As the days passed and as Austin and his companions pushed forward up the divine mountain, they
continued to encounter more of the puppets, always a hundred-strong in number each time.
Fortunately, Austin's array skills were powerful enough to trap all the puppets every time, so there was
never any need to fight.
By this time, they had already encountered more than three hundred puppets in total.
It began to dawn on the group that this meant there were more than three hundred gods of chaos
guarding the divine mountain.
A sense of trepidation began to take hold of the group.
Finally, they arrived at the top of the mountain.
They gazed up at a magnificent palace, towering higher and higher above them.
It seemed the palace pierced right through the skies.
Austin and his friends felt infinitesimally small in the face of such grandeur.
"From what I know, the fruits of supreme enlightenment are in this palace.
It is said that there is a terrifying creature guarding it.
But no one knows what it is,"
Anakin said to Austin in a small voice.
Austin gave it some thought before nodding.
"I'll go on ahead first and take a look around, then."
He had already gotten this far. He couldn't back down now.
"All of you can wait for me here. There's no need for us to risk danger together,"
Austin said to his companions.
They all voiced their protests at once. "Out of the question! We made a promise! In exchange for
saving Braden, we three brothers would help you get the fruits of supreme enlightenment.
And so we shall. We always keep our word,"
Anakin declared stubbornly.
"Yes. No matter how dangerous it is inside, the three of us will accompany you,"
Braden and Cayden chimed in, firm in their position.
"Austin, it will be better if we go inside together. The more people there are, the more powerful we will
be,"
the old monk put forward sagely.
Austin nodded and smiled, finally coming around to his friends' point of view.
"You're right. Let's go, then."
He took the lead and walked toward the gates of the palace.
As he did, a ray of light suddenly burst out of the looming structure.
As soon as it reached Austin, the light took the shape of a middle-aged man in black robes.
The man, though handsome, looked somewhat sinister, his red pupils stark against his fair, white face.
The man met Austin's gaze steadily.
"Your array skills are impressive, young man,"
he drawled.
Austin felt alert and cautious. The man had that effect.
"I'm flattered, sir," Austin responded carefully, remaining on his toes.
He presumed this was probably the legendary creature guarding the palace.
"When my master was still alive, he was most appreciative of young people as exceptional as you.
If my master had met you, no doubt he would have taken you on as his disciple,"
the man went on, looking Austin up and down approvingly.
Austin was taken aback at that.
"Your master?"
This man wasn't the master of this palace?
Then the legendary guard of this palace had already passed away?
"Yes, my master. This is my master's final resting place.
If you didn't know that, then I do wonder what brings you here,"
the man replied curtly.
"Sir, I come here for the fruits of supreme enlightenment.
But now I'm wondering if they're even here in this palace."
Austin couldn't help but admit.
The man nodded.
"I see.
Yes, they're here.
They were planted by my master himself.
Although my master has died, the tree that grows the treasured fruits remains."
A sad looked crossed the man's face. It seemed to happen every time he mentioned his master.
Upon hearing that, Austin felt relief wash over him.
It was followed by a rush of excitement.
After all, he had come all this way to look for the fruit of supreme enlightenment.
Finally, here was confirmation of its existence!
"I really need the fruit of supreme enlightenment, sir. Can you help me?"
Austin asked, bowing respectfully to the middle-aged man.
"This treasure tree was planted by my master himself.
If you want its fruits, you must ask him yourself,"
the middle-aged man told Austin after a moment's pause.
"Ask your master?
Sir, didn't you just say that your master has passed away?"
Austin asked, confused.
"Indeed, he has. But he left a spiritual soul mark.
You may converse with him through that,"
said the middle-aged man.
"I see.
Well, sir, please take me to see him,"
Austin answered reverentially.
Austin was willing to face any challenge to get the fruits of supreme enlightenment at this point.
The man nodded.
"But only you may enter.
"You must understand, this palace is hallowed ground. Not everyone can be allowed,"
he said, looking at the others behind Austin pointedly.
"That is fine, then. I'll go in by myself,"
Austin said without a moment's thought.
He could sense the middle-aged man had no ill intentions.
At this, the man waved his hand. A strong teleportation power immediately wrapped Austin's body.
The next moment, Austin found himself deep inside the palace.
It seemed there was actually a small world here.
He looked around at the vast expanse of space and time.
The middle-aged man flew all the way to the center of this small world, bringing Austin with him.
They eventually reached a magic altar floating in the air.
Nine thick and towering pillars surrounded the altar.
Right smack in the middle of it lay a casket.
It was made of crystal, so clear that it was completely transparent.
Inside of it was the body of an old man in white robes.
He had his hands on his chest, and a serene expression on his face. What was odd, however, was the
face showed the very pink of health.
Austin could even see the old man's chest rising and falling, as if the body was still breathing.
Was the old man still alive?
Austin immediately launched his spiritual sense to examine the crystal coffin closer.
However, his spiritual sense was blocked by a strange law power around the coffin, rendering Austin
unable to perceive it at all.
Austin was now utterly stumped whether the old man lying in the coffin was dead or alive.
The middle-aged man approached the coffin deferentially.
"Sir, what's going on？
Why does it seem like your master is still alive?"
Austin called out quizzically.
"My master has indeed died.
But his body is still alive.
I don't know how.
But my master's spiritual soul has been destroyed, leaving only a trace of his spiritual soul mark on this
body,"
the middle-aged man explained.
"His body is still alive,
but his spiritual soul has been destroyed?
How is that even possible?"
Austin blurted out, completely confounded.
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