This type of evil martial cultivator harbored an intense obsession with plundering the graves of the powerful, for every corpse of a mighty figure that fell into their hands could become a weapon. Precisely because of this, such cultivators were universally reviled no matter where they went, and the art of refining corpse puppets was absolutely among the most forbidden of forbidden techniques—a thing that must never be touched.
And yet, despite this, such practices could never be fully eradicated. No matter the era, no matter the place, there were always those willing to defy the will of the world and walk the path of darkness.
Yang Kai had never imagined that someone in a sect like the Thousand Leaves Sect would have dabbled in the art of refining corpse puppets.
That the Corpse King before him lacked any shred of intelligence was one thing, but the crucial detail was the web of formation patterns etched across his body, the array diagrams layered upon each other, combined with a physique that was clearly a fusion of metal and flesh. One look and it was obvious—this man had been refined into a corpse puppet!
And a Corpse Puppet of the Emperor Realm, no less!
What kind of person could take such a powerful martial cultivator and strip him of his soul, reducing him to a mindless puppet? Yang Kai was shaken to his very core.
But quickly he realized something was off. According to Ye Hen and Ye Jinghan, the Sect Master of the Thousand Leaves Sect from that generation had entered this secret realm alone, after which the entrance had been sealed shut. In other words, over the course of these tens of thousands of years, no one besides that generation's Sect Master had ever set foot in this place.
Yang Kai had found no trace of a second person's presence either.
Moreover, that generation's Sect Master had been a third-stage Emperor Realm powerhouse. Who could possibly possess the power to refine him into a corpse puppet?
Could it be... that he had refined himself into a puppet?
The moment that thought struck, Yang Kai nearly jumped. If that was truly the case, it could only mean that the Sect Master of the Thousand Leaves Sect from that era had achieved an unparalleled mastery of the puppet arts, possessing a resolute will and determination far beyond that of ordinary people.
After all, refining oneself into a puppet—just the thought of it was deeply unsettling. What kind of unbearable agony must one endure throughout that entire process?
Yet for some unknown reason, it seemed that the Thousand Leaves Sect Master of that generation had ultimately failed, perishing within this place, his corpse gradually transforming into the monstrous form before Yang Kai's eyes.
This was merely Yang Kai's speculation, but he felt it could not be far from the truth.
While his mind raced, the Corpse King—who had been flickering through expressions of struggle—suddenly turned its head and locked its gaze in Yang Kai's direction, its ghostly flames erupting with a chilling light.
Yang Kai knew at once that something was wrong. The creature seemed to have broken free of some restraint. It was about to kill him.
Before the thought even fully formed, the Corpse King blurred and materialized right in front of him, once again swinging that terrifying fist down at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai's soul nearly left his body. Although the Corpse Puppet had no intelligence and its fighting style was utterly monotonous—unchanging, relying solely on its fists to pummel its target—the principle of overwhelming force crushing all technique applied here. Just a single punch was already beyond Yang Kai's ability to withstand.
The fist carried a savage intent that perfectly embodied the might of the Emperor Realm. The vortex of force was almost visible to the naked eye, seeming to tear through the void itself and overturn the very heavens.
Yang Kai's scalp went numb. He roared: "Dragon Transformation!"
The next instant, a resounding dragon cry echoed through the air. Behind him, a magnificent golden dragon projection materialized, its luminous form coiling as it plunged into his body. Crackling sounds rang out as both of Yang Kai's arms morphed into dragon claws, the exposed skin along them covered in dense, impenetrable dragon scales. More than that, his spine suddenly erupted with explosive cracks. Pure dragon qi surged outward, and his vertebral column seemed to transform into a great dragon, straining to soar toward the sky.
Yang Kai had pushed the Dragon Transformation technique to its absolute limit!
He had refined dragon scales, dragon bones, and a dragon pearl—three great dragon-physique Artifacts—into his body. Combined with his already formidable physical strength, his power skyrocketed in an instant.
But he was far from finished. Simultaneously activating the Dragon Transformation, Yang Kai also unleashed the Indestructible Five Elements Sword Qi. In an instant, five-colored radiance bloomed across his skin, the forces of the five elements cascading outward. He crossed his hands before him in a defensive posture.
He dared not attack. Against the sheer overwhelming power of his opponent, Yang Kai felt like a lone skiff tossed upon a raging storm—buffeted by fierce gales and towering waves, liable to capsize at any moment.
BOOM—
The Corpse King's fist hammered down. Yang Kai was struck as if by lightning, his entire body juddering violently. Cracking sounds erupted from his arms as both dragon-claw wrists shattered, twisted into grotesque shapes. Simultaneously, the force flung him backward through the air, compounding injuries that had not yet healed.
This was the result of going all-out on defense after activating both the Dragon Transformation and the Indestructible Five Elements Sword Qi.
If he had taken that blow without any preparation, Yang Kai estimated he would have been reduced to dust in an instant.
He had thoroughly grasped just how terrifying this Corpse Puppet truly was.
As he hurtled through the air, Yang Kai clenched his teeth against the searing pain wracking his body and bellowed: "Come out!"
The moment the words left his lips, a colossal figure—massive as a mountain—descended from the sky and slammed into the ground with a thunderous boom, sending tremors rippling across the earth.
The Dharma Manifestation made its earth-shaking entrance!
The instant it appeared, before it could even comprehend where it was or what danger Yang Kai was facing, its entire body went rigid. It could feel the savage, violent aura radiating from within the Corpse King—an aura so powerful it nearly crushed its will to fight.