Just as Kael had surmised, the area around the stele had become a forbidden zone for the puppet soldiers—none dared approach.
His deduction was correct. The Command Stele had indeed been inscribed by the Water Dragon himself to suppress these forces. In life, the puppet army had been the Water Dragon's most loyal followers, their reverence for him etched into their very bones. How could they defy his authority now?
Moreover, the stele itself radiated an overwhelming pressure.
"How is this possible?" Number One's eyes bulged in disbelief. He'd been certain Kael and Arjun would be torn apart by the Puppet General.
Yet the entire legion stood silent, frozen at a distance from the stele's radius.
"Perfect." Kael exhaled in relief. They'd breached the puppet formation, and the Command Stele had become their talisman. With the black-armored men still far behind, they were—for now—safe.
Cultivators watching from the periphery reeled at the sight.
"Two people actually broke through the puppet army... unharmed!"
"Damn it! They must've uncovered some secret to evade the puppets! If they advance further, the Water Dragon's treasures will be theirs!"
Panic spread. Everyone knew the true riches lay deeper within. If Kael and Arjun got there first—
"Idris, what's the plan now?" Arjun scanned their surroundings, tension easing slightly as he turned to Kael.
Though temporarily out of danger, stepping beyond the stele's protection would instantly reignite the puppets' pursuit—a fact that weighed heavily on Arjun.
Kael smiled. He'd already devised their next move; otherwise, he'd never have taken such risks.
Fortune favors the bold. If his plan succeeded, the Water Dragon's hoard would be his—leaving all others in the dust.
His eyes narrowed as he studied the Command Stele. Suddenly, he began chanting—and the Hand of the Thunder God materialized above them.
The Hand of the Thunder God—Kael once again demonstrated his mastery over lightning magic, a sight that drew gasps and exclamations from the onlookers. That he could wield this legendary power, long thought impossible for any mage, was nothing short of astonishing!
But what truly baffled them was his next move.
Kael's thunderous hand morphed into a colossal palm, gripping the Command Stele—and wrenched it straight out of the ground!
Yes, the Hand of the Thunder God had another use: brute-force excavation. The massive stele tore free with a spray of dirt and debris, lifted effortlessly by Kael's lightning-wreathed grasp.
Arjun's eyes blazed with realization. He understood now!
Kael's plan was simple: steal the stele outright.
This monument held absolute authority over the puppet soldiers. If they took it with them, the undead legion would remain paralyzed by fear. Moreover, Kael had already analyzed the stele's composition—it was forged from rare magical ore, and as the Water Dragon's own handiwork, its value was incalculable.
"Brother Idris, you're a genius! Who else would think of looting the damn stele?!" Arjun crowed. "I've robbed my fair share, but you? You've elevated theft to an art form..."
Even as he lavished praise, Arjun cast protective shields around Kael, just in case.
With a surge of mana, Kael hoisted the stele onto his back—its weight negligible under his magical reinforcement.
Just as predicted, the puppet soldiers remained frozen. Wherever Kael and Arjun moved, the undead ranks parted, their eye-flames flickering erratically in unmistakable terror.
Their reverence for the stele mirrored their dread of the Water Dragon himself. Not even the Puppet General dared intervene.
"My King..." The Puppet General sensed the Water Dragon's aura emanating from the stele, its massive frame bowing slightly as the flames in its eye sockets flickered uncertainly.
Kael and Arjun exhaled in relief. The puppet army was no longer a threat to them.
Instead, it was the other cultivators who now had reason to fear.
"They actually pulled this off..." Number Three of the black-armored faction gnashed his teeth, fury burning in his gaze—yet utterly powerless to stop Kael and Arjun's retreat.
"This Idris is cunning. He exploits every advantage. We underestimated him," Number One said coldly, his voice sharp as a blade. His murderous intent toward Kael was undisguised. "But the Water Dragon's legacy will be ours. No mistakes are permitted."
With the stele hoisted on Kael's back, the puppet soldiers parted before them like a tide. The black-armored men could only watch, frustration gnawing at them like poison, as Kael and Arjun strolled freely through what should have been certain death.
Meanwhile, the Puppet General, constrained by the stele's oppressive power, dared not pursue. It could only roar in frustration, its blazing gaze locking onto the remaining intruders.
"All of you... DIE!"
With a single swing of its greatsword, the air screamed. A crescent of battle energy—swifter than lightning—arc toward a cultivator attempting to flee.
The man had no Darkmoon Godplate, no Kael-like reflexes.
A spray of blood misted the air as his body split cleanly in two.
The general's might was indisputable. Even Kael felt a chill down his spine—had they lacked the stele's protection, that fate would've been theirs.
But now, this very terror became their advantage.
As Kael and Arjun surged ahead, the remaining cultivators exchanged frantic glances, desperation mounting.
To the other cultivators, if Kael and Arjun reached the Water Dragon's treasure first, all their efforts would be for nothing!
Thus, they threw themselves into the fray with renewed frenzy, desperate to carve a path through the camp and seize the legacy for themselves.
Humans were creatures of madness when driven by greed. Under its sway, every cultivator launched into reckless assault. Among them were no shortage of experts—many puppet soldiers fell to their blades.
Kael's eyes gleamed. Chanting once more, he summoned the Hand of the Thunder God, its colossal lightning-wreathed palm descending with a key advantage: its range far exceeded ordinary magic.
The thunderous hand snatched up the severed heads of fallen puppets, hauling them toward Kael in one swift motion.
"Essence of the Earth!" Kael's gaze burned with triumph as he claimed the crystals from the corpses.
Arjun's expression brightened. "Right! With the stele as our shield, we can loot these puppets clean!"
Exactly. While others dared not approach the puppets for fear of retaliation, Kael and Arjun could exploit this very weakness—dominating the battlefield unchallenged.
"Of course. But our priority is the Water Dragon's hoard deeper within. Time is short," Kael reminded. Though the Essence represented staggering wealth, the true prize lay ahead.
Arjun nodded. Without another word, the two began their harvest amidst the paralyzed puppet legion.