Chapter 46- The Monstrous Battle

Master Feng stood on the battlefield, surveying the damage done to his army. The once-flickering flames of their fire power had been greatly diminished, thanks to the attack of Lai Xiaoli. He clenched his fists in anger, secretly cursing the Alchemist who had betrayed him.

He had known that the Alchemist had been working with the Shaoying Empire, but he had foolishly believed that the Alchemist wouldn't turn on him until their plans had been completed. Master Feng had thought that he was the one manipulating the Alchemist, but he had been horribly mistaken.

As his attackers relentlessly pushed him into a corner, Master Feng let out a maniacal laugh. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a signal flare, lighting it and releasing it into the sky. The alchemists and cultivators who had been battling him looked at him in confusion, unsure of what was happening.

"It's too late for you," Master Feng cackled, his eyes wild with madness. "The Corruption of the River will be released. The barrels of toxins will be dumped into the waterways and soon it will spread throughout the empire, poisoning the water sources and making it impossible for life to survive here."

"You monster!" one of the alchemists shouted, horrified by the thought of such mass destruction.

"No, it's not me who is the monster," Master Feng replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's the corruption and greed of the Shaoying Empire that has brought us to this point. They have treated us like trash, exploiting people for their own gain. I will not stand idly by and let them continue to oppress its citizens. This is the only way to truly be free."

As the realization of what he had done set in, the alchemists and cultivators stepped back, horrified by the destruction that Master Feng had unleashed upon the empire. They knew that there would be no going back from this, and that the consequences of his actions would be felt for years to come.

As Master Feng laughed maniacally, holding the signal flare in his hand, Grandmaster Zhang looked on in shock and disgust. "You've gone insane," he said, his voice filled with contempt. "You're no different from the empire you curse. You're willing to sacrifice even the innocent just for your own twisted sense of revenge."

But Master Feng was unfazed by the accusations. He looked at Grandmaster Zhang with a fierce determination in his eyes. "Sacrifices are necessary for change," he said, his voice calm and steady. "The empire has been oppressing people for far too long. It's time for a change, and if that means innocent people must suffer, then so be it."

The other cultivators and alchemists on the battlefield looked at each other in horror, realizing the true extent of Master Feng's plan. They quickly began to search for the people who were releasing the toxins into the waterways, desperate to stop the spread of the Corruption of the River.

But it was too late.

The toxins had already been released, and they knew that it would only be a matter of time before they spread throughout the empire, poisoning the water sources and making it difficult for life to survive.

Master Feng stood tall on the battlefield, his eyes locked onto Grandmaster Zhang as he pulled out a small birdcage from his robes. The other cultivators and alchemists around him looked on in confusion as he opened the cage, revealing a creature unlike any they had ever seen before. It was similar to a pufferfish, but its flesh was decaying and rotting, giving off a putrid smell that filled the air. They knew immediately that this was no ordinary creature.

"Behold, the Decay Fish," Master Feng declared, a manic grin spreading across his face. "A weapon of mass destruction that I have been cultivating for years. It's time to bring an end to this battle, once and for all."

As he spoke, the Decay Fish began to grow in size, quickly becoming the size of a massive mountain. It swam freely in the air, treating the sky as its ocean, with Master Feng riding upon its back. The creature sucked in the air, and its spikes became more prominent, as it expanded like a balloon. And when the needles couldn't take it anymore, it burst, sending a barrage of needles flying in all directions.

Grandmaster Zhang quickly took out a scroll and vomited blood onto it, summoning a massive turtle to appear and protect the people on the battlefield from the needles.

But the others were not so fortunate. The countless barrage of needles, each one containing a deadly toxin, was too much to handle. Even a tiny scratch from one of the needles would cause a person's body to decompose rapidly. Chaos and destruction reigned as the needles rained down upon the battlefield, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

Master Feng continued to laugh manically as he rode the Decay Fish, his eyes filled with madness and a twisted sense of satisfaction. Grandmaster Zhang could only look on in horror as he realized that Master Feng had truly become a monster, willing to sacrifice innocent lives for his own twisted sense of revenge. And so, the battle came to this point, with the cost of victory being far too high for anyone to truly claim it a victory.

Master Feng continues to release the barrage of needles. The sound of the needles piercing through flesh and the screams of the dying echo throughout the battlefield. Grandmaster Zhang's heart aches as he watches innocent people, including children and the elderly, fall victim to Master Feng's twisted revenge.

With a heavy heart, Grandmaster Zhang turns to the other cultivators and says, "We must act now. We cannot let any more innocent lives be taken. We must stop Master Feng and put an end to this madness." The cultivators nod in agreement, their determination set. They knew that it would not be easy, but they were willing to risk their lives for the sake of their city and its people.

Suddenly, the battlefield was halted as they heard an eerie sound. The squeal was sudden and unexpected, taking everyone by surprise. It was a high-pitched, ear-piercing cry that sounded like a banshee's wail. As the sound grew louder, it felt as if the very air around them was vibrating with the intensity of the noise.

Everyone looked up to the sky, trying to locate the source of the sound. And then, a blot in the sky appeared, small and insignificant at first, but as it approached, the massive size of the creature started to take shape. Its wings spanned wide, covering a portion of the sky. It was the Gloomonster.

As the Gloomonster approached, the cultivators and the alchemists were in awe of its massive size. Its wingspan was so wide that it seemed to cover a portion of the sky, blocking out the sun. The needles of the Decay Fish, which had been raining down mercilessly on the battlefield, were powerless against the Gloomonster's massive form.

