76: A glimmer of hope appears after a long period of darkness.

The pressure of the Earth Fiend Realm demon puppet was like a physical mountain. Every step it took caused the entire circular basin to tremble violently, splitting into countless ravines. Its massive body, composed of countless broken weapons and skeletal remains, emitted an aura of utter despair. The figure in dark-gold robes stood atop a giant rock, holding a control crystal, a playful smile on his face like a cat playing with a mouse.

Ye Chen leaned on his guixu sword, half-kneeling on the ground. His blood and Qi churned within him. Although the newly broken-through Kaiyuan Realm Seventh Level spiritual power surged through his Meridians, it was still difficult to offset that overwhelming pressure. He watched the demon puppet approaching step by step and the Dark Hall Emissary sitting securely on his 'fishing platform,' his heart sinking to the bottom.

Fighting head-on offered absolutely no chance of victory! Even with Guixu in hand, the gap in cultivation was too large. The opponent was a monster condensed from countless violent Sword Intents. Although Nirvana Sword Intent could counter it, the difference in scale was vast.

Escape? In the heart of this sealed Secret Realm, where could he run? Moreover, if he left this demon puppet and the Dark Hall Emissary unchecked, heaven only knew what they would do!

What should he do?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Ye Chen's mind. Finally, they fixed upon the 'sword containment pendant' gifted by Elder Liu Qingfeng! Three streaks of Sword Qi at the Dean's level! That was his final trump card!

But it could only be used three times! It had to be used at the most critical moment to achieve the greatest result!

His gaze sharpened as he made an instant decision. He had to create an opportunity to get close to that figure in dark-gold robes! The demon puppet was under his control; as long as he dealt with or severely injured the controller, the monster would no longer be a threat!

"Roar!"

The Myriad Sword Demon Puppet let out a heaven-shaking roar. An arm composed of countless broken axes and spears, carrying the power to tear through the Void Realm, smashed down toward Ye Chen's head like a falling star! Before the arm even arrived, the violent wind had already pressed a deep pit into the ground!

Now is the time!

A flash of determination crossed Ye Chen's eyes. Instead of retreating, he poured all of his newly broken-through spiritual power, along with his Nirvana Sword Intent, entirely into his legs!

Grand Void Roaming Dragon Steps — Roaming Dragon Startles the Swan!

His figure transformed into a distorted, dark-gold light that almost blended into space. Instead of retreating, he advanced, skimming the edge of that massive falling arm and perilously rushing upstream! His speed reached the extreme, even leaving a solid afterimage in his original spot!

Boom!!

The demon puppet's arm smashed heavily into the ground, the earth splintering as shattered stones shot out like a rainstorm! Meanwhile, Ye Chen's true body, like a maggot on a bone, surged along the demon puppet's thick arm toward its shoulder and the figure in dark-gold robes on the rock behind it!

"Hmph? Seeking death!" The figure in dark-gold robes clearly hadn't expected Ye Chen to be so fearless as to actively approach the demon puppet's body. He snorted coldly, and the crystal in his hand flashed with light.

At the demon puppet's shoulder, countless spikes composed of sharp sword blades instantly thrust out like a forest of thorns, blocking Ye Chen's path! Simultaneously, the other arm swept across, intending to crush Ye Chen into meat paste!

Thorns in front, a giant palm behind!

A desperate situation!

Ye Chen's gaze was as cold as iron as the guixu sword traced a perfect arc in front of him.

"Guixu — Lead!"

An even larger Chaos vortex suddenly appeared before him. A powerful suction erupted, pulling the sword-blade thorns askew and forcefully tearing open a gap! Ye Chen's figure was like lightning as he shot through the opening!

Meanwhile, the giant palm sweeping from behind was already within inches! The terrifying wind pressure almost crushed him!

Now is the time!

Ye Chen suddenly crushed the warm jade pendant in his bosom—the sword containment pendant!

Buzz—!

A clear, pure, Cyan Sword Astral that seemed capable of cleansing all filth in the world erupted from the shattered jade pendant like a waking dragon! The sword astral wasn't grand in size, but it was condensed to the extreme. The Sword Intent within was righteous and vast, carrying Elder Liu Qingfeng's unique supreme will to shatter illusions and protect the Righteous Path!

The moment this sword astral appeared, the violent Sword Intent field within the entire basin was cleared! The Myriad Sword Demon Puppet let out a roar tinged with fear, and its sweeping motion momentarily froze!

