Chapter Forty: Corpse Puppet

Su Fan’s gaze softened as he looked at the newcomer, saying nothing. Beside him, Suo Tianhao noticed the visitor was a woman, and her beauty made his heart stir with desire. With a sly grin, he asked, “May I know your name, miss? Would you care to join me in my fortress?”

The woman smiled faintly, then her expression shifted to one of mockery. “Do you even qualify?” she retorted. With a casual wave of her hand, the exotic flower she held released a crimson gleam that drifted toward Suo Tianhao, accompanied by a chilling aura of death. Suo Tianhao hurriedly tried to retreat, but found his body stiff and immobile, as if frozen. Gan Huai, who was observing from afar, quickly began forming hand seals to help, but the grey dragon shadow overhead was attacking relentlessly, and Su Fan watched him intently. One misstep and he might reveal an opening for attack, leaving Gan Huai torn between choices.

As the crimson light was about to envelop Suo Tianhao, he struggled desperately, his face turning green, screaming in agony, “Gan, help me!” Gan Huai’s expression grew darker, the veins on his gaunt face bulging.

Suddenly, he swung his hand, sending a blue light crashing into the crimson gleam. As the two mists clashed, Gan Huai swiftly wrapped Suo Tianhao in his robe and retreated. Su Fan’s eyes narrowed, his hands rapidly forming seals, conjuring nine bows and arrows.

With a thought, the dragon shadow returned to his shoulder, and the arrows shot quickly toward Gan Huai, who was trying to escape, but were blocked by shields of light. Gan Huai’s experience showed as, even while fleeing, he set up multiple defensive formations. Yet, these defenses barely slowed the arrows, which pierced through like bamboo.

Abruptly, Gan Huai stopped and flicked his fingers. The previously fierce arrows seemed to pause in midair, and with a crisp sound, they crumbled to sand and fell to the ground.

Placing Suo Tianhao before him, Gan Huai spoke softly, “Young master, be careful. That woman has reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.” He cast a wary glance at the woman in pink.

Su Fan, seeing his attack thwarted, approached the woman. “Ruoyu, didn’t I ask you to wait for me? Why are you here?” The woman in pink pouted, whispering, “I was worried about you.”

Su Fan sighed and said no more. Raising his eyes to Gan Huai, he saw a vicious glint in Gan Huai’s eyes as he slapped his storage pouch, producing a small blue tower. He bit his finger and smeared a drop of blood on the tower.

Immediately, the tower emitted waves of blue light, and in moments, it transformed into a tall structure covered in strange symbols, as if sealing something within.

Seeing this peculiar tower, Su Fan felt a dangerous aura and hastily conjured nine arrows to strike it. But as the arrows neared the tower, they were enveloped in blue light. Seeing the situation, Fan Ruoyu quickly sent several crimson beams toward the tower, their immense pressure dimming the blue light a little.

Still, the blue and red lights were evenly matched. Gan Huai tapped the symbols on the tower, and it split in two, releasing thick mist and blue radiance.

The mist cleared in an instant, revealing a person inside. His body was rotten, oozing foul liquid, his long hair obscured his face, and his shriveled limbs were bound by thick chains from within the tower.

Gan Huai sneered, tossing a paper talisman at the figure. The person seemed to be violently provoked, raising his head and letting out a furious roar. Su Fan was shocked—there was no flesh on the figure’s face, only a skull, but its eyes glowed with eerie blue light.

Fan Ruoyu seemed transfixed, murmuring, “Corpse puppet?” Her fear was apparent as she grabbed Su Fan’s hand and tried to retreat, shouting, “Su Fan, let’s go! That’s a corpse puppet! It can’t be killed—we can’t beat it!”

Gan Huai laughed coldly, “You do know something, but today you won’t escape.” Suddenly, Fan Ruoyu turned, her expression regaining composure, and said, “It is indeed a corpse puppet, but not as formidable as you think.”

Su Fan’s expression changed slightly, glancing at Fan Ruoyu in thought. She continued, “From what I see, with your cultivation, you can't fully refine this corpse puppet. It’s severely wounded and has been suppressed in that tower for years. At most, it can only display late Foundation Establishment power.”

Gan Huai, hearing this, became furious. “Even if it’s only late Foundation Establishment, with me, him, and our young master, killing you two is easy.” He snapped his fingers, and the corpse puppet roared, breaking free from the chains and rushing toward Fan Ruoyu.

Fan Ruoyu moved lightly, dodging behind the corpse puppet, causing it to miss. With a wave, she sent a crimson beam crashing onto the puppet, which was enveloped in red light. The corpse puppet roared, flailing its arms to break free and lunging at Fan Ruoyu again.

Gan Huai sneered, drawing a long spear and charging at Su Fan. Unfazed, Su Fan took out the Mountain Soul Fan, and the dragon shadow on his shoulder flew at Gan Huai, locking him in combat.

