Batian Martial Soul

Chapter 14370 Strange People

In that vast and boundless world, where countless mysteries lie hidden, a mysterious city called Puppet City stands quietly.

It seemed as if fate had cast a strange spell on it, tightly shrouding it in a hazy, grayish-white mist that was both dreamlike and subtly sinister.

The fog, like a huge and mysterious gray curtain, slowly rose from all around the city, then completely enveloped the entire city without leaving a single gap.

Looking into the distance, all that can be seen is a very blurry outline of the Puppet City.

The outline resembled a traditional Chinese ink painting, its lines blurred and indistinct from being soaked in moisture for a long time. All the details of the city walls, streets, and buildings, which were originally clearly discernible, were quietly hidden by this thick fog, leaving only a chaotic and hazy scene.

It's as if this city is an ancient secret sealed in the long river of history, unwilling to easily reveal its true face to the world.

The surrounding environment was eerily quiet.

There wasn't a sound of wind; the wind that should have been blowing through the woods and under the eaves seemed to be bound by some invisible force and had vanished without a trace. There wasn't a chirp of insects; the insects that usually chirped merrily in the grass and among the branches were now as if they had been bewitched and had fallen into a deep sleep.

The whole world seemed to have been muted by a giant hand, with only a deathly silence spreading through the air, like an invisible venomous snake, silently coiling around every corner.

Puppet City is like a silent behemoth lurking in the vast starry sky.

It lay there silently, its massive body blending into the surrounding darkness, making no sound, as if waiting for some unknown moment.

However, it exudes a mysterious aura that is unsettling, an aura that spreads slowly in all directions as if it were a tangible thing.

This aura carries a cold and oppressive feeling, making one feel a chill involuntarily just by looking at it from afar, as if a pair of invisible, cold hands are tightly gripping one's heart, making it hard to breathe.

At this moment, Ling Xiao slowly stopped in the void, quite far from Puppet City.

He was surrounded by wisps of black mist, which seemed to have a life of its own, gently swaying with his movements.

He stood tall and straight, like a pine tree standing firm in the storm, unshaken by the surrounding darkness and mystery.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently, his gaze sharp as two beams of light, trying to pierce through the layer of grayish-white mist and reach the interior of the puppet city.

His eyes were filled with determination and perseverance, as if no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, nothing could stop him from seeking the truth.

However, the fog was like an indestructible barrier, completely blocking his view.

No matter how hard he tried, he could see nothing but a blurry outline.

The mist seemed like a stubborn guardian, protecting the secrets hidden within the Puppet City and refusing to let anyone peek in even a little.

His brows were tightly furrowed, his forehead was contorted in a grimace, and his face was filled with a solemn expression.

That once resolute face now revealed a hint of anxiety and worry.

Previously, Xuantian Temple had sent scouts to investigate the situation in this area on several occasions.

Those spies were all highly skilled and experienced elites.

They may be skilled at concealing themselves, able to move like ghosts in the dark; or proficient in various spells, able to deal with all kinds of emergencies; or possess keen insight, able to discover clues hidden in the smallest details.

However, whenever they tried to approach this mysterious puppet city, they would disappear without a trace, as if swallowed up by the city.

Thinking of this, Ling Xiao felt a strong sense of unease.

He knew all too well that the secrets hidden behind this puppet city were absolutely extraordinary.

What became of those spies who disappeared?
All of this was like a huge mystery, shrouding his mind and making him unable to let go.

From the moment you step into this place, an indescribable sense of eeriness and danger washes over you, like a thick gloom weighing heavily on your heart.

It's like a huge labyrinth hiding countless secrets and traps; its intricate layout and looming shadows seem to silently tell of the unknown terror.

Every step forward felt like groping in the dark, each step potentially triggering hidden mechanisms and leading to unknown disasters—perhaps a sudden, fatal attack, or a bottomless, deadly trap.

However, there was not a trace of retreat or fear in Ling Xiao's eyes.

He knew he had no way out.

Ling Bi, the person he considers the most important in his life, is now in an unknown crisis, her fate uncertain.

Behind all of this, it seems, lies a truth related to this mysterious place.

For Ling Bi's sake, and to uncover the truth shrouded in mystery, even if it meant facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, or an abyss of no return, he had to brave it.

This determination, like a flame burning in his heart, was intense and unwavering, dispelling the occasional fear that flickered in his mind.

Ling Xiao slowly stopped, took a deep breath, and cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts.

He began to hold his breath and concentrate, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, chanting incantations, pushing the sacred rune array that concealed his form to its limit.

In an instant, faint yet mysterious runes flowed from his fingertips, swirling around him as if weaving an invisible net.

Immediately afterwards, his aura blended into the surrounding environment, as if he were a part of the darkness, like a drop of water flowing into the ocean, silently approaching the huge and ancient stone gate of Puppet City.

That city gate, like a silent giant, stood quietly at the entrance to the Puppet City.

It is built of huge stones, and its surface is covered with the marks of time. Deep cracks, like wrinkles on an old man's face, tell the story of the city's antiquity and vicissitudes.

The city gates were wide open, with no guards in sight, as if silently inviting the bold to enter.

Through the wide gate, one could see sparse figures moving about inside the city.

But unlike the bustling and lively scenes in ordinary prosperous cities, this place appears particularly quiet and desolate.

Occasionally, one or two people would pass by, their steps hurried, as if they were hiding from something, or perhaps rushing to some mysterious place.

What's even more striking is their attire.

Most of them were dressed in rough animal hides that had not been properly tanned, with some hairs still remaining on the hides, giving off a faint wild aura.