Martial World (Web Novel)
chapter-284

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In the Grand Hall of the Seven Profound Valleys, Shi Zongtian’s expression changed. “Scarlet Gold Tortoise… I didn’t think that Mugu Buyu would already be able to control the Scarlet Gold Tortoise.”

As a Valley Master of the Seven Profound Valleys, Shi Zongtian had some understanding into the cultivation methods and other skills of the Puppet Faction. The Scarlet Gold Tortoise was a defensive puppet, and its armor contained a ‘True Essence Force Field’. This was a kind of Law that was even above the Concept of Wind!

A True Essence Force Field was abstruse and enigmatic; someone who wasn’t a true genius would never be able to comprehend it. It was one of the most secret inherited legacies of the Puppet Faction. The True Essence Force Field and Essence Integration boundary were together two great supreme heritages of the Puppet Faction.

However, the difficulty in comprehending the True Essence Force Field surpassed even the Essence Integration boundary! Shi Zongtian never would have imagined that Mugu Buyu, at such a young age, would have actually managed to simultaneously comprehend two supreme heritages of the Puppet Faction!

“This is the greatest talent that the Puppet Faction has seen for the last several hundred years! He is even superior to Jiang Baoyun’s status in the Sword Faction!”

Shi Zongtian turned to look at the Puppet Faction Great Elder who was sitting in a corner of the Grand Hall. Surprisingly, the old corpse monster’s long face actually had an extremely ugly smile. Obviously, he was beyond satisfied with Mugu Buyu.

Seeing Shi Zongtian’s eyes on him, the Puppet Faction Great Elder smiled with a ‘jejeje’ and said, “Buyu has comprehended just a little superficial knowledge of the True Essence Force Field. As for the Scarlet Gold Tortoise, he’s barely able to use the lowest level, but… jejeje, although it’s only a little superficial knowledge, it’s already more than enough to win this match and the next.”

The Puppet Faction Great Elder’s words were filled with a supreme self-confidence. Indeed, he had reason to be self-confident. The True Essence Force Field was known as the absolute defense among all puppet defenses. As long as he hid within the Scarlet Gold Tortoise, Mugu Buyu would be in an invincible position. Not only that, but Mugu Buyu also had a puppet that was crafted from a peak Houtian realm master. This puppet had been used a single time one year ago, and its strength was already amazing then. Now, a year had passed and its strength was most likely even greater.

A True Essence Force Field coupled together with a peak Houtian master puppet. If both were used in unison, then not even mentioning Lin Ming, even Jiang Baoyun would find it very difficult to defeat Mugu Buyu!

No wonder Mugu Buyu was so arrogant – he had the qualifications to back up his trash talk.

Shi Zongtian casually glanced at the Sword Faction Great Elder and was surprised to see he had a very solemn and grave expression. Apparently, he too was very nervous about Jiang Baoyun and Mugu Buyu’s match.

On the martial stage, the mummy puppet had already been demolished by Lin Ming. From within the Scarlet Gold Tortoise, Mugu Buyu released another puppet. This puppet was also in a human shape like the mummy, and its entire body was covered in a bright crimson red armor. This puppet burned with brilliant flames all over, and its aura was valiant and phenomenal. It seemed as if it were a flaming war god that had been born from the ashes of carnage!

Chi chi!

The puppet took a single step on the ground, and the floor tiles directly melted! Its entire body exuded a powerful true essence energy; it was countless times more powerful than the mummy before it!

“It’s the Evil Fire God! After the Puppet Faction obliterated the Flame Cult of Grace Venerate Nation, they used the corpse of their founder to create this puppet. That founder was a peak Houtian master!”

“The Evil Fire God is even more powerful than it was a year ago. At that time its body armor didn’t have such scalding heat, and it wasn’t wreathed in flames.”

The surrounding audience couldn’t bear but cry out in alarm and acclaim. Compared to the True Essence Force Field, this peak Houtian realm master puppet was much more frightening and intimidating.

How could Lin Ming still fight against Mugu Buyu?

