The Puppet Sect Master was enraged. He didn't want to cause trouble and just wanted to take the magic weapon and leave, but this old Daoist servant insisted on courting death.
Since that's the case, let's kill them all together, so we don't have to leave any survivors in the way.
"You're asking for death!" he hissed, his face filled with murderous intent.
Suddenly, a layer of grayish-green True Essence surged out from around Liu Qingshu's puppet body, like rotting vines or countless tiny insects crawling under its skin.
This is precisely the secret killing move of the Puppet Sect, using the puppet's body as a medium to detonate the caster's accumulated True Essence poisonous essence all at once.
Those struck by this poison will either die or be maimed. Even if one's cultivation level is one realm higher than the caster's, being entangled by this poison will leave one severely wounded.
The sect leader showed no mercy in this attack; in his view, using such a move to kill an old gatekeeper was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
He unleashed a powerful attack without even glancing at it, then turned and walked towards the door.
An old Daoist priest who does menial tasks might not even be able to cast many spells; this attack would surely kill him.
He was already considering whether the puppet would still be of any use after he got out, and whether he should change its body and infiltrate the Celestial Masters' Mansion again.
But just as he turned and took a step, a very cold voice suddenly came from behind him.
The sound, like a hook rising from the depths of hell, caught on his spine with just the right amount of pressure.
"Your Excellency has infiltrated my Celestial Masters' Mansion and stolen magical treasures, violating my sect's rules. I kindly reminded you, but instead of being grateful, you tried to take my life. Since that's the case, then I cannot let you live."
The Puppet Sect Master froze, then slowly turned his head away.
Chen Du remained standing in the same spot, not a single piece of clothing was disheveled, and not a speck of dust clung to his shoes.
He didn't even move a step, and the gray-green True Essence that was enough to poison Seventh Realm cultivator was completely swallowed up by something unseen, leaving not even a trace.
After he finished speaking, he remained hunched over, like an old lamp that was about to burn out.
But the light emanating from the lamp wick was so cold that it made the sect leader's hair stand on end!
This was no ordinary handyman! To withstand that attack unscathed, this person was at least at the Peak Stage the Seventh Realm, or perhaps even a legendary figure—
The sect leader dared not think any further. He was no fool, and without hesitation, he manipulated Liu Qingshu's body to turn and flee.
The puppet's body darted across the night like a kite with a broken string, skimming the ground, passing through corridors and courtyards, never daring to look back.
The puppet Liu Qingshu ran extremely fast until it was completely out of the Magic Treasure Hall's area, after which there was no further sound from behind.
Meanwhile, the Puppet Sect Master, hundreds of miles away, was also panting heavily.
"Impossible... this is impossible."
Hundreds of miles away, Puppet Sect Zong was manipulating the puppet's body, his fingers still trembling slightly.
The Puppet Sect Master wasn't afraid of death; having reached such a level of cultivation, he had already hardened his courage to an extremely high degree.
But that old Daoist priest was too calm, so calm that he didn't even show any murderous intent. It was like watching a mouse under the eaves and saying he was going to swat it!
"Didn't they say the Celestial Masters' Mansion had no Celestial Masters for a long time?" He leaned against the bamboo, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "That old handyman... who exactly is he? How could he withstand my 'Withered Bone Demon Essence' without any damage? This doesn't make sense... this is simply unreasonable!"
The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, feeling that the waters of the Celestial Master’s Mansion of Mount Longhu were far deeper than outsiders imagined.
If even a gatekeeper like this possesses such abilities, then what level of cultivation must the manor lord and the elders have?
This Celestial Masters' Mansion is truly a place where hidden talents abound. If he stays any longer, forget about stealing magical treasures; he'll lose his life on the mountain.
Hundreds of miles away,
The Puppet Sect Master gritted his teeth, no longer daring to hesitate, and fled immediately, without even the courage to look back.
At the same time, he manipulated the puppet, making Liu Qingshu rush towards the mountain gate with all his might, also hoping that the puppet could escape the Celestial Masters' Mansion!
At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: he absolutely could not stay in the Celestial Masters' Mansion any longer.
All the sects outside believed that the Celestial Master’s Mansion of Mount Longhu had declined, and although the incense still burned, its foundation was gone.
Who would have thought that a mere old Daoist priest guarding the Magic Treasure Hall possessed such unfathomable cultivation?
The ability to effortlessly deflect his deadly attack suggests a level of at least Peak Stage Seventh Realm, or even higher.
If the Celestial Masters' Mansion still harbors such an old fellow, then how terrifying must the true masters within the mansion be?
"We underestimated Celestial Masters' Mansion all." He thought to himself as he fled, abandoning his magical artifacts in order to get out of there as quickly as possible.
Taking advantage of the darkness, he fled at top speed, his feet barely touching the ground, as he pushed his True Essence to its limit.
But after escaping a little further, a secret joy rose in his heart.
The Puppet Sect Master wondered to himself what he was panicking about.
So what if that old Daoist was strong? The Puppet Sect's greatest strength has never been in direct combat.
The Puppet Great Method allows one to control a person from hundreds of miles away.
Liu Qingshu was nothing more than his puppet; his death was nothing, at most it would only damage his soul a little.
He can cut off contact at any time and escape unscathed.
Even if that old Celestial Master really was a legendary Eighth Realm Celestial Master, it would be impossible for him to find him so easily using the puppet technique.
"So what if I'm at the Heavenly Master Realm?" He sneered inwardly, his fear receding, replaced by a quiet arrogance. "The Celestial Masters' Mansion has a glorious history spanning millennia, producing countless generations of Celestial Masters. If I didn't have some hidden skills, how would I dare to infiltrate alone?"
Now I've gotten in, I've tried, and I've figured out what I needed to know.
Even if I can't kill an old Daoist priest, the Celestial Master’s Mansion of Mount Longhu is still a place I can come and go as I please.
The thought made him quicken his pace and accelerate his escape.
He believed he possessed the Puppet Great Method, allowing him to break free at any time and go anywhere in the world.
But he didn't notice that, deep within his soul, a faint, dark blue dot of light had appeared.
The point of light was so small, as small as a grain of sand falling into the deep sea, yet it kept shining... like a cold, merciless eye, silently watching his every step of escape from hundreds of miles away.
However, the Puppet Sect Master reconsidered and decided that he could not keep the puppet.
That old Daoist priest is so strange, and his methods are unfathomable. If he really follows the puppet here, his real body will probably perish here.
Rather than being passive, it's better to make decisive moves.
With a determined heart, he manipulated Liu Qingshu's body to suddenly turn back, rushing towards Chen Du like an arrow released from a bow.
This time, he didn't run away.
He wanted to self-destruct the puppet before the old Daoist could react, blasting away all traces and even burning the spiritual bond between them.
The self-destruction of a puppet of a Third Realm disciple was quite powerful; it could at least collapse half of the Magic Treasure Hall and buy him time to escape.
But no matter how well he planned, he couldn't outrun Chen Du.
Liu Qingshu had just returned and rushed into the courtyard when Chen Du merely raised his eyelids.
A bolt of purple lightning descended from nowhere, like a dragon bowing its head, instantly enveloping Liu Qingshu's entire body.
The lightning flashed like mercury spilling onto the ground, or like an inverted thunder prison descending.
Immediately afterwards, the [Celestial Master] Divine Status and [Cangming Abyss] were suppressed at the same time, but he managed to contain them.
The puppet was not destroyed, but merely imprisoned.