"This is a Secret Technique that turns slain Great Demons into lifeless Puppets, which are then set up as an Array."

"Don’t be fooled by these nine rock pillars, each standing apart. The moment you take a single step inside, the nine great serpents coiled upon them will instantly awaken and attack in unison."

"Tang Youliang and his group must have been stopped by this Array."

...

Meng Changtu explained the Puppet Array in detail, his expression grave.

Chen Che listened intently while sizing up the Grand Array. There was nothing particularly unusual about the array itself. The rationale was simple: Demon Beasts had limited lifespans, and with minds of their own, they could never be counted on for eternal, loyal servitude.

So, they were turned into Puppets to guard a location.

The Tomb Guardian Beasts placed in some Cultivators’ tombs were made in the same way.

’If that remnant soul really is True Master Chilong, then we have to break this Grand Array. He might come back for it later. If we let him recover his Cave Mansion, dealing with him will become that much harder!’

Chen Che understood completely.

After all,

These nine Puppets alone, after lying dormant for five hundred years, were enough to stop six Tribulation Cultivators in their tracks. What would they be like at their peak?

Wouldn’t even a Golden Core True Master be forced to beat a hasty retreat?

"There’s no time to lose. We’re breaking the Array!"

Just then, Meng Changtu’s voice rang out, confirming he had come to the same conclusion:

"Since we’re here, we can’t leave empty-handed. We’ll take what’s inside, then destroy this Cave Mansion. That’ll keep True Master Chilong from returning and using its resources against us!"

"Can you break it?"

Chen Che looked at his father-in-law with expectation.

If he knew how to break the Array, they could simply find its core and dismantle it with ease. If not, their only option was a battle to the death against the nine Puppets.

"I can’t!"

Meng Changtu shook his head. Gripping the Black Blade on his back, he strode forward.

"If we can’t beat them, we’ll regroup and figure something out."

Chen Che also hurried forward.

The moment Meng Changtu stepped into the valley, the great serpents coiled on the pillars stirred as if startled from a deep sleep. Their bodies convulsed as if shocked by lightning. Then, their dim eye sockets abruptly ignited, glowing with a baleful light.

Their massive bodies slithered down the towering rock pillars.

The friction of their scales against the stone pillars and the ground created a grating sound.

WHOOSH!

Despite being inanimate objects, they were incredibly fast.

The great serpents rose up one after another. They were so massive that even coiled, they stood well over a hundred feet tall—majestic and terrifying, like Fierce Beasts from a primordial era.

"ROAR!"

With furious roars, they lunged forward—some charging, some snapping their jaws, others coiling to crush their prey.

Chen Che’s expression remained calm. As a great serpent charged, he hurled the Black Dragon Lock Chain forward to meet it head-on.

"BAM!"

This was the same Black Dragon Lock Chain that had torn through tens of thousands of Yin Souls, shattered the Turtle Shell, and even injured Chi Jingwei through his Protective Inner Armor. And yet, the instant it collided with the great serpent, it was sent flying.

The great serpent, however, merely had its advance halted for a moment. Even the scales on its forehead were undamaged.

Then, it lunged forward again with even greater speed.

On the other side, Meng Changtu had also clashed with a great serpent, striking once before retreating.

"Late-stage Foundation Establishment power!"

His father-in-law fell back several steps and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We can handle this..."

The Puppets were inanimate, activated only by the Array.

If a Cultivator were controlling them, the two would have no choice but to turn and flee. But powered by the Grand Array alone, their strength was significantly diminished. The only problem was their origin as Golden Core Great Demons. Their defenses were extraordinarily tough, rendering most of the duo’s attacks ineffective.

This was likely why Tang Youliang and the others had wanted to gather a large amount of Spirit Stones—to buy powerful offensive Magical Artifacts or Talismans to destroy the puppets completely.

"Better to sever one finger than to injure all ten. I’ll draw the other serpents away. You focus on taking one down. We’ll deal with the rest after that!"

As he spoke, Meng Changtu gripped his Black Blade tight, leaped onto the back of one serpent, and raced deeper into the valley.

Almost simultaneously, three of the nearest serpents whipped their long tails and gave chase.

A few others coiled their bodies, rapidly sealing off the valley’s entrance.

Chen Che glanced over. Meng Changtu should be able to hold them off for a while. With a flicker of his Divine Sense, he recalled the Black Dragon Lock Chain. The massive chain expanded as it flew, swiftly wrapping around the serpent and binding its body. As the chain constricted, it let out a deafening screech of metal grinding against stone.

The Pure Jun Sword shot toward the great serpent’s vital point, but only managed to sink three feet deep before it could go no further.

Obviously.

This Golden Core body was not so easily destroyed.

"BOOM!"

The next moment, the great serpent charged, dragging the chains with it.

Chen Che made a fist and activated his Sword Formulas. In mid-air, the Pure Jun Sword multiplied into thousands of sharp blades.

In the blink of an eye, they formed a Sword Dragon that charged forward, carving a long gash in the ground with terrifying force. But the serpent didn’t even try to dodge; it simply crashed into the Sword Dragon, shattering it with its formidable body.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

The countless blades struck the great serpent’s scales, erupting in a shower of brilliant sparks.

’Looks like complete destruction is the only way.’

Having exhausted all other methods, Chen Che had no choice but to use the Sword Pill.

’I was hoping to take a few of these Puppets back to guard Jinyun Valley, too.’

So, his will flowed into his sea of consciousness. His vast Divine Sense enveloped the Sword Pill and surged forth. The instant a single flying sword peeled away from the Sword Pill, it transformed into a golden thread. In a flash, it pierced the scales on the serpent’s brow and shot into its body.

SHLICK!

Like a hot knife through butter, the flying sword exited through the serpent’s tail.