‘So this is the puppet that was manufactured using a peak Houtian realm master…’ Lin Ming’s eyes narrowed. The puppet that Mugu Buyu made from a peak Houtian master wouldn’t be any normal puppet, nor would it be created with any normal materials. This puppet would at least be a top-level Houtian master like Qin Ziya, or even stronger than Qin Ziya. This was absolutely not an enemy that a peak Houtian master from the 36 countries could compare with.

After being made into a puppet, the strength of it was still weakened by a great deal because of the limits of Mugu Buyu’s cultivation. Still, it would not be easy to deal with. Coupled with the fact that Mugu Buyu was hidden within the Scarlet Gold Tortoise’s True Essence Force Field, and with the skirmishing ability of the giant alligator puppet and spider puppet, the union of these four factors created a perfect offensive and defensive system with no weaknesses at all. They could attack in a 360 degree angle from every single dead spot!

Even Jiang Baoyun was somber as he watched Mugu Buyu set the battle stage. For these last three years, not only did his strength increase by leaps and bounds, but so did Mugu Buyu’s! He had gained his own special ability, and Mugu Buyu was also no exception!

“He’s managed to comprehend the two supreme heritages of the Puppet Faction. He had already gained fame a year ago with the Evil Fire God, and now its strength has increased even more. Lin Ming, I want to see just how you will fight this…”

Jiang Baoyun’s eyes were brilliant as he watched Lin Ming. In this situation, most people had already written off Lin Ming as having any hope of winning. Time and time again Mugu Buyu had revealed power that was formidable beyond anyone’s imagination. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the greatest talent that the Puppet Faction had seen in its 600 year history!

Lin Ming silently gazed at the Evil Fire God.

True essence continuously flooded into the Heretical God Seed, and with a light crackling sound, the mundane-looking purple steel needle jumped into Lin Ming’s palm. This steel needle was only 2 inches long, and there was an image of a Purple Flood Dragon engraved into the needle shaft. This Purple Flood Dragon circled the steel needle nine times, its claws in a hostile and threatening pose!

The Purple Flood Dragon Divine Thunder’s Thunder Soul finally reappeared in the world after a one month-long slumber in the Heretical God Seed!

Although the coiling dragon steel needle contained an incomparably savage and brutal power of thunder, from the outside, it was impossible to see anything strange. The power of thunder was completely compressed within the steel needle, without even the tiniest bit of thunder power overflowing.

It would be difficult for even a Xiantian master to realize that this steel needle in Lin Ming’s hand was entirely constituted from energy. They would only think that it was a solid steel needle.

This was the symbol of high-grade thunder – thunder manifestation!

Energy and mass came from the same origins. Once mass was burned, it would turn into energy. And once energy was highly compressed, it could also similarly evolve and gain a substantive quality.

This was the so-called ‘True Essence Manifestation’. The manifestation of thunder was also the same!

Therefore of all those present, no one noticed the purple steel needle appear in Lin Ming’s hand except for Mu Qinghong. Even Shi Zongtian wasn’t an exception. If Shi Zongtian completely focused his soul force to probe, then he might be able to discover that there was something unusual about the steel needle. But even if he did, he would never imagine that this steel needle of Lin Ming’s contained an earth-shattering strength.

“He’s finally used his last trump card. This is the Purple Flood Dragon Divine Thunder’s Thunder Soul! If it wasn’t for Qianyu informing me ahead of time, then I would never have noticed such a small object.”

Mu Qinghong looked at that coiling dragon steel needle and felt her heart startle. The power of thunder was actually compressed to such a terrifying degree; it was hard to imagine that this was a low-grade earth-step Thunder Soul.

At this time on the martial stage, Mugu Buyu who had released all his firepower laughed with a ‘jejeje’ sound. He said, “Lin Ming, you can take pride in compelling me to use my full strength. Now, meet my strongest attack, Flaming Hell!”

Huuu!

Huuu!

The spider puppet spat out a ball of spider silk and the giant alligator puppet opened its mouth to release its engulfing power. This engulfing power immediately latched onto Lin Ming’s body, blocking him from using his matchless speed.

At the same time, the Evil Fire God drew out a massive burning flame greatsword that blazed in a conflagration of flames. Once this greatsword appeared, layers of heat waves rushed out like a tide; it was as if all the oxygen in the air itself had lit on fire.

