novelraw Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Episode 34: Steel Puppet
Once his identity was exposed, Jang So-cheon unleashed the Earth Escape Technique with all his might.
Sensing that the Golden Wolf had unleashed Claw Shadow, he summoned the Fire Dragon Avatar and ordered it to block the attack.
But Claw Shadow was simply too fast and powerful.
Pop!
The Fire Dragon that Jang So-cheon had painstakingly nurtured burst apart like a bubble.
Still, that brief moment bought him just enough time. He equipped the Flying Divine Artifact and wrapped his body with its wings.
Then, infusing Spiritual Energy into the Primordial Divine Sword, he struck down the Claw Shadow sent by the Golden Wolf.
Whoosh—
For a fleeting instant, a radiant light flickered on the Primordial Divine Sword, but Jang So-cheon failed to notice it.
Clang!
As the two forces collided, the bones in Jang So-cheon's wrist, which held the Primordial Divine Sword, snapped with a sickening crunch.
Next came a hammering blow to his chest, sending him staggering backward as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Urgh!"
Doubling over, Jang So-cheon vomited another bowlful of blood, then desperately fled using the Earth Walking Ghost.
Despite being struck by his secret technique, Jang So-cheon managed to escape, which made Tae Hwa-rang frown in surprise.
A cold sneer curled at his lips as he muttered icily,
'Hmph! How far do you think you can run, you wretch? Baek Jung-seon!'
Pointing the Dark Soul Spear at Demon Sword Feng Gi-hyeok, Tae Hwa-rang sent a sound transmission to the Centipede Tribe’s elder.
He then ordered his kin to pursue and kill Jang So-cheon without fail.
"Understood!"
Just as Baek Jung-seon, elder of the Centipede Clan, was about to chase after Jang So-cheon—
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shook the Demon-Suppressing Cave, and the entire cavern began to collapse.
Startled, Tae Hwa-rang received a sound transmission from his subordinate guarding the cave entrance.
[Young Lord! The So-yo Tribe has attacked, leading Steel Puppets. Even Dharma Treasures are useless against these monsters—we simply can't handle them!]
At the mention of Steel Puppets, Tae Hwa-rang felt his mind go blank.
Steel Puppets were the So-yo Tribe’s ultimate strategic weapons, combining all their Smoke Techniques: So-yo warriors would enter mechanical Water Spirit Monster bodies and control them through Alchemical Saint arts.
The technology to create them was not of this world.
Rumor had it the So-yo Tribe had perfected them by passing down secret techniques from the Spirit Realm.
The problem was their sheer power.
Unless you were at the Heaven Brilliance Grade, you couldn’t even hope to face them.
Ordinary Dharma Treasures couldn’t even scratch them.
'Damn it. How did those So-yo bastards find their way here?'
Muttering under his breath, Tae Hwa-rang gave new orders to the Centipede Tribe elder.
"Baek Jung-seon! Change of plans. Forget the fleeing human—head up and stop the So-yo Tribe’s Steel Puppets from entering underground!"
"Understood!"
Though Tae Hwa-rang swiftly changed his orders, one member of the Centipede Tribe had already gone after Jang So-cheon.
About to call him back, Tae Hwa-rang let out a small sigh.
Then, slashing away the collapsing debris with the Dark Soul Spear, he quickly charged toward Feng Gi-hyeok.
To deal with the Steel Puppets, he needed to subdue the humans first.
Meanwhile—
Wounded by Tae Hwa-rang’s attack, Jang So-cheon relied on the Earth Walking Ghost to flee as far as possible.
He managed to set his broken arm, but a cold assessment of himself revealed his power had dropped drastically.
With his right arm broken, he couldn’t use sword techniques, and his protective Fire Dragon was gone—he wouldn’t be able to summon it for a while.
He’d used up all the Thunder Strike Talismans Makjang had given him, and the Flame Talismans were too weak.
All he had left for escape were the Cloud Step Shoes and the Flying Divine Artifact.
At least the Earth Walking Ghost was still intact, he thought—until a Centipede Clan demon began to pursue him.
Tense, Jang So-cheon used Divine Sight to gauge his pursuer’s level.
His face twisted in dismay—the demon was at the late Earth Brilliance Grade.
