"Xing Suanzi!"
Ye Baici held an oil lamp, flas sputtering from its wick in all directions, turning the Jile Workshop into a sea of fire.
She roared:
"Do you rember the Ye Family of Yidu, from thirty years ago?"
BOOM!
The Fierce Flas raged.
Screams and wails echoed endlessly from within the Jile Workshop.
The patrons who had co for pleasure fled outside in a panic, pushing and shoving one another in a chaotic scramble.
Compared to the panicked patrons, the won of the Jile Workshop turned pale in the face of the surging Fierce Flas, even forgetting to flee.
WHOOSH...
The Fierce Flas swept over them.
One after another, the pretty, charming, and alluring won shrieked as their bodies were swiftly engulfed in fire.
It was as if what was burning wasn’t human, but...
Paper!
Papern!
Most of the won in the Jile Workshop were illusions created by Magic; the flas instantly burned them away, revealing their true forms.
Not all of them were like this, however. So of the won had Physical Bodies, but for so unknown reason, they dared not flee the Jile Workshop.
Or perhaps, they couldn’t!
It seed so kind of Restriction bound them, allowing them only to move within the workshop as they watched helplessly while the fire consud them.
"The Ye Family?"
Xing Suanzi’s figure appeared in the center of the chaos. His hands struck out in rapid succession, unleashing clouds of black Qi that smothered the Fierce Flas.
His expression twisted as he looked down at the chaos below.
"Well, well!"
"So you’ve co for revenge!"
Of course he hadn’t forgotten the Ye Family.
Slaughtering the Ye Family, which had been guarded by a Mage, was the proudest achievent of Xing Suanzi’s life.
"You’re Ye Baici?"
As the thought crossed his mind, Xing Suanzi’s eyes narrowed.
"You actually beca a Mage?"
"Surprised?" Ye Baici clenched her Silver Fangs, the hatred on her face almost palpable.
"The little girl who was lucky to escape with her life all those years ago has now beco a Mage and co to your doorstep for revenge."
"You reap what you sow!"
"Haha..." Xing Suanzi roared with laughter.
"Revenge?"
"As if you’re worthy!"
"Since I began my Cultivation Technique, I’ve killed countless people over the decades. Every year, fools who overestimate themselves co seeking vengeance."
"And the result?"
His Daoist Robe billowed as sheets of white paper, imbued with the Skin Painting Technique, flew out and shot toward the crowd below.
"I am still here, and they..."
"Have all beco my Puppets in the Painting!"
The next instant, Xing Suanzi’s expression changed abruptly.
"The Buddha’s Heart Lamp!"
The white papers he had shot out turned to ash one after another as they neared Ye Baici, incinerated by the Fierce Flas.
This was highly unusual.
The paper used for the Skin Painting Technique was made of a special material, not the ordinary kind used by scholars for writing. Normal flas would struggle to burn it, let alone with such ease.
"That’s right."
A cold sneer spread across Ye Baici’s face.
"This is the Buddha’s Heart Lamp from Longn Temple. It’s the perfect counter to your Magic. Today, you will die."
"Hmph!"
Xing Suanzi snorted but said nothing more. Amidst the chaos, several figures were already lunging toward him.
SWISH!
The gleam of a saber materialized from thin air.
The blade’s light left a lingering fragrance as it split into a series of afterimages, making it impossible to discern the true direction of the attack.
"Rouge Saber?" Xing Suanzi raised an eyebrow.
"Another one co for revenge."
"You old demon, you stole my wife and daughter and slaughtered my family! Today, I will have my vengeance!" the man roared, his teeth clenched in fury.
His saber flashed relentlessly, all offense and no defense.
CRACK!
A pitch-black whip shot from Xing Suanzi’s sleeve and lashed out, shattering the saber’s light.
"I have no interest in playing gas with you."
"Co forth!"
With a low shout, an ink-wash scroll of figures dozens of feet long slowly unfurled behind him.
The Hundred Heroes Painting!
The painting depicted nearly a hundred figures. Every one of them was a person Xing Suanzi had captured, killed, and subjected to Refinent over the years. All his forr enemies had beco Puppets in the Painting.
Unlike the Hundred Beauties Painting, used to curry favor with the powerful, the Hundred Heroes Painting was made for one purpose: slaughter.
THUD!
A seven-foot-tall man wielding a heavy hamr leaped from the painting, landing with the impact of a falling boulder.
ROAR!
The large man let out a low roar, swinging his heavy hamr to et the incoming ’Rouge Saber’.
CLANG...
Saber and hamr collided, sending sparks flying everywhere.
Rouge Saber’s eyes twitched. Unable to withstand the force, he was forced back a step. He roared at soone behind him.
"Mute Girl!"
"Hit with the needles!"
SWISH!
Before he had even finished speaking, a petite woman behind him raised her hand, and several silver needles shot out.
The Ghost Gate Needle!
This technique could heal, kill, and even unlock a person’s latent potential.
