243: Chapter 243 Broken Sword Puppet

Before Ye Tian's voice could fade, the red glow in the eyes of the two Golden Armored Sword Puppets intensified, as if two sparks of hellish netherfire had been suddenly ignited!

A chilling killing intent felt almost tangible, instantly locking onto Ye Tian.

"They really have awakened! Watch out!" Ye Tian shouted low, his figure suddenly drifting back several feet.

Simultaneously, with a clear "clink" of a sword's ring, the liuguang sword at his waist unsheathed, tracing an azure arc in the air. It stood before him, its Sword Qi cold and condensed, ready to strike.

His expression was solemn; he knew these sword puppets were no small matter, far superior to ordinary stone puppets. One careless move could result in decapitation.

The two sword puppets seemed fully awake. A mechanical clicking sound echoed from their throats, and with a flash, they turned into two golden streaks of light. From left and right, carrying matchless Protective Aura, they launched a pincer attack on Ye Tian!

Their swordsmanship was devoid of flair, consisting entirely of simple, direct, and efficient killing techniques. They moved so fast only afterimages remained, the wind from their blades tearing through the air with an ear-piercing whistle!

Ye Tian did not dare to meet them head-on. He executed the Taixu Star-Shift Steps to their limit, his body like a wisp of green smoke as he glided backward rapidly.

Two intersecting golden arcs of Protective Aura grazed past the tip of his nose and chest. With a "boom," they struck the ground behind him, leaving two terrifyingly deep sword marks and sending shattered stones flying!

"What fast swords! What overbearing Protective Aura! They are several times more powerful than the stone puppets encountered in Perfected Han Shui's Immortal Cave!"

Ye Tian felt a secret chill in his heart as his blood surged. The strength of these sword puppets was staggering; they were lethal weapons forged specifically for slaughter!

"Senior Brother, be careful!" Hou Xiaojie, watching from afar, was terrified and cried out in alarm.

The two sword puppets missed their strike but showed no hesitation. Their sword stance shifted, attacking again like a relentless storm!

The two coordinated with seamless perfection, their sword light weaving into a net that sealed off most of Ye Tian's room to maneuver. The Sword Qi crisscrossed, pressing right up to his face!

Even though Ye Tian pushed his movement technique to the Peak, he was still in a perilous situation.

He spotted a gap and used the liuguang sword to strike rapidly at the sword puppets' joints, such as their arms and knees.

However, with a series of crisp "clangs," the blade only sent sparks flying, leaving faint white marks on the golden armor. He couldn't damage them in the slightest!

The material of these sword puppets was harder than he had imagined!

"I can't face them with brute force; I must find their mechanism's core!"

Ye Tian's mind raced, becoming increasingly calm.

While relying on his superb movement to circle them, he fully circulated the Illusory Sea Heart Sutra, his Divine Sense like fine threads scanning every inch of the sword puppets.

Meanwhile, his Five Elements Sword Body sensed the subtle changes in energy fluctuations.

Suddenly, he noticed a faint glow flowing beneath the armor in the center of their chests. Every time they swung their swords, the energy fluctuations there were most intense!

"So the mechanism is located at the Shanzhong point on the chest!"

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Tian's eyes; he decided to take a risk!

He intentionally left an opening, pausing his movement slightly as if his True Essence was failing.

The sword puppet on the left fell for the trap, its golden sword lunging straight for Ye Tian's heart!

The puppet on the right swung its sword in a horizontal slash almost simultaneously, its golden Protective Aura sweeping toward Ye Tian's waist and ribs like a silk ribbon, completely blocking his retreat!

Seeing the lethal sword tip about to reach him, the Sword Qi already stinging his skin, the natural resistance of Ye Tian's Five Elements Sword Body to metallic edges manifested.

He forced his body to one side. With a "shredding" sound, the golden sword grazed past his ribs. Though it drew a trail of blood, it missed his vitals!

At the same time, he pressed his left middle finger forward. The True Essence in his body transformed into a sinister, bone-penetrating force, striking like lightning at the gap in the puppet's wrist joint!

It was the Heart-Piercing Finger technique!

"Swoosh!"

A surge of sinister hidden force penetrated through the gap!

The mechanism in the puppet's wrist suddenly stalled!

This stall lasted only a fraction of a second, but for a master like Ye Tian, it was enough!

