161: Chapter 161 A First Exploration of the Taiji Secret Realm: The Life-or-Death Test of the Soul-Devouring Puppet Array

Section 1: Secret Realm Entrance: The Path to the Origin Guided by the inheritance grass

When the morning light faintly touched Zhongnan Mountain, the Traditional Martial Arts Allied Forces had already assembled at the Li Family Ancestral Home. Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng held a map of the Taiji Secret Realm drawn overnight. On the yellowed Xuan paper, dense routes were marked with cinnabar, clearly showing every protruding rock and hidden mountain spring. Master Xuankong sat with eyes closed, his hands forming Seals. Golden Zen Energy enveloped the area like a thin mist, branding a faint "Protection Seal" onto each team member's lapel; upon touch, one could feel a warm current traveling through their Meridians. Granny Yao squatted by the inheritance grass, packing improved Spirit Incense Grass into bamboo baskets. Each stalk had a small wooden tag tied with red string, bearing words like "Ward off Evil" and "Mind Awakening." Mu Qing repeatedly adjusted the portable activation device for the Five Elements Formation. The jade pendant in his palm shimmered with five-colored light, echoing the radiance of the Origin Qi Energy pool.

Chen Wu stood at the front of the group, the patterns on the bronze "Taiji Guardian" plaque in his hand glowing with a faint golden light, facing the eight-colored petals of the inheritance grass in the Flower Girl's arms. "According to the map, the entrance to the Taiji Secret Realm is hidden behind the 'Taiji Stone' on the main peak," Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng unfolded the map, his fingertip sliding along the cinnabar lines. "The entrance has an 'Origin Qi Energy Seal,' which requires the life-force Qi Energy of the inheritance grass and the guardian Qi Energy of the bronze plaque to activate together. If we force our way in, it will trigger the warning mechanism of the Spirit-Devouring Puppets, and we'll be surrounded by a Puppet swarm." He specifically pointed to the black dashed lines on the edge of the map: "These are 'Qi Energy Contamination Zones,' where the Leyline Qi Energy has been eroded by Spirit-Devouring Energy. Anyone who steps inside will be precisely located by the Puppets. In a moment, everyone must follow the trajectory of my Flowing Cloud Qi and not stray a single step."

The Allied Forces rode in "Qi Energy Off-road Vehicles" from the Technical Department, traveling along the mountain paths. The vehicle bodies gleamed with a faint silver light from the Anti-Spirit-Devouring Alloy, and almost no sound was heard as the wheels rolled over the gravel. After arriving at the foot of the mountain, everyone got out and followed the faint white Flowing Cloud Qi traced by Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng. That Qi Energy floated in the air like a ribbon, winding around sharp rocks and avoiding damp bogs; even the snakes and insects hidden in the grass were gently dispersed by the Qi Energy. Xiao Juan tightly held Li Mengmeng's hand. The Spirit Incense Grass in her palm suddenly trembled slightly, its leaves tilting toward a giant rock on the left, with pale green light condensing at the tips: "Sister Mengmeng, there's a 'chilly Qi Energy' over there!"

Everyone stopped immediately. Amir crept behind the giant rock and peeked out. He saw half a Puppet glowing with black light hidden behind the rock, with fresh mud still clinging to its metal joints. It was clearly a "Sentry Puppet" just deployed by the Spirit-Devouring Organization. "Its Qi Energy core is in its chest, exposed!" Amir reported in a low voice. Ling Shuang immediately pulled out two Qi Energy Silver Needles from her waist and flicked her fingers. The silver needles streaked through the air like meteors, accurately piercing the core in the Puppet's chest. With a "sizzle," the Puppet's black light instantly extinguished, and it collapsed heavily to the ground without sounding a single alarm.

"The warning from the Spirit Incense Grass was crucial!" Wang Lei wiped the sweat from his forehead and reached out to touch the Puppet's alloy shell. "This Puppet's armor is twice as thick as those we encountered before. If it had discovered us, it would have taken at least ten more minutes to deal with it." Half an hour later, everyone finally arrived before the Taiji Stone. This giant rock, about ten meters high, was bluish-gray all over. Faint golden Origin Qi Energy flowed within the naturally formed "Yin-Yang Fish" patterns on its surface, but it was entwined with faint black Spirit-Devouring Energy at the edges, looking like Xuan paper stained with ink.

