Mid-grade Spirit Stones

Zhuge Xiang and his companions moved quickly and soon arrived at the exit of the Treasure Repository. Zhuge Xiang was about to activate the mechanism to open the door, he suddenly heard Lu Yuling's urgent voice. "Zhuge Xiang, be careful!"

An unprecedentedly strong sense of crisis arose, making one's hair stand on end. The aura of death was closer than ever before. Zhuge Xiang reacted quickly, taking an Explosive Steps and flashing to the side, his figure pressed against the wall of the passage.

A dazzling beam of light flashed before Zhuge Xiang's eyes. Zhuge Xiang had no doubt that if he were hit, he would be left without even a trace.

Although the sealing barrier of the Treasure Repository had long been broken, there was still a mechanism that could control the door of the Artifact Storage Pavilion. When he entered, Zhuge Xiang picked up the crumpled paper that Lu Yuling had dropped from the ground. The paper indicated the mechanism that controlled the door, which is why Zhuge Xiang was able to close the door.

The gate, shimmering with Formation, shouldn't be easy to break through. However, under the attack of this beam of light, the gate of the Artifact Storage Pavilion was like a snowball facing a red-hot iron rod, offering no resistance whatsoever, and was pierced through.

Without needing to look further, Zhuge Xiang knew that the beam of light came from the Mechanical Puppet. Although it was Incomplete Product, the attack was still astonishing. Zhuge Xiang vaguely felt that the beam's attack was even comparable to the Main Cannon of the Asura Warship from that day.

Escape!!!

Faced with this formidable Mechanical Puppet, whose beam of light was comparable to Spell cast by Deity Transformation cultivator, Zhuge Xiang the others showed no intention of resisting. They escaped through the hole pierced by the beam. They frantically ran down the 999 steps, the sound of explosions behind them clearly indicating that the Mechanical Puppet had smashed the door of the Treasure Repository.

"Run! These Mechanical Puppet can't leave the Palace on their own. As long as we run, we'll be fine." Using her Soaring Wave Steps technique, Lu Yuling's figure was elusive, yet as unpredictable as Antelope Hanging Its Horns, moving at an incredibly fast speed.

Without uttering a word, Zi Xiang moved incredibly fast. Zhuge Xiang couldn't understand her footwork, but it was clearly a movement technique. Coupled with her cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Realm Ninth Layer, her speed was equally impressive.

What about Zhuge Xiang? His speed surpasses that of Zi Xiang and Lu Yuling. With the 30% Movement Speed bonus from the Star Chasing Boots, his Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer, and the activation of the Bloodthirsty Technique, Zhuge Xiang's speed even leaves Zi Xiang and Lu Yuling behind.

Nine hundred and ninety-nine steps—with Zhuge Xiang's cultivation level, running from top to bottom wouldn't take much time at all. But at this moment, time seemed to drag on endlessly. As the icy, snowy ground below the nine hundred and ninety-nine steps drew ever closer, Zhuge Xiang and the others felt no joy whatsoever. The sound of running behind them grew ever louder; if the Mechanical Puppet had a life of its own, they would surely be able to hear its breathing.

Zhuge Xiang was very fast. With the boost from the Star Chasing Boots and Bloodthirsty Technique, he was a head start over the other two and ran down the 999th step ahead of them. However, when he turned around, his expression was not good.

Although the Mechanical Puppet was Incomplete Product, with some parts even falling off as it ran, its speed was still quite fast, slightly faster than Lu Yuling and Zi Xiang. The distance between it and the two of them was practically within reach.

Zi Xiang and the other woman watched as Zhuge Xiang stood at the bottom of the steps, getting closer and closer, and hope appeared in their eyes. However, just as they were about to rush down the last dozen or so steps of the nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, suddenly, in the dimly lit Ice Maiden's Abode, the two women felt darkness suddenly fall above them. Looking up, they saw a huge Mechanical Puppet hovering above them, flying down and landing right above their heads.

Seeing the Mechanical Puppet pouncing on their heads, both Lu Yuling and Zi Xiang looked extremely grim, especially Zi Xiang, whose eyes were filled with despair. They had been so close, about to escape, but had they failed after all?

Seeing the Mechanical Puppet lunging at her, despair filled Zi Xiang's eyes. However, at this critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking her and the Mechanical Puppet. A crimson Qi Energy emanated from his body; it was none other than Zhuge Xiang...

Lu Yuling's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, clearly not expecting Zhuge Xiang to rush out. Although the two had some acquaintance and could be considered friends, based on Lu Yuling's understanding of Zhuge Xiang, she never thought that Zhuge Xiang would sacrifice himself to save her. However, Zhuge Xiang did just that. Although it was an unfinished Mechanical Puppet, its power was far beyond what Zhuge Xiang could withstand.

Zi Xiang was equally astonished by Zhuge Xiang's appearance. She couldn't understand why Zhuge Xiang would rush out so recklessly. The Mechanical Puppet's aerial pounce was something that even a disciple of the Body Tempering Realm or the Meridian Opening Realm might not be able to stop, let alone someone with the Qi Cultivation Realm.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhuge Xiang produced a Dagger, which he raised high to block the giant steel claws of the Mechanical Puppet. To Lu Yuling and Zi Xiang's astonishment, the Mechanical Puppet, which had been flying down from above, was completely blocked by Zhuge Xiang's Dagger.

"As expected..." Zhuge Xiang breathed a sigh of relief as his Blade of Blockade successfully blocked the Mechanical Puppet's attack. Cold sweat soaked his clothes, but thankfully his guess was correct.

