Fairy, don't let your golden finger chase after me!

Chapter 32: Childhood Sweethearts, the Arrogant Loser's Sword Technique Makes Great Contributio

After bidding farewell to Xiao Bai, Dong Mo and Gu Ziyue walked side by side to the gate of the bronze palace.

The massive bronze gate before us is over two zhang tall and wide enough to accommodate four chariots driving side by side.

The plaque hanging high above the gate is engraved with a line of ancient seal script, the characters conveying a sense of ancient vicissitudes.

Unfortunately, the writing on it was in the demon language, which Dong Mo, a transmigrator, couldn't recognize at all.

Dong Mo carefully examined the gate before shifting his gaze downwards.

At the lower right corner of the bronze gate, there was a small hole that could only accommodate one person at a time. The edge of the hole was covered with dense sword marks, the cut surfaces of which were smooth and clean, exactly the same as the sword marks that Dong Mo and Xiao Bai had seen in front of the stone gate earlier.

Clearly, these sword marks and this low hole were carved out by Xiao Hongchen with his sword back then.

Upon seeing the low hole in the gate, Gu Ziyue, eager to find treasure, was the first to crawl inside.

Dong Mo followed closely behind, and before entering the door, he couldn't help but look back at Xiao Bai at the end of the covered bridge.

Xiao Bai was still standing there when Dong Mo waved to her, indicating that she didn't need to worry about him. Xiao Bai waved back, but her gaze remained fixed on him.

Xiao Bai reluctantly withdrew his gaze only after Dong Mo's figure had completely disappeared into the doorway.

However, as soon as they entered the palace, Dong Mo and Gu Ziyue were shocked by the scene before them.

The interior decoration of the palace contrasts sharply with the magnificent gate on the outside.

The entire hall was empty, and the floor was uneven.

Even most of the paving stones had been pried off. And that was indeed the case…

Every treasure that can be seen in the open here, even if it's just a floor tile, was looted clean by a certain sword saint surnamed Xiao a thousand years ago.

Only those load-bearing pillars that couldn't be moved remained, standing alone in the empty hall.

As for the interior of the palace, the mechanisms, restrictions, and formations originally used to defend against external enemies had all been destroyed. The remains of bronze puppets, shattered array plates, and rusted mechanical parts were scattered everywhere.

Gu Ziyue glanced at the desolate scene inside the palace, which looked like it had been ravaged by locusts, and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"I'm saying... are all you people surnamed Xiao like this, 'thrifty and hardworking,' only acting when there's something in it, and like a greedy mythical creature wanting to bring home any treasure you see...?"

Gu Ziyue was cursing Xiao Hongchen, but her bright eyes were glancing sideways at "Xiao Mo," the veiled insult in her words was self-evident.

But Dong Mo remained unfazed and continued walking forward.

After all, Dong Mo's surname isn't Xiao! So Gu Ziyue's sarcastic remarks just now had no effect on him!

Seeing that he was completely unmoved, Gu Ziyue could only mutter a curse under her breath after holding back for a long time.

"Hmph...you're so shameless."

As Dong Mo and Gu Ziyue walked to the end of the main hall, a light curtain that appeared out of thin air suddenly blocked their path.

The surface of the light screen was swirling with spiritual energy, radiating a gentle sword intent.

[Purple Nether Sword: Master! This is it! Behind this light screen lies the final trial set up by the old master, and the sacred-grade pill is also inside!]

Upon hearing this, Dong Mo's eyes lit up, and without thinking, he decisively stepped into the light screen in front of him.

Seeing this, Gu Ziyue hurriedly followed. Behind the light curtain was a closed space made of bronze, with a dome more than ten feet high and the four walls covered with dense star map reliefs.

The stars are connected by silver wires, forming a complete celestial constellation map.

In the very center of the main hall stood nine peach wood puppets, each two zhang tall.

Dong Mo examined the puppets closely and found that the nine puppets in front of him seemed to be sculpted as the Nine Luminaries from the game's background setting, but the carving was very sloppy.

"Huh? What is this?"

Gu Ziyue tilted her head and leaned forward, curiously examining the puppet closest to her. "Judging from the design, it seems to be sculpted as one of the Nine Luminaries? But... these sculptures are sculpted so crudely, they don't look like the work of our demon ancestors..."

Dong Mo frowned warily. "Who knows what these things are? But my gut feeling tells me we'd better not touch them..."

Before Dong Mo could finish speaking, Gu Ziyue's finger had already poked into the breastplate of the Fire Star Official.

Immediately afterwards, accompanied by a piercing buzzing sound, a dark blue magical barrier suddenly rose from the ground around Gu Ziyue, enveloping Gu Ziyue and the nine peach wood statues.

As for Dong Mo, he was isolated outside the barrier.

"Ah... what's going on?!"

Gu Ziyue frantically pounded on the barrier.

"Are you a child? You touch everything you see!" Dong Mo sighed inwardly, unable to resist complaining to Gu Ziyue.

