My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1260: Sword Pointed at the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance

Sun Erlang offered no response to Qiao Gong’s statement, as his capabilities far surpassed such a number.

One hundred, then two hundred, escalating to five hundred… Only when the quantity of dark puppets manifesting in the training area surpassed a thousand did Sun Erlang cease his summoning, drawing Qiao Gong’s utter disbelief.

With over a thousand dark puppets engaged in combat, each exhibiting distinct fighting methodologies, it was impossible to discern that a single individual orchestrated them.

Even after reaching this impressive display, Sun Erlang still possessed the energy to converse with Qiao Gong.

“Senior, you jest. As the Holy Emperor’s eldest disciple, I am destined to lead armies in the forthcoming war against the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, not to serve as a common soldier. Furthermore, while these puppets are formidable…”

“My own strength is not insignificant either.”

Sun Erlang’s voice resonated with unshakeable assurance. “The task of commanding these puppets can be entrusted to my subordinates. I find it difficult to believe that your Holy Army Puppets, Senior, could potentially outnumber the soldiers of our Holy Dynasty.”

Qiao Gong dismissed his words with a wave of his hand, a look of subtle contempt on his face. “No, no, no. Young man, you seem to have misunderstood. My reference was not to these standard Holy Army Puppets, but rather to those of this particular kind…”

As he spoke, flashes of dark light erupted. The thousand puppets summoned by Sun Erlang began to dematerialize from the training ground one by one.

In their stead, a spatial anomaly tore open, and a colossal golden puppet, radiating brilliance akin to the Heroic Spirit Hall illuminating the sky of the Holy Dynasty, descended.

An air of profound mystery and imposing majesty permeated the entire training area.

The surrounding containment fields groaned under the immense pressure, appearing on the verge of imminent collapse.

The golden puppet’s gaze settled upon Sun Erlang, devoid of emotion, like a celestial being surveying the mortal realm from above.

Caught within its unyielding stare, Sun Erlang felt an overwhelming sensation, as if he were confronting his own master.

“Could this be…”

Sun Erlang turned to Qiao Gong, his expression one of surprise.

Qiao Gong declared with unmistakable pride, “This represents the zenith of my craftsmanship, a potent puppet that embodies my ultimate skill. The preceding black Holy Army Puppets are merely mundane implements, expendable resources for warfare.”

“Consider this: would I possibly permit you to rigorously test something of truly superior caliber without adequate preparation?”

A flicker of shame crossed Sun Erlang’s face, yet his focus rapidly returned to the silent golden automaton before him.

“Senior, what is the extent of this puppet’s might?”

Qiao Gong stated with haughty confidence, “I do not intend to diminish your achievements, Sun boy. Despite your status as the Holy Emperor’s senior disciple, should you engage it in genuine combat, you might find yourself outmatched by this puppet.”

Sun Erlang’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he made no verbal objection.

Qiao Gong continued, “This puppet diverges significantly from those produced en masse. Each one is individually meticulously crafted by my own hands and imbued with power by the Holy Emperor himself…”

Qiao Gong paused, then added with a chuckle, “Heh heh. In essence, you only need to comprehend that these golden puppets are exceedingly rare. Even if the entirety of the Holy Dynasty were to dedicate all its resources, no more than ten could possibly be manufactured.”

“Consequently, the requirements for operating them are exceptionally demanding. I had been pondering the challenge of identifying suitable individuals to pilot them. I never anticipated that you possessed such a hidden capability…”

“Given your demonstrated ability to command over a thousand mass-produced puppets simultaneously, I believe controlling five of these golden puppets should present no insurmountable obstacle.”

“Is the disparity truly that significant?” Sun Erlang inquired, a hint of concern in his voice.

“Heh heh. You will ascertain the truth once you attempt it.” Qiao Gong then pressed a golden sphere directly into Sun Erlang’s sea of consciousness.

Boom!

The surrounding panorama dissolved. In an instant, it felt as though he had been transported from the training grounds into the boundless expanse of a dark, star-filled cosmos.

Two colossal spheres of crimson and gold loomed ahead, radiating an intense heat and brilliance.

