Chapter 970: Holding the Fort

As he spoke, Blackie raised both hands, and silver patterns emerged on the surface of the silver leopard puppet beneath him, silver light flickering as it prepared to strike.

"This light barrier is extremely sturdy; relying on just our two puppets is not enough." Zhuo Ge's expression had returned to calm, and he raised a hand to stop Blackie, speaking indifferently.

"Then what do we do?" Blackie's eyes widened involuntarily.

"Don't worry. Just because our puppets can't break this restriction doesn't mean others can't. Now I finally understand why the city lord left the Golden-Winged Owl puppet behind." Zhuo Ge turned to look at the Golden-Winged Owl puppet lying on the ground in the distance, grinned, and was about to turn and go.

Suddenly, a cold snort sounded in his ear, and a wisp of invisible divine sense pierced into Zhuo Ge's head.

Zhuo Ge let out a miserable grunt, clutching his head with both hands.

At that moment, a crystalline light shot out from within the blood array like lightning, instantly reaching Zhuo Ge.

Within the crystalline light, several translucent crystalline chains could be faintly seen, about to plunge into Zhuo Ge's head.

At that instant, dozens of nearly transparent fine crystalline threads emerged from Zhuo Ge's brow, entangling the incoming crystalline light and the crystalline chains within.

Those crystalline chains, like fish caught in a net, halted in midair under the entanglement of the fine crystalline threads.

However, those chains were much thicker than the crystalline threads, struggling and twisting vigorously, continuing to advance.

But this momentary pause allowed Zhuo Ge to react. He leaped off the white wolf puppet and swiftly flew into the distance, letting out a cold chuckle: "It seems you don't have much experience fighting people from Puppet City. This level of soul attack has no effect on us."

Blackie immediately urged his puppet forward, following closely behind Zhuo Ge as they headed into the distance.

Within the blood array, Han Li formed hand seals, and a crystalline light flashed at his brow.

The several crystalline chains immediately shone brightly, breaking free from those crystalline threads and shooting back, not pursuing Zhuo Ge and the others.

Han Li took a deep breath, fully activating the blood array to continue impacting the hidden acupoints on his body.

In this short time, he had already opened another twenty or thirty hidden acupoints.

Zhuo Ge quickly flew onto the Golden-Winged Owl puppet, his ten fingers moving rapidly as crystalline threads shot out from his hands and into the puppet's body.

Blackie stood in front of the Golden-Winged Owl puppet, watching the distant blood array warily.

However, no further incidents occurred at the blood array.

A layer of bright golden light immediately appeared on the surface of the Golden-Winged Owl, though the black light still remained on it, but had stopped spreading.

Zhuo Ge muttered incantations under his breath while his hands continuously formed seals. The golden light on the Golden-winged Owl immediately began to roil and surge, enveloping the black light within it and launching a major counterattack.

The black light immediately began to dissipate, though at a very slow pace.

A flicker of impatience passed through Zhuo Ge's eyes. He raised his hand and waved, and a black bone sword appeared in his grasp—it was Sun Tu's sword. He slashed through the air.

The bone sword blazed with black light, and the phantom of the civet cat monster emerged once again, though its color was much lighter than before, and it appeared languid, unwilling to move.

Zhuo Ge gave a light snort. White light flickered in the hand gripping the sword, interspersed with several crystalline threads.

Only then did the phantom of the civet cat monster stir. It opened its mouth and inhaled toward the black light on the Golden-winged Owl.

The black light immediately detached from the Golden-winged Owl puppet, transforming into a hazy black beam that vanished into the civet cat monster's mouth.

With the expulsion of the golden light on the Golden-winged Owl's surface and the devouring by the civet cat monster, the black light rapidly left the puppet, completely disappearing within a few breaths.

The Golden-winged Owl puppet let out a joyful, piercing cry. Spreading its wings, it soared aloft, transforming into a golden phantom that circled and sped through the hall at an astonishing speed, easily leaving over a dozen afterimages.

The golden shadow brought with it a sharp, almost tangible wind that howled through the hall, leaving marks on the floor and walls with ease.

Wu Yun, Zhu Ziyuan, and the others were caught in the wind and hurriedly retreated to dodge, pausing their fight.

Zhu Ziyuan watched the golden shadow streaking through the air, a flicker of fear seizing his face.

Zhu Ziqing also looked toward the golden shadow in midair, but did not gaze long at the Golden-winged Owl; instead, his pupils reflected Zhuo Ge's figure, a complex glint flashing in his eyes.

Although the golden phantom was extremely swift, it seemed somewhat unsteady and wavering, which was due to Zhuo Ge's inexperience in controlling this puppet for the first time.

However, after circling the hall twice, the Golden-winged Owl puppet quickly stabilized.

"The Golden-winged Owl, fastest in Puppet City, truly lives up to its reputation." Zhuo Ge's heart burned with excitement. Then he looked toward the blood-colored grand formation, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes as his ten fingers suddenly moved like spinning wheels.

The Golden-winged Owl let out a sharp cry, flapped its wings rapidly, and suddenly transformed into a golden blur, shooting toward the blood formation like lightning.

Approaching the blood formation, the Golden-winged Owl abruptly folded its wings, its body resembling a huge golden spike, the tip being its long, sharp beak.

The golden beak emitted an indestructible golden cold light, piercing toward the blood-colored light curtain with an aura that could penetrate all things.