In that split second, the liuguang sword in Ye Tian's right hand erupted with brilliant blue light!

He concentrated all his internal power into this thunderous strike!

The sword tip trembled like a cold star appearing in the night sky, piercing the core in the center of the puppet's chest with lightning speed!

"Puff!"

The sound of something breaking rang out!

The red light in the puppet's chest dimmed abruptly, its forward momentum stopping dead. The crimson light in its eyes vanished, and then, with a "clatter," the massive golden-armored body collapsed to the ground, turning into a pile of lifeless junk.

However, the fierce horizontal slash of the other puppet's Protective Aura had already reached Ye Tian's back!

"Roar!"

The Mini Dragon Ape, which had been crouching on Ye Tian's shoulder, suddenly let out a soul-shaking roar!

Its small mouth opened, spitting out a small puff of pale flame that carried an aura of erosion!

The flame grew as it met the wind, instantly colliding with the golden Protective Aura. A strange scene unfolded...

The incomparably sharp Protective Aura seemed to be eroded by an invisible force, its momentum and light greatly diminished!

Because of this, the sword puppet's movements also suffered a brief stall!

Gaining this breathing room, Ye Tian twisted his waist with sudden force, wrenching his body around in mid-air to face the remaining puppet!

Holding nothing back, his liuguang sword turned into an azure flash, once again piercing the identical core position on the second puppet's chest!

"Bang!"

Another sound, the core shattered, and the red light was extinguished.

The second sword puppet held its sword-swinging posture, standing frozen for a moment before finally crashing to the ground with a "thud," kicking up a cloud of dust.

The battle was over!

Ye Tian landed, breathing slightly hard, the wound on his side burning with pain.

He sheathed the liuguang sword, his heart filled with awe.

These two sword puppets were indeed terrifying. Had it not been for his rich experience, his array of techniques, and the help of the Dragon Ape, the outcome would have been uncertain.

He walked over to the puppet remains and collected the precious "Star Steel" bodies and the two "Sword Puppet Cores."

Then, he pushed open the massive black gate, which was now free of its Restriction, and stepped into the main hall with Hou Xiaojie and the Dragon Ape.

Inside the hall, the Spiritual Qi was as thick as mist, and the Sword Intent was pure.

Ye Tian first tended to his injuries and recovered his True Essence.

Subsequently, he used the Sword Intent essence, the Sword Puppet Cores, and the dense Spiritual Qi of this place to launch a charge toward the Middle Stage of the Sixth Level of the True Martial Realm.

"Boom!"

The bottleneck shattered!

His cultivation progressed once more!

Having successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Middle Stage of the Sixth Level of the True Martial Realm, Ye Tian felt the increasingly surging and pure True Essence within him, his heart filled with excitement.

He slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flowing within them, his aura more stable and profound than before.

"Senior Brother, you've achieved a Breakthrough?"

Hou Xiaojie sensed the clearly strengthened aura from Ye Tian and cried out in pleasant surprise.

The Mini Dragon Ape also approached, affectionately rubbing against Ye Tian, seemingly able to feel his joy.

"Yes, a slight improvement."

Ye Tian nodded and stood up, his gaze turning toward the circular stone platform raised above the floor in the center of the hall.

He signaled Hou Xiaojie and the Dragon Ape to stay alert and follow behind him, while he held the liuguang sword and walked cautiously toward the central stone platform.

As he drew closer to the platform, the surrounding spiritual mist became even denser, almost turning liquid; a single breath felt refreshing.

And that sharp Sword Intent became even clearer.

The platform was constructed entirely of a strange dark green stone flecked with starlight, standing about three feet high and roughly two zhang in diameter.

The surface of the stone platform was covered in sword inscriptions. These inscriptions were not static; they flowed slowly, emitting ripples.

When Ye Tian stepped onto the final step of the stone platform and saw the scene in the center, he couldn't help but catch his breath!

Suspended in the center of the platform was a bead the size of a longan, perfectly round and dark gold in color, with countless fine patterns slowly moving across its surface!

The bead floated quietly about a foot above the surface, rotating slowly.

Ye Tian could feel that the source of the dense spiritual mist and pure Sword Intent was precisely this bead!

"This is... a Sword Pellet!"

A term he had seen in the Sect's ancient records instantly flashed through Ye Tian's mind, and his heart began to pound!