"Lang Tianjiao? Lang Fantian? No wonder their names are so similar; they are indeed brothers!"
Upon hearing Wang Zhongshan's words, Ye Tian finally understood the background of the arrogant young man, who turned out to be the foremost powerhouse on the Divine Star Ranking.
The brothers—one the senior disciple of the Divine Star Sect and the other the top figure of the inner sect—truly commanded unparalleled authority. It was no surprise that they exuded such arrogance, speaking to everyone with an air of command.
If his brother was so haughty, one could only imagine that Lang Fantian was not much different; otherwise, he would not have conspired with the Hundred Poisons Sect to secretly harm Liu Yunfei.
"You brat, I see you're courting death!"
Just as Ye Tian turned to converse with Wang Zhongshan, Lang Tianjiao, who had been ignored, erupted in fury. With a swift motion, he unleashed a massive hand made of pure energy, hurtling towards Ye Tian.
"Be careful!" Wang Zhongshan shouted, pulling Ye Tian aside as he thrust his palm forward. A continuous surge of energy erupted, resembling a roaring river as it clashed against Lang Tianjiao's celestial hand.
Boom!
A series of deafening explosions ensued, propelling Wang Zhongshan backward, yet he remained unscathed, for Lang Tianjiao had merely intended to teach Ye Tian a lesson, not to kill him.
Thus, Wang Zhongshan was able to withstand the blow.
"Wang Zhongshan!"
Seeing his attack thwarted, Lang Tianjiao's expression darkened, and he coldly remarked, "Do you dare to strike at me?"
His eyes radiated a menacing threat.
Wang Zhongshan's expression grew serious as he took a deep breath and replied gravely, "Brother Lang, the enemy is upon us; how can we turn against each other?"
A glint of sharpness flashed in Lang Tianjiao's eyes as he glanced at the three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect nearby who were eager to watch the spectacle. His demeanor immediately returned to normal. He turned his gaze back to Ye Tian and snorted, "Kid, consider yourself fortunate; I'll settle the score with you later."
With that, he strode toward the palace.
"Loud thunder but little rain!"
"Tch!"
The three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect scoffed disdainfully, casting a cold glance at Ye Tian and Wang Zhongshan before following Lang Tianjiao into the palace.
"Who knows who's truly fortunate!" Ye Tian shot a glance at Lang Tianjiao's retreating figure, a smirk curling at the corners of his mouth. He then approached Wang Zhongshan with genuine concern, asking, "How are you, Brother Wang? Are you alright?"
Although Ye Tian did not fear Lang Tianjiao, he felt touched by Wang Zhongshan's defense of him and wished to befriend him.
"I'm fine… but you… sigh!" Wang Zhongshan waved his hand, gazing at Ye Tian with a shake of his head and a sigh. "I truly can't tell if you're lucky or just unfortunate."
"What do you mean?" Ye Tian inquired, curiosity piqued.
"This is the small world of the Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign. You may not have heard of it, but years ago, in the struggle for the Star Poison Mountain Range, our Divine Star Sect and the Hundred Poisons Sect clashed fiercely, resulting in the fall of several Martial Sovereigns. This Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign was one of our fallen Martial Sovereigns; if he is called the Ten Thousand Treasures Sovereign, then he must have left behind countless treasures," Wang Zhongshan explained.
A spark of excitement ignited in Ye Tian's eyes; a Martial Sovereign's small world was indeed a tremendous opportunity—this was undoubtedly good fortune!
"However, how did you end up in the third zone? Don't you know this is the most chaotic part of the entire Star Poison Mountain Range? I recall that the map given to you by Fu Xuedao should have detailed records."
Wang Zhongshan looked at Ye Tian with a complex expression, a hint of worry crossing his face as he continued, "A great battle is bound to occur soon. You've seen Lang Tianjiao's character; he is utterly dismissive of our lives. You'd best fend for yourself; I may not be able to protect myself."
"What are you all hesitating for?"
"Don't you hurry in!"
At that moment, two icy voices rang out.
Ye Tian turned to see Lang Tianjiao and Yin Xuejian glaring at them coldly.
"Let's go; they won't let us leave now. They'll surely use us as cannon fodder against the battle puppets inside," Wang Zhongshan sighed, making his way toward the palace.
"Brother Wang, what are battle puppets?" Ye Tian followed, asking with curiosity.
"You don't even know this?" Wang Zhongshan looked at Ye Tian in surprise before advising, "Ye Shidi, while cultivation is crucial, you should also take the time to read the Beihai Chronicles published by our Divine Star Sect; it contains much useful information."
"Uh… I'll remember that, Brother Wang!" Ye Tian replied with an awkward smile. Having only joined the Divine Star Sect for a year and being preoccupied with cultivation, he indeed hadn't found the time to look through the Beihai Chronicles.
"Battle puppets are treasures crafted by weapon masters, powered by spirit stones. They can wield martial techniques just like humans, with combat prowess not much inferior to ours. As far as I know, the battle puppets created by the Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign are sure to possess combat capabilities rivaling those of Martial Lords," Wang Zhongshan elaborated.
"Such a vast world, full of wonders!" Ye Tian thought to himself, feeling a thrill of astonishment.
As they conversed, they had already entered the palace.
