Time flew by, and eighteen years passed in the blink of an eye.
On a snowy night, Frost City was covered in a thick layer of snow, like a silver fortress, standing quietly on the edge of the Northern Region.
Most of the Cultivators in the city had returned home to avoid the cold, and there were few pedestrians on the streets, only the occasional footsteps echoing in the empty streets. It was on this quiet night that a Devil Abyss Army led by three Devil Generals silently approached Frost City. They were clad in black armor, their faces covered by grotesque masks, revealing only two eyes that gleamed with cruel light.
Three Devil Generals rode enormous Demonic Beasts, leading a large contingent of Devil Abyss Cultivators, arriving quietly under the cover of night. The leading Devil General, bearing a giant Magic Sword on his back, its blade flowing with an eerie black light, coldly surveyed the Ice City before him, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"I didn't expect there to be a city of Loose Cultivators in this remote Northern Region. Tonight, we'll kill to our heart's content, leaving no one alive!"
As the Devil General's command was issued, the Devil Abyss Army, like a silent yet swift torrent in the night, surged towards Frost City's gates. The thud of the Demonic Beasts' hooves and the Cultivators' alarm bells rang out almost simultaneously, shattering Frost City's long-held tranquility.
On the city wall, Cultivators quickly assembled, their faces filled with panic and despair. The Frost City Lord, a white-haired old man, stood at the forefront, desperately encouraging every Cultivator: "Children of Frost City, the time has come to defend our home and protect our loved ones!"
The Cultivators responded in unison, their Magic Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts gleaming in the night. This battle concerned the survival of Frost City; there was no room for error.
On the city wall, streaks of Spell light cut through the night sky, intertwining with the black torrent of the Devil Abyss Army, forming a soul-stirring spectacle.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. The Devil Abyss Army was powerful, and the sharp claws of the Demonic Beasts and the Magic Swords of the Devil Generals tore open gaps in the Cultivators' defensive line. However, Frost City's Cultivators did not retreat; relying on their familiarity with the terrain and the strength of teamwork, they repelled the Devil Abyss Army time and again.
However, as time passed, the Devil Abyss Army showed no signs of abating; instead, more and more Demonic Beasts surged from the darkness, as if the night itself was their endless source. Frost City's Cultivators were brave and fearless, fighting one after another, but their stamina and Qi were constantly being depleted, and the defensive formation on the city wall began to feel overwhelmed.
It was at this moment of life and death that a ripple suddenly appeared in the normally calm air within a small courtyard in Frost City. Ming Yue and Xue'er were already standing in the courtyard, their Divine Sense fixed on the fierce battle on the distant city wall, their eyes filled with worry.
"Ming Yue, it seems our peaceful days are over," Xue'er sighed softly, then turned to look at the tightly closed door, where Li Mu was in secluded cultivation. She hesitated whether she should disturb his cultivation.
"Should we inform Master of this situation?" Ming Yue looked at Xue'er, asking hesitantly.
"Li Dage is Artifact Refining; suddenly disturbing him might make him fail!" Xue'er frowned, her gaze flickering between Ming Yue and the distant battlefield. Finally, she shook her head, her tone firm: "We cannot let Li Dage's efforts go to waste, but we also cannot let the innocent Cultivators of Frost City suffer annihilation."
"Ming Yue, are you confident in dealing with them? Why don't I make a move?" Ming Yue's mind stirred as she looked at Xue'er and suggested.
"Li Dage told us to keep a low profile!" Xue'er frowned, hesitating.
"Sister Xue'er, it's enough for Ming Yue to send my subordinates to support them; I don't need to act myself. It will be completely unnoticed; no one will discover me!" Ming Yue smiled confidently, reassuring Xue'er.
"Oh! Your subordinates? If no one discovers us and it doesn't affect Li Dage's Artifact Refining, then go ahead and do it, but you must act cautiously." After a brief thought, Xue'er finally nodded, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes. At this moment, Frost City was already on the brink of life and death, and she couldn't just watch it fall.
Upon hearing this, a confident smile played on Ming Yue's lips. She then closed her eyes and focused her Divine Thought, her figure flashing, transforming into a stream of light that disappeared from the small shop and reappeared in an empty alley in Ice City.
The next moment, Ming Yue waved her hand, and a Jade Plate emerged, palm facing upward, as if drawing some invisible power.
As Ming Yue hummed softly, circles of subtle ripples appeared in the air. Following that, the spirit patterns on the Jade Plate gradually became distinct, enlarging at a visible speed, and slowly transforming into a phantom of a portal. It was precisely the Tian Kui Jade Plate.
