The Dark Puppet seemed like a discarded piece on the chessboard of fate, dragging its shattered and nearly dismembered body as it struggled through the thick, inky darkness that churned like a raging tsunami. With each step, its spiderweb-like wounds erupted like a volcanic eruption, spurting out thick, putrid Black Blood. Upon hitting the ground, this Black Blood instantly transformed into countless black maggots, writhing and emitting chilling grotesque squelching sounds, leaving a winding, twisting trail of blood behind it, as if it were a living, frantic creature.
The putrid stench emanating from the bloodstains was like a tangible black mist. Wherever it passed, the space rippled like glass melting under intense heat, and a chilling smell filled the air, as if the space itself was burning painfully under the erosion of this evil force.
After struggling in the darkness for an unknown amount of time, a Black Palace, floating in the void and resembling an ancient Evil God lurking in the air, suddenly appeared before the Dark Puppet. The palace was built of jagged, strange rocks, the surfaces of which were covered with eerie patterns, like countless painful and distorted human faces, with sharp edges that seemed capable of easily piercing the sky.
The palace was surrounded by swirling, inky black mist. Within the mist, the mournful cries of countless wronged souls rose and fell, each wail like a heavy hammer, violently striking the surrounding space, causing it to distort and groan like a shattered mirror.
Within the spatial rift, eerie purple arcs of electricity flickered. These arcs, like nimble venomous snakes, meandered and slithered, occasionally emitting sharp hissing sounds. It was as if countless evil forces were surging within them, attempting to break free of the spatial constraints and descend upon the world.
Dark Puppet staggered into the palace. The pungent smell of sulfur and rotting flesh overwhelmed him like a surging tide, choking him and causing him to cough violently. Black Blood gushed from the corners of his mouth like a spring. He fell to his knees with a thud, his body trembling violently like a candle in the wind. When he kowtowed, his forehead hit the ground heavily with a dull thud, and tiny cracks instantly appeared on the ground.
His voice was filled with endless resentment and fear, howling like a wounded beast. "Master, this operation has suffered a crushing defeat! We were utterly routed by a mere brat named Ren Xiaoyao, and our soldiers have been almost entirely wiped out. We beg you to punish us!"
On the throne, a figure slowly rose; this person was none other than the Reincarnated Human Emperor. The aura emanating from him was like Black Hole capable of dragging the entire universe into an endless Dark Abyss. With every gesture, the surrounding darkness surged wildly like boiling magma, forming enormous Black Vortex. Sharp sounds of spacetime shattering echoed from within these vortexes, as if the entire world was on the verge of collapse under the pressure of this power.
The Reincarnated Human Emperor's eyes flashed with an eerie purple light, a light as sharp as a tangible blade, capable of piercing through all illusions and seeing the essence of all things. He lightly raised a finger, and Ren Xiaoyao's Ren Xiaoyao was particularly dazzling in the darkness, like a brilliant star illuminating the surrounding darkness.
The Reincarnated Human Emperor stared at the image, a cold smile playing on his lips. That smile seemed to instantly lower the temperature of the entire universe to freezing point, causing even the moisture in the air to condense into Ice Crystals. He coldly said, "It seems that Ren Xiaoyao is indeed a troublesome problem; he cannot be allowed to live. Issue the order: have the Thunder Department Puppets mobilize immediately, sparing no expense to annihilate him! Any negligence will be severely punished!"
A few days later, Ren Xiaoyao recuperated in a tranquil valley. The valley was like a paradise, with a clear stream flowing gently, the water tinkling against the smooth stones on the bank, creating a melodious sound, as if playing a natural symphony. Colorful wildflowers bloomed freely, their fragrant aroma filling the air, attracting butterflies to dance and bees to busily flit among the flowers.
Birds sang merrily in the branches, their songs echoing through the valley, adding a touch of life to the tranquil place. Suddenly, the azure sky, as clear as a jewel, was swiftly obscured by dark clouds. Layer upon layer of these clouds, like ferocious beasts, pressed down on the valley, as if to devour it entirely.
Immediately afterwards, thick streaks of Purple Lightning appeared and disappeared in the clouds. The lightning, like agile giant pythons, snaked and writhed, emitting sharp hissing sounds. The temperature of the entire world instantly dropped to freezing point, and a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere filled the air. Even the light seemed to be swallowed up by this atmosphere, becoming dim and without light. The once bright valley was instantly shrouded in darkness, as if covered by a black curtain.
The birds, which had been chirping merrily, now scattered in terror, their cries filled with fear and despair. They flapped their wings, crashing into branches, feathers falling in droves. The fish in the stream also dived to the bottom, afraid to surface, the splashes of water seeming to whisper unease. Ripples spread across the surface, reflecting the eerie dark clouds in the sky. The small animals in the valley hid in their burrows, trembling, as if sensing a great disaster was about to befall them.