In his current state, Jang So-cheon knew he couldn’t handle this opponent, so he used his last Invisibility Talisman.
He desperately hoped the pursuer wouldn’t find him.
"Oh!"
But then, something strange happened.
The Centipede Clan demon chasing Jang So-cheon suddenly changed direction, heading off elsewhere.
It was as if Jang So-cheon had never been the target in the first place...
The demon skillfully used the Earth Escape Technique and soon vanished from Jang So-cheon’s Divine Sight.
Sensing something suspicious, Jang So-cheon ordered the Earth Walking Ghost to track the demon.
He sent out Alchemical Saint arts to share its vision.
Thud, thud, thud—
The Centipede Clan demon who had followed Jang So-cheon used the Earth Escape Technique to enter an unknown cave.
The cave was protected by a dangerous Formation Technique, but the demon seemed experienced and entered without hesitation.
At that moment—
Whoosh!
A pitch-black arrow shot out, piercing the demon’s chest.
"Urgh!"
Struck by the arrow, the demon flung seven spears forward.
Two spears flew toward the shadowy attacker, while five remained to guard him.
He fumbled in his robes, pulled out a small dagger, and yanked the arrow from his chest.
Rip!
The arrowhead split apart, making it hard to remove.
He pulled with brute force, tearing out a chunk of flesh along with it.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, he reached for a strange demon medicine, but suddenly the space split open and a black Demon Blade shot out, severing his arm.
Flop, flop.
The severed arm flopped on the ground like a fish.
Terrified, the demon used a spell to control the spears floating in the air.
Swish!
Four spears flew upward, piercing into the space where the Demon Blade had appeared.
But only one spear actually entered.
"Aaagh!"
A faint scream echoed from the space, but the demon stayed alert.
He gripped one spear, setting the others before him like bodyguards.
Sss—
Above his head, space wavered slightly.
The demon sent three spears flying upward.
At that instant—
The ground beneath him split open, and a Black Phoenix Tribe elder burst out, firing an arrow.
Twang!
The demon deflected the arrow with his spear shaft, then spun his spear and drove the blade deep into the Black Phoenix elder’s chest.
But the elder vanished into the space again.
Flustered, the demon tried to recall his floating spears to defend himself, but—
From behind, the black Demon Blade stretched out and sliced his torso in two.
"Ugh!"
Staggering, his spine bent, the demon poured all his Law Power into the spears.
Swish!
He unleashed the Dragon Riding Spear Technique, but the Black Phoenix elder slipped into the space once more.
Thunk!
When all the spears clattered to the ground, the Black Phoenix elder finally emerged from the hidden space.
"Foolish wretch! We’ve long known your Centipede Clan was stealing Supreme Grade Spirit Stones. The only reason we haven’t wiped you out is because you’re still useful to us..."
Wearing a cruel sneer, the Black Phoenix elder kicked the demon’s bent body.
But then—
The supposedly dead demon suddenly raised his head and, with the spear in his hand, impaled the Black Phoenix elder’s chest.
"Gah!"
Caught off guard, the Black Phoenix elder swung his Demon Blade and decapitated the Centipede Clan master.
He groaned in pain, then stowed his bow in the Heaven and Earth Pouch.
"Da... damn it, to think he’d risk his life for such a cunning trick..."
Regretting his careless response, the Black Phoenix elder finally collapsed to the ground.
At that moment—
Crash!
The cave ceiling caved in, and a massive foot descended from above.
Then the body and arms appeared, revealing a puppet resembling the Golden Divine Ape.
From head to toe, it was a Steel Puppet, easily five zhang tall.
And it wasn’t alone.
In a flash, two more appeared.
One resembled a human, while the other was a demon with two heads.
The Steel Puppets searched the cave as if looking for something.
Boom!
They smashed walls and floors, searching relentlessly.
Finally, the Steel Puppets discovered something—a space that felt warped and out of place.
Sensing the Formation Technique, the human-shaped Steel Puppet drew a long saber from its side.
Slash!
It struck at the formation with the saber.
But the formation didn’t break easily.
The Demonic Power in the saber split the formation for a moment, revealing the inside, but it quickly restored itself.
Seeing Supreme Grade Spirit Stones within, the Steel Puppets poured all their efforts into breaking the formation.
So much so...
