Chapter 153: End of the Show

"Body cultivator!"

A flicker of surprise appeared in Fang Mu's eyes. He sized Wang Changsheng up and down, as if examining a rare treasure.

For some reason, Wang Changsheng felt a chill when he met Fang Mu's gaze. He had heard that demonic cultivators had unusual preferences, and this fellow was carrying a coffin. Could it be that he had a special fondness for corpses? A hint of disgust appeared in Wang Changsheng's eyes at the thought.

His magical artifact was not as good as Fang Mu's, but as a body cultivator, he could engage in close combat. The slight complication was that Fang Mu also seemed to be a body cultivator; an ordinary immortal cultivator wouldn't have so easily blocked his attack.

Wang Changsheng let out a loud shout, raising his Azure Cloud Rod high and striking towards Fang Mu.

Fang Mu's lips curved slightly. With a shrug of his shoulders, the black coffin slipped from his back, creating a large crater when it hit the ground. He swung a black staff, meeting Wang Changsheng's attack.

The Azure Cloud Rod collided with the black staff, producing a clanging sound of metal striking metal.

The quality of the black staff in Fang Mu's hand was clearly superior to the Azure Cloud Rod. Wang Changsheng dared not prolong the fight. His figure blurred, splitting into four identical images, each with the same aura, making it impossible to distinguish the real from the fake—this was the Nine Origin Shadow Splitting Technique.

Fang Mu was caught off guard and had no time to react. Wang Changsheng swung the Azure Cloud Rod, aiming for Fang Mu's head. Even if Fang Mu was a body cultivator, his head couldn't be made of iron. Wang Changsheng was confident he could smash his head to a pulp.

A look of mockery appeared on Fang Mu's face. A dazzling dark glow erupted from his body, faintly revealing a black chainmail. With a flash of dark light, a thick black energy shield appeared close to his body, enveloping him entirely.

The Azure Cloud Rod struck the black energy shield, producing a dull thud. Witnessing this, Wang Changsheng couldn't help but curse. Not only did Fang Mu possess a natal artifact, but he was also wearing a high-grade defensive artifact. This Fang Mu's wealth was simply too immense!

With a thought, Wang Changsheng summoned the Crow Puppet and Azure Eagle Puppet, which swooped forward.

Puppet beasts are mainly categorized into defensive, offensive, and auxiliary types. Offensive types further diversify into land, aerial, underwater, and underground. Puppet beasts of Rank 2 and above can cast intermediate spells. The specific spells they can cast depend on the crafter's skill level. Casting fire-element spells requires fire spirit stones, while metal-element spells require metal spirit stones. The most precious, naturally, are lightning spirit stones. Wang Changsheng could currently only obtain spirit stones of the five elemental attributes. The Crow Puppet could cast the intermediate spell "Hundred Blade Slash," the Azure Eagle Puppet could cast the intermediate spell "Wind Spirit Sword," the Spider Puppet used "Spider Web Art," the Giant Bear Puppet could cast "Black Wind Roar," and the Tiger Puppet could cast "Blazing Crimson Flames." He was temporarily unable to craft defensive puppet beasts.

The Crow Puppet opened its mouth and spewed out dozens of crimson flame blades. The Azure Eagle Puppet opened its mouth and spat out dozens of azure light swords, all striking towards Fang Mu. The boots on Fang Mu's feet shone with a dark glow, and he retreated rapidly, causing the crimson flame blades and azure light swords to miss. A continuous series of booming explosions echoed, leaving over a dozen large craters on the ground.

Wang Changsheng put away the Azure Cloud Rod, grasped the Dark Ice Banner with both hands, and shook it vigorously. The banner's surface shone brightly, and a large expanse of bone-chilling white mist swept out, enveloping the bone corpse. The bone corpse was currently entangled in a fight with the Black Bear Puppet and Spider Puppet, and Fang Mu was preoccupied with the Crow Puppet and Azure Eagle Puppet, leaving him no time to spare. The moment the bone corpse came into contact with the white mist, its surface rapidly froze, and its entire body became covered in a thick layer of ice.

Wang Changsheng chanted an incantation. The Tiger Puppet leaped up and pounced on Fang Mu, while the Spider Puppet and Black Bear Puppet disengaged and also charged at Fang Mu. Fang Mu was under immense pressure, facing five Rank 2 puppet beasts alone. His natal artifact possessed great power, but it required some casting time, and Wang Changsheng simply wouldn't give him that opportunity.

Fang Mu chanted another incantation, and the lid of the black coffin flew open. A boy with delicate features leaped out of the coffin. The boy was clad in black iron armor, his arms were outstretched, his eyes were blood-red, and two sharp fangs protruded from his mouth. Clearly, this was a zombie.