Chen Wu pressed the bronze plaque against the "Yang Fish Eye," and faint golden light spread along the patterns. The Flower Girl placed the inheritance grass at the "Yin Fish Eye," and the eight-colored petals bloomed instantly, weaving with the light from the bronze plaque into a complete Taiji totem. With a muffled "thud," the Taiji Stone slowly split to both sides, revealing a stone door about two meters deep. Faint Origin Qi Energy fluctuations came from behind the door, mixed with the "clack-clack" sound of gears turning. It was clear that Puppets were already active in the direction of the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures.

The global live stream footage, captured by the "Qi Energy Cameras" on the team members' helmets, broadcasted the images of the Secret Realm entrance in real-time across the world. The comment section instantly erupted: "They finally found the Secret Realm! The inheritance grass is amazing!" "Is the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures behind that stone door? I'm so nervous!" "The Allied Forces must be careful!" Data from the Technical Department showed that the online audience had surpassed 280 billion. The topic "Taiji Secret Realm Jade Quest" topped the trending lists in 30 countries. Overseas groups like the Egyptian Pyramid Traditional Martial Arts Team and the London Workplace Traditional Martial Arts Squad even launched "remote Qi Energy support" through the live stream. Countless martial arts fans synchronized their Qi Energy in front of their screens to pray for the Allied Forces.

Section 2: Entering the Secret Realm: The Distorted Origin Qi Energy Corridor

Behind the stone door was a corridor about a hundred meters long. Fist-sized "Origin Qi Energy Stones" were embedded in the stone walls on both sides. These Qi Energy stones, which should have been entirely golden, now had nearly half their surface dyed dark black by Spirit-Devouring Energy, like coal cinders scattered on golden silk. Clear Puppet track marks, about half a centimeter deep, remained on the ground; evidently, the Spirit-Devouring Organization had entered and exited this place multiple times. Granny Yao's Spirit Incense Grass suddenly trembled violently, its leaves turning from pale green to pale red. She immediately warned: "The concentration of Spirit-Devouring Energy here is three times that of the outside world. Everyone, pay attention to the light of the Zen Energy Protection Seal. If it dims, tell me immediately!"

Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng was the first to step into the corridor, his bamboo sword drawing a semicircle in front of him as the faint white Flowing Cloud Qi swept forward like a searchlight. "There's a 'Qi Energy Distortion Zone' in the middle of the corridor. The Origin Qi Energy and Spirit-Devouring Energy are tangled together, which will interfere with our perception. Follow my Qi Energy trajectory closely and don't fall behind." Just as he finished speaking, the dark black Qi Energy stones on both sides suddenly lit up with red light. Three palm-sized "Spirit-Devouring Scout Puppets" flew out from hidden compartments in the stone walls. Their wings made a "buzzing" sound as they flapped, and they released faint black "Qi Energy Interference Waves." When those waves hit Master Xuankong's Zen Energy shield, they actually caused ripples, and the leaves of Xiao Juan's Spirit Incense Grass instantly curled up.

"Master Xuankong, reinforce the shield!" Before Chen Wu could finish his sentence, Master Xuankong had already formed Seals with his hands, and golden Zen Energy surged into the Protection Seals like a tide. The marks on the team members' lapels instantly brightened. Lu Feng pulled out the Qi Energy Armor-Piercing Gun from his waist and pulled the trigger at the scout Puppets. Faint golden Qi Energy bullets accurately hit the Puppets' wings, causing them to lose balance and crash to the ground. Ling Shuang took the opportunity to throw several "Qi Energy Marking Needles," pinning them to the stone walls on both sides of the corridor. "These needles can sense the Qi Energy fluctuations of the Puppets. If we encounter Puppets again, we'll have a three-second early warning."

As they reached the middle of the corridor, everyone indeed felt a clear distortion in the Qi Energy. The Pyramid Qi Energy condensed by Amir actually deviated; the Qi Energy that should have gone straight forward eerily shifted to the left, nearly hitting Mu Qing beside him. "Use the Spirit Incense Grass to calibrate your Qi Energy!" Granny Yao shouted. The team members immediately held the Spirit Incense Grass close to their Dantians. Pale green life-force Qi Energy circulated through their Meridians, and their previously disordered perception instantly became clear. They could even "see" the "Qi Energy Traps" hidden beneath the ground—invisible Qi Energy nets woven from Spirit-Devouring Energy that would instantly entangle one's ankles if stepped upon.

