Chapter 69: Carving a Path Through Blood

“Good heavens! Chu Feng, is that another advanced puppet?”
The moment the divine power puppet appeared, Fan Qianjun was both astonished and thrilled.
“Yes, it is! This is a divine power puppet crafted by one of the master artisans of the Heavenly Mechanism Wood Clan! All of you, climb onto the Giant Crab of Swift Movement, control it well, and leave the slaying of these Thunder Fusion Beasts to me!” Chu Feng’s tone was resolute, carrying the weight of command.

“Master Chu, you mustn’t! There are simply too many Thunder Fusion Beasts—you can’t withstand them alone! If we fight, we fight together; if we retreat, we retreat together. We may not be able to contribute much, but we will not let you face them alone!” Lei Jianqin said immediately.

“That’s right! Master Chu, even if death awaits, it should be the men and women of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall who die first!” Tang Jiao’s expression was one of unwavering resolve.

“Rest assured! This divine power puppet is tremendously strong, and being a lifeless entity, the beastly nature of the Thunder Fusion Beasts has no effect on it!”

As Chu Feng spoke, he began manipulating the small round disk in his hand.

In the next moment, the three-zhang-tall divine power puppet swung the giant slab-like ruler in its hand, whirling it madly in place. An impenetrable circle of attack was formed, shielded from wind and rain, perfectly enveloping Lei Jianqin, Fan Qianjun, and Tang Jiao, protecting them from the onslaught of the Thunder Fusion Beasts.

Chu Feng himself did not risk his life against the beast tide; he too remained within the protective circle of the puppet’s assault.

“Chu Feng, you reckless fool! Watch as the Thunder Fusion Beast tide devours you!”

A few yards away, Liu Run was displaying the Wind Sect’s advanced footwork, darting about ceaselessly, his arrogant and triumphant voice carrying over.

Chu Feng paid him no heed; he was full of confidence in the strength of the divine power puppet made by Mu Qiaoxue.

Boom! Boom!

A multitude of Thunder Fusion Beasts swept in like a tidal wave, shaking the gravelly earth so violently that even the wind and sand stirred up by their passage became a fierce attack against any warrior.
But the divine power puppet’s giant slab ruler sent forth gusts of power, countering the storm raised by the beast tide!

Roar! Howl!

Hundreds of Thunder Fusion Beasts, both large and small, surged forward together. Though they seemed to possess the might to break mountains and rivers, once they encountered the puppet’s swinging ruler, they were felled like vegetables—limbs and bodies of Thunder Fusion Beasts flying everywhere.

These bloodthirsty beasts met a cruel end.

Some were cleaved in two at the waist by the giant ruler, others split vertically, and more were caught in the wind blades generated by the ruler, shredded into minced flesh.

Occasionally, a few smaller beasts slipped through the puppet’s circle of attack, only to become targets for Chu Feng’s spear practice—each dispatched swiftly with a single thrust.

In this way, although the Thunder Fusion Beasts surrounded them layer upon layer, the puppet’s relentless, tireless assault made their encirclement as threatening as a thousand rabbits surrounding a tiger—utterly harmless. Soon, a bloody path would be carved through.

Severed limbs, mangled bodies, flowing blood.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

It was a scene both desolate and magnificent, bloody yet resplendent.

Manipulating the divine power puppet, Chu Feng opened a breach and pressed forward, seizing the momentum.

Wherever the puppet advanced, swathes of Thunder Fusion Beasts fell. The gravel avenue became a storm of blood and carnage, severed limbs and claws flying, crimson staining the yellow sand, blood flowing like a river.

Driven by battle lust, Chu Feng stepped out of the puppet’s protective circle and joined the fray himself.

Slice!

With a spear thrust, Chu Feng split open the belly of a Thunder Force Giant Ape, its intestines spilling onto the ground as it died clutching its wounds.

Pierce!

Another thrust—three beasts slain in one move, the spear piercing their hearts, a splash of hot blood turning Chu Feng’s face red.

