293: Could it be a quasi-emperor level?

Gu Changge's gaze swept over the fifteen Puppets standing silently before him: five original versions obtained from the Immortal Emissary, and ten new ones he had personally refined.

After a slight pause for thought, he took out fifteen Emperor-level Spiritual Veins, compressed to their utmost and exuding pure Origin Qi, and precisely embedded them into the core energy furnace of each Puppet.

As the Spiritual Veins entered their bodies, runes flowed around the Puppets, their aura becoming vast and stable, possessing a nearly inexhaustible source of energy.

"Although Zizhu Peak is tranquil, it still requires some protection."

With a gentle flick of his sleeve, five optimized Great Emperor Pinnacle Puppets transformed into streaks of light, silently disappearing into the Void Realm surrounding Zizhu Peak, merging with the mountains and earth's ley lines, becoming invisible guardians.

Just then, the entrance light barrier of the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower rippled, and a figure was rather awkwardly 'thrown' out—it was Xuan Yangzi.

His Daoist robe was torn, his face bruised, and a trace of blood stained the corner of his mouth; clearly, he had suffered a great loss inside the Tower.

He was grimacing and sucking in a cold breath when he looked up and saw Gu Changge standing quietly in the courtyard.

"Senior Brother Changge?"

Xuan Yangzi, looking a bit embarrassed, quickly straightened his body and subconsciously tidied his torn robe. Although Gu Changge had seen his disheveled state many times, he still felt a bit mortified.

Gu Changge's gaze swept over him. Seeing that although he was disheveled, his aura and Foundation were stable, and he wasn't seriously injured, the smile in his eyes deepened as he spoke: "Senior Brother, your aura is quite stable after coming out of the Tower this time. It seems that your combat power has greatly increased, and you've gained a lot from your recent training in the Tower."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yangzi's face immediately showed a hint of awkwardness, but a trace of smugness was hard to conceal in the depths of his eyes.

He cleared his throat, originally intending to humbly say, "Not at all, I merely managed to hold on."

But as the words reached his lips, he recalled that this time in the Tower, relying on his Saint King Realm cultivation and Emperor-level Cultivation Technique, he had indeed managed to endure more than a dozen extra rounds against an ancient Great Emperor's projection. Compared to being swiftly defeated in the past, it was a world of difference.

This tangible progress made his desire to show off feel like a feather tickling his heart, an intense itch.

Thus, his humble words transformed into a sigh tinged with poorly concealed emotion: "Cough, cough... Junior Brother jests. My meager Dao cultivation is still insufficient before a Great Emperor. However..."

He paused, straightened his previously somewhat hunched back, and tried to make his tone sound calm, yet it still conveyed a sense of triumph.

"This time, I indeed managed to hold on for a moment longer than last time. At least... at least I didn't disgrace the Cultivation Technique bestowed by Junior Brother."

After speaking, he secretly observed Gu Changge's expression, wanting both his Junior Brother's approval and fearing that his 'smugness' was too obvious, which would be unbecoming of a Sect Master. His expression was momentarily caught between pride and restraint, appearing somewhat comical.

Gu Changge took in Xuan Yangzi's feigned nonchalance and barely concealed elation, the smile in his eyes growing deeper as he casually added another remark.

"To be able to hold on for a moment longer against the projection of an ancient Great Emperor is already incredibly rare. It seems that in time, Senior Brother might even be on par with a Great Emperor's projection."

These words carried a clear hint of teasing, yet they also hit Xuan Yangzi's deepest itch, causing his old face to flush as he quickly waved his hands.

"Junior Brother, please don't tease me. That's an ancient Great Emperor... Cough, cough, the road is still long, still very long."

He spoke humbly, but in his heart, these words involuntarily sparked a fervent yearning.

Gu Changge smiled slightly, no longer continuing the topic. Instead, he casually raised a hand and pointed to one side of the courtyard, saying in a flat tone: "Senior Brother, you've arrived just in time. These Puppets, I'll leave them for you to handle."

