Chapter 676: Reduced to a Lump of Meat
Chapter 676: Reduced to a Lump of Meat
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Even a cultivator would eventually find himself drained and exhausted after fighting for a long period of time, needless to say, a puppet!
These puppets were installed with a Spirit Gathering Formation in their bodies, and they relied on absorbing the spiritual energy from the surroundings or from spirit stones to move. Thus, if they were to overexert themselves, it was possible for them to stop functioning due to lack of power.
This explained why the twenty or so puppets left shortly after attacking the barrier of light. It seemed that they had overexerted themselves by striking the barrier of light with their full might relentlessly, and thus needed to recharge themselves.
"This underground stream is actually a spirit vein, and it gathers the spiritual energy from the meandering mountain range that spans a thousand kilometers. There is indeed sufficient spiritual energy contained in the stream to replenish the energy in those puppets… but even so, it shouldn't be easy for the puppet to absorb the spiritual energy in the stream so easily and quickly! There's something very weird about the heart!"
Just as a cultivator couldn't possibly restore their zhenqi to their full capacity in an instant, a puppet also needed some time to recharge itself.
To recover completely within a few breaths was downright absurd.
Most probably, this ridiculous situation must have something to do with the heart.
In the first place, it was already bizarre that a heart overflowing with killing intent would actually be placed within a stream of spiritual energy. Furthermore, there was something very sinister about this heart that seemed to send endless chills down Zhang Xuan's spine as he looked at it.
This eerie sight was triggering all of his alarms!
Gugugugu!
While Zhang Xuan was still examining the beating heart in bewilderment, another Otherworldly Demon puppet stepped forward. Along with the beating of the heart, it recovered its strength.
"It'll be disastrous if this goes on…"
Seeing the Otherworldly Demon puppets regaining their strength one by one, Zhang Xuan's heart beat in anxiety.
If he didn't do anything, it wouldn't be long before all of the puppets recovered and returned to attack Yu Fei-er and the others. Should that happen, the latter would definitely die here!
"I must bring Yu Fei-er and the others out of here before all of these puppets regain their strength!"
Zhang Xuan clenched his fists together grimly.
In truth, this could be considered as an opportunity as well. Most of the puppets were currently busy recharging here, and it would take some time before they would return. This was probably the only chance he was going to get to save them. Once the other puppets returned, there would be nothing more Zhang Xuan could do.
"But even if that is the case… I am still unable to defeat the two remaining puppets to save Yu Fei-er…"
While Zhang Xuan knew that he had to firmly grasp this opportunity, the might of the two remaining Otherworldly Demon puppets was simply beyond him. Not to mention, if a fight were to occur, it was likely that the disturbance in the spiritual energy in the air, as well as the shock wave from the trading of blows, would catch the attention of the other puppets as well. Chances were the puppets would encircle them before they could get away from this underground chamber.
The main reason why Zhang Xuan was able to kill the previous Otherworldly Demon puppet in the stone chamber was due to assistance from Luo Qiqi's side, and the apt usage of a valuable artifact, the Crimson Blaze Cauldron. Given that neither Luo Qiqi nor that artifact were here… it was nigh impossible for Zhang Xuan to slay two Otherworldly Demon puppets!
In the end, his options were restricted due to his low cultivation realm.
"Right, I could do that…"
Just as Zhang Xuan was rubbing his glabella in frustration, an idea suddenly streaked across his mind.
Carefully analyzing and fixing the various aspects of his plan, his eyes slowly grew brighter and brighter. After confirming that it was feasible, his soul immediately flew off.
He didn't head off to the altar where Yu Fei-er and the others were waiting. Instead, he quickly returned to the passageway to return his clone to his storage ring before wrapping his soul energy around the ring and carrying it to a remote, narrow alley within the city.
Then, he summoned his clone and a humongous corpse out from his storage ring.
The humongous corpse consisted of two parts—a head and a body. It was the Otherworldly Demon which he had decapitated back in the stone chamber.
