Thousands of kilometers of sharp peaks, like giant spears, pierced the earth, encircling a vast, deep, and sunken crater.
Within this basin-like pit, the shallow-red war puppet 'Qian Hong' abided by the principle of harmlessness despite visible effects. It landed without the slightest pause, its palms aimed at the ground. Its palms then whirred open, revealing dark cannon muzzles. It required almost no preparation, no time to accumulate energy, before unleashing one dazzling energy blast after another, so bright it threatened to blind any onlookers.
Instantly, a series of brilliant azure suns erupted within the colossal basin. As they ascended with the surging energy clouds, they resembled actual blue suns appearing in the sky. Even through thick fog and from tens of thousands of kilometers away, they could be faintly seen by some Oasis dwellers.
Dozens of great suns soared into the heavens!
It was a scene of apocalyptic destruction.
But the Bloody Duke, being a venerable demigod, was not so easily defeated. Amidst the surging tidal wave of energy, a figure stretching like a blood river gradually materialized, revealing the Duke cloaked in a scarlet mantle!
This figure alone was tens of thousands of meters tall, enveloped in dense, malevolent bloody water, resembling an ancient blood river that had gained sentience and stood upright.
Before this colossal silhouette, the surrounding seven-star malevolent entities appeared shorter by several heads, and the war puppet Qian Hong seemed as minuscule as an ant.
However, in the next instant, infinite, terrifying energy erupted from within this tiny war puppet, smashing the demigod form of the Duke, which had just broken free, back into the ground.
Blood Emperor: "..."
He was very familiar with this shallow-red war puppet; it bore the strong hallmarks of the Candela Empire. The reason he was certain that Blue Star had obtained the Candela heritage was precisely because of this creation, a human artifact forged by Candela capable of matching a myth in its mechanical form.
More than a year ago, this war puppet had descended from the sky, just like today, smashing a newly-ascended seven-star malevolent entity into the ground.
And in the distance, the legion formation commanded by the black-robed myth, and the seven-star malevolent entity wielded by the black-haired girl...
When these three scenes were combined, the more the Blood Emperor looked, the more it felt like he had experienced it before.
It was happening again.
While the sudden surge in combat power of the black-robed myth and the entity-controlling girl after their promotion to myth could be temporarily set aside, what was the deal with this shallow-red war puppet?
Before, this war puppet was clearly no match for the divine descent avatar of the Bull Demon myth!
Thinking of the Bull Demon, a fallen myth, the Blood Emperor couldn't help but entertain a thought: Could it be that... the Bull Demon myth was such an extraordinary genius that even his divine descent avatar could unleash formidable power?
Bah! How could that be possible!
Judging solely by its unparalleled destructive power, the Blood Emperor knew that the war puppet before him had grown stronger, but this was even more counter-intuitive!
Even the Candela Empire couldn't create puppets that continuously grew stronger.
Wait, then is there a possibility that... the war puppet had hidden its strength last time? But why would it hide its combat power?
As the Blood Emperor pondered, his gaze met that of the Bloody Duke, who was currently being pummeled by the Qian Hong puppet in the distance.
The Duke's eyes were gloomy, fixedly staring at the Blood Emperor, unable to even concern himself with his current predicament.
"You tricked me!"
He glared angrily.
As a demigod, he held a very high status and had long since obtained much secret intelligence from the Blood Emperor. Among them, the most noteworthy were the three great powerhouses of Blue Star, and a war puppet manufactured by the Candela Empire.
But the Blood Emperor had explicitly told him that this war puppet could only match a divine descent avatar. He had initially planned to capture this puppet and keep it in his castle as a rare collectible, but now...
"Only match a divine descent avatar?"
"Your entire family are merely divine descent avatars!"
"This Blood Emperor misled me!"
He glared, his resentful gaze conveying his meaning. After all, opening his mouth to curse would be unbecoming of his status, and being beaten to a pulp, he truly lacked the extra energy to shout.
But how could such fierce and boundless power be contained within this small puppet body?
