Chen Tian scanned meticulously. The puppet stone statues' attacks landed on Chen Tian's barrier, which couldn't hold for much longer. Chen Tian needed to find the enemy's energy source. He observed closely, determined to find it. Such puppets were usually energy-driven, but Chen Tian found no mechanisms on the stone statues. Pondering, he shifted his gaze to the ground. If not on the puppets, could the source be elsewhere on the ground? With this thought, Chen Tian looked towards the spot where he had taken his first step. Stones were missing there, revealing what looked like an abyss.
The space below was pitch black. Chen Tian peered into the void and spotted glowing lines connecting to the puppet stone statues' bodies. Chen Tian swung his arm repeatedly, unleashing countless wind blades. A sound like something being cut echoed. The puppet stone statues instantly ceased their movements. The attacks poised to strike halted abruptly. Chen Tian's lips curved upwards. Now he understood their operational method: these stone puppets moved via puppet strings, requiring no external energy. Chen Tian surmised that beneath the missing stones lay a massive puppet mechanism, the operational hub. The lines emerged from beneath the first stone. Had Chen Tian's senses not been so acute, he would never have found it.
Chen Tian remained in place, not daring to move. Knowing their modus operandi, he was afraid to step carelessly. The ground comprised tens of thousands of stone blocks. If each block housed a puppet statue, how long would it take him to leave this place? This design, he thought wryly, was truly his doing. Chen Tian felt speechless. Such a formation, he mused, could likely not be forcefully broken even by the Heavenly Dao. Chen Tian looked at the ground, believing there must be a pattern, otherwise, such a formation would be unsolvable.
"If only I had listened to him more carefully about the Hidden Heaven Pagoda back then."
Chen Tian appeared dejected. If he had paid closer attention, he wouldn't be in this predicament now. But that was in the past. The priority was to pass this level. Chen Tian suspected a secret lay behind the Hidden Heaven Pagoda, otherwise, why would that person have set up the Hidden Heaven Formation here? What unknown thing was hidden behind it?
Chen Tian was curious and eager to find out. He looked at the ground, where countless stone blocks fitted together. A faint light shimmered among them. Chen Tian noticed these lights formed lines, seemingly without pattern. Upon closer inspection, he saw the lines coalesced into a pattern, one he had never encountered before. His eyes offered no information, and the system responded: "The host cannot detect items exceeding world limitations."
This implied that the entity depicted in the pattern existed beyond the myriad realms. Chen Tian couldn't describe it: a snake-like tail, a tiger-like head, leopard-like claws, hawk-like eyes, a pointed beak, and bony wings on its back. He had never heard of or seen such a creature. Chen Tian found it difficult to categorize.
However, Chen Tian noticed that the stone blocks next to the pattern were different from the ones beneath his feet. He seemed to have found a breakthrough. Perhaps the key to leaving the second level lay here. Chen Tian looked at the nearest stone block and leaped directly onto one within the pattern. The stone blocks behind him rose and fell, and puppet stone statues emerged, gripping cold stone axes, advancing towards Chen Tian step by step. When they reached him, the stone axes did not attack. The puppet stone statues were unable to advance, immobilized, which was peculiar. Chen Tian looked down at his feet; the glowing lines seemed to stop the puppet stone statues. It appeared they could not cross the light lines.
Chen Tian leaped forward repeatedly, three jumps in succession. This time, the stones did not rise. The stones within the pattern were indeed different from those outside. This area was safe. Chen Tian executed five consecutive jumps. On the fifth jump, something unexpected happened. All the stone blocks outside the pattern simultaneously activated with a rumble! Falling sounds echoed incessantly. Thousands of puppet stone statues surrounded Chen Tian. Chen Tian stood on the stone block, his mouth twitching. "Holy crap, there's this kind of setup!"
Chen Tian knew he had likely triggered a mechanism. An area that seemed safe had a trap. How cautious did one have to be to design such a thing, not wanting anyone to pass?
