Chapter 780 – Stepping Onto the Highest Stage
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“This is a Giant Demon puppet that I carefully crafted myself. I call it… the Gargoyle. Let me take a good look at just how many of my puppets you can force me to use!”
Giant Demon puppet? So it seemed that the Sky Spill Continent also had a Giant Demon race. Just where had this Giant Demon corpse come from?
The Sky Spill Continent and the Holy Demon Continent were both isolated from each other. The last time that they had contact with each other was likely when the Netherworld Great Emperor traveled to the Sky Spill Continent through the Demon Emperor’s transmission array and then later on founded the Silent Demon Emperor City.
If it was said that there were Giant Demon skeletons from thousands of years ago then Lin Ming wouldn’t be surprised. But, puppet techniques required the use of fresh corpses in order to function properly. This meant that one of the four Divine Kingdoms had members of the Giant Demon race within them.
“Where is your Giant Demon corpse from?” Lin Ming directly asked.
“Hehe, of course it comes from the Asura Divine Kingdom. Is that so strange? This old man has no interest in bantering with the likes of you. Now die!”
Corpsemancer gave a loud shout and the Giant Demon puppet extracted a 15 foot axe before cutting it down towards Lin Ming.
As this axe cut out, roiling black clouds followed behind it. This was obviously the demon essence that the Giant Demon race used. Although it was similar to true essence, they had essential differences between them.
An astounding puppet master could reproduce all the abilities that the deceased had before their death. Demon essence was no exception.
‘The Asura Divine Kingdom actually has the Giant Demon race; that is beyond my expectations.’ Lin Ming shook his long spear, filling it with the Concept of Fire as he smashed it against the Giant Demon’s axe.
But at this time, there was a crackling sound as a two foot section of the axe broke off. A thick chain pulled out from the shaft, causing the entire weapon to turn into something like a bola.
With special devices and traps everywhere, it was nearly impossible to guard against. This was one of the special characteristics of puppets.
Ka ka ka!
Lin Ming’s red long spear was caught in the chain. At the same time, the axehead was pulled by the chain, smashing straight towards Lin Ming’s head.
At such a close distance, for such a change to happen in the axe was truly a sinister combat technique. Moreover, since Lin Ming’s spear was twisted into that chain he was unable to dodge it. Unless he abandoned his spear and retreated, his only option would be to directly block that axe.
But to a martial artist, their weapon was their life. To abandon their weapon in battle was equal to disillusioning their own heart of martial arts.
“Sir Lin!”
Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but cry out in alarm as she watched the battle from a distance.
All of the surrounding martial artists also watched with wide eyes, waiting to see just how this junior would fight against such a top genius.
But at this moment, Lin Ming appeared nothing but serene. He shook he long spear in his hands.
The large success bronze battle spirit erupted!
Kacha!
With a shattering sound, that chain as thick as an arm was directly broken apart by Lin Ming!
Soon after, Lin Ming’s spear thrust forwards, piercing through that half foot thick axe with an unstoppable and sharp spear light that stabbed towards Corpsemancer’s head.
“Mm?”
Corpsemancer was bewildered. This was… a battle spirit!?
With his sight and experience he naturally recognized that this was a battle spirit. Lin Ming only had a mere late Revolving Core cultivation and yet his battle spirit was so keen; how could he not be shocked?
Bang!
Lin Ming’s spear stabbed into a white bone shield. At that moment, in front of Corpsemancer, another puppet appeared. This puppet looked like a giant turtle. What Lin Ming had pierced through was its shell.
As the spear punctured the shell, although the shell didn’t break, cracks still appeared, spreading out like a spider web.
All of the martial artists present could clearly see what happened. A spear had broken apart the axe and simultaneously broke through the first level of armor of another puppet. This striking power was freakishly abnormal!
“So you comprehended a large success battle spirit. It seems I truly underestimated you, no wonder you would dare to fight me.” Corpsemancer’s ghostly green eyes flashed with a blazing light. He licked his lips and coldly said, “I have now decided to sincerely kill you.”
Lin Ming’s talent far surpassed Corpsemancer’s estimations. To have such an enemy, and for him to be so young, Corpsemancer naturally couldn’t allow him to live. Otherwise, his future troubles would be endless.
“Complete body!”
With a loud shout, Corpsemancer’s skinny skeletal body began emitting loud crackling sounds. The white cloth that bound his body like a mummy ripped apart and a pair of blood-red wings unfurled. After the wings stretched out they were more than 10 feet long; they appeared like the wings of a giant bat.
At the same time, scales began to appear all over Corpsemancer’s face. His arms lengthened and his claws became even larger, a chillingly cold light shining from them.
After the initial probing strike, Corpsemancer was now ready to go all-out.
Lin Ming was solemn. After reaching this boundary, no other junior was his opponent. If he wanted to fight he could only challenge those old monsters that had been stranded in the Life Destruction realm for hundreds of years. In front of these existences, Lin Ming was still far too young.
There were several small boundaries within the Life Destruction realm. From the first stage to the seventh stage of Life Destruction, the difference was approximate to the difference between the Houtian realm and the Revolving Core realm.
For the late Revolving Core Lin Ming to challenge a Destiny Decree master, that meant that he had now transcended the struggles of juniors and transitioned into fighting powerhouses of the older generation. At this moment, Lin Ming had truly stepped onto the highest stage of the Sky Spill Continent.
Corpsemancer extracted a massive scythe from his spatial ring. The scythe blade glowed with a cold light and its entire body was deep black. It looked like the scythe of the grim reaper.