"Mu Qing, activate the Five Elements Formation!" At Chen Wu's command, Mu Qing immediately threw five jade pendants into the air. Five streaks of Qi Energy—pale green, pale yellow, pale blue, pale red, and pale black—formed a ring in the air and slowly landed on the ground. "The Five Elements generate each other, transforming evil into righteousness!" Mu Qing formed Seals with both hands. The Five Elements Qi Energy spread along the ground. When it encountered a Qi Energy Trap, the pale blue Water Energy first diluted the Spirit-Devouring Energy, then the pale green Wood Energy wrapped around it, and finally, the pale golden Earth Energy completely sealed it underground. Even more miraculously, the dark black Qi Energy stones covered by the Five Elements Qi Energy slowly lost their blackness, restoring their faint golden luster, and the Origin Qi Energy in the corridor became denser.

At the end of the corridor, Xiao Juan discovered a complete Origin Qi Energy Stone. This half-person-high Qi Energy stone was golden all over, without a trace of Spirit-Devouring Energy contamination. She reached out curiously to touch it, and the Spirit Incense Grass in her palm suddenly resonated with the stone. Eight-colored light projected a line of ancient Seal script onto the stone surface: "Only when the two Qi Energies unite can one enter the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures; if the evil aura is not removed, the jade will not appear." "This is a hint from the Secret Realm!" Grandmaster Yang Mingyuan leaned forward excitedly, his finger gently brushing over the Seal script. "It confirms our plan—we must use the perfected Dual-Energy Activation Method to enter the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures, and we must first clear the Spirit-Devouring Energy within the Secret Realm. Otherwise, even if we find the fusion jade, we won't be able to retrieve it!"

In the global live stream comments, viewers were encouraged by this discovery: "Great! With a hint, we have a direction!" "The Allied Forces' preparations weren't in vain!" "Keep it up!! Getting closer and closer to the fusion jade!" Chen Wu gripped the bronze plaque in his hand, feeling the warmth of resonance with the Qi Energy stone through his fingertips. "Everyone, get ready. At the end of the corridor is the Puppet Formation. This is our first hurdle to claim the jade. We must break through!"

Section 3: Before the Puppet Formation: The Spirit-Devouring Organization's 'Welcome Gift'

At the end of the corridor was a circular hall about fifty meters in diameter. In the center stood a half-person-high "Origin Qi Energy Platform," emitting a thick, faint golden Qi Energy, but it was firmly enveloped by a black "Spirit-Devouring Energy Barrier," like a layer of black cloth wrapped around gold. Around the hall's stone walls, twelve alcoves were evenly distributed. In front of each alcove, distorted "Spirit-Devouring Runes" were carved, flashing with red light as if they were twelve eyes staring at their prey.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Welcome to the Taiji Secret Realm. Let the 'suicide mission' of the Traditional Martial Arts Allied Forces begin right here!" A cold, chilling voice emanated from the speakers at the top of the hall. It was the 'Dark Energy Envoy' of the Spirit-Devouring Organization—a rival who had clashed with the Allied Forces many times. The voice was full of mockery. "I have installed 'artificial Qi Energy cores' in this twelve-gate Puppet formation. Every time one gate is activated, it will release even stronger Spirit-Devouring Energy. If you can make it through, perhaps you will be qualified to see the fusion jade—provided you can walk to the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures alive!"

As soon as the voice fell, three hidden compartments on the left side opened with a sudden "boom." Three "heavy Spirit-Devouring Puppets," about three meters tall, stepped out. The Puppets were covered in dark black alloy armor, with "Spirit-Devouring Energy cannons" as thick as a bowl mounted on their arms. Embedded in their chests were fist-sized artificial Qi Energy cores, glowing with an eerie red light. With every step they took, the ground shook, like small tanks.

"Everyone, pay attention! The armor of these Puppets can withstand attacks from the Late Stage of Brute Force. Focus your attacks on the core in their chests!" Lu Feng raised his Qi Energy Armor-Piercing Gun and pulled the trigger at the nearest Puppet. A pale golden Qi Energy bullet struck the armor, leaving only a shallow white mark, while the core remained completely unscathed.

"Ordinary attacks are useless! You must use refined energy!" Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng said. His bamboo sword traced out pale white Flowing Cloud Qi, which wrapped around the Puppet's leg joints like a ribbon, instantly slowing its movements. Master Xuankong formed Seals with both hands, and a golden Zen Energy barrier expanded in front of the Allied Forces. Amidst "hissing" sounds, the Spirit-Devouring Energy cannon fire from the Puppets was blocked by the barrier, and the black Qi Energy dissipated on its surface.

Mu Qing seized the opportunity to activate the portable Five Elements Formation. Pale blue Water Energy rose from the ground, binding the Puppet's arms and preventing it from firing again. Ling Shuang grasped the chance, pulling a specially made "Qi Energy armor-piercing axe" from her waist. With a light flick of her wrist, the axe blade streaked by like a shooting star, precisely piercing into a gap in the Puppet's armor and reaching straight to the core. With a "click," the red light of the core extinguished, and the Puppet crashed to the ground, scattering gravel as it fell.

