jiù zài lǐ fán bù jiě de shí hòu ， měng rán jiān tā chá jué dào le shén me ， shén qíng wēi dòng ， cháo zhe zhōu wéi kàn qù 。
就在李凡不解的时候，猛然间他察觉到了什么，神情微动，朝着周围看去。
Just as Li Fan was puzzled, he suddenly sensed something and his expression changed slightly. He looked around.
shēn hǎi zhōng ， yì diǎn diǎn xì xiǎo de lán guāng ， cóng sì miàn bā fāng huì jù ér lái 。
深海中，一点点细小的蓝光，从四面八方汇聚而来。
In the deep sea, tiny blue lights gathered from all directions and flew towards the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion.
cháo zhe tiān yáng dòng fǔ nèi fēi qù 。
朝着天阳洞府内飞去。
Li Fan stretched out his hand to intercept one of these blue light points and examined it in his palm.
lǐ fán shēn chū shǒu ， lán jié le yí gè lán sè guāng diǎn ， zhì yú shǒu zhōng chá kàn 。
李凡伸出手，拦截了一个蓝色光点，置于手中查看。
"Pure water attribute spirit energy..."
“ jīng chún de shuǐ shǔ xìng líng qì ……”
“精纯的水属性灵气……”
Realizing what was happening instantly, Li Fan made the most correct decision. The Shadow Following Technique was immediately activated, and he seemed like a shadow as he rushed into the volcano's mouth.
chà nà jiān xiǎng dào le shén me ， lǐ fán huǎng rán 。
刹那间想到了什么，李凡恍然。
The other cultivators were still amazed by the increasing number of blue light points.
dāng jí zuò le zuì zhèng què de jué dìng 。
当即做了最正确的决定。
"Watery Spirit Body! Cao Hong is actually a Watery Spirit Body!"
rú yǐng suí xíng jué shà shí jī fā ， tā shēn xíng wǎn ruò yī dào huàn yǐng ， chōng jìn huǒ shān kǒu zhōng 。
如影随形诀霎时激发，他身形宛若一道幻影，冲进火山口中。
Someone finally realized and exclaimed in shock.
qí yú rén hái zài jīng yà yú yuè lái yuè duō de lán sè guāng diǎn 。
其余人还在惊讶于越来越多的蓝色光点。
"I got it. A Watery Spirit Body means high affinity with spirit energy. As long as he’s on this vast sea, he won’t have to worry about spirit energy issues. Even if the consumption rate is high, the surrounding water attribute spirit energy can quickly replenish him!"
“ shuǐ líng tǐ ！ zhè zhāng hào bō jū rán shì shuǐ líng tǐ ！”
“水灵体！这张浩波居然是水灵体！”
"That means..."
yǒu rén zhōng yú fǎn yìng guò lái ， jīng shēng dào 。
有人终于反应过来，惊声道。
"Damn! Someone beat us to it!"
“ wǒ dǒng le ， shuǐ líng tǐ ， líng qì qīn hé 。 zhǐ yào zài zhè wāng yáng dà hǎi zhī shàng ， tā jiù wú xū dān xīn líng qì wèn tí 。 jiù suàn xiāo hào de zài kuài ， sì zhōu wú chǔ bù zài de shuǐ shǔ xìng líng qì bǔ chōng xià ， yě néng kuài sù huī fù ！”
“我懂了，水灵体，灵气亲和。只要在这汪洋大海之上，他就无需担心灵气问题。就算消耗的再快，四周无处不在的水属性灵气补充下，也能快速恢复！”
"Fellow cultivators, charge!"
“ nà bù jiù shì shuō ……”
“那不就是说……”
The awakened spirit energy cultivators rushed into the volcano's mouth just like Li Fan, eager to seek opportunities for cultivation.
“ kào ， bèi rén qiǎng xiān le ！”
“靠，被人抢先了！”
Li Fan had already passed through the lava inside the volcano and entered the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion. He bypassed the fighting puppets and Cao Hong, using his divine sense to scan for any traces of Hao Zhenghao’s remains.
