Chapter 1426: Sha Gui Elder? Puppet?

"Kid, you can't get away; why keep running? Stay and become this Elder's puppet, and this Elder will surely treat you well, refining you into the most useful puppet."

"Anyone this Elder marks cannot escape."

"Kid, wherever you run you can't get away; this Elder has set his eyes on you and will follow you until you collapse."

Sha Gui Elder pursued from behind, keeping a distance—not too close, not too far—just the perfect gap, making him think he could still get away yet feel terrified.

Living amid tragedy and hope gave him hope, making him feel he could survive; they must not press him too hard.

This cat‑and‑mouse game is his specialty; he loves watching someone sink into despair step by step, seeing the other collapse, give up the struggle, and become his puppet.

In the end, no one can escape.

All became his puppets; Sha Gui Elder loves such people, who have hope and are full of confidence, watching them collapse step by step, then shattering their spirit completely.

When that moment comes, he will refine him into a puppet, his most loyal puppet, killing his body and heart so he cannot transcend.

"Kid, why resist? Just surrender obediently."

"You can't get away."

Sha Gui Elder leisurely caught up, unhurried and slow; he wasn't worried about losing the other's trail, for Yin Gui Zhenren bears the mark he left, so the other simply can't escape.

It's impossible to get away.

Yin Gui Zhenren's scalp prickled; he knew the other's intent, knew they were toying with him, trying to make him collapse completely and willingly become their puppet.

"Hmph, turning me into a puppet? Impossible."

"I, this seat, will never become your puppet. As long as a single thread of life remains, I will not surrender."

Making him collapse? Impossible.

He cannot become anyone's puppet, let alone anyone's slave.

He saw the other's intent at a glance; it was too vicious.

But where could he run to?

There was no life left, no hope; no one ahead could save him, and those behind were far stronger, surpassing him by a great margin. Even if he risked everything, he couldn't wound the other; his methods meant nothing to them.

The weirdness of ghost cultivation, its impenetrable defense, meant nothing to the other.

Yin Gui Zhenren knew this well; his tactics appeared very childish to the other.

"Kid, don't waste your schemes; to this Elder, your tactics are child's play."

"Surrender now."

Sha Gui Elder pursued relentlessly, constantly provoking his mind until body and spirit collapsed.

Yin Gui Zhenren could only run; he could not stop nor fall.

Running away, nothing but running away.

Along the way, he ran for a long time, many days, recalling that his ghost‑qi was more than half spent; each time he shook off the other, they eventually caught up, and he couldn't escape their traps set upon him.

But he couldn't find them; they were too mysterious, and Yin Gui Zhenren felt bitter inside.

Continuing to run would likely yield the same result.

Three days later.

In the boundless forest, Yin Gui Zhenren's ghost‑qi was about to be exhausted, unable to replenish, while the other stood not far away, waiting for the moment he collapsed.

Sha Gui Elder sneered, "Kid, can't you run anymore? Your ghost‑qi is depleted, right?"

"Hahaha, half a month straight, you finally collapsed from exhaustion."

"This Elder admires you; among all the people I've marked over the years, you rank at least in the top three."

Many have collapsed, unable to last till the end.

Yet Yin Gui Zhenren hasn't given up; instead, he piqued Sha Gui Elder's interest, making the Elder like this person even more.

This kid is prime material—steadfast heart, cultivation a bit weak but still sufficient.

"When this Elder refines you into a puppet, you will never worry about ghost‑qi again; this Elder will surely turn you into the strongest puppet."

"Kid, you should be grateful; not everyone catches this Elder's eye. Ordinary trash wouldn't even get a glance."

Sha Gui Elder stepped forward, stopping fifty meters from Yin Gui Zhenren, pointed at him, and said calmly, "Kid, you're truly different. This Elder is reluctant to kill you, but alas… you must die."

Such a person, with a steadfast heart, if left alive becomes a tiger raised as a threat.

Sha Gui Elder naturally knew this kind of person couldn't be subjugated nor become his disciple; better to kill him and refine him into a puppet than keep a fierce tiger, so he could control everything about him.

Only a puppet can earn his trust.

Yin Gui Zhenren stared at Sha Gui Elder and asked, "How can you let me go?"

Sha Gui Elder gave a cold smile, pointed at Yin Gui Zhenren, and said, "There's no way I'll let you go, kid. You're the puppet I've marked, a crucial part of my cultivation, and you must die."

"No one will save you; within a hundred li in any direction, there is no cultivator."

"Here is the place where you become a puppet."

Here, the yin‑qi is abundant, suitable for refining into a puppet.

Yin Gui Zhenren heard this and realized this person would not let him go; he knew he had to risk everything.

"Huh, then let's risk it," Yin Gui Zhenren gritted his teeth and produced a red pill.

The Hundred‑fold Burning Blood Pill, since acquiring it, had never had a chance to be taken.

At this moment, it could not be left unused.

With a fierce resolve, Yin Gui Zhenren swallowed the pill; the moment it entered his body, his form began to tremble, then violently convulsed, the shaking intensifying.

His body started to swell, his clothes tearing apart, boundless blood‑qi and demon‑qi expanding.

Blood‑qi surged skyward, followed by ghost‑qi and demon‑qi, mingling into a black‑red glow.

Bleeding from the seven orifices, Yin Gui Zhenren's eyes reddened as he stared at Sha Gui Elder.

A hoarse voice rang out, echoing around.

"You forced me."

Let's die together.

Great Yama Dharma Body.

Yin Gui Destruction Palm.

A swollen body, boundless ghost Qi, and overflowing killing Qi.

Killing Qi that tears everything apart, and the blood Qi that bursts through all.

Cannot be blocked, cannot be resisted.

This slap's power increased by hundreds of times.

At this moment, Yin Gui Zhenren's strength was boosted a hundredfold.

Die.

Die.

Give me death.

Heh ha ha.

Like a madman, only knows how to fight, with no consciousness left.

At this moment, he is a killing machine.

And the Killing Ghost Elder faced him head‑on, his body flung backward.

Flung backward again and again, colliding again and again.