Chapter 77 - Then Perish

"Old bastard... how dare you touch one of mine..." Tang Jinnian's tone was icy.

"

Ke ke

." The old man’s harsh laughter echoed in the darkness. "You reckless brats... did two ever think that you would end up like this before you trespassed into my Five Gods Summit?"

"I never thought much of you," Tang Jinnian replied softly, "Even now, I still think you are just some pretenders with some petty tricks."

"

Hmph

... you still have that sharp mouth!" The old man snorted coldly and waved his hand. "I won’t bother with a little brat like you. Let me give you some advice... if you want to keep an intact corpse, quickly release my disciple!"

As soon as the old man spoke, the three people who seemed to be his disciples also began to shout.

"That's right! Quickly release Senior Brother Li!"

"Release him quickly, and we will leave your corpse intact!"

Tang Jinnian exhaled a puff of smoke, glanced sideways at the Daoist beside him, and asked, "Are you their senior brother?"

The rat-faced Daoist gulped and nodded.

"Then what is your master's role at Five Gods Summit?" Tang Jinnian asked.

Before the Daoist could speak, the old man answered, "I am an inner court elder of the Five Gods Summit. What do you intend to do?"

Tang Jinnian looked at the Daoist with a playful gaze. "

Ah

... so you are a direct disciple?"

Looking deeply ashamed, the rat-faced Daoist nodded and buried his head low.

Seemingly displeased by Tang Jinnian’s mockery, the elder shouted again, "Little brat, I don’t have time to bicker with you. Will you release him or not?!" With his threat, the surrounding corpses took another step forward, on the verge of attacking.

"Release him?" Tang Jinnian raised an eyebrow. "Of course, why not?"

The rat-faced Daoist was overjoyed upon hearing this and looked at the man beside him.

Then he saw Forsaken Phoenix’s right hand sweep straight, emitting a brilliant light. The rat-faced Daoist's smile froze as his head soared into the sky. His headless corpse swayed and slumped into the dust.

"How dare you?!" the elder roared furiously.

Tang Jinnian caught the falling head, a strange smile playing on his lips as he stared at the elder. "What’s the matter? Look," he said, waving the severed head up and down as if offering it to the elder. "Am I not returning your disciple to you?"

The elder never expected Tang Jinnian to kill his disciple without hesitation. He was appalled and distressed, unable to speak as he pointed at the man holding the severed head.

"What? Didn’t you want your disciple? Come and get him."

The head continued to drip blood, and Tang Jinnian’s glacial voice sent shivers down the spines of the elder's disciples.

"Is he a madman?"

"This person is insane, what he's doing is outrageous."

"Master! Kill this man right now for the sake of the martial world!"

"Shut up!" the elder berated. Clearly enraged, he stared fiercely at Tang Jinnian, breath coming in short bursts. "Arrogant brat! Since you are looking to die, you can’t blame me!"

"

Hmm

?" Tang Jinnian tilted his head. "What? ... Are you sure you don’t want your beloved disciple back?"

"Sharp-tongued brat! Go die!" the elder roared. The surrounding corpses pounced on Tang Jinnian together!

"Eight corpses... want my life?" Facing the attacking corpses, Tang Jinnian closed his eyes and calmly said, "Old bastard... you are too naive."

Boom—

A huge explosion stirred up waves of dust.

"

Huh

?!"

The elder felt something was wrong. As the dust began to clear, he saw Tang Jinnian standing untouched by the flying dust. He was surrounded by exactly eight puppets that each held off an attacking corpse.

"What?!" The elder was astonished. "Animated corpses?! You, how can you also..."

"Animated corpses?"

Tang Jinnian's brow furrowed.

"Nonsense... my puppet technique is not something an ant like you can understand!"

"Puppet technique?" The elder’s brow also furrowed. "I don't care what it is, I'll make sure to interrogate you thoroughly!"

"

Heh

." Tang Jinnian nodded slightly. "Do you really think eight is all I have?"

The elder’s eyes widened suddenly as a gust of wind whooshed past his ears! Without time to think, the elder rolled on the ground to evade. Just as he turned to look back, he heard the screams of his disciples.

"Old bastard... I hope you have more than just these few disciples." Tang Jinnian chuckled as if he had thought of something amusing. "If not, then nobody will see you off."

The elder was horrified as he looked back and saw a puppet twisting the neck of his youngest disciple, with the other disciples lying in pools of blood. One puppet turned its head mechanically to face the elder.

"Brat! You brat!" The elder’s voice trembled with rage. "I, I will tear you to pieces!"

"

Heh

... come then." Tang Jinnian puffed out smoke, appearing casual.

The elder said nothing more and retreated, disappearing into the darkness.

Tang Jinnian raised his eyebrows, stood upright, and surveyed his surroundings.

Turning around, he saw the eight corpses from earlier moving.

Tang Jinnian took a step back, and with his gloved right hand’s fingers moving, the puppets began to engage with the corpses.

Tang Jinnian found that these eight corpses were significantly stronger than the ones controlled by senior brother Li before, both in agility and physical strength. They were several levels higher, and made loud impacts when they clashed with the puppets.

The Five Gods Summit did have some skill in concealment. The elder was hidden in the dark, and Tang Jinnian had not yet found where he was hiding. While searching, Forsaken Phoenix suddenly felt a sense of danger.

Instinctively, he put his right hand up just in time to block an iron sword with a

clang

.

Tang Jinnian blocked the sneak attack and was ready to counterattack. However, the elder fled back into the darkness, horrified to see that his sneak attack had failed.

Tang Jinnian snorted coldly, lifting his right hand to check for damage. The iron sword didn't even leave a trace of a white mark.

"Five Gods Summit... I was right it seems," Tang Jinnian said, "You have nothing but petty tricks."

"Arrogant child, don’t just rely on your sharp tongue!" The elder's voice was hollow in the darkness, making it hard to tell where it was coming from.

"I can’t kill you right now, but... I could kill her with a flip of a hand."

"

Ahh

... Go ahead and kill her." Tang Jinnian waved his hand casually.

"Do you think I will not?"

"Not at all... I just met her by chance," Tang Jinnian said with a cold smile. "Her life and death have nothing to do with me."

"

Keke...

Do you think I will believe that, brat?" the elder’s screamed hysterically, "This girl must be closely related to you. Today, I will also let you taste the pain of losing someone close!"

Holding an iron sword, the elder rapidly descended on the motionless Flowerless Butterfly!

"Ha ha! Perish!" The elder’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared loudly!

Tang Jinnian calmly exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Then perish..."