After storing the entire island, Xiao Jietian was almost exhausted.
Where the ancient forest once stood, only an endless, bottomless, massive pit remained.
Only the lingering scent of medicinal herbs in the air silently spoke of the countless treasures that had once thrived there.
"Master, eat this pill." Xiao Huiying rushed to Xiao Jietian's side, supporting him, and placed a pill from her hand into his mouth.
This was an eighth-grade pill for restoring Dou Qi. Given Xiao Jietian and Xuan Yi's status as alchemists, Yun Yun and the others' storage rings were filled with numerous eighth-grade pills of various effects—healing, restoring Dou Qi, enhancing Dou Qi, and increasing strength.
After Xiao Jietian consumed the pill, his Dou Qi recovered significantly.
The Heaven-tier mid-grade cultivation technique, Chaos Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Art, instantly activated. The surrounding natural energy was invisibly drawn in and absorbed into Xiao Jietian's body.
After absorbing all the natural energy, Xiao Jietian's complexion became rosy again, and he even felt his cultivation increase slightly.
"Alright, there's nothing left here. Let's leave and head to the next stop."
"Let's go, let's go!" Xiao Huiying cheered and pulled Xiao Jietian along. "Let's quickly collect everything, then we can go back to the Eternal Heaven World to see that ancient forest."
Xiao Jietian allowed the lively Xiao Huiying to pull him along…
…
In the square, a grey-robed elder was fighting the ten puppets while everyone else watched in silence.
Finally, after the ten puppets formed a formation, the leading Earth Demon Puppet evolved and sent the one-star Dou Zun grey-robed elder flying back with a single punch, causing him to spit blood.
Then, the puppet's figure flickered. It directly grabbed the elder's leg, pulled him back, and threw him into the center of the formation.
To everyone's dumbfounded amazement, several puppets—no one knew where they got them from—pulled out benches and started a group brawl.
"No… are these Dou Sheng's puppets? Why do they seem like thugs?"
For a moment, a flock of crows seemed to fly over everyone's heads as they silently mourned for the grey-robed elder. Although there would be no fatal injuries, it was utterly humiliating.
"All of you, scram!"
The grey-robed elder could no longer endure it and unleashed his aura without reservation. All the puppets were instantly sent flying, and the elder took the opportunity to escape.
The flying puppets also took the chance to retreat, returning neatly to their positions in front of the stone gate. Their faces even vaguely showed a benevolent expression, similar to that of a monk.
The people around were slightly surprised by this sudden change, but only slightly.
Then they looked at the grey-robed elder. At this moment, he seemed unharmed, but his body and face were covered with footprints and bench marks.
Many people's mouths twitched slightly, looking like they wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
However, through the elder's battle, everyone now understood the ultimate combat power of these puppets: two-star Dou Zun. It was just that their methods were a bit… extraordinary.
"It's the effect of that formation. It truly lives up to being left by a Dou Sheng expert. These ten Earth Demon Puppets, combined with that peculiar formation, are enough to contend with a two-star Dou Zun."
Xiao Yan had also been observing these puppets and finally came to this conclusion, his eyes filled with fiery passion.
Regarding these ten puppets, Xiao Yan felt an even stronger need to obtain them. Combined with the Heaven Demon Puppet he already possessed, they would be able to unleash even greater power. What he mainly wanted were their cores and this peculiar formation method.
"Yanran, don't you think the movements of these puppets feel a bit familiar?" Xiao Yan scratched his head and asked Nalan Yanran beside him.
"They do a bit, but I can't quite recall. I always feel like I've seen them somewhere before." Nalan Yanran pondered for a moment after hearing Xiao Yan's words, then replied.
Just then, the ten puppets, who had been standing quietly, suddenly looked up in Xiao Yan's direction as if receiving some command. Their auras erupted, and they charged directly at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan was also startled by the puppets' sudden attack, and his expression became slightly grim. He had already felt that the puppets' auras were locked onto him.
The others also noticed this scene. Especially those factions who harbored enmity toward Xiao Yan—they couldn't help but sneer.
"Did this kid do something to incur the wrath of heaven and man just now?"
"It's not impossible. Otherwise, why would these puppets suddenly look like they want to fight him to the death?"
"Serves him right. We'll take this opportunity to kill this kid, and then that girl with the special physique beside him will be ours to manipulate." The people from Ice River Valley all sneered, looking as if they were ready to act at any moment.
Venerable Skyfire and Xiao Yan, although puzzled as to why these puppets would charge at them, had no time to think further. All three adopted fighting stances.
"Little friend Xiao Yan, I'll…" Valley Master Tang Zhen, with the people from Burning Flame Valley, prepared to head toward Xiao Yan.
However, before Valley Master Tang Zhen could finish speaking, he was stunned into place by the scene before him.
The originally aggressive puppets, upon reaching within five meters of Xiao Yan, suddenly and neatly collapsed to the ground.
A cloud of dust was stirred up. After the dust settled, they lay neatly on the ground, as if they were toys that had run out of power.
"Yan'er, the imprints on these puppets have disappeared. Quickly take them away." Yao Lao's voice resonated in Xiao Yan's mind.
Xiao Yan instantly woke up and quickly stored the puppets into his storage ring. While collecting them, he didn't forget to imprint his own soul mark on them.
"Teacher, what's going on?" Xiao Yan asked Yao Lao, puzzled.
"Just now, I sensed a familiar aura from above. Combined with those thuggish group-brawling methods from before, and these puppets inexplicably coming to your side, only that bored fellow would do something like this."
"Teacher, are you saying… Tian Ge?" Xiao Yan, prompted by Yao Lao, instantly understood. "It does seem to be Tian Ge's style. Boundless Heaven Hall has this bench group-brawling method, specifically to deal with those who come to show off."
"So, that means Tian Ge has already gone inside."
"Nonsense. If he can control these puppets, then he must have already gone in."
"Then why didn't Tian Ge take these puppets?"
Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Yao Lao's voice came out filled with helplessness. "Do you think your brother would even bother with these things?"
"Hehe, it really does seem that way." Xiao Yan also recalled that his Tian Ge indeed disliked these puppets very much. Given his strength, puppets at the peak of Dou Zong could be easily smashed to pieces by him.