Wang Changsheng had seen zombies before, but in his memory, they all had green faces and tusks. This was his first time seeing a zombie with such refined features. Zombies fed on blood; mortals, demonic beasts, and immortal cultivators were all their prey. However, what puzzled Wang Changsheng was, weren't zombies supposed to be better the larger they were? This small zombie must have been killed at a very young age! Demonic cultivators were truly cruel, even killing such young children to refine zombies.

Wang Changsheng had no time for further thought as the small zombie hopped and bounded towards him. With a single leap, it could cover two zhang. Wang Changsheng abruptly shook the Dark Ice Banner in his hand, producing a loud swishing sound. Densely packed white ice needles shot out, striking the small zombie's body with dull thuds, as if hitting metal. The white ice needles struck the small zombie's face, but couldn't even break its skin.

Wang Changsheng frowned, then vigorously shook the Dark Ice Banner again. A large expanse of bone-chilling white mist swept out, meeting the charging small zombie. The small zombie's surface rapidly froze, transforming it into an ice sculpture.

Fang Mu frowned, then conjured a palm-sized black gourd. He struck it with an incantation, and the black gourd grew against the wind. A fiery pattern was clearly etched on its surface. Fang Mu changed his incantation, and the fiery pattern seemed to come alive. The gourd's lid flew off, and a large torrent of black flames burst out, striking the Black Bear Puppet. Rolling black flames engulfed the Black Bear Puppet, reducing it to ashes at a visible rate.

Seeing this, Wang Changsheng's expression changed, and he hastily maneuvered his puppet beasts to avoid the flames.

Just as Fang Mu was about to employ other tactics, a sharp, ghostly wail emanated from his embrace. He frowned slightly and pulled out a palm-sized black disc. The disc's surface was covered with rice-grain-sized black runes, vaguely forming a ferocious ghost face. He struck it with an incantation, and a hurried male voice suddenly sounded: "Senior Brother, we've found the traitor's hiding place. We haven't alerted him, as per your instructions. Please come quickly." Upon hearing this, a hint of delight appeared in Fang Mu's eyes.

He put away the black disc, looked at Wang Changsheng, and stated earnestly, "Let's call off this fight for now. We can battle again another day."

"A joke! You think you can fight when you want and leave when you want?" Wang Changsheng sneered. Although the gourd artifact Fang Mu had conjured was powerful, Wang Changsheng still had many puppet beasts. If they swarmed him, Fang Mu might not be able to withstand them.

Fang Mu's eyes darted about. He then said seriously, "I destroyed one of your Rank 2 puppet beasts. I can offer compensation. However, as a condition, you must tell me where you obtained those Yin-attribute materials, especially those Yin Orbs. Don't tell me you got them by chance; only places with extremely dense Yin energy produce high-quality Yin Orbs."

Wang Changsheng pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Compensate me with three thousand spirit stones, and I'll tell you." Trading information for three thousand spirit stones seemed entirely worthwhile.

Without a word, Fang Mu took out three thousand spirit stones and, following Wang Changsheng's instructions, placed them on a piece of coarse cloth. Wang Changsheng released a Rank 1 low-grade ape puppet to wrap the spirit stones and bring them over.

"Ghost Abyss, a place that suddenly appeared a few years ago. It contains many ghostly entities."

"Ghost Abyss? Tell me more about the specific conditions of this Ghost Abyss." Fang Mu immediately became interested.

Wang Changsheng hesitated slightly, then briefly explained the situation of the Ghost Abyss. Since the Ghost Abyss was already sealed off, whatever was inside no longer concerned him, so telling Fang Mu wouldn't harm him.

Fang Mu listened to Wang Changsheng's account and nodded secretly.

"I still have matters to attend to. If fate allows, we'll fight again next time."

Fang Mu chanted an incantation, and the black gourd spewed out a large stream of flames, melting the ice layers on the bone corpse and the small zombie. Wang Changsheng's face was full of vigilance. He conjured three blue flying knives, while the Crow Puppet and Azure Eagle Puppet circled above Fang Mu's head. Fang Mu paid no attention, put away his artifacts, recalled the small zombie into the coffin, hoisted the coffin onto his back, and a black cloud appeared beneath his feet, carrying him high into the sky.

Wang Changsheng watched Fang Mu's departing figure, his brows tightly furrowed. He put away his puppet beasts and artifacts, summoned his Azure Moon Wheel, and leaped onto it. With a flash of blue light, the Azure Moon Wheel carried him high into the sky, disappearing into the horizon.