Drawn by an unseen force, Sun Erlang moved closer, only to realize with sudden clarity that these were the very eyes of the golden puppet!

His consciousness was instantaneously enveloped. Upon regaining his awareness, Sun Erlang stared vacantly at his own hands.

He could no longer perceive his original physical form.

His current existence was that of the golden puppet.

Moreover…

Sun Erlang could distinctly feel an immense, unfamiliar power surging and circulating within his newfound body.

“What is this…”

While he remained in a state of bewilderment, Qiao Gong’s voice resonated beside his ear. “I shall dispatch you to the void beyond the Great Qi Holy Dynasty, a designated zone for trials. There, you may test this puppet form to your fullest satisfaction.”

The surrounding fabric of space contorted. In a blink, Sun Erlang found himself materialized within a dark, empty void.

In the distance, he could vaguely discern the Holy Dynasty, enveloped by numerous smaller celestial bodies.

“Roar!”

A colossal python, adorned with scales of shimmering silver and stretching for tens of thousands of feet, materialized abruptly from the emptiness, its cavernous, blood-red maw agape.

In the very next instant, it was poised to engulf the golden puppet under Sun Erlang’s control entirely.

Yet, Sun Erlang made no move to defend himself. He merely allowed a subtle luminescence to emanate from the puppet’s exterior.

Upon being struck by a searing inferno, the colossal python with scales like silver turned to mere ashes, its agonizing demise echoing in torment.

The serpent's end sent waves through the surroundings, much like a stone cast into still water.

From the encroaching darkness, countless unknown, savage creatures erupted, charging relentlessly toward Sun Erlang as if compelled by an unseen force.

Sun Erlang could readily perceive that each of these specially bred beasts of the Holy Dynasty wielded a might comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Yet, as they closed in to surround him…

Sun Erlang extended his left hand, a gesture as delicate as plucking a lute string through the air.

A subtle distortion rippled across the fabric of space.

The ferocious beasts, their visages still frozen in ferocity, were instantaneously torn asunder into innumerable fragments that rained down from above.

"The power of the laws."

"The laws of space."

Sun Erlang’s gaze settled upon his left hand, a sudden illumination dawning in his mind.

Within this moment of profound realization, he felt as though he perceived a form concealed deep within his own being.

"Spirit of Heaven and Earth?"

Even after unleashing such a devastating blow, Sun Erlang felt no drain on his energy while piloting the golden automaton.

The reservoir of power within the puppet appeared utterly inexhaustible.

"A puppet exceeding Dao Integration?"

Sun Erlang was convinced that the action he had just performed with such apparent ease possessed the capability to inflict severe damage upon a Dao Integration cultivator from the Xuanhuang Realm.

And this was still a considerable distance from the automaton's peak potential.

"It is no wonder Senior Qiao Gong declared me no match for it."

While an overwhelming sense of astonishment filled his heart, a subtle undertone of dejection also began to surface within Sun Erlang.

As the senior disciple of the Holy Emperor, he had benefited from unparalleled resources and had even seized opportunities within the Taiyan Sect…

Yet, in the final analysis, he remained inferior to a puppet casually constructed?

What purpose, then, did his own cultivation serve?

As his mind became ensnared in these disquieting contemplations, the golden automaton flickered and returned to the designated testing zone.

Sun Erlang detached himself from the puppet's consciousness, re-entering his own self.

Weakness.

An intense feeling of disparity immediately surged within Sun Erlang's soul.

"Heh heh. You feel disheartened, young one? There is truly no need for such feelings."

"The resources we have invested in these golden automatons could have, through sheer accumulation, produced ordinary cultivators capable of reaching Dao Integration."

Qiao Gong placed a hand on Sun Erlang's shoulder: "You must have discerned it as well. Each puppet incorporates the essence of a Spirit of Heaven and Earth as its core. With such a foundation, these automatons gain an almost thirty percent augmentation in combat prowess when engaged within the environmental conditions of the Xuanhuang Realm, akin to a fish thriving in water."

"And should the same individual command multiple automatons…"

Qiao Gong's tone shifted, suddenly alight with fervor: "The automatons can mutually draw upon the law powers of each other's Spirits of Heaven and Earth!"

