48: Chapter 48 Bronze Man

"System, what the heck is this?"

[Host, this is one of the Eighteen Bronze Men, a defensive Divine Artifact forged using ancient Artifact Refining techniques!]

"A defensive Divine Artifact? The key is how to use it!" Xiang Tian stomped his feet in anxiety. Over on the battlefield, Yan Qingyu was already reaching her limit. "If it can't be used, no matter how good it is, it's just scrap metal!"

[Host, do not worry! The Golden Lotus Spirit Body within your Purple Mansion is precisely the key to controlling this Bronze Man!]

"Golden Lotus?" Xiang Tian's eyes lit up as he immediately understood. "Let her enter the Bronze Man's body to control it?"

[Exactly! The Golden Lotus Spirit Body is compatible with the Bronze Man's Origin; controlling it will be as natural as moving one's own limbs!]

No time to lose, Xiang Tian grabbed the golden Bronze Man and shouted toward his Purple Mansion, "Golden Lotus, time to work!"

"Coming, Master!"

A streak of golden light shot out from Xiang Tian's Purple Mansion.

Her figure was petite and her expression lively. Her eyes instantly sparkled upon seeing the golden Bronze Man. "Wow! What a beautiful Bronze Man!"

"Stop talking and get inside to control it. Kill that old geezer who's bullying Sister Yan for me!" Xiang Tian urged.

"Understood!" Golden Lotus replied crisply, transforming into a stream of light that dove into the Bronze Man's body.

In the next second, the golden Bronze Man abruptly opened its eyes. Two golden beams shot into the sky as the runes covering its body surged with power.

"Master, this Bronze Man is so exciting! Crushing a Martial Emperor Realm with my bare hands feels like child's play!" Golden Lotus's cheerful voice echoed from within the Bronze Man. Then, it turned into a golden afterimage and sped toward the battlefield.

At that moment, Yan Qingyu was struck on the shoulder by Grand Elder Feng Cang's palm. She coughed up blood as her body was sent flying backward.

"Watch out!" Xiang Tian's pupils constricted. Just as he was about to rush forward, he saw the golden Bronze Man arrive and steadily catch Yan Qingyu.

"Sister Yan, are you okay?" The Bronze Man spoke, emitting Golden Lotus's soft, sweet voice.

Yan Qingyu froze in place, staring at the golden Bronze Man that was taller than her. For a moment, she couldn't process it. "You are..."

"I'm Golden Lotus! The spirit body in Master's Purple Mansion," Golden Lotus said casually, then placed Yan Qingyu in a safe area. "You rest first. Leave this old geezer to me!"

Grand Elder Feng Cang looked at the suddenly appearing golden Bronze Man with furrowed brows, his eyes full of disdain. "A piece of scrap metal dares to be insolent before this old man?"

He condensed raging flames in his palm and struck the Bronze Man. "Shatter for me!"

*Bang!*

With a loud explosion, golden light splattered everywhere. The Bronze Man didn't budge an inch, but Grand Elder Feng Cang was sent stumbling back several steps as if hit by a heavy hammer. His palm burned with pain, and his bones felt like they were about to crack.

*Hiss!* "How is this Bronze Man so hard?" Grand Elder Feng Cang gasped, his disdain instantly turning into horror.

"Old geezer, is that all the strength you have?" Golden Lotus controlled the Bronze Man, walking toward Grand Elder Feng Cang step by step. "Hurry up and use all your trump cards, or you won't get another chance!"

Grand Elder Feng Cang was both shocked and enraged. Knowing this Bronze Man was not simple, he stopped holding back:

"Phoenix Slash!"

"Phoenix Flame!"

"Heavenly Phoenix Finger!"

One attack after another, each containing the power of the Late Stage Martial Emperor Realm, smashed into the Bronze Man.

Yet no matter what attack it was, they only produced loud thuds upon hitting the Bronze Man, failing to leave even a single scratch.

"This... what kind of monster is this?" Grand Elder Feng Cang was completely panicked. He had roamed the world for many years but had never seen anything so indestructible.

At the edge of the battlefield, Feng Huowu helped Yan Qingyu to the side. Both were filled with shock as they watched the Bronze Man's overwhelming performance.

"Where did he get this Bronze Man?" Feng Huowu couldn't help but ask.

Yan Qingyu shook her head. "Regardless of where it came from, it's helping us. It seems our husband truly has many secrets."

"He's not my husband!" Feng Huowu's cheeks flushed as she spoke stubbornly, but her eyes involuntarily drifted toward Xiang Tian.

Xiang Tian happened to meet her gaze and grinned. "Huowu, want to know the Origin of the Bronze Man? I'll tell you slowly later. As long as you want to listen, I can tell you all my secrets."

"I don't want to know!" Feng Huowu turned her head away pridefully, but the tips of her ears quietly turned red.

Right then, the Bronze Man had already walked up to Grand Elder Feng Cang.

Grand Elder Feng Cang was terrified, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. He turned to flee. "If this old man can't win the fight, can't I at least run?"

"Want to run? Too late!" Golden Lotus snorted. The Bronze Man's speed exploded as it grabbed Grand Elder Feng Cang by the back of his collar.

*Bang!*

The Bronze Man slammed Grand Elder Feng Cang heavily onto the ground, instantly creating a large crater.

Grand Elder Feng Cang spat out a mouthful of blood, the sound of his bones shattering clearly audible.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The Bronze Man showed no mercy, slamming Grand Elder Feng Cang into the ground again and again. Every impact was accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking bones.

It continued until Grand Elder Feng Cang's bones were in pieces, his internal organs were destroyed, and his aura had completely vanished.

The Bronze Man still wasn't satisfied. It grabbed Grand Elder Feng Cang's limbs with both hands and gave a violent rip!