After drinking the nectar of the Howling Vampire Gloomonster, the giant moth creature became docile to Lai Xiaoli. Lai Xiaoli climbed to the top of the Gloomonster, ready to face Master Feng and the Decay Fish. Master Feng, who had been riding the Decay Fish, looked on in shock as the Gloomonster approached.

The Decay Fish and the Gloomonster sized each other up, both creatures knowing that this was going to be a fierce battle. The Decay Fish launched its poisonous needles at the Gloomonster, but the creature simply flapped its wings, sending a powdered substance flying in the air that neutralized the needles.

The Gloomonster then retaliated with its own attack, sending a powerful gust of wind that buffeted the Decay Fish. But Master Feng's familiar was agile and crafty as it evaded all the Gloomonster attack

The Gloomonster's eyes glowed with a bright light and used its petrification ability, but the Decay Fish quickly avoided it. The Decay Fish then released a dark mass of gas from its mouth, partially dissolving the wings of the Gloomonster. But alchemist Lai Xiaoli was not one to be defeated easily. She retaliated by summoning a massive root with a sharp end that pierced the location of the heart of the Decay Fish.

The crowd cheered as they thought they had won, but Master Feng's laughter filled the air. He told them that the Decay Fish is neither alive nor dead, and that it will only grow stronger with every attack. Lai Xiaoli's heart sank as she realized the true nature of their enemy. The battle was far from over.

The Decay Fish writhed and twisted its massive body, easily breaking free from the grasp of the massive root that Lai Xiaoli had summoned. Its twisted and decaying flesh seemed to heal itself almost instantly, leaving no trace of the wound.

The battle raged on between the Gloomonster and the Decay Fish, both creatures trading blows and unleashing their deadly abilities. The Decay Fish's needles rained down upon the Gloomonster, while the Gloomonster's petrification gaze and powdered wings sought to overpower the Decay Fish.

But as the battle progressed, it became clear that the Decay Fish was not a creature that could be defeated easily. It seemed to shrug off the Gloomonster's attacks and continued to unleash its barrage of needles without fail.

Juanxiu, who had been watching the battle closely, suddenly shouted out to the others. "The key to defeating the Decay Fish is the cage that Master Feng holds! It is the Prison of Malady, where the heart of the creature is contained. We must destroy it!"

The other cultivators and alchemists quickly realized the truth of Juanxiu's words. They knew that they had to find a way to get close to Master Feng and destroy the cage, but with the endless barrage of needles raining down on every side, it was difficult for them to retaliate.

As they were thinking of a way to move closer, Lai Xiaoli came up with an idea. He used the roots and vines of his plants create a massive trunk that would protect them from the needles while they moved closer to Master Feng's position. It was a risky move, but it was their only chance.

As Lai Xiaoli fought fiercely against the Decay Fish, Grandmaster Zhang and the others were able to make their way closer to Master Feng's position. Madam Zhang Ai's fingers were steady as she prepared her bow, taking aim at the cage. She knew that this was their only chance to defeat the creature. But the distance was too far and the barrage of needles made it difficult for her to take her shot.

The battle between the Gloomonster and the Decay Fish was fierce. The Gloomonster flapped its wings, sending a powdery substance towards the Decay Fish, but the creature was quick to evade the attack.

The Decay Fish then retaliated by biting the Gloomonster, injecting a deadly toxin into its body. The Gloomonster let out a deafening squeal as it wings stumbled backwards, its movements slow and unsteady. The crowd watched in horror as the Gloomonster, their only hope, began to weaken before their eyes.

Master Feng laughed, relishing in the Gloomonster's demise. Lai Xiaoli, the alchemist riding the Gloomonster, was in despair. He knew that without the Gloomonster, they had no chance of defeating the Decay Fish. He looked around frantically, searching for a solution. That's when he saw Grandmaster Zhang and the others huddled behind the turtle's carapace.

With a fierce determination, Lai Xiaoli urged the Gloomonster to use its petrification ability on the Decay Fish. The creature let out a deafening squeal as a portion of its body was turned to stone. Master Feng, however, was quick to remove the stone with his sword and the wound healed quickly. Lai Xiaoli knew that they had to act fast before the Gloomonster succumbs to the toxin.

Grandmaster Zhang realized that they will need to make a move or they will all die, "We have to make a move now! Madam Zhang Ai will ride the turtle. I will use my Qi to push the animal and propel it into the sky, letting her move closer to the cage! Use that opportunity to strike the cage"

It was a risky move, but they had no other choice. Madam Zhang Ai quickly climbed onto the turtle's back, her bow at the ready. Grandmaster Zhang gathered his Qi, focusing all of his energy into pushing the turtle into the sky. The turtle let out a deafening roar as it was propelled into the air, Madam Zhang Ai clinging to its back with all her might. Then when the right time came, she stood proud on the carapace of the turtle.

The crowd held their breath as Madam Zhang Ai took her aim. The Decay Fish writhed and thrashed, making it difficult for her to hit her target. But she was determined. She channeled all her qi into her bow, creating a fiery arrow that seemed to engulf everything in its path.

The arrow then flew through the air, heading straight for the cage. It was so close, so close to hitting its mark. But at the last moment, the Decay Fish twisted and turned, narrowly dodging the arrow. The crowd gasped in horror as the arrow missed its target and disappeared into the sky. Madam Zhang Ai's face twisted in frustration and anger. They had one shot and they missed.

Master Feng laughed sinisterly as the arrow missed its mark, but his laughter quickly turned to a look of horror as Juanxiu appeared behind Madam Zhang. Throwing folds of activated talismans, he unleashed a lightning spear that struck the cage, destroying it and the heart of the Decay Fish.