"It's effective! Stick to this tactic!" Chen Wu shouted. The Allied Forces immediately divided the work: Amir and Wang Lei were responsible for attracting the attention of the Puppets, waving their Qi Energy weapons and deliberately provoking them. Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng and Li Mengmeng used Flowing Cloud Qi and Light Body Qi to restrain the Puppets' movements, attacking their joints from time to time.

Master Xuankong and Granny Yao guarded the rear, one reinforcing the protective barrier while the other used spiritual herbs to treat injured team members. Mu Qing and Ling Shuang focused on the main attacks, searching for gaps in the Puppets' armor. Xiao Juan stood in the middle, holding spiritual herbs in both hands, and would immediately shout a warning as soon as she spotted a Puppet about to fire.

Just as the second Puppet raised its cannon, Xiao Juan screamed, "Right side! It's going to hit the shield on the right!" Master Xuankong immediately adjusted the direction of his Zen Energy, and the golden barrier shifted to the right, barely blocking the cannon fire. Mu Qing seized the chance to use pale green Wood Energy to wrap around the Puppet's cannon barrel, causing the muzzle to deviate. Ling Shuang's armor-piercing axe struck again, precisely piercing the core. The Puppet's movements froze instantly, and it slowly toppled over.

Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the third Puppet suddenly released "Spirit-Devouring Energy smoke." The black smoke instantly enveloped half the hall, carrying a pungent, corrosive odor. Granny Yao immediately injected the vital Qi Energy of the spiritual herbs into the air. The pale green light dispersed the smoke like a spring breeze, and the smoke that fell to the ground was diluted into a harmless liquid by the Water Energy of the Five Elements Formation.

"Its power lines are on its back!" Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng circled behind the Puppet, his bamboo sword precisely severing the alloy lines on its back. The Puppet's movements instantly became sluggish. Chen Wu seized the opportunity, gathering the Four Symbols Fusion Energy. Pale golden Hard Energy and pale green Soft Energy intertwined in his palm, and he smashed a fist into the core on the Puppet's chest. With a "bang," the red light of the core was completely extinguished, and the black Spirit-Devouring Energy dissipated like a tide. The Puppet crashed heavily to the ground, its armor cracking in a spiderweb pattern.

The global live broadcast cameras captured this series of smooth, flowing coordination. The live chat was filled with exclamations like, "Too amazing! The division of labor is so in sync!" "Ling Shuang's hidden weapons are absolutely pinpoint accurate!" "Teacher Chen's punch was so cool, he smashed the core directly!" Technical Department data showed that the audience's "excitement index" was as high as 95% at this moment, and the discussion volume for "Allied Forces Tactical Analysis" exceeded 1 billion. Even a military expert left a comment in the live stream: "The collaborative model of the Traditional Martial Arts Allied Forces perfectly combines traditional energy techniques with tactical coordination, which is worth learning from for modern combat units."

Crisis in the Formation: The Backlash of the Artificial Qi Energy Core

Just as the Allied Forces had destroyed the third Puppet and were preparing to rest for a moment, the Spirit-Devouring Energy Barrier in the center of the hall suddenly lit up with a blinding red light. Black Qi Energy spread along the patterns on the floor like a venomous snake, drilling into the remaining nine hidden compartments. Amidst the "clack-clack" sound of rotating gears, nine hidden compartments opened simultaneously, and nine heavy Spirit-Devouring Puppets walked out in unison. The artificial Qi Energy cores in their chests glowed with an eerie red light, and one could even see black Qi Energy churning within the cores.

"Not good! He's going to activate all the Puppets at once!" Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng's expression changed drastically, and his bamboo sword traced out rapid Flowing Cloud Qi in front of him. "And the Qi Energy fluctuations in these cores are very unstable; it looks like they are about to self-destruct!" Before the words even fell, all nine Puppets raised their cannons simultaneously, nine black Spirit-Devouring Energy cannon barrels aimed at the Allied Forces. Master Xuankong's Zen Energy barrier was struck instantly, the golden light flickering violently as dense cracks appeared. "My Zen Energy can't hold on much longer! I need support!"

Chen Wu immediately gathered the Four Symbols Fusion Energy, and pale golden and pale green Qi Energy poured into the barrier like a tide, the cracks in the barrier slowly healing. "Mu Qing, can you use the Five Elements Formation to suppress the core self-destruction?" Mu Qing shook his head, cold sweat seeping from his forehead. "The Qi Energy in these cores is completely out of control. The Five Elements Formation can only trap them temporarily, and it will hold for ten minutes at most. If we haven't destroyed all the cores in ten minutes, the entire hall will be flooded with Spirit-Devouring Energy!"

