Volume One: The King's Command Chapter 80: Neither Path Pursued

“Did Granny Yin really pass the Celestial Yin Pearl to you?”

It wasn’t just Meng Qiaoqiao who doubted it; how could someone so young possess such a treasure? The other two didn’t believe it either.

“Look at this pearl! I have it right here with me—how can you not believe me!” Anxious, Xiao Qingshu hurriedly produced the Celestial Yin Pearl. She had not yet mastered its power, and instantly, the temperature around them plummeted to freezing.

The group quickly jumped back, releasing their spiritual energy to form protective barriers. “Put it away, fast! Or we’re all in trouble!” Liu Xiaoyi shouted, positioning himself at the front to block the brunt of the chill.

Xiao Qingshu pressed her palms together and drew the pearl back into her body. Her cultivation was far behind Granny Yin’s, so wielding the pearl was no easy feat for her.

“I truly don’t understand why Granny Yin would entrust such a precious treasure to a reckless person. I’m going to see her myself—having the pearl alone won’t help us defeat that Red-haired Fiend,” Meng Qiaoqiao complained, insisting on finding Granny Yin. But the manor gates stood open, and Granny Yin was nowhere to be found.

After passing the pearl to Xiao Qingshu, Granny Yin had slipped away without a sound. She did not want others to see her weakened state. Once formidable, now an elderly woman in her twilight years, her pride could not accept this new reality, so she left Windhowl Valley without a word.

“Where is Granny Yin? She was just here a moment ago…” Xiao Qingshu searched the room but found no sign of her, finally accepting that Granny Yin was gone.

“With the only real obstacle out of the way, hand over the Celestial Yin Pearl!”

Suddenly, a wild, sinister laugh echoed from above. More than a dozen wooden puppets dropped from the sky, encircling the manor.

“The pearl hasn’t even warmed in our hands, and already the scent of blood has drawn scavengers?” Liu Xiaoyi remarked with a wry smile. He’d always known that possessing treasure invited trouble, but experiencing it firsthand was something else.

Li Jue’s expression darkened at the sight of the puppets. “Brother Liu, these puppets have been shadowing us ever since we left Flame City. We tried probing them a few times, but they never attacked. I didn’t expect they’d follow us all the way here.”

“Who’s hiding in the shadows? Afraid to show yourself in the presence of Granny Yin?” Liu Xiaoyi called out to the empty sky above Windhowl Valley.

No answer came. Instead, the puppets advanced in probing steps. Each one was crafted from wood, and the intricacy of their joints spoke to their maker’s skill.

But now that the fight had come to their doorstep, how could they not retaliate? “Lend me your sword!” Liu Xiaoyi snatched the sword from Li Jue’s waist—a ceremonial blade with a tassel, rarely used and somewhat dulled from neglect.

Once Liu Xiaoyi gripped the hilt, his aura changed sharply. The wooden puppets wielding chains were severed by his sword energy. Seizing the opening, the others summoned their magical tools and engaged their respective foes.

Xiao Qingshu fought most directly, swinging her small fists with abandon. Her attacks seemed unrefined, but even a brush of her fist wind would shatter a puppet, sending splinters flying everywhere.

Fueled by jealousy, Meng Qiaoqiao fought fiercely as well. The puppets were no match for them; in the blink of an eye, the courtyard was littered with broken wood.

“Well, you’re all quite skilled. No wonder Granny Yin entrusted the pearl to you.”

The voice spoke again. Liu Xiaoyi slashed toward it, but his sword energy was caught and crushed by an outlandish hand.

Then, the earth trembled rhythmically. A colossal figure strode heavily through the trees, scattering spirit beasts and halting before them.

The voice came from within this massive wooden puppet. Through the intricate gears, they could see a small, squinting old man peering out at them.

“Lucky you ran into me, kids. If it had been my senior brother, you’d all be charcoal by now.”

“Ma Mingyuan of the Immortal Mountain! He’s the Red-haired Fiend’s junior—run!” Meng Qiaoqiao summoned the phantom of a Fire Phoenix, blocking the foe as she urged everyone to flee.

Of the Immortal Mountain’s younger generation, many were famous, but for sheer eccentricity, this man was unmatched. He shunned martial arts and the Dao, devoting himself to mechanical craft, and his inventions were notorious. Rumors abounded: he’d used living people in experiments, killed countless innocents, and evaded capture for years. Those martial heroes who tried to bring him to justice never spoke of what they saw.

“So you know my name, little girl. I’ll let you live a bit longer for that.” Ma Mingyuan’s tone was mocking as he manipulated the puppet’s six arms, which seized the charging Fire Phoenix. This puppet could suppress magical power—the Phoenix struggled in vain, and Meng Qiaoqiao grew alarmed.

Windhowl Valley had two exits. The group fought as they retreated toward the rear gorge, but more puppets kept appearing to block their path. Unlike people, these puppets never tired; the longer the fight dragged on, the wearier the heroes became.