"In swift, concentrated bursts, their combat strength can escalate exponentially, multiplying severalfold!"

Sun Erlang remained silent, his gaze fixed upon the resplendent golden automatons, standing like divine statues within the testing arena.

"In the impending conflict between the Holy Dynasty and the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, it shall be the superior combat power that ultimately dictates the victor. How many cultivators of Dao Integration does the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance possess? At least approaching a thousand. And the number of disciples under the Holy Emperor's command?"

"Furthermore, all of you are still remarkably young. When contrasted with the seasoned Dao Integration cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, you may find yourselves at a disadvantage. It cannot be expected that the Holy Emperor himself must personally intervene against them, can it?" Qiao Gong articulated his words slowly and deliberately.

"In the highest echelons, the first to reveal themselves exposes a vulnerability. Lad, you would be wise to fortify yourself mentally. During the approaching hostilities, the Holy Emperor may refrain from decisive action."

Sun Erlang inclined his head, stating, "I naturally comprehend this fundamental principle."

"With these golden automatons at our disposal, we can substantially mitigate the imbalance of power between our factions. Sun, would you care to attempt it?" Qiao Gong inquired.

"Provided you can command three simultaneously, encircling and eliminating a Dao Integration cultivator from the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance will be a straightforward undertaking," Qiao Gong assured him.

Sun Erlang offered a slow, thoughtful nod.

...

Within the hallowed chambers of the Holy Emperor's palace.

The discourse shared between the senior disciple and Qiao Gong, as a matter of course, did not evade the Holy Emperor's keen awareness.

The golden automatons, incorporating essence from the primal source and the Xuanhuang Spirit of Heaven and Earth as their nucleus, achieved the extraordinary, transforming potential into reality. Through the application of pure resources, they had engineered automatons capable of overpowering Dao Integration combatants.

The genesis of this ingenious concept, unsurprisingly, originated from Tianyang.

Indeed, Tianyang itself, subsequent to its substantial remodeling by golden source power and Qiao Gong's expertise, had already ascended beyond the Dao Integration realm, attaining the echelons of the Longevity Immortal. Moreover…

It was not far from reaching the ultimate mortal limit.

However, it was unfortunate, as if bound by some unseen chains, the advancement experience gained by Tianyang did not translate to the other puppets.

Even when crafted using identical methods, these later puppets were weaker than Tianyang by an entire major realm.

Li Ping surmised that beyond the unique circumstances of Tianyang’s transformation into a puppet, deeper principles were at play.

“The pioneer exhausts the path. Much like achieving the Dao to become an unparalleled True Immortal, the way permits no one else to tread upon it. The same is true for these puppets.”

“It seems the limitations are even more stringent.”

Nevertheless, with Tianyang and the current cohort of golden puppets aiding him, Li Ping was already quite content.

War, in the end, boiled down to who possessed more hidden advantages.

The Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance was undeniably vast and profound, but Li Ping's own repertoire of strategic moves was far from limited.

Furthermore, Qiao Gong had misjudged one crucial aspect.

“True powerhouses are not without their flaws.

They simply lack the fear of others exploiting them.”

In this looming conflict against the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, he would not indefinitely remain concealed in the shadows.

How else could he possibly live up to the esteemed title of Holy Emperor?

“Immortal Ancestor.”

Li Ping remained seated in quiet contemplation, yet his gaze pierced through the heavens, extending beyond the confines of the Xuanhuang Realm into the vast expanse.

A crystal, shimmering with a seven-hued brilliance, was toyed with in his palm.

It was a Voidbright Flow Crystal.

Through the observational data gathered by the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, Li Ping had already acquired a fundamental understanding of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s signature rainbow-light escape technique.

He resolved that before hostilities commenced, he would commandeer a puppet body and journey deep into the Star Sea.

His purpose was not to engage the Immortal Ancestor prematurely, but rather to seek profound enlightenment amidst the cosmic ocean.

“This battle, I am determined to emerge victorious.”

The resolute conviction within the Holy Emperor’s heart had never once wavered.

...

Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance.

Within the confines of the Derivation Law Jade space.

