The Suppressed Puppet

Kuang Tongyi wanted to say something, but suddenly realized that with the Sect Master's cultivation and knowledge, how could he compare to him? There was no need for further words.

As the two continued to approach North Spring Mountain, they saw many troops and Sect disciples stationed on the nearby hilltops and open spaces.

A Great Dao serves as the dividing line; on the left are the people of the Imperial Court, and on the right are the various Sect.

Upon reaching the innermost part, at the exit of North Spring Mountain's gate, it was still guarded by the Imperial Guard of the Divine Eagle Guard.

It is said that this place was originally to be guarded by the deputy commander of the Huben Guard, but after the mountain issued a decree, no one dared to move the position, and the previously unknown Zhang Zhuo continued to lead the guard.

Everyone says he's had incredible luck, cultivating at the entrance of North Spring Mountain. Perhaps it won't be long before another great master emerges in the world.

When someone saw Zhang Xuanlin and Kuang Tongyi, they tried to stop them, but their companions immediately pulled them back.

"You want to die? Do you even know who that person is?"

"Who? A top expert from the Lingxu Sect, a master Beyond Grandmaster level. I happened to see him once when I first came to this area around North Spring Mountain."

Li Shi'an and Ji Dai were also nearby, both of them practically on the Dangyan Mountain Waterfall, for there was no better place in the world for cultivation.

The two of them sensed the presence of Zhang Xuanlin and Kuang Tongyi, and floated down from the mountain to meet them.

The conversation between Gu Yuanqing and Zhang Xuanlin just now took place twenty miles away, and Li Shi'an and Ji Dai did not hear it. At this moment, they were both wondering what Lingxu Sect was up to this time.

"Senior Kuang." Li Shi'an stepped forward, while Ji Dai lagged behind.

"Fellow Daoist Li is still here too," Kuang Tongyi returned the greeting.

Li Shi'an laughed and said, "There is probably no better place for cultivation in the world."

Kuang Tongyi nodded and said, "That's indeed true. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi here seems to be denser than when I last came."

"And who is this fellow Daoist?" Li Shi'an asked.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce him. This is a senior from my Lingxu Sect Sect."

"My surname is Zhang." Zhang Xuanlin glanced at Li Shi'an and Ji Dai, and sighed inwardly, "There are some promising talents in the Floating World, but they are too old, and their potential has been exhausted."

"So it's Senior Zhang." Li Shi'an's heart skipped a beat. Anyone Kuang Tongyi called "senior" was no ordinary person.

"This is Fellow Daoist Li Shi'an of the Great Qian Imperial Family in this floating realm," Kuang Tongyi added.

Zhang Xuanlin nodded. "Since you two are acquainted, why don't you catch up here? I'm going to North Spring Mountain."

Li Shi'an reminded him, "Senior Zhang, Young Master Gu in North Spring Mountain is currently in seclusion, cultivating in Mountain Sealing."

But Zhang Xuanlin only smiled faintly and headed towards the mountain gate.

Kuang Tongyi said in a low voice, "I've already discussed this matter with Young Master Gu. It was he who invited... Senior Zhang to the mountain."

"Well, I was being nosy," Li Shi'an said somewhat awkwardly.

Zhang Xuanlin's Divine Sense had already probed into North Spring Mountain.

Although his body was only at the Dao Fire Realm, his Divine Sense was a genuine Split Soul of the Heavenly Human Realm. To avoid crushing this world, this Split Soul could not be too strong, but his realm and knowledge remained, and his Divine Sense also carried the characteristics of the Celestial Person.

Among these characteristics, the biggest difference from those below the Heavenly Human Realm is the sensitivity of Divine Sense to spatial levels.

In his perception, North Spring Mountain was far more than just Mountain Protecting Great Formation as Kuang Tongyi Outer Realm previously described; very few Array Formation could achieve such an effect.

North Spring Mountain is clearly situated in another space, as if it were a Secret Realm.

A moment later, he arrived at the Memorial Archway of the mountain.

He could sense that this place was truly connected to the Within North Spring Mountain; other directions were inaccessible unless one directly broke through that space.

Zhang Xuanlin could vaguely sense that the stability of that space was far superior to that of the Floating World. To break through it, one would need at least Cultivator at the Void Heaven Realm or even the Heavenly Human Realm.

"No wonder Kuang Tongyi said that Ji Qingyun, wielding the Sky Burning Tower, enveloped North Spring Mountain for over ten days, yet failed to harm the mountain in the slightest. Although the Sky Burning Tower is powerful, it is still within the realm of the Divine Platform Realm, and it is impossible for it to have any effect on a space. In other words, Ji Qingyun's expenditure of True Essence to activate the Sky Burning Tower was nothing more than a wasted effort over ten days!"

Zhang Xuanlin stood before the Memorial Archway with his hands behind his back, thinking he had seen through everything. He chuckled and said, "What you said earlier, young friend, is not wrong. If we can't even climb this mountain, then there's really no need to talk anymore."

In Zhang Xuanlin's view, Gu Yuanqing's decision to have him come up the mountain for a talk was a test of his cultivation and knowledge. If his cultivation and knowledge were insufficient, even with the mountain and gate right in front of him, he would not be able to enter.

If they can't even get in, then they're not Cultivator on the same level, so what's the point of talking?

Gu Yuanqing looked towards the mountain gate in surprise, somewhat confused about the meaning behind Zhang Xuanlin's words.

Zhang Xuanlin didn't hear a reply, so he assumed that Gu Yuanqing also agreed with this statement.

He smiled and slowly stretched out his hand, reaching forward.

Then, Dao Fire ignited on his palm. At first, it was just ordinary, but suddenly, Space Rift appeared around the Dao Fire, and Demonic Qi seeped out. Before it could disperse, it was burned to ashes by the Dao Fire.

