Chapter 97: Blood Puppet Floats

Chapter 97 - Blood Puppet Floats Before Lordi Payne could conjure a plausible excuse to abandon the Hanz Clan Estate task, a soft rustle of fluttering robes sliced through the air outside the gazebo, heralding the arrival of two Eighth Layer Qi Refinement cultivators. They descended gracefully, one after the other. The man, in his early thirties, had a stern, unremarkable face framed by sharp, short brown hair and dark skin. A massive, gold-hued round bronze shield, broad as his shoulders, was strapped to his back, glinting faintly. The woman, draped in a flowing white gown that trailed across the ground, was a vision of elegance. Her skirt bloomed with embroidered pink flowers, and a wide Non-la hat crowned her head, its dense white veil obscuring her face, leaving her age and features a mystery. Garrick Blackthorn and the others rose to greet them, warmth in Garrick's voice. "Junior Brother Riggs, Junior Sister Newman, it's been a while. Good to have you two here." "Greetings, Senior Brother Blackthorn," the pair replied, nodding respectfully to the leader before offering apologies to the group. "We're so sorry for keeping you guys waiting." Garrick scanned the assembled squad, his gaze steady. "Now that everyone's here, shall we depart?" From his storage pouch, he produced a palm-sized sedan chair, its surface gleaming with dark lacquer. "My fellow brothers and sisters, the Hanz Clan Estate lies far from our Holy Sect, and our Mounts Artifacts vary in speed. If you have no objections, we'll travel together on my Blood Puppet Floats." No one protested. With a flick of his wrist, Garrick tossed the sedan chair into the air. It expanded mid-flight, transforming into a massive matsuri festival float that hovered ominously. Its craftsmanship was both exquisite and grotesque—polished wooden panels coated in crystal lacquer depicted parades of ghosts and snarling monsters. Skull lanterns, strung on long cords, dangled from the corners, swaying with an eerie rhythm. The entrance was shrouded by curtains of tattooed human skin, rippling softly. Atop the tallest central flagpole stood a ferocious dragon statue, its fanged maw frozen in a snarl, pinned through its eyes by massive nails, writhing in eternal agony. Most chilling were the pavilion's four ceiling panels, each adorned with lifelike human heads—men, women, young, old—their eyes weeping endless streams of blood, silent in their torment. Garrick lifted the human skin curtain and stepped inside, the others following in his wake. Lordi Payne, lingering at the rear, leaned toward Ruru Rosa, his voice a hushed plea. "Ahem, Senior Sister Ruru, my cultivation's too low—I'll only drag the squad down. Perhaps I should back out now, and you find a proper Eighth Layer senior cultivator to replace me?" Ruru Rosa, poised to enter, froze and shot him a withering glare. "What is your problem? We're here, ready to depart, and now you want to quit at this stage? Where are we supposed to find a replacement at this hour?" Her voice dropped, sharp with warning. "Besides, if you don't go, who's delivering the Foundation Establishment Pills Junior Sister Kim promised? Back out now, and you'll incur Senior Brother Blackthorn's wrath, and not even I can shield you. Move your ass." With no choice, Lordi sighed, defeated. "Understood." The interior defied the float's modest exterior, revealing a lavish chamber spanning forty feet, furnished with crimson silks and ornate screens. Despite the luxurious accommodations, the decor carried an unsettling edge: the cushions' embroidery depicted screaming souls, and the lanterns flickered with ghostfire hues. Stepping through the curtain, he braced for a cramped interior, expecting the float's modest exterior—roughly three meters wide by four long—to constrain them. Instead, he entered a vast, elegant hall, at least dozens meters square. Crimson silk cushions lined the floor, soft screens and ornate furnishings creating an air of opulence. The spacious interior easily accommodated the entire squad without a hint of crowding. As the group settled comfortably, Garrick Blackthorn cast a spell to activate the Mounts artifact. The Blood Puppet Floats hummed to life, rising swiftly and soaring north. Judging from the speed, it's slower than Fairy Lith's Bone Tomb Vessel, but far swifter than Lordi's previous Corpse Cloud transport experience. Through the window slits, the scenery blurred as they accelerated, the skull lanterns outside clattering like teeth in the wind. As Garrick Blackthorn drew gold foil teapots and delicate teacups from his storage pouch, arranging them with practiced ease to serve the squad, Lordi Payne's mind raced. Sensing an opportunity to secure his place among these high-tier cultivators, he seized the moment. "Dear Senior Brothers and Sisters," he said, his voice steady but deferential, "This junior's cultivation is humble, and I'll rely on your guidance during this task. Please accept this small token of my respect." He took out a handful of Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills from storage pouch. With a flick of hand, he sent them hovering into the air, distributing two pills to each squad member in turn by spirit energy. At first, Garrick Blackthorn and the others barely glanced at the offering. Bone Tempering Pills were too common for late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators—Eighth and Ninth Layer Qi Refiners like them had no shortage of such basic elixirs. But then— "Hm?" "Huh!" "What?" Their eyes caught the pills' translucent sheen. These elixir were flawless, their surfaces shimmering