118: Corpse Puppet Sect

He suddenly slapped an inconspicuous gray pouch at his waist; black light surged from the opening, and a tall figure suddenly appeared.

The figure had bluish-black, shriveled, lusterless skin, hollow eyes, and emitted a dense Death Qi and powerful Spiritual Pressure from its body.

Fourth level of Foundation Establishment!

"Corpse Puppet?!" Lin Yan's pupils constricted, and he instantly understood many things.

No wonder Tu Lei was so fearless, and no wonder Xu Changsheng had disappeared without a trace.

"Roar!"

The Corpse Puppet let out an inhuman roar, carrying an Aura of fearless ferocity. Enveloped in a cold wind, it lunged at Lin Yan, its withered palm striking directly toward the top of Lin Yan's head.

Though surprised, Lin Yan remained calm. His Sixth-Grade Dao Foundation emitted a faint light, and his pure, surging Qi flowed like a river, far exceeding that of an ordinary first-level Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

With his Sixth-Grade Dao Foundation and Peak-Grade Spiritual Root, his Qi strength was comparable to that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator.

He pressed his fingers together like a sword and shouted in a low voice, "Defend!"

The qinggang sword let out a clear hum, its body glowing brilliantly. Instead of retreating, it advanced, transforming into a streak of cyan lightning that pierced directly toward the Corpse Puppet's palm.

"Sizzle!"

When the sword light collided with the Corpse Puppet's palm, it produced a sound like burning.

That indestructible Corpse Fiend Qi, upon encountering the Qi containing Lin Yan's Third-Turn Sword Intent, melted rapidly like snow in the spring sun.

"Slash!"

Lin Yan changed his Sword Techniques, and the Flying Sword instantly divided into three incredibly solid sword shadows, each carrying a sharpness capable of tearing through everything.

The sword shadows intersected, forming a net of death that enveloped the Corpse Puppet.

The Corpse Puppet relied on instinct and its tough body to resist, waving its sharp claws as black Qi churned.

But in the face of such absolute sharpness and Sword Intent that suppressed evil, its defense proved futile.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Wherever the sword light passed, the Corpse Puppet's arms and legs were severed at the root, and black, viscous liquid sprayed out, stinking unbearably.

In just a few breaths, the fourth-level Foundation Establishment Corpse Puppet, which had been so ferocious just moments ago, was reduced to a pile of fragments, no longer moving.

Overwhelming! An absolute crushing victory!

The cruel grin on Tu Lei's face froze completely, turning into unbelievable terror.

"Impossible... Impossible! You are only at the first level of Foundation Establishment..." Tu Lei revealed his unwillingness to accept this:

"How could you be so strong? Even with Sword Intent, you shouldn't be this strong!"

Wang Tie, who was watching from the side, was stunned.

The battle ended too quickly; he hadn't even reacted yet. He only felt a chilling sharpness lingering in his heart, unable to be shaken off.

Lin Yan withdrew his qinggang sword, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, dripping a few drops of black blood.

His gaze was like lightning as he locked onto Tu Lei. "Speak! Why did you fall into the Demonic Path? Who else is behind you?"

"Hahaha..." Knowing there was no hope of escape, Tu Lei laughed maniacally:

"Lin Yan, don't even think about learning anything from me!"

"You have already been marked by my Sect. If you kill me today, there will be endless Demonic Cultivators coming for your life in the future! I will wait for you in Hell!"

Lin Yan frowned slightly and stopped wasting words.

With a flash of sword light, he severed the tendons in Tu Lei's hands and feet. The excruciating pain turned Tu Lei's wild laughter into screams.

But even so, Tu Lei gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with madness and determination, seeking only death.

Looking at his mind, which had been completely twisted by the Demonic Technique, Lin Yan knew he wouldn't be able to get anything out of him.

He did not hesitate any longer; the sword light rose again, like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan.

Tu Lei's laughter came to an abrupt end. His head rolled off, a look of crazed cursing still remaining on his face.

Lin Yan raised his hand to take the Storage Pouch from Tu Lei's waist and probed it with his Divine Sense.

Inside, besides a few dozen Spirit Stones containing impure blood energy, there were a few withered flowers.

"So it was a Concealing Breath Flower."

He realized that it was by relying on this item that the Corpse Puppet could lurk here.

Besides the few mature Concealing Breath Flowers, there was a small packet of flower seeds, which was exactly what Lin Yan needed.

The next day, Lin Yan submitted the events of the previous night, along with the bodies of Tu Lei and the Corpse Puppet, to the Elder of the Spirit Herb Hall.

The news was reported up through the ranks.

Soon, the entire Sword Pavilion mobilized.