Xuan Yangzi was stunned by these words. Following Gu Changge's refer to direction, he suddenly realized that in the shadows of the courtyard, ten dark-golden Puppets stood silently, he knew not when they had appeared!

His heart was immediately startled.

With his Saint King Realm cultivation and Divine Sense, he had just entered the courtyard and conversed with his Junior Brother for a moment, yet he hadn't detected the presence of these Puppets at all!

They just stood there, their aura perfectly integrated with the surrounding stone steps and vegetation, as if they were naturally part of the courtyard. Had his Junior Brother not specifically pointed them out, he probably wouldn't have noticed them even if he walked past.

"This..." Xuan Yangzi's smugness and awkwardness were instantly replaced by astonishment. He subconsciously took two steps forward, his gaze scanning the ten Puppets with surprise and uncertainty.

He saw that these Puppets were entirely dark-gold, with ancient and smooth lines. Not a trace of spiritual energy or Divine Thought fluctuations emanated from them; if not for seeing them with his own eyes, they were almost indistinguishable from inanimate objects. But the more this was the case, the more his heart felt a chill.

To be able to conceal their aura to such an extent that even he couldn't detect them, the methods used to refine these Puppets were simply astonishing.

"Junior Brother, these are...?"

Xuan Yangzi composed himself, his face showing a mix of solemnity and curiosity as he looked at Gu Changge.

Thoughts raced through his mind: What is Junior Brother's intention in suddenly bringing out these things? And, judging by the Materials, they are definitely not ordinary!

He took a few steps closer. As a Saint King Realm Cultivator, his keen senses immediately perceived the extraordinary nature of these Puppets.

The dark-golden Material, with his knowledge, he couldn't recognize at all. He only felt that it was incredibly heavy, subtly exuding an eternal Dao Rhyme, and its internal structure was perfectly integrated, as if naturally formed, definitely not achievable by ordinary Artifact Refining methods.

"Just a few trinkets I happened to acquire," Gu Changge said in a flat tone.

Xuan Yangzi reached out and carefully touched the arm of one of the Puppets. It was cold and hard to the touch. His Divine Sense probed, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea, unable to sense any internal energy fluctuations, nor could he determine its specific level.

He frowned slightly, his surprise growing. With his Saint King Realm cultivation and Sect Master's discerning eye, he couldn't see through the depth of this Puppet at all?

"Changge, ah," Xuan Yangzi withdrew his hand, his smile growing wider, with a hint of probing.

"Give Senior Brother the lowdown, these Puppets... how much power can they exert?"

He mused, anything his Junior Brother would bring out and place in the courtyard must at least be Saint Realm level, right? Perhaps comparable to a Saint King? That would be a tremendous help to the Sect.

Gu Changge glanced at him, the corner of his mouth seemingly curving imperceptibly, and said casually: "It's hard to say precisely. Roughly... they're a little bit more powerful than you, Senior Brother."

A little bit more powerful than me?

Xuan Yangzi's smile instantly froze.

He was currently in the Saint King Realm! A little bit more powerful than a Saint King? Wouldn't that be... Great Saint Realm?!

Ten Great Saint Realm Puppets?!

Xuan Yangzi gasped, his eyes widening abruptly!

This scale of production, although he knew his Junior Brother was generous, ten Great Saint Puppets, this was just too... His heart pounded uncontrollably, and his breathing quickened. If this were true, the Azure Profound Sect's strength would surge several times over!

However, as this thought arose, another, even more absurd thought, one that almost froze his blood, struck his mind like lightning!

Wait!

A little bit more powerful than a Saint King... does it necessarily mean Great Saint?

He suddenly recalled the things Gu Changge had produced in the past: Cultivation Techniques casually improved to Emperor-level Cultivation Method, tea leaves bestowed that allowed the Old Ancestor to Break through, Materials he had never even seen before... For this unfathomable Junior Brother, could the phrase "a little bit more powerful" really be judged by common sense?

Could it be... could it be... a Quasi-Emperor level?!