A Shocking Conclusion

As Ling Lei's corpse falls to the ground, the situation hadn't fully registered towards those opportunists that jumped at the prospect of killing him.

Although it took some effort, Yun Bai finally ended his life. The only one closest to match Yun Bai's strength had gone to the afterlife.

Some were shocked that even with Ling Lei's rise in abilities and strength, he still lost. Others were already booking out of there as they didn't want to stand in the wrath of an old monster.

"T-the Ling Patriarch is dead!!!"

No one knew who screamed those words, but it was the catalyst to erupt panic and confusion to the group. On mass people fled from the mountaintop with hopes of getting away to save their own skin, even leaving precious treasures that could weigh them down.

Yun Bai was too bothered to even attend the thought of killing them, Ling Lei's death was already enough as an example and his thoughts were correct.

After a dozen minutes, the scene was like it came straight from hell; what was once white snow turned red as a river of blood flowed from the corpses before, various weaponry scattered all around the battlefield.

Yun Bai just stood there seeing them all leave, he didn't care what they would do since he had other priorities, especially to the one that stayed at the battlefield.

Karsin, he still had to deal with this wild card of a person. He'd never seen or heard someone of his description when he still walking around before he secluded himself from the world.

It's like he appeared out of nowhere.

As Yun Bai was eyeing down Karsin to get any sort of information, he was on guard ready to strike out at a moment's notice.

He decided to pry some information beforehand, to get a read on the foe in front of him.

"I don't seem to recall yourself from around here, do tell if I am correct?"

Karsin just huffed with the hint of annoyance ever-present.

"Someone of your caliber isn't worthy of knowing my identity, mongrel. Now grovel."

As soon as Karsin finished his sentence, he was already in front of Yun Bai with what seemed to be a sword in hand.

Yun Bai barely dodged in time to the sudden assault from Karsin, strands of his hair in the air indicating how close had been to death.

However, Karsin didn't let up as he continued to swing at Yun Bai, leaving him no room to escape the barrage of stabs and slashes.

'Damn bastard seems to have more speed compared to Ling Lei, even now I can barely keep up.'

Yun Bai continued to retreat and be on the defensive, not being able to strike out a single time during Karsin's assault.

He was brainstorming on how to win the fight until a thought struck his mind.

'It's a bit distasteful, but it seems like that's the only way. Hopefully, my acting skills are still good enough to fool him.'

With that Yun Bai began to set his plan in motion right under Karsin's nose. Although he had a path to victory, the journey was still perilous as the beginning.

He was slowly losing ground, every second felt like a brush with death. After a dozen of minutes, Karsin's sword seemed much closer to taking Yun Bai's life.

Karsin leaped into the air and swung his sword downwards, slicing the ground with a clean-cut as if it was tofu.

Yun Bai leaped back in response, but that was actually Karsin's intention. As soon as Yun Bai was in the air Karsin pounced on him instantly, not letting any chance for escape.

"As much as a fighter you are, there's no way you can dodge mid-air. Time to die!"

Seeing Karsin in front of him, Yun Bai stood his ground and remained calm, in fact, a little bit too calm.

"One thing you should know when fighting a formation master Karsin, every formation has a role, even those that seem insignificant!" Yun Bai retorted back with a grin plastered on his face.

Yun Bai soon somehow stopped mid-air as if a platform was there and proceeded to jump away from Karsin's attack as the attack hit nothing but air.

Yun Bai as soon as he leaped into the air conjured a quick platform formation that would usually be used as steps by others turned into a key part of Yun Bai's plan.

'Damned mongrel tricked me! Especially with a petty trick!'

As Karsin dashed well past Yun Bai, an ominous feeling arose as the sky seemed to have darkened by a bit.

"Although it is distasteful for me to sully the lives of those who've died today as a means to an end, I have but no choice to use them to end you. Be proud you made me take this one out of the vault."

A large formation soon appeared throughout the whole mountain top, as the dried red blood on the snow seemed to have turned back into liquid and was floating into the lines of the formation.