Elders from various halls took action personally, their Divine Sense spreading like a net to meticulously investigate inside and outside the Sect.

Some Corpse Puppets and low-level Demonic Cultivators hiding in the outer areas of the Sword Pavilion, and even within some individual vassal Families, were rooted out one by one.

Following the trail, the Sword Pavilion's Outer Sect Elder uprooted several Demonic Cultivator strongholds located within the Sword Pavilion's sphere of influence.

They killed hundreds of Demonic Cultivators in succession, including several Demonic Cultivator leaders who had reached the Purple Mansion Realm.

A potential crisis was quickly nipped in the bud.

The case of Xu Changsheng's disappearance was also solved.

The Elders speculated that Tu Lei, whose mind had been eroded by the Demonic Technique, had lost control of the Corpse Puppet. The Corpse Puppet, instinctively craving Essence Blood, had drained the unlucky Xu Changsheng dry.

The body, which had been hastily buried beneath the Spiritual Plant field that Tu Lei himself was responsible for, had already been found.

This was the greatest flaw of the Demonic Path Cultivation Technique: it eroded the Cultivator's mind.

"You have performed a meritorious service in this matter. Tell me, what reward do you want? I will apply for it from the Sword Pavilion on your behalf."

In the Grand Elder's secluded residence, Lin Yan and the Grand Elder were sitting opposite each other, sipping tea.

"I don't know what I need right now," Lin Yan thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you decide for me?"

"In that case, let's just keep a record of it for now," the Grand Elder said with a smile. "If all else fails, it can also be converted into merit points."

"Grand Elder, why are these Demonic Cultivators so bold as to meddle with my Sword Pavilion?" Lin Yan asked, puzzled.

"What is this? You haven't been in the Sword Pavilion for very long, so you're just inexperienced," the Grand Elder said calmly.

"It is not rare for Demonic Cultivators to probe or even launch large-scale attacks on our Sword Pavilion."

"I see." Lin Yan nodded and then asked:

"The Disciple who fell into the Demonic Path this time was only at the Refining Qi Realm, yet he controlled a Corpse Puppet at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. Are the methods of Demonic Cultivators this formidable?"

Although Lin Yan had dealt with the Corpse Puppet as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

But if an ordinary first-level Foundation Establishment Cultivator had encountered that situation, they would likely have suffered.

Even a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator would find it very troublesome to face a Corpse Puppet.

This was because the Corpse Puppet did not fear death, and if one could not crush it, it was extremely difficult to deal with.

"The method of using a Corpse Puppet is indeed difficult for low-level Cultivators to deal with," the Grand Elder explained.

"But for high-level Cultivators, it is not considered a clever method; it is too rigid."

"The Demonic Cultivators who probed our Sword Pavilion this time were peripheral members of the Corpse Puppet Sect. This is their most common method, and it is very vicious."

"Corpse Puppet Sect?" Lin Yan asked in confusion.

"Yes, Demonic Cultivators are not as simple as you think," the Grand Elder began to explain patiently.

"There are three great Demonic Cultivator lineages in the Canglan Realm, and the Corpse Puppet Sect is one of them."

"Demonic Cultivators are bloodthirsty and will stop at nothing for their cultivation. Moreover, they are prone to losing their sanity, posing a great danger to Cultivators and Mortals alike, and from time to time, they cause tragedies involving the slaughter of Sects or cities."

"Do Demonic Cultivators have such influence?" Lin Yan said, somewhat surprised.

"Why don't our The Seven Great Dao Lineages of the Human Race unite to exterminate them?"

The Grand Elder laughed upon hearing this. "Hahaha, it is not as simple as you think."

"Killing ordinary Demonic Cultivators is just a matter of convenience, but the three great Demonic Cultivator lineages are all existences comparable to the The Seven Great Dao Lineages of the Human Race!"

"Moreover... these Demonic Cultivators occupy some large islands overseas and even rule over secular nations; they have long since operated as an impenetrable bloc..."

Lin Yan understood.

The Grand Elder warned, "In your daily life, you can go to the Mountain Gate to read more materials related to Demonic Cultivators. There will be plenty of times you'll have to deal with them in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan quickly said, "Ah... compared to fighting and killing, this Disciple still prefers farming..."

"Stop, stop, have you farmed yourself into a daze, you brat..." The Grand Elder interrupted Lin Yan.

"You view cultivation too simply! Do you really think that by relying on farming in the Sect, you can constantly improve until you reach Undergoing Tribulation and Ascension?" The Grand Elder mocked.

"Even if you have the aptitude for Ascension, there is no such easy thing in the Canglan Realm!"