Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

The "Hu Yao" that emerged from the Skull Jade Pendant not only had a physique similar to Gong Shulan's, but her Cultivation was also at the same level—Early-Stage Foundation Establishment.

"Chentang, I heard you wanted my dear Shulan to serve you?" Upon reviving, Hu Yao was completely nude. She let out a few seductive laughs, her flawless body trembling like a delicate flower, a sight that was both captivating and blood-pumping.

Chentang's expression darkened. He looked at Gong Shulan, his face filled with vigilance. "Is this the Ghost Puppet Sect's Human Puppet Technique?"

The Ghost Puppet Sect, though not one of the Five Demonic Sects, was still a Great Sect of the Demon Dao, renowned throughout the Great Cang Cultivation Realm.

Their signature Human Puppet Technique was an outlier in the art of puppetry. It used Cultivators as raw material, combining them with Ghost Dao Secret Techniques to create Puppets indistinguishable from living people.

The "Hu Yao" before him matched every characteristic he knew of the Ghost Puppet Sect's Human Puppets.

'Human Puppet Technique?' Hiding by the cliff, Wei Tu narrowed his eyes. A flicker of killing intent entered his gaze as he watched Gong Shulan.

Hu Yao was an old acquaintance of his. Back in the Qi Refining Realm, she had helped him quite a lot.

For instance, when Ying Bing had tried to ambush and kill him, it was Hu Yao who had warned him in advance, allowing him to be prepared.

"You're quite well-informed." Hu Yao licked her lips and, under the control of Gong Shulan's Guardian Map Divine Sense, charged at Chentang.

As she was Flying in the Sky, an emerald ghost fire erupted from her body. Burned by this ethereal flame, the black longsword Chentang used for combat instantly let out a mournful cry. Its Spirituality plummeted, and its movements in the air grew sluggish.

Seeing this, Chentang's face fell. He hastily flung several dark, round spheres from his sleeve, hurling them at Hu Yao.

These dark spheres were Celestial Thunder Pearls, which he had purchased at a great expense. They were crafted by Artifact Refiners who had collected Celestial Thunder. Not only were they incredibly powerful, but they were also effective in suppressing Demonic Cultivators.

It was these very Celestial Thunder Pearls that had given him the confidence not to flee immediately upon witnessing Ren Yifeng's gruesome death.

The Celestial Thunder Pearls exploded on contact with "Hu Yao's" body.

In that instant.

Flames erupted and lightning crackled.

The emerald ghost fire surrounding the Human Puppet "Hu Yao" diminished considerably, and large patches of scorched flesh appeared on her fair skin.

Some of the wounds were so deep they reached the bone, creating a ghastly sight.

"Gong Shulan, let's see how you'll fight me now!" Chentang sneered, summoning another Magic Sword and slashing down at "Hu Yao."

Gong Shulan had only reached Foundation Establishment a few years ago—he refused to believe she had any other Countermeasures to use against him.

However—

The next moment.

What happened next to "Hu Yao" completely defied Chentang's expectations.

The previously battle-scarred "Hu Yao's" skin became fair and flawless once more. Emerald ghost fire surged from her body, as if she hadn't been harmed by the Celestial Thunder Pearls in the slightest.

As Chentang's Magic Sword slashed down, Hu Yao raised a hand. With a casual flick, the emerald ghost fire incinerated the Magic Sword, leaving it half-destroyed.

"How is this possible?" This time, Chentang was truly shaken. He glanced from Hu Yao to Gong Shulan, then grit his teeth and made a decision: he would flee, abandoning any thought of the Gong Family's Secret Treasure.

'No Treasure, no matter how great, is worth more than my own life.'

But just as Chentang began his escape, "Hu Yao," still in mid-air, shot after him like a crossbow bolt.

As their figures drew close—

Chentang's expression changed drastically. He hastily activated a Tier Two Talisman he had already placed on himself.

But the shield formed by the Tier Two Talisman was quickly burned away by "Hu Yao's" emerald ghost fire.

Bone spurs shot out from "Hu Yao's" body, piercing deep into Chentang.

A few moments later, Chentang was reduced to a desiccated corpse and fell upon the cliff.

"What do we do now?" Kou Hongying, still in hiding, sent a voice transmission to Wei Tu. She couldn't tell what condition Gong Shulan was in—whether she was at her peak or on her last legs.

After all, the Human Puppet Gong Shulan had dispatched had just brutally slaughtered two Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators, who had been almost completely powerless to resist.

She and Wei Tu were only Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Facing Gong Shulan now, their chances of victory were uncertain.

'If we're not careful, we could all be annihilated.'

"Chentang's Celestial Thunder Pearls weren't ineffective... It's just that Gong Shulan transferred the damage to herself..."

Wei Tu said, frowning.

Relying on his Xiangluo Nose, he could clearly smell the thick stench of Blood Qi hidden beneath Gong Shulan's robes. This Blood Qi had appeared on her abruptly, right after "Hu Yao" had been grievously wounded and then instantly recovered.

In other words, it wasn't that Chentang's Celestial Thunder Pearls had failed. Rather, Gong Shulan had used a Secret Technique to transfer "Hu Yao's" injuries onto herself.

"So, Uncle Wei, you mean... the current Gong Shulan is truly at the End of the Crossbow?"

Kou Hongying raised an eyebrow, her confidence in striking against Gong Shulan renewed.

"I can't be sure." Wei Tu shook his head. "Her abilities are too unpredictable. If we act rashly, we could very well end up like Ren Yifeng and Chentang."

"Gong Shulan is no ordinary Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator,"

he said gravely.

"So we give up?" Kou Hongying asked, surprised. The Gong Family's Secret Treasure was tempting to her as well; it would be a shame to abandon it so easily.

"No." Wei Tu shook his head. "We don't know for sure if Gong Shulan is at the End of the Crossbow. So we have to wait for an opportunity—an opportunity to kill her in a single, fatal blow."

He didn't believe Gong Shulan could maintain the "Hu Yao" Human Puppet's state indefinitely.

Gong Shulan's techniques might be formidable, but her Magical Power wasn't infinite. For every moment she maintained the Human Puppet, the Magical Power within her Daoist Body would drain away.