“ dào yǒu men chōng ！”
“道友们冲！”
But...
xǐng wù guò lái de liàn qì xiū shì men ， fēn fēn rú tóng lǐ fán yī yàng ， zhēng xiān kǒng hòu de chōng jìn huǒ shān kǒu zhōng ， shì tú xún zhǎo jī yuán zào huà 。
醒悟过来的炼气修士们，纷纷如同李凡一样，争先恐后的冲进火山口中，试图寻找机缘造化。
After several battles, this place was in ruins. The seventeen元婴 puppets, fully unleashed, had caused quite a commotion. Even the sturdy cave floor seemed to have been shaved off by their monstrous power. Li Fan couldn’t find any intact body or storage rings; only some scattered debris could be vaguely identified.
ér zǎo tā men yī bù de lǐ fán ， cǐ shí yǐ jīng chuān guò le huǒ shān nèi de yán jiāng ， lái dào le tiān yáng dòng fǔ nèi 。
而早他们一步的李凡，此时已经穿过了火山内的岩浆，来到了天阳洞府内。
Li Fan’s eyes flickered as he saw the cultivators catching up behind him. He decided not to waste time and collected all the debris, then rushed deeper into the cave in search of anything valuable.
chuān guò zhèng zài jiāo zhàn de kuǐ lěi yǔ zhāng hào bō ， lǐ fán shén shí yī sǎo ， shì tú xún zhǎo hé zhèng hào yí gǔ de zōng jì 。
穿过正在交战的傀儡与张浩波，李凡神识一扫，试图寻找何正浩遗骨的踪迹。
Suddenly, a voice from within the cave resounded, ancient yet mechanical.
cǐ chù jīng guò jǐ cì dà zhàn ， yǐ jīng shì yī piàn láng jí 。
此处经过几次大战，已经是一片狼藉。
Li Fan paused mid-step, feeling an unsettling sensation in his heart. He looked towards the source of the sound, which was one of the mechanical puppets.
shí qī zūn yuán yīng kuǐ lěi quán lì bào fā zhī xià ， wēi lì zhe shí kě bù 。
十七尊元婴傀儡全力爆发之下，威力着实可怖。
These dark red puppets had undergone some transformation under Cao Hong’s "Fire Dragon Roar," and anger was building up inside them. Like a volcano awakening after millennia of dormancy, cracks began to appear on their bodies, revealing an eerie blackness within.
jiān yìng de dòng fǔ dì miàn dōu fǎng fú bèi guài lì xuē qù yī céng shì de ， bié shuō wán zhěng de yí tǐ le ， jiù lián chǔ wù jiè shá de dōu méi kàn dào 。
坚硬的洞府地面都仿佛被怪力削去一层似的，别说完整的遗体了，就连储物戒啥的都没看到。
"Sun..."
zhǐ néng miǎn qiǎng biàn bié chū dì miàn yī xiē cán zhā 。
只能勉强辨别出地面一些残渣。
Seeing this, Cao Hong increased the intensity of his attacks with the Calming Sword.
lǐ fán kàn dé yǎn pí zhí tiào ， yǎn jiàn hòu miàn de xiū shì yǐ jīng gǎn shàng ， dāng xià yě guǎn bù liǎo duō shǎo ， gān cuì yī gǔ nǎo jiāng zhè xiē cán zhā quán dōu shōu jí qǐ lái 。
李凡看得眼皮直跳，眼见后面的修士已经赶上，当下也管不了多少，干脆一股脑将这些残渣全都收集起来。
It seemed that despite the intense battle, he still had some reserves left.
suí hòu yě cháo zhe dòng fǔ shēn chù chōng jìn qù ， qǐ tú kàn kàn hái yǒu shén me yǒu jià zhí de dōng xī 。
随后也朝着洞府深处冲进去，企图看看还有什么有价值的东西。
The puppets were still at a disadvantage, but Li Fan’s unease grew stronger. He decided to go against the flow and try to return.
jiù zài zhè shí ， tā tū rán tīng dào dòng fǔ nèi ， tū rán xiǎng qǐ yī dào gǔ lǎo ér jī xiè de shēng yīn 。
就在这时，他突然听到洞府内，突然响起一道古老而机械的声音。
"O..."
