Refining Puppets

The aftershock of sword momentum swept across the ground, splitting the marketplace, which had originally been empty, in two. Large areas of the surrounding buildings collapsed, and the once-level ground was turned by that single strike into a bottomless canyon. Bitter frost clung to the canyon's edges, letting out cracking sounds.

Ancestor Yanyue descended from mid-air, her long sword sliding into its sheath with a crisp ring.

"Search!"

The fatigue in her eyes flashed by. That strike had not been as effortless as it appeared.

The women maintaining the formation quickly scattered and began searching for the spirit fire the enemy had hidden away.

"Ancestor, someone has infiltrated," said one of the female cultivators setting up the formation.

The white-haired female sword cultivator Chen Luo had encountered outside earlier was her disciple.

"They're probably those artifact forgers again. Don't pay attention to them! Finding the spirit fire is what matters."

Ancestor Yanyue did not take it to heart. Thunder-Fire Canyon was such a vast place that sealing it off completely was unrealistic. This place was well-known throughout the area, and those artifact forgers came here nearly every so often. Yanyue Sect had even clashed with them several times over this matter before the two sides finally reached a reconciliation.

Ancestor Yanyue did not wish to offend too many people either. Thunder-Fire Canyon was incompatible with Yanyue Sect's cultivation arts, and leaving it there was a waste. It was better to lend it to these artifact forgers and gain some connections in the process.

Right now, the most urgent task was to find the spirit fire first.

"You few, go outside and receive Xun Xin..." Thinking of the red-haired man's earlier words, a shadow crossed Ancestor Yanyue's face.

Compared to the people of Blood Demon Sect, the people of Inner Demon