As the scythe appeared, a limitless amount of resentment and malice filled the air, as if countless ghosts were weeping and screaming around the scythe.
“What is this sound? It pains the ears!”
“It’s drilling into my brain. The scythe is calling to me!”
All of the surrounding martial artists only felt as if countless demonic spirits were screaming into their ears. This sound seemed to have enormous penetrative power. Even if they covered their ears the sound still passed through, drilling directly into their spiritual sea.
As the martial artists with weaker cultivations heard this sound they felt as if their heads were about to crack open and all of the blood drained out from their faces.
“Hurry up and retreat!”
Some martial artists shook their hands as if they had awakened from a nightmare and began calling out warnings. However, many people were unable to withdraw under the effects of this sonic attack. They lost consciousness and fell down from the skies.
“This is the Evil Hate Scythe that Corpsemancer forged from countless suffering souls and lives. Every strike contains a near-endless amount of grudge and resentment; it can destroy a martial artist’s will!”
“If just hearing the sound of it is so terrifying, then what will happen if it cuts down on you!?”
Lin Ming bore the attack. As he was enveloped in the energy field of resentment from the Evil Hate Scythe, his face remained expressionless.
He could clearly hear this resentment colliding with his own dual force fields. ‘This Corpsemancer, it seems he really transformed his own body into a puppet.’
A high level puppet master’s greatest strength lay in their own bodies. This was because their bodies made the best puppets. Once their skeletons and meridians were modified beyond all recognition, their defensive power would far surpass a general martial artist’s.
To be invulnerable themselves and also be able to coordinate three or four puppets together, a powerful martial artist would have an extreme headache if they bumped into a formidable puppet master.
As Corpsemancer brought out his complete body, his two eyes had already transformed from a ghostly green to a deep blood red. He grabbed the long scythe in both hands and unfolded his wings. Then, he silently slid forwards like ghosts and demons; his speed was shocking!
All of the observing martial artists tarried. All they saw was a flash as Corpsemancer appeared in front of Lin Ming, his black scythe rapidly cutting down! This sort of speed was in no way inferior to Lin Ming’s Golden Roc Shattering the Void!
Too fast!
Lin Ming was already horrified. This wasn’t teleportation, but it was a speed that made it seem as if there were no difference!
“Nether Strike!”
The black scythe seemed to emerge from space. It cut through space, carrying with it endless resentment and howls from mourning ghosts as it slashed towards Lin Ming. This attack hadn’t even arrived and yet its aura was so terrifying!
Lin Ming waved his spear. Facing this all-out Corpsemancer, Lin Ming naturally didn’t dare to hold back.
Law of Annihilation, Chain of Stars!
A spear ran up to meet the enemy. The Concept of Fire and the Concept of Space were poured into the spear, causing all of the heaven and earth origin energy in a 10 mile radius to restlessly move. The fire energy and the power of space fused together, condensed into tiny little fragments that rapidly spun around like a chain of stars, shrouding down towards Corpsemancer.
Ca!
The tiny fragments of fire and space struck with the resentment of the black scythe, creating a harsh keening noise to split the air.
Lin Ming’s spear crossed with the black scythe. A terrifying wave of true essence exploded, causing the atmosphere to vibrate. They were nearly evenly matched!
During the battle, Corpsemancer revealed a diabolical grin. Not only did he have his own attack but he also had puppets!
As Corpsemancer struck out with the Nether Strike attack, the Giant Demon puppet and the great turtle puppet also attacked. The Giant Demon puppet turned the axe shaft in his hands, turning it into a makeshift long spear as he thrust out at Lin Ming’s back. At the same time, the great turtle puppet opened its vast maw and spat out a beam of black energy.
These two attacks joined together. Their combined power just was slightly less than Corpsemancer’s own Nether Strike.
This was an attack from the front and back!
“Sir Lin, be careful!” Xiaixiao shouted out. Her life was now linked together with Lin Ming’s – how could she not be tense? If Lin Ming was defeated, she would suffer a fate worse than death.
At this critical moment, Lin Ming took a sudden step forwards. Space twisted underneath his feet. Although it looked as if he had only taken a casual step forwards, he had actually crossed a mile, causing both of the puppets’ attacks to miss.
Lin Ming stood in the skies. A mile away from Corpsemancer, he pointed his spear point right at him.
“I’m also confident in my speed. Although my long distance speed may not reach the degree of your twin black wings.”
Bang!
Dozens of miles away, the black beam of energy released by the great turtle puppet smashed into a mountainside, causing an entire rock shelf to collapse.
Watching Lin Ming and Corpsemancer fighting in the air, everyone present felt as if they had lost their breath.
This was the showdown of Destiny Decree masters. Although the Sky Spill Continent had over 100 Divine Sea powerhouses, all of these existences were secretive individuals that almost never appeared. Most of them had hidden themselves in seclusion for countless years.
Without the Divine Sea, the Destiny Decree was king!
The Destiny Decree was equivalent to the highest stage of the Sky Spill Continent!
“Space Laws? What a pleasant surprise.” Corpsemancer sinisterly laughed. As Lin Ming had said, that extreme speed of Corpsemancer’s came from the pair of wings on his back. In terms of long distance travel, he was faster than Lin Ming. But, in short distances, he was actually slower than Lin Ming. Lin Ming’s Golden Roc Shattering the Void was able to twist space, with a single step, approaching teleportation. This was the strength of Laws. As for those black wings behind Corpsemancer, they were merely heaven-step flight treasures.
“You are indeed an unrivalled talent. Only killing someone like you can bring me sweet pleasure! Jejejeje!”