Within Chu Feng burned the might and fighting spirit of the Golden Battle Python; faced with these varied Thunder Fusion Beasts, he was like a python confronting mice and rabbits—he attacked proactively, reveling in the slaughter.

The more fiercely he killed, the stronger his spirit and battle intent grew.

Crunch!

With a twist of his arm, Chu Feng snapped the neck of a Double-Tailed Thunder Lizard, hurling its corpse to crush several other beasts.

Thunder Fusion Beasts were formidable against warriors like Fan Qianjun, who lacked the Golden Battle Python’s aura; they were nearly invincible. But against Chu Feng, they were like goats before a tiger, helpless under his assault.

From afar, Liu Run watched, his face filled with disbelief.

He had never imagined that Chu Feng possessed so many treasures—first the useful Giant Crab of Swift Movement, now a divine power puppet.

And the puppet was immensely powerful; its seemingly clumsy swings with the giant ruler were unstoppable, cutting a bloody path through the beast tide.

“Haha! Liu Run, you look stunned, don’t you? Thought the Thunder Fusion Beast tide would trap us? It could trouble us, but not Chu Feng!”

Fan Qianjun sat atop the Giant Crab, unable to join the fight but waving his snowflake battle axe to cheer Chu Feng on, calling out to Liu Run, “You wretch, your crimes are boundless. If you survive and return to the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall, I will certainly report your offenses in the Wind and Thunder Stone Cave to the Hall of Justice!”

“Liu Run, do you realize you’ve committed a grave offense? Interfering with the effort to dispel the Wind and Thunder Calamity is the only crime punishable by extermination of nine generations in our martial hall!” Lei Jianqin rebuked him harshly.

Whoosh!

Tang Jiao said nothing, simply drew her dragonbone bow and loosed an arrow at Liu Run.

“Wretch! How dare you shoot at me?”

Liu Run dodged swiftly, barely avoiding the arrow that would have struck his face.

“Liu Run, you villain! I don’t care what madness has possessed you, or what hidden agenda you have. You deliberately incited the Thunder Fusion Beast tide, hoping we’d die at their hands. You deserve a thousand deaths! I only regret my archery is lacking, or I’d have pierced you in one shot!” Tang Jiao cried out in fury.

At this point, Lei Jianqin, Fan Qianjun, and Tang Jiao had finally seen Liu Run’s true nature. Though none could fathom his exact motives, all knew him to be a vicious, treacherous man—worthy of a thousand cuts.

Clang!

Just then, a massive stone, weighing over two hundred pounds, hurtled toward Chu Feng’s face. Instead of swinging his spear, Chu Feng raised his arm in defense, and with a tremendous crash, the stone shattered into fragments.

His flesh and blood blocked the blow, producing a sound like a mighty hammer striking metal. Chu Feng rejoiced inwardly; it was an auspicious sign!

Clang!

Chu Feng swung his arm again, smashing another stone from the air, the collision ringing out with the sound of metal striking metal.

Iron Bones!

When a warrior’s body collides with stone and produces the sound of clashing metal, it is proof of reaching the fifth level of the Body Refinement stage—the Iron Bones realm!

“Master Chu, congratulations! Who would have thought that in the midst of vanquishing Thunder Fusion Beasts, your sinews and bones would harden so greatly, breaking through to the fifth level of body refinement and attaining Iron Bones? Truly, fortune from misfortune!” Tang Jiao immediately congratulated Chu Feng.

“Haha, thank you, Sister Tang!”

Chu Feng smiled and nodded, pointing the Overlord Shadow-Chasing Spear toward Liu Run in the distance. “You beast, how disappointed you must be! You labored to bring so many Thunder Fusion Beasts, but instead of dying, I’ve advanced in the heat of battle! Once my task is complete, your life is mine!”

“Chu Feng, you’re formidable! Let’s see if you can laugh at the end!”

Liu Run’s face turned pale, no longer interested in banter. He activated the Wind Sect’s advanced footwork and sped off ahead.