Chapter 743: The Demonic Puppets
The chaotic fragment housing the Yaoguang Palace was immense. Even from a great distance, the palace's colossal silhouette was visible, underscoring its grandeur. However, much of the fragment had been reduced to scorched earth, as if corrupted by demonic energy.
Xiao Ze stepped onto the cracked, pitch black ground alongside the other Earthly Supremes. One of the three perfection level Earthly Supremes, the elder in the blue robe, addressed the group.
"Since everyone has decided to explore this chaotic fragment, I ask that we work together and avoid unnecessary schemes. That palace is clearly extraordinary most likely one of the Seven Star Palaces under the Chaos God Emperor."
"This means it may contain a Heavenly Supreme's legacy. None of us would want to be stopped by the waves of demonic puppets before even reaching such an inheritance, right?"
The Earthly Supremes nodded in agreement, and Xiao Ze turned his gaze to the dense demonic energy ahead. Within the rolling fog, faint figures flickered in and out of sight. These forms were amorphous, shifting like smoke that changed shape with every gust of wind.
"Are those the so called demonic puppets?"
Demonic puppets were creatures of the Great Thousand World corrupted by demonic energy. The ones in the chaotic continent, however, were even more formidable. Over countless years, the demonic energy within them fused with the power of chaos, greatly amplifying their threat.
Just as spiritual energy could merge with chaos to form chaos crystals, demonic energy could also combine with chaos, though the resulting entities were unstable and unpredictable. The intrinsic repulsion between spiritual energy and demonic energy made these creations particularly hostile to experts from the Great Thousand World.
In essence, the demonic puppets were a fusion of chaos and demonic energy an unnatural and dangerous combination.
"Let's move!" declared the blood spear wielder, his voice commanding. Gripping his blood red spear, he charged forward, cutting through the sea of demonic puppets like a dragon breaking waves. With each strike, a massive fissure appeared in the domain of puppets.
The other two perfection level Earthly Supremes followed closely behind, while the black robed elder explained their team's arrangement to Xiao Ze and Qing Yanjing.
"As agreed earlier, the three perfection level Earthly Supremes will lead the charge, breaking through the demonic domain. The rest of us will fend off the demonic puppets attacking from the sides and rear. Since you two joined last, you'll remain in the middle for now."
Xiao Ze nodded at the straightforward arrangement. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why the perfection level Earthly Supremes were so willing to exert themselves.
It wasn't until they entered the demonic domain that he understood.
The demonic puppets were far more troublesome than anticipated. They moved like specters, capable of phasing through space. Even a perfection level Earthly Supreme who ventured alone risked being overwhelmed by their numbers.
Even if one managed to survive the demonic domain and reach the palace, the energy expended in the process would leave them in no condition to vie for its treasures. Clearly, the perfection level Earthly Supremes had tried and failed to enter alone, which was why they now sought help from others.
Xiao Ze and Qing Yanjing remained in the center of the formation, while the blood spear wielder continued his ferocious assault at the front. His spear strikes were unstoppable, obliterating all demonic puppets in his path.
On either side and at the rear, teams of Upper Earthly Supremes worked tirelessly to fend off the onslaught of puppets. Even those resting in the center occasionally joined in to lend support, understanding the futility of infighting in such a perilous situation.
Anyone foolish enough to start scheming before the group cleared the domain would only doom themselves and others. The smarter move was to focus on survival now and compete for the palace's inheritance later.
As Xiao Ze observed the situation, he flicked his finger, releasing a strand of golden flame. The flame pierced through the void like lightning, striking an unseen puppet hidden in the shadows.
A shrill scream erupted as the black mist of the puppet dissipated, revealing its twisted form before it vanished entirely. One of the Upper Earthly Supremes defending the left flank gave Xiao Ze a startled look, then nodded gratefully.
Turning to Qing Yanjing, Xiao Ze whispered, "Stick with me and help cover one side of the defense. These puppets are incredibly tricky. They seem capable of phasing through space and are more like spiritual or demonic energy constructs than conventional beings. They're hard to deal with."
Qing Yanjing nodded, her expression serious. She understood the danger. While these puppets weren't individually as strong as an Earthly Supreme, their demonic energy made them particularly dangerous.
If one of them managed to bypass their defenses and contaminate their spiritual bodies with demonic energy, the cost of purification would be immense. The bodies of Earthly Supremes were refined through countless cycles of spiritual energy, making them pure vessels of energy. To have such purity tainted by demonic energy would result in damage far worse than ordinary wounds.
As the group ventured deeper into the demonic domain, the blood spear wielder unleashed a powerful attack, his spear creating wave after wave of energy that annihilated puppets for thousands of meters ahead. He then retreated, allowing the blue robed elder to step forward.
With a single palm strike, the elder released a bone chilling frost that seemed to freeze even space itself, obliterating the next wave of puppets.
The group alternated their defenses in this manner, with Upper Earthly Supremes taking turns more frequently than the perfection level Earthly Supremes due to the disparity in their strength.
Despite their progress, the colossal palace ahead seemed no closer. Its sheer size created the illusion of endless distance, even after the group had traveled tens of thousands of meters into the domain.
Finally, it was Xiao Ze and Qing Yanjing's turn to defend. Tasked with the right flank, Qing Yanjing's fingers danced as she activated powerful techniques, releasing beams of spiritual light that struck the puppets with unerring precision.
Even without using her Pagoda of Requiem, her attacks were devastating. As a member of the ancient Futuo Clan, she wielded an arsenal of divine techniques with ease.
Xiao Ze, on the other hand, summoned his Imperial Origin Flame, unleashing dragon like streams of fire that swept through the puppets. Each fiery strike was lethal, leaving no escape for the corrupted creatures.
Their efficient teamwork caught the attention of the other Earthly Supremes. Though neither of them revealed their strongest abilities, their casual attacks alone surpassed the capabilities of most Upper Earthly Supremes.
After several rounds of rotation, and with the group's combined effort, they finally emerged from the treacherous demonic domain.
(Chapter End)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Johanssen10