The Mechanical Puppet is very strong, as can be seen from the beams of light it emits. Once it reaches its complete form, it will have at least the combat power of Deity Transformation stage cultivator. However, this Mechanical Puppet is only Incomplete Product. Although its attack power is comparable to that of Deity Transformation stage cultivator, its essence is, after all, an Incomplete Product, and its physical attack power cannot be too strong.

The Blade of Blockade can only block attacks from those below the Deity Transformation stage. Zhuge Xiang didn't believe that this Mechanical Puppet, with its Incomplete Product body, could reach the level of an attack from the Deity Transformation stage while leaping through the air.

Zhuge Xiang's guess was correct. The attack design was complete, but many other aspects were not yet finished. Otherwise, the Mechanical Puppet's speed would have already caught up with Zhuge Xiang and his companions. Therefore, Zhuge Xiang's Blade of Blockade blocked the Mechanical Puppet's attack.

Their eyes widened in astonishment. Zhuge Xiang had actually managed to block the Mechanical Puppet's attack. Both Lu Yuling and Zi Xiang were deeply shocked. They could see that the Mechanical Puppet's aerial pounce couldn't possibly reach the level of the Deity Transformation stage, but it was far beyond what Qi Cultivation Realm disciple could block. Yet, Zhuge Xiang had done it.

While Zhuge Xiang was fending off the Mechanical Puppet's attack, Lu Yuling and Zi Xiang ran down the last dozen or so steps and were safe.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Xiang, who was in mid-air, twisted his waist and landed on the Mechanical Puppet with both feet. With an Explosive Steps, he activated his Burst Step and flew out like a cannonball, landing steadily outside the 999th step.

Landing on the ground, the Mechanical Puppet's claws scratched across the steps. The Spirit Stone steps, which Li Ling and the others had been unable to damage even with their Magic Artifacts, were now scratched with several deep and long marks by its claws. The Mechanical Puppet's eyes gleamed as it stared intently at Zhuge Xiang and the others, but it dared not rush out of the steps. It roared to the sky, and although it made no sound, it emitted bursts of intense light.

"Woo woo woo..." The silent roar caused all the animals on the land of the Ice Maiden's Abode to cry out. The silent Ice Maiden's Abode seemed to have suddenly awakened. Whether it was a fierce tiger or a bear, or a rabbit or a wild dog, they all looked up at the sky and howled. There was even a blood-red light flashing in the eyes of these animals.

"Hurry, the Puppet in the Ice Maiden's Abode have all been activated," Lu Yuling said with a grave expression upon seeing this.

"Puppet?" Zhuge Xiang suddenly realized, looking at the Ice Maiden's Abode and the animals within a ten-mile radius.

No wonder I felt something was off about these animals before. Moreover, the land of the Ice Maiden's Abode was frozen and there wasn't a single weed in sight, yet those herbivores were able to survive. It turns out that these animals were all Mechanical Puppet.

"Let's go..." Having narrowly escaped death, the three of them felt a lingering sense of fear after surviving a catastrophe. Seeing the Mechanical Puppet in the Ice Maiden's Abode begin to go berserk, Zhuge Xiang and the others dared not linger and turned to leave the Ice Maiden's Abode. Although entering required the Moonlight to open, leaving could be done at any time.

The enormous gate opened without warning in the Canyon, and Zhuge Xiang and his companions jumped out. The gate then slowly closed. Turning their heads, they could vaguely see countless crimson lights rapidly approaching from the other side of the gate. These were the eyes of the Mechanical Puppet. Finally, with a thud, the gate closed and disappeared. Only then did Zhuge Xiang and his companions completely relax and sit down on the ground, exhausted.

"Alright, take it out. It's not a good thing to keep it all to yourself," Zhuge Xiang said, extending his hand to Zi Xiang after resting for a moment.

Zi Xiang pouted, feeling a pang of regret, but knowing she couldn't keep it all for herself. She pulled out two fist-sized, glowing Spirit Stone from her bosom and said regretfully, "It's a pity I didn't notice the strangeness of that Mechanical Puppet sooner, otherwise I would have collected more Spirit Stone. Risking my life and scheming for so long, in the end I only have these two Spirit Stones, and I haven't even managed to collect the Magic Artifact from Li Ling and the others."

Looking at the cool, glowing Spirit Stone on the ground, Lu Yuling said, "Just now inside, I put away an Incomplete Product Mechanical Puppet. I don't need these Spirit Stones. These two Spirit Stones are both mid-grade Spirit Stone, worth more than ten times that of Low-grade Spirit Stone."

Zhuge Xiang and Zi Xiang had agreed to split the spoils in half. Not only were there two Spirit Stones from Li Ling and the others, but Zhuge Xiang also took one without hesitation. The ordinary Spirit Stone, about the size of a fist, was worth a thousand Spirit Stone Coin, while this mid-grade Spirit Stone was worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stone Coin. Although it was nothing compared to the things in the Ice Maiden's Abode, it was still a huge gain for Zhuge Xiang and the others.

After exploring the Ice Maiden's Abode, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling said they needed to return to their Sect. Zi Xiang also said she needed to return to her Sect to resupply. However, when she said this, Zi Xiang gave Zhuge Xiang a somewhat resentful look. It was clear that her Storage Ring had been confiscated by Zhuge Xiang that day, and she had no choice but to go back to resupply.

Ignoring Zi Xiang's gaze, Zhuge Xiang showed no intention of returning the items. The three rested in the Canyon for a night before rushing back to the Sect Headquarters.

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