Inside the blood cocoon, Han Li frowned slightly, pinched his fingers, and waved his hands.

A crystalline light flashed at his brow, and a crystalline sword shadow shot out from it, exuding a sharp aura—it was the Mind Sword.

However, since he was simultaneously using the Mind Prison to restrain Chen Yang and the other, which greatly consumed his divine sense, the power of the Mind Sword he unleashed was much weaker than before.

The divine-nian sword shot out like lightning, its target not the Golden-Winged Owl puppet but directly aimed at Zhuo Ge.

A flash of crystalline light, and the sword shadow appeared before Zhuo Ge, flying toward the center of his brow.

Sensing the aura of the divine-nian sword, Zhuo Ge's expression changed drastically. Forgetting to control the puppet, he leaped aside to dodge.

But the divine-nian sword abruptly changed direction, not striking Zhuo Ge, but slashing at the crystalline threads emitted from his hands.

"Trying to feint? Ridiculous. Do you think I wouldn't anticipate that?" Zhuo Ge's eyes showed sudden understanding, but a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. With a move of his ten fingers, the crystalline threads at his fingertips shimmered and then completely turned into a mist.

The divine-nian sword did not pause, slashing straight through the misty crystalline light.

With a "crackle," crystalline specks burst in the void, and the misty crystalline light all exploded and scattered.

The divine-nian sword's radiance also greatly diminished, as if heavily depleted. It did not linger outside but flew back into the blood-colored light curtain.

"What!" Zhuo Ge was stunned, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The Golden-Winged Owl lost control instantly. Its folded wings suddenly spread with a whoosh, and its flight direction veered sharply, turning upward.

Thus, the point of collision with the blood-colored light curtain changed from the beak to the belly.

With a loud "bang!"

The blood-colored light curtain caved inward sharply, then rippled and fluctuated, blood light flashing chaotically.

The Golden-Winged Owl puppet rebounded off the light curtain, hurtling toward the roof.

Zhuo Ge finally recovered. His hands moved like spinning wheels, shooting out crystalline threads that vanished into the Golden-Winged Owl like lightning.

With a flash of golden light on its surface, the Golden-Winged Owl puppet was once again under Zhuo Ge's control. Flapping its wings rapidly, it barely stopped before hitting the roof.

Zhuo Ge let out a long breath, then abruptly looked at the blood array. With a move of his ten fingers, the Golden-Winged Owl puppet immediately turned and lunged toward the blood array again.

But this time, he did not have the puppet attack with its beak; instead, from a distance, it spread its wings, which blazed with golden light.

Sssss!

Countless golden feathers shot from the wings, emitting a terrifying whistling sound, striking the blood-colored light curtain.

Inside the blood cocoon, Han Li's expression darkened.

He was now within the blood array, with limited means at his disposal. If Zhuo Ge were near the array, he could still manage, but attacking from a distance left him helpless.

With no other choice, he formed a hand seal.

The blood-colored light curtain blazed with light, countless blood-colored patterns emerging, thickening it further as it withstood the golden feather attacks.

A series of thunderous explosions erupted. The blood-colored light curtain trembled violently, visibly thinning at a rapid pace.

Seeing this, the black giant beside him also urged the Silver Leopard puppet to launch long-range attacks, aiding Zhuo Ge.

The blood-colored light curtain grew thinner and thinner, and after a few breaths, it finally shattered with a pop, collapsing completely.

The countless golden feathers did not stop, continuing to shoot into the blood array.

These golden feathers were astonishingly powerful. With a sound of tearing silk, the array patterns within the blood array were easily cut and severed, more than half destroyed with irresistible force.

The remnants of the blood array shook violently, bulging one after another, then exploded with a roar.

"Bang! Bang!" ...

A series of deafening explosions. The remnants of the blood array vanished completely, turning into a blood-misted air wave that surged outward like a raging tide in all directions.

Though Zhuo Ge and the black giant stood at a distance, they were instantly caught by the blood-colored air wave, pushed back along with their puppets.

In desperation, Zhuo Ge rapidly formed hand seals, urging the Golden-Winged Owl puppet to stabilize.

Before he could fully steady the Golden-Winged Owl, the blood-colored air wave rippled, and a figure shot out like lightning, enveloped in dazzling white light, punching down at Zhuo Ge's head.

The fist radiated immense force, tearing through the void, leaving a clear white trail and exploding with thunderous sound.

Zhuo Ge's expression changed drastically. Forgetting to control the Golden-Winged Owl, he kicked off the puppet and shot backward.

At the same time, a thick white light lit up on each of his feet, jetting forward, further increasing his speed, allowing him to barely dodge the punch.

"Hmph!" The figure snorted coldly, stepping on the Golden-Winged Owl puppet's back.

With a dull "boom," the Golden-Winged Owl puppet's massive body plummeted like a meteor, crashing heavily to the ground.

The white figure borrowed the force to shoot forward, vanishing with a "whoosh," and reappeared before Zhuo Ge in the next instant, moving at an inconceivable speed.

A flash of terror crossed Zhuo Ge's face. Without any visible movement, eight black lights shot out from various points along his spine, revealing eight curved black long legs, resembling spider legs.

Each of the eight spider legs was two to three zhang long, with dark, sharp tips gleaming with eerie light, sending chills down one's spine.

Sssss!

As soon as the eight spider legs appeared, they stabbed toward the white figure with lightning speed.