Sensing the subtle transmission of belief from his clone, Li Fan offered a slight nod.

Despite the Holy Emperor’s steadily increasing might and the diminishing responsiveness he felt towards him,

the Holy Emperor’s actions remained firmly on the course previously charted.

With the contingency plans he had put in place, Li Fan harbored no anxieties about potential setbacks.

Moreover, his primary objective was simply to expose the Immortal Ancestor’s true intentions, and that would be sufficient.

As for all else…

A single thought of returning to [Truth], and all existence dissolves into illusion.

After an extended period of meditation within the Derivation Jade space, Li Fan himself had reaped immense rewards from the continuous revelations provided by both the Holy Emperor and the Holy Embryo.

Particularly after encountering the transcendent laws that lay beyond the Xuanhuang’s limitations at the far reaches of the Star Sea, Li Fan had commenced a deep introspection regarding his future path.

“Even while bound by the constraints of the New Method, an alternative route can still be forged.”

“The Immortal Ancestor’s system is intrinsically linked to the Xuanhuang Realm itself. Should a new crucible be established within the boundless expanse of the starry sky, it would remain unbound by such limitations.”

“However, pursuing this course necessitates relinquishing the aid of the Xuanhuang Realm, presenting both advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, resources within the Star Sea are scarce. True progress may hinge upon the capabilities of the Xuan-Immortal Ark’s contingent.

“And that enigmatic High Wall.”

“It appears to be an entirely distinct power system, separate from that of the Darkest Star Sea. Yet, its capacity to suppress True Immortal power signifies its formidable nature. If it can be thoroughly examined and incorporated, it might serve as an unexpected advantage in future confrontations with the Immortal Ancestor.”

“My sole apprehension lies in…”

Li Fan’s brow furrowed slightly. “The Immortal Ancestor and the Heavenly Doctor departed from the Xuanhuang Realm significantly earlier than I did. Their inherent talents also surpass my own.”

“Everything I have managed to uncover thus far, they must have already discovered ages ago.”

“Consequently, these perceived advantages are, in reality, no advantages at all.”

“…”

“It appears only through direct engagement will we ascertain their true profundity.”

It must be acknowledged that as the cycles of reincarnation multiplied, the enigmatic shroud surrounding the Immortal Ancestor and the Heavenly Doctor had gradually begun to dissipate. From an initial strategy of complete avoidance to an emerging desire to test their capabilities.

The day he achieved definitive victory over them might not be far off.

Li Fan’s thoughts then drifted to the intriguing Cat Treasure that the Holy Emperor’s clone had recently discovered.

If there was any single entity in this lifetime that occupied his special attention, it was this peculiar treasure originating from beyond the High Wall, an entity that had eluded capture until now.

“The angler is also being fished…”

An unusual glint flickered within Li Fan’s eyes.

The peculiar reaction exhibited by the entire Du'e Sect towards Cat Treasure had prompted Li Fan to consider numerous possibilities.

However, at present, these remained purely speculative.

The Holy Emperor’s clone had also taken note of this anomaly.

The rationale behind journeying to the First Origin Sect to retrieve the Wind Obliterating Calamity and the Great Mage's remains was precisely this very thought.

...

While Li Fan was deep in contemplation, the tranquil space within the Derivation Law Jade was suddenly stirred.

A visitor had arrived.

It was Sun Luyuan, a member of the Sun family.

"Lu'er, I bring wonderful tidings, truly wonderful news!"

After exchanging pleasantries with the two Dao Integration realm guards on duty, Sun Luyuan addressed Li Fan.

"I am already aware."

Li Fan's response elicited a moment of surprise from Sun Luyuan.

"Through our bloodline connection, how could I possibly not know?"

"How fares Ninglu?" Li Fan inquired, a faint smile appearing to tug at the corners of his lips.

Sun Luyuan let out a soft sigh. "Regrettably, Ninglu has passed away. However, the fetus is safe, by fortune. This is also the reason I sought you out so late; I feared you might find the news difficult to bear."

Sun Luyuan then shifted the topic. "Do you have any conception of how exceptional this infant is? Born at the Dao Integration stage..."