The Bloody Duke unfurled his 'Demigod Manifestation'. This colossal giant, tens of thousands of meters tall, was one of the hallmarks of an awakened eight-stage demigod and the fundamental reason why demigods could crush myths.
In the Demigod Manifestation state, the Bloody Duke was like piloting a massive mecha, possessing incredibly formidable defensive power, strength a hundred or even a thousand times greater than before, and... a body as boundless as the world itself.
If he wished, he could expand the blood river, transforming it into a world. Myths would have no escape from his grasp.
But the shallow-red war puppet before him had no intention of escaping at all. The Bloody Duke had once attempted to trap it with his 'Blood River Realm', but it had been instantly shattered.
The shallow-red puppet was strong, that was one point.
Secondly, in the hands of this puppet, energy was being expended as if it were free, thrown out continuously. If not for the sustained, intermittent bursts of this immense energy output, how could the Bloody Duke have been forced into a successive retreat?
He could still hold on, and he believed that with this battle fought at such a 'wasteful' energy output rate, this war puppet wouldn't last long.
Victory would undoubtedly be his.
However, this did not negate the fact that he was being suppressed! And with so many myths witnessing it!
"Blood Emperor, I'll remember this debt!"
The Blood Emperor understood the Duke's meaning, and therefore, he stopped intervening.
As the commander of the battle, he judged that the Duke could hold on. At the same time, he had to guard against contingencies, such as the white-robed Blue Star individual who had yet to reveal himself... thus, his current non-intervention was entirely reasonable; no one could find fault.
Moreover, his judgment was similar to the Bloody Duke's – this shallow-red war puppet surely wouldn't last.
"Could it be that this war puppet has two combat modes? The previous battle with the Bull Demon myth was in its normal mode, and this time, it's in a berserk energy burst mode?"
Just like normal and non-human states, or mythic stances, based on these principles, it was reasonable for the Candela Empire to design war puppets with two operating modes... although the Blood Emperor didn't understand the underlying principles at all.
He began to recall.
Last time, when the shallow-red puppet battled the Bull Demon myth, its energy output rate was indeed not high. It rarely used outward energy bombardments, mostly relying on speed, strength, and its incredibly tough body in combat.
He had been surprised then that the shallow-red war puppet, despite being no match for the Bull Demon, possessed a body that even a full-power strike from a divine descent avatar couldn't scratch... but if this puppet was designed with the goal of briefly contending with demigods from the outset, it made perfect sense.
Tougher, that was more reasonable.
The Blood Emperor felt he had seen through the truth. Was this the trump card prepared by the Blue Star people? It had to be said, it was indeed powerful. If there had been only himself as a demigod, he too would have been pummeled.
Now, fortunately, His Excellency the Duke was taking the hits for him.
Thinking this, the Blood Emperor was even less inclined to intervene. After all, the shallow-red war puppet in its 'burst mode' had an extremely high energy output rate, constantly expelling energy outwards, which was practically wasteful. His intervention now would only add another demigod to endure the torrent of energy, with little significance.
"When this war puppet releases energy in bursts, it's indeed too wasteful. A lot of energy is externally dissipated into the heavens and earth... This might also be why it was designed with two combat modes."
At this moment, the torrent of energy was like a dam that had been breached, continuously gushing forth. The energy was so vast and pure that it even solidified in the surrounding areas, forming patches of mottled crystals.
Those were impure ghost crystals and energy stones.
The sight made the corners of the Blood Emperor's eyes twitch. He secretly estimated that this puppet had already consumed over ten million ghost crystals. Moreover, they had to be high-energy ghost crystals with pure energy, capable of supporting the war puppet's extremely high energy output rate.
"Does this Blue Star possess such a vast reserve of ghost crystals?" While legendary materials were worth tens of millions of ghost crystals, materials of this caliber were rarely traded in terms of ghost crystals. Those who could afford legendary materials might not necessarily have tens of millions of circulating ghost crystals.
"However, no matter how large Blue Star's ghost crystal reserves are, this puppet cannot sustain itself for more than ten minutes."
The Blood Emperor had already overestimated.