"Possession!"
Zhang Xuan took in a deep breath before his soul dived into the puppet's body.
Hu la!
Similar to the Soulless Metal Humanoid, these puppets were forged out of real bodies as well. Thus, it wasn't too difficult for his soul to enter the body.
Just that, due to the overwhelming killing intent infused within the body, only a person who cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art like Zhang Xuan would be able to enter such a body.
Any other soul oracle would have had their soul dissipated before they could even come into contact with it.
Geji!
As soon as Zhang Xuan's soul seeped into the body, the puppet on the ground twitched, and it began to struggle to its feet.
"It's indeed possible…"
Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
Just as Zhang Xuan was considering how he should save Yu Fei-er and the others, he'd suddenly recalled the existence of this corpse in his storage ring.
Even though the puppet's head was lopped off, that wouldn't hinder its ability to house a soul. As long as Zhang Xuan could possess it, he should be able to move it. Perhaps, he might be able to fool the other Otherworldly Demon puppets through this and save Yu Fei-er and the others.
The possessed puppet bent down to grab his head and place it on his neck. Then, it began to shake its limbs to adapt to the new body before running off to the altar excitedly.
But barely after taking a few steps, 'peng!', the puppet crashed into a pillar, and its head rolled far into the distance.
The puppet immediately fumbled its way to its head, picked it up, and installed it on its neck once more.
Typically speaking, it would be impossible for anyone to tell that the puppet was currently possessed. However, due to the puppet's head having been severed before, it could fall off very easily, and that would be a dead giveaway.
"I'll have to support it then…"
If the puppet's head were to shake on top of its neck while moving around, Zhang Xuan would surely be exposed. Thus, he could only helplessly raise his palm to support his head while making his way to the altar.
The place he was hiding at previously wasn't too far from the altar, so it didn't take him too long to arrive there.
"We're doomed…"
Yu Fei-er and the others were waiting expectantly for Zhang Xuan to arrive and save them, but who knew that an Otherworldly Demon puppet would appear instead. Their faces immediately sunk.
The barrier of light was already on the verge of shattering under the combined offense of the two puppets. With one more here, their fates were sealed.
Just that, there was something very peculiar about this puppet. Its head was tilting unnaturally to one side, and it seemed as though it would fall if not for a hand placed by its head to support it. It was an extremely eerie sight.
The unnaturally bent-head puppet soon arrived before the barrier of light, and it tapped on the shoulders of the two puppets who were still striking the barrier.
The two puppets ceased their attacks and turned to look at the two.
Roar!
The bent-head puppet pointed to his back, and tracing his finger, Yu Fei-er and the others saw a human figure sneaking toward them under the dim light granted by the Night Illumination Pearls.
"Zhang shi!"
After taking a close look at the other party's appearance, Yu Fei-er and the others began to panic.
'What the heck is that foolish man trying to do!
'If you want to save us, you should at least try learning how to hide your presence first!
'To actually stand right before a Night Illumination Pearl like that, aren't you just waiting to be discovered?
'More importantly, after being noticed by the puppet with the bent head, not only did you not flee immediately, you even continued to advance forward. Does hell really interest you so much that you are bent on charging right into it?
'You aren't trying to save us, you are trying to court death!'
Roar!
Naturally, the other two puppets also noticed Zhang Xuan. Roaring furiously, one stepped forcefully against the ground and charged toward him.
Against that fearsome charge, Zhang Xuan's face immediately paled in shock. He immediately tried to escape, but there was no way he could possibly outrun a Saint realm puppet. Thus, he was struck squarely in his head.
Peng!
His face caved in as if a donut, and his body went flying through numerous buildings.
"Zhang shi…"
"Zhang Xuan…"
Not expecting that their 'savior' would have his head crushed before he could even reach them, the bodies of Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and the others trembled, and they nearly fainted from shock.