The Jade Gate formed by the Tian Kui Jade Plate emitted a faint blue light, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding snowy night.
Ming Yue softly commanded: "Come out, my Puppet Army!"
As her words fell, the Tian Kui Jade Plate burst into brilliant light. Immediately after, a shocking scene unfolded. From within the light curtain, Puppets of various forms slowly emerged. Some held long swords, some carried huge shields, and others controlled various strange Magic Treasures. Each Puppet emanated an aura no weaker than a Void Refining Cultivator. These Puppets were precisely the elite Puppets that Ming Yue had meticulously refined over many years with the power of the Tian Kui Jade Plate.
After the large appearance of the Human Race Puppet Army, a large number of small, eight-legged spider Puppets, thousands upon thousands, emerged. Upon their appearance, they immediately vanished into the night, leaving no trace.
Watching the endless stream of Puppets pouring out, Ming Yue, as the Puppet Spirit, moved her Divine Thought. The Puppet Army, as if guided by an invisible command, quickly formed into a battle array and flew towards the city wall, rapidly advancing towards the Devil Abyss Army. The Puppets bearing huge shields were positioned at the front of the formation, ready to withstand the imminent fierce attack, while the small, eight-legged spider Puppets moved like ghosts in the night, silently surging towards the rear of the Devil Abyss Army.
On the city wall, watching the Devil Abyss Army surge like a tide, the Human Race Cultivators had already fallen into the abyss of despair, their defenses teetering. However, at this moment, a strange clashing sound suddenly echoed in the night sky. Immediately after, an army composed of various forms of Puppets appeared on the battlefield like divine soldiers descending from the heavens, instantly turning the tide of the battle.
The Cultivators on the city wall were stunned at first, then burst into an unbelievable cheer. They simply couldn't believe their eyes, watching a large number of Puppets continuously joining the battlefield, fighting bravely for them and rescuing them from danger.
"Is this real? Am I dreaming?" A Cultivator who had almost become a casualty muttered in disbelief after being saved.
"What is this? We're saved!"
"Sixth-tier Puppets, there are so many sixth-tier Puppets! Is there a Puppet Master in the city?"
"So many Puppets, this is great! Kill! Quickly kill them!"
"So strong!"
...
The cheers from the city wall quickly spread throughout Frost City. The previously exhausted and desperate Cultivators now seemed to be infused with new vitality, bravely leading the charge, fighting alongside the Puppet Army to resist the invasion of the Devil Abyss Army.
The Puppets wielding long swords were like killing machines, their sword techniques sharp, each sword strike possessing the strength of a Void Refining Sword Cultivator; the Puppets bearing huge shields were like impregnable fortresses, providing solid cover for the Cultivators behind them; and those small, eight-legged spider Puppets were like reapers in the night, silently moving through the Devil Abyss Army. Although they were only fourth or fifth-tier, their destructive power was the most terrifying. They appeared and disappeared mysteriously, and once their eight legs embraced an enemy, they would self-destruct.
For a time, the Devil Abyss Army was caught off guard, suffering heavy casualties.
Watching the tide of the battle turn, Devil General Ti Yuan's face instantly became extremely grim. He hadn't expected such a powerful Puppet Army to be hidden in this remote Frost City. The strength of those Puppets was no weaker than that of their elite Devil Abyss Army!
"Damn it! Where did these Puppets come from? Get me the Puppet Master!" Ti Yuan roared, the Magic Sword in his hand instantly radiating an even denser black light. He plunged into the battlefield, intending to personally find and destroy the mastermind behind the Puppet Army.
However, how could Ming Yue reveal herself so easily? She remained hidden in the shadows, using the power of the Tian Kui Jade Plate to constantly adjust the Puppet Army's formation to counter the various offensives of the Devil Abyss Army. Under her command, the Puppets seemed to come alive, flexible and adaptable, advancing and retreating with precision, putting Devil General Ti Yuan and his army in a tough fight.
"Damn it! These Puppets are so troublesome!" Ti Yuan swung the Magic Sword in his hand, trying to get close and destroy a few Puppets that were entangling him, but no matter how hard he tried, the three sixth-tier Battle Puppets cooperated extremely well, always avoiding fatal blows at critical moments, or counterattacking with clever coordination, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.
"Commander, it's no good, our brothers are suffering heavy casualties, this Puppet Army is too difficult to deal with, let's retreat!"
"Commander, if this continues, I'm afraid we'll all be left here!"
Many Devil Cultivators repeatedly requested Ti Yuan to retreat, their eyes filled with fear and despair. Facing a Puppet Army that was unafraid of death and whose formation coordination was seamless, they had lost the courage and confidence to continue fighting.