In his opinion, it was more likely that the azure torrent spewing from the war puppet's interior would soon dwindle from a great river to a small stream, until it completely died out.
The Blue Star people might have discovered a raw, rich vein and mined a considerable quantity of ghost crystals, but the puppet's body was only so large. Even if its internal energy furnace was equipped with spatial compression technology, how many ghost crystals could it hold?
One must understand that ten million ghost crystals stacked together would be as large as a small mountain, far exceeding the war puppet, which was only a dozen meters tall.
He gave the Bloody Duke a look that conveyed, 'Hold on, I'm tactically waiting,' and continued to hover in the high sky. Simultaneously, the Blood Emperor's divine sense swept across the surroundings. He was indeed wary of the yet-to-appear Blue Star powerhouses, but his primary attention remained focused on this outrageously powerful war puppet.
One minute passed.
The Blood Emperor's expression remained unchanged, showing the composure of someone in control of the situation.
Two minutes passed.
The Blood Emperor's expression was still unchanged, though in his pupils, the increasingly disheveled figure of the Duke was reflected.
Three minutes passed.
The Blood Emperor couldn't help but tap his fingers, his gaze fixed on the shallow-red war puppet, not moving for a long time.
Four minutes.
Six minutes.
Ten minutes.
Time ticked by, and in the distance, dazzling azure suns continued to rise, showing no signs of weakening.
It had consumed at least a hundred million ghost crystals! Why was its energy still inexhaustible, as if it would never run out!
The Blood Emperor gradually fell silent.
He really wanted to dismantle the war puppet's body and see how many ghost crystals were loaded inside, but... looking at the Duke, who was on the verge of losing his temper, his Demigod Manifestation already showing dozens of cracks, the Blood Emperor knew he couldn't continue to remain idle.
He had to join forces with the Duke to suppress this powerful war puppet, even if it might run out of energy in the next moment and become a pile of scrap metal.
No more delays!
The Blood Emperor stepped forward. Enveloped by the vast power of blood, his body grew taller step by step, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a colossal silhouette, no shorter than the Bloody Duke! — A colossal figure clad in crimson heavy armor, wearing a ferocious demon mask, and wielding a terrifying spear!
Upon closer inspection, one could see that the head, chest, and right arm of this colossal figure were incredibly lifelike, as if the Blood Emperor's true form had been magnified thousands of times. However, the lower half of its body appeared somewhat ethereal, with visible swirling energy particles, as if constructed by energy.
This was related to the combat power of a demigod and also represented the realm of a demigod. When a demigod forged a perfect demigod body and could display a complete Demigod Manifestation, they would have reached the peak of the demigod realm.
Not far away, the Bloody Duke's Demigod Manifestation also had a slightly ethereal lower half, and it was covered with numerous cracks, like a glass object on the verge of shattering.
But the Blood Emperor had arrived.
Behind him appeared layers upon layers of phantoms of blood-red buildings. These illusions transformed into tangible power, merging into the tip of the Blood Emperor's spear, unleashing a torrent of bloody legions.
It was as if an attack, powered by a million-strong army, had been unleashed with a wave of his hand.
He held back almost nothing!
*Boom—*
The war puppet Qian Hong was sent flying backward.
Just as the Blood Emperor was about to pursue and suppress the puppet, a brilliant energy torrent erupted from the puppet's back as it plummeted like a meteor. It used these explosive bursts to halt its retreat, simultaneously reversing its flight path and shooting towards him with extreme speed capable of piercing space.
It transformed into a streak of light. Within the light, a radiant blue sun rose, and the sun collided head-on!
'So fast?'
The Blood Emperor hastily gathered his strength, but was quickly sent flying backward. Before he could even catch his breath, the war puppet closed in, its palms, mouth, and chest opening simultaneously, unleashing dazzling beams of energy.
*Boom—!!!*
*Boom—!!!*
*Boom—x99!!!*
The torrent followed wave after wave, energy erupting as if it were free. His strength was not lacking, but he couldn't achieve such continuous, perpetual-motion-like expulsion.
