1924 Red Copper Palace

Han Sen tried to simulate the energy flow of the little minks. He could do this by transforming the Dongxuan Sutra’s power into the power the little minks possessed.

Han Sen didn’t think it’d be difficult to do, as the little minks had only just been born. But it actually took Han Sen seven or eight days to simulate their energy.

Around this time, the little minks got hungry. They came out to eat again. After every meal, they returned to the red mist orb. They always tried to enter the red copper palace, but they failed each time.

Seeing the little minks going back into the red mist orb, Han Sen finally finished simulating their powers. He then tried to put the new energy into the red mist orb.

When the power hit the red mist orb, Han Sen felt the red mist orb respond, as if it had a weird power of its own. It sucked Han Sen right inside.

Dong!

The red mist orb fell on the floor, and Han Sen had entered it. He could see a lot of red mist, in addition to the big red copper palace.

Han Sen walked through the mist and headed straight for that elusive palace. The seven minks kept on looping around the palace, unable to find an access point that would grant them entry.

Seeing Han Sen, the seven little minks looked surprised. They surrounded Han Sen, jumping and screaming. They then ran for the main door.

They lined up. Some of them used their claws to push, some of them used their bellies to push, and some of them used their backs to push. They tried their hardest to push against the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

Tzi! Tzi!

The little guys pushed so hard to no avail, then turned their attention to Han Sen to ask for his help.

Han Sen had seen things like this many times before. If the seven minks wanted to enter that place so badly, there must be something valuable inside.

He didn’t hesitate. He placed his hand against the door and pushed with the minks, trying to force it open.

But the door was like stone. Han Sen tried his best to get it to move, but it wouldn’t budge an inch.

Han Sen looked at the door and found no indication of a lock. He frowned.

“Tzi! Tzi! Tzi! Tzi!” The little minks kept pointing at something, trying to tell him something.

“What are you saying?” Han Sen looked at them, but he could not speak their language. He couldn’t understand them.

Luckily, the Dongxuan Aura could allow him to read minds, at least a little. The minks kept on running and pointing, and eventually, he heard a sound. It was a simple sound, but Han Sen could guess what they meant.

Han Sen tried pus.h.i.+ng the door again, but this time, he used the little minks’ power to do so. He was simulating them, yes, but he could still use the energy flow far better than the minks themselves could. When he pushed, the red copper door slowly opened.

The little minks were delighted. They lined up and helped Han Sen push.

The door was opening slowly, and when the opening reached one foot wide, the seven minks could not wait any longer. They hurriedly shuffled themselves inside. Han Sen couldn’t wait either, and so he squeezed in through the gap. And on the inside, the palace really shocked Han Sen.

Han Sen immediately noted how elegant the place had looked from the outside. It had led him to believe that it was some sort of ancient relic, but now that he was looking at the interior, the palace was s.h.i.+ning with lights. It looked very scientific. It was different from what he was expecting.

The seven minks ran inside the palace as Han Sen followed. There were many strange tools and gizmos, and he felt as if he was entering the research quarters of some alien base.

Han Sen saw there was a large throne inside the palace, though. There was a ten-meter-tall machine sitting on it, curiously enough. It looked like an old model of Alliance warframe. It was so old that it looked like a medieval knight. It was clad in heavy armor and everything.

Upon further inspection, Han Sen realized that the knight did not have any electrical devices attached to it. It was built from what he a.s.sumed to be red copper. It sat on the throne, and it gave no indication of possessing a life force. Even so, it gave the threatening feeling that it could get up and fight whenever it wished to.

The seven little minks raced under its feet, then they climbed its copper body until they reached the heart. They pushed and squealed. What they were doing was anyone’s guess.

Boom!

Amidst Han Sen’s confusion and wonder, the knight did indeed stand up off the throne. It lurched to its feet with a jerking movement and shook the minks off of its body.

In the knight’s empty eyes, a red light started to gleam. The light looked like some sort of warning beacon. Near the knight’s heart, the red light grew stronger. It fired a red light towards the red minks, and all seven of them disappeared.

And then, Han Sen saw the knight start to move. It was approaching him quickly. Its red copper body gave off a sense of foreboding.

And shortly after, it was right next to Han Sen. It reached out its big hand and tried to pick Han Sen up.

Han Sen frowned, and so he quickly retreated and evaded the hand’s grip. But the armored knight bent its legs and unleashed a horrible power. It suddenly accelerated forward and ran before Han Sen.

Han Sen was shocked. He used the Jadeskin’s G.o.dlight to punch against the knight’s hand. A metal noise rang out following the collision, but the knight was not hurt. Han Sen’s hand, however, was left feeling numb.

Han Sen summoned his rabbit shoes and evaded the knight’s hand that was coming for him again. He thought the armored knight could not catch up with him.

But the knight’s speed increased again, and it actually revealed itself to be faster than the rabbit shoes. It caught up with Han Sen way too quickly, and Han Sen was unable to dodge. It simply grabbed Han Sen’s body as easily as one would a doll.

Han Sen was shocked, but it was then that he realized the knight’s hand was not exerting force. It put Han Sen in its palm and did not hurt him.

The knight’s hand moved near its heart. That was where the little minks had been sucked into.

Han Sen simulated the power of the little minks and then placed his hand against the knight’s heart. Quickly, the knight’s heart lit up again. The light shone on Han Sen, drawing him in.