Suo Tianhao stood aside, face flushed in humiliation from Fan Ruoyu’s earlier attack. His anger boiled over, and he drew a pair of violet blades, flying at Su Fan. Seeing Suo Tianhao’s murderous intent, Su Fan’s rage surged. He shouted, “Today, I’ll sacrifice you to honor my mother!”

Suo Tianhao laughed maliciously. “Your mother’s fate is all your doing. But don’t blame yourself—you’ll soon be able to join her.” Su Fan’s eyes burned red as he sent out the Mountain Soul Fan and rapidly formed seals.

The fan expanded, waving gently in the air, releasing countless fan shadows. Yet Suo Tianhao’s violet blades were also treasures, easily blocking every attack.

Suo Tianhao grunted, flashing forward to strike at Su Fan with his blades. Su Fan retreated ghost-like, landing a palm on Suo Tianhao that caused him to pause, his anger intensifying.

With a low growl, Suo Tianhao hurled his violet blades, which shot toward Su Fan like beams of light. Alarmed, Su Fan tried to block with his Mountain Soul Fan. The blades struck the fan, causing a brief pause before the fan flew back to Su Fan’s hand.

Scanning it with his divine sense, Su Fan saw the fan was cracked and unusable, feeling a pang of regret. But the blades were coming fast—he couldn’t dwell on it. Quickly, he formed seals and conjured nine arrows, sending them forth.

The arrows were barely able to counter the violet blades. Su Fan looked around—the dragon shadow and Gan Huai were still locked in fierce battle, surprising Su Fan with the dragon’s formidable cultivation, able to contend with such a master.

Meanwhile, Fan Ruoyu, like a beast tamer, toyed with the corpse puppet, making its once-bloodthirsty menace seem almost comical. Suo Tianhao, unable to kill Su Fan, showed unwillingness, withdrawing his violet blades.

Fan Ruoyu’s divine sense flickered, a trace of subtle amusement on her lips as she quickly drew a Phoenix Feather Crossbow, infusing it with spiritual energy. A crimson arrow formed and, with a flick of her finger, silently flew at Suo Tianhao.

With a scream, Suo Tianhao collapsed, blood spraying from his mouth as his inner armor shattered and fell. Gan Huai, seeing this, grew anxious, wanting to save him. Su Fan’s eyes flashed coldly, his arrows multiplying—nine, ten, ninety-eight… a hundred.

A hundred sand arrows rained down, overwhelming Suo Tianhao as Gan Huai spun to rescue him, shouting angrily, “Su Fan, how dare you!” The grey dragon shadow roared, slamming its massive claw into Gan Huai’s back. Gan Huai spat blood, eyes full of venom.

As the hundred arrows struck, Suo Tianhao’s body was riddled with holes, his flesh broken and incomplete. Gan Huai swiftly gathered Suo Tianhao’s corpse into his arms, a blue light flashed—and both vanished, leaving only a shrill cry: “Su Fan, you’ve killed our young master. Three Royal Fortress will never rest until you’re dead!”

Su Fan collected Suo Tianhao’s storage pouch, called the dragon shadow, and collapsed to the ground. The dragon shadow flew to the corpse puppet to assist Fan Ruoyu. After several rounds, Fan Ruoyu finally sealed the puppet so it could not move. Seeing Su Fan collapse, she gently gathered him and retreated, the dragon shadow dragging the puppet behind.

In a damp mountain cave, Su Fan sat cross-legged, enveloped in red light, with a swirl of grey mist circling him. Beside him, Fan Ruoyu watched intently, lost in thought.

After a long time, Fan Ruoyu murmured, “Old Man Kui told me to deceive you, claiming we were destined. I was supposed to trick you. But now, I find I can’t leave you.

“At first, I thought you were too rigid, clinging to empty ideals of chivalry. I wanted you to change—only then could you survive in the cultivation world. Now, you’ve changed. But the price is too great.”

As she spoke, Fan Ruoyu bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. Who knows how much time passed, or whether Su Fan heard her words. Slowly, he opened his eyes, withdrew his defensive formation, and walked to Fan Ruoyu, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

Fan Ruoyu blushed, hurriedly pushed him away, wiped her tears, and stood up. “Suo Rongcheng will surely come soon. This corpse puppet is difficult to manage. If it can be refined, it could be very useful. But its murderous aura is too strong—I can’t refine it. You try.”

Su Fan smiled lightly and approached the corpse puppet. Its blue glow had faded, leaving only empty eye sockets. Su Fan sat cross-legged and spat a mouthful of essence blood, enveloping the corpse puppet. The blood quickly seeped in, but Gan Huai’s divine sense was fiercely resilient and could not be erased.

Suddenly, the grey mist before Su Fan let out a low growl. Su Fan was surprised, “You have a way?” The mist screeched and wrapped around the puppet, slowly seeping in and out. After several rounds, Su Fan sensed his essence blood gradually breaking through Gan Huai’s divine sense.

Then, a surge of potent evil energy erupted, shattering Gan Huai’s divine sense. Su Fan hurriedly tried to imprint his own divine sense on the puppet, but as soon as it formed, it was instantly broken by the surge of evil energy.