This puppet, how did it still have energy!!
He roared, his voice drowned out by the torrent of energy.
Even fighting two against one, Qian Hong held an overwhelming advantage. Infinite energy was terrifyingly powerful.
However,
"Qian Hong has ample energy, but lacks sufficiently potent finishing moves."
Fang You mused.
He had indeed taught Qian Hong some skills. However, when Qian Hong entered its infinite energy bombardment mode, it was difficult to use skills with precision. It was better to simply use pure energy attacks.
Or perhaps, he hadn't yet discovered skills that suited Qian Hong?
Standing within Blue Star, he slowly put on the 'Lord of Worlds' Hand', which resembled a glove, and drew in wisps of world power drifting within Blue Star. Mist turned into streams, streams into rivers, and rivers carried worlds.
His gaze pierced through the world barrier and the obstruction of countless spaces, slowly focusing on the Blood Emperor.
...
The battlefield. The oasis had been completely destroyed by the energy torrent, the entire landmass shattered, and cracks thousands of kilometers deep had opened up.
The Blood Emperor was still holding on. With the two of them fighting together, they could be considered 'neck and neck' with this war puppet. As long as they held on until the puppet's energy ran out, victory would still be theirs.
However, would this puppet really run out of energy? Although it was a foregone conclusion, he was beginning to doubt it.
Moreover, the situation seemed to be slipping out of his control, and the white-robed powerhouse of Blue Star had yet to appear.
Thinking of this, the Blood Emperor felt an ominous premonition, his unease growing stronger, as if a sharp sword were hanging over his heart.
His heart churned like a sea of blood.
Not good!
Not good!!
Not good!!!
His pupils turned blood red, an overwhelming sense of dread and crisis enveloping him, as if his destiny were about to be grasped in the next second. He involuntarily blurted out, "Save me, my Lord Attendant!!!"
The gray mist suddenly churned, and the figure standing above the blood lake cast its gaze.
In an instant,
A dazzling blood-red lake appeared in the sky above the Starfall Domain, visible for half the domain! This great being might still be in the depths of the Ghost Realm, but space seemed to hold no meaning for him. His gaze fell upon the Starfall Domain, descending tangible, great power.
*Rumble—*
The gray fog of the domain parted like the surface of the sea, revealing desolate and barren land. The shallow-red puppet was deeply embedded in the ground, sinking into the depths of the domain filled with black cracks, like an insect pinned to a spider's web.
And the power of this gaze had not diminished much, continuing to pierce towards the remaining two Blue Star combatants.
This speed was faster than Fang You had estimated, and it came very abruptly! Fang You had to suspect if this terrifying existence had been ambushing in the Starfall Domain long ago, like an old trickster. Of course, it was also possible that being in the Ghost Realm, without the obstruction and protection of world barriers, the power of high-level existences could be fully unleashed, shaking the heavens and earth!
He wanted to extend world power into the Ghost Realm, but couldn't do it so swiftly.
However, Fang also had a Plan B.
A palm-sized, exquisitely carved palace flew out from the Black Blade's hand. It seemed to defy time and space. While appearing to grow slowly, it was actually growing at an indescribably fast pace. In the blink of an eye, the dimensional palace, tens of meters tall, distorted space and sucked in the Black Blade legion, An Jianyou, and her ghostly baby.
It then seemed to shrink slowly, shrinking to the size of a van. Just as the gaze of the high-level existence arrived like light.
Space collapsed, and the palace disappeared into the end of the horizon like a swatted fly.
But it was completely unharmed.
In a blink of an eye, it had vanished into space.
The figure standing above the blood lake gave a soft "Hmm," and its gaze tracked through the gaps in space, but in the next moment, its attention shifted elsewhere. This time, the existence actually extended its hand. The surging blood waves scooped up by its palm gradually transformed into a hand shape that blotted out the sun and moon.
The Blood Lake Hand!
This hand contained boiling blood and boundless fear.
This was the moment the world trembled in fear!
But simultaneously, another hand was extended from the other side of the world, carrying radiance and hope, and the power of ceaseless creation.