"Aaaargh!"
As the silver needles were Entering the Body, ’Rouge Saber’ threw his head back and roared. His saber’s light flared once more, and he cleaved the hamr-wielding man in two.
On the Hundred Heroes Painting, the spot where the large man had been turned blank.
"I’m here too."
A figure with an agile Body Technique pounced from above.
"Xing Suanzi, do you rember my master, the Master of Colored Silk?"
"I am his disciple, Ghost Monkey! Today, I’ve co to avenge my master! You old demon... die!"
"A re acrobat. Not even worth a second glance." Xing Suanzi’s expression remained unchanged as figure after figure appeared before him.
There were n and won, old and young.
To be included in the Hundred Heroes Painting, they must have all possessed considerable skill in life.
Although their strength as Puppets was less than in life, their sheer numbers made up for that weakness.
"Attack!"
Amidst the Fierce Flas, the two sides clashed violently.
Ye Baici’s group was small, less than ten people, but every one of them was an outstanding Magician.
They had co prepared, too, enhanced by the ridian Fire Force and equipped with thods to counter the Painted Skin Puppets.
What’s more...
"Celestial Dragon Demon Suppression!"
Ye Baici held the Buddha’s Heart Lamp with a solemn expression. As her Magical Power surged, the fla on the wick suddenly erupted.
ROAR!
Two Fire Dragons dozens of feet long burst from the lamp’s fla. Like the Guardian Divine Dragons before a Buddha, they charged into the fray.
Wherever the Fire Dragons passed, the Painted Skin Puppets were incinerated.
The ’figures’ from the Hundred Heroes Painting stood no chance against them.
A Mage!
The difference between a Magician and a Mage may seem small, but the gap in their power is as vast as the heavens and the earth.
Just as Xing Suanzi was about to be devoured by one of the dragons, two dark, eerie figures suddenly appeared at his sides.
CLANG!
With the low hum of a sword, the two Fire Dragons abruptly froze in place.
The Sword Hero, Liu Xianzhi!
And...
The Cold Frost Celestial Maiden, Bai Yufu!
"Mother!" Ye Baici’s face fell as she saw the figure appear, the na escaping her lips instinctively.
Her eyes turned crimson, her expression twisting in agony.
"Xing Suanzi, you turned my mother into a Puppet!"
"My pleasure."
Summoning two Mage-Level Puppets was clearly a strain on Xing Suanzi. He took a step back, panting.
"Turning a Mage into a Puppet is no easy feat."
"It requires skinning, boning, and stitching the Skin and Flesh back together. I labored over your mother’s corpse for countless days and nights..."
"Aaargh!" Ye Baici shrieked in fury.
"Shut your mouth!"
"Go to hell!"
BOOM!
The Fierce Flas exploded outward, instantly enveloping the entire area. Even the Mage-level Puppets began to show signs of lting.
"Impressive!"
Xing Suanzi’s eyes narrowed, his expression growing grave.
"Girl, it seems I underestimated you. But don’t forget where you are."
"This is..."
"My Jile Spirit House!"
RUMBLE...
The ground began to shake violently. The surrounding windows, doors, and walls began to quietly transform.
They beca unreal!
Illusory images converged in the air, eventually forming a paper courtyard that ca to rest in Xing Suanzi’s palm.
The Jile Spirit House!
On closer inspection,
the Jile Spirit House in Xing Suanzi’s palm was identical to the Jile Workshop, only shrunk down countless tis.
"You want to kill here?"
"As if you’re worthy!"
Xing Suanzi’s face was grim. He gently shook the small house in his hand, and the ground beneath everyone’s feet began to sway in tandem.
"Hm?"
His eyes flickered as if he’d sensed sothing. Xing Suanzi looked toward the back courtyard of the paper house in his hand.
"It seems you’re all in this together."
"Then you can all die together!"
*
*
*
Ghost God Limit!
A legacy of the Demon Heaven Six Paths Celestial Ghost Dao.
This Saber Technique was incredibly complex, comprising 1,689 stances, each with a different Force Manipulation thod.
It was said to encompass every possible variation of Saber Technique.
But even mastering these 1,689 stances didn’t an one had successfully completed their Cultivation of the Ghost God Limit.
One had to then simplify the complex, master it completely, and attain Comprehension of a single Wonderful Dharma to be considered truly at the Entry Level of this Cultivation.
One could only imagine the difficulty.
Only soone possessing Comprehension, aptitude, and patience could hope to succeed.
This was also why, despite knowing how powerful the Saber Technique was, very few in the Dragon Head Lineage ever attempted to cultivate it.
But it was a perfect fit for Zhu Ju.
He possessed considerable Magic Cultivation, a powerful Divine Soul, and could control every trace of his strength with Micro-level precision.
Furthermore, with the ’Demon Saber’ as his foundational Saber Technique, he could learn any new Saber Technique almost instantly and master it shortly after.
At least, he had yet to find an exception.