“ tiān ……”
“天……”
The cracks on the puppets multiplied, resembling shattered porcelain about to shatter completely.
lǐ fán shēn xíng yī dùn ， xīn zhōng hū de yǒng qǐ yī zhèn bù ān 。
李凡身形一顿，心中忽的涌起一阵不安。
"P..."
cháo zhe shēng yīn de lái yuán kàn qù ， zhèng shì qí zhōng yī jù jī guān kuǐ lěi 。
朝着声音的来源看去，正是其中一具机关傀儡。
With a loud bang, one by one of those puppet figures, supposedly with元婴 power, turned into fragments like broken vases, scattering in all directions. The water swords suddenly stopped moving.
yì zhí chǔ yú bèi zhāng hào bō de “ shuǐ lóng yín ” yā zhì de qíng kuàng xià ， zhè xiē àn hóng sè de jī guān kuǐ lěi sì hū fā shēng le mǒu zhǒng biàn huà 。
一直处于被张浩波的“水龙吟”压制的情况下，这些暗红色的机关傀儡似乎发生了某种变化。
Cao Hong was stunned by this scene and stood there in shock.
fèn nù zài tā men xīn zhōng jī xù 。
愤怒在它们心中积蓄。
"How is that possible?"
rú tóng chén shuì qiān nián de huǒ shān ， yī zhāo sū xǐng 。
如同沉睡千年的火山，一朝苏醒。
Not just Cao Hong, but all the cultivators present were equally shocked. Their gazes kept shifting between Cao Hong and the scattered fragments, filled with confusion.
kuǐ lěi de shēn qū kāi shǐ chū xiàn dào dào liè wén ， lù chū nèi bù lüè xiǎn yāo yì de hēi sè 。
傀儡的身躯开始出现道道裂纹，露出内部略显妖异的黑色。
Was it a facade? Or was Cao Hong, who appeared to be an ordinary spirit energy cultivator, actually concealing his true power?
“ yáng ……”
“阳……”
Li Fan was also stunned by this unexpected turn of events and stopped in his tracks. He stared at the scattered puppets, his thoughts racing.
zhāng hào bō jiàn zhuàng ， què shì jiā dà le dìng hǎi jiàn de gōng jī de lì dù 。
张浩波见状，却是加大了定海剑的攻击的力度。
As silence fell, all the fragments began to vibrate.
zhè me kàn lái ， zhī qián rú cǐ jī liè de zhàn dòu ， tā jū rán shì réng rán liú yǒu yú lì 。
这么看来，之前如此激烈的战斗，他居然是仍然留有余力。
"No..."
kuǐ lěi yī rán chǔ yú xià fēng ， dàn lǐ fán xīn zhōng de bù ān què shì yù fā nóng liè 。
傀儡依然处于下风，但李凡心中的不安却是愈发浓烈。
The mechanical sound resounded again, this time from all the fragments together. Thousands of voices echoed through the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion.
yú shì tā guǒ duàn nì zhe rén liú ， shì tú fǎn huí 。
于是他果断逆着人流，试图返回。
"Weak..."
“ yī ……”
“一……”
These black-red fragments trembled as if alive, slowly gathering into one place. With a creaking sound, they gradually fused into one.
kuǐ lěi shēn shàng de liè wén yuè lái yuè duō ， wǎn ruò pò suì de cí qì ， suí shí huì liè kāi lái yì bān 。
傀儡身上的裂纹越来越多，宛若破碎的瓷器，随时会裂开来一般。
"Man..."
“ shēng ……”
“生……”
Li Fan’s sense of danger intensified. He suddenly accelerated and rushed towards the cave exit.
pēng de yī shēng 。
砰的一声。
Passing by Cao Hong who was still in shock, Li Fan slightly changed direction and pulled him along.
shuǐ lóng yín xià ， nà jù shuō yǒu zhe yuán yīng qī shí lì de jī guān kuǐ lěi ， jū rán yī zūn jiē zhe yī zūn 。
水龙吟下，那据说有着元婴期实力的机关傀儡，居然一尊接着一尊。
"Cultivator Cao, hurry!"
rú bèi zá zài dì miàn de huā píng ， shà shí jiān liè chéng wú shù xì xiǎo de suì piàn 。
如被砸在地面的花瓶，霎时间裂成无数细小的碎片。
To prevent any resistance, he instantly activated his Bug Binding Technique to subdue him.
