Chapter 164: 164. The Puppet God (Bonus Chapter — Requesting Subscriptions!)

164. Chapter 164: The Puppet God (Bonus Chapter — Requesting Subscriptions!)

"That's…"

Fu Yan Huyan Qiushui stared in shock as a crimson sun rose from within the black pyramid!

At its center glowed a single white speck, radiating soul-searing heat.

Merely seeing it seemed to ignite the spirit, bringing corruption and ultimate suffering…

"It's another thrall!"

"Damn it… did the Puppet Spider still control a lower-tier thrall?"

"A humanoid thrall?"

Though he didn't know why the Puppet Spider had hidden its strongest puppet until now, only revealing it at this moment.

Yet many students' faces already bore a glimmer of despair.

Shhh! Shhh!

A golden-white sword qi flashed and vanished; the several Blue Sea Team members beside Xin Xin Ruogui instantly shattered into pieces.

"So strong… what race is this thrall? I've never seen it in the bestiary."

"The Outer Domain's demonic gods have countless thralls, including even fallen humans… and many enjoy crossbreeding offspring; even the top demonic scholars may not distinguish every thrall's bloodline."

"This heat and corruption… could it be a 'Burning Offspring'? But I've never heard of a humanoid Burning Offspring… maybe it's a hybrid!"

Watching the crimson sun draw ever closer, every face was filled with despair.

The cultivation avatar's current cultivation level was undeniably a lower-tier thrall, yet it wielded its soul sword with devastating precision.

Alone, it could kill the Puppet Spider. Now, disguised as a thrall, its appearance brought only despair!

Boom!

The ground suddenly split open as Fang Xing's true body burst forth, three fingers glowing faintly gold as he lunged straight at the Puppet Spider!

In the sky, a blinding light erupted, as if another sun had appeared.

It was Gu Gu Jiantong!

In that moment of peril, both he and Fang Xing's true body made the only correct choice—kill the Puppet Spider!

If the cultivation avatar was the Puppet Spider's puppet, then once the Puppet Spider died, the threat would vanish.

Because the Puppet Spider's puppets are all forged from corpses!

Once the controller dies, they revert to mere corpses!

Boom!

The Puppet Spider, already spent, screamed in agony as it faced the pincer attack from above and below.

"Anyone who doesn't want to die, stop that Burning Offspring!"

The remaining students screamed and made their own best choices, forcing their nearly depleted blood qi with martial willpower to charge at the cultivation avatar.

Puff!

A flash of light and shadow!

Under the combined assault of Fang Xing's true body and Gu Gu Jiantong, the Puppet Spider let out its final scream as its massive head flew off.

"Hah… no surprise—you're still my eternal rival. You thought the same as I did."

Gu Gu Jiantong slowly retracted his right hand, his eyes brimming with battle lust: "I've reached Outer Scenery now. When I've fully comprehended the Ten Thousand Spirits Scroll, we'll settle this!"

"What's the point of saying this now?"

Fang Xing's face wore an expression of "concern" as he stared at his cultivation avatar—the terrifying aura vanished instantly, its face turned bluish-black like a corpse, tumbling from midair like a setting sun.

The terrifying flames swirling around it erupted, burning those who tried to scavenge to screams.

"Hmph… even trying to take advantage of me…"

Fang Xing sneered inwardly.

For a cultivator, faking a corpse was simple.

The cultivation avatar, upon realizing the lower-tier thrall was the Puppet Spider, had instantly devised a plan—using the "Corpse Transformation Talisman" to feign death, appearing as if it were merely another puppet under the Puppet Spider's control.

Once the Puppet Spider died and the realm shattered, the violent Void Storms erupted immediately.

"Finally… it's over."

Song Song Jingang, witnessing this, went black before his eyes and collapsed.

…

Metal Castle.

Space Chamber.

"Ha! I survived…"

"Wahhh… dead… everyone's dead…"

"Move aside! There's a critically wounded here—need immediate aid…"

A flash of silver light revealed a group of blood-splattered youths; the scene was chaotic.

As the doors opened, a swarm of nurses and doctors rushed in—clearly prepared in advance.

Fang Xing glanced around, secretly startled: "Over a hundred went in… only dozens returned… this death rate is a major incident, isn't it?"

He looked toward Wu Tie and saw him standing in the Mission Hall, face as dark as water—this mission's heavy casualties meant he'd be held accountable.

Yet he still remained calm: "Your battle merits will be distributed after report review. Everyone gets one month of leave…"

For group missions—not regular squads—allocating battle merits was complicated.

Moreover, Wu Tie now desperately wanted to know the details of the Secret Realm war.

…

Three days later.

Dormitory.

Fang Xing was reviewing the mission summary.

"As expected… labeled a Burning Offspring?"

He flipped through several pages and found the analysis claimed the "Burning Offspring" had originally been a corpse within the Secret Realm.

Previously, the upper-tier servant-level Puppet Spider couldn't utilize it.