It wasn't too long ago that the other party proudly declared that he would save them, and yet, he was killed as soon as he made an appearance…
This was probably the most anticlimactic rescue operation of all time!
Yu Fei-er's eyes turned red upon that sight, and with quivering lips, she bellowed anxiously, "Aren't you… supposed to be formidable? I haven't won against you in a bet yet, you can't die like that…"
'What the heck is this!
'Weren't you quite formidable when you were bullying me?
'Why did you become so weak before these puppets? How could you allow your head to be smashed in just like that?
'Shouldn't you have at least learned your lesson after accidentally reducing your body to a mere corpse while cultivating in the Cleansing Lake?'
The others also shook their heads in disappointment. They weren't in the position to grieve over Zhang Xuan—after all, they were next.
On the other hand, the puppet who smashed Zhang Xuan's head in turned around and returned to the barrier of light after eliminating the intruder.
However, before it could get far, the bent-head puppet pointed to its back once more.
Frowning, the puppet turned around, only to see the fellow from before standing before it in an upright position. While his face was caved in and his legs were shaking, he was standing firmly on the spot.
"Ah?"
"This…"
Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and the others who had just given up all hope widened their mouths in shock.
To be able to stand up after his head was caved in to such an extent… Are you serious?
The dumbfounded Yu Fei-er mumbled in a daze, "He… isn't dead?"
Recalling something, through her quivering red lips, she muttered, "Did he… get possessed by some spirit again?"
A similar situation had occurred back at the Cleansing Lake. Back when their attention had been captured by something else, his lifeless body had secretly crept back into the lake. Could it be that history was repeating itself? After all, how could a person whose face was caved in like that possibly stand up once more?
Being possessed in itself was completely inconceivable already, and yet for it to happen twice to the same person within such a short period of time…
Just how many vengeful spirits have you offended?
Roar!
The ridiculous scene left even the emotionless puppet stunned for a moment. But after which, it immediately dashed forward and kicked Zhang Xuan.
Peng!
Under the might of the powerful kick, Zhang Xuan's ribcage broke, and his chest sunk inward. Once again, he crashed through many buildings, disappearing amidst a cloud of dust.
Confident that it had managed to slay Zhang Xuan this time around, the puppet nodded in satisfaction. However, right after turning around, it saw the puppet with the crooked head pointing behind it with a look of fright yet again.
Turning its head around anxiously, the puppet saw an upright silhouette with a sunk-in chest amidst the cloud of dust. Its hands were placed against its waist, as if nothing had happened at all.
"AHHHHHHH…"
Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others were already completely stupefied by the sight before them. All of them slapped their cheeks tightly to confirm whether they were in a dream or not.
What the heck was going on?
His face was caved in, and his chest was sunk in, and yet he was still standing… What kind of sorcery was this!
Hu!
Not expecting the fellow to still be alive after two consecutive strikes, the puppet roared furiously and dashed forward, striking Zhang Xuan relentlessly with its fists and kicks.
After a short moment, Zhang Xuan was completely disfigured.
Half of his head was blasted off, his body was crushed and had become almost as thin as a slice of a paper, and his bones had been reduced to dust.
Only after that fellow was reduced to just a lump of meat did the puppet finally end its attacks. Satisfied, it turned around and walked back.
But yet once again, the puppet with the bent head pointed behind it.
Roaring furiously, it turned its head around and saw that figure which had been crushed into something without the slightest resemblance of a human standing up once more. His crushed arms were placed weakly against his waist, and his eyes were filled with mockery.
"The heck…"
"Is that really Zhang shi?"
"How in the freaking world can he still be alive after all that?"
"I must be dreaming!"
Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian were completely overwhelmed by this madness.
Considering how a part of his head had been blasted away and the tragic state his body was in, it should be physically impossible for Zhang Xuan to stand up at all. This was probably not as simple as a mere possession.
Not even a spirit could possibly make this lump of meat stand up once more!