Chen Tian was speechless, not even wanting to speak. He shook his head. The sea of puppet stone statues blocked Chen Tian. While they couldn't attack him, if Chen Tian stepped outside the pattern, he would be surrounded and overwhelmed by the puppet stone statues. He was no match for them. There were thousands of puppet stone statues combined; Chen Tian couldn't even defeat one.
Chen Tian stood quietly on the stone block, thinking of a solution. His mind raced with calculations. Chen Tian's foot inadvertently shifted, and then new stone blocks rose beneath the puppet stone statues. These blocks were identical to those in the pattern, but they were occupied by the puppet stone statues.
A beam of light appeared from behind Chen Tian. He turned to look, and the light coalesced into an image of an old man. The old man had a kindly expression. He opened his eyes and said, "Let me see which young fellow has entered the Hidden Heaven Pagoda."
"You're still alive, you rascal!"
Chen Tian saw a familiar face. The old man paused slightly, sensing Chen Tian's aura, and then declared, "Haha, you're not dead, so how could I be? Furthermore, I come from the myriad realms. My lifespan far exceeds yours, reaching near immortality."
"So, it's you who has entered the Hidden Heaven Pagoda. What are you doing here?"
After speaking, the old man's expression turned solemn. Chen Tian scratched the back of his head and explained his situation. Upon hearing it, the old man sighed, "Alas, I had intended to keep it from her, but it seems I cannot hide it any longer."
"What happened? Why would she let you use the Hidden Heaven Formation and the Hidden Heaven Pagoda for her tomb?"
This was Chen Tian's perpetual question. After all, these two were not on good terms. For a tomb to require their cooperation to create, what was hidden behind it? Chen Tian had no idea.
"Chen Tian, behind the Hidden Heaven Pagoda is the Evil Spirit race. However, this Evil Spirit race is special. She and I joined forces to suppress it behind there. I am using the Hidden Heaven Formation and the Hidden Heaven Pagoda solely to keep it suppressed here, never to let it escape."
"As for the tomb, it is indeed a tomb, but it can also not be one, because her living is equivalent to her death."
The old man's voice grew increasingly sorrowful. He recalled how Chen Tian and his companions had brought him from the universe to the Divine Spirit Realm to heal when he was in danger. The old man had not forgotten this kindness. Even after leaving the Divine Spirit Realm and returning to his own place, his heart still cared for Chen Tian and the others.
During his millennia of recuperation in the Divine Spirit Realm, he had made a group of friends, true friends. Chen Tian was among his confidants.
"Speak, I will listen attentively," Chen Tian said, sitting on the ground like a student in a lecture. The old man told Chen Tian all he knew. The old man said meaningfully, "Behind the Hidden Heaven Pagoda is not a tomb, but the dwelling place of the Evil Spirit race. She and I were always rivals. In the end, we came here together and discovered a special kind of Evil Spirit. This particular Evil Spirit had no life, only an aura, but its evil spirit energy was immense, far more terrifying than any Evil General encountered before."
"When the evil spirit energy encountered her, it directly entered her body. We lacked the ability to resist. I could only watch as she gradually transformed into an Evil Spirit, assimilated. Fortunately, she ultimately pleaded with me to seal her here and use the Hidden Heaven Pagoda and the Hidden Heaven Formation to seal herself forever, to prevent her from harming the beings of this world after becoming an Evil Spirit."
"At that time, I saw her resolve and personally suppressed her here, using the Hidden Heaven Formation and the Hidden Heaven Pagoda to seal the area behind. As I left, I used formations to obscure all traces of this place. Chen Tian, I truly did not expect you to find this place."
The old man finished speaking, somewhat surprised. The formations set up in this area should logically have prevented Chen Tian from finding it; no one should have been able to find it. Chen Tian had become stronger than before, the old man could only think this. Chen Tian wiped his nose and looked at the old man, saying, 'I understand now. So, behind the Hidden Heaven Pagoda is a special Evil Spirit. I can deal with it now. I estimate it could be an Ancient Evil General. You two couldn't handle it normally.'