Only after ascending to lower-tier thrall status did it activate the corpse—but restoring the Burning Offspring's power required time, hence its delayed appearance.

"Total nonsense…"

He snorted inwardly, though his own report had also been a hastily edited version of his experience.

Even the sharpest strategists could only deduce events from these reports—and the more they deduced, the further they strayed.

After all, the Secret Realm battlefield was destroyed; all clues vanished.

"In the end, it'll just be buried…"

"And the heavy casualties? There's blame on the commander's poor leadership… hmm, surprisingly objective."

Fang Xing finished reading the report, stepped out of the dormitory, and sighed.

Gu Gu Jiantong, that "cicada," had found his path and ascended to Outer Scenery.

If his guess was right, autumn wind was coming.

"Savage…"

He gazed up at the cosmic stars, suddenly feeling a chill.

If something happens this time, it won't be some petty Secret Realm skirmish.

"The key is Xin Xin Ruogui's actions—confirmed someone's targeting me… I'll assume it's Wei Wei Shentong. Even if I'm wrong, so be it… time to prepare framing or an assassination."

Though he and his avatar couldn't defeat a Great Golden Core martial artist, the cultivation world held countless devastating talismans and secret treasures.

Of course, even as a True Disciple Sword Heir, acquiring such items was extremely difficult.

But he could try.

This targeting of a Great Golden Core martial artist, backed by a faction, must leave not a single trace.

Thus, Fang Xing never considered buying assassination weapons from the Main Universe black market—that was just handing evidence on a silver platter.

"Assassination's too hard… better stick to framing."

"Pity… nothing feels as satisfying as cutting an enemy's head off with your own hands."

"Ah well… maybe another chance will come."

He left the military camp, preparing to use his leave to thoroughly investigate that big fraudster.

At that moment, Fang Xing saw a giant gorilla walking out of the camp.

"Little Song!"

He waved.

"Oh… it's you…"

Song Song Jingang's eyes were dull, heavy dark circles beneath them, his entire aura radiating defeat, resignation, indifference to everything.

"You used to call me 'Boss'—now you've grown wings, huh?"

Fang Xing clenched his fist, then suddenly understood: "You've got… psychological trauma?"

Earlier, Song Song Jingang, as the team's tank, took a fatal blow meant for An Xing, was breached, and injected with corruption and toxins.

Physical injuries were easy to heal, but lingering effects remained.

This was a wound to the soul.

Like Xia Long, outwardly fine, but deeply entangled.

Even his strength had been weakened because of it.

"It's fine, just a small emotional wound—it doesn't affect my body at all... I'm planning to drop out and work at my hometown's public security bureau... With my current strength, I can just coast until I die..."

Song Song Jingang seemed to have lost all ambition.

"Don't tell me that—tell your parents and your investors, and see if they don't beat the shit out of you!"

Fang Xing silently rolled his eyes: "By the way, didn't you redeem a Source Sea-level healing pod treatment?"

"I'm only at a top-tier university—my credits don't include that redemption option..."

Song Song Jingang glanced at Fang Xing: "Military merit could work, but I'm still a bit short... Forget it, I don't care anymore. Retiring like this is fine... I'll go back, find a woman, marry her, have a few kids, and live out my life like this..."

"Actually, I think this isn't so bad—at least it's safe..."

Fang Xing mentally scoffed.

But after recalling Song Song Jingang's past behavior, he decided to pull this little brother up one last time.

"Come on... I'm taking you to see a doctor!"

Compared to credits or military merit, seeing a doctor costs the least—even if that doctor is a bit unreliable...

"See a doctor?"

Song Song Jingang instinctively resisted.

"Come on, or I'll beat you up!"

Fang Xing grabbed Song Song Jingang and lifted him up like he was picking up a chick.

He felt Song Song Jingang's instinctive resistance had weakened considerably, like a lifeless salted fish.

Fang Xing walked to the Earth-Moon elevator and sent a message to Gu Yun along the way.

When Fang Xing and Song Song Jingang stepped out of the elevator, they saw a hovering car parked by the roadside.

A more mature Gu Yun opened the door, revealing a bright smile: "Senior, I've come to pick you up!"

"Not bad—you've got a hovering car now."

Fang Xing nodded.

On Blue Star, hovering cars weren't rare—what mattered was getting a travel permit.

"It's from the bureau—I'm just borrowing it temporarily..."

Gu Yun grinned mischievously, a stark contrast to the emotionless little girl Fang Xing remembered.

"Using a public vehicle for personal use? Eh, not bad..."

Fang Xing and Song Song Jingang got into the hovering car. Fang Xing gave the address: "To Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital!"

"Understood."

Gu Yun didn't ask any questions—even seemed familiar with the psychiatric hospital.

After all, the Prevention and Control Bureau was inseparable from demonic corruption; many senior members of the Faith Theory Division were regulars at major psychiatric hospitals.