màn tiān fēi wǔ de shuǐ jiàn dǒu rán zhǐ zhù 。
漫天飞舞的水剑陡然止住。
Cao Hong, still dazed by the strange behavior of the puppet fragments, suddenly felt a voice and then lost control of his body. Despite the shock, he heard what was said and felt somewhat relieved as he looked at the mysterious figure who had appeared before him.
zhāng hào bō cuò è de kàn zhuó yǎn qián zhè yí mù ， dāng chǎng lèng zhù 。
张浩波错愕的看着眼前这一幕，当场愣住。
The figure’s appearance was hidden, but its every move restrained Cao Hong with no room for resistance.
“ zěn me kě néng ？”
“怎么可能？”
Li Fan guessed that this person must be...
bù guāng shì zhāng hào bō ， zài chǎng suǒ yǒu xiū shì ， dōu bèi zhè chǎng jǐng jīng dāi le 。
不光是张浩波，在场所有修士，都被这场景惊呆了。
Incomprehensibly powerful.
tā men de shì xiàn lái huí zài zhāng hào bō hé mǎn dì de suì piàn shàng yí dòng ， xīn zhōng chōng mǎn yí huò 。
他们的视线来回在张浩波和满地的碎片上移动，心中充满疑惑。
Cao Hong shuddered, allowing the mysterious figure to lead him through the lava and out of the volcano back into the sea.
shì zhè jī guān kuǐ lěi xū yǒu qí biǎo 。
是这机关傀儡虚有其表。
"Man..."
hái shì shuō zhè zhāng hào bō ， biǎo miàn shì liàn qì xiū shì ， shí zé shì yǐn mán le xiū wèi de dà néng ？
还是说这张浩波，表面是炼气修士，实则是隐瞒了修为的大能？
As the puppet fragments reassembled, a black hand covered in cracks appeared before everyone. A vivid crimson light flowed through the cracks, accompanied by mechanical and angry roars.
lǐ fán yě tóng yàng bèi zhè yì liào wài zhī shì suǒ zhèn jīng ， zhǐ zhù le shēn xíng 。
李凡也同样被这意料外之事所震惊，止住了身形。
"Heaven, Sun, One, Live..."
dīng zhe mǎn dì de kuǐ lěi ， sī niàn jí zhuǎn 。
盯着满地的傀儡，思念急转。
"Not, Weak, Less Than Man..."
jiù zài yī piàn jì jìng zhī zhōng ， suǒ yǒu de suì piàn kāi shǐ zhèn dòng qǐ lái 。
就在一片寂静之中，所有的碎片开始震动起来。
Like the roar of an ancient monster, the hand’s fingers closed into a fist and swung forward.
“ bù ……”
“不……”
Li Fan, who was still carrying Cao Hong, sped up even more. A thunderous boom echoed from within the volcano.
jī xiè de shēng xiǎng zài cì chū xiàn 。
机械的声响再次出现。
Intense explosions sent thick smoke billowing upwards, breaking through the sea surface to reach high above.
zhè cì ， shì yóu quán bù de suì piàn gòng tóng fā chū 。
这次，是由全部的碎片共同发出。
After a moment of silence, louder explosions came from underwater.
chéng qiān shàng wàn dào shēng yīn tóng shí xiǎng qǐ ， xiǎng chè tiān yáng dòng fǔ 。
成千上万道声音同时响起，响彻天阳洞府。
Black clouds surged out of the depths, expanding in all directions like a horde of rampaging beasts.
“ ruò ……”
“弱……”
Each explosion doubled the range of the black cloud. A pillar of smoke stretched towards the heavens, with crimson lines radiating outward.
lìng rén máo gǔ sǒng rán de shēng xiǎng zhōng ， zhè xiē hēi hóng xiāng jiàn de suì piàn zhèn chàn zhe ， wǎn ruò huó wù yì bān ， màn màn yí dòng huì jù dào yī chù 。
令人毛骨悚然的声响中，这些黑红相间的碎片震颤着，宛若活物一般，慢慢移动汇聚到一处。
Li Fan ran frantically until he finally brought Cao Hong to safety. Looking back at the raging inferno, he couldn’t help but feel relief.
gē zhī gē zhī de xì suǒ lǐ ， zhè xiē suì piàn huǎn huǎn róng hé yǔ yī chù 。
咯吱咯吱的细琐里，这些碎片缓缓融合与一处。
But this seemed just the beginning.
