Chapter 33: Crimson Puppeteer Ascends
The blood-red moon loomed high above the mountain valley as Jin Zhen stood upon a towering obsidian spire. The darkness shimmered under the eerie glow, casting long shadows across the newly expanded sect grounds.
Below him, members of the Crimson Blood Sect knelt in silent reverence. Over the last week, his influence had grown exponentially. Farms had flourished, spiritual beast pens expanded, and a newly constructed inner disciples' training ground glowed with formation lines.
But this night was not about farming or disciples. It was time to unveil the weapon he'd spent thousands of SP crafting.
[SP Used: 4,000]
[Crimson Puppet Division Created — Rank: S]
[Description: 100 autonomous crimson battle puppets infused with demonic qi and programmed with high-tier combat formations. Capable of formation combat, solo dueling, and spiritual harvesting.]
"Rise," Jin Zhen spoke with authority.
The ground trembled.
From hidden compartments beneath the mountain, the first ranks of puppets emerged. Each stood two meters tall, humanoid in shape, plated in crimson alloy with runic carvings glowing along their torsos and limbs. Their eyes blazed with controlled crimson light.
Gasps filled the air.
"Are they… alive?" someone whispered.
"No. They are mine," Jin Zhen said flatly. "And they are the Crimson Blood Sect's new enforcers."
[+ 2,500 Reputation Points — Fear and Awe Accumulated]
He opened his system interface.
[Host: Jin Zhen]
[Title: Crimson Overlord]
[Realm: Core Formation (Late Stage)]
[Special Physique: Abyssal Blood Furnace Body (Tier: Heaven)]
[SP: 1,200]
[Spirit Stones: 13,400]
[Talents: Devil's Insight (S), Spirit Blade Mastery (A+), Crimson Charm (S)]
He smiled.
[Quest Completed: Construct Sect Defense Division]
[Reward: 3,000 SP, 2x Random High-Grade Technique Scrolls]
Two scrolls materialized in his hand.
[Technique Acquired: Crimson Chain Execution (Grade: Heaven)]
[Technique Acquired: Blood Echo Step (Grade: Earth, Peak)]
The first scroll allowed him to summon living chains from his own blood to ensnare and execute enemies. The second boosted his movement speed to flickering levels, leaving afterimages behind.
"These will be fun."
---
That night, as the sect rested, an alert flared in his mind.
[Warning: Hostile Entity Detected Within 30 km]
[Name: Mo Xun — Cultivator Rank: Nascent Soul (Early)]
[Affiliation: Thousand Venom Sect]
[Intent: Reconnaissance and Elimination of Threats]
Jin Zhen's eyes narrowed. He waved his hand.
"Activate Pursuit Protocol Delta."
Twelve puppets shot into the sky like crimson meteors. Within moments, their formation activated—three layers of rotating energy shields, while runes pulsed along their bodies like a heartbeat.
---
A few kilometers away, Mo Xun sneered down at the mountain valley.
"Hmph, a newly rising sect thinking they can claim territory in the Crimson Wastes? Laughable."
Suddenly, the forest around him warped.
Boom!
A crimson spear burst from the ground. A puppet lunged, blade-arm glowing.
"What the hell—?"
Jin Zhen appeared mid-air, his cloak fluttering.
"Looking for me?" he said.
Mo Xun cursed and released a poison mist from his palm. "Thousand Venom Palm!"
Jin Zhen vanished.
Blood Echo Step.
An afterimage stood still as Jin Zhen struck from the side with a chain of glowing blood. It wrapped around Mo Xun's leg and yanked him downward.
"Crimson Chain Execution!"
The ground erupted with spikes, impaling Mo Xun's arm. He screamed and tried to escape, but more puppets surrounded him, their formation flowing like a tide.
Jin Zhen raised a hand.
"Harvest him."
Mo Xun's body was drained of spiritual essence. A crimson core was extracted.
[+ 800 SP]
[Item Acquired: Venom Core — Can be refined into Resistance Elixir or used in Puppet Upgrades.]
Back at the sect, cheers erupted as the puppets returned.
Jin Zhen landed and turned toward his inner circle.
"Prepare. The Crimson Blood Sect will expand westward. Tell the nearby villages we offer protection and cultivation opportunities. If they refuse…"
He smiled faintly.
"…we'll acquire them anyway."