Said lines materialized into red chains that went to each of Karsin's limbs, holding him in place. A sharp pain was felt as the chains pierced some part of his skin.

'Wait... why can't I break free from these accursed chains?!' Karsin rushed his brain trying to find the answer to his question until he took a second look at the chains.

'These things... they're using my energy to fuel it! This mongrel...'

As Karsin thought to himself that he might have thought too little of the 'mongrel' in front of him, the formation took effect.

Ghosts and apparitions appeared from the pile of corpses littered around the mountain top and headed to the formation.

Those souls of the dead was like a gigantic endless stream, akin to the roars and torrents of the sea.

"It took a while, but thanks for underestimating a mongrel."

"Demon Haunting Stream!"

The giant stream of dead souls soon headed towards Karsin, their past regret, anger, and dying will, turned into weapons by the formation in an attempt to end Karsin's life.

Karsin screamed in agony as those dead souls passed through him repeatedly, with no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Karsin was experiencing pain on the physical level and spiritual level, as the formation tested every ounce of his bearing and willpower.

The sky began to lighten up, as the energy from the dead souls began to dissipate, their anger and regret quenched as they took it out on Karsin. Dark red smoke filling the area of the formation.

'If that bastard still lives through all of THAT, then maybe I am fated to die today...'

As he berates Karsin in his mind, the smoke soon clears up. Yun Bai's heart soon drops.

Karsin was there, clearly damaged by the attack, a limb missing, but nonetheless standing. All the clothes he had were gone with the wind, and that led to a revelation.

There was no such thing as a face on Karsin, in fact, Karsin was neither a man or a woman. Skin that shined with a metallic sheen, and holes where his eyes and mouth would be.

Not even the feature that determined either a man or a woman.

'...A goddamn puppet?'

He had picked up the hints of an art pertaining to battle puppets during his travels. Artificial bodies engineered with the highest quality of materials to surpass a mortal body.

It can even be used remotely if a person had a strong enough mental strength. Some willing to transfer one's soul to them, for a chance at attaining more strength beyond flesh and bones.

Though, that didn't mean it didn't have any flaws.

Contrarily, unless the person had top-tier materials that could grow alongside their cultivation, they would need to change battle puppets every certain period, not to mention the maintenance.

Of course, Yun Bai would be surprised when he saw the strongest person he fought was just a puppet.

There was an eerie silence until a maddening laughter rang throughout the mountain.

It was from Karsin. Dozens of minutes went by until the laughter slowly died down.

"You are something mongrel, truly. The only one who made me go so far, of your caliber at least."

"Now, it's about time I finish this."

With that Karsin's body shone with a bright light, blinding Yun Bai's vision. Until it all cleared, he was stunned.

The once metallic puppet now turned into a stunning beauty that was now in front of him. Golden hair like the rising sun, with green eyes that shone like jewelry. The previously metallic skin was now a clean white as well.

Even with tattered clothes, it couldn't decrease her beauty in the slightest. Like a work of art that's been through the test of time.

"I'll have to pay for damaging this vessel later, but I've got a job to finish."

Yun Bai confused with the statement was suddenly shocked as he heard her utter a single word.

"Godspeed."

He sees Karsin nowhere, then he has the feeling to look down.

A sword piercing him from the back.

"Die for me, mongrel."

With that he falls to the ground, slowly dying out as he bleeds to his death. He ponders how suddenly he died

With vision going black, he closes his eyes and is finally passed on.

As Yun Bai falls, parts of Karsin's body begins to erode, more on the limbs. She just falls on her behind as she sees the landscape and aftermath.

"Boss ain't gonna be happy I destroyed another vessel, here's hoping those pity points are still there..."

She sees the sunset from the mountaintop, ending the epic clash that just happened earlier. Her eyes wander to Yun Bai's corpse as she sighs.

"A single mongrel by his own strength forced my hand, maybe you weren't such a mongrel, Yun Bai..."