Ren Xiaoyao suddenly opened his eyes, a strong sense of crisis surging in his heart, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping his throat. He looked up at the sky, his pupils suddenly contracting, and saw hundreds of Thunder Department Puppets appearing and disappearing in the dark clouds.
These puppets were surrounded by Purple Lightning, interspersed with black demonic energy. Each bolt of lightning was like a nimble venomous snake, slithering and emitting sharp hissing sounds. Their bodies were made of mysterious black metal, their surfaces engraved with complex runes that flickered with eerie light, constantly absorbing the surrounding lightning power and making themselves increasingly stronger.
They held spears that emitted lightning, with powerful lightning constantly gathering at the tips. The lightning intertwined to form small lightning balls, from which muffled rumbling sounds emanated, as if they would level the entire valley in the next second.
Behind the Thunder Department Puppets, a huge black figure loomed in and out of sight, emanating an even stronger aura of darkness, as if it were their leader.
Dark Puppet stood before the Thunder Department Puppets, a ferocious smile on his face. The smile was as terrifying as a demon's, and his twisted face appeared even more sinister in the lightning's reflection. He roared at Ren Xiaoyao, " Ren Xiaoyao, today is your death day! Your light will be extinguished completely in this endless darkness! This valley will be your burial ground!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the Thunder Department Puppets roared in unison, their voices like rolling thunder, causing boulders in the valley to tumble down and the ground to tremble violently. Cracks spread outwards like a spiderweb. The tumbling boulders collided with each other, producing dull thuds, and the dust they raised filled the air, intertwining with the lightning to create a Primordial Chaos scene. Enveloped in dust and lightning, everything in the valley became blurred, as if shrouded in a dark mist.
Then, they all brandished their spears, unleashing countless bolts of Purple Lightning like a torrential downpour upon Ren Xiaoyao. Wherever the lightning passed, the air was instantly ionized, emitting a pungent, acrid smell. The surrounding trees, struck by the lightning, instantly burst into flames, transforming into Sea of Fire. Within the inferno, broken branches and twigs flew everywhere, accompanied by crackling and burning sounds, as if playing a mournful dirge for this battle.
Thick smoke billowed from the fire, mingling with lightning and dust, turning the entire valley into Mortal Realm Hell. Amidst the flames, the screams of animals could be heard from time to time; they struggled in agony under the dual torment of lightning and fire, ultimately losing their lives.
Ren Xiaoyao dared not slacken in the slightest. The mysterious power and spiritual energy within his body circulated wildly, like a surging river rushing through his meridians. He quickly formed hand seals, each seal bringing out a golden light. Golden Runes under his feet instantly lit up, and a huge Golden Array Diagram slowly emerged.
Runes within the array flickered and intertwined, forming an impenetrable protective net. Golden light darted between the runes like agile dragons, radiating a sacred and majestic aura. Each ray of light contained powerful Law of Light, creating a stark contrast with the surrounding Dark Thunder. Simultaneously, the Golden Phantom behind Ren Xiaoyao reappeared, its form becoming increasingly solid, almost tangible. Holding Golden Long Sword, it exuded a sacred and majestic aura, joining Ren Xiaoyao in resisting the lightning attacks.
The phantom occasionally let out low roars, the sound reverberating around it and causing the surrounding lightning to pause. The lightning seemed to sense the threat from the majestic roars and momentarily stopped. Ancient runes appeared on the Golden Phantom's body, flashing with Dazzling Light, adding a Mysterious Power to the phantom.
The lightning and the Golden Array Diagram collided violently, producing a deafening roar that seemed to tremble the entire world. A powerful shockwave spread outwards from Ren Xiaoyao, uprooting trees and shattering boulders instantly.
The shockwave carried scorching flames and acrid smoke, making it difficult to breathe, as if one were inside a giant steamer. Under the impact of the lightning, Ren Xiaoyao trembled uncontrollably, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. The blood dripped onto the Golden Array Diagram, mingling with the golden light to form eerie runes. Yet, his gaze grew ever more resolute, showing no sign of retreat. His eyes seemed to declare his unyielding spirit to the Dark Power, revealing a fearless courage within their light.
Under the constant impact of lightning, the Golden Array Diagram began to show some fine cracks, but Ren Xiaoyao, with his tenacious will, continued to inject power to maintain the stability of the array.
Seeing this, the Dark Puppet snorted coldly, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, his fingers tracing black paths in the void, drawing the surrounding dark demonic energy towards him. The Thunder Department Puppets immediately changed formation, cooperating to form a massive Thunder Array. Within the Thunder Array, Purple Lightning continuously gathered, forming a gigantic Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon roared to the sky, its voice like a thunderbolt, making Ren Xiaoyao's eardrums ache. The echo reverberated through the valley, as if the entire valley trembled at the roar.
