Chapter 716: One Trick Wins Them All

"What you say also seems to have some logic to it."

Ye Lin nodded, deeply agreeing.

On the Longevity Continent, sword cultivators enjoy the reputation of having the highest attack power; no matter how high the floods rise or what conspiracies are plotted, one can simply break through them with a single sword, feeling incredibly carefree and unrestrained.

But it is also true that sword cultivators are poor.

Refining a life-bound sword requires the consumption of vast amounts of resources.

Sharpening the blade every three days and tempering it every five, all one's Immortal Source Stones are spent on the sword.

The key is, besides your life-bound sword, you still have to purchase other flying swords, right?

But what's even more of a headache is that some god-forsaken sword cultivator grandmaster created a technique called Myriad Swords Return to Origin.

As long as a grandmaster uses this move, flying swords within a hundred-mile radius will automatically fly away.

The flying sword you bought after working hard and taking out loans vanishes the moment these grandmasters have a fight.

It's bad enough the sword is gone, but you still have to keep paying back the Immortal Source Stones you owe.

Every time a grandmaster uses Myriad Swords Return to Origin, countless sword cultivators go bankrupt.

Never mind enjoying life; many sword cultivators can't even afford a full meal.

If evil cultivators can't afford to eat, they can just rob people, but sword cultivators can't; many of them pride themselves on something called integrity.

With all these factors combined, unless a sword cultivator has the backing of a top-tier sect, they are all dirt poor—poorer even than the evil cultivators everyone wants to beat up.

"Right? So what are you waiting for? I may look small, but I'm already an adult, and it's not illegal with me."

Su Xiaojiu flashed a sweet smile at Ye Lin.

Setting aside Ye Lin's own appearance, the identity of being the man of the Hall Master of No-Thought is enough to make all the female cultivators in the Joyous Union Sect extremely interested in him.

It's like comparing two beauties: one is just a beauty, and the other is a top internet celebrity with ten million followers—which one has a greater attraction for you?

Even with the same figure and appearance, different identities bring completely different experiences.

"No thanks, I'm afraid you'll have your human puppet peg me."

Ye Lin shook his head and raised his hand to take out the Bronze Dragon Vein Cauldron.

Su Xiaojiu's face turned red instantly, and she said somewhat shyly.

"How did you know I like to play like that?"

Ye Lin's expression changed wildly.

Originally, he had thought that if there was no other way, he would just half-heartedly go along with it, but now, after activating his Soul-Hunting Underworld Pupils and taking a look at that two-meter-tall steel human puppet, Ye Lin suddenly felt he had a reason he had to win.

"Pupil technique?"

Su Xiaojiu narrowed her eyes slightly, and the hand seals she was forming changed.

The tall human puppet instantly charged toward Ye Lin.

Clang!

Ye Lin swung the Bronze Dragon Vein Cauldron, slamming it solidly against the steel human puppet's body, producing a sound like clashing metal.

The puppet's body was dented by the blow, but to the puppet, the damage was negligible.

The puppet backhanded a heavy punch toward Ye Lin.

Bang!

This punch landed and directly pierced through Ye Lin's chest!

A bloody hole appeared in Ye Lin's chest, going all the way through; it looked terrifyingly gory.

The spectators all gasped in shock.

This human puppet of Su Xiaojiu's could probably kill someone in the Cave Profound Realm.

To refine a human puppet to this degree is simply terrifying.

"Admit defeat, you're mine now."

Su Xiaojiu didn't let the puppet continue attacking; after all, this guy was the man of the Hall Master of No-Thought. Playing around was fine, but if he died, it would be troublesome.

"Who told you I lost?"

Another Ye Lin appeared out of nowhere and headed straight for Su Xiaojiu.

"A clone?"

Su Xiaojiu's expression changed slightly, but she wasn't overly panicked.

"Wind God Kick!"

Ye Lin threw a fierce punch, smashing straight toward Su Xiaojiu without the slightest bit of tenderness.

However, as the punch landed, Ye Lin felt as if he had hit a lump of iron.

A second human puppet appeared in front of Su Xiaojiu, blocking Ye Lin's punch head-on, and simultaneously returned the favor, sending Ye Lin flying with a punch.

The two two-meter-tall human puppets stood on the left and right of the one-meter-five Su Xiaojiu; the visual contrast was extremely strong.

"Your combat power is indeed far beyond the average Five Elements Realm, and the Yin-Yang Realm probably isn't your match either, but it's a pity that you are still far from the Cave Profound Realm," Su Xiaojiu couldn't help but shake her head.

"Oh? Really?"

Ye Lin smiled and closed his five fingers.

"Explode!"

Su Xiaojiu's pupils shrank violently.

Only then did she realize that during the time Ye Lin was fighting the puppet, he had somehow stuck a bunch of explosive talismans onto the puppet's body.

Moreover, the spots where Ye Lin had placed the talismans were very hidden—under the armpits and in the crotch—which was why she hadn't noticed them at first.

Boom!

The explosive talismans Ye Lin had stuffed there quickly erupted into a violent explosion.

Dust and smoke billowed across the sky.

"What terrifying combat awareness..."

Many disciples of the Joyous Union Sect had their eyes light up.

Although Ye Lin's cultivation realm was much lower than Su Xiaojiu's, his methods for dealing with her undoubtedly opened their eyes.

So, when fighting an opponent who excels at controlling puppets, you can secretly stick explosive talismans on their puppets—learned it!

When the smoke cleared, Su Xiaojiu and the two human puppets reappeared.

Although Su Xiaojiu was a bit disheveled and her hair was slightly messy, those explosive talismans clearly hadn't caused her any harm.

Clap, clap, clap.

Su Xiaojiu applauded.

"Ye Xiehong, you are indeed very capable. If my cultivation realm were a bit lower, you might have actually succeeded in your sneak attack."

The power of those explosive talismans was enough to severely injure someone in the Yin-Yang Realm; even someone in the Primordial Realm might have been left covered in wounds.

But unfortunately, she was already in the Cave Profound Realm!

"One."

Ye Lin held up one finger.

Before Su Xiaojiu could understand what he meant, Ye Lin held up a second finger.

"Two."

"What are you counting?" Su Xiaojiu asked.

"Three."

As soon as the words fell, Su Xiaojiu felt the world suddenly spin before her eyes.

"I've been drugged? When exactly..."

Although Su Xiaojiu tried her best to resist, this stupefying drug came from the hands of the Pill Peak Master.

With a thud, she fell directly to the ground.

And as soon as Su Xiaojiu fainted, the two human puppets stood there blankly, like robots that had lost power.

This scene left everyone present dumbfounded.

Even Qu Hongshao on the stage was at a loss.

Seeing that Su Xiaojiu had more than enough to handle Ye Lin, she hadn't intervened.

No one knew why, when Su Xiaojiu had clearly been in the upper hand just a moment ago, she had simply collapsed after Ye Lin counted to three.

Could it be that his counting was actually some kind of great divine ability?

"It's a stupefying drug, and a powerful one at that, from the hands of a pill cultivation grandmaster."

Yin Luosha, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly spoke up.

Her voice was very hoarse, as if she had a piece of 82-year-old phlegm stuck in her throat.

"But even if it is a stupefying drug, how did he manage to get Xiaojiu to fall for it?" Qu Hongshao asked, puzzled.

"The explosive talismans he used must have been soaked in the powerful stupefying drug; that way, the moment the talismans exploded, the medicinal effect would be dispersed."