Chen Tian quickly guessed the identity of the Evil General: an Ancient Evil General, a true member of the Evil Spirit race. They had appeared here thousands of years ago and remained inactive. Who knew what their intentions were? Chen Tian would not let any Evil Spirit escape. If they behaved themselves, it would be fine. If not, he would have to fight.
"Chen Tian, you are still inside the Hidden Heaven Pagoda. It would be best if you got out first, otherwise, you will be trapped here forever. The Hidden Heaven Pagoda is designed to imprison its targets until death."
The old man spoke with a playful smile. Chen Tian said exasperatedly, "So, is there any way to break through the second level of the Hidden Heaven Pagoda? I'm stuck here. Look outside, this is all your doing, setting up so many puppets! I can't even fight them, or I wouldn't be in this situation."
Chen Tian waved his hand, complaining. The old man looked around Chen Tian and remained silent. Who knew the first person to enter the Hidden Heaven Pagoda would be Chen Tian? When designing the second stage, the old man had used his own rare materials to forge the puppet stone statues. The entire second stage was designed as a dead end, unsolvable. Even he, if present, could not get out.
"Chen Tian, give up. This level has no solution. I originally intended to trap enemies inside. Even the Heavenly Dao would have a slim chance, but Chen Tian, you are human. You are not the Heavenly Dao, so you cannot escape."
"Then what should I do? I still need to go and save the outside world!"
"There is one way. I can forcibly open a passage on my side, and you can enter it. Your strength has reached the standard for the myriad realms. You can cultivate in the myriad realms now. When you reach a certain level, you can return."
"No, impossible! There isn't enough time. I must resolve things here before I go with you. I told you the same thing back then."
"Sigh! A genius like you, I rarely see even in the myriad realms. I should have forcibly taken you away back then. Fine, fine."
"I'll help you once. For this second level, I will sacrifice some of my essence to collapse it. The Hidden Heaven Pagoda will lose its spiritual essence. You will need to bring the Hidden Heaven Pagoda to the myriad realms for me to repair it."
Chen Tian understood the old man's intention. He would be going to the myriad realms sooner or later anyway. Chen Tian asked, "Where in the myriad realms should I find you?"
"The Demon Extinguishing Realm, Dao Origin Sect. I will be waiting for you there."
The old man finished speaking and his figure vanished. Cracks appeared on the second level, and spatial rifts spread. With a bang, Chen Tian's figure appeared on the top floor of the Hidden Heaven Pagoda. On the third floor, Chen Tian stared at the Hidden Heaven Pagoda before him. The core of the third floor had clearly lost its radiance, the entire core petrified, devoid of its essence. That person, in order to help Chen Tian escape the second level, had forcefully severed his connection to his essence, which would cause a backlash. Yet, the old man had not hesitated.
The old man greatly admired Chen Tian's talent. He had witnessed Chen Tian's changes and growth bit by bit. Unlike the prodigies of the myriad realms, Chen Tian possessed a special kind of power.
Chen Tian placed his palm on the core. His internal power flowed out and entered the core. The entire Hidden Heaven Pagoda shook and transformed into a small triangular shape, entering Chen Tian's back hand. A triangular imprint was carved onto Chen Tian's hand.
The old man's illusory figure reappeared and said, "Chen Tian, I forgot to tell you, you must come to me before the third thousand epochs. The third thousand epochs will bring..."
Before he could finish, the old man's phantom shattered. Chen Tian never understood what the old man was trying to convey. What was the "third thousand epochs"?
Chen Tian couldn't fathom what the other party wanted to express. He didn't know much about the myriad realms. Soon, he stopped thinking about it.
Chen Tian landed on the ground. The entire ground around him was enveloped in black energy. Chen Tian looked at the enormous castle before him. The castle had lost its luster, entirely covered and shrouded by black energy, even its walls stained black.
This castle was not like this before. Its former glory was gone, leaving only an eerie and evil aura.