The Thunder Dragon's scales shimmered with an eerie light, each scale containing powerful lightning energy. It lunged at Ren Xiaoyao with bared fangs and claws, tearing apart space in its wake, leaving behind black cracks. From these cracks, a highly corrosive black smoke continuously seeped out, like the tentacles of a demon, attempting to drag everything around it into a dark abyss.
Wherever the smoke reached, flowers and plants withered instantly, rocks were corroded and riddled with holes, and even water molecules in the air were swallowed up. Around the Thunder Dragon, a group of small Thunder Beasts circled, emitting sharp cries and charging towards Ren Xiaoyao in coordination with the Thunder Dragon's attacks.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, focused all his mind, and his eyes became as sharp as an eagle's, as if he could see through everything. He unleashed all the mysterious power within his body, the runes on the Golden Light Sword shone brightly, and the Golden Flame on the blade burned fiercely, emitting a powerful Purifying Power.
Ancient runes could be faintly seen flickering within the flames, each rune containing powerful Law of Light. The runes resonated with each other, forming a powerful energy field. Ren Xiaoyao wielded his Light Sword like a war god, slashing towards the Thunder Dragon. A massive Golden Sword Qi, carrying World-Ending Aura, roared towards the Thunder Dragon.
Wherever the Sword Qi passed, space itself distorted, and the surrounding dark demonic energy dissipated like melting snow. As the demonic energy dissipated, it emitted mournful roars, as if resisting the purification of light, its voice filled with resentment and anger. The moment the Golden Sword Qi collided with the Thunder Dragon, it generated intense light and energy fluctuations. The light illuminated the entire valley, and the energy fluctuations triggered a small earthquake, causing the ground in the valley to shake violently, and more boulders to tumble down.
Sword Qi and Thunder Dragon clashed fiercely in the air, emitting Dazzling Light that seemed to illuminate the entire world. The light was intertwined with golden and purple energy streams, creating a series of magnificent yet dangerous scenes. The powerful energy fluctuations triggered a violent Space Storm, in which golden light and Purple Lightning collided, producing deafening roars.
The surrounding space twisted and deformed under the impact of these two forces, emitting sharp howls as if it were wailing in pain. In the storm, vortexes of golden light and Purple Lightning intertwined from time to time, and mysterious fluctuations emanated from the vortexes, as if announcing the intensity of the battle.
Each collision of light and lightning was like a star exploding, releasing terrifying energy. Waves of energy spread outwards, instantly turning the surrounding trees and rocks into dust. Under the influence of the Space Storm, the terrain in the valley also underwent tremendous changes. Huge craters appeared on the originally flat ground, and the outlines of the mountain peaks became blurred.
In this fierce battle, Ren Xiaoyao gradually discovered the weaknesses of the Thunder Department Puppets. With a sudden thought, he unleashed all his skills and charged towards the Thunder Department Puppets at top speed. Along the way, he encountered countless lightning attacks, but with his superb combat skills and tenacious will, he skillfully avoided every bolt of lightning.
Whenever lightning was about to strike him, he would always manage to escape danger at the last second, using the surrounding terrain or mysterious forces. Sometimes he would leap onto a protruding rock, letting the lightning graze past him, the rock instantly turning to ash upon impact; other times he would use a sudden gust of air to change his flight path and evade the lightning's pursuit, the airflow becoming distorted and chaotic under the lightning's influence, forming small tornadoes.
While dodging the lightning, Ren Xiaoyao also occasionally unleashed his Sword Qi to repel the approaching Thunder Beasts. Wherever the Sword Qi touched, the Thunder Beasts instantly dissipated, turning into wisps of black smoke.
When Ren Xiaoyao arrived in front of the Thunder Department Puppets, he shouted and fiercely thrust his Golden Light Sword into the core of the Thunder Array.
With a deafening roar, the Thunder Array collapsed instantly, and the Thunder Dragon vanished into the air in countless bolts of lightning. The Thunder Department Puppets, impacted by the collapse of the Thunder Array, collapsed to the ground, turning into pools of black sewage. Black bubbles continuously rose from the sewage, gurgling as if lamenting the defeat of the Dark Power. The sewage emitted a pungent stench, corroding the ground into bottomless pits wherever it went. Black demonic energy surged from these pits, attempting to coalesce into new Dark Power.
On the surface of the sewage, some remains of the Thunder Department Puppets floated, their remains flickering with faint lightning, as if making a final struggle.
However, the Dark Puppet did not give up.
He let out a sharp whistle, the sound echoing through the valley with an eerie power. The remaining Thunder Department Puppets struggled to reform in the sewage. The lightning on their bodies became increasingly chaotic, taking on an eerie dark red hue, as if they had been infused with even more powerful Dark Power.
