The end of the Divine Puppet Sect is near. No one can reverse the fate, no one can save it. From the moment the cultivators from the Spirit Realm descended, it was destined to be a dead end.
Xu Hei was clear-minded, without a trace of fear in the face of death.
Since there was no turning back, he would face death calmly. Those who cannot ascend will leave their bones behind, returning to their roots—this was his final wish.
Outside the mountain gate of the Divine Puppet Sect.
All the attacks from the Blood Refining Sect cultivators halted, standing in two rows like an honor guard, awaiting the arrival of a deity.
The red clouds in the sky dispersed, splitting apart as a void warship emerged, hovering above the mountain gate.
Though the warship wasn't large, it was like a massive stone pressing down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.
Jiang Bufan stood on the deck, looking down at the earth with a cold, god-like gaze that swept over all beings, over every person in the Divine Puppet Sect.
To the beings of the mortal realm.
He was indeed a god, without exaggeration!
Daoist Sparrow, Night Owl, Qin Xuanji, Gongsun Bo, Hai Teng, Liu Yunjing, Wang Yimao, Ye Li, Qin Hao... and all fifty survivors looked up at the sky with a determination to die, magical treasures in hand, primordial spirits slowly burning.
"Not bad, to hold on until now, your sect indeed has some luck, but this is the end!"
Jiang Bufan spoke indifferently, looking at everyone, raising a finger.
"Boom!!"
Above the heavens, the clouds suddenly tore apart, and a gigantic finger descended from above, shattering space inch by inch, the immense pressure causing everyone's skin to crack, blood flowing, and even their primordial spirits trembling!
A cultivator from the Spirit Realm, with just a finger, could crush all beings! That was the gap between them!
"Ah!!"
A group of Divine Puppet Sect cultivators on the periphery couldn't withstand the pressure and exploded on the spot, turning into a mist of blood, their primordial spirits crushed into nothingness.
Below Divine Transformation, all were instantly dead or injured!
Even more terrifying was that this strike did not trigger any law suppression, perfectly controlling the power at the critical point—this was perfect control!
The finger's power did not diminish, continuing to press down, heading towards the core of the crowd.
If this finger truly fell, the Divine Puppet Sect would be utterly destroyed!
"Get lost!"
Daoist Sparrow's figure flashed, a heaven-and-earth chessboard appeared high in the sky, all the puppets on it sitting cross-legged, forming a specific formation, raising their arms, pointing to the sky.
In an instant, a strike gathering the power of all the ancestors converged at a single point on the finger, charging towards the sky!
"Break for me!" Jiang Bufan's eyes flashed, pressing down fiercely.
"Boom!!!"
The two collided, erupting with a world-destroying roar, the shockwave tearing the heavens and earth, destroying the void, annihilating all living things!
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Just a few breaths later, all the fingers on the puppets of the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation exploded, and Daoist Sparrow spat blood, flying backward, crashing into the mountain gate, his body nearly falling apart.
In contrast, the gigantic finger in the sky remained, unscathed.
"The Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation can't even block it!"
Liu Yunjing was dumbfounded, and everyone showed despair.
They had long suspected the Spirit Realm cultivators were extremely powerful, but they hadn't expected them to be this strong!
It was the first time in their lives they had seen the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation suffer a setback!
"Law suppression, as long as the power is controlled to a certain degree, continuously applying the same power, you can perfectly avoid law suppression, haha, the Ancestor's teaching is indeed useful."
Jiang Bufan sneered inwardly. To counter the law suppression of the mortal realm, Mo Xingtian had the Domain Field, so how could he not have his own means?
This move required extremely strong control, something ordinary people couldn't achieve. Only a cultivator like him, who ascended from the mortal realm, had a way to deal with it.
Jiang Bufan nodded slightly, looking at Daoist Sparrow, a smile rising.
"The Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, not bad, to withstand a finger from me, it would be an extraordinary magical treasure in the Spirit Realm! No wonder it lasted so long, it's one of the best in the three thousand mortal realms."
Jiang Bufan gave the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation high praise.
With Elder Mo dead, he was in no hurry, no longer worried about the Demon God Cauldron being taken by his peers, he could leisurely deal with these ants.
"Master of the Divine Puppet Sect, I'll give you a chance. Hand over the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, and I might consider letting you go to the Spirit Realm and join the Jiang family!"
Jiang Bufan spoke slowly.
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place fell silent, then erupted in an uproar.
Everyone from the Blood Refining Sect was stunned.
Such a significant opportunity, even those who had been loyal had not received it, yet it was offered to Daoist Sparrow? Was there any justice in this?
"What? Don't believe it? Though we are on opposing sides, my Jiang family has always been generous, recognizing only potential and benefit. If you can switch sides, granting you a great fortune, what harm is there? It costs my Jiang family nothing."
Jiang Bufan had no deep hatred or interest conflict with Daoist Sparrow. He saw the potential of the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, which sparked his interest in recruiting.
If this formation were placed in the Spirit Realm, slightly improved and strengthened, it might become a great asset.
"Damn, such a great benefit, and it's given to Daoist Sparrow."
"If Daoist Sparrow joins the Jiang family, won't we be unable to destroy the Divine Puppet Sect?"
The high-ranking members of the Blood Refining Sect looked at each other, their faces somewhat unsightly.
"What? Do you have any objections?"
Jiang Bufan raised an eyebrow, glancing at the crowd behind.
"Not at all! The will of the senior is our will!"
Blood Knife Patriarch immediately cupped his fists, recognizing the situation.
The cultivators of the Divine Puppet Sect also looked at Daoist Sparrow, waiting for his response.
With such an opportunity, if Daoist Sparrow agreed, it wouldn't be surprising. After all, isn't the goal of a lifetime of cultivation to ascend to the Spirit Realm and achieve immortality?
Staying in the mortal realm, no matter how glorious a life, would eventually turn to dust. Who would remember you? Who would acknowledge you?
What does the sect matter? Fellow disciples, brothers, and sisters, compared to ascension, what do they matter?
Daoist Sparrow said, "Hand over the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, join the Jiang family... unless you destroy the Blood Refining Sect and support my sect, I might agree."
Jiang Bufan squinted his eyes, saying, "Daoist Sparrow, do you think you have the right to negotiate? I don't care about your sect, now, I only give you ten breaths to consider!"
Regardless of the sect, in other words, the Blood Refining Sect could continue to destroy the Divine Puppet Sect.
This was great news for the Blood Refining Sect.
"Sect Master," Night Owl said solemnly, "no matter what you choose, we have no complaints."
As cultivators, everyone has selfish desires.
If such a choice fell on anyone, they would agree without hesitation.
Isn't their lifelong goal to ascend? Just because he is the sect master, they shouldn't bind him, forcing him to give up his future and stay here to die.
Daoist Sparrow's expression was calm, smiling, "Indeed, we cultivators strive all our lives, isn't it for ascension? Not just me, the first ancestor, all the ancestors, everyone in the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, all for this goal."
Saying this, he stepped forward, entering the chessboard of the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation, sitting cross-legged in the only vacant position in the formation.
Here, was the eye of the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation.
The only vacant eye.
"But, I refuse."
Daoist Sparrow declared righteously, closing his eyes.
A layer of golden light covered his body, transforming into a puppet form, his primordial spirit rapidly dissipating, merging into the formation.
At this moment, the void trembled, mountains and seas shook, the world changed color!
The complete form of the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation was about to be born!
Chapter 1139: Some things are greater than life
7 min read