*Riiiip!*

Blood splattered everywhere as Grand Elder Feng Cang was torn apart alive, dying a miserable death.

The other Elders of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect were terrified, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. They didn't dare stay a moment longer and turned to flee. "Run! This Bronze Man is too terrifying!"

"Even the Grand Elder is dead. We are no match for it at all!"

"Want to run? It's not that easy!" Feng Zhi snorted. A pair of fiery red Phoenix wings unfolded from her back as she gave chase.

She was a Martial Emperor Realm expert herself; dealing with these Elders was more than easy.

"Die!"

Feng Zhi condensed flames in her palms. Within a few moves, all the fleeing Elders were killed, with none spared.

The battle ended. The golden light of the Bronze Man faded, and Golden Lotus floated out from within.

She was petite and cute, wearing a golden gauze dress. She ran straight to Xiang Tian's side and affectionately hugged his arm. "Master, aren't I amazing!"

Feng Huowu looked at the suddenly appearing Golden Lotus with furrowed brows, her face full of wariness. "Who are you?"

Golden Lotus looked up at Feng Huowu, blinked, and smiled. "Little Sister Huowu, hello! I'm Golden Lotus. I was with Master before you, so you should be ranked behind me!"

"You!" Feng Huowu's face turned red with anger, her chest heaving violently. "Who is your little sister! Xiang Tian, what exactly is going on?"

"And Sister Yan!" Golden Lotus looked at Yan Qingyu again, her tone matter-of-fact. "When I was doing Dual Cultivation with Master, he didn't even know you yet. You have to be ranked behind me too!"

Yan Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "You little girl, you certainly aren't polite at all."

"That's just how it is!" Golden Lotus leaned her head on Xiang Tian's shoulder, acting like the lady of the house.

Xiang Tian looked at the tense situation before him and sighed helplessly.

As a transmigrator, he didn't even have a girlfriend in his past life. In this life, he had somehow attracted so many beautiful confidantes and even triggered a jealousy-fueled scene. Fate truly worked in mysterious ways.

"Huowu, I know this is hard for you to accept for now," Xiang Tian said sincerely. "But I, Xiang Tian, swear to the heavens that as long as you are my woman, I will treat everyone equally and never show favoritism. If you truly cannot accept it, I won't force you."

"Son-in-law, well said!" Feng Zhi stepped forward and patted Xiang Tian's shoulder. "Xiao Wu is young and immature; don't take it to heart. Whether she accepts it or not, you are the son-in-law of my Luo Feng Valley!"

She saw very clearly that Xiang Tian's strength was unfathomable. With him around, Luo Feng Valley could rest easy.

Feng Zhi turned to look at Feng Huowu, her tone serious. "Xiao Wu, now is not the time to throw a tantrum. Although the Heavenly Phoenix Sect has lost its Grand Elder and Sect Master, its Foundation remains. Lead our people immediately to wipe out the Heavenly Phoenix Sect's nest and pull them out by the roots! After you return, we will close the valley to Cultivate and consolidate our strength."

Feng Huowu bit her lip, glanced at Xiang Tian, and finally nodded. "Mhm."

"I'll go with you!" Xiang Tian said. "I'm considered half a member of Luo Feng Valley, so I should do my part."

Feng Huowu snorted but didn't object, which was a silent agreement.

She quickly selected a group of powerful Elders and Disciples, and they sped toward the Heavenly Phoenix Sect together.

Less than half a day later.

"The Heavenly Phoenix Sect has been completely taken over. I've dismissed the Disciples willing to submit and killed all those who refused to obey," Feng Huowu said expressionlessly, then turned to Xiang Tian. "These are all the resources of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect. You pick first, and the rest will go to Luo Feng Valley."

"Huowu, you're being too formal." Xiang Tian pulled her into his arms and smiled. "Between us, is there a need to distinguish yours from mine? You just keep these resources. I'm not interested in these external things."

His strength increased entirely through the System. These Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills didn't do much for him.

Feng Huowu's cheeks flushed as she struggled to push him away, then gave orders to the Elders behind her: "Move all the resources of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect back to Luo Feng Valley. Don't leave anything behind!"

The Elders and Disciples immediately got to work. In less than half an hour, the Heavenly Phoenix Sect was stripped bare.

Tables, chairs, benches, Spirit Stones used as wall decorations, and even the flowers and trees in the courtyard were not spared.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you people from Luo Feng Valley are certainly thrifty and hardworking."

"Valley Master, these are the Spirit Beast Inner Cores we found in the Heavenly Phoenix Sect's warehouse. There's quite a lot of them." An Elder handed over a Storage Pouch.

"Spirit Beast Inner Cores?" Feng Huowu frowned. "Only Alchemists can use these. They're useless to us; let's sell them for some Spirit Stones instead."

"Wait!" Xiang Tian's eyes lit up as he suddenly remembered something. He released Bai Yu from the System space. "Bai Yu, you should be able to use these Spirit Beast Inner Cores, right?"

Bai Yu transformed into her human form, her skin as white as snow and her appearance exquisitely beautiful.

When she saw the Spirit Beast Inner Cores in the Storage Pouch, her eyes instantly lit up. "Mhm mhm! Master, these Inner Cores contain pure Spiritual Qi; they can help me increase my cultivation!"

Xiang Tian handed the Storage Pouch directly to her. "Then they're all yours."

"Thank you, Master!" Bai Yu happily kissed Xiang Tian on the cheek and then stood obediently by his side.

Feng Huowu's face instantly darkened upon seeing the suddenly appearing Bai Yu. She pointed at her and shouted angrily at Xiang Tian, "Xiang Tian, who is she now?!"

Golden Lotus and Yan Qingyu, however, didn't say anything.