"Destroy nine Puppets in ten minutes? That's impossible!" Wang Lei shouted. His arm had been grazed by the aftermath of the cannon fire, and black Spirit-Devouring Energy was spreading along the wound. Granny Yao immediately covered the wound with the vital Qi Energy of the spiritual herbs, and the black Qi Energy slowly dissipated. "It's not impossible!" Grandmaster Yang Mingyuan suddenly pointed at the Qi Energy platform. "I just observed that the attack trajectories of these Puppets are all directed toward the Qi Energy platform, as if they are protecting something! We can use this to our advantage, lure the Puppets near the Qi Energy platform, and suppress the cores with Origin Qi Energy!"

Chen Wu's eyes lit up. "Good idea! Amir, use the Pyramid Qi Energy to attack the Spirit-Devouring Energy Barrier of the Qi Energy platform to attract the Puppets' attention. Wang Lei, you and I will be responsible for luring the Puppets around the Qi Energy platform. Everyone else, get ready. Once the Puppets get close, suppress the cores with Origin Qi Energy!" Amir immediately gathered his Qi Energy, and pale golden Qi Energy bullets smashed into the Spirit-Devouring Energy Barrier like cannonballs. The barrier rippled, and sure enough, all nine Puppets turned toward the Qi Energy platform at the same time, walking over with heavy steps.

"Now!" Chen Wu shouted as he rushed toward the nearest Puppet. He gathered the Four Symbols Fusion Energy in his palm and smashed a fist onto the Puppet's armor. The Puppet was knocked back two steps, right near the Qi Energy platform. Master Xuankong immediately channeled the Origin Qi Energy from the Qi Energy platform, and the pale golden light wrapped around the Puppet's core like tentacles, the red light of the core instantly dimming. Ling Shuang seized the opportunity, and her armor-piercing axe precisely pierced into the core, causing the Puppet to crash to the ground. Wang Lei also successfully lured another Puppet to the side of the Qi Energy platform. Mu Qing used the Five Elements Formation to trap the Puppet, and Amir's Pyramid Qi Energy drilled through a gap in the Puppet's armor, destroying the core.

But there were too many Puppets. Just after dealing with two, three Puppets fired at the same time. Master Xuankong's Zen Energy barrier cracked again, and Granny Yao's spiritual herbs began to wither. "The Origin Qi Energy is not enough! We need more vital Qi Energy!" The Flower Girl suddenly stepped forward and placed the inheritance grass on the Qi Energy platform. The eight-colored petals bloomed instantly, intertwining with the Origin Qi Energy to form a huge Taiji totem. Pale golden and eight-colored light shrouded the entire hall, and the cores of the nine Puppets flickered violently at the same time, the red light fading rapidly.

"Everyone, attack while you have the chance!" Chen Wu shouted, and the members of the Allied Forces exerted their strength simultaneously: Daoist Priest Yun Qingfeng's Flowing Cloud Qi bound the Puppets' joints, Master Xuankong's Zen Energy suppressed the cores, Mu Qing's Five Elements Formation trapped the Puppets, Ling Shuang's armor-piercing axe struck precisely, and the Qi Energy of Amir and Wang Lei fell on the cores like raindrops. Xiao Juan even picked up a piece of gravel from the ground, wrapped it in Qi Energy, and threw it at a Puppet's core. Although it caused no damage, it attracted the Puppet's attention, creating an opportunity for Ling Shuang.

As the ten-minute time limit was about to expire, the core of the last Puppet was finally destroyed. The black Spirit-Devouring Energy dissipated like a tide, and the Spirit-Devouring Energy Barrier in the center of the hall slowly receded, revealing stone steps beneath the Qi Energy platform. The stone steps wound upward, and at the end, a pavilion glowing with golden light was vaguely visible—it was the Pavilion of Supreme Treasures. The members of the Allied Forces collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. Everyone's clothes were covered in dust, but they could not hide the excitement in their eyes.

In the global live stream chat, the audience cheered and jumped for joy: "We won! The Allied Forces made it through the Puppet formation!" "The inheritance grass is amazing, it actually suppressed all the cores!" "The Pavilion of Supreme Treasures is right in front of us, the fusion jade is within reach!" Technical Department data showed that the number of online viewers exceeded 300 billion at this moment, setting a new record for global live viewership. "The Traditional Martial Arts Allied Forces have successfully seized the jade."