"Sorry! Sorry! It won't happen again! Please figure out a way to get me out of here first!"

Gu Ziyue clasped her hands together and apologized to Dong Mo repeatedly.

However, before she could finish speaking, the nine puppets behind her suddenly opened their eyes in unison.

The puppets' eyes blazed red, and nine sharp killing intents instantly locked onto the only living creature inside the barrier.

Then the Mars Constellation Official took the initiative, his long sword whistling through the air as it aimed straight for Gu Ziyue's vital point in the back.

Upon seeing this, Dong Mo immediately shouted, "Watch out!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Ziyue hurriedly turned around and hastily drew her Xihe sword from her waist to parry.

Then, with a clang, the two swords collided, instantly sparking a series of dazzling sparks.

Gu Ziyue was also shaken by the sword strike from the Yinghuo Puppet and was forced to retreat more than half a meter.

Immediately afterwards, the other eight puppets moved at the same time. Their sword-wielding movements were uniform and coordinated, like a well-trained military formation, surrounding Gu Ziyue from all directions.

"The Phantom Moon Sword Technique, Second Form: Hundred Swords Without End!"

Gu Ziyue gritted her teeth and swung her sword to counterattack. The sword light of the Xihe Sword soared into the sky like a dragon, transforming into countless bolts of lightning sword energy that shot out towards the surrounding puppets.

The dense sword shadows clashed fiercely with the puppet, and the booming sound reverberated like thunder throughout the enclosed bronze space.

However, when the sword energy dissipated and the lightning faded, the nine puppets remained completely still. Not even the smallest sword mark could be imprinted on them.

At this moment, Gu Ziyue only had the Qi Refining strength, while the defensive capabilities of these puppets were all at the Foundation Establishment level.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

Then, the Venus star official brandished his long sword, and dozens of sharp sword lights crisscrossed and shot towards him like a net.

Immediately afterwards, the other eight puppets also raised their spirit swords and, together with the Taibai puppet, attacked Gu Ziyue from various directions.

Seeing this, Gu Ziyue could only desperately resist.

Dong Mo, watching from behind the screen, narrowed his eyes.

He sensed a faint sense of familiarity in the movements of these puppets.

"Hmm... why do these puppets look so familiar?"

As Dong Mo was muttering to himself, a chat window for the Purple Nether Sword suddenly popped up in front of him.

[Purple Nether Sword: Master, you're right! These nine puppets before you are the final trial set up by your former master, Xiao Hongchen, based on his self-created sword technique! Their movements and operational logic all implicitly contain your former master's sword philosophy!]

Immediately afterwards, another pop-up window lit up.

[Tranquil Sword Technique: Little blondie, need my help?]

Dong Mo's lips curled up slightly: "Oh, why are you suddenly so kind-hearted today, offering to help me?"

[Tranquil Sword Technique: Enough... Enough already! Just tell me, do you need my help or not?]

[Purple Nether Sword: Yo yo yo... Sister Jingxin, have you finally blossomed like an iron tree?]

[Tranquility Sword Technique: Shut up! I didn't!]

Dong Mo chuckled softly, turning his gaze back to Gu Ziyue, whose battle within the light screen was intense, and silently recited in his heart.

"In that case, I'll leave it to you. Calm down!"

Dong Mo suddenly opened his double pupils, capturing the movement trajectory of the puppets. At the same time, he secretly activated the Tranquility True Understanding and Tranquility Sword Technique, deducing the movement trajectory and weaknesses of the Nine Luminaries Puppet's sword formation in his mind!

[Tranquil Sword Technique: Make that stinky fox take three steps back!]

"Miss Ziyue! Take three steps back!"

Gu Ziyue, who was about to be driven to the brink of despair by the sword puppet, was startled by Dong Mo's sudden shout.

Take three steps back? What kind of nonsense is this guy giving orders?

Gu Ziyue had no idea why the blond-haired man would give her such instructions!

But now she was forced into a corner, with the sword light of the Nine Luminaries puppets closing in from all sides, leaving her no time to hesitate.

Since that's the case, let's try anything, even if it's a long shot!

Xiao Mo! You damn little brother! You better pray that what you shouted actually worked! Otherwise... I'll haunt you even as a ghost!

Gu Ziyue gritted her teeth, suddenly exerted force with her feet, and quickly retreated three steps.

"laugh……"

As she retreated, the longswords of the Nine Luminaries puppets clashed with each other, unleashing a dazzling storm of sword energy at the point where their blades met.

The originally impenetrable Taibai Sword Formation was actually torn open by Gu Ziyue, and a gate of life suddenly appeared in front of her.

Seeing this, Gu Ziyue was overjoyed: "Xiao Mo, you are truly my savior!"

But before she could be happy for long, the nine puppets' eyes flashed with ferocity again, and the sword formation quickly rearranged, forming the Sun Sword Formation with the Sun Star Lord as the main figure.

Then, the surging sword energy, like blazing sunlight, pressed down on Gu Ziyue.