Chapter 108 - 107: Cautious Puppet Silk

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Cautious Puppet Silk

The Demon Sect.

Demon Sect Hall.

The Ninth Elder sat upon the throne, flanked by the ashen-faced Demon Sect Leader and the red-robed Demon King.

Within the great hall were all the Elders of the Demon Sect and the Demon Race, as well as the Elders of the Ghost Sect.

Every single person looked utterly bereaved, as if their very spirit had been drained from them. A dead silence filled the hall.

No one had ever imagined that the Three Evil Sects would be unified by a single person in such a short amount of time.

And they hadn’t even been able to put up a fight...

The Ninth Elder had arranged for Cangli and the others to defect to Li Ye. He himself now sat on the throne, sorting through the information they had gathered while toying with an exquisite watch in his palm.

Star Shifting could simultaneously increase the Skill Level of both himself and his subordinates;

A Spatial Technique that could harm people across vast distances;

And it could even bewitch the hearts of men...

’So, are these all his Divine Abilities?’

’But what do these Divine Abilities have to do with this watch? This thing is clearly just for telling time...’

The Ninth Elder looked at the watch in his palm and asked internally, "Puppet Silk, do you really think it has the power to break through the Cosmic Barrier?"

The Demon Sect Leader shot the Ninth Elder a surprised glance, seemingly confused as to why he was talking to his own Dharma Artifact.

’Has his Dharma Artifact gained sentience?’

’Legend says that only Ancient Divine Artifacts possess sentience. Could his Puppet Silk be from the Ancient Era?’

He subconsciously glanced at the Demon King beside him and saw the exact same expression on his face.

’If his Puppet Silk is an Ancient Divine Artifact, then our defeat wasn’t unjust.’

The catastrophe ten thousand years ago severed the Path of Ascension, leaving the Cultivation Techniques of every Sect incomplete. The Ancient Era was the true golden age of cultivation!

’It’s a pity such a domineering Ancient Divine Artifact didn’t fall into my hands.’

In the Ninth Elder’s mind, the Puppet Silk spoke, "Most likely. This world’s potential is ultimately limited. If we can obtain that thing and use its power to break through space and time, we can enter other worlds and accumulate even more Demon Qi."

The Ninth Elder asked, "Is it possible it came from the same place as you? And that it was just luckily picked up by that kid named Li Hao?"

’The same place?’

The Demon Sect Leader and the Demon King perked up their ears, their hearts POUNDING in their chests. ’The Wenda Alliance has another Ancient Divine Artifact?’

’What is this place they speak of?’

’Could we go there and find an Ancient Divine Artifact for ourselves? If we got one, could we sever the Puppet Silk?’

The Puppet Silk said, "We do indeed come from the same place, but its world of origin is definitely not this one. Four years ago, the seal on the Demon Suppression Tower shattered, blowing open the Cosmic Barrier, which is how I escaped to this world."

"If it had appeared at the same time as me, I would have sensed it four years ago. But it only appeared suddenly three months ago. The only explanation is that when the Demon Suppression Tower’s seal broke, it was flung into another world."

"It must have taken three years for it to accumulate enough Demon Qi to break through its world’s barrier and arrive in ours."

"Combined with what Li Hao said about its origin, the world it was in before was of a lower grade, forcing it to seek out a more suitable world for its survival..."

The Ninth Elder knew the people beside him were eavesdropping, but he couldn’t care less. For those controlled by the Puppet Silk, life and death depended entirely on his whim. He could even monitor their every move through the threads, so he had no fear of betrayal.

"It can travel between worlds. Is it more powerful than you?" the Ninth Elder asked.

"According to the Wenda Alliance’s information, Li Hao has traversed two worlds. If it has accumulated the Demon Qi of two worlds, then yes, it is indeed more powerful than me. This is why I advised you not to act rashly from the start."

The Puppet Silk continued, "But not all worlds are equal. If the worlds were of a low grade, the Demon Qi it accumulated would be limited."

