Covered in emerald aura, the glaive bit into the torrential wind blade. For a moment both powers wrestled to gain the upper hand, but ultimately it was a simple attack struggling against an intelligent opponent.

Before the glaive could sustain any lasting damage, the Emerald Mountain Emperor angled the blade and deflected the mighty attack straight up in the air. The maneuver seemed effortless from an observer’s standpoint, but Long Jian knew it better.

Through his connection with the puppet, he was able to monitor its status perfectly. In life, the Emerald Mountain Emperor was a mighty cultivator who had stepped into the peak of the Dao Seeking Stage, just shy of becoming an immortal.

Although his spiritual power slightly diminished after his death and being turned into a puppet, his body had been improved using various highest earth-grade materials. Despite almost being a heaven-grade puppet, his joints and bones had creaked and cried, facing the attack head-on.

He had no time to rest. Before Long Jian knew what was going on, the Emerald Emperor had moved again, the wide blade of the Gian Dao blocking a tiny fist that had aimed for his heart with the speed of an arrow.

The fist hitting the metal sounded like a bell being rung. The tiny concubine of the Tower Master left her seat on the windowsill to attack him. The puppet master finally realized that he was in danger. The hidden mage and the visible fairy, he couldn’t just rely on the Emerald Emperor to face both enemies.

“Go look for the mage,” he commanded the Bright Moon Wolf to search for the hidden enemy, as two more puppets appeared beside him. He doubted the puppets spread throughout the region would be of much help to face the concubine, this was why he brought out two more cultivator puppets.

The Swift Breeze Duo was a pair of brother and sister that made a name for themselves 500 years ago. They were assassins who even killed people in the early stages of the Dao Severing realm in their height. The skeletal remains he pilfered from their grave lacked much of their former strength, but they still possessed their incredible movement techniques.

With overwhelming speed, that managed to drive the tiny foe back. Their fists were unable to penetrate the shield she used in defense and offense, but that wasn’t their job anyway. It was the Guan Dao appearing whenever there was a gap, to break the bug’s shell.

“This is starting to get fun,” the concubine commented, and her tiny armor started glowing. The next moment she matched the speed of the assassin duo. On the other hand, they couldn’t match her strength. With fists covered in golden spheres, she started punching the puppets, breaking them apart.

“You got any more?” she asked with an excited smile. She was about to attack the Emerald Emperor when the ruins were crushed again. The skull and parts of a massive would, thrown around in a tornado, suddenly came crashing down when the storm disintegrated.

Long Jian recognized them at first glance. They were parts of his Bright Moon Wolf! Disgracefully disassembled, the puppet returned, together with the perpetrators of its destruction. A bulky-looking man in armor and a petite-looking fairy, carrying a staff. It was the kind of magic staff with a big orb at the top, that the people of Urth used for their sorcery, not as a weapon.

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“I knew it was him. I told you it was him,” the female told the buff guy beside her

“I never said you are wrong. I just noted that there could be someone else using puppets here. It’s not a discipline exclusive to him,” the bulky fellow argued. Bickering like that, they appeared on top of the hill of debris.

This wasn't good. He recognized them as lords of Minas Mar. The woman was an elemental sorceress. The wind attack earlier had to be her doing! The physician was not much of a concern, but the other two... The spread puppets needed time to assemble. He had to act quickly even if he had to take a loss here!

“ Sentinel Centipede, Granite Toad, Steel Ox! Work with the Emerald Mountain Emperor to buy time!” he called forth the three puppets with the best defense and instructed them using the soundless communication technique.

Surrounding Long Jian appeared three more beasts. The first was a massive, ugly centipede with a dark black carapace shining as if it was lacquered. It looked especially mortifying with the irregular shiny spikes on its back, glinting in the twilight of the night. It was the size of a bus and appeared to his right.

The second was a gray toad with a coarse skin appearing to his left. It had barely any color at all and seemed to fuse with the background. For normal eyes, the toad was hard to make out in the darkness, despite being the size of a cow

The third was a steel-blue water ox the size of a small apartment building. Towering over Long Jian from behind him, it overshadowed the whole area. Together with the Emperor, they protected the puppeteer from four directions.

“Wow, just how many more do you have? You are almost like Seth,” the tiny foe whistled at the sight of three new puppets. “Of course, your toys can't compare to his,” she added offhandedly, dismissing his work as second-rate.

“Oh, please. You don't even know what you are talking about! The golems you people make are crude compared to the intricate art of our puppet craft!” the young cultivator argued. But not because of pride, but because he saw a chance to buy time and preserve his four defenders.

“Ha! Wanna bet?” the brute took the bait. He saw the other two shake their heads, unable to say anything. maybe the winged girl was belligerent in general? If he could get her to argue with him using words, then-

“Here, let's have a duel, just puppets. How about that?” she suddenly said and brought out a golem from her spatial equipment. Wearing full plate armor it looked like a shining silver knight. It had similar proportions to his Emerald Mountain Emperor, only that the weapon it used was a diabolical-looking mace.

This wasn't what he wanted at all. However, maybe that was even better. Who knew how long he could lock the dimwit in a discussion before she would snap and come swinging at him?

“Is that your only contestant? Then is it my four against your individual one? And those two won't interfere?” he asked to make sure. If she was really stupid enough to give him such an advantage. In that case, he would have been able to draw out this “duel” until his army assembled.

“Sure, it's not like I need more than her. Right Esperanza?” the fairy said confidently. In turn, the golem slammed its fist against its chest. It was a mighty clank showing how much force was in that movement.

“Exactly, no need to bother anyone else,” the golem said in a dull, but slightly high voice.

“Then shall we begin?” Long Jian asked, confident that he would be able to get out of there alive. Maybe he would even be able to come out on top today? he would slowly whittle down this golem and by the time he ended the match, these three would be encircled by his army.

The knight golem stepped forward, the bright silver armor, reflecting the moonlight and the stars. Weighing the brutal mace in its hand, it leaned back. He couldn't make out any eyes, but its posture made it seem like it was looking down on him.

“Before we start, let me pose a question as you seem quite happy about this situation. Did you know that giving someone “Hope” is one of the cruelest things one can do?” Esperanza asked in wicked glee.

--- Southwestern outskirts---

A rainbow streak of light was shooting towards the edge of the Pythian Village. Since the barrier was gone, the handsome man with the silver half-mask saw no reason to stay any longer and risk his life. Since Yoma Ma broke the barrier, he would simply rejoin once the immortal brought everything under control.

Once he was outside the Pythian Village he would simply hide close by and- his thoughts came to a halt when his gaze fell on the southern mountain range. What is the world- The moment he was distracted, he was suddenly intercepted by a golden pillar of rising light.

Suffering the sudden strike, they crashed into the city below. How was someone able to intercept his life-saving escape technique? His heart dropped when he saw the striking figure towering over him, clad in golden radiance.

“Hello there, “ he heart, when someone landed before him. Lyca, the Amazon had appeared. He swallowed hard, her presence was completely different from the arena. So much that he doubted he had a chance, even if he went all out, but the even bigger problem was what he saw before being struck down.

“I- I surrender?”