Gu Yuanqing saw this and wasn't surprised; otherwise, how could they dare to come knocking on his door?

"Among all the Cultivator we've encountered, this person is the first to dare agree to come Mountain. If he didn't have some self-control, how could he dare to do this? Or perhaps he really is Split Soul at the Heavenly Human Realm? So he's not afraid of any unexpected events!"

Gu Yuanqing did not intentionally use the power of North Spring Mountain to prevent this person from entering. He also wanted to see if this person had any means to enter Within North Spring Mountain from the Floating World.

At the same time, Gu Yuanqing entered a state of Mountain Observation. Such a master is hard to come by. It would be good to learn even a little from his techniques.

Zhang Xuanlin frowned slightly. He felt that his outstretched palm had not touched the space inside the mountain, but had been moved to another place. The mystery of this technique was such that if he were not Cultivator at the Heavenly Human Realm, he would not have been able to sense it at all.

"That's interesting!"

Zhang Xuanlin withdrew his hand, formed a Hand Seal, and touched his brow. His pupils immediately emitted a dark light, and under his gaze, this world began to reveal its form.

A moment later, his eyes lit up, and he laughed, "So that's where it is! This technique is truly ingenious! It's hidden between two realms."

Without making a move, a ray of Mysterious Light emanated from between his brows, spreading throughout his entire body. He casually stepped forward, and with the support of this Mysterious Light, he broke through the space of the Floating World and entered the Within North Spring Mountain.

Gu Yuanqing used the Mountain-Contemplation Method to analyze the Mysterious Light surrounding his body, and combined it with his own insights to gain some ideas about the Way of Space.

As soon as Zhang Xuanlin entered the area of North Spring Mountain, he showed a look of shock.

"How can this Spiritual Qi be so abundant? It's comparable to the Great Evolution Mountain in my Cultivation World!"

He looked back and saw that the scene just a step away had changed drastically. His Divine Sense at the Heavenly Human Realm immediately sensed the churning Demonic Qi and also realized that the Demonic Qi had seeped in and transformed into Spiritual Qi.

He then noticed the Blood Moon in the sky and immediately realized what was happening.

Before he could think any further, his expression changed abruptly. An overwhelming pressure suddenly arrived, forcefully forcing his consciousness back to the Puppet Core, and his body fell backward.

Gu Yuanqing was stunned. He had suppressed many people with North Spring Mountain before, but never had anyone fallen down like this time, becoming like a dead object.

As he Mountain Observation, he discovered that it was actually a seemingly True Person being, but it was more like a Puppet. Its bones and muscles were all cast, and there were traces of Formation Method Talismanic Script runes on every part of it. Spirit Stone were inlaid in all the acupoints on its body.

Within the Divine Court, a Mysterious Stone has taken the place of the Dao Embryo.

Gu Yuanqing remained silent for a moment, then raised his hand and Object Control Power to bring the Puppet to the small courtyard on the North Spring Peak.

Then he loosened his grip a little.

Zhang Xuanlin, Split Soul had been compressed back to his core, was still somewhat dazed.

"How is this possible? I am Heavenly Human Realm Cultivator. Even if I am only at the Split Soul here, I cannot be suppressed so utterly without any resistance!"

Confined to the core, he felt his thoughts were about to stop. The immense pressure made him realize his own weakness, a feeling he had never experienced since becoming Heavenly Human Realm Cultivator, but he was experiencing it again today.

After a long while, he felt the oppressive force outside loosen slightly. He hesitated for a moment, then extended his consciousness and reactivated the Puppet's body.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and felt that although he could control the body, he could not unleash the Puppet's full power.

Zhang Xuanlin found himself sitting on Chair in the Courtyard, with a young man sitting opposite him.

While brewing tea, Gu Yuanqing asked, "Is this tea safe to drink?"

Zhang Xuanlin was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Yes, this body isn't much different from Ordinary Person's."

Gu Yuanqing clicked his tongue in amazement. "Is this Puppet Art? It's truly amazing. I didn't notice anything amiss when you were outside the mountain. Come, please have some tea."

Zhang Xuanlin's lips twitched. He thought to himself that it was fortunate he had come in alone. If people knew that the Lingxu Sect Master had personally entered the Floating World to handle matters, only to be knocked down before even seeing the main character, wouldn't he become a laughingstock?

Even with his firm Dao Heart, he still felt distracting thoughts arising at this moment.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and while scrutinizing the young man before him, took the opportunity to suppress his emotions.

After setting down his teacup, he looked up again at the Blood Moon in the sky and slowly said, "Is this the Demon Realm?"

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "It seems you are quite familiar with the Demon Realm. May I ask your name?"

My surname is Zhang.

Gu Yuanqing laughed and said, "I heard Kuang Tongyi address you as Sect Master outside the mountain before. As far as I know, the Sect Master of the Lingxu Sect in the Cultivation World is also surnamed Zhang, a Heavenly Human Realm expert. Could you be him?"

Zhang Xuanlin's smile became slightly awkward after his identity was exposed, "Indeed, it is I, a Split Soul Lower Realm. I apologize for the embarrassment, young friend Gu."

Gu Yuanqing nodded and said, "I see. No wonder you were able to enter North Spring Mountain from the Floating World."

Zhang Xuanlin looked up at the Demon Realm in the sky, feeling even more that the young man before him and this mountain were mysterious and unpredictable. He sighed, "Young friend Gu, your methods are truly impressive. This Spirit Mountain is hidden between two realms, transforming Demonic Qi into Spiritual Qi, using the power of the Demon Realm to compensate for the inherent weaknesses of the Floating World. I, Zhang, am truly in awe of such methods!"