Listening to the constant requests to retreat, Devil General Ti Yuan's heart was filled with helplessness and anger. He hadn't expected to fall in such a remote small city.
"Retreat!" Finally, Ti Yuan gritted his teeth and issued the order to retreat. He knew that continuing would only lead to more Devil Abyss Cultivators dying here.
Upon hearing Ti Yuan's command, the Devil Abyss Cultivators felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and began to retreat rapidly, trying to escape this battlefield engulfed by the Puppet Army.
However, how could Ming Yue, who was observing all of this from the shadows, easily let them go? With a thought, the Puppet Army, which had been scattered across the battlefield, seemed to receive an invisible command, quickly adjusted their formation, and launched a frenzied pursuit of the retreating Devil Abyss Army.
"Trying to run? It's not that easy!" Ming Yue coldly watched the chaotic Devil Abyss Army in the distance, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
Soon, under Ming Yue's command, the Puppet Army, like hunting beasts, launched a merciless pursuit and encirclement of the Devil Abyss Army, using the Puppet Army's advantage to divide, surround, and destroy them one by one.
As Ming Yue's Divine Thought fluctuated, the Puppets wielding long swords quickly formed several elite squads, like sharp blades, cutting into the Devil Abyss Army's retreat route. These squads were flexible and mobile, using the terrain and the cover of night to constantly launch surprise attacks and harass the Devil Abyss Army, making their retreat chaotic.
At the same time, the Puppets carrying huge shields formed a solid defensive line in the rear, preventing the Devil Abyss Army from counterattacking. They were like mobile fortresses, steadily blocking the Devil Abyss Army's retreat, putting them in a dilemma.
A large number of small, eight-legged spider Puppets, utilizing their strong stealth and rapid movement, moved through the night like ghosts, silently approaching the flanks and rear of the Devil Abyss Army. Once they found a suitable opportunity, they each sought out suitable targets and self-detonated with them, causing huge casualties to the Devil Abyss Army.
Under Ming Yue's meticulous command, the Puppet Army seemed to form a giant spider web, firmly trapping the Devil Abyss Army within it. The Devil Abyss Army suffered countless casualties under the Puppet Army's hunt, their morale plummeting to rock bottom.
"The army releases its Law Domain, forms a formation, and waits for reinforcements! I have already sent a message to the Demon Lord, waiting for him to rescue us!" Ti Yuan shouted loudly in the chaos, trying to stabilize morale.
At this moment, only by relying on the collective strength of the Devil Abyss Army could there be a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation. Following Ti Yuan's command, the remaining Devil Cultivators successively unleashed their respective Law Domains, their demonic power intertwined, forming distorted demonic domains to resist the Puppet Army's frenzied assault.
Ming Yue stood in the shadows, coldly observing all of this, not acting hastily. Instead, she continued to manipulate the Puppet Army through the Tian Kui Jade Plate, maintaining strong pressure on the Devil Abyss Army, continuously depleting their stamina and Qi, and precisely striking at the Devil Abyss Army's vital points, causing their Law Domain formations to be repeatedly broken, making it difficult for them to form effective defenses.
Watching the Devil Abyss Army retreat steadily under the fierce attack of the Puppet Army, their numbers dwindling, the surviving Human Race Cultivators on the Frost City wall cheered, their eyes filled with tears of joy and relief. They had never witnessed such a breathtaking battle. These Puppet Armies seemed like guardian deities sent from heaven, saving them from danger.
"What a powerful Puppet Master! This art of commanding a Puppet army in battle is simply the art of war!"
"Yes! This is a true powerhouse; fighting against ten thousand is nothing to them!"
"With so many Puppets under the Great Master's command, they're like they've come alive, advancing and retreating in order, cooperating seamlessly. It's truly an eye-opener!"
"So powerful, City Lord, who is this Puppet Master?"
"If it weren't for the Puppet Master's timely intervention today, saving us, we would have already died!"
...
On the city wall, the Cultivators' exclamations of praise rose and fell, one after another. They had witnessed the entire process of Ming Yue manipulating the Puppet Army and were all shocked and admired.
Just then, a strong fluctuation suddenly came from the distant sky. It was the Demon Lord's response. Ti Yuan's heart swelled with joy, knowing that powerful reinforcements were about to arrive. As long as they could hold on until the reinforcements arrived, they would have a chance to turn the tide.
"Hold on! The Demon Lord is coming soon!" Ti Yuan shouted loudly to his subordinates, trying to boost morale. However, his voice seemed so faint amidst the roaring explosions. (End of this chapter)
