wish to enter the True Legacy Hall. What are the requirements?" Zhao Xing asked through the written text.
The Earth Puppet turned its deep, black eyes to Zhao Xing, eyes that were distinctly inhuman. Then, it spoke in an ancient language, "To enter the True Legacy Hall, you must prove yourself through an over-tier challenge."
Zhao Xing considered this, glanced at the Heavenly Luck on the rooftop, and stepped back. "What did it say?" someone asked eagerly.
"I asked about the conditions to enter, and it replied."
"And?"
"It said I need to complete an over-tier challenge to prove myself."
"What?" Ye Yukong and King Shenluo were both disappointed.
Both of them were already at the Fate Palace Realm. To surpass their tier, wouldn't they need to fight someone at the Rule Realm? This requirement was absurd!
"You're forgetting that the rules here are altered," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "King Shenluo, go kill a Third-Rank from the Corpse Puppet Sect."
"What do you mean?" King Shenluo asked, confused.
"It only said to complete an over-tier challenge. It didn't specify it had to be higher. Challenging downward also counts as over-tier, doesn't it?" Zhao Xing shrugged.
Everyone: "..."
The four of them were stunned. They hadn't realized it could be done this way.