They failed to notice the Earth Walking Ghost sneaking over to steal the Heaven and Earth Pouch from the Black Phoenix elder’s waist.
Having secured the pouch, the Earth Walking Ghost slipped back into the rock wall.
With keen interest, it peered into the Eastern Region, when suddenly something astonishing happened.
Creak.
The human-shaped Steel Puppet’s forehead split open, and a tiny demon, no bigger than a finger, emerged.
With transparent wings on its back, the demon flew to the formation.
It studied the formation for a long time, then drew something on the ground, calculating the numbers of the Five Elements Nine Palaces.
Once finished...
The demon pulled dozens of silver flags from the Heaven and Earth Pouch and inserted them into the formation.
Mutter, mutter—
Chanting a spell, the little demon activated the flags, causing Thunderbolt and the energies of heaven and earth to surge within the formation.
Pop!
A few of the flags tore and snapped.
The demon’s face turned pale, but he didn’t stop chanting, focusing all his energy on breaking the formation.
At last—
The formation unraveled, revealing the treasures hidden inside.
The demon climbed onto the Steel Puppet and began collecting the Supreme Grade Spirit Stones concealed within the formation, when another upheaval occurred.
Boom!
The entire cave exploded as Tae Hwa-rang and Feng Gi-hyeok burst inside.
They hadn’t used the Earth Escape Technique to get here.
Instead, they’d blasted through soil and rock with overwhelming power and Dharma Treasures.
Boom!
Tae Hwa-rang’s Dark Soul Spear shattered massive boulders to gravel, while Feng Gi-hyeok’s Yeoui Treasure Sword reduced the gravel to sand.
The power of their Dharma Treasures was terrifying.
And they weren’t alone.
A Golden Heaven Divine Sect elder missing an arm, Jang So-cheon’s Master Wuji Perfected One, and even Patriarch Gwang-eum all entered the cave.
Behind them, Silver Wolves and human masters poured in, turning the cave into utter chaos.
Amidst the mayhem—
"Supreme Grade Spirit Stones!"
Near the Steel Puppets, the formation containing the Supreme Grade Spirit Stones was exposed to everyone.
With eyes blazing red, the Investigators charged at the formation, unleashing powerful auras...
The Supreme Grade Spirit Stones the Steel Puppets hadn’t collected scattered in all directions.
Sss—
As humans and demons fought fiercely over the treasures, Jang So-cheon summoned the Earth Walking Ghost with Alchemical Saint arts.
He reached out, grabbed the Heaven and Earth Pouch, and donned the Earth Walking Ghost before using the Earth Escape Technique once more.
Emerging above ground, he unfurled the Flying Divine Artifact.
Soaring high into the sky, Jang So-cheon looked down to see two Steel Puppets battling demons on the surface.
Seeing them up close, he realized just how powerful they were.
Despite being outnumbered, the two Steel Puppets were overwhelming the demons.
Even as they were battered by Divine Miracles and Magic Devices, the Steel Puppets steadily cut down the demon ranks.
The ground beneath them was littered with demon blood and corpses.
Boom!
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted underground, sending earth and rock skyward like a volcanic blast.
A storm of dirt and boulders exploded forth, and a gigantic dust cloud rose like the morning sun, blanketing the summit of Mubulsan Mountain.
Through the thick dust—
A massive Flying Magic Device glided out smoothly.
It was the So-yo Tribe’s Flying Magic Device.
"Move out!"
As it appeared, one of the Steel Puppets fighting on the surface leaped into the sky.
Landing on the Flying Magic Device, it vanished in an instant.
"Stop them!"
Moments later, another Flying Magic Device, shaped like a fierce wolf’s head, burst from underground to pursue the first.
Seeing this, the demons leaped onto the ship.
Some even pulled out Flying Magic Devices from their Heaven and Earth Pouches and soared into the sky.
But many demons had no such devices.
They scrambled down the mountain, only to be driven back up by a thunderous roar moments later.
After that—
Wielding the power of the Void Refining Stage, the Mu Cheon Four Ancestors and disciples of the Extreme Heaven Sect made a dazzling entrance.
As if waiting for this moment, the Extreme Heaven Sect’s Investigators surged up the mountain and joined forces with the humans above to attack the demons.
Among them were members of the Herb Gathering Hall’s One Group.