“ yú ……”
“于……”
The earth trembled as the entire Congyun Sea shook. Like a series of beacon fires lighting up one after another, volcanic smoke columns erupted from the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion!
lǐ fán xīn zhōng wēi jī gǎn dà shèng 。
李凡心中危机感大盛。
Amidst this apocalyptic scene, the puppet’s roar could still overshadow the underwater volcano’s eruption.
dǒu rán jiān jiā sù ， cháo zhe dòng fǔ chū kǒu fēi qù 。
陡然间加速，朝着洞府出口飞去。
"Heavenly Sun Lives!"
lù guò zhèng zài fā dāi de zhāng hào bō shí ， tā shāo wēi biàn huàn le xià fāng xiàng ， yī bǎ lā zhù 。
路过正在发呆的张浩波时，他稍微变换了下方向，一把拉住。
"Not weaker than man!"
“ zhāng dào yǒu ， kuài zǒu ！”
“张道友，快走！”
...
wèi le fáng zhǐ tā zhēng zhá ， què shì shùn jiān fā dòng le fù chóng shén tōng ， jiāng qí zhì zhù 。
为了防止他挣扎，却是瞬间发动了缚虫神通，将其制住。
A mechanical puppet buried deep in the earth for thousands of years, absorbing and refining itself with underground fire energy day and night.
hái zài lèng shén kàn zhe kuǐ lěi suì piàn yì zhuàng de zhāng hào bō ， zhǐ jué de yī dào shēng yīn tū rán chū xiàn ， suí hòu jiù hún shēn shī qù le kòng zhì 。
还在愣神看着傀儡碎片异状的张浩波，只觉得一道声音突然出现，随后就浑身失去了控制。
It tore through the layers of mountains at the bottom of the sea and stood up in the Congyun Sea!
wú bǐ hài rán zhī xià ， què tīng jiàn duì fāng suǒ shuō zhī huà ， yú shì xīn lǐ shāo ān 。
无比骇然之下，却听见对方所说之话，于是心里稍安。
Standing tall and mighty, it roared defiantly!
Just as Li Fan was puzzled, he suddenly sensed something and his expression changed slightly. He looked around.
In the deep sea, tiny blue lights gathered from all directions and flew towards the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion.
Li Fan stretched out his hand to intercept one of these blue light points and examined it in his palm.
"Pure water attribute spirit energy..."
Realizing what was happening instantly, Li Fan made the most correct decision. The Shadow Following Technique was immediately activated, and he seemed like a shadow as he rushed into the volcano's mouth.
The other cultivators were still amazed by the increasing number of blue light points.
"Watery Spirit Body! Cao Hong is actually a Watery Spirit Body!"
Someone finally realized and exclaimed in shock.
"I got it. A Watery Spirit Body means high affinity with spirit energy. As long as he’s on this vast sea, he won’t have to worry about spirit energy issues. Even if the consumption rate is high, the surrounding water attribute spirit energy can quickly replenish him!"
"That means..."
"Damn! Someone beat us to it!"
"Fellow cultivators, charge!"
The awakened spirit energy cultivators rushed into the volcano's mouth just like Li Fan, eager to seek opportunities for cultivation.
Li Fan had already passed through the lava inside the volcano and entered the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion. He bypassed the fighting puppets and Cao Hong, using his divine sense to scan for any traces of Hao Zhenghao’s remains.
But...
After several battles, this place was in ruins. The seventeen元婴 puppets, fully unleashed, had caused quite a commotion. Even the sturdy cave floor seemed to have been shaved off by their monstrous power. Li Fan couldn’t find any intact body or storage rings; only some scattered debris could be vaguely identified.
Li Fan’s eyes flickered as he saw the cultivators catching up behind him. He decided not to waste time and collected all the debris, then rushed deeper into the cave in search of anything valuable.