He had only practiced the 1,689 stances of the Saber Technique a few tis before completely mastering them, even attaining Comprehension of the First Limit.
The Ghost God Limit had Seven Great Limits in total.
Each Limit was stronger than the last.
It was said that, if soone could cultivate all Seven Great Limits, an Early-stage Innate could fight on par with a Late-Stage Innate.
The First Limit—Thousand Mountains Locking Mist!
The saber struck.
The surrounding Painted Skin illusions vanished like smoke.
Zhu Ju held his breath and focused, continuing to circulate his Heart thod for the breakthrough. As the Profound Light burned away, his Ancestral Acupoint opened bit by bit.
The chaos outside, paradoxically, allowed him a mont of peace.
Ti passed slowly.
WHOOSH!
A cool sensation descended from above, surging toward his Forehead Ancestral Acupoint. The Innate True Qi within his body stirred in response.
’This is...’
’The sign of generating Magical Power!’
Zhu Ju’s heart stirred, but his face remained perfectly calm. He silently circulated the thod, pushing his progress forward bit by bit.
Suddenly, two intersecting beams of saber light materialized from thin air. Wielding the Power of Heaven and Earth, they slashed down at Zhu Ju.
BOOM!
A single strike sent ripples across his Innate Protective Gang Force, and his Earth Evil True Body activated on its own to resist.
Zhu Ju opened his eyes. He looked at the newcor and couldn’t help but frown.
A Mage!
’A Puppet?’
The newcor stood opposite him, holding two short sabers. His eyes were empty and lifeless, but his face looked vaguely familiar.
SWISH!
The figure flickered and closed the distance in an instant.
The twin sabers, wreathed in Fierce Fla, tore through his Protective Gang Force.
CLANG...
Zhu Ju diverted a sliver of his focus to strike out, his blade landing perfectly on the transition point in his opponent’s Saber Montum. This forced the attacker to retract his sabers and strike with his palm instead.
The Palm Force struck like a thunderclap.
"The Thunderbolt Rupturing Palm... The Celestial Burning Soul-Seizing Saber." Zhu Ju’s eyes flickered.
"You’re the Tang Family Ancestor!"
’No wonder he looked familiar.’
’Xing Suanzi claid to be a good friend of Tang Yan’s grandfather, yet he turned the man into a Puppet. So this is what he ant by ’good friend.’’
Tang Family Ancestor?
Hearing those words, the Puppet’s movents stiffened slightly, and a barely perceptible trace of confusion appeared on its face.
But it was only for an instant before its expression returned to an icy mask.
Unlike ordinary Painted Skin Puppets, when refining a Mage, even soone with Xing Suanzi’s masterful Magic didn’t dare preserve their original consciousness.
Only the instinct to kill remained.
SWISH!
The light of the sabers flared again.
After being refined into a Puppet, the Tang Family Ancestor’s strength was a far cry from what it had been in life, but it was still enough to tear through the Protective Gang Force and threaten Zhu Ju.
Especially since, Zhu Ju was at a critical juncture in his breakthrough. He was unable to move and couldn’t even exert thirty percent of his full strength.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
BAM!
Saber shadows flickered as killing intent surged.
’Damn it!’
Zhu Ju’s heart sank.
The Magicians and Mages of the Magic World had all sorts of bizarre and unpredictable thods, but he had never paid them much mind.
After all, the Physical Bodies of this world’s Cultivators were frail. Since Magic could kill them so easily, no one bothered to research powerful Slaughter Techniques.
But he was different.
His Earth Evil True Body was complete, making his Physical Body incredibly tough. Ordinary Magic posed no threat to him whatsoever.
Even so Mages’ techniques were useless against him.
And yet.
The Tang Family Ancestor had been a close-combat Mage. Even with his strength diminished, he was not an opponent Zhu Ju could afford to ignore.
As ti wore on, Zhu Ju’s expression grew increasingly grim.
’If this continues... ...forget my Forehead Ancestral Acupoint closing completely, I’ll suffer a severe backlash from my own technique.’
’Looks like I’ll have to take a gamble.’
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Ju suddenly swung his saber.
The Tang Family Ancestor dodged on instinct, then achieved Human-Saber Unity, transforming into a streak of light to slash at the flaw in his opponent’s Saber Technique.
Which was, his forehead.
The tip of the saber tore through the Innate Protective Gang Force and made contact with the Skin and Flesh of his forehead. The berserk power transford into a thousand blades, swirling out from his forehead and tearing through his body.
The next instant!
"OPEN!"
Zhu Ju’s eyes flew wide with fury. Spurred on by the sharp killing intent, his Forehead Ancestral Acupoint burst wide open, and the True Qi he had accumulated for so long erupted forth.
BOOM!
A roar of Powerful Qi.
The Tang Family Ancestor was sent flying. Zhu Ju’s aura vanished completely, leaving the scene in shambles, as if he had been blown to bits in the explosion.
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