like polished moonstones. Most startling: they emitted no scent, a telltale sign of legendary-level quality purity. A collective gasp rippled through the group. "Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills?!" they exclaimed, astonishment breaking their composure. Their gazes snapped back to Lordi, now laced with newfound respect and curiosity. Lordi inwardly smirked. Perfect. Now to name-drop Kinson Wexford and imply that Senior Brother's "Deathveil Bloodline" backing, signaling that he was no mere cannon fodder to be sacrificed lightly— But Garrick Blackthorn's booming laughter cut him off. "Hah! So Junior Sister Kim's alchemy skills has reached such heights!" He carefully stored the pills into his storage pouch. "Legendary-level quality! With skills like this, our Foundation Establishment Pills are all but guaranteed now!" "Indeed," chimed the gray-robed cultivator, the one who'd detailed the rival battle squads earlier. He cradled a pill in his palm like sacred relics, his eyes gleaming with admiration, almost entranced. "No matter how fierce the other squads are, with Junior Sister Kim's miraculous alchemy skill, we must secure the Foundation Establishment Pill's Alchemy Formula and the Crimson Whisker Vine for our Thorn Squad!" Lordi blinked, caught off guard. Kim Simona? They assumed Kim Simona crafted these pills? He'd planned to credit these as Kinson Wexford's generosity, cementing his own backing. But as the realization sank in, he held his tongue. This misunderstanding was even better. Garrick Blackthorn, the squad's strongest member, was laser-focused on securing Foundation Establishment Pills. The more they believed in "Kim Simona's" alchemical prowess, the more value Lordi held—and the safer he'd be. "Whatever... The result's the same", he thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "This works too." The atmosphere in the Blood Puppet Floats shifted to ease and joyful as the squad members admiring the legendary-level elixirs into their seats, the faint hum of the vessel's flight underscoring their chatter. Lady surname Newman, the late-arriving female cultivator, removed her Non-la hat, revealing a mature, elegant face framed by golden hair and brows, her milk-white skin accentuated by delicate pink makeup. Her warm gaze settled on Ruru Rosa, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Rosa-chan, you haven't been entirely truthful, have you? Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills are rare treasures, yet Junior Sister Kim entrusted so many to this junior brother. Theirs bond clearly runs deeper than the casual acquaintance you described." She turned to Lordi Payne, leaning closer, her tone kind. "A word of advice, Junior Brother. Kim Simona hails from a powerful lineage. Her clan sister, Kim Selena the violet great, leads the mighty Dreadbloom, one of the Mid Five Inner Sect Bloodlines. Without a Foundation Stage senior in your family, earning the Kim Clan's approval will be no small feat." Her smile softened, encouraging. "But Kim Simona's been cherished since childhood and she's a prodigious alchemist with high expectations. If she's set her heart on you, there's hope for your future together." The Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills worked like a charm, shattering the squad's initial indifference. The Thorn Squad members, once dismissive, now regarded Lordi Payne with warmth and camaraderie, as if he were a long-lost brother. "Dear Junior brother!" Even a blue-haired cultivator in black robe, who had remained cold and silent until now, took the initiative to offer Lordi a quiet word of caution, his tone cool but earnest. "Winning Kim Simona's favor is one thing. Bear in mind your lover has many admirers in the Outer Sect, none more persistent than Shaun Zet, her childhood friend. The Zet Clan, as formidable as the Kims, has long been allied with them through intermarriages. Shaun sees himself as Kim Simona's future Dao Spouse. Any male cultivator who gets too close to her faces his wrath—suppression, threats, or worse." He leaned forward, his gaze steady. "You're only at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refinement. If Shaun learns of your connection to Kim Simona and challenges you to a death duel in the sect arena, you'll be at a grave disadvantage." Before he could finish, the grey-robed cultivator, cut in with a scoff. He tucked away his Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Shaun Zet? That spoiled runt's strength is overrated—propped up by clan's resources, not skill. No need to fear him." He leaned toward Lordi, his tone warm and kind. "Tell you what, Junior Brother Ruru. Give me ten—no, fifteen—more Legendary-level Bone Tempering Pills, and if Shaun Zet dares trouble you, let this Senior Brother handle that runt for you." Lordi Payne coughed, suppressing a wry smile. "Sorry Senior Brother, my surname's Payne. I'm Lordi Payne." He realized with stark clarity: when Garrick Blackthorn introduced him to the Thorn Squad, they had sized up his mere Seventh Layer Qi Refinement cultivation and promptly dismissed him. His name hadn't even registered—none had bothered to commit it to memory. "Alright, I'll call you Junior Brother Payne then," the grey-robed cultivator said smoothly, unfazed by his earlier oversight of Lordi's name, his face showing not a hint of embarrassment. He said confidently with warm smile, "My name is Carl Murphy, peak Eighth Layer Qi Refinement, a veteran in the fierce Gworm Abyss where I've cut down countless evil gworms. Trust me, hiring me to handle Shaun Zet is a steal. What do you say, Junior Brother?"