Amidst the crimson lightning, faint black runes flickered, continuously devouring the surrounding light energy, making the aura of the Thunder Department Puppets even more malevolent. At the same time, the dark clouds in the sky churned again, becoming even thicker, and even more powerful bolts of lightning condensed within the clouds, with black demonic energy faintly swirling within them, resembling ferocious demonic Demon Dragon.
The Demon Dragon's eyes gleamed with a blood-red light, and it opened its gaping maw, letting out roars filled with a destructive desire. Behind the Demon Dragon, a flock of black Thunder Birds flapped their wings, emitting sharp cries, and flew towards the valley.
Ren Xiaoyao knew the crisis was far from over. He quickly adjusted his state, and the mysterious power and spiritual energy within his body circulated wildly in his meridians. The runes on the Golden Light Sword shone even brighter, as dazzling as the sun. The Golden Phantom behind him also became more solid, and the Golden Long Sword in his hand shimmered with dazzling light. The runes on the blade constantly pulsed, as if echoing Ren Xiaoyao's power, ready to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy at any moment.
A Golden Phantom, ancient runes shimmering within it, providing the phantom with a continuous source of power.
The newly formed Thunder Department Puppets let out a sharp screech and launched another attack on Ren Xiaoyao. They charged forward with greater speed and a more bizarre formation. The lightning bolts from their spears were no longer simple straight lines, but formed rotating Thunder Wheels. The edges of the Thunder Wheels gleamed with sharp light, and wherever they went, space was shattered, leaving white streaks, as if space itself had been torn into pieces.
Ren Xiaoyao moved with lightning speed, weaving freely between the Thunder Wheels. Each swing of his sword unleashed a golden Sword Qi that collided with the Thunder Wheels, sparking countless fires. The sounds of Sword Qi colliding with the Thunder Wheels rose and fell, like a dense drumbeat echoing through the valley. During the battle, Ren Xiaoyao also constantly observed the movement patterns of the Thunder Department Puppets, searching for new weaknesses in them.
The Dark Puppet frantically manipulated the Thunder Department Puppets, his eyes flashing with madness as he chanted incantations, constantly summoning Dark Power. With each incantation, countless black vines suddenly surged from the ground, covered in sharp thorns dripping black venom. The venom, upon hitting the ground, instantly corroded large pits. The vines moved with incredible speed, attempting to coil around Ren Xiaoyao and bind him.
Ren Xiaoyao swung his Light Sword, severing the approaching vines one by one. However, the vines seemed endless, surging in continuously. From the wounds of the severed vines, a black viscous liquid quickly secreted, and new vines would grow after the liquid hit the ground. Under the attack of the vines, Ren Xiaoyao's movements were somewhat restricted, and he had to spend more energy to deal with them.
Just as Ren Xiaoyao was locked in a fierce battle with the Thunder Department Puppets and the Black Vines, the lightning that had gathered in the sky finally struck. This lightning was even more terrifying than the previous ones, with a diameter of tens of meters, and it struck Ren Xiaoyao with World-Ending Aura. The lightning was mixed with black demonic energy and dark red runes, as if it were the ultimate judgment of Dark Power. Ren Xiaoyao roared and gathered all the power in his body into his Golden Light Sword. The Light Sword emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire valley. He charged towards the lightning and clashed fiercely with it in mid-air.
In an instant, a dazzling light shone forth, and a deafening roar shook the entire valley. Boulders tumbled down from the peaks on either side of the valley, and the rising dust blotted out the sun. Lightning and golden light intertwined, forming a massive energy sphere. The energy sphere expanded continuously, engulfing the surrounding Thunder Department Puppets and Black Vines. Golden and purple arcs of electricity flickered on the surface of the energy sphere, crackling and popping as if a fierce battle was raging.
Impacted by the energy ball, Dark Puppet was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of Black Blood. The Black Blood turned into a cloud of black smoke in the air and dissipated. As Dark Puppet flew backward, his body crashed into the surrounding rocks, shattering them instantly. More wounds appeared on his body, and Black Blood continued to gush out.
As the light faded, Ren Xiaoyao stood in the center of the valley, his body covered in wounds, blood seeping from them and staining his clothes red, but his eyes remained resolute, like the brightest star in the night sky. He looked at the Dark Puppet and said coldly, "You think you can kill me? Darkness can never defeat light!"
The Dark Puppet, filled with resentment and helplessness, could only roar in the darkness, its voice brimming with hatred and despair. Meanwhile, in a distant dark palace, the Reincarnated Human Emperor witnessed this scene, a thoughtful expression on his face. His fingers lightly tapped the armrest of his throne as he plotted a new scheme. He knew that eliminating Ren Xiaoyao would be no easy task; a far more intense struggle might have only just begun.