These people weren't human at all!
Although they looked exactly like ordinary humans on the outside—with flesh and blood—there were no souls residing within them.
They were nothing more than empty puppet bodies!
Being able to create such a vast number of exquisitely crafted flesh puppets shocked Shang Chen deeply.
Each puppet was equivalent to a reconstructed physical body. As long as a soul were inserted into it, it could become a living person once again!
Among these puppets, many even possessed cultivation levels reaching Immortal Emperor and Immortal Venerable realms!
How terrifying!
Were all of these made by that woman…?!
Shang Chen stared in shock toward Kui, who had been silently standing to the side watching the battle.
She was the mastermind controlling all of these puppets!
"So, you finally noticed? Unfortunately, it's already too late."
"Today, all of you will die."
Kui smiled coldly and waved her hand. The surrounding puppets immediately formed into a grand formation, trapping Shang Chen and the others inside.
"The Death Puppet Formation!"
"Kill them!"
As Kui's youthful and delicate voice rang out, puppets from every direction unleashed spiritual energy, hurling flying swords and immortal techniques toward Shang Chen's group.
"Pfft! AHH!"
Several immortal cultivators who failed to react in time were instantly annihilated!
"Gather and form a defensive array!"
Shang Chen shouted coldly.
The scattered cultivators immediately rushed toward him, jointly deploying barriers and magical treasures to defend against the incoming attacks.
Kui lightly waved her hand again, and the puppets charged forward, throwing themselves directly against the defensive barrier.
A massive pile of puppets stacked onto the barrier like a small mountain, yet still failed to break through it.
The crowd couldn't help but sneer mockingly.
"With Lord Shang Chen here, these soulless puppets think they can break our barrier? What a joke!"
"Look at them. They must be panicking now."
"Even if they hacked at it for another hundred years, they still wouldn't break the barrier!"
But while everyone laughed smugly, Shang Chen frowned instead.
The puppets piling up were almost completely burying them beneath a mound of bodies.
Since Kui clearly knew these puppets couldn't break the barrier, why continue sending them forward endlessly…?
His sharp instincts sensed something wrong.
Through the cracks between the puppets pressed against the barrier, he looked toward Kui.
He saw her calmly forming hand seals, wearing an extremely unsettling smile.
"Not good!"
"Everyone, scatter!"
Shang Chen suddenly shouted.
The others looked confused, not understanding why he was so panicked.
These puppets couldn't even break their defense—why risk scattering now?
But at that moment, bright light began glowing from inside every puppet stacked against the barrier!
"T-They're going to self-destruct!"
"Run! Get away!"
Someone instantly realized the danger and screamed.
Among these countless puppets were many Immortal Emperors and Immortal Venerables. The spiritual energy contained within such beings was unimaginably enormous!
Normally, cultivators would never self-destruct unless facing certain death.
Doing so meant complete annihilation—both body and soul destroyed together.
But everyone forgot…
These were puppets!
They didn't fear death at all!
By the time everyone realized the danger and tried to flee, it was already too late!
BOOM!!!
Every puppet piled onto the barrier exploded simultaneously!
The terrifying explosion blasted away the surrounding white mist, flattening everything within hundreds of miles inside the White Mist Secret Realm!
If not for the barrier protecting him, even E Xiao would have nearly been affected by the aftermath.
Fortunately, the barrier was sturdy enough—and soundproof enough—that Luo Hongye still obediently lay on E Xiao's back with her eyes covered, completely unaware of anything happening.
When the dust finally settled, only an enormous crater remained.
A figure slowly emerged from the smoke.
Shang Chen's immortal robes were torn and ragged, his face covered in dust. He looked extremely miserable.
Because he had been positioned at the center of the barrier and protected by others on the outside—and because he deployed an additional shield at the final moment—he hadn't suffered any serious injuries.
Shang Chen glared viciously at Kui.
"I truly didn't expect you to sacrifice so many puppets!"
"I admire your courage, but this ends here!"
"Without your puppets, let's see how you plan to fight me!"
"Die, filthy demon!"
As he roared, spiritual energy exploded from his body. He stepped forward and leapt into the sky, condensing a gigantic palm strike aimed at Kui below.
"Great Sun Heaven-Destroying Palm!"
An enormous blazing-red palm descended from the heavens!
The ground instantly caved into a giant burning handprint.
The palm was as large as an entire mountain!
Shang Chen confidently withdrew his hand and landed gracefully.
As an Immortal Emperor, one strike from him was enough to reduce everything to ashes!
A puppet cultivator without puppets was nothing more than livestock awaiting slaughter.
But just as Shang Chen believed Kui had been obliterated and turned to walk toward E Xiao, that youthful voice sounded once again behind him.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Shang Chen froze and turned around in disbelief.
Within the smoke beneath the massive palm imprint, Kui's small and delicate figure slowly emerged unharmed, staring at him with complete disdain.
How… how was this possible?!
When he attacked earlier, he hadn't seen her use any defensive immortal treasure at all!
Even if she survived, she shouldn't have escaped completely unharmed!
"W-What did you do…?!"
Shang Chen asked in shock.
"What did I do?"
"I did nothing."
"You're simply too weak, that's all."
Kui answered calmly.
Her petite and delicate appearance contrasted sharply with the utterly arrogant words she spoke to an Immortal Emperor.
"How outrageous!"
"Radiant Spirit Sword—go!"
Though he didn't understand how Kui survived, her words completely enraged him.
A mere demon dared humiliate him?!
Shang Chen summoned his immortal sword before him. The blade spun rapidly, transforming into a streak of sword light that pierced toward Kui's forehead.
Kui narrowed her eyes slightly and clenched her fist, swinging her small delicate hand directly toward the incoming sword.
CLANG!
The immortal sword collided against her fist with a crisp metallic cry.
Immortal energy and demonic energy clashed violently, creating shockwaves that tore apart the surrounding land!
Shang Chen poured spiritual power into the sword, desperately forcing it forward.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, the blade could not advance even an inch!
Only now did fear finally appear in his heart.
How could a puppet cultivator possess such terrifying physical strength and spiritual power?!
This completely defied reason!
"Insect of the Immortal Race, you made two mistakes."
"First—why would you assume that without puppets, I would be powerless?"
Kui spoke leisurely while blocking the immortal sword with one hand.
Demonic energy erupted from her body once more. Her fist suddenly exerted force—
CRACK!
The immortal sword shattered instantly!
At the moment the blade broke apart, Shang Chen's eyes widened in horror.
This seemingly tiny and fragile girl not only cultivated puppet arts, but also possessed monstrous physical strength and power?!
This made absolutely no sense!
Unless… she was also…?!
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)