This was the moment of world creation!
In the sky above the Starfall Domain, a flower seemed to bloom, half white and half red, its invisible power rippling outwards. There were no thunderous roars, no dazzling energy tides, only remnants as light as a gentle breeze. Yet, wherever the remnants passed, the earth died and was reborn, was reborn and died, land plates collapsed and shattered layer by layer, and space contracted layer by layer, returning to its origin.
At the center of the collision, a void surrounded by countless white and red light particles appeared. The void was deep and dark, as if connected to another domain, and faintly, one could see ruined buildings shrouded in gray mist.
This strike had pierced through the domain!
The blood lake floated, and the majestic figure stood upon it, casting a terrifying gaze.
But before another figure in a blurred white robe, this gaze, capable of easily crushing demigods, could not penetrate an inch.
After a long while,
The Lord of the Blood Lake uttered a faint, inexplicable whisper.
"So that's how it is."
The blood lake stirred, lifting trembling myths and pale, powerless demigods, gradually fading until it dissipated in the sky above the Starfall Domain.
Gray mist once again shrouded the sky, and the black spatial rifts slowly healed.
But the dread that hung over the Starfall Domain did not dissipate!
...
A moment ago,
In the distant capital of Starfall, within the 'Starlight Tower,' used for observing celestial phenomena and also the cultivation residence of Starfall's founder, the old myth Orlando detected the distant anomaly.
"It seems the minions of an evil god have stirred up a tide of malevolent entities. Are high-level minions of evil gods active in my Starfall Domain?"
After a while,
Orlando's expression changed slightly. "One, two, three... over a dozen, over a dozen myths are engaged in combat? My Starfall Domain harbors so many mythical beings?!"
The myth Berelzemon, who had just arrived and heard his old ancestor's words, also gasped.
First, the Flaming Fire Merchant Guild suddenly appeared, then it was revealed that the Steel City Lord, Dean Rose, and the Black Stone Tower Master had hidden their mythical ranks. Now, over a dozen myths had directly emerged?
Weren't they, the city of Starfall, the overlords of the domain? Hadn't they been operating here for centuries? Why did the entire Starfall Domain seem so unfamiliar?
The two myths could only console themselves with the reason that they were servants of an evil god passing by, merely fighting here.
Orlando stared at the crystal ball, continuing his observation.
After a long while,
His hands began to tremble, and the celestial observation crystal ball actually cracked with sounds of "kaka."
"Ancestor!"
"Demigods, it's a battle of demigods! In my Starfall Domain, there exist three terrifying demigods!"
Berelzemon, who was about to inquire about his old ancestor, froze. His hands trembled along with his ancestor's. He clutched his chest, his heart also pounding. For a long time, he couldn't utter a single coherent sentence, his eyes filled with worry and disbelief.
Could their Starfall City still consider itself the overlord of the domain?
Were they fake overlord forces?
The two myths continuously tried to calm their agitated emotions, and at the same time, gritted their teeth and continued to observe.
They had to observe; disaster was at their doorstep!
"Crack—"
The celestial observation crystal ball suddenly shattered, and the entire Starlight Tower began to rumble and shake, cracks spreading across its walls.
Berelzemon lifted his seemingly dazed ancestor and fled the tower.
Upon looking up, he saw the boundless blood lake hanging over the domain, and the majestic, indescribable, and extremely terrifying figure standing upon it.
Berelzemon instinctively poured his divine sense into his eyes, gazing intently.
The next moment, he grunted, his internal blood seeming to boil, oozing from his mouth, ears, and nostrils. Blood tears flowed from his eyes, reflecting an indelible, soul-deep terror.
"This is..."
"This is..."
"My Starfall Domain, how can it harbor such immense terrors?!"
...
ps: 6k! Tomorrow is October, please vote for double monthly tickets tomorrowヾ(๑╹◡╹)ﾉ", the little author will definitely update diligently during the National Day holiday, with a serious face!
pps: Although I still have a cold, my condition has largely recovered, awoo awoo!