The interior of the palace was expansive, resplendent with golden hues and grand in stature. At a glance, one could see a skeletal figure seated upon a golden throne at the top of the palace. The silver robes draped over him indicated that this was indeed the Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign of the Divine Star Sect.
At this moment, Lang Tianjiao and the three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect wore grim expressions as they observed the two black-armored guards stationed beside the throne, their eyes filled with intense apprehension.
"There are two battle puppets, both at the Martial Lord level; this is troublesome," Wang Zhongshan remarked, astonished.
Ye Tian scrutinized the two battle puppets closely. Clad in black iron armor, their faces were obscured, revealing only a pair of dark red eyes that glowed with an eerie light, coldly watching Ye Tian and the others.
Not far from Lang Tianjiao and the others, a red line blocked everyone's path forward.
Beside it stood a stone tablet—"Crossing the Line Means Death!"
"It seems as long as we don't cross this red line, we'll be fine!" Ye Tian pondered briefly before continuing to survey the palace. Suddenly, he spotted a golden treasure box in the skeletal hands of the Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign.
"Anything held by the Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign must be a treasure!" Ye Tian's eyes lit up, a flicker of fervor igniting within him.
Lang Tianjiao and the others had surely also noticed the treasure box, their gazes frequently darting toward it. Had it not been for their fear of the two formidable battle puppets, they likely would have rushed over to seize it by now.
Ye Tian continued to inspect the palace. Although it was large, it was not overwhelmingly so, and in a short while, he had thoroughly examined it.
"In addition to the treasure box, there are several large chests… Strange? Why is there no aura of spirit weapons? The Ten Thousand Treasures Martial Sovereign, being a weapon master, should certainly possess spirit weapons," Ye Tian thought, slightly puzzled.
At that moment, Lang Tianjiao was discussing strategies with the three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect, and Wang Zhongshan had joined them.
"Two battle puppets; how about we each take one?" Yin Xuejian suggested coldly.
Lang Tianjiao furrowed his brow. Though he proposed that each side handle one, the three from the Hundred Poisons Sect were all powerful. On his side, only Wang Zhongshan was somewhat reliable; as for Ye Tian, he had completely disregarded him.
"What's wrong? Lang Tianjiao, are you afraid?" Yan Lie mocked, noticing Lang Tianjiao's silence.
Lang Tianjiao's expression turned icy, a flash of ferocity in his eyes as he retorted, "It's just a battle puppet. Let's be clear; each side takes one, and I won't assist you."
"Let's see if you can handle that battle puppet before you boast!" Yan Lie scoffed.
"Let's wait and see!"
Lang Tianjiao snorted coldly and began discussing how to deal with the battle puppet with Wang Zhongshan.
The three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect also conferred among themselves, not daring to underestimate the Martial Lord-level battle puppets.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian was completely ignored, standing a distance away, observing coldly.
"Very well, let them test the strength of these two battle puppets for me. If I can avoid using the Xuan Tie Battle Blade, that would be best," Ye Tian mused, adopting the role of an observer.
In his eyes, these individuals were mere clowns; with a single move, he could easily resolve the situation. Thus, he felt no urgency, akin to a chess player watching the pieces engage in battle while he controlled the entire board.
"This feeling of complete control is exhilarating!"
The light in Ye Tian's eyes flickered. This was the advantage of strength; had he truly been just a seventh-level Martial Spirit practitioner, he would be anxiously contemplating an escape rather than leisurely standing by to watch the show.
Approximately half an hour later, the Hundred Poisons Sect finalized their plan first, with the one named Yan Lie, a half-step Martial Lord, stepping toward the red line.
Simultaneously, Wang Zhongshan also approached the red line with a grave expression.
Yin Xuejian and another disciple of the Hundred Poisons Sect, along with Lang Tianjiao, fixed their gazes intently on the two puppets, gripping their weapons tightly.
Ye Tian too grew serious, focusing on the two battle puppets.
As Yan Lie and Wang Zhongshan drew within a meter of the red line, the two battle puppets abruptly turned their heads, their dark red eyes flickering with a strange flame as they simultaneously drew their long swords.
Instantly, two icy auras surged forth, enveloping the entire hall and causing the temperature within to plummet several degrees.
"What a potent killing intent!"
A chill ran through everyone's hearts.
Yan Lie and Wang Zhongshan's expressions grew exceedingly grave as they simultaneously lifted their feet, preparing to cross the red line.
Swish! Swish!
Two long swords were drawn from their scabbards, glinting with a cold light.
The two battle puppets surged forth with the speed of arrows, lunging at Wang Zhongshan and Yan Lie. Before they could even approach, two blinding sword beams sliced through the air, striking first.
"Attack!"
Lang Tianjiao bellowed, drawing forth a green longsword, infusing it with his true essence, and unleashing a searing sword beam that shattered the battle puppet's attack in an instant.
"It's a spiritual weapon!" Ye Tian, watching from a distance, was secretly astonished. He hadn't anticipated that Lang Tianjiao possessed a spiritual weapon, although this one was far inferior to the Xuan Tie Battle Blade.
"However, with this spiritual weapon, Lang Tianjiao's strength is sufficient to contend with a second-level Martial Sovereign," Ye Tian mused to himself.
At that moment, the three disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect also sprang into action. With three low shouts, a cloud of black toxic mist enveloped one of the battle puppets, obscuring it from view along with the three disciples.