"Moreover, the object it’s attached to can also limit the development of its Demon Qi. If its focus is on space, it’s hard to say who’s stronger. The Path of Space is the most difficult to develop, which is why there’s a delay each time he uses it. But if he’s allowed to continue growing and can use the Path of Space without limit, I’m afraid we’ll truly be unable to defeat it."

"What if we destroy the Wenda Alliance’s foundation?" the Ninth Elder asked.

"The influence has already been established; destroying the foundation won’t stop its growth," the Puppet Silk said. "Jiu, we can’t wait any longer. Our opponent has accumulated the Demon Qi of two worlds and is clearly more experienced than you."

"It hasn’t moved against us yet because it doesn’t know the full extent of our abilities. Once it figures us out, we’ll be on the back foot. Besides, it has an even faster path to growth."

"What is it?" the Ninth Elder asked.

"Killing. Annihilating an entire world is the fastest way to grow Demon Qi," the Puppet Silk explained. "So, when we make our move, we cannot let it escape. Once it starts growing by destroying worlds, you’ll have no choice but to engage it in a killing competition."

"I’d rather not see things come to that. It could accumulate enough Demon Qi, break through the barrier of space and time to enter another world, and leave us with nothing but a desolate wasteland."

"Then we would never be able to grow again. Believe me, if it feels threatened, it will absolutely do this!"

’A desolate world devoid of life?’

The Ninth Elder was stunned for a moment, then shook his head. "Do we really have to oppose it? Wouldn’t it be better not to provoke it and just wait peacefully for it to leave?"

"Jiu, don’t you want to see the vaster worlds beyond? You feel majestic now only because you haven’t held power for long. Once you’ve been invincible for a while, you’ll realize this world is nothing but a prison. This is our only chance to leave."

The Puppet Silk continued, "Besides, even if you don’t go after it, it will come after you. By devouring me, it will become even stronger. Not every wisp of Demon Qi is as rational as I am, capable of controlling its own desires."

"So a battle is inevitable?" the Ninth Elder asked.

"A battle is inevitable," the Puppet Silk affirmed. "Our strength lies in control. We have already consolidated the Three Evil Sects. Furthermore, it hasn’t even conquered the Upper Three Sects, and he’s reduced their three Sect Leaders to mere Nascent Souls. Now is the perfect opportunity."

"Once it breaches the Upper Three Sects and uses its methods to raise their members’ Skill Levels, you will never be able to defeat it."

"Fine!" The Ninth Elder sighed internally. "But I still don’t understand how he uses this little time-telling device to break through space and help others raise their Skill Level. The two things are completely unrelated."

"Don’t be fooled by this object. It has traveled through two worlds; its experience far surpasses yours. Beings of Demon Qi can sense each other. It has known about my existence from the very beginning. That thing might just be a Blinding Technique he’s thrown out to distract you!" the Puppet Silk warned. "Jiu, if you focus too much on that object, you’ve already lost."

"This is bad!" The Ninth Elder’s expression changed drastically, and he shot up from his throne.

"Sect Leader, what happened?" the Demon Sect Leader asked hurriedly.

"What is it?" the Puppet Silk asked.

"Cangli and the others have been discovered." The Ninth Elder’s face was ashen. "They mentioned the Puppet Silk..."

"How is that possible?" the Puppet Silk was stunned. "Its abilities are clearly spatial. Star Shifting can barely be considered a form of spatial transfer. A demonic being can’t possess too many Attributes. How could it possibly have discovered us instantly?"

The Demon Sect Leader and the others exchanged a glance, a flicker of glee in their hearts.

’You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?’

’If he had known Cangli and the others would be exposed the moment they approached the Wenda Alliance, he wouldn’t have acted on his own and arranged for inside agents!’

’We were perfectly hidden, and now look! He served up our trump card on a silver platter!’

’What the hell is this?!’