As if possessed of its own spirit, the Cyan Sword Astral did not attack the massive demon puppet. Instead, it transformed into a streak of light that tore through the sky, exceeding the speed of thought and ignoring the distance of space to instantly appear before the figure in dark-gold robes!

"What?! A sword containment pendant?! Liu Qingfeng's Sword Qi?!" The figure in dark-gold robes finally suffered a drastic change in expression, struck with mortal terror! He had completely failed to expect that Ye Chen possessed such a life-saving treasure! Moreover, the sharpness and purity of this Sword Qi far exceeded his estimates!

He frantically channeled the crystal in his hand, trying to make the demon puppet return for defense. Simultaneously, a dense dark-gold protective light erupted around him, within which distorted runes faintly flowed—clearly another powerful defensive treasure!

However, before this wrathful strike of Liu Qingfeng's Sword Qi, all defenses appeared utterly pale!

Squelch—!

The Cyan Sword Astral was like a hot knife through butter, penetrating the dark-gold protective light without resistance and striking with unerring precision upon that constantly shifting dark-red control crystal!

Crack!

A crisp sound of shattering echoed throughout the area!

That core control crystal shattered upon impact, turning into fine powder!

"No—!" The figure in dark-gold robes let out a shrill scream. As if struck by a heavy hammer, he violently spat out a large mouthful of black blood. His aura instantly withered; clearly, the destruction of the crystal had caused him a severe backlash!

And an even more obvious change occurred within the Myriad Sword Demon Puppet!

The instant the control crystal shattered, the demon puppet's massive body stiffened, and the giant palm raised in mid-air dropped powerlessly. The violent red light in its eyes rapidly faded, becoming chaotic and dazed. Its massive body began to tremble violently, and the countless broken weapons and bones making up its body made 'clack-clack' grinding sounds as if it would disintegrate at any moment!

It no longer attacked Ye Chen, instead letting out roars full of pain and confusion. Its arms flailed wildly, smashing into the surrounding rock walls and ground, triggering a series of explosions!

Having lost its control core, this forcibly merged monster began to head toward the brink of self-collapse!

An opportunity!

Ye Chen suppressed the slight sense of weakness after using the sword containment pendant. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, instantly locking onto the figure in dark-gold robes who was heavily injured by the backlash and attempting to flee!

Take his life while he's down!

The guixu sword let out a thirsty hum. Ye Chen's figure was like lightning, transforming into a dark-gold ray of death as he pounced directly at the figure in dark-gold robes!

Seeing Ye Chen charging toward him, a flash of panic crossed the Dark Gold Robe Person's face. He suddenly crushed a Talisman, his body turning into a cloud of black smoke as he fled rapidly toward the outside of the basin!

"Where do you think you're going!"

How could Ye Chen allow the tiger to return to the mountain? He pushed the Grand Void Roaming Dragon Steps to the limit, pursuing relentlessly! Simultaneously, he pointed the guixu sword from a distance!

"Guixu — Lead!"

A powerful suction came from behind. The Dark Gold Robe Person's flight speed plummeted. He looked back in terror, only to see that eerie broken sword seemingly transforming into the center of a black hole!

"Little animal! I am one of the Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Envoys of the Dark Hall! If you dare kill me, you will suffer endless pursuit!" he roared with false bravado.

He was answered by Ye Chen's ice-cold gaze and the unhesitating slash of the guixu sword!

"Nirvana — Instant Shadow!"

A condensed dark Chaos sword light reached its mark first, instantly sweeping through the black smoke!

Pfft!

The black smoke dissipated, and the figure of the Dark Gold Robe Person reappeared. He looked down at the rapidly expanding hole in his chest that was annihilating everything, his eyes filled with resentment and disbelief.

"The Hall Master... will... avenge me..." He squeezed out a few words before his body became like ignited paper, rapidly turning into fly ash and dissipating into the air.

Ye Chen slowly sheathed his sword, his expression still solemn. He glanced at the Myriad Sword Demon Puppet in the center of the basin, which was frantically self-destructing and triggering a violent energy storm, then looked at the place where the Dark Hall Emissary had vanished.

He had resolved the immediate crisis, but he knew that a greater storm was likely already brewing. The Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Envoys of the Dark Hall... this was clearly just the tip of the iceberg.

He stayed no longer, turning toward the Secret Realm's exit and galloping away.

He had to inform the Dean and Elder Liu of the changes within the Secret Realm as soon as possible!