Ma Mingyuan held the upper hand, trailing behind them at a leisurely pace, casually tearing apart spells and deflecting sword energy as he went.

His giant puppet seemed invulnerable, impervious to any attack. Even the usually unflappable Feng Nanque was growing anxious.

“How much do you know about Ma Mingyuan’s creations?” Liu Xiaoyi kept one arm on the reckless Xiao Qingshu, retreating as they plotted.

Only Meng Qiaoqiao had some knowledge, though just on the surface: “All his contraptions are custom-built. He must have devised countermeasures while trailing us, specifically targeting our techniques.”

“Let me at him for a few punches! I guarantee I can smash him to bits!” Xiao Qingshu waved her fists confidently. With her freakish strength, she doubted any wooden puppet could withstand her blows.

Liu Xiaoyi drew forth Zhenyuan Mountain, took a deep breath, and hurled it at the puppet with one hand.

This mountain-shaped magical tool had never been used since coming into his possession; apart from his own spiritual energy and magical power, it was his sole weapon.

In the wind, Zhenyuan Mountain grew larger and larger as Liu Xiaoyi poured his power into it. Even the puppet’s six arms couldn’t support its base, and the entire thing was driven into the gorge floor.

“How is this stone so heavy?” Xiao Qingshu exclaimed. “Let me go finish him off with a few more punches!”

“Don’t be foolish—run while you still can! I’m the fastest, I’ll hold him off,” Liu Xiaoyi ordered, sword in hand at the edge of Windhowl Valley, urging the others to escape.

He couldn’t let Zhenyuan Mountain stray too far or his power would fail and Ma Mingyuan would be free.

But the difference in strength was obvious. The puppet’s level was high, at least comparable to ninth-tier Earth Soul stage. Zhenyuan Mountain alone was unlikely to restrain him for long.

Ma Mingyuan seethed, gritting his teeth as he manipulated the puppet to extend two more arms. This creation was called the Eight-Armed Arhat—not only did it have eight arms, but each wielded a different weapon. Under a full-force assault, Zhenyuan Mountain was soon tossed aside. Liu Xiaoyi recalled it as a streak of blue light, tucking it into his robes.

“Don’t run, little priest!” Ma Mingyuan fumed, chasing after him with the Eight-Armed Arhat’s stubby legs. The only flaw in his design was speed—the arms were too heavy, making quick movement impossible.

“If you catch me, you can do as you please! Come and get me!” Liu Xiaoyi taunted as he darted hundreds of paces away. In the narrow confines of the gorge, the puppet’s slow speed wasn’t a problem, but once the terrain opened up, Liu Xiaoyi launched into Dragon’s Path, trailing a long ribbon of blue light, swift as the wind.

Every so often, he’d hurl Zhenyuan Mountain to smash at Ma Mingyuan, driving him into a rage. Eight arms brandished swords, halberds, and spears, reducing the mountain path to ruins.

“Just you wait! Don’t you dare break my puppet! I’ll never forgive you!”

Unable to keep up, Ma Mingyuan released a swarm of light, agile puppets, but they were no match for Liu Xiaoyi’s sword energy, which cut them down instantly.

Where did this freak come from? His magical power was formidable, his spiritual energy deep. How did someone so young master both arts?

Ma Mingyuan was baffled. The Eight-Armed Arhat’s core energy was already more than half depleted, yet he still couldn’t catch the boy.

In truth, Liu Xiaoyi was nearly spent as well. Zhenyuan Mountain’s weight increased with the power he poured in, and if not for his dual spiritual roots, he’d have been drained dry.

“Little Gold, get ready to grow and carry me in a moment.” The little golden beast in his arms nodded, poking its head out to study the strange puppet behind them, finding it fascinating.

As the chase dragged on, Liu Xiaoyi devoured all the food he carried, but his hunger only grew worse.

“Running out of strength? Take this!” As Zhenyuan Mountain crashed down again, Ma Mingyuan, now ready, used four arms to push it aside. The Eight-Armed Arhat leapt into the air, thrusting its wooden spear.

Liu Xiaoyi had been waiting for this. He formed a sword seal with his fingers and, as his blade flashed, concentrated all his remaining spiritual energy into ten consecutive strikes at the spear’s tip!

The wooden spear, driven by the puppet’s force, sent Liu Xiaoyi flying. His sword energy shattered the spear’s tip to powder, but his own strength was spent.

Suddenly, his arm went numb, his face turned pale, and even sweat refused to break as his body hung in midair.

The seven remaining arms closed in, ready to ensnare him. Ma Mingyuan’s eyes gleamed with delight—such a perfect subject for his experiments, how could he let this chance slip by?

But just as he was about to seize him, a silver flash burst from Liu Xiaoyi’s body. In an instant, Liu Xiaoyi broke free, moving even faster—thanks to a Cross-eyed Golden-eyed Tiger!

“You’re a beastmaster too? Then I can’t let you leave alive!” Ma Mingyuan roared. At the front lines before Flame City, Ma Deren sensed something and turned to look into the distance, his expression changing dramatically.