The Ninth Elder’s mind was in turmoil. He took a deep breath, stood up, and commanded, "Everyone, we march on the Daoist Sect! We will seize control of them before the Wenda Alliance takes down the Sword Sect!"

He had made the most correct decision in that instant.

Trying to intercept them at the Sword Sect before the Wenda Alliance would only result in them chasing Li Ye’s tail.

But by giving up on the Sword Sect and turning to control the Daoist Sect instead...

...he could potentially seize both the Daoist Sect and the Buddhist Sect, weakening the Wenda Alliance’s power and ultimately gaining an absolute advantage.

「...」

Stars Surrounding the Moon was a True Divine Skill.

If the Ninth Elder hadn’t tried to be clever and interfere with Cangli’s group, just letting them defect to Li Ye on their own, they might actually have become moles planted within the Wenda Alliance, ready to stab Li Ye in the back.

But because he had intimidated them before they joined the Wenda Alliance, their hearts were no longer pure when they arrived.

Under the influence of Stars Surrounding the Moon, they spilled the beans the moment they opened their mouths.

Although the Ninth Elder had promptly used the Puppet Silk to end their lives, Li Ye had still obtained crucial information.

The other wisp of Demon Qi in this world was the Puppet Silk.

It could forcibly control people’s actions, something even a powerhouse like the Ghost Sect Leader couldn’t escape.

The bodies of the Ghost Sect Leader and the Tenth Elder lay side-by-side before Li Ye. Terrified expressions were frozen on their faces, their lives seemingly ripped away in an instant, not even giving their Nascent Souls a chance to escape.

Right before he died,

the Ghost Sect Leader only managed to get out half a sentence: "We are controlled by the Ninth Elder’s Puppet Silk..."

"Alliance Leader, what is this Puppet Silk? It’s too tyrannical! We’re at least tens of thousands of miles from the Ghost Sect, yet he killed a Sect Leader in an instant." The Daoist Sect Leader gazed at the dead Ghost Sect Leader before him, feeling a pang of sympathy for a fallen peer.

He never expected that a Sect Leader of his same renown would die so unceremoniously.

The Sword Sect Leader and the Buddhist Sect Leader looked at each other, speechless. Hadn’t they too been beaten by a young man at the Void Refinement Realm until only their Nascent Souls remained?

In just a few short days, of the leaders of the Upper Three Sects and the Three Evil Sects, only the Demon Sect Leader and the Demon King were left...

’The heavens of the cultivation world are truly about to change.’

"Alliance Leader, I fear the Ghost Sect is already in the Ninth Elder’s hands!" the Daoist Sect Leader said. "He sent people to infiltrate the Wenda Alliance, which means he likely knows our secrets. We must hurry."

"It’s not just the Ghost Sect; the Demon Sect has probably fallen as well," Li Ye said. "After the Demon Sect sent out four Elders, they suddenly went silent. They must have been caught by this Ninth Elder from the Ghost Sect."

"Then what about Lv Jun and the others?" Mao Xiu asked, stunned.

"The Ghost Sect Leader was following us. It’s almost certain they’re not coming back." Li Ye sighed, glanced at his watch, and said, "We need to pick up the pace."

He had once thought that the other wisp of Demon Qi in this world was lying low, most likely too scared to make a move because of all the powerful cultivators.

He never expected it to pull such a huge stunt the moment it finally showed its face...

’It’s a good thing beings of Demon Qi can’t sense each other’s location.’

’Otherwise, I probably would have been wiped out the moment I arrived in this world.’

Li Ye was also extremely thankful for his own decisiveness and restlessness.

He had created the Wenda Alliance to tinker with Derived Skills, raising his own strength to the point where he could now stand a chance against his opponent.

Otherwise, if he had just assumed the Demon Qi would be suppressed by cultivators simply because Pang Feng had luckily survived for a year, and had lazed around at the Cyan Sun Sect for that year, he probably wouldn’t even have known what hit him when he died!

’It’s true, luck is never on my side. I can’t afford to get complacent, not ever...’