Suddenly, a voice from within the cave resounded, ancient yet mechanical.
"Heaven..."
Li Fan paused mid-step, feeling an unsettling sensation in his heart. He looked towards the source of the sound, which was one of the mechanical puppets.
These dark red puppets had undergone some transformation under Cao Hong’s "Fire Dragon Roar," and anger was building up inside them. Like a volcano awakening after millennia of dormancy, cracks began to appear on their bodies, revealing an eerie blackness within.
"Sun..."
Seeing this, Cao Hong increased the intensity of his attacks with the Calming Sword.
It seemed that despite the intense battle, he still had some reserves left.
The puppets were still at a disadvantage, but Li Fan’s unease grew stronger. He decided to go against the flow and try to return.
"O..."
The cracks on the puppets multiplied, resembling shattered porcelain about to shatter completely.
"P..."
With a loud bang, one by one of those puppet figures, supposedly with元婴 power, turned into fragments like broken vases, scattering in all directions. The water swords suddenly stopped moving.
Cao Hong was stunned by this scene and stood there in shock.
"How is that possible?"
Not just Cao Hong, but all the cultivators present were equally shocked. Their gazes kept shifting between Cao Hong and the scattered fragments, filled with confusion.
Was it a facade? Or was Cao Hong, who appeared to be an ordinary spirit energy cultivator, actually concealing his true power?
Li Fan was also stunned by this unexpected turn of events and stopped in his tracks. He stared at the scattered puppets, his thoughts racing.
As silence fell, all the fragments began to vibrate.
"No..."
The mechanical sound resounded again, this time from all the fragments together. Thousands of voices echoed through the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion.
"Weak..."
These black-red fragments trembled as if alive, slowly gathering into one place. With a creaking sound, they gradually fused into one.
"Man..."
Li Fan’s sense of danger intensified. He suddenly accelerated and rushed towards the cave exit.
Passing by Cao Hong who was still in shock, Li Fan slightly changed direction and pulled him along.
"Cultivator Cao, hurry!"
To prevent any resistance, he instantly activated his Bug Binding Technique to subdue him.
Cao Hong, still dazed by the strange behavior of the puppet fragments, suddenly felt a voice and then lost control of his body. Despite the shock, he heard what was said and felt somewhat relieved as he looked at the mysterious figure who had appeared before him.
The figure’s appearance was hidden, but its every move restrained Cao Hong with no room for resistance.
Li Fan guessed that this person must be...
Incomprehensibly powerful.
Cao Hong shuddered, allowing the mysterious figure to lead him through the lava and out of the volcano back into the sea.
"Man..."
As the puppet fragments reassembled, a black hand covered in cracks appeared before everyone. A vivid crimson light flowed through the cracks, accompanied by mechanical and angry roars.
"Heaven, Sun, One, Live..."
"Not, Weak, Less Than Man..."
Like the roar of an ancient monster, the hand’s fingers closed into a fist and swung forward.
Li Fan, who was still carrying Cao Hong, sped up even more. A thunderous boom echoed from within the volcano.
Intense explosions sent thick smoke billowing upwards, breaking through the sea surface to reach high above.
After a moment of silence, louder explosions came from underwater.
Black clouds surged out of the depths, expanding in all directions like a horde of rampaging beasts.
Each explosion doubled the range of the black cloud. A pillar of smoke stretched towards the heavens, with crimson lines radiating outward.
Li Fan ran frantically until he finally brought Cao Hong to safety. Looking back at the raging inferno, he couldn’t help but feel relief.
But this seemed just the beginning.
The earth trembled as the entire Congyun Sea shook. Like a series of beacon fires lighting up one after another, volcanic smoke columns erupted from the Heavenly Sun Cave Mansion!
Amidst this apocalyptic scene, the puppet’s roar could still overshadow the underwater volcano’s eruption.
"Heavenly Sun Lives!"
"Not weaker than man!"
...
A mechanical puppet buried deep in the earth for thousands of years, absorbing and refining itself with underground fire energy day and night.
It tore through the layers of mountains at the bottom of the sea and stood up in the Congyun Sea!
Standing tall and mighty, it roared defiantly!