Under such a terrifying wave of energy, even the protection barrier around the martial stage began to slightly tremble. And this was only that aftermath of releasing such power. Obviously, Mugu Buyu’s strike would be even stronger!

All of the audience watched with widened eyes, their breath abated. Qin Xingxuan felt as if her heart was caught in her throat, both of her small hands were tightly clasped together, knuckles white.

How could Lin Ming stop such a formidable strike? Mugu Buyu was absolutely one of the cruelest and most ruthless juniors of his generation, one only had to look at Jiang Lanjian as an example. Although the Total Faction Martial Meeting didn’t allow murder, what if it happened accidentally? Or what if there was an irreversibly serious injury that crippled Lin Ming for life?

Aware of these possibilities, Qin Xingxuan’s palms were cold with sweat.

At this moment, the Evil Fire God moved. It brandished the flaming greatsword in its hands and chopped down at Lin Ming. It was as if space was torn apart, leaving nothing but endless red fire dancing in the sky!

In that moment, even the referee elder had begun to revolve true essence within his entire body, maintaining 120% vigilance. He was ready to move out and rescue Lin Ming at any time. If such a rare talent like him were to be ruined on the martial stage, then that would be an immeasurable loss.

Weng weng weng!

The air trembled, the greatsword howled, and a roaring inferno of flames ascended to the heavens! As for Lin Ming who was bathed in the flames, his eyes were closed tight and his mind and entered a deep concentrated state.

His soul had already long penetrated into the flame, controlling each flicker of fire energy and sending it flowing into his heart.

‘This power of fire is actually more dominant than the Abyssal Flames, and yet there is no Flame Essence controlling it. Instead, it’s supported by nine Hollow Flame Essences. This truly is an inconceivable method, to have a single body contain nine Hollow Flame Essences, and yet controlling them so they do not conflict with each other. Is this an ability that only a puppet can have?’

The power of fire didn’t have the support of an eternal Flame Essence backing it. Because of this, it was easily controlled by the Heretical God Seed. Lin Ming simply didn’t need to fear this attack at all. His entire body surged with true essence as all of it was poured into the coiling dragon steel needle.

Lin Ming flicked his finger!

Kacha!

A three feet thick purple beam of light shot straight into the highest skies, impacting the heavens. It was as if the nine heavens had sent down heavenly tribulation to the world. The inestimable highly compressed brutal power of thunder completely broke out from the Purple Flood Dragon Divine Thunder! Thunder clapped, giant purple electric snakes danced wildly!

The power of thunder and the power of flame met, rotating together. Even without Lin Ming’s deliberate manipulation, these two extremely volatile and dangerous energies underwent a similar fusion like Thunderfire Annihilation; they blew up in a titanic explosion!

Bang!

The terrifying power of thunder wantonly surged out in all directions, creating waves of radiant reddish purple shockwaves that lashed out everywhere, falling all over the curtains of light that formed the protective array formation.

With the terrifying explosion contained within a fully enclosed space, the protective light curtains instantly and violently trembled as they expanded outwards from the blast. With a ‘ka ka ka’ sound, cracks began to appear in the protective barrier, rapidly spreading out like a spiderweb.

At that moment, the entire protective array formation completely shattered!

Lin Ming had already been expecting this. His feet moved and he immediately launched Golden Roc Shattering the Void to rapidly retreat. With the support of the Heretical God Force, the highly compressed azure true essence thickly wrapped around him, protecting the vital areas of his body.

But as for the peak Houtian Evil Fire God puppet, how could it have the same awareness that Lin Ming did? It had stood in the near center of the explosion. Under the mighty force of that terrifying energy, its armor burst apart and its body cracked all over, deep fissures appearing throughout!

“What!?”

“How is this possible!?”

Whether it was the audience, the elders at the Grand Hall, Jiang Baoyun, Jiang Lanjian, or anyone else, they were all completely shocked as they saw the Evil Fire God destroyed. They had thought that after Mugu Buyu had taken out his strongest puppet, the Evil Fire God, and created a perfect attack system, that he had already won. None of them ever imagined that with this single strike of Lin Ming’s, that seemingly all-powerful Evil Fire God collapsed apart on the spot!